Oregon astounds me sometimes.

It is a place that always seems to keep me smiling. Every time I visit a new area, I think: I have been in Oregon for 10 years, and this is the first time I have been here? What have I been doing all of this time?

There are hidden gems in every valley, on every mountain top and in every small town you have never traveled through. (This photo to the left was taken at one of the beautiful sections from the Alpine Trail outside of Oakridge, OR.) Get out a map of Oregon, highlight every route and every community you have visited or traveled through. See all of the roads and places that aren’t highlighted? Plan a trip there. One at a time, as I am sure your wish list is too comprehensive to do all at once (I know mine is)! Visit TravelOregon’s website and get a glimpse of what you have been missing, then pack the car and take a road trip.

You will be amazed at what you find out there.

This was the case in visiting the Oakridge area in the summer. My friend, Dave and I have skied/snowboarded Willamette Pass several times and both have had phenomenal conditions and experiences…but the Oakridge area in the summer? We were pleasantly surprised to find a thriving mountain bike community there.

Dave, my great companion on this road trip summed it up nicely on the drive back to Portland: “Oakridge embraces the mountain biking culture, like how the French and Oregonians embrace cheese and wine.”

We contacted Randy with a company called Oregon Adventures. Randy started his business in the early 1990’s as a dream, now there is a focus on tours, shuttle services and events. The shuttle service is growing at a very nice pace, and Randy says that “Oakridge/Westfir will become as well known as Moab [UT], Downieville [CA] and other hot mountain biking spots within three to five years.”

Many of Randy’s clients are passionate mountain bike riders that travel the west looking for the “hot spots” of mountain biking. Randy told us a story on the way up: he was shuttling a couple from Redding, CA up to the Alpine Trail, and they mentioned hearing about Oakridge during a shuttle trip in Downieville, CA. They were told if they are to ride anywhere, it needs to be Moab, Downieville or Oakridge, Oregon…so the couple made the trip and will surely be back, as the riding is phenomenal, the surrounding area has endless opportunties for recreation, the pricing is great and the people are fantastic (this is Oregon we’re talking about).

We booked the shuttle service for a Saturday morning ride up the moutain to the top of Alpine Trail.

We arrived at the meeting spot, a quaint little coffee shop in the middle of Oakridge. There were 5 other cars there, equipped with bikes on the roof and attached to the bumper. The large Oregon Adventures van pulled up into the parking lot was soon loading bikes on top of the spacious passenger van.

We were soon in our cars, following the van to the bottom of the Alpine Trail. We were to drop our vehicles at the bottom of the trail (near the longest covered bridge in Oregon – photo), and load up into the van for our trip up the mountain. The ride up to the top of the Alpine Trail was about 25-30 minutes, in which two locals proceeded to give us some background and details about the upcoming ride.

At the top, we unloaded and everyone was gone in a flash…most were returning for the second, third or even 26th time. This was our first and we enjoyed it. We like to play a quick game of Hacky-Sack before we start our ride. It seems to loosen up the legs, gets the heart pumping and also creates some chemistry and great communication/teamwork between my friends and I.

Needless to say, the Alpine Trail was amazing. From top to bottom, we used a full 3 hours of our time. We stopped plenty along the way, as some parts of the trail push you out of the woods and onto singletrack that offer phenomenal views of the valleys, rolling hills, and mountain tops.

I believe it is about a 3,000 foot vertical drop on the Alpine Trail, but it isn’t a quick drop, it is a fun, winding trail that offers everything a singletrack mountain bike trail could offer – great terrain, winding banks, white-knuckle descents, technical switchbacks and ridiculous views. I actually ran out of space on my camera, as the amount of video and pictures I could have taken, I would have needed several gigs of memory to hold.

After the final descent, we were dropped along a beautiful flowing river, and some well-deserved accomplishment celebration was in store. We went back and forth on the longest covered bridge in Oregon on our bikes, explored just a bit of the old mill that used to be at the bottom of this beautiful hill and headed back to town.

After the ride we went to explore the Warm Springs that is right outside of Oakridge. This place was gorgeous! And nobody was there, so it could be a hidden gem. If you are lucky or adventurous enough to find this place, please leave it as you found it (or better). Thanks.

The following day we headed to Willamette Pass Ski Area to ride the Eagle Peak Gondola to the top and mountain bike down. There are some serious downhill bikers at the area, and some gnarly trails to ride. There are a couple of easy ways down, but make sure your brakes are well-equipped, as you will be dropping 1800 vertical feet, with views of Lake Odell and Diamond Peak as you descend.

A lot of the downhill riders were equipped with mountain bikes that had shocks and suspension that resembled motorcycles/dirt bikes. There are some very technical trails with man-made features (obstacles) and sharp drops from tree roots and other natural terrain. My friend was riding a hard tail (a bike without rear suspension/shock), and he managed the trails very well. I had a soft tail (bike with rear suspension/shock) and was still feeling very uneasy about some of the stuff we were doing. We did find the EZR trail and had a great time exploring that trail, it suited our skills perfectly.

After mountain biking, we headed down to the café and got some great lunch. Then we put the bikes away and played 18 holes of Disc Golf. If you are unfamiliar with Disc Golf, you can learn more here.

If you like playing Frisbee and/or golf, it is something you should look into. There are Disc Golf Courses (DGC) all over Oregon. The beauty is, once you have a disc or Frisbee, its FREE! Several Oregon Ski Areas offer disc golf courses, including Mt. Bachelor, Mt. Hood Ski Bowl and Willamette Pass. The rules are very similar to regular golf, except you’re throwing a Frisbee / Disc into a Basket / Disc Catcher (photo). It is a lot of fun, and will give you a reason to get out in the beautiful Oregon outdoors and explore some areas you might not have ever hiked around.

