Please rate Mt. Bachelor, on a scale of one to five.

[Greydon Clark]

Please rate Mt. Bachelor, on a scale of one to five.

Is it Flatachelor or Not-so-bad-chelor?

Would mixing in a day at Mt. Baily Snowcats make this trip worthy?

Thanks in advance.

[Lane Meyer]

I give it a 0.5 based purely on a)the experiences I had there skiing it occasionally from 2001-2003, and b)comparing Squaw to everywhere else. bachelor is flat, gets wet manky snow, is usually cloudy, and was patently un-fun to ski.

Other people have undoubtedly had different experiences, and will probably disagree with my opinion which is based on my experiences and background.

[Yossarian]

I give it a 3. It can be a LOT of fun in the right conditions, and with the right approach. Good natural jibbyness, lots of wide open high speed soft snow cruising, gorgeous scenery, etc. Great backcountry in the area as well. But Lane is right - if the weather is soggy, you're screwed.

And yes, Mt. Bailey is a must. That jacks up the combined trip to a 4, assuming good conditions all around.

[doughboyshredder]

Bachelor is fun for cruising around and doing silly flatland shit. Nothing even remotely challenging though. Bailey, on the other hand, is SICK.

[Young Yeezy]

I'd give it a 3.75 if all lifts are running (acknowledging that you need to time the weather, or be pretty tough). Bachelor is certainly sick: it's got great trees, open bowls, a sweet park, nice pipe, fast groomers, etc... Vacations can be hit or miss though...

[Pilazzo]

bachelor is a 2.5, imo.

[BLOOD SWEAT STEEL]

Bachelor - meh.

I've made several trips and really given it an honest effort, but the place just doesn't do "it" for me. I really want to like it, but sadly I have to echo most of what has been said.

With all the planets aligned, a weekday, claiming the bill as a tax deductible "business" trip, and a killer dumper - I suppose it has potential.

[Blatentdisregard]

Had some great spring skiing there last year, but it is pretty flat.

[Yossarian]

Actually, big dump at Bachy is bad.

What you don't want: 2 feet snow, 50 mph S winds, 30degrees, cloudy, etc.
You'll either be stuck in place, hammered and rimed on the lifts, rained on, or all of the above within the same 2,000 vert.

What you do want: 6 inches, temps cooling overnight from 28d to 18d, W winds calming overnight from moderate 40mph down to light 5mph by AM, bluebird day, warming to 24 degrees, no crowds. This will get you super fun wind features to mini-jibby, fast as hell cruising, and super smooth 360 degree skiing off the summit and into backside, or NW, or Grotto, Red, or Cow's, etc. Everyone is right - it's not steep. So instead, GO REALLY fast down super smooth creamy snow and fly off of fun shit!

[WReX]

Like many places, I guess it depends a lot on conditions. I was there end of March start of April last season, and it rocked. Based on that one trip, I'd rate the mountain very high. Apparently we got really, really lucky, because the peak has a reputation for being fogbound about 363 days out of the year. Three out of our four days were frigid, clear, bluebird days, with a few inches of fresh two of those days. Chalky, windblown snow.

Mt. Bachelor is a symmetrical volcano, so the runs on the upper mountain have a consistent pitch. There's nothing super-steep--at least not that goes on for long--but there are plenty of fun, fast, long runs that have a pretty good angle. The thing is, if you start at the summit, being on a cone, you can head down in any direction, and the lines continuously branch out as you descend. It's called multiplying geometrically or something, you'd have to ask a mathematician. When I was there, almost all the skiers were heading down just a few main runs. About three-quarters of the circumference of the mountain has no lifts going up it. You can pick your line through all kinds of great, wild terrain, probably seeing no one, and then circle back around the mountain to return to the lifts. I was finding completely untracked lines at 3:00 p.m.

[akrdubbs]

I've been there when it's a 4 and when it's a .5. My best day there it was actually pretty shitty - almost zero visability, windy, snowing like all hell. But there was NO ONE on the backside, and I got great runs in all day.
Then last time I was there, it was 40 degrees, and the whole mountain was one solid piece of ice.

[altasnob]

I believe Bachelor is second to Vail for most high speed quads in the US, but with half the skier visits. In other words, empty runs and lifts. Nothing gnar, but plenty of fun, fast, woods (PNW old growth). Would I want it to be my only mountain? No, but I can't imagine you not enjoying a visit to Bachelor. Plus, Bend is possibly the coolest town in the PNW.

[Shin-to-Win]

I've been there when it's a 4 and when it's a .5. My best day there it was actually pretty shitty - almost zero visability, windy, snowing like all hell. But there was NO ONE on the backside, and I got great runs in all day.

