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McKenzie Magazine - Summer 2020
Contents Take Care Out There................................................................................................ 3 Coping With Covid . .................................................................................................. 4 Mark Your Calendar................................................................................................... 5 Want to Catch a Fish?.............................................................................................. 6 Neighbors................................................................................................................. 8 River Rats ............................................................................................................. 10 Hidden Gems......................................................................................................... 12 Poetry ..................................................................................................................... 14 Business Services.................................................................................................. 14 Where Outdoors Happens..................................................................................... 16
Take Care Out There Publishing Editors: Ken & Louise Engelman Phone 541-822-3358 FAX 541-663-4550 Marketing Specialist - Dan Purkey rivref@wildblue.net
The McKenzie River area continues to have plenty to enjoy from hiking to boating, angling to pleasure driving, or from dining to just relaxing on the deck of a cabin. Being outdoors isn’t on lockdown, nor is fresh air and water or sunshine. As our local businesses and communities welcome visitors
back this summer season, it’s important to think about how to safely enjoy the outdoors. Area residents can easily have a safe day by picking a destination that’s close to home. Health officials recommend keeping groups under ten people - preferably only members of a household.
An independent newspaper, McKenzie River Reflections is dedicated to publishing items of interest to the McKenzie River Valley. McKenzie River Reflections is available by subscription in the mail or on the news stands in the following communities: Cedar Flat, Walterville, Leaburg, Vida, Blue River, Rainbow, and McKenzie Bridge.
Visitors should keep in mind they can potentially overload our rural communities’ limited resources. Take a look at the “Ten Essentials” when doing pre-trip planning, keeping in mind the McKenzie Valley has been experiencing some large increases in visitations recently - particularly on weekends. That can result in long lines at stores and restaurants. Be patient as you interact with both employees and area residents. And please stay home if you feel sick or have any flu-like symptoms. In addition, Forest Service officials say they’re seeing unprecedented use of the forest this summer. And to top it off, they are under staffed while working to minimize exposure to COVID-19. Being outdoors doesn’t mean you’ll be alone. But you can minimize impacts by avoiding heavy use areas and practicing social distancing. People can still enjoy the outdoors - plan ahead and respect others.
Cover Photo Dead Horse Grade Hwy.242 All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this publication or any part thereof in any form, including digital and artistic duplication of photos, maps, graphics, advertisements, or text, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without written permission of the publishers. © 2019 McKenzie River Reflections, 59059 Old McKenzie Hwy. McKenzie Bridge, OR 97413 (541) 822-3358 rivref@ wildblue.net
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Coping With Covid Setbacks & Progress
High temperatures are usually big factors to consider when planning summertime events. This year, though, it was safety - for both participants and spectators. As with the rest of the country and the world, organizers on the McKenzie had to make decisions on how to deal with the risks to public health associated with the spread of the coronavirus. Early uncertainties had a nega-
tive effect on some long standing annual events. For April, a decision was made to postpone the Wooden Boat Festival in Nimrod for a year. Word was also put out that the McKenzie Chainsaw Art Festival, held at the McKenzie Community Track & Field in August at Finn Rock had also been shelved for 12 months. Other cancellations included the Tokatee Golf Course’s annual
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celebration and fireworks display and a reconfiguration of the McKenzie River Trail Run. This year, runners will have the option of running on their own time, anywhere they want,
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for 31 continuous miles (except on a treadmill or in another race), - between Saturday, September 5th, and Sunday, September 20th. They will have until 11:59 pm on September 21st to upload GPS
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2020 McKenzie Magazine - Summer
evidence of their run. However, people who had been wondering if their summer fun was coming to an end gained reassurance over the July 10th weekend thanks to the decision to go ahead and hold the annual festival at the McKenzie River Lavender Farm. Under new Oregon Dept. of Health guidelines, tickets were limited and had to be purchased in advance. No one was admitted without a ticket. It worked. Farm owner Carol Tannenbaum said the Lavender Bloom was very successful with about 900 attendees. “Everyone wore masks and maintained very good physical separation,” she said. Plus, earlier that month there was a “popup meet” that took everybody by surprise. On July 3rd, world class runners competed in The Big Friendly at the McKenzie track site. All the coaches, participants and meet officials were tested twice for the coronavirus and
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no one else was allowed on the property. Despite the secrecy, ten runners showed up and included three-time Olympian Shannon Rowbury, Olympic silver medallist Nijel Amos, German Olympian Konstanze Klosterhalfen, and Japanese national record holder Suguru Osako. Although organizers weren’t able to live-stream the event, videos of the competitions can be viewed at: shorturl.at/lsyB8. Real runners, though, will be able to compete in the annual 5K Walterville Waddle that will start at 8 am, on Saturday, September 12th. With modifications for safety, runners will lead off (with walkers following) in single file through the starting gate. The Waddle is part of the annual Walterville Community Fair, which this year might morph into a drive-thru venue so people could still purchase the event’s very popular BBQ chicken dinners.
