‘Our team’s been working around the clock’: Mt. Bachelor has been busy with improvements for coming season
(Update: Adding video, comments from Mt. Bachelor staff)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- With the Mt. Bachelor ski and snowboard resort on the market, you might wonder if changes are on the way for the upcoming season, with a targeted opening date of November 29th - snow willing, of course.
Mt. Bachelor is gearing up for the 2024-2025 winter season, with plenty of upgrades and improvements in place that you can expect for its kick-off day.
"Our team's been working around the clock this summer to prep for winter opening day," Lauren Burke, Mt. Bachelor's director of marketing & communications, said Tuesday. "One thing that I'm really excited is we are doing some construction over at Sunrise Lodge, which is one of our busier lodges. It's going to be adding about 50 seats to Sunrise."
Bachelor also will be adding a ski and snowboard lounge this winter season at the Mountain Gateway building, offering overnight, multi-day or seasonal equipment storage.
Burke said, "You're going to be able to leave it up here and know that your equipment is safe, and then pick it up the next day, the next week or the next month, for you to go out and ski."
You can also expect extended operations during the upcoming season, allowing you to have one more day on the mountain.
The resort usually closes for the season the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, but in 2025, closing day is scheduled for Monday May 26th.
There will also be a few new additions to the rental and retail area at West Village.
"We're partnering with Salomon to expand our Salomon fleet of rentals. So when you visit West Village, you'll see a dedicated Salomon-specific area, where you can take out the latest and top of the line skis and snowboards."
The last day of the winter pass sale deadline is quickly approaching. Prices will go up at least $100 on Thursday, Sept. 26. Until then, the full-season pass is $1,349, with the midweek pass at $999.
"We always have a big celebration to commemorate Opening Day for the winter season," Burke said. "The La Nina forecast is looking good right now. It looks like we will get some early precipitation, some earlier snowfall than than last year. Just everybody gets so excited throughout the whole summer in the fall to get back on snow."
Here's the full list from Mt. Bachelor of what's new and underway on the mountain:
What’s New Winter 24/25
Mt. Bachelor is set to see continued improvements for the '24/25 winter season, scheduled to kick off on November 29, 2024. 24/25 Winter Season Passes are on sale now, with prices going up on September 26. Mt. Bachelor skiers and riders who purchase a pass product prior to September 26 get access to lower prices, payment plans, free bonus days and more.
ON-MOUNTAIN
Sunrise Lodge
Sunrise Lodge, Mt. Bachelor’s popular base area and hub for beginner terrain, is undergoing an expansion which will add over 50 seats. The cafe at Sunrise Lodge will now offer mobile ordering with the goal of decreasing congestion within the lodge during peak visitation times.
Extended Operations
Mt. Bachelor will be making adjustments to its operating schedule for the 24/25 winter season. Pending snow depth, West Village’s Little Pine lift will stay open as long as conditions allow, extending access to beginner terrain through the end of the season. Lastly, Closing Day, typically the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, will be moved to Monday May 26 – adding one more day of skiing and riding!
Restrooms at Outlier Lifts
Restrooms will be added to Mt. Bachelor’s outlier lifts: Outback Express and Northwest Express on the westside, and Cloudchaser Express on the eastside.
Salomon Performance Center
The Salomon Performance Center – first of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, will be conveniently located slopeside at the Mountain Gateway Building at West Village. Guests can rent online and in advance from a high-performance Salomon ski fleet, the most extensive Salomon rental offering in the region. Product has been carefully selected for intermediate and advanced skiers looking to maximize their experience on their favorite terrain or in varying conditions at Mt. Bachelor this winter.
Ski and Snowboard Valet Lounge
On the upper level of the Mountain Gateway building is the all-new West Village Rentals Ski and Board Valet. Offering overnight, multi-day or seasonal equipment storage, with prime ski-in and out access from Pine Marten Express lift. Guests can expect an elevated 'gear-up' lounge and complimentary refreshments on select days. This upgradable experience is a convenient and enjoyable way to ski or ride Mt. Bachelor this winter.
Lift Maintenance Projects
There have been ongoing lift maintenance projects across the mountain this summer as the team gears up for the 24/25 season. Most notable, Northwest Express lift had a new electric motor installed in the spring, bringing the lift back to full operating capacity. The generator on Skyliner Express lift was installed which will allow the lift to run at full capacity and speed if the resort were to lose power. Red Chair lift received an entirely new operating system featuring enhanced technology which will allow continued run-time of the beloved lift well into the future.
Pick-Up Boxes (PUBs)
In an effort to get skiers and riders on the mountain as fast as possible, Mt. Bachelor offers contactless digital ticket and pass-printing kiosks — Pick-Up Boxes (PUBs). PUBs are located: in resort at the West Village and Sunrise base areas; on the second floor of the Mountain Gateway building; at Sun Country Tours in Bend (531 SW 13th Street); and in the Activities Center in Sunriver (57100 Beaver Drive).
EVENTS
US Collegiate Ski & Snowboard National Championships
March 10-15, 2025, Mt. Bachelor will host the USCSA’s U.S. Collegiate Ski & Snowboard National Championships. USCSA is the preeminent governing body for collegiate team ski racing and snowboarding in North America. Watch the top college student athletes as their teams compete in numerous on-mountain races and freestyle events.
Kids Après
Adding to season-long family fun, on select holidays and weekends there will be all-new Kids Après activities which include face painting, hot cocoa, music and more.
Passholder Appreciation Weekends & Passholder Parties
Mt. Bachelor Passholders can expect continued Passholder Parties at Deschutes, all season long, with complimentary beer and swag giveaways. There will be two separate Passholder Appreciation Weekends – one in early season and one in spring where Mt. Bachelor Passholders can score exclusive discounts on retail and food and beverage, swag giveaways and more.
PLAY FOREVER
New Partner & Grant Applications
New this year, Mt. Bachelor is awarding a $25k grant to a local nonprofit through a grant application process. Grant applications will be reviewed by Mt. Bachelor’s philanthropic committee and will be awarded to an organization that provides critical programs or services in Deschutes, Crook, or Jefferson counties. Awardees will be announced October 1, 2024.
OSU Scholarship Grant
Mt. Bachelor has made a $50k gift to the Oregon State University Foundation to establish the Mt. Bachelor Endowed Scholarship Fund. The Fund is to be used to support OSU-Cascades students with financial need studying tourism, recreation, and adventure leadership (TRAL), environmental science, natural resources, and/or sustainability.
Play Forever Thursdays
Play Forever Thursdays allows guests to purchase discounted $99 lift tickets every Thursday in January, February, and March, with a portion of the proceeds from all ticket sales that day going to a local non-profit in Central Oregon. Beneficiary organizations are invited to set up a table in the West Village Lodge and connect with Mt. Bachelor guests and staff to share information about their programs, services, and mission on their respective Thursday. In 2024, Play Forever Thursdays generated $36k for 13 local nonprofits. Play Forever Thursday beneficiaries will be announced October 1, 2024.
Wood-Burning Energy Facility
Construction teams are pouring concrete for Mt. Bachelor’s wood fuel energy facility, which will reduce the resort’s propane consumption by roughly two-thirds in addition to improving air quality and creating a stable market for byproducts of forest restoration and wildfire mitigation activities in the Deschutes National Forest. The building will be erected this fall, and PEX pipe installation from the plant to select buildings in the West Village base area will take place in the summer of 2025. The wood fuel energy facility is slated to be operational by fall of 2025.
