The long-awaited winter weather is finally here.

With Virginia Meissner Sno-park, at 5,400 feet, getting nearly 3 feet of snow and nearly a foot of snow falling in town, most sno-parks should be well-suited for winter recreation. We have yet to get a full report on just how many inches of snow each sno-park in the area received this week, but with more snow expected over the next two days, it’s time for winter recreationists to grab their skis or snowshoes and get on out there. And if you haven’t already, pick up a permit before heading out.

Forecasts predict frigid temperatures in town this weekend. The high for Saturday is 7 degrees Fahrenheit, with a chance of temperatures dropping below zero overnight. But things should warm up a little Sunday, with a high in the mid-20s.

Some people may want to stay close to home this weekend and enjoy the snow out their front door, but if you happen to venture out, make sure to bundle up.

Below are some recommended spots for recreation this weekend. Hopefully, you’ve finished shoveling.

Hoodoo, Willamette Pass open for season

Hoodoo Ski Area and Willamette Pass Resort opened for the season Wednesday after the winter storm brought over 3 feet of snow on both mountains. These ski areas, off of Highways 20 and 58, respectively, are about an hour to an hour-and-a-half drive from Bend and, while smaller in size than Mt. Bachelor, offer a more affordable skiing experience.

According to Hoodoo’s snow report, the mountain has a 46-inch base and is expecting another 3 to 5 feet of snow to fall before Sunday. While Hoodoo crew reports deep snow, early season conditions still exist. More than half of the ski area’s runs are open. Staff suggest people stay close to the groomed runs, watch for tree wells and check out snow immersion resource deepsnowsafety.org before coming up this weekend.

As of Thursday, Willamette had three of its six lifts open and nine of 30 trails open.

Its base depth was 44 inches and had received a whopping 62 inches of snow over the past week. The resort was also predicting an additional 13 to 19 inches of snow possible Friday and 7 to 11 inches on Saturday, according to its snow report.

Fresh powder on Mt. Bachelor

Mt. Bachelor ski area received 57 inches of snow this week, which put its base-depth at 71 inches. The mid-mountain snow forecast also predicts another possible 16 inches of snow falling Friday and Saturday. Temperatures should stay in the 20s, but the wind chill could bring temperatures down in the single digits due to 20- and 30-mph winds on the mountain.

As of Thursday morning, a couple of chairs — Red Chair, Outback and Cloudchaser — were on hold because of wind and/or de-icing.

January is National Safety Month and staff asks people to be aware of deep snow conditions and the risk of snow immersion suffocation (SIS). Watch out for tree wells and always ski or ride with a buddy. While snow conditions are firm and fast, it is especially important to be aware of surroundings. Maintain a safe distance from others and abide by the skier’s responsibility code to keep the slopes safe for all.

Nymphing suggested on Crooked and Metolius rivers

The Crooked and Metolius rivers have proven to be fine fishing spots this winter, according to recent reports from anglers on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website. Fishing is open year-round on the Crooked below Bowman Dam and downstream from Allingham Bridge on the Metolius. Both rivers, about an hour drive north of Redmond, offer trout and whitefish.

Recent reports say nymphing — using artificial flies that imitate aquatic insects in their larval state — has been the most effective method on both rivers. Fly anglers on the Crooked should also try blue wing olive or midge patterns, keeping an eye out for fish rising in the afternoon. Rainbow trout more than 20 inches are considered steelhead and must be released. Anglers who catch bull trout should also release it unharmed and report the catch to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at crookedbulltrout@fws.gov.

Nymphing with stonefly, mayfly or caddisfly has been effective for trout on the Metolius, while streamers are a good bet for bull trout. All trout is catch-and-release on the Metolius. Artificial flies and lures are permitted below the lower bridge, Bridge 99. Fly-fishing only upstream.

Check out the department of fish and wildlife’s website for more fishing reports. Anglers should also renew their fishing license for the year, if they haven’t already, and review the 2024 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations.

Off the snow and onto the ice

Central Oregon’s four ice-skating rinks are all up and running, and there’s nothing like ice skating while surrounded by snow.

The Downtown Redmond Plaza and Seventh Mountain Resort both have outdoor rinks that are open to the public during specific times. Sunriver Village also has its own ice arena, and The Pavilion in Bend has weekly public skate sessions. See websites for fees and more details.

For a full list of conditions updated regularly, visit bendbulletin.com/explore/conditions.

Fire danger is listed as Moderate in the Ochoco National Forests, the Crooked River Grasslands. The Deschutes National Forests and Willamette National Forests fire danger is low.

Industrial Fire Precaution Level has been lowered to 1 as of Sep. 20 in the Deschutes, Ochoco and the Crooked River Grasslands and the Willamette National Forests.

Deschutes River access at Columbia Park is closed due to safety concerns and to prevent further riverbank erosion, as of July 22, 2020. 

Reopening of this access point is dependent on the outcome of the McKay, Miller’s, and Columbia River Access Project. To learn more, visit the project page.