The following weekend Dave, Katy, Leianna and I set out on another adventure in/around Central Oregon. We combined a fishing, hiking, mountain biking, camping, concert trip near Mt. Bachelor/Bend. We rode our mountain bikes on some awesome singletrack: Whoops Trail, in the Phil’s Tail complex; and the Deschutes River Trail to a swimming spot on the Deschutes River.

If you enjoy mountain biking, you MUST check out the Whoops Trail and the network of Phil’s Trails near Bend, OR. There are some Oregon Classics and will have you planning a trip there annually.

This is just 3 or 4 days in the Oregon Mountains…wish I had more time to explore and tell you all about it. Unfortunately, after 10 years in Oregon, I am moving back to my hometown this summer – Houston, TX. I know it will be a drastic change, but sometimes we all have to do some things that we did not plan on doing. The key is to try and enjoy everything you do, no matter where you are, or what kind of situation you are in.

Thank you to everyone that has read my Ski Oregon Blog. There should be a new individual telling his or her stories very soon. I just have one last video to leave you with…it’s me mis-timing a snow-patch ride in the beautiful Oregon Mountains; thanks.

Below are links to the Oregon Ski Areas and some fun activities they offer throughout the summer months:

Cat Ski Mt. Bailey

Cooper Spur
Weddings and retreats

Hoodoo
Hiking and camping

Mt. Ashland
Weddings, events, catering

Mt. Bachelor
Summer sightseeing, sunset dinners, disc golf, hiking

Mt. Hood Meadows
Hiking

Mt. Hood Skibowl
Adventure Park, disc golf, mountain biking, hiking and much more

Ski Anthony Lakes
Weddings, reunions, retreats, parties and hiking

Timberline
Skiing and snowboarding, summer music series

Warner Canyon

Willamette Pass
Summer sightseeing, Gondola rides, disc golf, mtn biking, and hiking

Happy trails and safe travels to you all!!

Jerry K.

The awards were presented at the National Ski Area Association’s (NSAA) Annual Convention. This convention is a meeting place for the ski areas and related businesses to discuss industry news and events, show respect to the areas that have pushed the envelope and give a pat on the back to the areas that have done certain things “right” over the year and throughout the years.

Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Area

Mt. Hood Meadows received the “Best Overall Guest Service Program” award for the 2006/07 season and was also honored with a Heads Up National Ski Area Safety Award. Meadows was one of three recipients of the “Best Overall Guest Service Program” award, winning in the 250,000 to 500,000 skier visit category.

What differentiated Meadows from other award nominees was the access every guest had to relay their experiences, positive and negative, directly to President & C.O.O. Dave Riley through “Dave’s Blog,” to make sure the company remained focused on its goals.

The blog was celebrated as the best guest communication vehicle in the industry, with special acknowledgment to Riley who takes the time to respond to every post.

Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort also received an award for Best Use of the Web in a Safety Campaign in using “Dave’s Blog” to promote its Safety Awareness Program to guests.

The January 10 Blog was authored in concert with National Ski Area Safety Awareness Week, celebrated January 13 – 19 this year. Dave’s Blog directly addressed on-slope safety issues, outlining Meadows’ Safety Awareness program and explaining the consequences of reckless skiing and snowboarding.

Mt. Ashland

Mt. Ashland won the Silver Eagle Environmental Award for Excellence in Energy Conservation/Clean Energy at the National Ski Areas Association convention.

Last September Mt. Ashland announced it had signed a three year deal with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation purchasing enough renewable energy to offset 100% of its electrical use each year through the 2008-09 season. Mt. Ashland agreed to purchase 780,000 kilowatt hours of renewable energy investments from the Foundation each season through the contract period, enough energy to run the lifts, lights, lodges and the Ashland business office.

For more information on the awards or other NSAA safety initiatives and resources, visit the Safety & Education section of www.nsaa.org.

These awards are greatly appreciated by each ski area, and it is an honor to be recognized as leaders within this dynamic industry. A huge congrats goes out to our Oregon Ski Areas. They provide us with a great experience and a tremendous opportunity of happiness in using our National forests. I suggest you send an email to your favorite ski area, thanking them for the memories and experiences they have provided you!!

The only ski area open in Oregon at this time is Timberline Ski Area. Mt. Hood Meadows and Mt. Bachelor wrapped up their 2006-07 season this past weekend with some very cool events, competitions and skiing/snowboarding.

Summer skiing is on the way, make sure you plan your day of summer skiing or snowboarding!! It is a very unique experience to be able to ski, hike, bike and swim all in one day!!

Thanks for reading and as always, please let me know if you have any questions on Oregon’s Snowsports!

Best,
Jerry K.

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Editor’s Note: For more on what Oregon’s ski areas are doing to help the environment, please read the following interview with Jerry from earlier in the ski season.

If not, you need to plan a Spring trip to Oregon! April 10, 2007 was one of those epic days on Mt. Hood. With over 10 inches of new snow in the last 24 hours, I hope your reading this and remembering your turns!!

As I am sure you know, stopping to take photos and filming is not something you want to take time out for when you are staring at an open field of powder, no tracks and the blue skies create the perfect lighting…but I made a couple of sacrifices, not many, but a couple.

The video above is from Heather Canyon at Mt. Hood Meadows – untracked, untouched powder, waiting for me and my friends to carve our artwork on the mountain!

I have been in Oregon for the past 10 years, and every April we are given the opportunity to play in deep amounts of fresh snow. That being said, it rarely falls on the perfect Saturday so everyone can enjoy, so timing is key when you see a storm lining up in April.

I was tracking this latest dump since the weekend, after skiing in 60 degree weather with blue skies and sunshine. Monday looked to be the day, but the storm stalled a bit and lined up perfectly for a Tuesday, April 10 day of “heaven” as my friend described it. Amazing April is how another friend described the conditions that day.

