Bachelor avalanche closes lift

BEND, Ore. — A massive avalanche roared down below the summit of Mount Bachelor this week, forcing the resort to close down one of its ski lifts.

The Wednesday evening avalanche was one of the biggest ones to occur on Mount Bachelor since the 1960s, said Chris Johnston, communications manager for Mount Bachelor Ski Resort.

Trees up to 30 feet high and 12 inches in diameter in the avalanche’s path were sheared or knocked down by the avalanche, said Tom Lomax, the mountain operations manager at Mount Bachelor.

No injuries or damage to building or vehicles were reported, Johnston said.

To eliminate any further danger, Mount Bachelor crews also triggered a second avalanche early Thursday morning using explosives.

Johnston said the avalanches should not affect the ski conditions, nor alter plans to open other ski lifts by this weekend, but that off-trail skiing would be discouraged until further notice.

Mount Bachelor had a 65-inch base at mid-mountain as of 3 p.m. Thursday.

Off Mount Bachelor, the Forest Service issued an avalanche warning Thursday, cautioning snow riders to avoid places where steep slopes are greater than 25 degrees, said Chris Sabo, a wilderness and trails specialist with the Bend-Fort Rock District of the Deschutes National Forest.

Anyone who does travel to backcountry areas should have proper avalanche training, go with a partner and carry proper equipment, Forest Service officials said.