The Trail Less Traveled
A cat skiing trip on Mount Bailey will take you far away from the typically crowded slopes and down some of the most pristine snow you’ve ever carved a ski or board into.
Story by Brian Staffield Photos by Jonathan Cummings
There is a snowcapped gem hidden within the Cascades. A mountain with no ski lifts and no groomed runs. An alpine oasis with nothing but fresh powder, 11 other people and, if you’re lucky, you.
Mount Bailey is well known as the backdrop for memorable summer excursions to Diamond Lake, but during the winter it transforms into a 6,000-acre backcountry skiing paradise. Located near Crater Lake National Park, Bailey averages around 600 inches of snowfall per year. Skiers and snowboarders who want to carve up some pristine sheets of that fresh snow have two options for getting to it: hike in or take the snowcat.
A fully tracked vehicle capable of grooming trails and carrying people, a snowcat enables skiers to reach great spots without having to use a lift or helicopter. The cat skiing operation at Mount Bailey is the only one of its kind in Oregon. It’s managed and run by Diamond Lake Lodge, where many visitors stay the night before their cat ski trip to ensure a full day on the mountain.
The alarm goes 5 a.m. because breakfast is at 5:30. The room is warm but outside is all snow, ice and sub-freezing temperatures. The walk to the main lodge is dark and cold, but the grand room inside is warm and inviting.
Skiers sit around the fireplace sipping coffee, making small talk and patiently waiting as the kitchen staff arrives. Anticipating what the day has in store for them, everyone orders a carb- and protein-centric breakfast.
Framed by the dining-room window, Mount Bailey begins to illuminate from the glow of the rising sun. Once the last sips of coffee have been drunk and gear is loaded into the shuttle van, we leave the lodge and make our way to the snowcat loading area, anticipation growing as we go.
Once the snowcat is loaded with people and gear, we head toward the top of Mount Bailey. The vibe feels more like a field trip with close friends than just another ski trip, a notion that is only reinforced during the safety briefing. That’s when we all learn that each of us will be equipped with an electronic beacon in case an avalanche gets triggered and someone ends up buried under snow.
“Seeing Mount Thielsen on the other side of Diamond Lake is enough to make one forget that the purpose of this trip is to ski, not stand and stare, slack-jawed. ”
Getting off the mountain safely is everyone’s first priority today, the guides explain. Having fun in the fresh, pristine snow is second.
The cat continues its determined climb toward that snow and that fun, chugging along at 12 mph. Finally, at the top of Mount Bailey, it turns around on a space that seems barely large enough to park a small car on and we are treated to a view that, on this perfectly clear day, is breathtaking. Seeing Mount Thielsen on the other side of Diamond Lake is enough to make one forget that the purpose of this trip is to ski, not stand and stare, slack-jawed.
The first run of the day is an easy one as we all get a feel for the lay of the land. Down into the bowl we go and then, one by one, figures dip below the tree line.
No groomed trails to follow, just fresh powder and zigging and zagging between snow-dusted conifers. The conditions are perfect – bright sun, blue sky, and a foot of new snow.
Then it’s back in the snowcat and up the mountain again for a downhill trip through avalanche country. Following the guides, we all eventually make our way to a hidden cabin near the base of the mountain. We all gather around a small woodstove in the cozy cabin, eat the lunches we packed and reminisce about the morning runs.
After lunch, eager to get back on the mountain while the sun is still shining, we plan the rest of the day and decide we’ll take a couple shorter runs through the alpine trees, then save the biggest run for the end of the day.
Even though it’s a perfect day on the mountain and we’re all having a great time skiing or snowboarding, the most memorable part of the trip is the time spent in the snowcat discussing the previous epic run. Increasingly, this trip is feeling like a group bonding experience that happens to include skiing, even though we all agree the quality of that skiing is unparalleled in our experience and maybe in Oregon.
As the snowcat makes its final slow ascent to the top of Mount Bailey, we prepare for our last run of the day. This will again take us through avalanche country, but on a much, much steeper trajectory. As a guide leads the way, one-by-one each skier drops off what seems like the edge of the mountain. After a full day enjoying the best backcountry skiing in the region, the best run of the day truly was saved for last.
Now it’s back into the snowcat one last time to discuss every little detail of the day. Out of nowhere, a bottle of local wine appears followed by red Solo cups. We raise a toast to the incredible day, then start making plans for next year when we will return to cat ski Mount Bailey again.
