Winter Driving Tips
The drive up to Mt. Bachelor can be challenging for some on a stormy winter day. You may encounter heavy snowfall, low visibility, and strong winds.
Here are some quick tips.
- Make sure your vehicle is equipped with winter or all-weather tires. Check out what tires fit on your car. If your car is 2WD, make sure you also carry chains and know how to use them.
- Drive in control! For most of the journey, Century Drive is a two-lane road. When visibility is low and the road is snowy, passing can be extremely dangerous. Unless the person in front of you is creating a safety hazard, it is best to just enjoy the ride and, not make unnecessary aggressive maneuvers.
- Fill up on gas before leaving town. Don't make the trek without at least half a tank of gas. There are no gas stations within 15+ miles of the mountain.
- Leave early and take it slow. Don't expect to get up here in 25-30 minutes from Bend or Sunriver, the drive can take an hour during busy periods or snow storms. Plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time.
- Turn on your headlights. Automatic headlights do not always turn on during snow storms. Headlights might help you see a little bit better but they go a long way in making you visible to other drivers.
- Check the road cameras. Oregon Travels has a road camera set up at mile 21.11 on Century Drive, which is only a few miles south of Mt. Bachelor. This is a great resource to see the current driving conditions and traffic. Also, be sure to check out the Mt. Bachelor webcams which have shots of both base areas and mid-mountain.
- Adhere to the speed limit within Mt. Bachelor parking lots. It is important to drive slow within our parking lots as there will likely be snow removal equipment at work, parking lot employees directing traffic, guests walking through the lot, etc.