Feature

OUTSIDE IS STILL OPEN. HERE’S A PLAYBOOK FOR WINTER FUN.

Pete Alport

The Year of the Tailgate

With reserved parking, indoor restrictions at Mt. Bachelor, skiers and snowboarders will need to up their car-comfort game

By Nicole Vulcan

Earlier this fall, Mt. Bachelor announced its winter operations plan for the 2020-21 season—one that will be remembered as the year COVID-19 made everything change. Getting outdoors for some vigorous—or not-so-vigorous—exercise (while staying 6 feet from others) continues to be one of the ways to stay healthy throughout this pandemic, and at Mt. Bachelor, staying outdoors is going to be the name of the game throughout the season.

Get your tailgate game on

With lodges allowing people in on only a limited basis, this may finally be the year for powder hounds to dial in their tailgating game. The many Central Oregonians already living their best lives in their Sprinters will be fairly well set up for this change, having cozy places to sleep, eat and chill already inside their vans. But for those “lodge moms and dads” who have previously spent their time hoarding a gaggle of chairs and guarding kids’ snacks and warmies inside one of the lodges, adjustments are in order.

People visiting Mt. Bachelor this year will need to “be prepared to warm and dine out of their vehicles, given reduced capacity limits in lodges and more limited dining and beverage options at resort venues,” reads a recent press release.

For some, that might mean packing a portable fire pit—wood, gas or otherwise—and a handful of outdoor chairs. A portable gas fire pit or grill that isn’t hot to the touch will be more easily transportable when you’re ready to go home—meaning extra planning is in order to either extinguish the fire well ahead of time, or find a cool place to transport the pit or grill.

Another consideration: Does that tiny Subaru give you and all of the friends you’re encouraged to carpool with enough room to boot up and chillax at lunch time? For some, flipping down a back seat and adding a futon mattress or camping foam could offer the right amount of shelter and coziness. For others, it might mean your sister with the big Suburban gets to drive all season long, leaving your less-spacious sedan back in Bend. Naturally, more layers and blankets, along with a bigger selection of hand warmers, are going to be essential.

In terms of food, investing in that bigger thermos for your hot drinks and soups is a good idea. In addition, Tailgater Magazine (yes, there is such a thing) recommends spicy foods as a way to keep warm. “When kicking up the heat of a recipe, keep the spice level at mild or medium; any hotter and you run the risk of causing the body to sweat, which means damp clothing – a must-avoid for cold days,” the magazine recommends in a story on the art of cold-weather tailgating. Another next-level tailgating tip: Bring a slow cooker filled with chili or other warm foods—powered by an inverter you’ve connected to your car, of course.

Parking reservations at Mt. Bachelor

On Nov. 9, Mt. Bachelor will begin allowing people to start making car reservations—something required for anyone visiting the mountain this season. (Yes, that goes for people doing laps on The Cone in the early morning, too.) Starting on that date, people can reserve parking for their cars for up to seven days of their choosing—so if you know you’re going to ski every Saturday, you might reserve for all the Saturdays after Dec. 7, when the mountain opens.

Adobe Stock

Take a "que" from these football tailgaters and get your parking-lot hangout game on at Mt. Bachelor this season.

Parking areas will be divided into Alpine and Nordic areas for those using different types of terrain.

For those expecting to be at the mountain more than seven days, Mt. Bachelor advises, “Once the season begins, guests will also be able to book an unlimited amount of days in a rolling 7-day window. As advance days are used, guests will be able to book additional advance days, never holding more than seven advanced reservations.”

One exception to that: Those who are of driving age and have the Outplay 365 pass—Bachelor’s year-round, multisport pass—will get a parking pass for the entire season.

If you try to reserve parking and none is available, Mt. Bachelor encourages people to try again. Those who reserved and decided not to come are supposed to cancel their reservation by 7 am the day of the reservation. According to Mt. Bachelor, “Guests who make reservations and do not either cancel their reservation prior to the date, or do not use their reservation will lose their next priority booking. Repeat offenders may lose the ability to make advanced reservations.”

Other changes for Mt. Bachelor

In September, Mt. Bachelor announced other changes for the winter season, including a pause on the resort’s child care and “Ski or Ride in 5” offerings, no tubing park, no beginner lessons, no lessons for kids age six and under, and everyone must wear a mask while in and around the resort.

Undoubtedly, snow riders will have plenty more questions about parking and riding this year. Mt. Bachelor has a lot more information at mtbachelor.com.