I started out on about the 9th chair to load on Mt. Hood Express. Tracked fresh lines in 2 Bowl, 3 Bowl and 4.5 Bowl. Then headed to Shooting Star to sink into knee-deep pow on O-Ring and 3-D…the wind must have deposited the extra white stuff over the ridge and it was thoroughly enjoyed by me and I’m sure many others!

Then just as if the Ski Patrol was reading our minds, Heather Canyon opened. Untouched powder in Full Moon Bowl, riding the natural canyons and shoots with a smile plastered on my face; then over to Jack’s Woods (my friend’s asked me not to mention Jack’s, but I thought I should). Jack’s Woods is one of the special places on Mt. Hood for me and a few of my close friends. We learned to appreciate the pitch, the perfectly spaced trees, and the path that you have to take to access Jack’s. Some of the best terrain on Mt. Hood, in my humble opinion.

After some great lunch in the Alpenstube and a delicious Mt. Hood Ice Axe, we ventured for part II of the Oregon-April Powder Day! And as if the mountain operators were waiting for us…Cascade Express opened. Cascade Express is the ski lift that accesses the upper section of Mt. Hood Meadows. We were roughly 12 chairs back from the first chair loaded, and on our way to track more fresh powder on the upper part of the mountain. I could go on forever explaining the epic skiing and riding that was given to us that day, but to make it short: Marmot Ridge & Upper Heather Canyon. If you have ever skied or ridden those two parts, you know what a powder day means up there. If you haven’t, make plans to go up…there could be another powder day left!

Another one of my opinions: the ability to ski/ride powder this late in the season is one of the great benefits of living in Oregon! I hope everyone is able to take advantage this April. The season is NOT over. Oregon has several ski areas still in operation:

Oregon Ski Areas & The Last Scheduled Day of Operation

Mt. Bachelor May 28, 2007

Mt. Hood Meadows April 22, 2007 (then Weekends only: “May Challenge”)

Timberline May 28, 2007 (then Summer Season)

Ride the endless winter.

Best,
Jerry K.

The three ski areas in Central Oregon (Mt. Bachelor, Willamette Pass and Hoodoo Ski Areas) make for a perfect long weekend road trip. They are approximately 65 – 75 miles apart from each other, and together offer a wide range of skiing terrain, friendly employees and spectacular views; from the lifts, ski trails and on the drives to and from each area.

First stop was Mt. Bachelor and the Bend, Oregon area.

Day 1: Mt. Bachelor
Friday, March 16, 2007
Portland to Mt. Bachelor – 180 miles

This would be my first sunny day skiing/riding at Mt. Bachelor (3,683 total acres), meaning my first day to take in the spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and my first day to ride the Summit lift that gives skiers and riders access to the highest point at the Mt. Bachelor Ski Area (9,065 foot elevation), with a total vertical drop of 3,365 feet.

So, with perfect spring weather and blue skies, Friday was fantastic! I had the car packed the night before I left Portland, woke early on Friday morning and hit the road. The route through Government Camp on Hwy 26 to Bend is a beautiful drive. The rolling hills surrounding Mt. Hood dropped me into the open (blue) skies of Central Oregon. It is a very easy drive, especially with the gorgeous weather we had last weekend.

Arriving at Mt. Bachelor around 10:30 am, the mountain looked gorgeous as I climbed the access road, staring at the Summit Express as it climbed to the top. Dressed and loading on my first chair ride of the day at about 11:00 am, the snow was already in a perfect spring-soft state and I was immediately enjoying the sun on my face and the carvable snow under my feet.

I wanted to ride as many lifts as possible to cover the most terrain I could in one day (I rode 6 out of 11), so I went form the Pine Martin Express to the Outback and Northwest Express chairlifts. With a great tree-skiing pitch, and perfect spacing between the trees, the Northwest and Outback lifts access some of the best tree runs available in Oregon. Today I didn’t venture too much in the trees, but the lifts on the Northwest side of the mountain granted me long, uninterrupted runs to carve and play on. The rollers and natural terrain were as much fun as you can have on a sunny, spring day.

From there I headed across the mountain to the Skyliner Express. I moved to the Sunrise Express and combined with the Summit Express lift to make a couple of long, top-to-bottom runs. The views were gorgeous and the snow was excellent. I rode hard and put some serious work on my legs.

After snowboarding for several hours I needed food and wanted to take a look at my upcoming drive to Willamette Pass tomorrow morning. I headed down to the Deschutes Brewpub to enjoy some specialty brews (only available at the brewpub in Bend, OR) and solve my hunger problem.

I stayed in Bend at the Mt. Bachelor Village Resort . Great spacious rooms with gorgeous views and top-notch facilities, including a full-on athletic center.

Day 2: Willamette Pass
Saturday, March 17, 2007 (St. Patrick’s Day)!
Bend to Willamette Pass – 65 miles

I routed the easy, 65 mile drive from Bend to Willamette Pass, headed out early, winding down Hwy 97 and connecting with Hwy 58 that leads to Willamette Pass.

Loading on the Eagle Peak Accelerator (the only high speed 6 passenger chairlift in Oregon). The Eagle Peak Lift is the fastest in the state; it takes you 1,520 vertical feet in less than 5 minutes. This lift also becomes a wonderful summer attraction, offering rides to the top in a gondola. Check out the Willamette Pass website for details.

The weather was once again perfect, in the low 50’s to low 60’s, the backside of the ski area held up with perfect spring conditions. I took several cruisers, carving deep grooves and spraying spring snow with each turn. Swooshing down June’s Run, Northern Exposure and running quick speedy turns and floating over the rollers on Where’s Waldo.

Several runs offered phenomenal views on the front side, overlooking Odell Lake. If you are not used to seeing blue waters glistening in the sun while you ski, you should take a trip to The Pass. It is a normal sight to see, with Odell Lake positioned at the bottom of the ski area. It makes each run unique offering a spectacular big-picture sight. The photo to the left is from the top of Eagle’s Flight.

