Mt. Bachelor Ski Area, Bend: Address, Phone Number, Mt. Bachelor Ski Area Reviews: 4.5/5
Mt. Bachelor Ski Area
Mt. Bachelor Ski Area
4.5
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Offers twelve ski trails and ski clinics to help novice to advanced skiers.
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4.5
668 reviews
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48
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KKimiko
Belmont, CA15 contributions
Bachelor takes the fun out of ziplining - good for Beginners
Jul 2021
This is strictly for our "Ziplining" experience.
Way overpriced for the amount of time you are on the zipline (2 short zip's and 1 lengthy one). Not sure if Bachelor is having trouble finding staff but you spend most of your time waiting rather than riding.
Understand "safety" but they stress you out soooo much about looking for signs for when to slow down, and always watch the staff for instructions for when to slow down, that you don't even get to enjoy the views. Get very upset if you come in too fast.
We've zip-lined in multiple places around the country and this was our least favorite mainly because of 1) not being able to relax and enjoy the views 2) over-priced, especially for the amount of time you spend ziplining 3) zipline time is very short
Tip: speed is controlled by the rider - on the last zipline, it kind of locks making you think you are pulling down at the maximum point. Pull down an extra notch for faster speed.
This would be good for a 1st time zipliner, or younger kids.
Way overpriced for the amount of time you are on the zipline (2 short zip's and 1 lengthy one). Not sure if Bachelor is having trouble finding staff but you spend most of your time waiting rather than riding.
Understand "safety" but they stress you out soooo much about looking for signs for when to slow down, and always watch the staff for instructions for when to slow down, that you don't even get to enjoy the views. Get very upset if you come in too fast.
We've zip-lined in multiple places around the country and this was our least favorite mainly because of 1) not being able to relax and enjoy the views 2) over-priced, especially for the amount of time you spend ziplining 3) zipline time is very short
Tip: speed is controlled by the rider - on the last zipline, it kind of locks making you think you are pulling down at the maximum point. Pull down an extra notch for faster speed.
This would be good for a 1st time zipliner, or younger kids.
Written August 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
James M
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico13 contributions
Great late season ski resort
Apr 2021
Our trip to Mt Bachelor was in late April 2021. My wife and I purchased the late-season pass, which was the best value we have ever found in over 40 years of skiing together. We had a great trip and we think that Mt Bachelor is probably about as good as it gets for a trip at this time of year. I
If you are considering a trip to Mt Bachelor, you need to understand that this is not a typical destination ski resort.
There is no lodging on or near the mountain. Most people who come from outside the area stay in Bend, Oregon, which is about 1/2 hour from the ski area. We did not find this to be a problem. We flew into Portland Oregon and rented a car and drove to Bend, where we stayed. The daily drive to the ski area was very pleasant. It is along a very scenic route. The road was bare and dry during our stay.
The first thing you should do when planning a trip to Mt Bachelor is reserve your parking (easily done from Mt Bachelor's web site). Do not buy a resort pass, plane tickets or reserve a room until you have reserved parking. It is clear from other reviews that parking can be a major problem during the high season. However, during our trip, parking was no problem at all and we were always able to park within a 1-2 minute walk to the lifts.
We skied from April 19-23, 2021.
The first three days were wonderful, blue-sky days. The temperatures during the day were above freezing and we had great corn snow skiing, particularly on the side of the mountain with the most direct sun exposure.
The third day was also a warm blue-sky day but it was a little windy. As a result, for much of the morning, they were only running two of the high speed chairs, the Sunrise lift near the parking lot and the Northwest lift, accessible only by hiking a considerable distance. We decided to stick with the Sunrise lift. It only has an 800-foot vertical rise. They slowed down the chair because of the wind. Also, because of the pandemic, most of the chairs were only loading two people. As a result, there was about a 10 minute line for most of the morning. A lot of people quit skiing because of this. Later in the day, however, they were able to open most of the other lifts. The afternoon was absolutely epic, with the best corn-snow skiing we have ever experienced.
The final day was partly cloudy and colder and the runs were pretty icy, so we quit after only a few runs and went back to Bend. It was by no means a lost day, however. We used this opportunity to have lunch at one of the micro-breweries in Bend, and we also went on a nice hike along the Deschutes River. Despite the poor skiing conditions, we still had a great day.
