Bachelor early March

[johnnash]

I've got a business trip to Portland at the end of Feb., so am planning on staying a few extra days and (finally!) getting to try Mt. Bachelor. :-D

Couple of quick questions: First, it appears that the only real option for getting there is to rent a car, right? Looks like around a 3 hour drive from Portland. Since it's just myself and possibly my wife, my preference would be to rent a smallish car, but if the road conditions are like they are around most ski resorts, I suppose it would be risky (possibly illegal) to drive anything other than a 4WD, correct? Second, any particular recommendations on a place to stay? I want a kitchen and hot tub. The Westside Suites in Bend have a nice studio for $95/ night. Any other suggestions? I'm really looking forward to this \/

 

[schubwa]

You can always fly to Redmond (RDM,15 miles from Bend) and rent a car there. I looked up Friday, February 26 for example and the flight is $68. Three flights at noon, 4:50 and 8:55; it's an easy 35 minute hop from PDX. Go for it, the drive from Portland sucks.
http://www.alaskaair.com/

On lodging I'm going to strongly recommend staying within easy walking distance from downtown. We have an awesome scene here and the cocktailing, shopping and dining opportunities are plentiful. It's still the straight shot up to Bachelor, 22 miles, well maintained highway. There is no place to stay up there and no reason to try to get a mile or two closer.

Try looking at the Phoenix Inn or the brand new and gorgeous Oxford Hotel. Smack dab downtown Mary Brown.

For dining there's Zydeco (fun), 900 Wall (solid), Typhoon (Thai), Cork (classic), 28 (strong drinks), Goodies (ice cream) and Powell's (gelato).

For skiing, I'm thinking it's going to be really good. As long as Tony is somewhere else. 8-[

 

[Tony Crocker]

All reasonable advice from schubwa. Not sure how much extra you'll pay for the flights to Redmond since you have to be in Portland. Depsite Bachelor's impressive snow numbers the road up there from Bend is straight and climbs very gradually, I suspect nearly always negotiable with FWD. Driving from Portland you do have to cross the Cascades somewhere, but the passes aren't that high. I highly recommend you make the effort to get to Bachelor from Portland. Your main risk skiing is nasty weather; very close analogy to Mammoth, which you have experienced already.

I'm sure Schubwa knows the current hot spots, but I suspect the Pine Tavern is still hanging in there as a restaurant institution in Bend.

For skiing, I'm thinking it's going to be really good. As long as Tony is somewhere else.

Johnnash might want me to show up at Mt. Bachelor. The key issue there is whether weather permits the Summit chair to operate. My record on that score is 15 out of 17 days. During winter it's 8 for 8. I've averaged over 26K vertical per day on Bachelor, including 2 days over 40K. Schubwa is welcome to comment on that track record. :snowball fight:

 

[schubwa]

Johnnash might want me to show up at Mt. Bachelor.

In all fairness, Tony is always welcome here and he always (in my limited experience) brings good conditions. The one bluebird day I rode with him, in late April, we had winter snow with blown in powder on the north facing slopes above and fast groomers below. I left early to go train for the upcoming PPP competition, but Tony said he got primo corn on the SW facing slopes off the top of the Summit Chair later that day. We have so much stormy weather here during the winter months, that if some guy with a "no-snow curse" shows up, he's a hero!

I'm sure Schubwa knows the current hot spots, but I suspect the Pine Tavern is still hanging in there as a restaurant institution in Bend.

Add that to the list of downtown eateries, and Deschutes Brewery (Ale and sandwiches), El Caporal (PNW Mex), Super Burrito (autentico), Marz (interplanetary), Thump (coffee), Strictly Organic (my coffee shop) and Blacksmith (dancing).

 

[johnnash]

Thanks for the tips, Schubwa and Tony. Much appreciated.

I'll consider flying, although when I did a quick look at Alaska Air's website, I saw that they charge $15 for 1 bag and $25 for the second each way AND they count a ski-bag and boot bag as 2 bags. Other airlines I've flown count these as 1, and Alaska's policy seems especially unfortunate since they seem to fly to a lot of ski destinations. But I see that United also has flights, and I've got status on that one, so I don't have to pay for bags. On the car, it sounds like the road to Bachelor doesn't have 4WD restrictions like the roads in the Cottnwood Canyons, so I guess I'm OK to get a regular car, which is useful to know. I'll keep your list of recommended restaurants.

And following Schubwa's last comment, I guess my prayers to the Snow Gods will have to be different for this trip -- for ''not too much snow'' for a change :lol:

 

[Tony Crocker]

I guess my prayers to the Snow Gods will have to be different for this trip -- for ''not too much snow'' for a change

There are places like that. La Grave and Las Lenas come to mind. Also Alaska.

Within the continental US Bachelor is especially vulnerable in this regard. Mammoth has a lot of the same issues, but there is a middle tier of lifts (notably the steep and treed chair 22) that can operate during storms if the wind is not too extreme. Thus Adam's good fortune yesterday. Perhaps Schubwa can tell us how often Northwest operates during storms, as there's a lot of potential tree skiing from there.

The one bluebird day I rode with him, in late April

4/15/2007: viewtopic.php?t=3147
That was one of the 40K days. :-D

 

[schubwa]

Perhaps Schubwa can tell us how often Northwest operates during storms, as there's a lot of potential tree skiing from there.

That's an accurate observation about Chair 22 at Mammoth, which is also protected by the summit ridge and faces away from the prevailing wind. Unfortunately, NWX and Outback Express are on the western side of our mountain, and so are right in the teeth of the jet stream. We also get riming, due to our maritime location, so that makes those chairs vulnerable on storm days.

The best bets on windy, stormy days are the eastern lifts like Sunrise or Rainbow. Lots of times there is quite a bit of wind transport over there but it gets flatter as you go east. Plus Rainbow is long and slow, our only fixed chair left. We're looking forward to the new lift, which goes up higher than Rainbow and will add just the kind of storm protected terrain we need.

I guess my prayers to the Snow Gods will have to be different for this trip -- for ''not too much snow'' for a change

Let me further explain. I am always in favor of more snow, we get good snow here and I like to ride the new. What I was whining about is that it takes so long to get a lot of new snow here. It seems like it's always snowing, blowing and windy but we get 3" here and 2" there, never the incredible Sierran dumps you're reading about this week. So the surfaces are nice but you never see the sun. For Johnnash's sake I'm hoping for some clear days so he can get off the top and really see the place. And don't worry about having a 4WD, that road up is cake. I've only needed a push two times in 15 years to get going in the parking lot, all the time driving a FWD VW Golf.

 

[johnnash]

I'm starting to look at ticket prices for my end- Feb trip and it looks like Bachelor has a very interesting -- and generally sensible -- policy, with prices at $49, $59, or $69, depending on weather conditions and what lifts are open each day. They also offer 3-day tix for $147 ($59/ day) and 5-day for $245 ($49/ day), and there are no refunds. My wife will be skiing 4 days and I'll be skiing 5, assuming everything goes as planned. So I'm wondering whether to buy multi-day or take my chances each day. Or perhaps there are other options (like the Gold C coupon books we use for Copper)? Any advice from those who are familiar with the weather odds?

BTW, I'm taking Schubwa's advice and flying from Portland. I agree that a 3-hour drive each way isn't very appealing.