Mt. Bachelor unveils plans for 3-stage dual zip line

Mt. Bachelor announced plans Wednesday to add a three-stage, dual zip line, creating what it calls ” a thrilling new mountain experience. ”

Here’s the rest of the announcement:

Accessible by chairlift and dropping nearly 1,400 vertical feet along the volcano’s slopes, Mt. Bachelor’s high-alpine zip line will be the Northwest’s highest-elevation zip adventure.

Designed as a multi-stage tour that allows customers to explore the unique volcanic terrain via three zip line spans, riders will fly over open bowls and off-piste terrain previously only accessible to advanced skiers and snowboarders in winter.

“This will be one of the Pacific Northwest’s most thrilling attractions, elevating adventure at Mt. Bachelor for the Bend community and our summer guests in a dramatic new way,” says John McLeod, Mt. Bachelor’s president and general manager. “The zip line adds to Mt. Bachelor’s already rich summer activity roster, which includes scenic chairlift rides, sunset dinners, downhill mountain biking, rafting with Sun Country Tours, and the Woodward WreckTangle in Bend.”

The zip line experience will begin in Mt. Bachelor’s West Village base area, the resort’s summer adventure hub. Expert guides will teach important safety principles and oversee a practice session on a short zip line in the staging area.

From there, guests and their guides will enjoy a scenic 12-minute ride on the Pine Marten chairlift to halfway up the mountain and above the tree line at 7,800 feet of elevation.

Stage one of the zip line tour starts near the unloading area of the Pine Marten lift and descends toward the Skyliner lift, dropping 255 feet in elevation along its path. Riders will see Tumalo Mountain and Paulina Peak in the distance while traveling over a roller coaster-like landscape of ridges and ravines below.

Stage two, with awe-inspiring views of South Sister towering above the forest, angles back toward the Pine Marten lift while dropping an additional 263 feet .

Stage three, the final and longest stage, features the “Broken Top Drop,” the most thrilling part of the experience. Spanning 3,443 feet with an 866-foot vertical plunge, riders will end their Mt. Bachelor zip line tour on one of the longest, steepest and fastest zip line spans in the Northwest.

“This needs to be on every adventure-seeker’s bucket list,” said Drew Jackson, Mt. Bachelor’s director of marketing and communications. “With its combination of adrenaline-raising drops and majestic views of the Cascade peaks, our new zip line will be an experience unlike any other.”

Mt. Bachelor’s zip line will be manufactured by ZipRider ®, one of the nation’s leading zip line architects. The specific ZipTour ® model being installed will feature a patented trolley system that allows riders to control their speed of descent and customize their ride experience, based on their comfort level.

All three stages will have dual spans, allowing competitive riders to race a partner to the bottom.

Construction is underway, with a grand opening anticipated next spring. Once open, the resort expects to operate the zip line annually from May through October.

Pricing of the zip line ride has not yet been set, resort officials said.

Mt. Bachelor’s zip line project is the latest in a series of growth plans involving the POWDR-owned resort.

In June, Mt. Bachelor announced the opening of the Woodward WreckTangle in Bend, bringing a unique ninja obstacle course to the Old Mill District for the summer season .

The WreckTangle opening was followed by the announcement of the Woodward Mountain Park experience coming to Mt. Bachelor this winter. The project includes a new chairlift and two new conveyor carpets to reimagine the learning zone at the Sunrise base area, improvements to Sunrise Lodge, and a parking lot expansion. Season passes for Mt. Bachelor’s 2019-20 winter season are on sale now.

POWDR is not disclosing the cost of the project, but Drew Jackson, the resort’s director of marketing and communications, said ” the zip line is the most significant single project investment at Mt. Bachelor since the Cloudchaser lift project in 2016. ”

He added that “all the announced projects for 2019-20 – Woodward Mountain Park, Sunrise lodge renovation and parking expansion, one new chairlift and two new conveyor carpets, and now the zip line – collectively account for one of the largest single-year investment totals in Mt. Bachelor’s history.”

For more information about the zip line, visit www.mtbachelor.com/zipline . Details about all of Mt. Bachelor’s experiences can be found at www.mtbachelor.com .

Fast Facts about Mt. Bachelor’s Zip Line

Length Top Elevation Bottom Elevation Vertical Drop

Introductory Stage 125′ 6,395′ 6,385′ 10′

Stage One 1,684′ 7,748′ 7,493′ 255′

Stage Two 1,666′ 7,497 7,234′ 263′

Stage Three 3,443′ 7,248′ 6,382′ 866′

Total 6,918′ ( 1.3 miles ) 7,748′ 6,382′ 1,384′