Once in awhile when we are traveling, we are gripped in nostalgia for yesteryear… a simpler time that reminds us of our childhood and the sheer adventure of traveling. I experienced that feeling again just this past Memorial Day weekend, when Brad and I saddled up and headed out for Newberry Crater for an anticipated camping trip.

We drove south of Bend, and then headed east up a gentle, long slope to the rim of Newberry Crater. Just as spectacular as its better-known cousin, Crater Lake, Newberry Crater is also the result of a spectacular explosion of a giant volcano that collapsed onto itself, resulting in not just one but two separate lakes divided by a young lava flow only 1,300 years old – making this area the newest volcanic activity area in Oregon.

At 6,400 feet, however, our ambitious camping plans were altered quickly, as we were greeted by 3-6 foot drifts of resolute snow lining the rim drive. A little too chilly for even these adventurous souls! However, the road was still open, and I had never really explored this area before, with the exception of a quick snow shoe trip a few years ago that took us from the snow park up to the western lake and resort.

However, today I wanted to keep driving, at least until the snow prevented us from going further, and we finally found ourselves at the East Lake Resort.

Under the blinding sun of an azure sky, the light bounced off of the snow and the thawing ice on the lake. Even though it is late May, winter was reluctant to release its grip from this snowy aerie. I was admiring the view while Brad was walking the dogs. Driven to the shoreline of the East Lake, the view was completely dazzling. A voice from behind me said, “Well, what do you think?” I turned, and spied David Jones, operator of the East Lake Resort, smiling at me. I said, “Well, I don’t think I’ll be taking a walk out on that ice out there!” and indicated that patches of broken ice floating in front of me.

He ambled over and started chatting. I asked him if he was the operator of the resort, and he indicated that he and his wife Kathy were the ones running the place. The pride of his hard work on East Lake brimmed on his face. “This is a special place… a lot of folks stop at the first resort, but it’s the ones that keep going and head to East Lake who really find something special,” he said.

I was captivated. Here, a mile above sea-level and snuggled in within drifts of snow, this man and his wife, along with the staff, were carving out a living welcoming visitors. David went on to tell me that they have 16 cabins, not to mention kayaks, pontoon and motor boats for rent. They also operate a nearby 40-space RV park. The resort features a lodge, restaurant, gift shop, and a coffee shop, so anyone who ventures up this area will find solitude, stunning scenery and top-notch hospitality.

We immediately inquired about vacancies, since the snow put a kibosh on our camping plans. “Full,” David said. But he encouraged us to come back and we do plan on it. Ah, well, we thought, there will be another time. A couple of other exciting things to do in the area included a short hike to a nearby hot springs and also, a walk up the Big Obsidian Flow, a nearby flow which is one of the geologic wonders of the Pacific Northwest. Obsidian, known as volcanic glass, came out of the ground in vast quantities in this area and you can find it all along this hike. According to scientists, obsidian from this area was previously traded up and down the entire Pacific Coast by Native Americans. It was a highly-prized item for making arrowheads and tools.

But alas, our time up here was merely spent exploring, not relaxing, so our next task was to find a plan “B” for camping. Down we went, returning back to the high desert plateau, with our next objective up near the Cascade Mountains. Finally we found a spot along Forest Service Road 42 and set up camp in a delightfully secluded area in the high forest, along an abandoned road.

The next day, we set off on a hike down the abandoned road until it fizzled out into a rough, barely discernible track that was largely overgrown by trees. We turned around, and headed back to camp. At this point, the high desert sun had warmed up the area substantially, and poor Timmy, having dark fur, was getting a little on the warm side. Fortunately for him, a lot of snow was still to be found in the shadows of the trees, and he began rolling around in the drift with a great deal of delight!

Undaunted, we returned to camp, loaded up the dogs and headed up closer to the mountains, where snow again served as a deterrent. A long drift covered the roadway, and that marked our turnaround point. A nearby trail head beckoned, so off we set to find Clover Meadow, a scant half-mile away. However, our foe was absolutely determined to keep us at bay; we managed perhaps a quarter of a mile before huge banks of snow covered the trail completely, and no trail markers were to be found. Unwilling to be a future news item (“Hikers rescued from trail-less area in Deschutes National Forest”), we turned around and called it good for the day.