I met several locals and each one showed me around a couple of runs. Amber, a Junior Ski Patroller at Willamette Pass is shown below, cruising down June’s Run on the backside of the ski area (video below). Amber says that skiing is one of the passions (maybe the biggest) in her life…she is 14, takes part in multiple ski clubs and is also on the Junior Ski Patrol at Willamette Pass. Her duties on the Junior Ski Patrol include helping open the ski area and sweeping the ski area each day she is on the hill. Just talking with her brought me to realize another benefit and advantage to making skiing a part of a kid’s life – the responsibility it can teach.

From the extreme (and very inspiring) life of Amber, skiing and riding can teach loads of responsibility and life lessons, including being responsible for all of your equipment (I still do a mental check as soon as I am backing out of my driveway – goggles, hat, gloves, boards, boots –check). Amber’s dad is also on the Ski Patrol at Willamette Pass, showing me how much skiing and snowboarding can and do to bring a family together. Amber’s little brother also skis.

It’s a beautiful thing to have people you love sharing the enjoyment of sliding down a mountain. The time, preparation, patience and money it takes is well worth it. A wise person told me – “You only live once. Make it memorable and make it have meaning.” I still think about those words often, especially when making smiley memories in the Oregon Mountains.

I concluded the day with the beautiful drive to Eugene from the ski area. There is a viewpoint just down the hill from Willamette Pass Ski Area that allows a gorgeous lookout of Diamond Peak (also viewable from the top of Peak 2 Lift). It’s a quick 65 mile drive from the ski area to Eugene, cruising on Hwy 58.

Will Pass to Eugene – 65 miles

Day 3: Hoodoo Ski Area
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Eugene to Hoodoo – 75 miles

Three days of beautiful weather, and three ski areas that offer their unique experience! What a fantastic weekend! Hoodoo has some great terrain to ski, and they have also built a new day lodge, complete with all of the trimmings. Hoodoo also offers a great tube park – this place offers a very cool day of fun, from skiing and riding, to playing on The Autobahn!

I want to apologize for not having any original photos or video. My camera battery (rechargeable) died on Saturday afternoon and my charger was in it’s designated place, on my desk in my office. So no photos or video from me on Sunday at Hoodoo, but I did post some photos that are courtesy of Crystal Pizzola, Hoodoo’s Marketing and Snowsports School Manager.

I made loops on the Big Green Machine Chairlift, getting 1,035 vertical feet per run. This got me warmed up in a hurry and I was off to explore the runs off the Hodag Chair, including Impossible Dream and Dante’s Vision.

I headed in for some great lunch and company in the new lodge. The employees and locals seem to just beam with positivity and happiness at the area. After lunch and chats, I headed over to the other side of the ski area and explored Art’s Alley, heading up the Ed Chair and made laps on Red Valley, Midway and the Powder Valley runs.

I packed up a little earlier than 4:00 pm, as my legs were worn and I wanted to get back home to get some things done. The drive from Hoodoo to Portland is 185 miles, giving me a total of 570 miles driven and 3 unique ski areas ridden’.

The greatest thing about Oregon’s Ski Areas is they all offer a very unique experience, and you can day trip between them with ease! I love traveling. I really love exploring new ski areas and Oregon has a plate full of fun to offer.

As you might know, I am trying to ride every Oregon Ski Area as part of the Ski Oregon Challenge, and I still have several left to explore – Mt. Ashland, Warner Canyon, Timberline, Cooper Spur and Cat Ski Mt. Bailey (no lift service, Cat Skiing only).

I am hoping to travel down to Mt. Ashland and combine the Shakespeare Festival with some days at the Mt. Ashland Ski Area. I would like to explore Warner Canyon on the same trip…I hope it works out!

I am sure I will head up to Cooper Spur and Timberline soon, as I live in Portland and these areas are only a short drive away. I am hoping that our next big snow storm comes in soon so I can visit Cat Ski Mt. Bailey for the first time!

Until next time, check out some of the Spring Events Oregon has to offer!!

Jerry K.

Spring skiing and riding has given me some of my best experiences and memories in the Oregon Mountains. From the sunny, smiley faces in the parks to laying down fast cruisers, to riding light, knee-deep snow in April; all of it happens throughout spring in Oregon and I am excited!!

Spring also brings many great events, competitions and celebrations to our ski areas, giving all of us fun reasons to head uphill. Here are some suggestions:

Screamin’ Tele Lizard Classic
Mt. Ashland, March 10, 2007
Includes two giant slalom runs with a tele-twist for all ski levels. Contestants are judged on costume creativity (Abe Lincoln, Nordic Viking, Elvis), big air and speed. And it’s all in the name of telemark skiing. For more information: www.mtashland.com or 541.482.2897.

SkiJoring
Mt. Hood Meadows, March 17, 2007 – March 24, 2007
Cross country skiing with man’s best friend. A clinic will be presented March 17 and then a trail day on March 24 at the Mt. Hood Meadows Nordic Center.

Ski Anthony Lakes’ Snow Blast
Ski Anthony Lakes, March 17, 2007
Turns the Eastern Oregon mountain resort into an all-day party that starts at 10am. It includes such fun events as on-snow mountain biking, big air competitions and “Dummy Downhill” (you’ll have to call to get more info on this one). After a day in the snow enjoy a BBQ, bonfire, live music and fireworks. For more information: www.anthonylakes.com or 541.856.3277.

Kids Carnival
Mt. Hood Meadows, March 24, 2007
Is presented by Radio Disney and includes a giant tubing hill, games, contests, a live performance by Radio Disney’s RD Frequency and more. For more information: www.skihood.com or 800.SKI.HOOD.

Suds on the Slopes Beer Festival
SkiBowl, March 24, 2007
Suds on the Slopes Beer Festival features live music, seasonal microbrews, brewers Olympics and a pond-skimming contest that is sure to be hilarious. For more information: www.skibowl.com or 800.SKIBOWL.

