Summer Getaways Special
httpyAvww.dailyemerald.com
Eugene
Oregon
Volume 104, Issue 11
r,ratings from Baldy
Baldy offers
relaxation
with views
of Eugene
Those who have been to Spencer
Butte know that the view of Eu
gene appears ant-like and distant
from such elevation, and that the hike
to the top can be strenuous on a hot
summer day.
The Skinner Observatory, near Alton
Baker Park, has a pleasant view of
downtown but little else to offer.
If you are disap
pointed, like my
self, by the lack of
decent vistas
around Eugene,
then the small knoll
known as Baldy is a
place to consider. It
has an excellent po
sition on the east
ridge of the South
Hills, from which
you can view the
expanse of the
southern
Willamette Valley.
To get there, take
Pearl Street to 30th Avenue, turn right on
Hilyard, then drive to the next light.
T\im left on Amazon Drive East and fol
low it for approximately one-and-a-half
miles. From this intersection, turn left
on Dillard Road for another mile and a
half. There will be a brown hiker symbol
on the left side of the road and very little
parking, but further down the street is
enough room for a few mid-sized cars.
There are two routes to the top, the
first being the South Hills Ridgeline
trail that runs through a meadow and
off to the left. The second trail is less
maintained, runs up a small hill and
follows the ridgeline to the left. Either
way is nearly half a mile up a modest
Turn to Jones,page 6
Adam
Jones
Photo editor
^ftingsfrom Sk
inner Butte
Greetings from Crater Lake
Let your worries
float down river
Getaways are about
state of mind.
On occasion, it be
comes a necessity to leave
things behind. But under
time constraints, pressures
and responsibilities, summer
travel plans aren’t always vi
able options.
When it’s impossible to re
move yourself from whatever
troubles are weighing you
down, do the next best thing:
Free your thoughts.
Eugene has a handful of out
door activities that can relax,
challenge and inspire the best
of us. Both are within minutes
of campus and take up only a
few hours of the day.
Brad
Schmidt
Sports editor
I Butte-iful
H When things are dragging and
W, people are nagging, escape to En»
V gene’s highest point and take in
the breathtaking scenery. At
2,062 feet, Spencer Butte rests
among Eugene’s South Hills but
towers over its neighbors.
To get to the Butte, go south on
Willamette Street. It’s pretty simple.
PaSs all the stores, all die restaurants
and most of the
hills. On the left
side of the street is
a small lot to park
and begin the trek
to the top.
Climbing
Spencer Butte is a
bit of a challenge,
even on the desig
nated route. The
path winds around
the hillside for
about two miles.
Toward the top is
where the fun be
gins. Rocks line the
peak, allowing the opportunity to do
some safe, semi-demanding climbing.
I’ve seen parents carry kids on their
shoulders, so it isn’t that hard. The in
cline is noticeable, however, so expect
to work up a sweat.
The view atop the Butte is amazing
but a bit distant. Head to the north
end of the Butte to see familiar loca
tions, or stay at the south for a tran
quil glance at the valley and sur
rounding hills. A pair of binoculars
would be a worthwhile addition,
but even without an optical aide it’s
easy to recognize landmarks. Down
town, Autzen Stadium and the bright
green athletic field at the University
Recreation Center all stand out like
sore thumbs.
As calming and magnificent as the
view is, peace of mind lies in closing
your eyes and letting the wind blow
through your hair. The climb takes about
45 minutes and the trip down goes by
even faster. Bring a couple bottles of wa
ter along to savor the time at the top.
Toss me a cold one
Water and sun go together like
Turn to Schmidt, page 6
Oregonians celebrate 100 years
of Crater Lake National Park
The centennial ceremony of the park
is scheduled to run from Aug. 23 to 25,
and may feature an appearance from
President George W. Bush on Aug. 24
By Jillian Daley
Oregon Daily Emerald
Glorious cerulean water, 100 years of national
park history and President George W. Bush may
have something in common this summer for
savvy tourists to enjoy.
Crater Lake National Park is holding a public
centennial celebration from Aug. 23 to 25, and ru
mor has it President Bush may be coming to speak
on Aug. 24, park spokesman Brad Nehring said.
For those interested in attending the celebra
tion or just visiting Crater Lake, it’s less than a
day trip away, about three to three-and-a-half
hours, depending on the route taken.
Visitors may attend for the lovely sightsee
ing or just for the chance of catching a presi
dential address.
However, there is another president involved
in Crater Lake’s history.
President Theodore Roosevelt signed the bill
imbuing Crater Lake with national park status
on May 22,1902.
In the late 1800s, William Gladstone Steele
was the driving force behind making Crater
Lake a national park. Steele fought for the lake’s
environmental preservation after reading an ar
ticle about it in a newspaper in 1870.
The National Park’s history is complex, and
so is its birthday.
Aug. 25 is the anniversary of the day that Con
gress passed the legislation creating the U.S. Park
Service in 1916, park historian Steve Mark said.
This date, rather than the May 22 bill signing, is
combined with the year the park was established,
making the official centennial celebration Aug. 2 5.
On Aug. 23, the park will celebrate its birth
day with a public reception at 1 p.m. at Rim Vil
lage. Entertainment includes a one-act, one-man
play, and there will be a cake, park spokesman
Kevin Bacher said.
“There’ll be walks and talks and kids pro
grams, lots of different things focusing on the
history of the park,” Bacher said.
On Aug. 24, a ranger-lead walk will show in
terested visitors the new exhibits in the park
museum, as well as the glorious hiking sites that
feed the visual senses, which is one of the Park’s
main draws, he said.
“The lake is unlike anything else in the world;
the beauty is just extraordinary,” Bacher said. “It
contains some of the clearest, purist and most
pristine water.
“Crater lake is blue, blue, blue,” he said.
Turn to Crater Lake, page 5