Winter Sanctuary

Riley Ranch offers a peaceful place for hiking, nature watching in winter and beyond

By Laurel Brauns

Bend Park & Recreation District builds new trails and parks all the time. If walking or running the same route has become a habit, change it up and adventure to another part of town to check out a new place.

Riley Ranch Nature Reserve opened in 2017, so it might offer a new experience for some people. It’s located north of Awbrey Butte along the Deschutes River and features expansive open meadows, intricate lava flows, cliffs, rocky river canyons and juniper and pine forests. One of the highlights is the six-mile loop from the ranch to Tumalo State Park: Starting from the Riley Ranch trail head, keep making left turns (aside from viewpoints) before joining up with the Canyon Loop Trail which runs along the edge of the river for the last part of the trip.

The 184-acre ranch was purchased from private owners with funds from the BPRD’s 2012 ($29 million) bond measure. It is the district’s largest property aside from Shevlin Park. Eventually the district will build a bridge across Archie Briggs Canyon, connecting Riley Ranch with the Deschutes River Trail and Sawyer Park.

This is also a great spot for people who appreciate paved paths and soft-surface trails, whether for wheel chairs or other mobile devices. The

Courtesy Bend Parks & Rec

One of the many scenic spots by the Deschutes River at Riley Ranch Nature Reserve.

park’s Citizens Advisory Committee and board members decided to manage Riley Ranch differently, and bikes and dogs aren’t allowed. This helps preserve the natural experience and also creates a place for people who aren’t as comfortable around dogs and bikes.

The quiet atmosphere also may increase opportunities for observing wildlife including red-tailed hawk, great horned owl, mule deer, coyote, bobcat, Northern Pacific tree frog, Rocky Mountain elk and black-tailed jackrabbit. The district posted interpretive signs at each overlook with information about the ecosystem, geology and the history of the ranch. Check out the ruins of two historic cabins which were likely constructed before the turn of the 20th century, according to one sign.

Another new spot also worth a special trip is a new mural the district commissioned between Discovery Park (in NorthWest Crossing) and Shevlin Park. The underpass under Skyline Ranch Road features stencil art images of accomplished women throughout history, created by local artist Douglas Robertson. Bring your friends and debate about who they missed.

Carpet Lift, More Night Skiing Ahead for Hoodoo

Spread out the ski love this season with more time for after-work rides

By Nicole Vulcan

Hoodoo Ski Area has some new features ahead for its winter season— including a feature that may make it more attractive for new riders or kids. Hoodoo announced this week that it has installed a new, 200-foot-long carpet lift near its Easy Rider lift.

“This will be particularly useful for younger guests taking lessons, as well as others just learning how to move on snow,” a release from Hoodoo stated.

The resort also announced that it has added a day to its night skiing offerings. Night skiing is available from Wednesday through Saturday, with 23 night runs for riders to enjoy.

Hoodoo’s pass options this year include a five lift ticket “Anycard” that can be used any day, with no restrictions. In addition, season passes are at early-season prices through Nov. 30.

As with other resorts, masks will be required, and the resort will have “simplified food offerings,” such as grab and go, compared to past years. The resort plans to open when it has enough snow, but that date is still TBD.

Get all the info at skihoodoo.com.

Stewards of the Snowshoe Trails

A dedicated group of snowshoers with the Central Oregon Nordic Club maintains winter trails at sno-parks in the Cascades

By Damian Fagan

Central Oregon Nordic Club A s winter approaches, a crew of snowshoe trail maintenance volunteers on the Deschutes National Forest has already been out assessing trail stewardship needs along 23.5 miles of trails. The group maintains spots for snowshoers at various sno-parks along the Cascades Lakes Highway. Having so many miles of dedicated snowshoe trails is relatively rare on national forest lands.

The wintertime volunteers provide an important service by keeping the dedicated snowshoe trails up to par: brushing trails, cutting out blowdown and posting signs—and they all do it for free. The motivator behind the snowshoe trails is Dr. James “Jim” Davis, better known to some as “Dr. Snowshoe.” A team of volunteers works on clearing snowshoe trails.