Vegetate – Skiing and Snowboarding for Native Wildflowers
Mt. Hood Meadows, April 6, 2007 – April 8, 2007

Hoodoo’s Spring Fling
Hoodoo, April 7, 2007
The main attraction is the pond-skimming course. You can try it on snow skis, or bring your water skis! For more information: www.hoodoo.com or 541. 822.3799

Bend’s Pole-Pedal-Paddle
Mt. Bachelor, May 19, 2007
This relay race is broken down into six legs, starting at Mt. Bachelor with a downhill ski race, followed by cross-country skiing, road biking, a five-mile run, kayaking and a sprint to the finish. It’s a great spectator event, too, as the participants don some pretty crazy costumes. New this year is a “Retro Division” where competitors will be required to compete in wooden skis, 1-speed bikes, Converse All-Stars and wooden boats!

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I know there are fresh lines in the near future and I know the blue skies will open up to sunny days on the Oregon slopes. Get your sun screen ready and don’t put away your powder sticks just yet, there is more to come!

Happy trails!
Jerry

Editor’s Note: Thanks to www.OutdoorExposure.com for generous use of photo library. | Other credits – Ski Anthony Lakes & Bend Pole-Pedal-Paddle.

It’s not like you get a chair to sit down on and ride up a hill, so you can just glide and enjoy the downhill rush. It does involve work…well, it is as much work as you put into it. And there is a rush, a huge rush, especially if you have never tried.

Each trip it seems I gain another understanding of the sport, another realization of the possibilities. Basically, it is a way to see a lot of places, gliding, skiing and skating on snow. And it is a GREAT form of exercise during the cold, wet, snowy winter months in Oregon.

Many of Oregon’s Ski Areas offer groomed trails to enjoy. Below is a list with links.

If you’re not into putting on skies, snowshoeing is also a great form of exercise and always leaves my head clear and my body relaxed! Enjoy the snow!!

Cat Ski Mt Bailey

Hoodoo

Mt. Bachelor

Mt. Hood Meadows

Ski Anthony Lakes

Willamette Pass

Did anyone see that “Team Oregon” won First Place in the International Snow Sculpting Contest in Breckenridge, Colorado January 23-28, 2007? If not, you should check out the article on Mt. Ashland’s website.

Fourteen teams competed in the Budweiser Select International Snow Sculpture Competition in Breckenridge from around the world including teams from Switzerland, Turkey, Canada, the Czech-Republic, and Mexico.

Congrats to Roger Butterfield, Kevin Christman, Gabriel Lipper, and Toby Linwood for taking first place in both the judges and people’s choice awards.

Thanks for reading and the snow is BACK!!!

Jerry K

The open spaces of Northeast Oregon can be a hindrance and a thing of beauty, all at the same time. Right now, I must give thanks for the drives that lead from small town to small town, on endless stretches of concrete. Without those roads, I would have missed a lot of places that I have been, and I would not have been able to take the trip I took this past weekend.

I headed east on I-84, from Portland to La Grande, a mere 256 mile stretch that transported me from the west side of Oregon to the east side. It is very possible that the east side of Oregon is unchartered territory for a few of you. If this is true, you should plan a trip right now. Check out the Eastern Oregon Visitor’s Center website.

The east side of Oregon is distinctly different than the west and offers an experience that is very unique. Hopefully this little trip I take you on with this blog will spur a trip this weekend; it is the last weekend in January.

Arriving in La Grande around 5:30 pm on a Friday evening, I asked a couple of locals, “How can I have the most fun tonight?” This earned me a very wide array of responses. I knew what I was going to do, I just wanted to see if a group of locals gave me the option of skiing or snowboarding…and I heard “Go to Spout!”

The 35 mile drive to Spout Springs Ski Area from La Grande took me through Imbler (12 miles) and Elgin (8 miles). I didn’t stop, as there was no need to, being there are no lights or stop signs in either town. Both are quaint little towns that will offer you a chance for an Eastern Oregon experience, but don’t expect much to be open on Sunday.

It is very easy to get there from La Grande/I-84. Take Hwy 82 northeast (Wallowa Lake Hwy) from La Grande to Elgin (20 miles). Then take Hwy 204 west/north from Elgin, heading toward Westin. Spout Springs is 15 miles from Elgin, at the top of Tollgate.

DAY 1: SPOUT SPRINGS SKI AREA
On the way to Spout Springs, the snow started to drop and soon enough we saw the glow of the lights from Spout Springs. By the time we got to the parking lot and got our equipment on and boots laced, we had 2-3 inches of fresh snow on the ground.

Going to a new ski area is such an exciting time for me. I anticipate what the first run is going to be like, how long it will take me to get to know the area and what type of fun things are to be discovered.

Spout delivered with some fun areas. There were some runs that were much steeper than I was expecting from a ski area with 151 acres, 11 runs and 551 vertical feet. There was even a great terrain park with several small table-tops, a beautiful 25-30 foot table-top jump and a fun 40 foot long spine. The groomers at Spout Springs obviously appreciate a great terrain park feature, or two.

To the left are some local snowboarders playing on the bigger table-top. One boarder floated a nice Backside 180. Thanks for spinning for the camera guys!!

This next video is of some more locals playing on a bench the ski area has set-up near the lodges and ticket/rental shop.

After exploring Spout Springs, we headed down to La Grande and got some fuel for our bodies. We then made the 40 mile drive from La Grande to Baker City. We arrived at the Geiser Grand Hotel exhausted. The Geiser is a beautiful, historic hotel in Baker City, and we were very happy to be calling it home for a couple of days! We crawled into our oversized beds in our rooms with raised ceilings and antiques hanging throughout the building and immediately started to recharge our batteries for the days to come.

