Sitting in The Bend Bulletin office Thursday morning writing this report while watching out the window as overnight snow slowly melted off the trees, the question I couldn’t get out of my head was, “How long will it last this time?”

Luckily, it didn’t matter. Because there was more snow to come anyway.

Another winter storm is making it a great weekend to cross-country ski, snowshoe, snowmobile, sled or fatbike. It’s expected to bring 12 to 24 inches of snow to areas above 4,000 feet, offering fresh tracks for all. Wind gusts could get as high as 45 mph but should die down by Friday evening.

As always, winter recreationists are encouraged to head to higher elevations for best possible conditions. But this weekend might be a little different. Forecasts are predicting colder temperatures over the weekend, with highs just above freezing, making it likely that Thursday and Fridays snow could stick for a few days. Anyone looking for a nice casual jaunt in the snow could have plenty of luck finding it at lower elevations.

Below are some recommended spots for recreation this weekend.

Winter storm brings powder-filled weekend

Mt. Bachelor

As of Thursday morning, Mt. Bachelor ski area had received 7 inches of snow in 24 hours, and, according to the mid-mountain snow forecast, was expected to get a foot of snow throughout the day. Another 7 inches of snow was predicted to fall Friday. Sprinklings of a couple of inches both Saturday and Sunday would round out what could be a great powder weekend on the mountain.

Winter storm high winds were expected to calm down late Friday, just in time for the weekend crowd. Expect temperatures on the mountain to cool down as well. The forecast predicts temps should drop Friday and hover around 10 degrees Fahrenheit Saturday and Sunday.

Hoodoo Ski Area

Hoodoo was expecting 10 to 14 inches of snow Thursday and another 6 to 10 inches overnight. Staff warned skiers and boarders to watch out for drifting snow and poor visibility due to high winds. The ski area’s base depth was 66 inches as of Thursday.

Willamette Pass Resort

Willamette Pass Resort received 15 inches of snow over the past week, bringing its base depth up to 49 inches. Staff reported in the ski area’s conditions report, using predictions from weather forecaster OpenSnow, that a total of 13 inches of snow would fall Thursday.

March in with fresh tracks

Swampy Lakes Sno-park is a good bet for cross-country skiers and snowshoers this weekend. As of last week, its base ranged from 20 to 60 inches of snow, which should only be improving this week with the incoming snow.

The site offers access to non-motorized winter trails. It also has toilets and a warming hut. Unfortunately, no dogs are allowed in the area through April.

Be aware that this is a popular destination for winter recreation on weekends. Prepare to adjust plans. Neighboring Dutchman and Vista Butte sno-parks both offer access to area trails.

Steelhead start to make way over Bonneville Dam

For anglers willing to travel, winter steelhead season has begun on the Hood River. According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website, steelhead counts are low over Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, but fish are steadily coming over.

The winter steelhead run on the Hood River generally peaks around mid- to late-March. Now might be the time to start planning for a fishing trip. Fishing spots on the river are about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Bend. Water levels on the river are currently high and dropping. Three hatchery steelhead are allowed per day.

Check out the fish and wildlife department’s website or past reports for good fishing areas closer to town.

Good weekend for fatbikes

With colder temperatures in town this week, fatbikers likely won’t have to go far for snow-covered trails. Thursday and Fridays snow could stick at lower elevations and below freezing temps should harden any trails that may have softened up during the week. Check out local and popular Phil’s or Maston trails for some possible snowy miles.

Regular mountain bikers willing to dabble in wintry riding should do the same. Trails will likely stay firm throughout the day, so you don’t have to worry too much about leaving ruts. But be mindful if things start to get sloppy.

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