Davis and his wife, Deana, retired to Bend in the late 1980s. A family physi- thought would be interesting to oth- volunteers were older retirees, and cian in Milwaukie, Oregon, Davis was an er snowshoers. DeCook said after the some have slowed down due to their avid skier, cyclist, hiker and snowsho- route was flagged, the Forest Service age. “It is tough carrying a cross-cut or er who would spend some of his winter would inspect it and make any rec- pole saw on snowshoes,” added Timdays exploring the sno-parks along the ommendations before approving the mer. Though the Forest Service trail Cascades Lake Highway by snowshoe. At trail. Then the volunteers would install crew helps out when they can, most of that time, only cross-country ski trails trail markers and keep the trail clear of the work is done by the volunteers. existed in the areas, and some skiers deadfall. Though Davis initially paid for Timmer keeps a log of the hours and didn’t appreciate the “shoers” tramping sign supplies out of his own pocket, the work done by the volunteers. In addion their tracks. Central Oregon Nordic Club pitched in tion to a pre-season sweep that iden-

“Jim had a map and compass and to support the work and purchase alu- tifies work to be done, weekly outings he’d follow the terrain,” said Fred minum nails and trail markers. during the winter season focus on new DeCook, a relative of Davis’ who also After Meissner, the group had blowdowns or other issues. The crew retired to Bend and became involved installed trails at Swampy, Edison, and maintains the trails to Class 2 stanin the snowshoe trail project. Davis Todd Lake sno-parks by 2008. At the dards, meaning clearing is limited to found that others followed his trails, so time, and it may still be the case, the the removal of blowdown and brush he approached the U.S. Forest Service DNF was the only national forest with a that extends 12 inches or more above about creating dedicated snowshoe dedicated snowshoe trail system. the ground. During low-snow levels, trails at the sno-parks. With the support of the CONC and snowshoers may find they need to step

The Forest Service agreed, with a solid volunteer base, Davis decided he over downed logs left in the trail for one caveat: Davis would do most of needed to pass the maintenance torch this reason. the work. on, as he was then in his early 80s. Bob Not satisfied with just regular trail

Davis recruited friends, and with Timmer, who met Davis in 2013, agreed clearing, Timmer and his core of a dozsome input from the USFS, the group to head up the crew. en volunteers or so installed You Are began with the loop at Virginia Meis- “Through the years, there have prob- Here maps at junctions along the Meissner Sno-Park. Volunteers would fol- ably been some 60 folks that have vol- sner snowshoe loop in 2016. The maps low the terrain and flag a route they unteered,” said Timmer. Most of the reflect the increased usage of the trail Central Oregon Nordic Club by “first-timers,” and are especially helpful since paper maps are no longer available at trail kiosks. The group expanded these maps to Swampy’s Porcupine trail in 2018. “I have noticed that the popularity of snowshoeing has increased exponentially over the last few years, not just on the Deschutes but on many other forests,” said Jessie Larson, DNF trail volunteer coordinator. “I think people enjoy coming over to the Deschutes because CONC does such an amazing job at maintaining our trails.” Next time you’re out snowshoeing at an area sno-park, give a nod to the man who established these trails and the crew that keeps them open. Better yet, donate or volunteer to help out. In their snowy elements, volunteers work on installing trail markers. Visit the Central Oregon Nordic Club at conordicclub.org for more info.

Winter Events!

Disclaimer: As we all know by now… these are unprecedented times. Many classic winter events are postponed or canceled as we head into the snowy season. Here are the events we know are happening and updates on ones that are still up in the air.

I Like Pie Thanksgiving Run/Walk

Mon., Nov. 23- Sun., Nov. 29, 2020

This traditional running event is going virtual this year. Register online and grab your small group to complete this race anytime between Nov. 23-29. Prizes will still be awarded for the creative group pictures, best costumes and more. Visit cascaderelays.com/events/i-like-pie to register.

First Day of Grooming

Tue., Dec. 1, 2020

Join the Meissner Nordic Community Ski Trails team on its first day of grooming trail for the season. Their agreement with the Forest Service runs through March, so there will be plenty of time to get outside and help out. Find more info and updates on the Nordic skiing community at meissnernordic.org/events/.

Virtual Dirksen Derby

Dec. 12-13, 2020

The annual snowboarding event on Mt. Bachelor may be moving to a virtual setting this year. There are December dates set for a virtual Dirksen Derby, but no more information about registration. Check our calendar for the latest updates on winter events!

New Year’s Eve Bonfire on the Snow

Thu., Dec. 31, 2020

Wanderlust Tours will guide a nighttime snowshoeing adventure through the stunning snow-filled mountains west of Bend. Sip champagne at midnight while relaxing under the stars in a hand carved snow amphitheater with toasty warm bonfire.

Oregon WinterFest

Fate unknown...

The annual three-day celebration of winter in Central Oregon may not happen this year. Things are still uncertain, but the event is considered postponed indefinitely due to statewide restrictions on large gatherings to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We hope that this event (put on by the Source’s sister company) can be revived, and we’ll keep you updated with the latest!