1939-2020
Wooden Boat Festival April 25, 2020 See You 10 am - 4 pm in 2021 Eagle Rock Lodge 49198 McKenzie Hwy. (Milepost 34.5) Tokatee Anniversary Celebration July 3, 2020 See You 2 pm - 11 pm in 2021 Tokatee Golf Club 54547 McKenzie Hwy. (Milepost 47.5) Lavender Festival Second Weekend in July See You 10 am - 5 pm in 2021 McKenzie River Lavender 40882 McKenzie Hwy. (Milepost 15.5) Chainsaw & Arts Festival See You July 17 - July 19, 2020 in 2021 Sat 10 am - 5 pm / Sun 10 am - 3 pm McKenzie Community Track & Field 51326 Blue River Dr. (Milepost 40) Walterville Fair & Waddle Planning September 12, 2020 In Progress Sat 10 am - 3 pm Walterville Community Center 39259 Camp Creek Rd. (Milepost 12.5) McKenzie River Trail Run Virtual Race September 12 - Sept. 13, 2020 For 2020 7 am Carmen Reservoir to McKenzie Ranger Station McKenzie Christmas Bazaar Planning December 5, 2020 In Progress 9 am - 4 pm Walterville Community Center 39259 Camp Creek Rd. (Milepost 12.5)
2020 McKenzie Magazine - Summer
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You too can catch a fish! An Oregon fishing license is all that’s required to fish for trout. Youth 12-17 years old need a juvenile angling license and kids under 12 fish for free. Where and when to fish Trout are widely distributed and can be found in almost any water body that provides: • Cool, clean water • Food - such as aquatic insects, minnows and crawfish • Cover and protection from predators Trout habitats are often divided into lakes and ponds (still waters) or rivers and streams (moving waters). Fish location, behavior and fishing tactics will vary depending on whether you’re fishing in still waters or moving waters. Finding trout in rivers and streams In moving waters, trout tend to hold in one spot and wait for the water current to bring food to them. A primary food source for these fish is aquatic insects adrift in the current. In addition to looking for food and protection from predators, trout in moving waters are also looking for a place to rest from the current. So some likely places to look for trout in rivers and streams include: • Behind rocks or other structure (Look for water where the surface is textured with bumps or riffles, which are often created as
Patsy’s Stage Stop
water flows over rocks and boulders on the river bed.) • Near steep or undercut banks • In deeper, slower pools Most rivers and streams fish best in the spring and fall when water temperatures are cooler. The McKenzie River is well stocked with fish raised at the Leaburg Trout Hatchery. As the water gets warmer, look for trout in faster riffles where the
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water gets re-oxygenated as it tumbles over rocks. Fishing can be good in the winter months – for hardy anglers willing to brave the cold and snow – but look for trout in slow, calm waters where they don’t have to fight the current. Tackle for trout fishing The list of necessary trout fishing gear and equipment can be very simple. Fly-fishing is a popular way to fish for trout. Hiring a professional guide will greatly increase success rate as well an invaluable introduction to the culture. Going it alone requires more specialized equipment and tools, but a good starter outfit could include: • Graphite 5-weight fly rod, 9 feet long • Matching fly reel • Weight forward, 5-weight fly line • Tapered monofilament leaders, 4x 7.5 feet long • Spools of 4x and 5x tippet • Assorted streamside tools • Flies Bait fishermen will need a rod and reel, and a small selection of lures, bait hooks, bobbers and artificial bait is enough to go fishing just about anywhere you might find trout. A good shopping list to get started might include: • A lightweight 6-foot spincasting or spinning rod with matching reel and 4-6 pound monofilament line • A handful of 1/16 oz. spinners • Package of size 8 bait hooks • Couple of red/white bobbers • Jar of PowerBait or PowerEggs • A package of #5 lead split shot • Worms Fishing techniques for rivers and streams In moving water it is the current, instead of your retrieve, that will affect how your lure moves in the water. Some good trout fishing techniques for moving waters include: • Casting a spinner or spoon. Begin by casting the spinner slightly upriver and reel in any slack line. • As the current carries the spinner down river, hold as much fishing line off the water as you can to achieve a natural “drift.” Once the spinner has swung toward the shore and is straight down river, begin a moderate retrieve. • Drifting a worm or an artificial bait (PowerBait, for example) with enough split shot to get within a few inches of the bottom. Sometimes adding a bobber will help keep track of where the bait is drifting.
