Oregon Public Broadcasting

Ski resorts in Oregon had hoped to open in time for Thanksgiving weekend. Unseasonably high temperatures have put those plans on ice. And as central Oregon correspondent Ethan Lindsey reports, one ski resort is focused on other things.

Mount Bachelor hasn’t officially opened yet this year, and the locals are already restless.

In fact, central Oregonians have been complaining almost every day since Powdr Corp, the Utah-based conglomerate, bought the ski resort in 2001.

Some skiers say last winter was the breaking point. Higher ticket prices combined with poor maintenance sparked a snowstorm of complaints, and an overhaul of the mountain’s management and operations.

Alex Kaufman took over as director of marketing in August.

Kaufman says some customers have already voiced their approval.

Alex Kaufman: “And there’s other folks who are going to need a year or two of proof in the pudding to move them along. And that’s fine. We’re cognizant of that and we need to do better first, before we expect folks to think about us differently.”

Kaufman says Bachelor has lowered season ticket prices, improved maintenance on the ski lifts, and revamped the web site to better communicate with skiers and snowboarders.