News dropped yesterday that Mt. Bachelor, the massive ski resort near Bend, Oregon, has been put up for sale by its ownership group, POWDR.
The ownership group confirmed that, in addition to Mt. Bachelor, they would also list Killington Ski Resort (Vermont), Eldora Mountain (Colorado), and SilverStar Mountain Resort (British Columbia) for sale.
This news comes as a big surprise to skiers and snowboarders from around the Pacific Northwest. Mt. Bachelor consistently offers one of the longest ski seasons in the PNW, typically opening in late November and running until Memorial Day weekend, and has enjoyed relatively consistent conditions. In contrast, other resorts around the region have run into far more weather-related delays and shutdowns.
What Does this Mean for the Future of Mt. Bachelor?
For its first four decades in existence, the Mt. Bachelor ski area was locally owned and was a low-cost option for residents of Central Oregon.
The local ownership sold the ski area to its current owners, POWDR, in 2001. Since then, the mountain, along with the ski industry in general, has undergone a significant shift that has led to a rapid increase in lift ticket prices.
While many locals pine for the days of a cheaper skiing experience, the odds of that happening again are very likely slim to none. Current revenues will be baked into the sale price, and it would be hard to see anyone stepping in and then reducing them significantly after paying a premium for the ski area.
My best guess would be that another corporate conglomerate will step in and purchase the resort and roll it into their network. We just hope that they are ready to invest in the mountain as it has seen a number of operational issues over the past few ski seasons that have limited terrain access.
Expectations for the 2024/2025 Ski Season
Local management at Mt. Bachelor has confirmed that it will be business as usual for the upcoming ski season, and there will be no changes to the current season pass structure. So, if you’re holding out on buying a pass in hopes that prices will go lower once the sale goes through, your wait will most likely be in vain.
Any significant changes to the ski area’s operations, such as lift upgrades or replacements and lodge upgrades, are typically planned years in advance, so even if the new owners were able to come in and hit the ground running, any significant changes to the mountain wouldn’t happen, until next summer, at the earliest.
Overall, I think this can be a good opportunity to get some fresh eyes on the ski area and make upgrades where they are due, but the grass isn’t always greener, so locals may find themselves looking back in 5 years and wishing for the good ol’ days of POWDR ownership.
