Time was when a lot of local focus this time of year was on when the snowpack at Mt. Bachelor would reach 100 inches. 100 inches was the magic number. I can only guess that back then a100-inch cover meant all the rocks, downed trees and stumps were totally covered.
How important was the 100-inch total? Apparently very important as at least one local radio station (there were few back then) held a contest to guess the day when the magic mark would be achieved. The winner would get dinner for two at a local restaurant and bragging rights for a year.
But as Bend grew, 100 inches didn’t seem to mean much anymore. I know, I tried to revive the contest in the pages of the Source to little avail. I got maybe ten entries the first year I ran the contest. A year later, ten became six and then one a year later it was down to one contestant and I stopped flogging the contest idea.
Now it seems any amount of snow at the mountain over 12 inches is considered more than enough. More than enough to elicit e-mails from people declaring “awesome powder conditions” when I know there’s nothing but a foot of boilerplate.
A more recently a spate of e-mailed pictures show thin backcountry cover with the comment that conditions were, “excellent.” Wow, you could have fooled me.
But then I know it’s old-fashioned to want a lot of snow cover down before trusting my skis and body to the groomers and the backcountry. Good skis cost money and ripped out edges and gouged bases are not what I’m after. As to my body, it’s been banged up enough already.
So, I propose, just for the fun of it, to declare the 100-inch contest re-opened. Log on with the day you think the Mt.Bachelor’s reported snowpack will hit 100 inches and win a six pack of your favorite local brew (must be 21 or older to qualify).
Winning beverage in hand, you can kick back knowing that you are weather and snow forecaster supreme.
My guess is that the mountain won’t get 100 inches until February 4.
This article appears in Nov 26 – Dec 2, 2009.
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You can ski the front side of the grassy knoll aka vail with a dense 12 inch dump but not so here Im guessing Jan 24
Am or PM??
Big Dump just before MLK weekend. Jan 15th.
Bob – To clarify – I think you are about right Feb 4th – you pick AM or PM, and if you win, we split the sixer…
..and you are talking the base, not mid mtn, right?
Mattyg
I think the 100 inch mark will occur Jan 20th and can really use a great Bend micro brew.
bob,
my guess is jan 29th, friday. and i’ll see you up at the mountain. i like hop head, a pint or two!!
We should do the base stake. It gets checked more regularly. I guess I won’t submit a guess – someone would call that a conflict of interest. FYI last year was Feb 11 (am). Though we hit 99 on Jan 6 before the drought.
I think it will reach 100 in. by 29th.
Base will hit 100 January 25th 2010.
Bob,
that is awesome! I love bringing back the idea of the contest. I’ll put my guess at January 23rd (PM). As a Masters racer in the MBSEF program, we like all this old, hard snow for running gates, but it will be nice to get a few big storms soon. I’d be delighted with 60 inches by Christmas…how about you guys?
Come see us sometime at the Bend Ski Club meetings or drop in the course (when we start setting again) and say hello.
Think Snow,
Jeff Perin, president
the Bend Ski Club
http://www.bendskiclub.org
Base will hit 100 on Jan 27 2010. Love me some local brew.
Cheers to all and since I can’t drink a down down in good old Bend. I will donate my frothly beverage to the second Runner up for I live in MT and you can’t ship it here.
I say Jan 19 for the fun and spirit of it.
whoa…Kiwi used a computer.
Feb 10th a.m.
Coverage is good…for November. Not “excellent” but those weren’t my words anyway. 🙂 Cheers!
100″ base by January 31, 2010
Jan 8th – AM
February 14
Jan 13th