Bend, Oregon is growing quickly, and is considered to be an outdoor activity paradise for more than 76,000 people in central Oregon, which boasts the area’s premier ski location, Mount Bachelor, just 22 miles to the west.
Provided that you long for skiing or snowboarding in the Pacific Northwest, Mount Bachelor is the sort of mountain you have only dreamed about. A 9,000-foot stratovolcano lined with fast quads and ski-able down each side, it’s an enormous, diverse area, which has lighter snow than the Pacific cement that covers most mountains in the district. Novice and moderate runs are scattered all around Bachelor, and a percentage of the groomers are world-class. With nearly 60 percent of the alpine landscape evaluated black or double black, experts will get the most out of the mountain. From the summit, courageous skiers and boarders can jump cornices into the blasted-open summit crater or set out toward the mountain’s backside of wide-open, back-country style double blacks. Freestyle terrain is magnificent, with two half-pipes (18 and 12 feet tall), and about a mile-long terrain park.
Along with skiing and snowboarding, Mt Bachelor also offers sled dog rides with the Oregon Trail of Dreams, which is operated by Jerry and Rachael Scdoris. Ride in a sled behind a dog sled team to add a wild and magical touch to your Mt Bachelor get-away. Imagine gliding over the snow, while taking in the gorgeous sights of Central Oregon’s snow-covered peaks including Broken Top, the Three Sisters and Mt Bachelor, all from the comfort of an Iditarod Dog Sled.
If no other Bend, Oregon winter activities have tickled your fancy, consider a snowshoe tour, offered by Wanderlust Tours, off trail and away from other people to indulge in the snowy winter wonderland. You’ll enjoy the vibrant and engaging interpretation along the way with snow play for all ages. The tours are customized for various adventure desires that anyone is bound to enjoy.
While Bend, Oregon itself might slightly lack the cushy, world-unto-itself feel of little ski towns, it makes up for it with lodging alternatives for any lifestyle or budget, a fabulous choice of hip eateries, and nine microbreweries within walking distance of one another in the city’s downtown (there’s a reason why its called “Beervana”). Mount Bachelor keeps the lifts going through Memorial Day, so when you come any time after mid-winter you can ski up on the mountain in the morning and hike or mountain bike in the lowlands in the afternoon.
For additional information on all of the outdoor activities that are offered by Mount Bachelor, please click here.