Caravan Up to Hoodoo for Thrifty Thursdays

Lift ticket and season pass prices are higher than ever, but Hoodoo Ski Resort is maintaining an affordable option on Thursdays with its $29 all-day lift tickets — $40 cheaper than the regular day pass.

Bunk+Brew, an outdoor, adventure-seeking hostel, food cart lot and events basecamp in Bend, partnered with Nickolas Crockett from Love & Play Bend to make Thrifty Thursdays accessible and affordable to people in Bend. Here's how it works: Show up with your ski gear at Bunk+Brew before 10am, find a ride or offer a ride, smush in the car, drive to Hoodoo and shred with new friends.

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Courtesy Bunk + Brew

Love & Play Bend is an Instagram community dedicated to connecting people in Bend for fun times, outdoor opportunities and community building. Crockett organizes events through the year, whether it's volleyball in the summer, Tuesday night "Sacred Space" conversations or hikes in the high desert. Michael Freeman, events manager for Bunk+Brew, said it was a natural partnership to host this event with Crockett.

Inviting community members in their 20s and 30s to get out and get up to the ski area, Freeman said the event builds momentum and grows bigger and bigger each week, starting with 20-25 the first week to upward of 40 by March. The first Thrifty Thursday caravan was on Jan. 5 and will run through St. Patrick's Day.

At 2pm, Crockett serves up a huge pot of chili for the caravan crew. Skiers and snowboarders gather for a tailgate-style lunch, celebrating the snow with a drink and a hefty bowl of the hearty, cheesy chili. Then it's back to the slopes until legs are too tired to go further. Hoodoo lifts are open from 9am-9pm, so leave time depends on the car people ride up with.

"It's really just bringing the people that want to meet people together," Freeman said. "Building a community with people that have either moved to Bend or are staying in Bend for the winter. It's to get to know each other and build a ski community that can leverage the rest of the spring and summer to do all different kinds of events."