Winter in Central Oregon isn’t just about carving perfect turns on the mountain, but that doesn’t mean you have hole up inside with cabin fever. Whether you want to try a new winter sport or are looking to soak in some history and culture, there’s something here that everyone in the family can enjoy to make it through the season. These are some of our favorite things to do around the region when the days are cold and the nights are long.
1. Take a Snow Bike Ride
Trail riding has long been a year-round sport in Central Oregon, but the notion has taken on new meaning with the addition of a new “fat bike” loop at Wanoga Sno-Park. Under an agreement with the Forest Service and Meissner Nordic ski community, fat-tired mountain bikes are welcome on a segment of the groomed trail network out of the snow park, located off Century Drive en route to Mount Bachelor. A short and a longer loop allow riders to explore the winter landscape from the bike saddle. The Central Oregon Trail Alliance provides ongoing trail condition updates throughout the winter riding season, which officially begins once two feet of snow has fallen at Wanoga Sno Park. Several bike shops in town provide fat bike rentals, as well as tips on gear and riding conditions. Moderate terrain and the supreme traction and float provided by the wide tire technology makes snow biking an endeavor that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Pack your sleds and enjoy a few closing laps on the adjacent hill, or grab a cup of hot coffee at the well-provisioned snow shelter. We bet you’ll soon find yourself an ambassador of this off-season approach to biking. — Eric Flowers
2. Take a History Tour
Avoid cabin fever this season by visiting one of the region’s museums. The High Desert Museum will keep a family entertained for hours exploring the cultural and natural history exhibits. The new interactive exhibit “Animal Journeys: Navigating in Nature” opened in September and showcases the incredible feats that migrating animals undertake each year. Also on display is an exhibit featuring the photographs of Edward Curtis that depict Native American women, juxtaposed with displays of the women’s art. It’s a fascinating exhibit that explores the multiple layers of this history. — Bronte Dod
3. Become Pinball Wizards and Jukebox Heroes
Try out a different kind of pub crawl in Bend. Gather a group of friends who are game for anything and head to downtown Bend. Start your night at Vector Volcano Arcade. The bar has a lineup of ’80s and ’90s arcade and pinball games that will keep you entertained while you drink a beer or two. Next, head across the street to The Capitol, where you can test out your skills at skee ball and more. End the night at JC’s with a rousing of game of giant Jenga. You’re forgiven if you knock over the tower as long as you don’t spill your drink. — BD
4. Throw a Festivus Party
TV writer Dan O’Keefe’s father created Festivus in the 1960s as an alternative to the pressures of Christmas. The curious holiday entered the popular culture when O’Keefe wrote it into a “Seinfeld” episode. You, too, can celebrate Festivus each December 23 by putting up a simple aluminum pole, delivering the airing of grievances and presenting feats of strength. Don’t forget the Festivus dinner: meatloaf on a bed of lettuce. — Kim Cooper Findling
5. Make a Literary Date
No excuses—it’s time to work through that pile of books on your bedside table. Deepen your relationship with all things literary by seeing author Sarah Vowell speak at Bend High on November 15 as part of Deschutes Public Library Foundation’s Author Author series. Vowell has authored seven nonfiction books, contributes regularly to “This American Life” and is the voice of Violet Parr in The Incredibles. Finally, plan for spring literary events by picking up a copy of the 2019 selection for A Novel Idea, Bend’s community reads program. That title will be announced December 1. — KCF
6. Make Bigfoot Tracks
Take a break from the alpine descents and take a snowshoe tour through the forest. The Gear Fix usually has a few pairs of used snowshoes in stock that you can buy. Or you can rent a pair at Pine Mountain Sports or the Powder House. Pack a backpack with warm drinks, snacks, and extra pairs of gloves and socks—there’s nothing worse than wet and cold feet or hands out in the snow. Drive up Cascade Lakes Highway and take your pick among the sno-parks. Edison Sno-Park has a few designated snowshoeing trails, the longest of which is 3.5 miles. About halfway through the trail there’s a rustic hut where you can warm up any frosty hands or feet by the fire. Pour a warm drink and soak in the quiet forest before heading back out. — BD