I agree with the above. Have skied there in April four times. Maybe I'm lucky, but it's always been cold and snowing. No big dumps just daily 3-4" refreshes. The outback area is EMPTY. Long runs of completely fresh in the trees. As others have said, nothing gnarly, but lots of low angle pow vert, and zero lines (except peak weekends & holidays)

It's a great family trip for us. Takes the edge off knowing there's no gnar to chase, so I'm less tempted to ditch the kids and wifey. Would love to catch a few days at Bailey next time.

[icanseeformiles(andmiles)]

Only been there 3 times, once being on an opening day. I'd say 2.5 normally, but 4.5 for opening days.

[Dromond]

I just skied there once last once, but I was pretty surprised at how mellow it was. It looks much more imposing on the drive up. There was a heinous suncrust when we were there but I could imagine it being good fun with the right snow. That said, it is seriously un-steep.

[The Reverend Floater]

Terrain = 3.8 It has some of the most fun natural features I've ever played with. This can't be overstated.

Snow = 2.5 Can be good but usually just okay.

Weather = 2.5 Typical Pac NW

Lifts, etc. = 3.5 Usually good but they have to shut the good ones down in bad weather.

[PeachesN'Cream]

what, are you too good for your home?

[Tap]

It's a great family trip for us. Takes the edge off knowing there's no gnar to chase, so I'm less tempted to ditch the kids and wifey. Would love to catch a few days at Bailey next time.

Shin and Yoss are dead on. It's a fun mountain, similar to Targhee in that sense. Not extreme anywhere, definately easy fun for families. And for a mountain close to a town, it's a lay-up.

Fast lifts and no lines = lots of vert

Bend is obviously a great town and if you come I can point you to some worthwhile activities.

As for Bailey, it's worth it.

[Viva]

Fun place to ski in the spring. Really, if you can't find a way to have fun, maybe you shouldn't be skiing that day (or maybe you need to grow up?).

That whole area is beautiful in the spring and, depending on conditions, one can also climb nearby South Sister or Carrot Top. The road trip from Portland is nice (with Smith Rock, Mt Hood, and that gorge thingy on the way). The drive takes about 3 hours. Bend's a kool little town and I wish that I had spent more time there when I had the chance.

[bdog]

Nothing to see here, you all should just move along. The summit lift is always closed, it is always VERY windy and the visibility is horrid. It is beyond flat. Best to just stay away ... particularly when it is 18 - 20 degrees and snowing in town.

[G. Gordon Liddy]

I would rate the mountain a 3.5

I grew up skiing there and have since moved away. While the snow is much more pletiful there, the weather can be a real buzz-kill. I've experienced swinging lifts due to howling winds there that would scare the shit out of most people (including myself). Other than that, as long as Northwest and Summit are operating Bachelor can provide some pretty killer days. Plus, if you like to tailgate at the Mtn. the Skyliner parking lot on a sunny day can have some of the best BBQ lunch get-to-gethers I have ever attended.

P.S. Deschutes Brewery is there. Need I say more!

[bdog]

P.S. Deschutes Brewery is there. Need I say more!

Deschutes Brewery is for tourons ... er, never mind .. THAT'S exactly where you all should hang out!

[Endlessseason]

Paedde, ColdSmoke and I drove 10+ hours straight, one-way, to ski it last spring. We could not believe how fun it was.
Perhaps our expectations had been lowered by all the badmouthing, but we had a blast for some of the same reasons mentioned by others: unlimited run options, trees, flat-out hauling whenever you want, features, ability to ditch the crowds, 360 degree skiing meant any condition we wanted to find, there was even a smaller cone next to it that we did several hikes to that was like having our own private, untracked snowfield.
We loved the place and committed to go back when we have the chance.





But, then again, what would we know about ski areas, being a couple of dopes from Ootah and one from Switzerland....

[uppernotmaster]

Personally I loved Mt. Bachelor. Sure it’s not the steepest mountain but as others have said it’s a consistent pitch for quite some time.

From everything I hear though, I was very lucky. Summit chair open ever time I was there, great snow, zero crowds. The Outback has some great trees. Cinder cone makes a nice little powder shot down to the car @ the end of the day.

Based on my visits, 4 out of 5. But again I seem to have hit it just right.

[G. Gordon Liddy]

Deschutes Brewery is for tourons ... er, never mind .. THAT'S exactly where you all should hang out!

You can't tell me a nitro Obsidian Stout isn't worth a trip to the brewery! Needless to say I haven't lived there for 6 years, but it used to be a great place to see friends for a cold beer.