Mt. Bachelor ski area passholders are in for a treat this weekend.

The resort is opening two weeks early following significant snow accumulation in late October and early November. Snow and freezing temperatures are expected in the mountains this weekend, so passholders should be in for a good first couple of days of lift skiing.

Local trails are likely damp. As of Wednesday evening, the Deschutes River Trail was soggy. Expect trails to dry out come the weekend, which should make for some great riding. Be on the lookout for standing water and try to avoid muddy trails. Most trails below 5,000 feet were rideable last weekend.

Expect chillier weather in town this weekend, with highs in the low- and high-40s. Forecasts predict cloudy skies Saturday and possible rain Sunday. Lows are in the mid-20s overnight.

Below are some recommended spots for recreation this weekend. For mountain bike and other trail-specific updates, check out bendtrails.org and the BendTrails Facebook group.

Mt. Bachelor opens early to passholders

Mt. Bachelor ski area announced earlier this week it would open this Friday, two days ahead of schedule. The ski resort will be open this weekend to Mt. Bachelor and Ikon passholders, including midweek and four-day passes. This will be the earliest opening since 1998, staff wrote in the resort’s mountain report.

As of Thursday morning, the ski area had received more than 2 feet of snow over the past week and a total of 66 inches so far this season. The mountain’s base-depth was 37 inches as of Thursday. The weather forecast predicts snow through the weekend on the mountain, with temperatures expected to stay below freezing.

Mt. Bachelor’s uphill policy — free pass required — goes into effect Friday. The mountain will then close to uphill skiers and riders during the week until the resort opens daily for the season on Nov. 29.

Cline Buttes good option for wet season

The beginner-, intermediate- and expert-level Cline Buttes trails are great for mountain bikers during winter and especially after the past week’s rain. About a 20-minute drive north of Bend and east of Redmond, the area offers high-level riding with steep climbs and descents and 360-degree views of Central Oregon.

These trails are great for hiking and trail running as well, especially for those looking for some quick elevation gain. Considered moderately challenging by AllTrails, expect few flat stretches as the trail winds its way up and back down the buttes. It’s also rare to run into other people while out on these trails.

In total, the area has about 10 miles of trail, but it makes up for it in elevation, with 1,100 feet possible. The summit reaches 4,117 feet and, as some of the easternmost foothills of the Cascades, the buttes offer a strategic vantage point of the Three Sisters, Mount Washington and the rest of the Cascade Range.

If you’re looking for flatter trails, check out nearby and more well-known Maston trails to the south, just across Cline Falls Road. Trail conditions can change dramatically day to day this time of year. With precipitation in the forecast next week, beware and try to avoid muddy trails.

Fall angling on the Metolius

Anglers continue to find excellent fishing for mountain whitefish, redband trout and bull trout on the Metolius River, according to reports on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) website. Nymphing with stonefly, mayfly or caddisfly nymphs has been effective for trout and streamers are a good bet for bull trout.

Bull trout are expected to have entered the river from Lake Billy Chinook as the spawning peaked in September, and bull trout follow spawning kokanee in October. Catch-and-release for trout including bull trout on the river. Fishing is restricted to fly-fishing only upstream of Bridge 99 (Lower Bridge). Artificial flies and lures are permitted below the bridge.

The Metolius River from Allingham Bridge upstream to the headwaters closed for the season Nov. 1. It will reopen May 22, 2025. The river is about an hour drive from downtown Bend.

Check out the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website for more fishing reports.

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

Hiking in Oregon’s redwoods sparks imagination, serenity