New ‘Fast Tracks’ Passes for Upcoming Season Spark Criticism, Petition at Mt. Bachelor, OR

Martin Kuprianowicz | | Post Tag for Industry NewsIndustry News

Mt. Bachelor is one of Powdr’s four resorts that will implement the new and controversial Fast Tracks pass this winter, which allows guests to pay extra to skip lift lines. The pass will let anybody skip the regular lines on all but three of Bachelor’s lifts on the day they purchase it. It’s a guest experience that’s new for the upcoming winter—one that Bachelor has never done before. But not everyone is happy about it. One Mt. Bachelor local has started a petition to get the resort to discard the new line-cutting program altogether.

Mt. Bachelor local Dan Cochrane started a petition last weekend asking Bachelor and its owner Powdr to cancel the pass. “The last thing you want to be is a local standing in that line,” Cochrane told NewsChannel 21. “Because they’re not going to be viewed very kindly.”

Mt. Bachelor, OR. | Photo courtesy of Dan Cochrane/change.org

The express lines will be at all but three of the mountain’s lifts: Alpenglow, Rainbow, and Early Riser—the latter of which will now be a free lift, according to the resort’s operating plan. The passes will start at $49 a day, with dynamic pricing based on the mountain conditions, peak periods, holidays, and days of the week.

Powdr, the resort’s owner, is implementing the new “Fast Tracks” program at four of its most popular resorts, including Mt. Bachelor, Copper Mountain in Colorado, Snowbird in Utah, and Killington in Vermont. For more information about Mt. Bachelor’s plans for the upcoming winter, including several changes and a new Mt. Bachelor app, read Monday’s news release from the resort below. 

Press Release

MT. BACHELOR ANNOUNCES OPENING DAY, WINTER OPERATIONS AND NEW GUEST SERVICES FOR WINTER 21/22

  • Mt. Bachelor Alpine and Nordic winter operations begin resort-wide Friday, November 26
  • Mt. Bachelor Ski School Lessons and All Nordic Center Programs now available
  • Track Your Turns, Lift Wait Times and more available on the new Mt. Bachelor app
  • Mt. Bachelor single-day lift ticket and multi-day lift tickets are now available
  • New for winter 21/22, Mt. Bachelor launches Fast Tracks, a dedicated fast access lift line

(BEND, Ore.), October 11, 2021 – Mt. Bachelor, a year-round POWDR mountain resort located at the heart of Bend, Oregon, culture, today announced its 63rd ski season Opening Day is Friday, November 26. Mt. Bachelor’s daily winter activities, experiences, and amenities will include skiing, snowboarding, Nordic skiing, Woodward Mountain Parks, snowshoeing, dog sledding, Gravity Ski School, dining, retail, rentals, and slope side RV camping. Adventures await at the Pacific Northwest’s largest resort playground!

“Weather forecasters are predicting back-to-back La Nina’s, and she owes us a big one this year,” said John McLeod, President and General Manager of Mt. Bachelor. “With some exciting new programs like the Mt. Bachelor app and Fast Tracks, and an anticipated return to a full events lineup, the Mt. Bachelor team is ready to deliver another great season for you.”

Guests are invited to come Outplay All Day! The winter 21/22 winter operations plan includes:

  • Mt. Bachelor’s 63rd season will celebrate a scheduled Opening Day on Friday, November 26.

  • Plan for the opening day, holidays and beyond; single day, multi-day dynamic lift tickets now available. Booking online and in advance offers the greatest savings.

  • Nordic Programming, including the ever-popular She’s on Skis, and multi-week programming that runs on our 56 km of daily, groomed Nordic trails are now available for sign-ups.

  • New for 21/22 is the Mt. Bachelor App. Available for download starting on November 1, allows guests real-time information like Weather and News Alerts, Lift Wait Times resort-wide, Find My Friends, and tools like Track My Turns, Leaderboards, among other information. Whether guests are visiting for one-day or a 100 Day Club, Mt. Bachelor highly recommends downloading the app for use in resort.

  • New for 21/22, Mt. Bachelor launches Fast Tracks, a new, daily upgrade product available on a limited basis for all guests, offering guests access to dedicated fast lanes at all chairlifts, besides Early Riser, Alpenglow, and Rainbow. Beginning November 1, Fast Tracks can be purchased three ways: online, in-advance at resort websites, at the resort’s ticket window, or guest service locations day-of; anytime using a smartphone. Learn more here.

  • Mt. Bachelor Ski & Gravity Ride School will offer a full lineup of lessons this winter, including our award-winning Ski or Ride in 5 Lesson Package, as well as private lessons, multi-week lessons, and group lessons.  Gravity School will follow all COVID guidelines set by Oregon Health Authority.

  • Woodward Mountain Parks at Mt. Bachelor offer guests a network of featured terrain zones that offer terrain parks for all ages and abilities. From learning zones, large freestyle zones, and everything in between Woodward Mountain Park offers a progression and fun guest experience.

  • Complementing the learning terrain adjacent to Sunrise Lodge, Early Riser beginner chairlift, and the Woodward Start Park in the Sunrise Base Area will be FREE for winter 21/22.

  • Pick Up Boxes (PUB) minimize ticket window wait times, allowing guests to print lift tickets or passes outside at Sunrise Lodge, Mountain Gateway, and new for the winter season are two locations will be in Bend. Passholders and guests can pick up in town and head direct to lift!

  • Uphill Travel will be allowed as ‘unpatrolled and uncontrolled’ on Mt. Bachelor permitted property through Sunday, November 21.

  • Mt. Bachelor will not offer tubing and daycare for winter 21/22


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4 thoughts on “New ‘Fast Tracks’ Passes for Upcoming Season Spark Criticism, Petition at Mt. Bachelor, OR

  1. We need new community owned not for profit ski resorts.

    EnviroMENTALISTS need to get out of the way and allow it to happen.

  2. This is such BS the beginning of a new era for ski resorts to screw locals who support their home mountains. Powdr
    is a horrible company for implementing this what a cash grab where will resorts stop drawing the line to just make money? The ski industry is becoming so corporate and stupid now it’s time for change, how will locals ever get fresh pow behind all the rich folks? I remember the good old days scoring untracked deep fresh pow at MTB all day with nobody on the hill! What a super circus now MTB is a s*** show!

  3. We all know and see regular abuse of the paying public. Worst is keeping fresh new snow closed off and reserved for friends and family only.

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