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Jack Lafeman

Young Ski Addict from Oregon.

The Top 5 Small Ski Areas in Oregon:

Skiing wise, Oregon still remains under the radar.  Most skiers and snowboarders from out of state have heard about Mt. Bachelor and Mt. Hood. While most people just call it Mt. Hood, the mountain is actually home to five different ski areas. Most people have heard of it because of the summer skiing offered on the Palmer Snowfield. Oregon has […]

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Jack Lafeman | September 18, 2020
18 Comments

5 Local Tips on How to Maximize Enjoyment of a Mt. Bachelor, OR Powder Day

Mt. Bachelor, OR can get insane storms that often leave behind many feet of fresh powder. That’s why so many powder lovers move to Bend. They do everything they can to make it up for every good powder day of the season. Working a job that they have to be at until 2:00pm to ensure they can ski up every […]

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Jack Lafeman | November 17, 2016
1 Comment

Lead Guide of Oregon’s Cat-Ski Mt. Bailey Killed in Avalanche

On a season that has been very tragic for avalanche deaths in the backcountry, this one is sure to stand out. Cat-ski Mt. Bailey released this statement on Facebook yesterday: “It is with great sadness that we must announce we have lost our legendary lead guide Rick “Oz” Oswald. Oz was involved in an avalanche incident on March 22 2016 while […]

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Jack Lafeman | March 24, 2016
11 Comments

Mt. Hood Meadows Conditions Report 3-17-2016: Full Blown Bottomless Powder

Storms really set things off in Oregon recently. El Nino March hit the West Coast hard, and Oregonians have been taking full advantage of the storms. Overnight it snowed 24”+ at Mt. Hood Meadows, making for the BEST powder day of my life. The snow was so deep that you actually had to slow down a little bit. If you skied […]

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Jack Lafeman | March 17, 2016
0 Comments

Willamette Pass, Oregon Mega Powder Day Photo Tour

If you hadn’t heard, Oregon has been getting hammered. After a couple of really low snow years followed by a couple of sub-par seasons it is more than welcomed. Dear El Nino, you’re welcome to say hello to us in Oregon any time. Willamette Pass is one of the many un-appreciated small resorts in the Pacific Northwest. You can ski […]

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Jack Lafeman | January 21, 2016
1 Comment

Mt. Bachelor, OR Conditions Update: 6-Feet of Snow in 6 Days

It has been a crazy week of snow at Mt. Bachelor and at ski areas across Oregon. Perhaps the snowfall that didn’t come down last year is finally here. Either way, this El Nino is doing much better for Oregon than what was predicted.  The skiing conditions have been incredible during these last five days. In the last six days […]

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Jack Lafeman | December 14, 2015
0 Comments

New Ski Resort in Utah, Cherry Peak, Opens December 21st

The new ski area in Utah that is opening for the first time this winter season has announced their opening date. They will be opening on Monday December 21st, 2015. Cherry Peak has been busy over the last few days. They have been grooming their trails, and they have also been blowing snow. Today they announced that their season opening […]

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Jack Lafeman | December 4, 2015
0 Comments

Two of the Most Legit Small Ski Areas in Oregon OPEN This Weekend: Anthony Lakes & Ferguson Ridge

Two more Oregon ski resorts are opening up this weekend! In Oregon only Mt. Bachelor and Timberline Lodge are open daily. Mt. Hood Meadows was open last weekend, and might be open this weekend. They have not made an official announcement. Anthony Lakes near Baker City, Oregon and Ferguson Ridge in Joseph, Oregon will be kicking off their ski seasons this […]

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Jack Lafeman | December 2, 2015
0 Comments

Mt. Bachelor, OR Conditions Report: No One Out

Skiers enjoying the empty groomed runs in the sunshine

Mt. Bachelor has now been open with full operation for five days. During midweek they are running the Pine Marten, Skyliner, and Sunshine Accelerator lifts. They certainly don’t need any more lifts open, as it feels like a ghost town up there.  It snowed a skiff overnight, which actually helped the snow surface a lot! Places that have been completely […]

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Jack Lafeman | December 1, 2015
0 Comments

Mt. Bachelor, OR Official Opening day Conditions Report: Sunshine and Powder Pockets

Mt. Bachelor is now open for the 2015/2016 winter season. While there is some fresh powder on the ground, it is early season and there are still a lot of obstacles.  The Pine Marten Lift had some good powder pockets in the trees and on the sides of some runs. However, everything above the treeline is windblown. The ice is […]

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Jack Lafeman | November 27, 2015
1 Comment

Mt. Bachelor, OR Opens Tomorrow!