The vast majority of the mountain immediately accessible by the lifts consists of easy blue runs, and a few green runs. Most of the black runs below the summit chair are accessed from the Northwest chair lift. The resort does accurately state that there are runs off of 360 degrees of the summit (accessed by the Summit chair). Most of the black or double-black runs off of the summit are not groomed or regularly patrolled, so we did not ski any of these runs. There are several really nice blue runs off of the summit that are groomed. We usually skied these runs in the afternoon when the snow was softer. It was really fun to ski well-above the tree line on a dormant volcano!
Everyone who worked on the mountain was very helpful and courteous. Also, they are taking all of the appropriate measures to protect their staff and guests during the pandemic, such as loading only families or groups traveling together on their quad chairs.
To maximize your enjoyment on a ski trip to Mt Bachelor in the spring, you need to have realistic expectations and be flexible. Understand that you may be mostly skiing blue and green runs. Recognize that resort operations may be limited as a result of conditions, such as wind. Plan ahead for the possibility that some of your skiing days may not happen as planned. There are other activities in and around Bend to consider, such as hiking or fly fishing on the Deschutes or just walking around the charming downtown area and checking out their many fine restaurants. Our trip was not perfect, but it was still great fun, even on the day when we quit early due to icy conditions on the mountain.
In the future, Mt Bachelor will be at or near the top of our list for a mid to late spring skiing vacation.
If you are considering a trip to Mt Bachelor, you need to understand that this is not a typical destination ski resort.
There is no lodging on or near the mountain. Most people who come from outside the area stay in Bend, Oregon, which is about 1/2 hour from the ski area. We did not find this to be a problem. We flew into Portland Oregon and rented a car and drove to Bend, where we stayed. The daily drive to the ski area was very pleasant. It is along a very scenic route. The road was bare and dry during our stay.
The first thing you should do when planning a trip to Mt Bachelor is reserve your parking (easily done from Mt Bachelor's web site). Do not buy a resort pass, plane tickets or reserve a room until you have reserved parking. It is clear from other reviews that parking can be a major problem during the high season. However, during our trip, parking was no problem at all and we were always able to park within a 1-2 minute walk to the lifts.
We skied from April 19-23, 2021.
The first three days were wonderful, blue-sky days. The temperatures during the day were above freezing and we had great corn snow skiing, particularly on the side of the mountain with the most direct sun exposure.
The third day was also a warm blue-sky day but it was a little windy. As a result, for much of the morning, they were only running two of the high speed chairs, the Sunrise lift near the parking lot and the Northwest lift, accessible only by hiking a considerable distance. We decided to stick with the Sunrise lift. It only has an 800-foot vertical rise. They slowed down the chair because of the wind. Also, because of the pandemic, most of the chairs were only loading two people. As a result, there was about a 10 minute line for most of the morning. A lot of people quit skiing because of this. Later in the day, however, they were able to open most of the other lifts. The afternoon was absolutely epic, with the best corn-snow skiing we have ever experienced.
The final day was partly cloudy and colder and the runs were pretty icy, so we quit after only a few runs and went back to Bend. It was by no means a lost day, however. We used this opportunity to have lunch at one of the micro-breweries in Bend, and we also went on a nice hike along the Deschutes River. Despite the poor skiing conditions, we still had a great day.
The vast majority of the mountain immediately accessible by the lifts consists of easy blue runs, and a few green runs. Most of the black runs below the summit chair are accessed from the Northwest chair lift. The resort does accurately state that there are runs off of 360 degrees of the summit (accessed by the Summit chair). Most of the black or double-black runs off of the summit are not groomed or regularly patrolled, so we did not ski any of these runs. There are several really nice blue runs off of the summit that are groomed. We usually skied these runs in the afternoon when the snow was softer. It was really fun to ski well-above the tree line on a dormant volcano!
Everyone who worked on the mountain was very helpful and courteous. Also, they are taking all of the appropriate measures to protect their staff and guests during the pandemic, such as loading only families or groups traveling together on their quad chairs.
To maximize your enjoyment on a ski trip to Mt Bachelor in the spring, you need to have realistic expectations and be flexible. Understand that you may be mostly skiing blue and green runs. Recognize that resort operations may be limited as a result of conditions, such as wind. Plan ahead for the possibility that some of your skiing days may not happen as planned. There are other activities in and around Bend to consider, such as hiking or fly fishing on the Deschutes or just walking around the charming downtown area and checking out their many fine restaurants. Our trip was not perfect, but it was still great fun, even on the day when we quit early due to icy conditions on the mountain.
