Mt Bachelor
4,323 acres, 101 runs near Bend. Second-largest US resort, 360-degree summit descent, Ikon Pass.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
21 Dec 2026
Closes
12 Apr 2027
Days open
112
Annual snow
462in
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Mt Bachelor's summit reaches 9,065 feet, dropping 3,365 vertical feet to a base at 5,700 feet across 101 runs spread over 4,323 acres near Bend, Oregon. Terrain splits 55 per cent intermediate, 22 per cent advanced, 20 per cent beginner and 3 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 462 inches, among the highest totals in the Pacific Northwest. The resort carries Ikon Pass access and is the second-largest single-mountain ski resort in the United States by acreage, behind only Vail. Fifteen lifts, including nine quad chairs and three triple chairs, serve the mountain alongside three surface lifts.
Mt Bachelor's volcanic cone shape allows genuinely 360-degree descent options from near the summit, a rare feature that gives skiers access to distinct terrain and aspects depending on wind and snow conditions on any given day. Its massive 4,323-acre footprint, more than 1,000 acres larger than any other Oregon resort, supports an exceptionally long season running from late November into late May. The mountain's substantial snowfall total underpins both its scale and its reputation for reliable conditions.
Former 10th Mountain Division ski trooper Bill Healy founded the resort with 75,000 US dollars and a one-year lease from the US government, opening on 19 December 1958 with a single lift and two rope tows operating on weekends and holidays only. The resort has grown enormously from those modest beginnings into one of the largest ski areas in the country. Since 2001, Mt Bachelor has been owned by Powdr Corporation of Park City, Utah, which purchased the resort for approximately 28 million US dollars.
In August 2024, Powdr announced plans to sell Mt Bachelor along with several other properties, but after reviewing the situation the company reversed course in April 2025 and decided to retain ownership of the resort indefinitely. Adult daily tickets run from 99 to 139 US dollars, with a full season pass at 1,199 dollars.
3,366ft
Vertical
101
Runs
4,323 acres
Skiable
462in
Annual snow
Ikon
Pass
The Terrain
101 runs across 4,323 acres skiable
Mt Bachelor is a volcanic cone in the Oregon Cascades near Bend, with 4,323 acres (1,750 hectares) of terrain across 101 runs. The summit reaches 9,070 feet (2,763 m) and the vertical drop is 3,370 feet (1,026 m) from a base at 5,700 feet. Intermediates dominate at 55%, with 22% advanced, 20% beginner and 3% expert. Nine quad chairs, three triples and three surface lifts cover the mountain, and snowfall averages about 462 inches a year. Because the mountain is a single cone, the runs radiate in every direction from the top, so wind and snow dictate where you go.
Summit Express reaches the top, where skiers can drop in any direction depending on snow safety, with the Pinnacles and West Bowl among the headline runs. The Cirque is a treeless bowl of about 1,300 vertical feet, and the two-mile Northwest Express serves steep bowls and tree runs. Pine Marten Lodge at 7,775 feet is reached by the Pine Marten chair, and the Cinder Cone above the main car park is hike-to terrain with open bowls and trees. Bachelor suits intermediates, tree skiers and anyone who wants scale and variety, though expert-graded terrain is thin.
Terrain split
101
runs
101 runs across 4 grades
Beginner20 runs · 20%
Intermediate56 runs · 55%
Advanced22 runs · 22%
Expert3 runs · 3%
Time it right
When to visit Mt Bachelor
The 2025-26 season at Mt Bachelor ran from 28 November 2025 to 25 May 2026, one of the longest seasons in the country at roughly twenty-six weeks. Average annual snowfall of around 462 inches, among the highest totals in the Pacific Northwest, supports this exceptionally long operating window running well into late spring. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions across Mt Bachelor's nine powder-filled bowls and varied aspects. As an Ikon Pass destination and the second-largest single-mountain resort in the country, the mountain draws substantial visitor traffic from across the Pacific Northwest and beyond, with holiday periods bringing the heaviest crowds. Weekday visits generally remain calmer given the mountain's sheer scale.
