Mt. Bachelor snowpack still holding strong

A strong El Nino weather pattern has kept us warmer this winter, but not drier.

Snowpack levels have been encouraging despite a 50-50 chance of us having a winter similar to last year, when the snowpack was much lower.

Ralph Merzbach has lived in Bend for seven years, and has noticed the ups and downs of our past winter seasons.

“This season has turned out pretty good.,” Merzbach said on the slopes Wednesday. “They’re close to a 12-foot base here. I mean, it snowed for six weeks straight starting in December.”

And Merzbach is right. Mt. Bachelor in particular is enjoying snow totals of around 144 inches at mid mountain.

Even though we’ve been experiencing an early start to spring in town at lower elevations, that isn’t stopping more snow from packing up.

“It’s starting to be spring, yet here I am only 20 minutes away at Mt. Bachelor — boom!” Merzbach said.

Only a quick drive can take us from rain and temperatures above average to resorts with healthy snow depths.

More snow is being forecast for Mt. Bachelor by the start of the weekend, possibly up to a half-foot..