Problems reported by numerous snow-riders over the course of the season may soon find their resolution. Mt. Bachelor’s Northwest Express lift is set to receive improvements that would modernize the lift. The proposed actions would enhance lift reliability, efficiency and performance through a series of upgrades. According to a scoping letter, published by the U.S. Forest Service, some of the proposed improvements include burying portions of lines to protect wires from ice buildup, upgrading the lower terminal power supply and replacing existing operator shacks with larger structures, to accommodate larger electric motor controls.
Other planned upgrades include expanding lift chair storage to hold lift chairs in a semi-enclosed structure, allowing Mt. Bachelor to install a system to reduce ice buildup.
The Northwest Express lift, originally built in the 1996-97 season, received a new electric motor last year in an effort to improve operations. Before this upgrade, the lift ran on an auxiliary power unit, a diesel motor that ran the lift. While the previous motor could run the lift at full speed, it ran slower when it had a higher load on the motor, causing the lift to run slower on powder days and leading to longer lines during the 2022-23 season.
According to Presley Quon, Mt. Bachelor’s communications manager, the resort performs routine maintenance and special projects on all of its lifts, based on the particular needs and issues that arise.
“Ultimately, all lift maintenance projects and upgrades aim to improve efficiency and performance so we can give our guests the best experience up here on the slopes,” Quon told the Source Weekly.
This year, resort-goers have reported on social media an increase in abrupt holds on lifts around the mountain, including the Northwest Express lift, leading to longer lift rides or full lift closures, sometimes forcing those at the bottom of the lift to hike out of the area.
The Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest invites people to comment on the project proposal by March 25. According to a project overview, the USFS is set to come to a decision about the proposed lift improvements in June 2025. Implementation is estimated to take place June 2026.
This article appears in The Source Weekly March 13, 2025.
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