The resort's 360-degree summit access means conditions and preferred terrain can shift throughout the season depending on wind and snow patterns, giving experienced visitors an advantage in reading the mountain. The late-May closing date, one of the latest in the country outside dedicated summer-ski operations, reflects both the mountain's elevation and its substantial snowfall total. School holiday periods and spring break bring particularly strong late-season demand.
Specific event programming beyond standard lift operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Powdr Corporation's April 2025 decision to retain ownership, after briefly exploring a sale the previous year, has provided continuity for the resort's long-term planning. Mt Bachelor's combination of massive scale, high snowfall and an unusually long season continues to define its position as one of the Pacific Northwest's premier ski destinations.
Season 2026 - 2027
21 Dec 2026
Opens
12 Apr 2027
Closes
112
Days open
462 in
Annual snow
The record
Historical snowfall at Mt Bachelor
Daily snow reports at Mt Bachelor go back to 2025, 2 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
26 in
Snowiest day
5 Dec 2025
4 in
This winter · 2026-27
so far
225 in
Typical winter
average of complete seasons
Winter totals
in
Past wintersThis winter
Getting there
Getting to Mt Bachelor, and where to stay
Mt Bachelor sits in the Cascade Range approximately 22 miles west of Bend, Oregon, along the Century Drive Highway, with a base elevation of 5,700 feet and a summit at 9,065 feet across a 3,365-foot vertical drop over 4,323 acres. This volcanic peak rises prominently above the broader central Oregon high desert landscape.
Bend is the resort's primary gateway city, offering extensive lodging, dining and services as one of central Oregon's fastest-growing communities, with a strong outdoor recreation culture built substantially around the mountain's presence. The drive between Bend and the resort along Century Drive is a defining part of the Mt Bachelor experience for the region's many local season pass holders.
Oregon State Route 46, the Cascade Lakes Highway, known locally as Century Drive, provides the sole road access from Bend to the resort. Winter driving conditions on this route can include snow and ice, and the Oregon Department of Transportation maintains the road specifically to support the resort's winter operations. There is no direct public transport service beyond seasonal shuttle options connecting Bend to the mountain.
Redmond Municipal Airport, serving the greater Bend area, is the nearest airport with substantial commercial service, roughly 40 minutes from the resort. This reasonably convenient air access, combined with Bend's broader tourism infrastructure, supports Mt Bachelor's role as a genuine destination resort within the Ikon Pass network rather than purely a local mountain.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Mt Bachelor, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Sierra Nevada Halloween Storm: Dodge Ridge Forecast to Lead With 19 Inches
Halloween weekend brings a wet, windy storm to the Sierra Nevada. Our five-day forecast has Dodge Ridge on top with 19 in, followed by Bear Valley at 15 in and Mammoth Mountain at 12 in, with most of it landing on Saturday. A winter weather advisory covers the Tahoe Basin and Mono County until 7 AM Sunday, gusts could reach 47 mph and the freezing level swings between 4,900 and 8,700 ft, so some bases will see rain. A dry spell follows from Monday.
31 Oct 2026
Lake Louise Opens Early on 1 November With Juniper Express and Easy Street
The Rockies get their first lift-served turns of the season early. Lake Louise opens Sunday 1 November, five days ahead of schedule, after a cold October and round-the-clock work from the snowmaking and mountain crews. Terrain is limited to Juniper Express Chair and Easy Street, with two small terrain parks and the beginner area for lessons. Opening-day tickets are over 60% off, with prices rising as more lifts open. First chair is at 9:30 am under the resort’s new lift hours.
31 Oct 2026
Kitzbüheler Horn Summit Cable Car to Be Replaced After 70 Years
A Tyrolean summit lift that has been carrying guests up the Kitzbüheler Horn since 1955 is on borrowed time. Its licence runs to 2045, but a new inspection rule has made refurbishment uneconomic, so Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel will spend around €15 million on a replacement on the same line. It should hold roughly 100 people and keep running in winds that would stop today’s lift. Building starts in autumn 2027, which makes this winter and next summer the last chances to ride the old one.