Portland to La Grande = 256 miles
La Grande to Spout Springs = 35 miles
Spout Springs to Baker City = 75 miles
Total miles = 366 miles

DAY 2: SKI ANTHONY LAKES
A great nights sleep and we loaded the car for Ski Anthony Lakes. This is a great area that I visited in early December, visit the first Ski Anthony Lakes Blog for details.

It is 34 miles from the Geiser Grand Hotel to Ski Anthony Lakes parking lot…I’ve made that trip many times. It is a gorgeous drive with views of the Elkhorn Mountains, open ranchlands and cows roaming and grazing in the winter conditions. You normally do not see anyone on the drive, that is one of the things I love about being out in NE Oregon; small population = not many cars on the road…it makes for a very peaceful drive to the ski hill.

I called the snow report on the way up the hill. The report said 3″ of new in the last 24 hours; add the 2-3 inches they received a couple of days before and we had 5″-6″ of fresh snow in the less skied trees and runs. One of the amazing things about Anthony Lakes is powder can be found up to 3-4 days after a dump; no crowds = more powder turns for me!!

We found fresh powder turns in the trees between Holiday and Bert’s Run; skiers left of Starbottle, through the Meadow and onto Road Run; skiers right on Schuss Alley; on Avalanche (a short hike from Starbottle); and in the trees dropping off of Paint Your Wagon into Tumble Off (click for a trial map). Speaking of Tumble Off; I enjoyed a couple of Tumble Off runs on the hill and also enjoyed a couple of the Gold Medal Tumble Off pints in the Starbottle Saloon.

I had a fun race with some friends at Anthony Lakes. Above is a video of Kiara (skier) and Kenny (snowboarder) getting the best of me in a short, fun race. Skiing and riding is soo much fun!!

Ski Anthony Lakes has a nice little terrain park in their “Meadow” with gorgeous views of the surrounding peaks: The Lakes Lookout, Lees Peak, Angel and Gunsight. One of their terrain park features is a wooden log, sawed in half for a smooth surface to slide/grind on. Towards the end of the day, my legs were feeling the work put in searching and navigating the fresh powder, so I hit up some grooms, as they were still in great shape; fast and soft.

It seemed like the entire ski hill was looking forward to the party at the end of the day. It so happened that Al “Too Loud” MacLeod and the Silencers were playing some great rock-n-roll later on in the Starbottle Saloon.

The atmosphere for live music at Anthony Lakes is unbelievable! Everyone dancing and having a great time, music bouncing around the saloon and a bubbling, energetic crowd that had an awesome day of skiing and riding Anthony Lakes!! Live music happens several times at Ski Anthony Lakes throughout he season, if you are able, go check it out, it is a great time!

After enjoying the entertainment, we headed back down to Baker City and enjoyed a late dinner and awesome beer at Barley Brown’s Brewery.

Miles to date = 366 miles
Geiser Grand to Ski Anthony Lakes = 34 miles
Ski Anthony Lakes to Geiser Grand = 34 miles
Total Miles of Day 2 = 68 miles

TOTAL for 2 days = 434

DAY 3: FERGUSON RIDGE
Plenty of sleep and relaxation at the Geiser Grand Hotel, including stepping into terry-cloth robes (provided by the hotel) from the hot tub. Big breakfast in the morning, under the sunlit stained glass ceiling was very enjoyable. The service was fantastic and the food was great! Check out some of the Haunted Hotel events at the Geiser, they are a blast as well!!

The third and final ski area on this adventure is Ferguson Ridge in the Wallowa Mountains Ferguson Ridge is 6 miles east of Joseph, OR off of the Imnaha Hwy, and is the epitome of the “community ski area.” Charlie started the area in 1985. Visit Fergi (pronounced – furgy – as the locals call it), and I think you will experience the most “down home” ski area in the United States.

How do the locals know that Fergi is open? Check out the photo to the left. We saw 3 or 4 of these signs on our way up to the area. The ski area is literally a word-of-mouth ski area, ran 100% by volunteers.

The area is beautiful and if you have never seen the Wallowa mMountains (especially in the winter), check out the 30 second video just below: 360 degree, breathtaking views. This video was taken from the access road to Ferguson Ridge.

The info I found on the world wide web states that the vertical drop is 601 feet, the top elevation is at 5,803 feet, there are 7 trails and 2 lifts. The main lift is a T-bar. I am not sure how many of you have “ridden” a T-bar before, but it is an experience in itself, especially climbing 600 vertical feet. Lets just say that it takes a lot more concentration and effort than riding a high speed quad, or any type of “normal chairlift.”

The first couple of runs, we explored some of the “main” trails. There was a fun little half pipe, which was more of a natural gulley and fun to play on. There were rails set-up near this half pipe that the kids were sliding on. Being the powder hounds we are, we found some tracks that led into the trees on the north side of the ski area.

We went for it and found about 300 vertical feet of powder turns, the best run of the day. The snow pack isn’t too deep out there in the trees, and at times we had to jump and swerve sticks and limbs to make it through the soft powder. Above is a photo of our tracks in the fresh snow and sunshine!

We were hungry for some lunch about 2pm and headed into the “lodge.” Once again, a volunteer staff cooking and serving food and drinks. We lounged on the beautiful wood deck at Fergi and enjoyed the sunshine and friendly, family atmosphere. We knew it was a long drive back, so we stretched out after a long 3 days of riding, packed up and headed back to reality.

Miles to date = 434 miles
Geiser Grand to Ferguson Ridge = 120 miles
Ferguson Ridge to Portland, OR = 334 miles

TOTAL MILES = 888 miles

You know, next time you dread a long drive in/through the country, think about the horrible drives you have had to endure in the city, with traffic that seemed to crawl, and appreciate the long drives for what they are – part of the journey of discovery.