7. Take a Sunriver Staycation
We love winter here in Central Oregon. We build chairs out of old skis, we actually own snowshoes. Heck, we even have a whole weekend dedicated to celebrating winter complete with ice sculptures and locally imported snow. But sometimes we all need a little break from winter. You’re thinking Mexico. Us, too. But when you don’t have the time or the money to beat a full-blown tropical retreat, you need to be creative. Central Oregon’s bevy of destination resorts, complete with indoor pools, spas and gourmet meals make a great getaway even if you feel compelled to pack your skis. You can’t go wrong in Sunriver where onsite amenities, including the SHARC indoor aquatic center, skating rink and ready access to Mt. Bachelor make it a family friendly excursion that’s light on travel and big on fun. If you have young children, this is the place to be around the holidays, beginning with the “Grand Illumination” tree lighting party in mid-November that kicks off a month and a half of holiday activities geared toward families. — EF
8. Enter the (Bowling) Cosmos
The lights are low, the neon is glowing, the ’80s music videos are rolling, and the strikes are coming fast and furious. You must be cosmic bowling at Lava Lanes. Rent the whole 300 Club for a private event and bring everyone you know. Food and drinks are at the ready and Lava Lanes has plenty of bowling shoes to go around. — KCF
9. Find Open Ice
After fifteen years of trial and error, I can say with somewhere north of about 90 percent certainty that sometime between when the last Jack o’ Lantern is snuffed out on Halloween and the time that you start seriously debating tossing out the remnants of your Eberhard’s eggnog, there will be a window—maybe several days long, maybe a week, maybe longer—when the barometric pressure and jet stream align just so, delivering a true glimpse of winter’s full glory. When it does, a near perfect sheet of ice will appear fleetingly on several area water bodies. I prefer Reynolds Pond in Alfalfa, a seemingly unlikely yet reliable place to find a game of pick-up hockey in Central Oregon. Wake early on these mornings, head east and you’ll find a dedicated group of skaters who take to the gleaming sheet with the abandon of schoolchildren. If you’re lucky, there will a bonfire crackling in the freshly fallen snow. You won’t find rental skates or be asked to sign a waiver of liability—this is old school DIY winter entertainment, Gordie Howe style. Game on. — EF
10. Book A Dog-Sled Ride
If you’ve ever parked a car at Mt. Bachelor’s Sunrise Lodge lot, then you’ve heard the eager yips of Rachael Scdoris’s sled dogs. A former Iditarod racer who gained notoriety for completing the epic race as a legally blind musher, Scdoris runs Oregon Trail of Dreams with her husband, Nick, offering adventuresome riders a little slice of Yukon Gold Rush culture in the heart of Central Oregon. Ensconced in cozy wool blankets, riders glide along groomed trails at the base of Mt. Bachelor behind a pack of sprinting sled dogs. Grab a hot chocolate in the Sunrise Lodge to warm up afterwards. — EF
11. Get Your Knit On
Having a project to do each winter is one of the ways to justify your hours-long TV binges. Try your hand at knitting or crocheting a blanket. The learning curve is fairly easy, even for kids, and with two new yarn shops recently opened in Bend, you can find find inspiration and community to guide you through the project. Fancywork Yarn Shop and Wool Town both offer weekly sessions, so you can step away from the screen and meet fellow textile hobbyists. — BD
12. Host A Cookie Party
Baking holiday cookies is a tradition that transcends time and trends. It’s a delightful messy activity that puts friends and family in the heart of the home, fosters conversation and encourages collaboration that can be arranged with little expertise or investment. This year, invite friends over and turn it into a party. It’s a great way to host a casual gathering during the all-too hectic holidays. Supplies are cheap, so offer to provide everything that’s needed for baking, flour and yeast, sugar, colorful sprinkles and frosting. Convert your kitchen into a makeshift bakery complete with stations for making and rolling dough, as well as shaping and decorating cookies. Stock up on cookie tins or ask your guests to bring their own. Your friends can load and label them as gifts to help spread a little seasonal cheer. — EF
