(Photo courtesy of Mt. Bachelor)
With several early season snowstorms blanketing Mt. Bachelor this month, winter is top of mind for skiers and snowboarders, and the resort is excited to announce that Opening Day is slated for Friday, December 4, 2026, conditions permitting. Mt. Bachelor is committed to opening earlier than December 4 if conditions allow.
Season Passes are on sale, with prices increasing on October 1. Kids Ski Free Passes and Outplay 365 Passes – which include unlimited Alpine and Nordic access, an Ikon Base Pass (adults only), and summer 2027 Bike Park access – are no longer available starting October 1.
In addition to Passholder Perks, signature resort events, and one of the longest ski seasons in the country, guests can expect an upgraded Northwest chairlift, a new lodging and community gathering space, additional Ski & Ride School programming, and a slew of additional events, including a local’s slalom race series, season-long Nordic 50th anniversary celebrations, and an invite-only, big mountain-style competition on the summit. Mt. Bachelor is also making great strides in sustainability, with the Wood Fuel Energy Facility expected to be operational by December 2026.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s new at Mt. Bachelor for the 2026/27 season:
Trailhead Lodge: A New Basecamp for Adventure
This summer, Mt. Bachelor expanded beyond the mountain with the opening of Trailhead Lodge, a 70-room hotel and community gathering space just 10 minutes from downtown Bend and 20 minutes from the mountain. Designed as a year-round basecamp for outdoor enthusiasts, Trailhead Lodge offers convenient access to winter recreation and everything else Central Oregon has to offer. Guests enjoy exterior-access rooms with ski and snowboard storage, bike racks, pet-friendly options, a year-round enclosed communal hot-tub, and the Trailhead Lodge Café & Bar serving local beer, wine, coffee, and light fare. More than just a hotel, Trailhead Lodge is a hub for community, hosting free events like live music, fitness classes, and après gatherings. A portion of rooms will be reserved for winter seasonal employee housing.
Northwest Chairlift Modernization Project Update
Mt. Bachelor has made significant progress in modernizing the Northwest chairlift. The project upgraded the lift’s electrical and operating systems while preserving the existing towers, terminals, haul rope, foundations, and chairs. These enhancements bring Northwest to the same technological standards as Skyliner (Mt. Bachelor’s newest six-pack chairlift) and improve its reliability and operational efficiency during and following storm cycles.
At the top terminal, the foundation for the new operator and patrol shack is in place, and contractors have begun craning in some of the lift’s biggest new components, including the electric motor, drive, diesel backup motor, and fuel tank.
At the bottom terminal, crews are assembling the semi-enclosed chair storage facility that will allow the lift to run on a night drive, reducing ice buildup and expediting storm recovery after large storm cycles. The on-site maintenance garage is also taking shape, with the building framed and the installation of siding and roofing to follow.
Underground utility work to power the top operator shack, new drive components, and the lower maintenance building is complete. In addition, the communications line and fiber optic lines are connected and now sit underground, protected from the elements on the upper portion of the lift, an improvement that will lead to fewer operational interruptions from ice buildup.
While there’s still work ahead, the project is moving steadily toward its goal: a more reliable, efficient, and storm-ready Northwest chairlift for the 2026/27 season.
Little Pine Chairlift Modernization
Little Pine chairlift is also undergoing improvements for the 2026/27 season. Like Northwest, teams are modernizing the interior components and operating systems while preserving the existing foundations, towers, haul rope, terminals and chairs. This work is expected to be completed by opening day and will bring the chairlift’s technology up to modern industry standards. The top and bottom operator shacks are also being renovated to provide improved workspaces for employees.
Wood Fuel Energy Project Update
Mt. Bachelor’s new Wood Fuel Energy Facility is set to be completed and operational for the 2026/27 winter season. Located in the West Village base area, the high-efficiency biomass system will provide renewable heat to multiple base-area buildings and snowmelt systems using locally sourced wood byproducts from forest restoration and wildfire mitigation projects in the Deschutes National Forest. By replacing approximately 150,000 gallons of propane annually and reducing nearly 1,000 tons of CO₂ emissions each year, the project supports healthier forests, reduces wildfire risk by putting excess woody material to productive use, and advances Mt. Bachelor’s commitment to long-term environmental sustainability and community partnerships. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place in November 2026.
