We just got word that Mt. Bachelor has pushed tomorrow’s opening day start time back about three hours from 9 a.m. to noon because of high winds. Bachelor’s PR manager Alex Kaufman sent out a release this afternoon saying the mountain was predicting winds up to 70 mph overnight with winds tailing off to about 30 mph by mid-day.
“It’s not a preferred type of day to open a season on, but we think this noon plan is our best bet to get started. We also have no interest in crowds of rabid skiers showing up early just to see “wind hold” (not fun for anyone). So noon is the plan Friday. We still plan to go at 9 a.m. Saturday,” Kaufman said in the press release.
Read the entire update and more on the mountains operating plan on Mt. B’s Condition’s Page
Skiers should note that Mt. B also highlights its new uphill policy in the update which goes into effect tonight. The policy prohibits skiers walking or skinning up the mountain in an effort to curb “backcountry” uses that Mt. B says can conflict with downhill skiers, grooming operations and the mountain’s new avalanche equipment. One very notable exception is the “cinder cone” which remains open to hikers and skinners who crave its fresh, post-dump powder and steep slope. Access to the cone will permitted though a designated corridor on Leeway, according to Mt. B.
The question of whether un-ticketed skiers can roam around the mountain during ski season has been kicked around for years in Bend where diehards have maintained that the hill is open to all users since it is on public (FS) lands. However, based on Bachelor’s safety concerns the Forest Service recently agreed to restrict uphill mobility. No word yet on what the fine will be or exactly how it will be enforced. Might we suggest some Blackwater security patrols. I hear they’re looking for work and known not to take shit off dirt bag tele skiers.
This article appears in Nov 19-25, 2009.
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For Immediate release:
Mt. Bachelor announces plans to open, but not operate, making the resort “America’s First Fair weather Ski Resort” tm POWDR Corp.
Mt. Bachelor announed yesterday an innovative new strategy in line with their parent corporation desire to delive less experience for the same cost. In addition to the previously (and announced industry-first) policy of changing the operations and price of tickets due to expected “Winter Weather” Mt. Bachelor added a new Open, but not operating category to their operations.
Tomorrow will be the first day where season pass holders can begin coming to the mountain, buying hot chocolate, ski equipment, and food, while enjoing watching the “Winter Weather”tm outside the lodge. The change to open status also allows Mt. Bachleor to close the ski resort boundaries to those ‘dirt bags’ who would seek to rob the resort of income by skinning uphill to ski or ride during “Winnter Weather”tm.
Marketing Genius and Weather Wizard “Smart Alex” Kaufman (aka A to the Muthf*kin K) said this new idea is sure to please the folks back home who send out the plane to pick up the cash from Bend and send it back to the rich boyz in SLC.
Funny. Completely rediculous, but funny.
In general, you are better off addressing the message, than attacking the messenger, but to each their own. We are proud to work for one of the few ski area operators that is in decent shape after the recent economic downturn, this is also good for the economic vitality of this region as well. We hope to invest here as shown by our recent Master Plan meetings. I’ve put my heart and soul into improving the communications gap that existed previously. If 95 out of 100 appreciate the improvements – I can be happy. Moving on..
Here’s what I sent to The Source on this topic for those interested in what we are up to and why. Thanks.
“Thanks for covering this.
This agreement was re-agreed upon after we installed our “avalauncher” which will fire ordinance at the mountain for better/faster avalanche control. That’s the main immediate change. With this equipment, unknown public travel on the mountain is now not something that we can have. So it was this summer/fall.
There have been documented cases of collisions and near misses for years. The new rule is sure to be a bit contentious, and it's def understandable. Change tends to be that way.
Additionally, part of the reason it was put into place is similar to the challenges that have arisen recently with user groups throughout the forest. IE Snomo/skiers, bikers/hikers, etc using the same trails. In many cases the Forest Service has deemed certain areas for certain uses. As certain activities get more and more popular it creates increasing conflicts between user groups. Last year we had a few groups of uphillers flatly ignoring patrol face to face in avalanche control scenarios, not yielding to groomers driving 6 in a row down summit, or heading up and shredding down the freshly laid corduroy. When that corduroy shred happens in spring after we groom, it ruins the frozen surface in the morning to the point of it being dangerous. Most of these scenarios are of course the exception not the rule, but as more and more folks gear up for the backcountry but instead do it on the mountain, it becomes more and more common. This is all in addition to the obvious avalauncher impacts. It'll take a while to communicate this for sure and hopefully we can get some ideas back from the uphill community about exceptions that are possible to consider.
As a side note – we have kept the cone route permitted, which is more accommodating than Mount Hood Meadows for instance, where uphill is banned 100%.
At this point we (Mt. Bachelor) do not impose a fine. We are working with the Forest Service on how best to relay violators to Forest Service Enforcement where they may be charged with trespassing for breaching Forest Service policy.”
Hi guys. I wasn’t kidding about this line: “It'll take a while to communicate this for sure and hopefully we can get some ideas back from the uphill community about exceptions that are possible to consider.”
With that in mind. Here’s what I added to the Uphill Traffic page on our site a minute ago. “Update (11/24/09): Forest Service representatives and Mt. Bachelor management will be meeting in the coming weeks to discuss possible exceptions to this policy that could offer some access based upon location, date, time, and weather conditions. IE – when/where/and in what weather exceptions to the policy would maintain safety of uphill traffic, downhill traffic and staff. Expect an update in early December. Until that time the above policy remains in place.”