First snow at Bachelor’s base: What will season bring?
The rain was a sweet sound on the slopes of Mt. Bachelor Tuesday — but the snowfall that arrived by early Wednesday, the first measurable snow on the mountain, was even more welcome.
“Summer has hung on a really long time, which has been great for some,” said Drew Jackson, the ski-snowboard resort’s marketing and communications manager.
“But now, when the weather is turning, the excitement is really ramping up. We’re ready for snow to be on the ground,” Jackson said.
Jackson said the mountain received one inch overnight, the first measurable snow to fall in the base area at 6,300 feet elevation, with two inches higher up. It was still snowing late Wednesday morning, so there may be 2 to 4 inches by the end of the day.
But that’s a long way from opening day. So just how much of the flaky goodness will be falling this year?
The 2014-15 Farmers Almanac is predicting an El Nino winter, when regions could experience milder winters.
“We definitely look at the long-range forecast, but at least in my experience, it’s really a roll of the dice,” Jackson said. “We would like to see it a little more spread out and a little more consistent this year, but we’re not the boss of that.”
That’s up to the lady in charge — Mother Nature.
At Hoodoo Ski Area, they are relying on nature’s giving nature to keep them afloat this year — especially in time for the crucial holiday periods.
“That is 50 percent of our revenue. We need to be open for Thanksgiving, for Christmas, for New Year’s,” said Daidre Streeter, Hoodoo’s office manager.
Those are holidays — and money — they missed last year because there wasn’t enough snow. In fact, the mountain opened three months late, for a total of 39 days.
“Our skier visits were 14,000 last year — and the year before that, they were 75,000,” Streeter said.
Hoodoo still plans to hire its 175 seasonal employees and go on with business as usual, with fingers crossed.
“The truth, is nobody knows what’s going to happen until it happens. Mother Nature is in charge,” Streeter said.
With the fate of the ski season in her hands, all they can do is hope Old Man Winter wins this battle.
“It snows or it doesn’t, but we take what we can get and make the most out of it,” Streeter said.
Jackson added, “Tomorrow at this time, I’m hoping the ground looks white, instead of bare.”
Both Hoodoo and Mt. Bachelor hope to open for the season on Thanksgiving weekend — in Bachelor’s case, Wed., Nov. 26th, the day before the holiday.
If the snow flies.