Expanded Ski & Ride School Programming
Mt. Bachelor Ski & Ride School is expanding its signature youth programming with two new multi-week offerings. The Cone Crew, for ages 10-17, will focus on uphill travel, off-piste skiing, foundational snow safety, and outdoor skills, giving young skiers the opportunity to explore Mt. Bachelor’s terrain while building backcountry awareness. All-Mountain Pros, for ages 12-17, will combine advanced all-mountain skiing with an introduction to teaching, communication, and working with students and is geared toward young skiers interested in exploring future careers as instructors. Ski & Ride School is also updating the existing multi-week programs based on family feedback, including moving all programs to the Sunrise base area, extending the winter session to 10 weeks, including lunch in all-day programs, limiting Mighty Mite classes to three students per instructor, and bringing back a Sunday afternoon Mighty Mites session.
Nordic Center Celebrates 50th Anniversary
Mt. Bachelor’s Nordic Center celebrates its 50th anniversary throughout the 2026/27 season with a lineup of events and nostalgic programming honoring five decades in Central Oregon. Highlights include a Grand 50th Anniversary Party, ongoing café specials, special-edition anniversary swag, unique perks for Nordic passholders, app challenges, and a speaker series featuring community members with deep historical knowledge of the Nordic Center. This season, every Mt. Bachelor alpine passholder will receive a complimentary Nordic ticket, and the Grand 50th Anniversary party will honor a special ticket price inspired by rates from 50 years ago.
New Mt. Bachelor App Features
The Mt. Bachelor app is rolling out several new features for the 2026/27 winter season, making it easier than ever to stay connected to the mountain, track days on snow, and earn discounts on food and retail across the resort. Guests can check conditions with enhanced webcam functionality featuring live, zoomable video footage from several of Mt. Bachelor’s most popular webcams, including the snow stake. A new “Live Activity” feature displays real-time stats right on users’ lock screens, including current lift or trail, time on snow, vertical feet, and lifts ridden. Users can also install a new home screen widget that highlights total season stats and achievements.
New Events & Community Programming
- Mt. Bachelor Cup Race League: A five-week Friday afternoon slalom ski and snowboard race series where teams of four compete for points. Participants can race in as many or as few of the five weeks as they choose, with points accumulating for each race and the highest-scoring team taking home the Mt. Bachelor Cup. Each race wraps with an après party at Base Camp in Bend.
- Lady Laps: A series of meetups for women – transgender, cisgender, non-binary, and any femme-identifying persons to foster community connections and build confidence in a fun, supportive environment. Mt. Bachelor representatives will host both ski and snowboard groups for women of varying abilities. These are not formal lessons or instructional programs, but an avenue to meet friends and explore terrain in a group setting.
- Locals Terrain Park Takeovers: A series of Mt. Bachelor-hosted freestyle events designed to bring more locally focused competition and community energy to the Woodward Mountain Parks. Open to skiers and snowboarders, events will include rail jams, jumps, and feature-specific sessions.
- Cornice Contest: An invite-only competition on a classic feature off the Summit chairlift known as “The Cornice.” The event will bring top athletes and industry talent together for a jaw-dropping display of skiing and snowboarding.
- Holiday Programming: A lineup of festive events and activities throughout the holiday season, including the chance to meet Santa on the slopes, a Santa costume group lap, holiday-themed Backcountry Bars, and sledding on the slopes – for one-day only – off the Lava Tube carpet.
- Kids Après – Snow Sculpting: A free season-long après series. Alongside returning favorites like s’mores roasting, helmet decorating, Touch-a-Truck, and cookie decorating, is a new snow sculpting contest for young artists to express their talent and creativity.
- USCSA National Championships: The United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) will bring its annual National Championships to Mt. Bachelor in March for a five-day event featuring slalom, giant slalom, rail jam, slopestyle, boardercross, skier-cross, big air, and Nordic interval starts, individual sprints, mass starts, and team sprints.
