Lucas Wachs

Age: 22
Hometown: Bend, Oregon
Sponsors: Dakine, Dragon, Lib Tech, Mt. Bachelor, Skjersaa

In the wild world of skiing, you often deal with two types of pros: those who rip park and those who rip big-mountain. Lucas Wachs slays both disciplines, making him a wonderfully rare dude. At just 22 years old, he’s found a lot of success all on his own, but you’ve also got to give some props to his stomping ground: Mt. Bachelor. Between its endless big-mountain terrain, mind-bogglingly awesome tree skiing and its extensive park scene, Bachelor is a haven for every type of skier.

Best place to catch the sunrise: On top of Tumalo Mountain. It’s an easy one-hour tour or hike across the road from Mt. Bachelor. On a sunny day it provides a full 360-degree view of the surrounding Cascades.

Best inbounds line: What we like to call “Jaymo Jump.” It’s off the Summit Express in the bowl. You ride down the ridge of the bowl ’till it plateaus and turns into a lip. It’s a really floaty hip when you hit it right.

Best out-of-bounds line: T.M.N.T. Imagine a bunch of giant turtle shells in snow form… that is what this line looks like.

Best groomer run: Cliffhanger off of the Skyliner Express. The natural rollers in that run are a blast to launch off of at high speeds.

Best lift to lap a few days after the storm: Rainbow Chair. It’s a long lift ride but well worth the wait. The lift services loads of fun, natural transitions and tree runs.

Best glades: Everything off of Rainbow Chair. Lots of roly-poly terrain over there. Plus, the long chair ride is a good time to catch up with your buddies.

Best place to scare yourself: The rock garden off Summit Express. There’s a nice collection of cliffs to go jump off of there, in the bowl.

Best coffee shop in Bend: Crow’s Feet Commons. They have beer, too, and friendly staffers who shred.

Best breakfast spot in Bend: Nancy P’s Cafe & Bakery. They have these breakfast pockets that will keep you fueled all day on the mountain. There’s a bunch of other tasty stuff, too. Can’t go wrong with anything there.

Best lunch spot in town: Pizza Mondo. They’ve got a great lunch special: $5.50 for a slice and salad. It’s a classic Bend spot, right downtown. You can’t go wrong there, either.

Best après spot at the mountain: Clearing Rock. It’s right at the base of the Pine Marten chair. Easy as can be.

Best place to grab an afternoon drink in town: Parilla Grill. PBRs, all day.

Best nightlife spot: The Capitol is a fun spot. They serve up awesome live music and sometimes you can catch, or play, some wild ping-pong.

Best ski shop: Skjersaa’s. You’ll be welcomed with open arms and probably hear a joke you’ve never heard before.

Best hot tub to poach: Juniper Swim & Fitness Center. There’s also a sauna, steam room and some diving boards. Good luck, though… it’s a tough poach. Just spend the six bucks and give your body some TLC.

Best place to feel like a local: Again, Skjersaa’s. You can hang out, grab a beverage at the bar and enjoy being in the oldest shop in central Oregon. There’s a lot of history behind Skjersaa’s, as well as a lot of history to be made. It’s a nice spot to kick it and bullsh#t with fellow skiers.

Strangest, yet coolest thing to do in the general area: Go bungee jump at Central Oregon Bungee Adventures. Soaring off of a 300-foot bridge is terrifying but very liberating at the same time. The staff is also very experienced at extreme stuff like paragliding and high-lining.

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