Jerry K.
Ski Oregon

Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Area is located on the SE side of Mt. Hood; from Government Camp, go east on 26 / north on Hwy 35 for 10 miles; 35 miles on Hwy 35, from I-84 (Exit 64) in Hood River, OR. (Pssssst…did you know we’re giving away ski weekend to Meadows this month?!)

Opening Day at a ski area is something special. The lodge is bustling with smiles and energy. Everyone is eager to get loaded on a lift and start sliding and gliding down the mountain. Season Pass holders get to realize their fall investment and can start their expectations of what is to come. Employees realize their roles and how fun everything is going to be, including meeting new people and getting to enjoy the excitement and energy flowing throughout the entire ski area.

I was fortunate enough to ride early in the day and observe throughout the evening. First and foremost the riding: It’s back! Your favorite run at Meadows has probably already been skied/snowboarded, minus the upper mountain, as I am not sure that Cascade opened Saturday or Sunday (Dec. 9 & 10).

I showed up at Mt. Hood Express for the first load of the season. The maze was filled with skiers and riders, waiting for the call! The video (above) shows the lift operations department setting the rules and getting the crowd ready to load. A fun chant of “Meadows – Rocks” from the two sides decided which side would load first. Dave Riley was on hand to call out the first chair riders. It was an awesome moment, everyone coming together to get the season started at Meadows!!

I headed to Shooting Star, and dropped down in some trees near ‘O Ring.’ I like to spot my entire line before dropping, so I have a good idea of what is in store for me on the ride down and what features might be fun to play with.

From my viewpoint there was one track in a small set of nicely-spaced trees. Coming out of the trees was an untouched field of Meadows Powder (well, one track to hop over). The snow was soft and buttery, probably 5-6” in places, and fast. A great first run, an intro as to what the day would hold.

Overall, the snow was fantastic, perfect 10 for Opening Day!! The trees were fun! I found a couple of places where the trees opened to a powder field, and I realized how much I appreciate ski areas.

All opinions aside, I am speaking about ski areas in general. Not just your favorite area, but a place where we, as humans, are lifted uphill by a large, man-made-mechanism and are allowed to discover the true definition of FREEDOM, sliding, carving, floating and slashing down a mountain. It is a beautiful concept and is truly one of the strongest passions in my life (as it probably is with many of you).

I stopped on a couple of runs and just filmed random skiers and boarders coming down the mountain. To the left are a few of the good shots, one showing a group of snow sliders enjoying the conditions and another showing a snowboarder dropping a small cliff near the rock formations at Middle Fork.

The day continued to be amazing. Everyone I saw or rode the chair lift with was just excited to be on the Meadows hill. From Vista to Shooting Star, the vibe was positive and flowing. I passed the excitement on to everyone I came in contact with. I am very happy I made the drive.

The crowds were not as bad as I was expecting. I imagined that all 3 lots would fill by noon, but Dave’s Blog said that all three were never full! Either way, skiers and snowboarders were sliding and gliding at Meadows.

Congratulations Meadows!!

And thank you to ODOT and the U.S. Forest Service!

Jerry K.

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Editor’s Note: Win a Ski Weekend Getaway to Hood River and Mt. Hood Meadows…check Travel Oregon for details and how to win.

Ski Anthony Lakes is located 19 miles west of North Powder, Oregon; in the Elkhorn Mountain Range of the Blue Mountains in NE Oregon.

I got out of Portland about 2 pm on Friday, December 1. I was very excited about this trip, as this past week the Pacific Northwest received some great snow, falling in the low 20’s and teens across the state. The snow blanketed the scenery in low elevations, which would make the 300 mile drive out east much easier. Ice crystals hung on the walls to my right as I drove east on I-84, and all I could think about were the fresh turns waiting for me at Ski Anthony Lakes in NE Oregon!

Once I hit Hood River, the clouds broke up and the sun beat down, making the snow covered hills a spectacular background. I took the photo above at a rest stop between Hood River and The Dalles. I really enjoyed the entertainment of the train on the Washington side, as we raced along the Columbia River. This photo is one I have been looking for – the Columbia River, blue skies, sunshine, snow covered hills and the train as the clincher…difficult to have them all line up, especially when you are on a scheduled drive.

I pulled into La Grande around 6 pm and it was snowing so hard that my car had a half inch by the time I reached the center of the city. A quick stop at the local snowboard/ski shop, and I was ready to meet some friends and talk about what we would reap in the morning.

Day 1 – December 2, 2006

The morning brought clouds and fog, but as we approached Ladd Canyon (the pass between La Grande and North Powder), we could see the blue skies peeking through the overcast and urging us up the pass. The above photo was taken from the Anthony Lake Highway, about 5 miles west of I-84; the drive from I-84 to Ski Anthony Lakes shows Oregon’s open spaces, with cattle ranches, farmland and beautiful mountain ranges. Those are the Elkhorn Mountains in the background; the Wallowas are across the valley.

When arriving at Ski Anthony Lakes, the road winds to give you and your carload the first full glimpse of the mountain, and Saturday was a beautiful sight. The entire mountain was covered with a fresh 8-10” since the last skier or rider unloaded off of the Rock Garden Chairlift, almost a week ago. Ski Anthony Lakes was in operation for the weekend only this past weekend, but will go to full operations on Thursday, December 7. Ski Anthony Lakes has the highest base elevation in Oregon (and Washington) – 7,100 feet. This elevation gives the area consistent light, dry snow. The snow comes in so light, that it is easy for a strong storm to blow it around and even blow it away. As a result, the base was at 25”; 34” at mid-mountain.

We loaded on the chairlift around 9:25 am, and the snow was fantastic! The grooms were fast and soft, and off the grooms there were at least 8” of new snow, much deeper in the wind-loaded sections. There was a very light crust layer on some of the southern, sun-exposed areas, but it was very breakable and still let everyone make powder turns all day long!

