You will not find better skiing and other winter sports anywhere else in all of the Pacific Northwest than you can just outside of Bend, Oregon. The area continues to be a prime destination for all winter activities year after year. If you are planning for your first skiing excursion to Bend, you may be looking for a little help. Luckily, a skiing trip to Bend can be enjoyed even during a short weekend. Here is how to spend your Bend Oregon skiing journey:
Mt. Bachelor
What started as a 15,000-year-old dormant volcano has now become the prime destination for skiing in all of Oregon. Mt. Bachelor offers over 4,300 feet of skiing terrain that can easily be accessed from their easy to navigate lifts. You will find a variety of trails, from beginner “bunny slopes” to the treacherous black diamond slopes. If you are new to skiing or snowboarding, make sure to take advantage of the beginner’s lift that will take you to a gradual slope where you can practice. Mt. Bachelor is only 22 miles from Bend, making for an easy drive from your vacation rental. Plan online at www.mtbachelor.com. Bend Skiing has something for everyone!
Hoodoo Ski Area
Now that you have traversed the popular Mt. Bachelor, it is time to make your way a bit further from Bend to the less-trafficked Hoodoo Ski Area. Just because it is further away from the city does not mean you will not find incredible skiing conditions, though. At Hoodoo Ski Area, you will find over 800 acres of terrain, including five lifts to take you up the slopes. The backside of the area provides veterans with the challenging powder they expect to find on the toughest of slopes, while the front side is more beginner-friendly. If these slopes do not continue to bring you back, then the night skiing only found at Hoodoo Ski Area just might! Plan your visit at www.skihoodoo.com.
Mt. Bailey
Originally called Mt. Baldy after its bald, bare summit, Mt. Bailey is located between Crater Lake and Mt. Thielsen, about 98 miles southwest of Bend. This is the place to be if you love backcountry skiing or cat-skiing! In fact, Cat Ski Mt. Bailey is one of the oldest back country cat skiing operations in the country. To ski, access the mountain from the southeast through the Three Lakes Sno-Park and you’ll have two options at this point. The southwest ridge and the east bowl (better known as the Avalanche Bowl). Take the southeast ridge for the easiest access to both areas.
If you choose to ski the bowl, be prepared for some steep terrain and you’ll probably need to use your ski crampons at some points. For cat-ski and other Mt. Bailey info, visit their website.
Willamette Pass Ski Resort
About 70 miles southwest of Bend, this somewhat out of the way resort is nestled in the beautiful Deschutes National Forest. Expect exciting downhill skiing with a vertical drop of over 1,500 feet on some trails. There are six lifts, and you’ll find the state’s only high-speed six pack here. With speedy downhill skiing (with 29 trails of various ratings), snowboarding, Nordic skiing (with over 20 km of Nordic trails), and snow-shoe trails, there’s something for everyone who loves fun in the snow at Willamette. Make your reservations in advance online.
Mt. Hood
Popular Mt. Hood is Oregon’s highest peak and is about 110 miles from Bend. While it can be quite a trip if the weather is iffy – many times great snow weather isn’t so great for driving – the skiing is awesome and well worth the trip. The second most climbed mountain in the world, Mt. Hood has the only year-round ski resort in the country. There are things to do all year round, plus any type of snow-related activity you can imagine. There are six main ski areas on Mt. Hood too, including the following.
Mt. Hood Skibowl is the country’s largest night skiing area and the bowl has more black diamond runs than any other resort in the state. The Skibowl has two fully lighted terrain parks and is home to what they bill as “The world’s only cosmic tubing experience,” something you have to see and try to believe! The popular Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort (near Portland) offers day and night skiing, several terrain parks, and a variety of Nordic trails.
Bend Skiing
There is no better way to enjoy the serenity of Bend than in one of our exclusive vacation rentals offered from Bend Vacation Rentals. You will enjoy incredible home features and luxury amenities like no other in our various properties. Choose from spacious multi-bedroom homes to quaint cottages for an experience like no other. Come see why Bend is one of the top travel destinations in all of the Pacific Northwest!
