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About Appeal tribune. (Silverton, Or.) 1999-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 18, 2019)
SILVERTONAPPEAL.COM ❚ WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019 ❚ 3B Tree fore heading home. So, is it worthwhile? Continued from Page 1B Romantic, but with a dose of realism The idea of loading up the family and heading to the snowy mountains with handsaw in hand and kids in tow just feels romantic, especially if you’re sav- ing money. I’ve taken advantage of this program three times now, and it is fun, but there also are downsides to consider. Gas money, hazardous driving conditions and no guarantee of that perfect tree all require a full-day adventure that won’t appeal to everyone. Last week, I loaded up three kids and two adults to go Christmas tree hunting in Willamette National Forest east of Salem and Detroit. I tracked the ex- penses, from food to gas, so that people will have a realistic idea of what this ad- venture really costs. Getting the permit and homework Up first is purchasing a permit from the U.S. Forest Service. This year you can purchase one on- line through a very easy system at: https://openforest.fs.usda.gov. You can buy up to five Christmas tree permits for $5 each, and I ended up getting two — one kid’s tree and one adult tree for $10. While you’re on the site, make sure to scan the rules, including: only take trees 15 feet or shorter and take the whole tree. Cutting off the top half is prohib- ited, but happens frequently when lazy tree hunters find a big tree and cut off the top eight feet, leaving a sad-looking half tree behind. Also, I highly recommend either printing or taking screen shots of a sec- tion that helps with tree identification. You’re allowed to harvest noble, pacific silver, Douglas and grand firs. You’re not allowed to harvest whitebark pine, western white pine or Pacific yew. To help tell them apart, there’s a handy section that describes and has pictures of each species. I take screen- shots so I have that information on my phone when we’re outside cell phone range. Finally, look at the map showing where harvest is allowed. It’s most places in the forest, with exceptions for wilderness areas, near paved roads, trails and around campgrounds. Make sure to bring a Forest Service map for proper navigation. Note: If you don’t get your permit on- line, you can purchase it at Forest Ser- vice ranger stations or many local busi- nesses. Costs Permits (2): $10 Gearing up for the snow and picking a location There are millions of trees in the for- est, but to find the much-beloved noble, Exploring snowy roads to find a Christmas tree in Willamette National Forest. ZACH URNESS / STATESMAN JOURNAL pacific silver or grand firs, and you gen- erally have to explore higher than 3,500 feet. This time of year, that often means heading into the snow. So, I loaded up our 4-wheel drive SUV, brought chains along, and pre- pared for winter driving. We decided to target Forest Service roads around Big Springs and Maxwell Sno-Park off Highway 22 east of Detroit, which sits right around 3,600 feet. If the snow is deep, buying a sno- park permit online is recommended through the DMV website. They offer great winter access and recreation across the state and cost $25 for a full year or $5 for one day. That way, you can park at the sno-park lot and simply head out in safety. Luckily for us, there was only a few inches of wet snow and were we able to travel onto lightly snow-covered forest roads, which makes hunting easier but slightly more dangerous if you get stuck. We had a shovel, chains, and 4-wheel drive so felt confident. Gas fill-up cost $50, and after burn- ing about a half tank total, went spend about $20 to $25. We also paid $22 for Subway sandwiches and cookies in Mill City and brought a thermos of hot choc- olate — a surefire way to keep kids hap- py. Costs Gas: $20 to $25 Food (optional): $22 Sno-Park permit (optional, but rec- ommend if deep snow): $5 per day, or $25 for full season Finding the perfect tree not easy Once we were above 3,500 feet and on Forest Service Roads we felt safe in traveling, we drove to promising-look- ing spots and then jumped out to search and play in the snow. The kids, outfitted in heavy jackets and snow pants, paid attention to our tree hunt for about 10 to 15 minutes be- fore deciding that a snowball fight was a better