The next morning, we packed up and headed home, but not before enjoying a treat first. We continued north along the Cascade Lakes Highway, which, if anyone is going to make a trip to Central Oregon, is a MUST DO! Shining mountaintops and lofty peaks makes this one of Oregon’s most scenic drives. I’ve been in the area during the winter and the summer, but not spring. The road was clear, the air was modestly warm, and the skies were absolutely pristine blue. But snow (and lots of it) still blanketed the area, which make the views all the more spectacular and dazzling.

After taking in the splendor of Mt. Bachelor, the Three Sisters, Broken Top and countless other peaks nearby, we pointed our compass home. Strange to think, as we headed into the 80-plus-degree heat down in the desert plateau, of how cool it was up in the mountains. With all of that snow, and how cold it still got at night, the one thing we remembered the most was the chirruping of the frogs at night up in the mountains. How do they do that, and not freeze?

That’s just another reason why Oregon is so amazing – the variety of terrain and scenery you can take in within a few hundred miles!

In an effort to visit more Oregon ski areas this season, I made a trip to Central Oregon to ski at Mt. Bachelor and Hoodoo this past weekend. Since it’s been such a bummer snow month, my expectations were low. My, was I surprised. At both places, the snow was in excellent shape!

Mt. Bachelor – Sunday, February 1st

Looking towards the summit

I had a marathon day, skiing from 8:30am until 3:45pm. That’s how good the skiing was! Despite it being purely a groomer day, Mt. Bachelor is large enough and grooms so many runs that I never got bored. Being Super Bowl Sunday, there wasn’t much of a crowd. I waited 5 minutes to board the Sunrise Express once, but otherwise I never waited more than a minute or two.

The grooming team at Mt. Bachelor is top notch. I’ve skied at other resorts famous for their grooming (Deer Valley and Sun Valley) — and Mt. Bachelor’s groomed runs were of the same caliber as the runs at those resorts. The snow was hard-packed and fast, yet still carvable. And while the mountain could certainly use additional snow, there isn’t a problem with rocks or bare spots. Everything is well-covered.

Downed Trees from the Ice Storm

The damage from the early-January ice storm was incredible. Unfortunately, it’s going to take several feet of new snow to cover all of the trees that are down in the forest. Without significant new snow, the tree-skiing season is over. I had heard reports about the damage, but I was unprepared for the sight of so many snapped & downed trees. And nearly one month after the storm, there is still thick ice on trees & lift towers on the west side of the mountain. This “blue” ice is nasty stuff – totally bulletproof. Some of it still coats the snow off the groomed runs… which is why the groomers are the only place you want to be until snowstorms return.

Thankfully, Mt. Bachelor is not short on groomed runs. Among my favorites (by lift):

Rainbow chair: Flying Dutchman, I-5.

These runs had the best snow on the mountain, as the eastern part of the mountain featured softer snow. These runs also had the fewest people skiing them, so even at 3:00pm, the runs were still smooth.

Summit Express: Beverly Hills, Healy Heights.

The summit was hard-packed and icy… but these are classic, steep cruisers no matter the groomed snow surface.

Pine Marten Express: Tippytoe, West Boundary

While Thunderbird is usually my favorite warm-up run, Tippytoe & West Boundary see far fewer skiers/boarders and have similar pitches. Tippytoe isn’t always groomed, but when it is… it’s a “dig in the edges to avoid a skid” screamer. Love it!

OutbackExpress: Boomerang, Down Under

Not always groomed… but when they are, both of these runs feature long, steep & sustained pitches. The runs on this side of the mountain are generally steeper & longer than those on the east side.

Northwest Express: Snapshot Alley to Atkenson’s Zoom, Osprey Way to Sparks Lake Run

These are long, rolling & winding screamers that start steep & become gentler towards the bottom. Narrower than many of Bachelor’s other runs, the runs in the Northwest Territory are among my favorite runs in the entire USA! At two miles, they’re leg-burners for sure… and they demand control and skill when skiing at speed.

Overall, I was very impressed with the conditions at Mt. Bachelor on Sunday. The staff was friendly as well — the lift operators and ski patrols were kindly professional during every exchange I observed. Mt. Bachelor is one of those mountains that is so big that, even with a large number of skiers/boarders on the mountain, it never seems that crowded.

