Heading outside: End-of-season celebrations, spring corn; Dutchman Sno-park best snow coverage

Published 3:30 pm Thursday, April 17, 2025

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The Three Sisters and Broken Top as viewed from Dutchman Flat Sno-park during a snowshoe outing. Snowshoers should be careful not to step in nordic ski tracks. (Mark Morical/Bulletin file)

A group of mountain bikers make their way along the Ticket to Ride trail near the U.S. Forest Service’s Cascade Lakes Welcome Station west of Bend. (Ryan Brennecke/Bulletin file)

Snowboarders cruise around a bermed corner in one of the Woodward Mountain Park zones at Mt. Bachelor ski area. (Submitted photo)

Joanne Wright slows and sinks in the water while participating in the Pond Skimming Battle Royale during Hoodoo Ski Area’s annual Spring Fling last year. (Joe Kline/Bulletin file)

Ochoco Reservoir's banks near the campground. Bank fishing is popular on the reservoir and reported to be good near Ochoco Dam on the lake's west end. (Aaron Rasheed/Bulletin file)

It’s been a beautiful spring week in Central Oregon. I played some pickup soccer at Pine Nursery Park Tuesday and rode gravel roads in the Deschutes National Forest and some of the lower Mrazek trail Wednesday evening. Hope you, too, are getting out and enjoying it. Plenty of more chances to come.

This weekend should bring more clear, cool 60- and 50-degree days — great weather for all your springtime activities.

Local ski areas are celebrating their seasons with live music and activities this weekend. Take part in the shenanigans and enjoy a few spring turns. Weather forecasts are predicting more of the same this weekend — sun and mild temperatures in the mountains.

Below are some recommended spots for recreation this weekend.

End-of-season celebrations, spring corn

Mt. Bachelor

Mt. Bachelor ski area got no new snow over the past week, according to the mountain report, and the mountain is in for a weekend of clear, sunny weather. The mid-mountain forecast predicts possible 40-degree temperatures Saturday and cooler temperatures — freezing and below — Sunday. Winds should remain around or below 10 mph.

It’s also RendezVan this weekend. Enjoy live music and other activities in the West Village parking area.

The mountain’s base depth was 122 inches Thursday. Its snowfall season total is 439 inches.

Hoodoo Ski Area

The past week brought no new snow to Hoodoo Ski Area either. The weekend is lining up to be a mix of spring skiing Saturday and possible snow showers Sunday, according to the mid-mountain forecast Thursday. Temperatures in the mountains are supposed to drop significantly Saturday night, leaving a chance for a refresh. Winds should be between 10 and 15 mph.

Hoodoo is celebrating its annual farewell-to-the-season party Spring Fling on Saturday. Dress up and take part in the pond skimming, battle royal and more.

Hoodoo’s base depth was 85 inches Thursday, according to its snow report. The ski area has got 275 inches of snow so far this season.

Willamette Pass Resort

Willamette Pass also got no new snow this week, according to its snow report, and isn’t expecting any snow through the weekend, according to the mid-mountain forecast. Expect temperatures to reach the mid-40s Saturday and mid-30s Sunday, with mostly clear, sunny skies both days. Winds should top out around 10 mph.

The mountain’s base depth was 46 inches Thursday. The resort has recorded a total of 272 inches of snow this season. All trails and five out of six lifts were open Thursday.

Dutchman Sno-park best snow coverage

As Central Oregon’s snow season winds down, Dutchman Sno-Park is probably the best-bet in the Deschutes National Forest for late-season nordic skiers and snowshoers. Over 6,000 feet, the sno-park likely has adequate snow coverage for recreation and offers access to Dutchman Flat, Todd Lake and Tumalo Mountain. Dutchman is just across Century Drive from Mt. Bachelor ski area.

Recreationists should expect spring-like conditions on the snow — dense and firm in the morning, softening in the afternoon. And beware of areas with little snow. Neighboring Virginia Meissner stopped grooming operations for the season last weekend, according to its conditions Facebook page.

Rainbow trout near Ochoco Dam

Anglers have had decent luck catching rainbow trout while fishing from the bank Ochoco Reservoir near Ochoco Dam, according to recent reports on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) website. The reservoir is currently 86% full and water clarity has improved since spring runoff. The reservoir also has black crappie and smallmouth bass.

Ochoco Reservoir is just east of Prineville, off of Highway 26, and about an hour drive from Bend. Check out the ODFW’s website for more fishing reports.

Ticket to ride Ticket to Ride

Like what I did there? Recent reports on bendtrails.org say Ticket to Ride, which starts from the Cascade Lakes Welcome Station parking lot, is in good shape. The past few warm days should have melted all the snow in the canyon, making the popular easy loop great riding this weekend.

I haven’t specifically ridden the whole loop yet this year, but I have been in the area over the past couple of weeks. The riding is superb — even verging on a little dry and loose for this early in the season.

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

Ian Haupt: 541-617-7821 or ian.haupt@bendbulletin.com.