In the future, Mt Bachelor will be at or near the top of our list for a mid to late spring skiing vacation.
Written April 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Howard Dyer
1 contribution
Fair. Often windy on the mountain.
Apr 2021
Prices are way too high. Bachelor has the feel of a big corporation trying to come across as a small, friendly entity. The high, always fluctuating prices are not warranted and a sign of ownership trying to squeeze every dime they can out of visitors. The views are the nicest part of the experience.
Written April 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Christopher W
1 contribution
Now Sucks
Mar 2021
So I've lived in Bend since 2003. The first 5 years were great when population as around 60K. Now at 100k you can expect overcrowding on hiking and mountain bike trails all the time. Currently as I look at the tripcheck cam at Mt. Bachelor I see a traffic jam. This has been my experience for some time now. To nordic ski you need to choose hours that are not ideal for conditions. I also see a difference in driving behavior around town. We have had an influx of people from Portland and California who relocated because they didn't like their lifestyle but have brought their bad habits here and essentially are turning Bend into Cali and Portland. they have too much money and are insensitive to the environment. Time to move. But where?
Written March 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
stefanie p
New York City, NY5 contributions
Make the base camp more of a pop-up “town”
Mar 2021 • Family
Create more of an environment in the base of the mountain. The whole thing is depressing and very dead. I understand we went during Covid but I can tell that even in a normal year there is nothing to do to create ambience.
I also learned about half of the mountain being closed as I was trying to look for the lift to the summit. This is something that should be disclosed before booking since apparently that lift is closed most of the year.
The mountain is great because there is not a lot of people, but it was terribly boring and nothing to do after skiing.
My suggestion is that somehow they find a permit with the national park to add some nice temporary restaurants and bars as well as shops. Similar to a pop up?
I also learned about half of the mountain being closed as I was trying to look for the lift to the summit. This is something that should be disclosed before booking since apparently that lift is closed most of the year.
The mountain is great because there is not a lot of people, but it was terribly boring and nothing to do after skiing.
My suggestion is that somehow they find a permit with the national park to add some nice temporary restaurants and bars as well as shops. Similar to a pop up?
Written March 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Cross
Cave Junction, OR1 contribution
Terrible
Feb 2021 • Family
After planning trip for months. Mountain was closed due to weather which was disappointing but out of our control. However not recieving a refund for 20 days was unacceptable. I called multiple times to check on refund with a different story every time. For a resort that is as expensive as it is they really should handle this process better. We will not be giving them any more of our money. Good luck if you should need a refund for any reason. You'll need to be persistant.
Written March 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Shawn G
1 contribution
Worst place to go!!!
Feb 2021 • Couples
My wife and I went up to ski for two days. The parking scam/ COVID BS is way for them to make more money!!!! Don’t wast your time unless you want to stand all day in long in lines. The employees don’t give a rats ass about how you feel. Spend your money and time at other resorts. I have been going there for 20 some years never had a bad time there before,but I will not go back. Clowns are running the place the bus scam is a rip off!!! I was at Seventh mountain resort I had to drive into bend to ride a bus with other people that I did not know. I guess they want to spread the COVID more by forcing you to get in small bus !!!
Written February 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Janine H
Richland, WA5 contributions
Our family's favorite place to ski!
Feb 2021
Great terrain - varied and well kept up. COVID restrictions did make the bottom lift line very busy but once you get up the mountain, lift lines had almost no wait. Masks were worn by everyone and only household members could ride up a lift together. My husband and I felt safe.
Written February 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Bruna Gusmao
Auburn, CA1,172 contributions
Great mountain to go with kids
Feb 2021 • Family
The terrain is huge. Great area, great staff. Just wish they would have more kids souvenirs to sell, such as dogs patrol stuffed animals, like in Mammoth, or other things for kids. Parking lot was not very efficient either. We had parking reservations and left early to get a good spot. Only after we entered the sunrise parking lot they told us it was full and asked us to turn around to the other one, then it was chaotic behind us, people cutting us over, and we got a lot further in traffic because we had to go all the way back. They would have informed people it was full at the entrance. Lines were crazy also. At one point we had to wait 35 minutes. Then we found out that it was because a this week is skii skate week for most schools in California and Washington state. Plus the fact that Canada border is still closed due to COVID. But the mountain itself is great for skiing.
