Snow is finally in the forecast for Central Oregon, and Mt. Bachelor ski area announced plans Monday to open on a limited basis starting Saturday.

With 1 to 2 feet in the forecast, resort officials are optimistic the coming storm will bring enough snow to open at least one chairlift, according to a ski area news release. But a final decision on lift operations and ticket prices will likely not be announced until Friday.

“We’re still in a wait-and-see mode, but based on the weather forecasts, we’re hopeful that our guests will be able to ski or snowboard on Saturday and Sunday,” Drew Jackson, Mt. Bachelor’s director of marketing and communications, said in the release.

On Monday, Bachelor had a trace of snow on the ground, but the resort requires 12 to 24 inches of snow before it can begin preparing chairlifts for opening.

According to the National Weather Service, 2 to 6 inches of snow is forecast for Wednesday and 6 to 14 inches on Thursday.

Mountain crews will spend Thursday and Friday moving snow and assessing the depth.

According to the release, at a minimum, the Gravity Sports Shop at West Village Lodge will be open Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and food and beverage services will be offered in the West Village Lodge. Mountain crews are also planning a freestyle ski and snowboard area with various features in a mini-terrain park near the lodge.

Also on Friday, Mt. Bachelor will implement its winter uphill travel policy that limits hiking to the Cinder Cone route. Mt. Bachelor officials are requesting that hikers stay away from the mountain on Friday as crews use heavy machinery to prepare the mountain for a possible Saturday opening.

For more information, visit www.mtbachelor.com