If you’ve skied Mt. Bachelor, you know that some of the mountain’s best terrain is located off the Northwest lift.
Sitting on the (surprise) northwest side of the volcano, Bachelor Butte’s Northwest territory has steep bowls, amazing tree skiing, and some of the longest runs on the mountain.
Odds are, if you’re already privy to this information, you’ve also ridden the Northwest lift and maybe gotten stuck on it, or at least caught a chill on the way to the top.
While Northwest is one of the best places to ski at Mt. Bachelor, the lift was installed in 1996 and hasn’t seen many upgrades since. It’s not the oldest lift at Bachelor, but due to where it sits on the mountain, Northwest is also more susceptible to rime ice buildup and heavy snow. It has experienced notable power issues over the last few years, leaving folks sitting on the lift for long periods.
Mt. Bachelor
POWDER Magazine
With all this in mind, it’s exciting that Mt. Bachelor has announced a massive modernization project for Northwest. With an earlier-than-expected end to this ski season, Mt. Bachelor has already been hard at work on a major infrastructure investment project that will improve the lift’s reliability, operational efficiency, and accessibility following storm cycles.
The project will upgrade the utility power supply to the chairlift and replace the electric motor, auxiliary power unit, and all interior equipment, while preserving the foundation, towers, haul rope, terminals, and chairs. When complete, Northwest’s operating system will mirror that of Skyliner, which was installed in 2023 and is Mt. Bachelor’s most modernized lift.
Because of the lift’s location, a full replacement would be difficult due to the Northern spotted owl population and the USFS’s regulations on wildlife impacts and management for lift projects.
Courtesy of Mt. Bachelor
“These upgrades are going to make a huge difference for our guests and operations teams,” said Dustin Smith, Mt. Bachelor’s Director of Mountain Operations in a press release from the mountain. “We’re wrapping up routine maintenance this spring and will work throughout summer and fall to get everything wrapped up prior to the 2026/27 season.”
Already, Mt. Bachelor’s operations teams have updated the utility power to the bottom of the lift, providing increased voltage and power to that part of the mountain. Bull wheel bearing replacements and terminal alignments will also take place this month.
Throughout the rest of the project, 5,000 feet of communication and fiber lines will be buried to protect critical infrastructure from ice build-up and other weather-related disruptions to lift ops.
The upper and lower operator shacks will be replaced with new lift control systems, and a semi-enclosed steel structure will be added to house all chairs and minimize recovery time after storms. A night-drive system will also be installed, allowing the lift to operate at low speeds overnight and preventing ice from accumulating on the haul rope and delaying lift opening during storms.
Lastly, a maintenance garage will be constructed near the base terminal of Northwest to allow teams to perform carrier testing and on-site repairs.
Courtesy of Mt. Bachelor
Mt. Bachelor’s summer season begins on June 25th with the opening of the bike park. This summer, Bachelor will also host the Northwest Cup Downhill races along with a lineup of other great events.
The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.
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