Winter is fast approaching in Central Oregon.

Morning frost lingers on rooftops, and overnight temperatures trudge towards the mid- to low-30s. Eager central Oregonians are now keeping an eye on the western horizon as snow accumulates on Mt. Bachelor.

Winter tourism is important for Bend, but it takes a back seat to summer when it comes to numbers. More people visit and spend money in the summer, according to data collected by Visit Bend. But winter, fall and spring months aren’t a wash. Winter tourism and the growth of Mt. Bachelor ski resort are part of what helped turn “a fading central-Oregon timber town into the multi-sport recreational hub,” according to the International Skiing History Association.

Jeff Knapp, president and CEO of Visit Bend, said winter tourism typically kicks off in December, with prime skiing time taking place from January through March.

Last year, tourism generated over $384 million in Bend, according to the tourism agency, the highest number since before the pandemic. In the summer, Bend tourism brings in about one and a half times the amount of money as a typical “shoulder” month, which includes winter.

“I just think that there’s not another place in Oregon where you get the type of winter experience that you get in central Oregon,” Knapp said.

Mt. Bachelor resort is currently set to open on Nov. 28, but depending on the snow depth, it could open sooner or later. Last year, the resort opened two weeks earlier than planned and boasted 185 days by the end of the winter season, according to John Merriman, Mt. Bachelor CEO and general manager.

Mt. Bachelor’s parent company, POWDR, doesn’t share how many people visit their resort or how many tickets are sold, but Merriman said last year was their “best year ever as far as visitation goes.”

The mountain is a hot spot for locals.

Last year, over half of the people who skied at Mt. Bachelor were from Bend, according to Visit Bend data. About 75-80% of skiers at Mt. Bachelor are from Central Oregon, Merriman said in an interview. The resort is also part of the Ikon Pass network. That multi-mountain lift ticket allows people to visit participating ski resorts around the world, bringing the errant enthusiast from farther corners of the nation.

Mt. Bachelor went on the market late last year, but it’s officially off the market with no plans to sell in the near future, Merriman said.

Snow on the peaks means road closures are not far behind.

McKenzie Pass Highway, state Route 242, fully closed on Nov. 6, while Cascade Lakes Highway and Paulina Lake Road are scheduled to close on Nov. 18.

Deschutes County closes Cascade Lakes Highway, which wraps around the backside of Mt. Bachelor, annually around mid-November. The county tries to make sure people are cleared out before locking the gates, and with luck, before any significant snowfall.

“When the snow flies, we close ‘em down,” said Deschutes County Road Department Director Chris Doty.

Once closed, the roads become recreation areas for snowmobiles and backcountry skiers.

“It’s a winter wonderland, but just not for cars,” he said.

Keeping the road plowed and open to recreational sites beyond the resort entrance is too cost-prohibitive, he said, but the county does maintain Forest Service Road 45, from Sunriver to Century Drive, a popular route to Mt. Bachelor.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/11/12/mt-bachelor-ski-resort-winter-central-oregon-bend/