09/17/09 Mt. Bachelor

In ‘You Ask, We Answer,' Vic from Bend asks, "Why is Bachelor (formerly known as Bachelor Butte) now called Mount Bachelor? When I moved to Bend in the fall of 1956 it was known as Bachelor Butte and remained so until the ski area was formed and later called Mount Bachelor ski area and the Butte became "Mt. Bachelor."  

The name change was first proposed in 1958 as the ski area became more popular. The official change took years to accomplish as it had to be voted on by the Oregon Geographic Names Board and then approved by the US Board of Geographic names in Washington DC.  however, 'Bachelor Butte' was not its first name.

"...From whatever native Americans called what we now call Mt. Bachelor, to its first euro American name, which was Brother Jonathan, to at some point during the 20th century, Bachelor Butte, to in 1983, Mt. Bachelor," explains Les Joslin, Deschutes County Historic Society President.

Mt. Bachelor's elevation is 9068 feet making it a little smaller then most mountains on the west coast which are at least 10,000.