GUIDEBOOK : High Value, Low Glitz : Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort

Getting there: By car, take Interstate 5 north to Weed, Calif. (near Mt. Shasta), then go northeast on U.S. 97 to Bend, Ore., about 840 miles from Los Angeles. Mt. Bachelor is 15 miles west of Bend.

Mt. Bachelor Travel provides charter service via Alaska Air from Los Angeles to Redmond/Bend. Call (800) 933-2754. Air fare begins at $289 round trip, and four-night packages, including air fare, transfers and lodging, start at $349.

Daily service on Alaska Air, with a stop in Portland, is available through Mt. Bachelor Central Reservations. (800) 547-6858. United flies to San Francisco, and United Express makes the connection to Redmond/Bend. Fares begin at $309. (800) 241-6522.

Where to stay: Although there is no on-mountain lodging, there are more than adequate alternatives nearby.

Sunriver Lodge, a Mobil Four Star resort, is spread over 3,300 wooded acres 20 minutes from the mountain, with its own cross-country trails in mid-winter, as well as bicycling, golf and tennis. From $79 to $350 per night, double occupancy. Contact Sunriver at P.O. Box 3609, Sunriver, Ore. 97707, (800) 547-3922.

Inn of the Seventh Mountain, the closest to the slopes, offers Nordic tours, ice skating, horse-drawn sleigh rides and elegant dining at El Crab Catcher. Economy rooms from $50 and condominiums from $230. P.O. Box 1207, Bend, Ore. 97709, (800) 452-6810.

The Riverhouse, on the Deschutes River, offers the most deluxe accommodations in Bend, and provides walking access to many downtown restaurants. From $46 to $140, double. 3075 N. Highway 97, Bend, Ore. 97701, (800) 547-3928.

Best Western Entrada Lodge is the closest motel to Mt. Bachelor. 19221 Century Drive, Bend, Ore. 97702, (800) 528-1234. Moderate lodgings in town can be found at the Thunderbird and Red Lion, where rates are $40-$60. Central Reservations, (800) 547-6858, books at these and many other properties.

Where to eat: On Mt. Bachelor, the Pine Marten is the resort’s newest, most elegant eatery. In town, the best seafood at moderate prices is at McGrath’s; the most elegant dining is at the River House; the most interesting menu is at Player’s Grill (dill pickle soup, anyone?), and the heartiest home-style breakfast is at the Victorian Pantry, conveniently located on Century Drive on the way to the slopes.

Murrieta’s in Sunriver has quality Mexican food and serves a family clientele. More sophisticated, with a lively apres -ski bar, is Roline’s Cantina, but the food is no better.

The Ore House and Beef & Brew are steak houses that rock out after hours.

Lift tickets: Because many locals take pride in their mountain, Bachelor has attempted to accommodate their needs with such arrangements as half-day skiing ($24), children under 6 free, and partial mountain lift passes ($17) for beginners or intermediates who want to stay on lower slopes--policies that benefit non-locals as well.

Full-day adult tickets are $29. Discounts on multiday passes. Licensed child care is available on the mountain for $25 a day. Reservations recommended. (503) 382-2607.

For more information: Write to the Mt. Bachelor Ski and Summer Resort, P.O. Box 1031, Bend, Ore. 97709, or call (503) 382-2607. For an up-to-the-minute ski report, call (503) 382-7888.