A couple of great things about Ski Anthony Lakes is that lift lines are very rare and the snow quality is consistently light and dry. Ask any local out in NE Oregon and they will tell you there is nothing like it, except maybe in Utah. To the left is a video of a local – John – skiing the Rock Garden face. The video is short, but it was a nice line. You really should go experience it for yourself…you will not be disappointed.

I spent four years working at this ski area, so there is a spot in my heart for this place, there always will be. I took turns riding with locals and friends. I explored the runs I felt I knew well, as the snow depth was not quite enough to cover every rock. I did hit a few rocks and stumps, but nothing serious. In fact, Burton was on the hill that day, offering free demos to anyone that signed-up. This was the first day of the 2006-07 Burton Demo Tour, and they had a magnificent one for kicking off their tour.

The run of the day was Upper College (click for a trial map). There was about a foot of new snow and only 3 tracks when I first dove onto the steep, upper run. I exhausted that run, starting my next 4 runs there and finishing with Variety, Vista, Grouse and Lower College.

Then I explored the North side of the ski area, including the right and left sides of Broadway, the longest run at Ski Anthony Lakes (1.5 miles). The sides were stacked with soft, deep, untracked powder.

After 5 hours of riding, my legs were worn. I could feel the burn about mid-way down on my last 2 runs, so I decided to call it a day and visit with friends, and former co-workers. I had a Mountain Burger and a cold pint of Tumble Off Pale Ale – the best beer you have never heard of, and named after a run at Ski Anthony Lakes. There is a small brewpub in Baker City (about 34 miles from Ski Anthony Lakes) – Barley Brown’s Brewpub. They brew the Gold Medal Winning Tumble Off Pale Ale (Great American Brew Festival & the North American Beer Awards). Out of 84 pale ale brews, Tumble Off took the first place, Gold Medal. I always knew it was one of the best beers I had ever tasted in my life (wait until the IPA comes out this spring!), and I am very happy for Tyler and Shawn – Congratulations!!! Baker City Herald Newspaper Article.

College football was on the big screen in the Starbottle Saloon and Mike (bartender) was working the crowd as he always does. This ski area is so special, the General Manager, Operations Manager and Marketing Director make the rounds, talking with the extended A. Lakes family…when you leave, you seriously miss this place, even if you know you will return again soon. It’s a true experience, for the hard-core skier/rider and also for the family of 5.

The drive down to Baker City let me know how tired I actually was. There was no way I could handle the brewpub, so I pulled into my hotel room in Baker City and had a great nights sleep, making sure I was ready for the next day at the local hill.

Day 2 – December 3, 2006

The trees are my favorite place to ride, especially with fresh snow, just begging me to push around. So, arriving on Day 2, no new snow, but more beautiful sunshine, I started contemplating what trees would still have some fresh snow and be the best to ride.

This took me and a good friend (and 7 year local) – Kenny – to the trees between Trouble Creek and Variety. There is a little gully there that fills in with snow and offers a small half-pipe-shaped gulley.

The walls are not too high or steep, but a perfect gulley to slide up and down and back and forth, giving a really cool feeling of being surrounded by trees and spraying powder up on the walls. We combined a semi-tracked-up Upper College with this Variety Gulley a couple of times, then headed to the south side of Variety, where trees let you zip on-and-off the groom and in and out of fresh powder for days after a snow storm.

Now we needed energy. Jackie and the kitchen crew always have a great special for lunch, and today they served up Fresh Cornbread. I topped mine with some chili and it was delicious! Satisfying my hunger, warming me up, and giving me energy to push on for the afternoon rides!

Next we ventured into the Meadow, which is in between Vista and Starbottle. We then ventured over to the south side of the ski area and played down Starbottle and Avalanche.

On the last run I interviewed Kenny (see video on top), and we headed into the Starbottle Saloon to chat with Mike (bartender), Rick (GM), Amy (Operations Mgr) and Becky (Marketing Director). We showed our photos and videos and shared our great riding and skiing stories with other locals in the Saloon.

I really cannot say enough about this place. If you have never been, you need to go. If you have been before, this little blog should get you on the web, planning your next trip!

Jerry K.

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Editor’s Note: Jerry Krieg is the Director of Marketing for our partner SkiOregon ; his column “Jerry’s Powder Dispatch” will appear all ski season and chronicles Jerry’s inexplicable need for fresh powder.

The drive up to Mt. Hood was one of the coldest and snowiest I have experienced in quite a long time, with snow sticking as low as Sandy. My friend and I knew we were in for a real treat! We pulled into the Mt. Hood Skibowl parking lot around 4 pm.

Skibowl reported 10” today (Monday) with temps in low 20’s. Saturday’s report was very similar (a bit warmer, 30 deg.) and Sunday’s report showed 6” of new snow with low temps…that’s 26” of snow in 3 days, with the last two days’ temps in the low 20’s…this is what Oregon winters are all bout!!

We were on the slopes at about 4:30 and playing in knee-deep powder for the next several hours, until our legs begged for a break. Football on the TV in the Skibowl restaurant, smiles on all the skiers and riders faces and snow dropping outside, not much more you could want on a Monday night!

We explored the entire mountain. Upper Bowl had the deep untouched fluff that created walls of snow when you sprayed it right – Face Shots – as powder hounds call ’em. After several of those turns, you have to stop to gather your bearings and see where you are in your line.

Multorpor had great groomed runs, and the walls on each side of the grooms were stacked high with fresh powder. If you have ever skied or ridden that side of Skibowl, you know what walls I am talking about. You can create natural jibs everywhere and can also treat the walls like surfer waves and carve until your tired. My body exhausted before the potential fresh tracks did.

There’s more up there; it’s your turn.

Jerry K.

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Editor’s Note: Jerry Krieg is the Director of Marketing for our partner SkiOregon ; his column “Jerry’s Powder Dispatch” will appear all ski season and chronicles Jerry’s inexplicable need for fresh powder.