• NOTE: Where a river slows and deepens into a pool with very little current, you can use many of the same trout fishing techniques you would use in a small pond or other still water. Wherever you go, be sure to check the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for the daily bag limits, bait restrictions or other fishing guidelines for the specific lake, river or stream you’ll be fishing. A final word about keeping fish Each year, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks over 7 million trout in lakes, ponds and reservoirs throughout the state. These hatchery fish are raised and stocked for anglers to take home and enjoy on the grill or in the frying pan or oven. All hatchery rainbow trout released into the McKenzie River are marked with an adipose fin clip and anglers must release all non finclipped (wild) trout in the mainstem river. The lower 11 miles of the McKenzie River below the Hayden Bridge - and the McKenzie River upstream from Forest Glen Boat Ramp at Blue River - are restricted to angling with lures and flies only, and all trout must be released. If you’re going to release the fish you catch, here are some tips for doing it safely: • Use barbless hooks. • Land the fish quickly, before it tires too much. • Wet your hands before handling the fish, and try not to remove it from the water. • If you’re going to take a photo, have the camera set and the scene composed before lifting the fish out of the water and quickly take the picture. • Use needle-nosed pliers or hemostats to remove the hook. If the hook is deeply imbedded, cut the leader near the hook, which will rust away after a few days. • Revive the fish in the current before letting it go. Information courtesy OR Dept. of Fish & Wildlife
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Neighbors By Sean Davis In 1975, a blue and white, 1955 converted Dodge school bus drove up Highway 126 and pulled into the parking lot of the McKenzie School in Blue River. After leaving the marines where he worked on tanks in the Philippines, that would be sent over to Vietnam, Ralph Davis left San Francisco, California, looking for a good community and a beautiful place to call home. Jeanne, Ralph’s wife got off the bus to sit in on some of the classes so she could see if McKenzie would be a good school for their three boys. After a few hours, she came back to the bus and told Ralph to get a job. They were staying. It was Herm Fitz’s science class that convinced her. At first Ralph did odd jobs to get by. He had his own welding equipment and was skilled at it, but in 1976 he got a job with the U.S. Forest Service. The couple rented a home on King Road and Jeanne and the boys lived there while Ralph and Les Borden lived in the school bus while working in the Detroit Ranger District.
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Because of his military background and familiarity with helicopters, Ralph was attached to a helitack crew. Ralph described the three years he worked for the Forest Service as “learning to be an Oregonian.” He cut fire lines, back burned, and became incredibly familiar with a chainsaw. Wanting to be working closer to home, he left the Forest Service and started his own business. Ralph says he started North Bank Slash Disposal in 1977 with “three crazy veterans, a bombed out hippie, and an old logger.” After about a year, some of the core group drifted away, so Ralph and Nate Spencer started a new company, Brush Brothers. Ralph and Nate hired a lot of Vietnam Veterans at first, men who were having some difficulties in life. Ralph said that it wasn’t unheard of that he and Nate showed up at four in the morning to roust the veterans. When his boys were old enough, the company started taking “stick contracts” with the Forest Service. The work involved piling branches, sticks, and other flashy fuels and covering them with plastic to burn in the winter. He hired his son Ralphie as a foreman, his son Brian, who was the quarterback for the McKenzie football team, and all the offensive linemen. Ralph gave most of the older kids on the River a job, fair pay, and skills to make themselves a career, which many did. At one point, the Oregon State Police trooper who assigned to the area sought Ralph out and told him that since he started hiring the young men in the area, crime went down fifty percent.