Written February 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Il professore
1 contribution
Worst ski resort experience ever
Feb 2021 • Family
Made a trip for Presidents day weekend. They have a “reservation” parking system. Have waited an hour and 15 min in line still trying to get in. Not even a nice day. No accident just normal operations. Worst ski resort experience I have ever had.
Written February 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Where is the best place to rent skis? It sounds like the rental area at Bachelor can take an hour or more? We are staying in sunriver.
w0rld_trekker
Bend, OR17 contributions
I went there twice last year and there really wasn’t much of a queue or line to get fitted at all. I was in and out in like 15 mins. So I cannot attest to claims that it takes a long time to pickup your rentals, especially if you reserve online ahead of time and give them all your height/weight info and prepay. You can pretty much rent skis from any outfitter in Bend proper for less money and maybe more convenience, if that is your base.
Hello, Does anyone have info on free wi-fi in the parking lot up there? We will be in our RV for a few days.
No wifi in the parking lot areas or resort in general. Verizon seems to have decent service around the resort
stephenmdorn d
Gresham, OR1 contribution
Can we have breakfast at lodge in the morning
Paul L
Napa, CA16 contributions
I can't speak for their summer hours, but in Winter the answer is YES. But like other folks have said, why not get a great breakfast in Bend and then the easy drive up to the hill.
I am from Vancouver WA, what is the best route to Mt Bachelor?
Carolwhite522
Bend, OR42 contributions
Over Mt Hood in Hwy 26. South in 97 at Madras. Drive safe!
mike4548
San Diego, CA1 contribution
Would Mt. Bachelor be good for family sking at the end of December. We are time restricted because my son-in-law is a school principal. Thx
sexybaby7399
Oregon442 contributions
Normally yes, but it has been a light snow year! I would call in advance to confirm if they will be open! Ordinarily great powder skiing if they are open!
Boyd F
South Melbourne, Australia8 contributions
Hi I’m heading to Mount Bachelor end March 2018 for 2 weeks skiing. I won’t have a car so will need to find accommodation convenient to a shuttle. Experiences and recommendations appreciated
Ginger-On-The-Go
Oregon144 contributions
Sunriver Resort has a morning shuttle to Mt. Bachelor. If you stay there, then you can also walk to the lodge for meals or to the Village. The resort also has a free shuttle that will take you to the village that has a brewery and other restaurants, stores.
edithfragner
Perchtoldsdorf, Austria
Wir wollen ANFANG April zum Mount Bachelor Schigebiet. Wie sind die Schneeverhältnisse zu dieser Zeit?
theirmom
United States16 contributions
Hi! I am a newbie to Nordic and am thinking about trying Mt. Bachelor while my husband skies. Are beginner trails enough to keep a beginner happy for a day or two? Are there long, flat areas? Thanks!
20744
Bend, OR43 contributions
Absolutely. Bachelor has incredible Nordic Skiing facility/trails for all levels and abilities. The high schools have Nordic Team competition on a weekly basis with kids that have never been on skis before. I believe that you would find it amazing. You should also check out the dog sled operation. My wife has done it twice and loves it.
rxreilly
New York City, NY122 contributions
Heading to Bachelor with a family of 5 next week. Does the mountain offer tours or have an ambassador program. Would love to ski half a day with someone who knows the mountain so we could gain some insider knowledge.
nofreakennames
30 contributions
Yes, Mt Bachelor does do tours of the mountain for skiers/snowboarders. You can sign up for an orientation tour from the concierge desk on the second floor of the West Village Lodge.
Tm2Go
Napa Valley, CA1 contribution
I'm taking my husband for a surprise ski trip over New Years and am staying at SunRiver. What do I need to know about getting him passes ahead of time and getting shuttle service to the mountain? I don't ski at all but I am hoping to make this an awesome trip for him. He's never boarded or skied Bachelor before as we are not from the area. Any help you can give my novice self would be most appreciated! He really deserves an awesome time! Thanks!
WILLIAMSOWLES
Los Angeles, CA
Sun River has stay and ski packages and a van to the mountain.
