Mt. Bachelor, nestled in the Cascade Mountains near Bend, is renovating the interior of its West Village Lodge for a new and fresh look. The $2 million renovation is expected to be completed for the season’s opening, tentatively set for Nov. 18.
Mt. Bachelor’s grounds include three lodges: Pine Marten Lodge located at the mid-mountain level, the West Village Lodge (the biggest and main lodge) at the base and the Sunrise Lodge. The West Village Lodge’s renovations will include a new, upscale deli featuring sandwiches, salads and a soup bar. A renovated bar will expand their space and a new state-of-the-art sound system will encourage more live music. Finally, refinished bathroom facilities and seating are expected to make the lodge more comfortable, aesthetically pleasing and modern.
“It was an older lodge and it was just time to fix it up. It was just dated on numerous levels; aesthetically and constructively it needed to get done,” spokeswoman Janette Sherman said. “It’s going to be more open and have more light. We want it to be the most pleasant experience for our guests.”
While Mt. Bachelor is an approximately two-hour drive from Eugene, the drive may be worth it. A press release reports that “Ski Magazine and TransWorld Snowboard readers both rank Mt. Bachelor one of the top resorts in North America.” Furthermore, the park is opening its new terrain, iPark, for freestyle skiers and snowboarders this year. Sherman added that student drivers seeking quality snowboarding and skiing should be cautious of driving conditions.
Season passes should be bought during the month of September. A young adult rate offers students ages 19 to 23 a good deal on their season passes; they are $499 and the adult rate is $699. The teen rate, ages 13-18, is $229. ID is required to purchase seasons passes at these rates. Otherwise, during the year lift tickets are $49 and $42 for adults and teens respectively for an all-day pass and $43 and $36 for late-arrival passes (there is no young adult rate for daily lift tickets).
Also at Mt. Bachelor this year is an Olympic Qualifier, Jan. 6 to 9. Bachelor will hold a charity-only event the day before the resort opens to raise money for area school districts. In addition, there will be a free ski day on Jan. 27 in cooperation with Central Oregon Community Action Agency Network. Everyone who brings in three non-perishable cans of food or food items can ski or snowboard for free. Berg’s Ski Shop will charge $20 for a bus ride to Mt. Bachelor on the free ski day. The bus leaves at about 6 a.m. and returns by 7:30 p.m. For the rest of the season, Berg’s will run on Saturdays to Bachelor.
“In the past it’s been $20 and you can buy a lift ticket combo. For college students the combo will probably be $55 for the bus and lift ticket, so it’s a really smokin’ deal,” Mike Hayden of Berg’s said.
“I love good food and the new restaurant’s going to offer a make-your-own sandwich and salad bar, so there’s going to be some great healthy food options. Of course the bar is going to be really cool too. We’re putting in a state-of-the-art system. And we’re going to have a lot of live music, especially around mid-December and New Years,” Sherman said.
Mt. Bachelor’s president Dan Rutherford said, “The new design will brighten up the atmosphere and offer and an entirely new feel. Plus, we’ll be bringing in healthy menu options and more seating. This will truly provide a better resort experience for everyone,” he said.