Hoodoo – Monday, February 2nd

The view from the parking lot

On my return to Portland, I stopped by one of Oregon’s oldest ski areas on Santiam Pass. But while Hoodoo’s history goes way back, it’s facilities are anything but ancient. The lodge and quad lifts are brand new. And while the runs are much shorter than Mt. Bachelor’s runs, Hoodoo’s groomed runs are generally steeper than those at other Oregon ski areas (especially when compared to the Mt. Hood areas).

Unfortunately, I could only spend about 3 hours at Hoodoo before I needed to get in the car and head home to Portland. But during those 3 hours, I was able to get in about 15 runs.

I have never skied an Oregon mountain so deserted of other skiers/boarders. It was rare that I encountered another person on any of my runs. It was almost eerie. The weather was beautiful – comfortable temperatures & little wind beneath blue sky & sunshine. And yet no one was there. With such a low skier count, the groomed corduroy remained as corduroy the entire morning. I must give a shout-out to Hoodoo’s grooming department as well — the grooming was expansive and flawless. And unlike at Mt. Bachelor, Hoodoo’s off-the-groomed snow was soft enough to ski — especially in the sun-exposed spots. The Grandstand run off the top had small moguls, and by 10:30am they were soft & fun to ski.

Once at the summit, with a couple exceptions, one can ski nearly 360 degrees off the top of the Butte. I’ve never been to Hoodoo on a powder day, but I can imagine that the summit runs of Crater, Face, and Chuck’s Backside would be heavenly when the snow is deep & fresh. Hoodoo rarely gets crowded enough for lift lines, so powder lasts longer here than at other areas (so I’m told!).

While Hoodoo is a much smaller ski area than Mt. Bachelor or the Mt. Hood areas, I definitely recommend a visit if you’ve never been there. It’s a friendly place with a nice, caring staff. There is terrain for all abilities. And the mountain & lodge don’t get overly crowded (but I hear the parking lot can fill on the busiest days). Hoodoo’s annual Winter Carnival is this Saturday (Feb. 7th) — check it out!

Mushing in Central Oregon

A howling symphony saturates the crisp morning air. Sled teams of Alaskan huskies, their soulful blue eyes tilted skyward in a call of the wild are ready to run across a field of fresh powder through the picturesque hills and valleys of Central Oregon. >>Read Story

Our friend Terry Richard from the Oregonian recently wrote an interesting story about the wonderful experience of “mushing” (dog sledding). This one-of-a-kind experience is offered by Oregon’s only commercial sled dog operation, Trail of Dreams, operated and owned by Jerry Scdoris and his daughter Rachael, who was the first blind athlete to compete and finish in Alaska’s legendary Iditarod race in both 2005 and 2006.

This ride starts at Mt. Bachelor and takes you thorough miles of spectacular through snow country with jaw-dropping views of snow-covered Broken Top, the Three Sisters and Mt. Bachelor.

To book a spot, please call Mt. Bachelor’s reservation staff at 800-829-2442. For day-of-ride reservations, check with the information center inside the Sunrise Lodge.

Opening Day, Mt. Hood Meadows

You must have been doing your snow dance, because Oregon’s mountain resorts are starting to open for the year! With snow already piling high on Oregon’s peaks, this will surely be another epic year! So far, here is the update on resorts that are currently open:

1. Bachelor: 7 inches in the last 24 hours; Pine Marten Express and Sunshine Accelerator is scheduled to open at 8:30 am today. There will be action on Thunderbird and Skyliner Runs. Home Run and a medium jib park is open, accessed by Sunshine Accelerator. Other trails will have deep snow and also exposed rocks and hazards (it’s been a light and dry snowfall) – Keep on the open runs.

2. Meadows: Meadows opened for the season Sunday with three lifts – Buttercup, Easy Rider and Daisy (and the Wondercarpet) operating.

3. Timberline: Bruno’s and Pucci are Open 9AM-3PM and Molly’s is open 9AM-2:30PM.

For updated conditions, check SkiOregon.org or follow us on Twitter.

And what’s more if you’re looking to save up to 70% on ski and snowboard gear, check out the SkiFever & Snowboard Show in Portland Nov. 14-16. Stop by the Ski Oregon booth and say “hello”.