An Affordable Skiing or Snowboarding Trip to Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort in Oregon

As the cold weather begins, many individuals start to have thoughts of snow-covered ski slopes and snowboarding landscapes and initiate plans for skiing and snowboarding trips. Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort in North Powder, Oregon, is a wonderful, family-friendly place to consider if one is looking for a skiing or snowboarding experience.

Touted as having the highest base elevation in Oregon and the driest snow in the area, Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort is located at 47500 Anthony Lake Highway, North Powder, Oregon 97867. The staff can be contacted at 541-856-3277.

A full service rental shop is located on site at the resort and offers Alpine skis, Nordic equipment, and snowboards for rent as well as complete tunes. Prices for daily rentals are as follows: $23 for adults and $18 for children 12 and under for Alpine skis, $18 for adults and $12 for children 12 and under for Nordic and snowshoe equipment, and $33 for adults and children for snowboard equipment. Group lessons are also available at 10:30am and 1:30pm for those who might need some instruction, and individuals must register one hour in advance for these lessons.

A retail shop is also on site, and tickets, season passes, and equipment can be bought here. Lift tickets can be purchased for all day or for after 1pm. All-day tickets range in price from $6 for a one-time ride to $39 for an adult while tickets for after 1pm are from $6 to $32. Season passes can be purchased for either all mountain or cross country rates, and with the purchase of a season pass, an individual receives $20 lift tickets to a variety of other ski resorts in Oregon. See http://www.anthonylakes.com/pin/Tickets/SeasonPasses/tabid/125/Default.aspx for pricing and instructions on how to order season passes.

Located within the ski lodge are a cafeteria and the Starbottle Saloon. The cafeteria serves breakfast and lunch and comes complete with a huge, cozy fireplace and large windows that provide a view of the slopes.

In regard to places to stay, one might choose to stay at either the Geiser Grand Hotel or the Always Welcome Inn in Baker City, Oregon, a town approximately 30 minutes from Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort. The Geiser Grand Hotel was built in 1889 and was recently restored. It provides a gorgeous, luxurious atmosphere, and a deluxe room for two people is priced from $79 to $109 a night. Suites and other rooms are also available for more. Visit http://www.geisergrand.com for more information on the accommodations and services offered as well as lovely pictures of the rooms and suites.

The Always Welcome Inn is the newest motel in Baker City and was built by the Langrell family who are descendants of some of the original pioneers and settlers of the area. This inn provides a cozy, family friendly atmosphere and offers oversized rooms with one or two queen beds, refrigerators, microwaves, and tables with chairs. A complimentary continental breakfast is served daily from 6:30am to 10am, and a scenic view of the mountains and a fossil bed behind the motel are just a few of the extras that this inn has to offer A room for two people is available for $70.20 with an AARP or AAA discount or $77.76 for the regular rate. See http://www.alwayswelcomeinn.com for more information on the accommodations and services provided and for pictures of the charming rooms.

Baker City hosts a multitude of different restaurants depending on one's taste, palate, and wallet. At the Geiser Grand Hotel, the Geiser Grill presents an array of various foods of the region, and the menu prices range from $4 to $19. Visit http://www.urbanspoon.com/n/243/44831/Oregon/Baker-City-OR-restaurants for further information on Baker City area restaurants.

Transportation from Baker City to Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort can be obtained by parking and riding or by utilizing the Community Connection. Individuals are allowed to park their cars at The Little Pig Drive- In located at 3685 10th Street in Baker City and ride with friends or other fellow skiers in their vehicle. The Community Connection is a bus line that picks up skiers in Baker City at two locations in Baker City (the Geiser Grand Hotel and the Little Pig Drive-In) and transports them to the Anthony Lakes Resort. The cost to use the Community Connection is $8. For getting around the ski resort or Baker City, walking is highly recommended.

When planning one's next skiing or snowboarding trip, keep Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort and Baker City, Oregon, in mind. The history, scenery, and slopes will make a person glad that he or she did.