It started as a joke. When someone commented on Facebook: “What if Bend locals bought Mt. Bachelor?” Dan Cochran and Chris Porter, now the heads of Mt. Bachelor Community Inc., were quick to respond. But then the conversation became serious as they wondered if they could really pull off a local buy-out.
The “Mt. Bachelor Conditions” Facebook page is the pinnacle of die hard, opinionated skiers. Throughout the year, there are comments about snow reports, traffic updates and, most of all, comments and critiques about how Mt. Bachelor is managed. So when Powdr Corp. announced that Mt. Bachelor is for sale, of course the Facebook group had a mouthful to share.
Powdr Corp. is a privately held company that owns and operates ski resorts across the U.S. and Canada. Powdr has owned Mt. Bachelor since they bought it from local owners in 2001. Since then it has grown astronomically and is now the seventh largest ski resort in the country and their website boasts, “4,323 skiable acres, 3,365 feet of vertical drop, and 101 runs to explore.” However an increase in access also comes with an increase in lift lines, food and ticket prices and the desire to pad big pockets. The leadership of a corporate company may have put the resort on the map, but it has also become much less community oriented.
On Aug. 22 of this year, five Powdr owned resorts, including Mt. Bachelor, were listed for sale. Powdr’s exact reasons for selling the resorts remain vague but reasons reported by news outlets include expanding Woodward, their park equipment company, and their national parks concessions company. Regardless of the intent, the resort is up for grabs, leaving Bend residents to wonder: What will become of Mt. Bachelor?
In the weeks following the Mt. Bachelor Conditions Facebook group comments, Cochran and Porter have pulled together a small group and started briefing them on their vision. According to their website, the group’s mission “is to own and manage Mt. Bachelor with a focus on environmental care, supporting mountain enthusiasts, and reinvesting profits to boost the local economy.” Labeling themselves “Mt. Bachelor Community Inc.,” the team has put together an email list, a website, and the makings of a plan.
John Hogan, the media contractor for Mt. Bachelor Community Inc. said that while the group may still be getting started, their mission is clear.
“What we want to do is we want to bring the mountain into the community,” said Hogan. “We want to make sure that the Mt. Bachelor community has the opportunity to steward. It’s like an incredible gem that we have in our backyard going forward.”
Mt. Bachelor is a cornerstone of the Bend community. Most people who’ve grown up skiing in Bend remember going up to the mountain for the day in the cold and the snow and they have a plethora of cherished experiences.
Junior Skye Knox has lived in Bend her whole life and is one of many skiers with fond memories of growing up exploring at Mt. Bachelor.
“Ever since I could remember it’s something I look forward to every winter,” said Knox.
For Mt. Bachelor Community Inc., continuing to foster these childhood experiences is at the heart of their mission. The group aims to reinvent Bachelor to reflect the needs of the local residents through community empowerment and stewardship. Currently in the fundraising stage, they are working on finalizing their agreement with legal firms to establish a framework for their share packages. While the share prices, as well as the final vision are still in the works, the group is moving forward.
“Right now, our general approach is we want to have a kind of a layered system of investments that allows folks at a variety of [economic] levels to engage [with] the mountain,” said Hogan. “Our number one concern with all of this is making sure that the community has an opportunity to get involved.”
There are many draws to Mt. Bachelor: it’s close to town, it boasts an incredibly long season, and it offers many options and opportunities for all skills and abilities. The group aims to maintain such accessibility by continuing to offer ski lessons and supporting organizations like Oregon Adaptive Sports. However, skiing is an expensive sport and prices seem to be only increasing which has had drastic impacts on affordability.
According to an article by the Bend Bulletin, in 2019, an adult season pass cost $829 and a day lift ticket pass (non-holiday) was $52. In just five years prices have increased to $1,449 for an adult season pass (for day passes Mt. Bachelor now uses dynamic pricing. This means prices will increase during “holiday periods” and days with good snow forecasts).
In 2021, Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden publicly criticized Bachelor for “pricing out families.” Local snowriders would like to see more efforts in increasing recreational access for lower income families as well as minority groups. The group seems to recognize that ticket prices are a concern but it is likely too early in the process to formalize any specifics.
One of the drivers of such high prices and one of the most controversial topics in Bend is tourism. In the winter Bachelor is a hot commodity, with many guests and locals alike waiting in lift lines for up to an hour. While busy times like Presidents’ Day and spring break can bring aggravating crowds, such tourism is also necessary for Bend’s economy.
“Mt. Bachelor is one of the primary economic pillars for the region… It draws so many dollars that go back to the local community. And so we want to make sure that we have a shape in driving it forward so that we can continue making sure that they’re [tourists] spending their dollars here,” said Hogan.
By doing this, Mt. Bachelor Community Inc. hopes to reinvest in the community and support local businesses in Bend, Redmond and Sisters.
To promote their cause, the organization hosted a kickoff event on Oct. 12 at Drake Park. The event, with a decent attendance, featured a live band and food trucks as well as a variety of speakers. To introduce the event, snow enthusiast and instagrammer Josh Suran, also known as Josh Reports, thanked everyone for coming and invited Cochran and Porter to the stage. The two emphasized what this once in a lifetime opportunity would mean for our community. Porter related that he himself had learned to snowboard at Mt. Bachelor and said by giving each person a voice they hope to build a business with a purpose.
“This is a movement for powder for the people,” the two announced. “This is a movement for you.”
Proceeding this message, Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler and city councilman Mike Riley declared the city council’s unanimous support for this effort. Kebler snapped a selfie with the crowd that she will be sending to Oregon Governor Tina Kotek to endorse the cause.
“I can’t think of Bend without thinking of Mt. Bachelor,” said Kebler.
Although things are just starting up, the group’s message rings clear: they want to listen to the people, our community and those who are proud to call Mt. Bachelor their home mountain. Buying a ski resort may seem like a pipe dream but to Hogan and his fellow group members, this vision is more than just a fantasy. They mean business.
No matter what happens with the sale, it’s important that Mt. Bachelor stays in the Bend community and caters to locals and tourists alike. Mt. Bachelor Community Inc. aims to embody this cause and they are calling Bend locals to get the word out.