2020 McKenzie Magazine - Summer
“ I d o n ’t k n o w h o w o t h e r p e o p l e d o i t , b u t w e ’ re d o i n g p re t t y g o o d . ” R a l p h D avi s He thanked Ralph. Ralph also gave back to the community. He literally built bridges. His crew located a fallen old growth tree and turned it into a bridge over Blue River so the track team could run over it. For many years, Ralph and Nate were the largest single private employer on the River. Politicians would come to their houses for advice and ask them for support in the area. Ralph says that living on the McKenzie was different in those days, a little bit more rowdy with the Cougar Room and the Blue River Tavern both in full bloom. He told me a funny story about how he was drinking in the Blue River Tavern and Steve Whatcott called in. His wife was bartending and she gave Ralph the phone. Whatcott said, “Get your sharp-
est knives, a rope, and your truck and meet me at the golf course.” Ralph left. Three hours later he came back to the bar with a knot on his head and covered with blood. Whatcott had shot an elk at Tokatee. They loaded it in the bed of the truck but had to leave the tailgate down because it was so big. Ralph straddled the thing with all four of its legs sticking straight up in the air. They got it back up North Bank and were trying to hang it in a shed when the beam slipped and hit Ralph in the head. “It damn near killed me.” After they got it all cut and in bags, they went back to the tavern for a few more beers. Jeanne worked at the Log Cabin Inn for about ten years, and every few months they offered
to pay her for her Marionberry cobbler and beer cheese soup recipes. Ralph’s sons grew and moved away. A few years ago Ralph’s partner Nate Spencer passed away and then his wife Jeanne did too.
Ralph lived on North Bank alone for a long time, but then his youngest son Jason came back to work for the school and Ralph’s nephew Sean (me) and family returned to McKenzie to buy a house just two driveways down on North Bank. Next, a combat veteran and my best friend moved onto Ralph’s property with his partner. Al and Angelica bought land with Jason and Ralph and pretty soon puppies and kids were running around during family dinners on Sunday again. Last Sunday, during family dinner, I interviewed Ralph for this profile. Al was grilling ribs, the puppies were chasing each other around the table, and Ralph smiled and looked up at the trees. “I don’t know how other people do it, but we’re doing pretty good.”
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River Rats, Whirlpools and Trippers From River Reflections April 23, 1982 By the 1870’s, log driving was becoming a common practice on the McKenzie but it was the 1890-1910 period that old timers recalled as THE DRIVES. Thousands and thousands of logs were floated down the channel to mills in Eugene and Springfield as well as a 1905 drive that extended 150 miles, along the McKenzie and the Willamette, finally ending at Oregon City. With its combination of white water and gravel bars, exposed bedrock and frequent floods, navigating the McKenzie often posed true challenges to the special breed of men who tamed her. Buying sales at around 25 to 50 cents per thousand, contractors would receive between $4 to $5 upon delivery to hopefully pay expenses for the 30-man crews over the average of 30 days required to make the drive. During the heyday, some of the best known contractors included Tom Gilliam & Jack Doyle, who
finished near Armitage Park, and the Montgomery brothers. Logging crews would spend the winter falling, bucking and dragging the logs to the water’s edge in anticipation of the spring drives As the nearby timber was exhausted the crews would venture further away from the stream banks, often using steam powered donkeys and flumes to deliver the logs to the water. When using flumes, the logs were peeled and ‘sniped.’ Sniping involved cutting a rim around the head end of the logs so they wouldn’t dig into the edges of the flume. Flumes were usually well greased and filled with water to deal with the heat build-up generated. Peeled logs also travelled better in the flumes and were easier to move over rough ground if they were dragged. Splash dams were often built to form a storage pool for the logs until the drive began. But sudden rains could spell disaster if the pools swelled and the logs escaped over the top.
