Was it really only a few weeks ago we were all whining about a lack of snow in Bend? Oh, how times have changed. I’m pretty sure I’ve spent 23 of the last 24 hours shoveling the stuff off my driveway.

The inside of the Sun Bar, Mt. Bachelor’s new “umbrella bar” near Sunrise Lodge.

This is great news for the snow enthusiasts among you. I have to confess, I’m not much of a skier. That didn’t stop me from having an amazing time at Mt. Bachelor last Sunday (where, for the record, it didn’t stop snowing once in eight hours).

I’ve heard lots of buzz about cool things happening at Mt. Bachelor this winter, so I wanted to scope out a few of them for myself. Here’s the skinny:

Put an umbrella in it!

Everyone’s talking about the new “umbrella bar” near the Sunrise Lodge at Mt. Bachelor. At first, I was confused. Umbrella drinks? Like piña coladas?

Er, not exactly. The Sun Bar is an Austrian-made structure with glass walls and a retractable umbrella ceiling for sunny days. It’s one of only 20 in the United States, and seats 40 to 50 people.

It was snowing sideways the day I dropped by, so the umbrella stayed firmly in place and the heaters stayed cranked. The place was packed, but not uncomfortably so. The Sun Bar felt cozy and familiar and within five minutes, everyone around me had made friendly introductions and started chattering about bloody marys.

There’s a reason for the chatter. Bachelor has long been rumored to have the best bloody mary in town, a theory I was happy to test. WOW! Made with Mazama Infused Pepper Vodka and topped off with celery, olives, and pickled asparagus, this is by far one of the most scrumptious drinks I’ve had in a long time. It was perfect paired with their barbecue chicken sliders and a Caesar salad, and I devoured the whole thing before capping it off with a scrumptious hot drink called Chai Haze.

All in all, I was delighted with the Sun Bar, and definitely plan to return when spring skiing arrives. Maybe they’ll let me work the umbrella?

Kids ski free (and not just the little ones!)

When most businesses advertise free anything for kids, you usually check the fine print. Kids under six? Ten? Two? At Mt. Bachelor, anyone 18 and under counts as a kid. You read that right. With a parent purchase of a multi-day lift ticket, accompanying dependent kids get a free lift ticket. You need to snag the tickets online at least four days in advance, but there are no blackout dates or restrictions.

The snow at Mt. Bachelor just keeps coming!

Mt. Bachelor is the only resort in North America offering such a generous promotion, so be sure to jump on it while you can. Check out the Visit Bend site for information on the special and for deals on Ski and Stay packages.

Is it fast up here, or is it just me?

Mt. Bachelor invested $3.5 million in improvements prior to this ski season, and one of the projects involved upgrades to lift systems and grooming equipment. The result? More speed!

Skyliner, Northwest, and Summit Express lifts all got new drives and motors. Bachelor also added three new grooming machines, two of which are state-of-the-art Prinoth Bison Xs that give Mt. Bachelor’s terrain builders greater control over the shape and design of park features.

All this adds up to faster lift rides, better slopes, and more fun for you.

Can I get another bloody mary to celebrate?