BEND, OR -- Mt. Bachelor plans to open its ski and snowboard season this weekend, thanks to an "atmospheric river" forecast for the Cascade Mountain this week. The resort will open Little Pine and Sunrise lifts Saturday morning, December second, conditions permitting. Mt. Bachelor’s Nordic Center also expects to open for the season on Saturday. Mountain Gateway at West Village, West Village Lodge, and Sunrise Lodge will be open daily starting Saturday.

Starting at 12:01 a.m. Thursday,  the mountain will be closed to all uphill travel to allow for season preparations. Uphill travel will reopen on opening day and a new Uphill Policy will go into effect. The Cinder Cone Route will be the only uphill travel route available starting on opening day until Pine Marten Express opens.

Bachelor officials say they will continue to assess conditions and expand terrain as conditions allow. More updates are available at the daily Mountain Report.