Photo Courtesy Lane County Museum
Roller crews with peavies kept log drives flowing in the late 1800’s. This type of activity was later used to define the waterway as a navigable stream. Men on the crew ranged from the river boss, roller crews, doggers, trippers, flunkeys and the camp louse. When logs became stuck on gravel bars or other obstructions, the roller crews would go to work. Using peavies (a long handled, large diameter pole with a spike
and hook on one end) they would roll the logs back into the current. Sometimes the jams would last up to 3 or 4 days on one gravel bar. Horses and teamsters often had to be used to break up particularly tough jams. It was a job that carried an extra measure of danger, especially for the horses. Deep
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whirlpools often took the lives of horses and occasionally men. A bent iron spike or dog was used by the doggers to attach a chain to the timbers. Driven in with a maul, the dog would hold tightly but could be loosened quickly with a sharp blow. Trippers were the men who would actually ride on the individual logs as they were being pulled out of the jam by the teams and as the log was caught by the current, knock out the dog and head for shore. Tales were told of trippers who would make impromptu whitewater rides, carefully balanced on a free floating log. The men working on the drives of course used hob nailed or caulk boots and the horses were similarly clad. Special river caulk horse shoes were developed with sharp projections on both the heel and toe. Although some of the horses were lost in the water the most common danger was a dose of “Mud Fever.” Working in the water all the
time, the horses were subject to loss of hair on bellies and legs as well as scaly and cracked skin. Keeping the camps going was a task that fell to the camp louse who kept busy assembling dishes, pots, pans and foodstuffs for the travelling crew. Following along with 18-24 foot narrow wooden boats, the camp louse, cook and flunkey would feed the crew in the morning, pull up camp and load it into the boats, then meet them again for the mid-day meal and move on to set up camp again for the evening. The camp louse was responsible for getting food for the men and animals, often going to the small stores or nearby farms along the river. Particular problem areas for the log drives included gravel bars at Redmonds Ferry and Curry Rocks, Marten Rapids and the break above Hayden Bridge. If the rollers couldn’t break a jam, the teamsters were called in, and if they failed, dynamite was used to break them free.
The River Rats, as they were called, were often the highest paid timber workers. A top faller in the woods could earn from $2.75 to $3 per day while a typical river rat averaged $5 plus free room
and board. After slowly winding down in the early 1900’s the grand old log drives are now only a thing of the past.
Photo Courtesy Lane County Museum
Crews sometimes used horses to coax timber downstream.
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Hidden Gems Gerry Aster of Vida is an occassional contributing writer to the McKenzie River Reflections newspaper. Following is a sampling of her prior articles that revealed sparkling aspects beneath the surface of small town life on the River. Virus I don’t know about you, but I have really enjoyed this time of leisure and quiet. Granted, I do not have any small children or even teens for that matter, but I usually have lots of volunteer responsibilities and corresponding meetings. This weekend was particularly enjoyable. On Saturday, one of my very dearest friends and I walked several miles to the Vida Café for a coffee and we also purchased gift certificates from owner Kelly Cline. Other friends saw us sitting and sipping on the benches outside the café and they
stopped, visited from a distance and also purchased gift certificates. On Sunday, I attended a “do it yourself” Sunday worship at McKenzie Valley Presbyterian Church. The church was opened so anyone who wanted to stop by and pray, could. Two of us took the church up on the offer and, while keeping our distance, we read the scripture passages and sermon for the day. We also prayed for those who were on our “list” of concerns and took a moment to express our joys. It was quite satisfying. After “church” I stopped by Stage Stop Restaurant and was treated to free coffee. Patsy Wilson and her sister Val prepared a wonderful take-out lunch which I ate on the front porch as I enjoyed the gorgeous, sunny day. Another couple planned to eat their lunch at the nearby park. Because my cupboards were
getting a bit bare, I journeyed to Springfield for the first time since the advent of “distancing” to pick up some fresh produce, etc. People were absolutely wonderful…. not a grump in the bunch. Again, while keeping their distance, folks inquired “how are things going?” They shared their best wishes and easy smiles. Life can be a gem, even during “interesting times.” Farm Bakery Did you know we have a bakery here on the river? Yes, yes, Vida Café has their wonderful pies and we have some specialorder bakers through whom you can have cakes and other creations designed, but I am talking about a luscious fruit danish, fruit crumble bar, cinnamon roll, organic sourdough bread kind of bakery. Where is it you ask? It is at the little store at the Organic Redneck farm and our own Shelly Pruitt is the baker. On Sunday Rob and I treated ourselves to farm fresh, sweet strawberries and a strawberry danish. We were instantly transported to our little apartment in Paris where we would indulge in a sweet delight each morning of our stay. Devour your purchase out in the farm’s garden area or bring it home. Oh, and they now have fresh made coffee as well. See you at the Farm!!
