Mt. Bachelor Backcountry Rescue Prompts Early-Season Safety Warning

Overview

• A snowboarder was injured Sunday on the Cinder Cone after striking a rock, with rescuers reporting severe pain to his hip and ribs.
• Mt. Bachelor Ski Patrol requested Deschutes County Search and Rescue; 15 volunteers hiked in, used a lift and a PistonBully, and the operation lasted about two hours, according to a SAR volunteer.
• Rescuers moved the patient to a snowcat access road, Mt. Bachelor staff transported him to West Village, and Bend Fire & Rescue took him to St. Charles Medical Center for evaluation.
• Officials warned that a roughly 15-inch early-season snowpack leaves rocks and uneven ground exposed, increasing the risk of serious falls.
• Authorities advised checking Mount Bachelor updates and the Central Oregon Avalanche Center before heading out, with reports differing on the rider’s age as 26 or 29.