30 Oct 2026
What’s New in Japan Skiing This Winter: Niseko Gondola, a Private Resort and a Bigger Ikon Pass
Niseko Village is replacing a lift from the early 1980s with an eight-person gondola, Tsugaike gets a six-person chairlift, Madarao joins the Ikon Pass and Togari opens Asia’s first private ski resort. Here’s what is actually new in Japan skiing for 2026/27, plus what is still a year or two away.
30 Oct 2026
Wolf Creek Opens on Halloween Weekend as Colorado’s Early Season Gathers Pace
Colorado’s early-season dominoes keep falling. Arapahoe Basin opened on Wednesday, Keystone follows on Friday, and now Wolf Creek is joining in on Saturday 31 October, just in time for Halloween. A storm on 23 and 24 October left 20 inches of natural snow in the San Juans, and three lifts will turn from 9:00 am, covering about 30% of the mountain. Expect rocks, unmarked obstacles and open water, but also Local Appreciation lift tickets at $73 for adults.
30 Oct 2026
Keystone Resort Opens for 2026/27 With More Than Two Miles of Skiing
Keystone is next. After Arapahoe Basin claimed the first chairlift skiing of the season on Wednesday, Keystone opens on Friday 30 October at 9:00 am with more than two miles of snowmaking-built terrain on Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon, plus free donuts, coffee and a live DJ. Last year the order was reversed, when Keystone squeezed in a three-hour afternoon session to beat A-Basin by a day. Snowmaking has been running since 15 October.
29 Oct 2026
Beaver Creek Installs 16 Automated Snow Guns on Birds of Prey Ahead of Record World Cup
Beaver Creek is getting ready for the biggest Birds of Prey ever, and this time it is not leaving the snow to chance. Crews started making snow on 27 October with 16 newly installed automated guns on the lower third of the course, after last December’s warm spell forced a downhill off the schedule. Seven races across two weekends run from 3 to 13 December, the most the course has hosted since its 1997 debut, and the guns start themselves whenever the weather allows.
29 Oct 2026
Arapahoe Basin Opens First for North America’s 2026/27 Ski Season
Winter has officially started in North America, and it is one blue run long. On Wednesday 28 October, Arapahoe Basin fired up the Black Mountain Express at around 10:30 am after a surprise announcement just hours earlier, becoming the first major North American resort open for 2026/27. Cold nights, a dusting of natural snow and a lot of snowmaking made it happen in the resort’s 80th winter. More terrain is promised as the snow guns keep running.
28 Oct 2026
Mt Bachelor Snow Report
Snow Report
Updated 30 Oct 2026
9,065ft
summit
+0in
new snow · last 24 hours
Overcast19°F / 30°F · SE 13mph
Snowfall
24 hours
0in
48 hours
1in
7 days
4in
Base depth
7in
Season total
4in
Typical winter 225in
Total lifts15
Live open status isn’t available right now.
21 Dec 2026 - 12 Apr 2027
Hour by Hour
Next 48 hours· Updated Oct 31, 2026 at 7:02 AM
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
7-Day Outlook
8,392 ftUpdated Oct 31, 2026 at 7:02 AMOpen-Meteo
Days 1–7
0.0"
Days 8–14
0.3"
Sat, Oct 31
Overcast
Temp30° / 19°°F
Snow0.0"(24%)
Wind13 mph SE
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Understanding the Mt Bachelor snow report
Planning a day at Mt Bachelor? Our snow report combines official mountain data with live weather so you know exactly what conditions look like right now, from the 1737m base to the 2763m summit.
Snow measurements
Snow depth at Mt Bachelor is tracked at both the base and summit, since the two elevations often see different totals — roughly a 1026m difference here. We report fresh snowfall over the last 24 hours and 7 days alongside the running season total, in both metric and imperial units.
Weather conditions
Current weather conditions affect snow quality. Cold temperatures with low wind typically preserve snow quality, while warm temperatures or rain can impact conditions negatively — something worth watching closely at Mt Bachelor's 1737m base elevation, where temperatures run milder than the summit.
Data sources
Mt Bachelor snow data is collected through a combination of on-mountain reports and weather forecasting services, giving you both official resort updates and independent forecast data in one place. The mountain is served by 15 lifts, including 9 quad chairlifts.
When to check
Conditions can change overnight, so mornings and late afternoons are the best times to check back on Mt Bachelor.