Wooden Boats There are two seasons on the McKenzie River: Winter Season and “River Season.” The McKenzie Wooden Boat Festival, taking place on April 27th (2019), is an iconic event which ushers in “River Season.” But few folks really know about at this Festival because the day is very “low key” by design. This is an event “just for the joy of it.” The McKenzie River Guides and McKenzie drift boat enthusiasts from near and far meet up immediately after the Annual Fisherman’s Breakfast (held at the Leaburg Fire and Rescue Training Center) and drift down the McKenzie River to Eagle Rock Lodge in Nimrod, arriving around 10:00 a.m. The beautiful lawn along the river is then filled with gorgeous, wooden boats to admire. There are community booths offering information about other McKenzie River
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Larry Brown The music reverberated within the walls of the “Little White Church in Walterville” (aka McKenzie Valley Presbyterian Church) when on 1-12-20 and 1-19-20 Leaburg’s own Larry Brown played the organ and piano during worship for the first time. Some years ago the congregation had discussed getting rid of the organ, since it was not being used and just taking up space in the sanctuary. I am so glad they decided to keep it! While Mr. Brown can certainly play the piano well, there is nothing quite like the sound of an organ on Sunday morning. Traditional hymns were sung but some less familiar music was also played to the delight of all present. Smiles remained on everyone’s faces throughout the service and into Fellowship Hour as Mr. Brown, a man of many
Valley activities. The Guides provide on-site grilled food and cold beverages so visitors can linger along the river’s edge, enjoying the flowing McKenzie. I am drawn to this event each year, rain or shine, because it is an opportunity to visit with friends, neighbors and out-ofthe-area folk, all whom have big smiles on their faces. And this
talents and very few words, was congratulated for his spectacular debut. Some of us had a foretaste of Larry Brown’s keyboard skills during Advent, when on Monday afternoons he played during a brief period of contemplation and centering, followed by group discussion of the book “The Uncluttered Heart.” It is anticipated that a similar program will be launched during Lent. If you have driven past but never entered the “Little White Church in Walterville,” I strongly suggest you do so. Not only will you have an opportunity to hear great music, good preaching, old hymns and experience good fellowship but you will be happy to know there is now a Sunday School for children as well. A potluck lunch follows each service and no one goes home hungry, literally or figuratively.
year there is an added incentive to visit the Wooden Boat Festival. Just by taking a moment to complete a Destination Events questionnaire, you will be entered in a free drawing for a Billy Pruitt Pontoon Boat Trip down the McKenzie for 10+ people! I can’t think of a better way to usher in the “River Season!” Come. Enjoy. Rejoice!
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T h e R i ve r ’ s F l ow. . . . Terry Brix of Nimrod is a published poet with over 200 credits who started writing in 1995. His book on Norway, Chiseled from the Heart, was published by the Vigeland Museum in Oslo in 2000. The main body of his work has been about the West - focusing on Montana and Oregon. In 2018, his poetry collection, Fighting Exile, was published by Kelsay Press. He is currently working on a collection of poetry entirely about the McKenzie River.
McKenzie’s Cruelest Trick Every year the McKenzie River quickly wicks heat from beating hearts its cruelest trick. McKenzie Drift Boats anchor in the snow run-off fly-fishing lines ripple for trout strike and take-off Tourist rubber rafts—water guns ice water spew, Site-seeing catamarans bob rapids, break-through Beer coolers bounce, furry pets
jostle, River a long wet road rapids both sirens and apostles. False secure in their floating nests More than half sport no life vests. “Cold shock” first—immediate panic, gasp, heart rate, ying-yang rhythm a thing of the past. “Swim” instincts stifle muscle, nerve talk absent speed strength of any movement
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MEDICAL McKenzie River Orchid Medical Clinic 51730 Dexter St, Blue River 541-822-3341
RESORTS & CABINS Wayfarer Resort 46725 Goodpasture Rd, Vida 541-896-3613
MINI STORAGE 42nd Street Mini Storage 362 42nd Street, Springfield 541-746-2654
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RESTAURANTS Stage Stop Restaurant 38491 McKenzie Hwy Cedar Flat 541-741-7907
drops sixty percent. “Hypothermia” heat stripped twenty-five times as fast Can’t pull yourself up, head above water next to last. “Post immersion collapse” cardiac arrest risk, arm leg extremity chilled blood bullet to heart can’t miss. Every Year the McKenzie River quickly wicks heat from beating hearts its cruelest tricks.
