Photograph by Keith Nelson, UO Outdoor Program.
rounding alpine areas. The upper
part of White River Canyon
above the highway is still an un
groomed touring area. Skiers can
follow the canyon almost to the
terminal moraines of White River
Glacier, where steep slopes and
extreme avalanche hazard block
the way.
Teacup Lake
Not all groomed tracks are
commercial developments. The
Teacup Lake Race Course on
Highway 35 across from Hood
River Meadows is maintained by
the Oregon Nordic Club Compe
tition Committee, P.O. Box 3906,
Portland, OR 97208. The course is
set most weekends for training,
and for several annual races.
There is no charge, but the club
happily accepts donations.
Teacup Lake is a fairly technical
course. Beginning track skiers
should
above,
check out White River,
or Mt. Hood Meadows,
below.
Mt. Hood Meadows
P.O. Box 47
Mt. Hood, OR 97041
337-2222
"The Meadows," largest alpine
resort on Mt. Hood, also was the
first to offer regularly set tracks.
Nine kilometers of easy trails are
groomed at the Hood River Mea
dows parking lot, northeast of the
main lodge on Highway 35. Les
sons and rentals are available at
the Nordic Center, and nordic
downhillers can board a nearby
chairlift. Intermediate-level
tourers will enjoy the steep but
scenic Forest Service trail from the
ski area to Elk Meadows in the
Mt. Hood Wilderness.
Diamond Lake Resort
Diamond Lake, OR 97731
793-3333
This is snowmobile city, so nor
dic skiers will have to show a little
respect for their mechanized
friends. Diamond Lake offers-the
skier rentals, food, lodging and
access to tours on Mt. Thielsen
and Mt. Bailey. It also serves as
alternative accommodations for
Crater Lake National Park. Its
real claim to fame is its snowcat
skiing operation on Mt. Bailey.
Alpine skiers and nordic down
hillers can take snow tractors to
the top of the 8,363' butte for a
day of backcountry skiing with
guides. It's spendy ($85 per day)
but that includes lunch, guide fee,
avalance beacons, snow machines
and enough vertical drop to turn
your legs to rubber. Diamond
Lake is near the north (closed in
winter) entrance to Crater Lake
National park on Highway 138.
Lemolo Lake Resort
P.O. Box 147
Idleyld Park, OR 97447
Mobile Operator JS2-7060
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Tracks have been set at Lemolo
Lake for several years, and the
trail system now extends about 10
miles. Track fees had not been
established by the time we went to
press. The resort is only 12 miles
north of Diamond Lake, and so is
close to the same touring country
around Mt. Thielsen, Mt. Bailey
and Crater Lake. There are no
rentals or lessons available, but
skiers who can bring some experi
ence and equipment with them
will find a full range of services:
cabins, R-V hookups, store, res
taurant, lounge and gas station.
Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake, OR 97604
594-2211
You can't really say you have
skied in Oregon until you have
your picture taken with Crater
Lake in the background. Oregon's
only National Park offers about
the same ski terrain as other Cas
cade areas. Routes follow roads
and hiking trails through thick
timber. The chief exception is the
33-mile Rim Drive that follows the
edge of the crater near timberline.
The circuit can take two to five
days, depending on snow condi
tions and avalanche hazard. Ren
tals are available at the park con
cession. With closure of the old
lodge at the rim, the closest ac
commodations are now on High
way 62 west of the Park. Contact
Union Creek Resort, Prospect,
OR 97536, 560-3565. Note that
Highway 62 is the only highway
through the park that is open dur
ing winter.
Steens Mountain
A popular side trip for summer
tourists to the Malheur Wildlife
Refuge south of Burns, Steens
Mountain in winter is a high,
wild, arctic place. A ski tour in
volves packing skis and camping
gear up to snowline from near
Frenchglen, south of Burns. Once
on the mountain, skiers contend
with changeable high-altitude
snow, Patagonian winds and the
hazards of whiteout and ava
lanche. Why? Simply because the
high desert is unique. The vistas
are wider, the gorges are deeper
and the new snow —in the few
hours before the wind packs it in
to slabs —is the lightest in the
world. Skiers can recover from a
Steens expedition at the historic
Frenchglen Hotel, Frenchglen, OR
97736, 493-2565, or at the Mal
heur Field Station, Burns, OR
97720, 493-2629. The agency that
administers the Steens is the
Bureau of Land Management,
Burns, OR 97720, 573-5241.
Spout Springs
Route 1
Weston, OR 97886
963-8282
Spout Springs, a small downhill
area in the northeast corner of the
state, was originally developed as
an Olympic training site and now
offers twenty kilometers of
groomed cross country track. The
trail fee is $5. Nordic races are
scheduled in December and a nor
die slalom is scheduled in Feb
ruary. Limited dormitory housing
is available at the area. Spout
Springs lies east of Pendleton via
Routes 11 and 204 (Tollgate High
way) between Weston and Elgin.
Anthony Lakes
P.O. Box 3040
La Grande, OR 97850
963-8282
Located on the Elkhorn Ridge
northwest of Baker, Anthony
Lakes offers the driest powder
(and coldest weather) of any ski
area in Oregon. Ten kilometers of
nordic trails are groomed around
the base area, with a $4 trail fee.
U.S. Ski Association races are
scheduled for the area December
21-22. In the spring, there is excel
lent touring on the back side of
the Elkhorns. To get to Anthony
Lakes, turn off of I-84 at North
Powder between Baker and La
Grande. A spectacularly steep ac
cess road takes you to the area.
Note that Anthony Lakes and
Spout Springs are run by the same
outfit. One phone call will get you
information on both resorts.
9040095
PUMPKIN TOFU PIE
Great for Thanksgiving Dinner!
1/2 lb. Surata Soft Tofu
11/2 cups cooked fresh
or canned pumpkin
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup milk
11/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. each nutmeg & ginger
1/4 tsp. each ground cloves,
allspice, and mace
l tsp. vanilla
one 9” whole wheat pie shell,
pre-baked 10 min.
Blend tofu, pumpkin, honey and spices until smooth. Bake in pie shell at 350° for 40
minutes or until set. Cool. Top with tofu whipped cream: 1/2 lb. Surata Soft Tofu, 2 Tbs.
honey or maple syrup, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, pinch salt. Blend until creamy.