option. It was just as well. Maybe I’m a perfectionist, but it al- ways takes a lot of searching to find the right tree. We were seeking a smaller, 4- to 5-foot tree, and a larger 8 foot tree, but that perfect blend of height, species, fullness and Christmasy-ness isn’t easy to locate right away. So I joined the snowball fight, and built a snowman with the kids before enjoying some sandwiches and hot chocolate. Then, we headed back into the car and looked out the window for promis- ing spots. It arrived around 3,700 feet as we came across an open area, outside the main canopy, where the trees were fuller and there were plenty of noble, grand and Pacific silver to choose from. People had clearly targeted this area, as we found a few stumps. But after some searching, we found a perfect kid’s tree — a wonderfully shaped noble fir. The kids grabbed the handsaw and got to work, with 5-year-old Lucy giving cutting a shot before her buddy Uriah took over. Three-year-old Rollie provid- ed emotional support. Eventually, we got it down and the kids hauled part way back to the car be- fore another snowball fight broke out. Yet finding the ideal “big tree” — the centerpiece of our Christmas — was tough. As the kids played, I searched the forest, coming across a number of “al- most perfect” noble firs. There was al- ways some flaw – too skinny, not enough branches, too tall or short. In the wild, the perfect tree is hard to find. With time running down — and the 3-year-old sowing the seeds of mutiny — I chose a nice, full-bodied Pacific sil- ver fir almost exactly eight feet tall. It wasn’t as luscious as the type you’d find at Christmas tree lots or a U-pick spot, but it was a handsome devil. We strapped both trees atop the truck be- CLASSIFIEDS Find a new job or career Discover Discover Disc Di scov sc over ov er your y your ourr new ou new ne w ho home home me JOBS.STATESMANJOURNAL.COM Brokers licensed in Oregon Handsaw Measuring tape Straps/rope to get tree onto car Warm clothes Tire chains Thermos of hot chocolate Shovel Before you go Call or stop at a Forest Service ranger station for tips on best places to find trees Check road conditions at TripCheck- .com. You can see how snow is along the road at various locations, which should let you know what to expect driving wise on non-plowed Forest Service roads. Check weather at National Weather Service Brings a US Forest Service map Plan for a full day trip Zach Urness has been an outdoors re- porter, photographer and videographer in Oregon for 11 years. To support his work, subscribe to the Statesman Journal. Urness is the author of “Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon” and “Hiking South- ern Oregon.” He can be reached at zur- ness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on Twitter at @ZachsORoutdoors. Auctions, pets, services & stuff STUFF StatesmanJournal.com/classifieds in print Wednesday through Sunday AT Marcia Branstetter Mason Branstette Branstetter Broker 503. 873.3545 ext. 326 Gear you’d also need/want Place an ad online 24/7 at StatesmanJournal.com or call 503-399-6789 • 1-800-556-3975 STATESMANJOURNAL.COM/HOMES Kirsten Barnes Permits for two Christmas trees: $10 Gas: $20 to $25 Three sandwiches and cookies from Subway (optional): $22 Sno-Park permit (optional but rec- ommended in deep snow): $25 for full year, $5 for the day Total: $30 to $62/$82 AUTO TRUST THE HOMETOWN EXPERTS SERVING THE EAST VALLEY SINCE 1975 Cost breakdown silvertonappeal.com Turn here for your next vehicle HOMES & RENTALS JOBS Both trees that we brought home weren’t as perfectly symmetrical as you’d get commercially, but the wife and kids were very happy. The kids most of all, after a day in the snow. We spent about $82, including every- thing, but we could have done it for as little as $30 without the stop at Subway and sno-park permit, which we didn’t end up needing. But keep in mind I already had a lot of stuff like a shovel, tire chains and a handsaw, plus snow clothes for the kids, so we didn’t need any extras. In the end, this type of adventure isn’t about saving money. We did get two trees, but we also built two snow- men, had four snowball fights and drank one thermos of hot chocolate. Christmas tree hunting in the nation- al forest is about the experience and not the price. Although the price — way below $78 per tree — doesn’t hurt either. 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