RESTAURANTS River Stop Restaurant 39297 McKenzie Hwy 541-726-9088 Vida Cafe 45641 McKenzie Hwy 541-896-3289
STATE LIQUOR STORE Meyer’s General Store & Liquor Shop 51748 Cascade Street Blue River 541-822-3531
TOWING Blue River Service Center 50389 McKenzie Hwy. 541-822-6024
Delivering the Mail Up river golden leaves wobble— start of the fall, paper-thin limp origami butterflies flutter. Each leaf a letter from this alder, that ash complete micronutrient chemical return address. Mailed from 700 feet above sea level damp. permanent “forever” breeze over obsidian stamp Cascade moraine, woven willow, sedge envelopes. Ink—indigo gaps of dark between stars. Delivery at morning light and purple dusk. McKenzie River delivering as ever the seasonal mail.
UTILITY Lane Electric Coop 787 Bailey Hill Rd, Eugene, OR 541-484-1151
VETERINARIAN Companion Animal Clinic 5620 Main St. Springfield 541-747-2307
WEBSITE McKenzie River Reflections alturl.com/m3a7y 541-822-3358
List your business in the Winter Edition of the McKenzie Magazine Contact Dan Purkey 503-953-5764 2020 McKenzie Magazine - Summer
Roaring River, Randy Dunbar
Water Weepers We have Power Pointed Flint with its water lead. Googled ancient predecessor Rome --lead goblets, acidic wine making lead acetate killing brain cells and sperm. We see the reports-- Somali, Ye-
men and Syria--cholera, e coli,
Seiling, Taloga, Oklahoma
Non-sterile waters crammed with lethal parasites.
folks, tasted their gyp-water puckering their mouths like
Apocalypse buckets sloshing carried on death-in-waiting shoulders.
willing chewed gypsum dry wall with a tear shot glass back. We weep for those that wet their parched lips wanting
Closer to home, we have met
Blue River Service Center
pure and cold but get tainted data, lied to, poisoned. We weep trying to reconcile these awkward purity feelings As we see McKenzie the standard while others weep, cry.
Riverview Cottages Fully Furnished Sleep 4 -7 People
24 Hour Towing Service 8 am - 5 pm, Mon - Fri Saturday - By Apt. Only
(541) 822-3556
50389 McKenzie Hwy.
Milepost 51, 56404 McKenzie Hwy McKenzie Bridge, Oregon
541-822-6024
ASE Certified Master Technician in all eight categories
Gas * Diesel * Propane * ATM/FAX * Shuttle Service Visitor Info * Hot Deli * Lottery * Videos Hunting/Fishing Supplies * Espresso * Fine Wines 91808 Mill Creek Rd. in Rainbow 541-822-3575 2020 McKenzie Magazine - Summer
www.caddisflyresort.com
caddisflyresort@gmail.com
Activate a print subscription and make the McKenzie Connection
$2800/year in Lane County rivref@wildblue.net Page 15
Where Outdoors Happens One of the best ways to appreciate the unique country surrounding the McKenzie River happens when you lace up your boots and head out on the trails. Hiking options are numerous - from easy trails over fairly level stretches to true backcountry adventures. Here’s some day hiking routes that are less heavily used. Buck Mountain Trail #3304: This lightly mile, so stay to the right on the USFS Rd. (#2633-700). At used route was originally used for gold mine the junction with a private road, take the left fork (USFS access and is part of the Blue River North Rd. #2633-704) for 3/4 of a mile. Although the trail tread Trail Area. To get there take USFS Rd. #15 is steep and narrow in places, up on top of Frissell Ridge are for five miles, travel down USFS Rd. # 1509 outstanding vistas of the McKenzie River Valley. Length: for ½ mile, then turn left unto USFS Rd. 2½ miles. Use: Light. Difficulty: Moderate to difficult. #1510 and go 3½ miles to the trailhead. The Horse Creek Trail # 3514: Beginning at the Horse mountaintop previously was once the site of Creek Trailhead, this 13-mile route heads east and crosses a fire lookout with views down into the Blue Horse Creek before entering the Three Sisters Wilderness River and Tidbits Creek drainages. The trail is over a footbridge for hikers and a designated wet crossing part of a loop route leading back to Forest Road for