Bend, Ore. – Mt. Bachelor has announced a change in this week’s operating plan due to an unexpected shift to warm and wet weather through Thanksgiving Day.
The resort will operate on a very limited basis Wednesday and will be closed Thanksgiving Day. With slightly colder weather and snow forecast to arrive Friday, resort officials are optimistic that normal operations can resume Friday or Saturday.
Recent heavy rain and high humidity have taken a toll on the mountain’s snowpack and soft and saturated snow conditions are preventing the resort from preparing most of its terrain for public opening. Additional rain and wind are expected late Wednesday through Thursday evening. Consequently, Mt. Bachelor has announced the following operational changes:
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26
The resort will operate on a more limited basis than planned with the Sunshine Accelerator lift and terrain park scheduled to open. The Pine Marten and Skyliner lifts originally scheduled to open will remain closed. The Nordic Center will also be closed.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27
Due to rain and strong wind in the forecast, the entire resort and all services will be closed Thanksgiving Day.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28
Daily operations are scheduled to resume Friday assuming improvement in the weather and snow conditions. The forecast calls for rain to change to snow by Friday morning with moderate accumulations through the weekend. The path and timing of the cool down of this next storm will determine if and when additional terrain may be opened. Final details about Friday’s operations may not be announced until early Friday morning following an assessment of the snow conditions.
BEGINNING
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29
The resort expects normal operations with three or four chairlifts, the Nordic Center and the Snowblast Tubing Park open.
“We’re disappointed that the weather threw “We’re disappointed that the weather threw us this curveball right before Thanksgiving”, said Tom Lomax, Mt. Bachelor’s director of mountain operations. “But we’re glad to see an improving forecast for the weekend and beyond with several inches of new snow on the way.”
Additional information about Mt. Bachelor’s operating plans can be found on the resort’s website.
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