Mt. Bachelor officially kicks off the 2015/2016 ski season on Friday November 27th. Pine Marten, Skyliner, Sunrise, and Sunshine Accelerator will be open from 9:00am-4:00pm. Mt. Bachelor got 11” of fresh snow out of the last storm, meaning that there is sure to be some solid skiing out on the mountain tomorrow. The snow is light and dry, and we […]

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Jack Lafeman | November 26, 2015
0 Comments

Mt. Bachelor Conditions Report and Mountain Update: Snowing Hard Today

Mt. Bachelor is open with a pre-Thanksgiving terrain park. It is snowing hard right now. Hopefully everything will come together on Friday and more terrain will open. Early season stoke is high at Mt. Bachelor. Currently the mountain is just operating the Sunshine Accelerator Lift from 9:00am-4:00pm. Mt. Bachelor was hoping to open additional terrain beginning tomorrow(Wednesday November 25th), however […]

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Jack Lafeman | November 24, 2015
0 Comments

Mt. Bachelor, OR Opens 4 Days Early Tomorrow!

Mt. Bachelors ski season will kick off 4-days earlier than originally planned. Mt. Bachelor is opening on Saturday November 21st, 2015. This was just announced without any warning this afternoon. They will be running the Sunshine Accelerator Lift until further notice, with a pre-Thanksgiving terrain park. Lift tickets are $35.00 for adults, and $25.00 for youth, teens, and seniors. If you […]

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Jack Lafeman | November 20, 2015
0 Comments

Ski Season Starts in Oregon: Timberline Lodge and Mt. Hood Meadows Open this Weekend!

Timberline Lodge Ski Area will be the first ski area in Oregon to open for the 2015/2016 ski season. They plan to operate Bruno Lift from 9:00am-4:00pm Saturday and Sunday. “Weather and conditions permitting, we are hoping to have a limited opening with Bruno on Saturday & Sunday, 9-4. In the event of an opening, early season conditions will exist. […]

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Jack Lafeman | November 19, 2015
0 Comments

Oregon Ski Season is Off to a Great Start: Conditions Report and Photo Tour

For those who have been willing to hike for it, Oregon’s ski season has been going since late-October. Now, it’s time to start thinking about Resort openings, and who has the snow to make it happen.  Mt. Bachelor now shows 15” on the base snowstake. They are planning to open on Wednesday November 25th if conditions allow. There is some […]

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Jack Lafeman | November 17, 2015
0 Comments

Mt. Bachelor, OR Conditions Report: Less Baseshots, More Faceshots!

No these photos are not re-posts from a powder day last winter. Opening day is rapidly approaching at Mt. Bachelor and things are looking good. Since Monday, an additional 4” of snow has fallen on Mt. Bachelor, making a BIG difference in the quality of skiing on Cinder Cone. The word is getting out. There were a lot of tracks coming […]

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Jack Lafeman | November 12, 2015
0 Comments

Mt. Bachelor, OR Conditions Report: A Powder Day Without the Crowds

Base building snow has arrived at Mt. Bachelor, OR and there are only 15 days until the lifts start spinning at Mt. Bachelor (assuming the weather cooperates). When I arrived at Bachelor today, the amount of snow on the roadside was very little. The only promising sight was some good looking tracks coming off of Cinder Cone. Traversing over towards […]

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Jack Lafeman | November 9, 2015
0 Comments

Big Sky and Great Divide, Montana Will Be Open This Weekend!

Ski season is kicking off this weekend in Montana! Because Big Sky got 24” of powder recently they are doing a 1-day opening TOMORROW. Saturday November 7th, Big Sky will be open from 10:00am-4:00pm. They will spin the Swift Current High Speed Quad and the Explorer Double. According to their website only the Mr. K trail will be open. However, a […]

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Jack Lafeman | November 6, 2015
0 Comments

2015 Likely To Be HOTTEST Year on Record

This last summer was a hot one everywhere. Combined with a low snow pack this winter things were left very dry out there. In the Northwest, it seems as if summer is trying to stick around even longer. In the Willamette Valley we have only had a few days with any real rain this September and October. This was the […]

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Jack Lafeman | October 29, 2015
3 Comments

This Photo is from Yesterday in Oregon…

Early season stoke has begun in Oregon. It snowed in Oregon yesterday and apparently somewhere in the high Cascade Mountains it snowed enough to enjoy some serious powder skiing like this. Odds are it took quite a bit of effort to get this shot. Nice work. The forecast is suddenly looking better for Oregon ski areas. NOAA is saying “New […]

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Jack Lafeman | October 27, 2015
0 Comments

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