stock. The trail then turns to the southeast, going up 1510, about one mile from the first trailhead. the Roney Creek drainage, passing through Douglas-Fir Difficulty: Moderate to difficult. This trail is dominant forest and over several small stream crossings. not maintained. The trail eventually gets steeper, switching and climbing Carpenter Mountain Lookout #3302: This low use, one-mile trail is also in the Blue River North Trail Area. Beginning at the Carpenter Mountain Trailhead, the steep trail meanders uphill through thick and open forests of Douglas Fir and Hemlock trees on its way from Forest Road 350 to the Carpenter Mountain Lookout. Access the area by taking Road 15 for 3½ miles to the 1506 road. From there, travel east on the 1506 road for seven miles, then turn north on the 350 Spur. The trail is located at the end of 350, about six miles up. Difficulty: Moderate. Echo Trail #3309: This 2.6 mile, lightly used trail is a bit more challenging. Access involves taking Aufderheide Drive to Cougar Dam. Turn left onto Rd. 1993 and go for 2.8 miles to the East Fork Trailhead. Beginning at the Echo Trailhead, the pathway goes downhill to the southeast through shrubs and thinned stands of coniferous forest. It meets Forest Road 552 (becoming the road) as it winds southeast. The trail breaks off again bearing to the east and sidehilling down some steep drainages before ending at Forest Road 1993 and the East Fork, Lower Patence Winningham Trailhead. A Wilderness self-issue permit is required. Difficulty: More Difficult. Know Before You Go Frissell Trail #3512: Access can People should come prepared with a day-use or annual pass. Many sites be a bit tricky. Take the dump road require a Northwest Forest Pass or Interagency pass, and to reduce the (across from the eastern end of risk of theft, many day-use areas and trailheads no longer accept payment McKenzie River Drive) and stay to on-site. Day-use passes and annual passes are available electronically, the right on USFS Rd. #2633-705. by mail, and through local vendors. Visit: https://go.usa.gov/xfW75 to learn The road will fork again in about a more about passes and where to purchase them.
to the top of the drainage before levelling out on a route to Harvey Creek. The low use trail continues on a gradual uphill climb through thick and thin forest for several miles before ending at Horse Lake. To get there, take Horse Creek Road No. 2638 about 9½ miles to Horse Creek Trailhead. Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult. Indian Ridge Trail #3315: This lightly used two-mile long trail is maintained infrequently and may be hard to follow at times. Good backcountry skills are needed. For access, follow USFS Rd. #19 for 11½ miles. Turn right unto USFS Rd. #1980-247 and follow it for two miles to an old clear-cut unit and the trailhead. Difficulty: Moderate. Lookout Creek Old-Growth Trail #4105: Take this 2.6 mile trail if you like old growth Douglas Fir, Cedar, and Hemlock trees. There are several streams along the sometimes steep and narrow path. Take Forest Road #15 to get there, and drive 3 ½ miles, past Blue River Reservoir, to Forest Road #1506. From there, turn right and drive another seven miles to the lower marked trailhead (or ten miles to the upper trailhead). Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult. Quaking Aspen Trail #3332: This 1.9 mile trail takes a downhill pass through old growth conifer trees while skirting the eastern edge of the Quaking Aspen Swamp. Some aspen trees occasionally add to the views as the route crosses streams and continues its eastern track before ending up at the French Pete Trail #3311. Access involves taking USFS Rd #19 for three miles to Cougar Dam and turning left onto Rd 1993 for twelve miles to the Lowder Trailhead. Beginning at Lowder Mountain, Upper Trailhead, Quaking Aspen Swamp Trail #3332 heads southeast downhill, quickly entering the Three Sisters Wilderness. Difficulty: More Difficult.