Long lines and gratitude mark start of Central Oregon ski season

Skiers and snowboarders have returned to Oregon slopes the past two weeks, starting what many hope is a full season.

This is the second ski season that’s overlapped with the coronavirus pandemic. Many of Oregon’s slopes ceased operation in March as the state shut down. They’ve fired up lifts this season with new measures in place to limit virus transmission.

Monday was opening day at Mt. Bachelor in Central Oregon. Sun osmosed through gauzy clouds to give the snow a light sheen while people slalomed downhill, grasping for normalcy.

Lines were long but running smoothly as season pass holders like Dan Ganley took the first crack at the slopes. By the end of a three-minute conversation, he had moved from the back of the line close to the front.

“It was a big disappointment to lose the end of last year, the majority of the season really,” said Ganley, who has been coming to Bachelor the past four years. “But really ecstatic to be getting up here on the lifts again.”

His gratitude was matched by many skiers and snowboarders who spoke to OPB. Outdoor recreation has for some been the only reasonably safe respite as the pandemic has worsened.