B
Saturday, April 3, 2021
S NOW
M UST
G O O N
By JAYSON JACOBY
Baker City Herald
With skiers and snowboard-
ers carving turns in fresh powder,
feathery white clouds glittering in
their wake, it was almost possible to
forget there’s a pandemic going on.
But though symbols of the viral
scourge were evident this season at
Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort,
the ski area bucked trends that
affected other types of businesses by
welcoming more visitors than the
previous year, rather than fewer,
said Chelsea Judy, Anthony Lakes
marketing director.
She didn’t have specifi c numbers.
“We went into it without any
expectations, but I would say it
was defi nitely a successful season,”
Judy said on Wednesday, March 31.
“People were grateful to be able to
ski through a pandemic.”
The ski area in the Elkhorn
Mountains, about 19 miles west of
North Powder, concludes a most
unusual season on Sunday, April 4.
Among the more notable differ-
ences this winter is that the ski
area’s lodge, except restrooms, was
closed.
Visitors were still able to buy
burgers and other food and beverag-
es, and the “ski-thru” window proved
popular, Judy said.
Food and beverages were also
available on weekends from Cres-
ton’s Yurt at the top of the chairlift.
Kcia Fletcher of Baker City, who
skied about once a week this season
at Anthony Lakes with her husband,
The Observer & Baker City Herald
An unusual — but busy — season
concludes on Easter Sunday at
Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort
Chelsea Judy/Submitted Photo
Despite challenges prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the closure of the lodge and longer chairlift
lines than usual, the 2020-21 ski season was busier at Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort than the previous season.
Neil, and their sons, Ethan, Dawson
and Oliver, said the ski area did “a
great job” with outdoor seating.
Another change prompted by the
pandemic is that skiers and board-
ers weren’t required to ride in trios
on the chairlift.
Although relatives and friends
could ride together if they chose,
Judy said most often there were two
people per chair, and in some cases
only one as a skier or boarder chose
to ride alone.
This inevitably led to longer lines,
and longer waits, at the bottom of
the mountain than are typical for
Anthony Lakes, Judy said.
Still and all, she estimated that
the average wait was between seven
and 10 minutes, with around 15
minutes on busier days.
Fletcher said the lines were
noticeable — but largely because
waiting to get on the chairlift has
previously been a rarity.
“We’ve been really spoiled at
Anthony Lakes,” she said. “It wasn’t
that bad.”
Fletcher said lines were longer on
weekends and on Thursdays follow-
ing a heavy snowfall, when condi-
tions were optimal.
Judy said the resort staff also fol-
lowed a “zero-tolerance” policy requir-
ing all visitors to wear face masks.
She said “nearly everyone”
complied with the requirement, and
that many appreciated the resort’s
effort to reduce the risk of spreading
COVID-19.
In any case, face coverings are
tions turned out not to be necessary,
Judy said.
“We did not turn anyone away,”
she said. “Everyone who wanted to
ski got to ski, which is what we’re all
about.”
The lodge closure also affected the
resort’s parking lot, Judy said.
Because visitors were encouraged
to use their vehicles as a sort of base
camp — a place to eat, for instance
— the resort didn’t require people
to park close together to maximize
use of the lot space, as in previous
winters, she said.
That meant parking space was
Chelsea Judy/Submitted Photo tighter than usual. However, Judy
Snow was plentiful on the slopes at Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort said the new sign along the highway
this winter, with 160 inches falling in February alone.
at the base of the mountain, warn-
ing visitors that the parking lot was
often a welcome accessory at 8,000
resort opened thanks to a series of
nearing or at capacity, was used just
feet during winter.
early snowstorms, Oregon Gov. Kate a few times.
“So many people do ski with a face Brown, in response to a rising num-
Fletcher said she and her fam-
covering as it is,” Judy said.
ber of COVID-19 cases statewide,
ily had to adjust to the lodge being
But none of the changes provoked imposed more stringent restrictions closed — for instance, using their
by the pandemic seemed to signifi -
on restaurants, including the lodge.
vehicle as a place to warm up instead.
cantly curb visitors’ enthusiasm to
General manager Peter Johnson
She said she also spent more time
get out in the cold, clean air, she said. announced that the lodge would
cross-country skiing this winter
“People just want to get outside
be closed, except for restrooms. The
than in the past, in part because it’s
and do what they love to do,” Judy
lodge is in Union County, where in-
strenuous exercise and thus a good
said.
door dining was either prohibited, or way to get warm.
In preparing last summer and fall limited to 25% of capacity, for much of
With the lodge closed, Anthony
for what was clearly going to be an
the ski season.
Lakes’ revenue from food and drinks
unusual season, Anthony Lakes staff
Social distancing is obviously
dropped.
anticipated the potential to need to
much easier on the slopes than in the
But Judy said the other options,
limit daily visitor numbers to ensure confi ned space of the lodge.
including the ski-thru window at
social distancing.
And although Anthony Lakes of-
the Starbottle Saloon, proved more
But that concept was based on the fi cials, prior to the season, noted that popular than she expected, and the
idea that the lodge would be open,
it might have to limit daily visitors,
revenue dip was “slight.”
albeit with limited occupancy.
and that season pass holders would
See Ski Season/Page 2B
But in November, just before the
have the fi rst priority, such limita-
Nighttime the right
time for big walleye
“
There’s not
enough antifreeze
in my blood to
stay on the water for
another pass,” I say
to my fi shing partner.
It is the last week in
January. Our rod guides are
iced up after trolling in dense
fog for three hours without
success.
“Suits me,” he replies. “I
never fi gured you for a good
guide.”
I’ve caught walleye on my
fi rst cast of the day and the
last cast of the evening. I’ve
caught walleye when gale
force breezes blew my boat
sideways and when hail fi lled
the bottom of my boat. I’ve
caught walleye on Dick Nite
spoons when I trolled for
American shad. Two years
ago, during the sockeye salm-
on run, I caught a 10-pound
walleye on a spinner-shrimp
rig. I once jigged up three eat-
er-size walleye in 10 minutes
while my buddies watched
and wondered, “What does he
have that I don’t?”
I’ve also been skunked in
the presence of others far
THE
NATURAL
WORLD
DENNIS DAUBLE
more times than I care to
remember.
I’ve done all these things
but hadn’t fi shed for walleye
at night until late February of
this year when hero shots of
large walleye populated Face-
book pages, anglers with LED
headlamps strapped to their
forehead. My boat trailer was
in the shop for repairs so I
gave BT a call.
“Sounds good,” he said. “My
freezer is low on white meat.”
We made a warm up troll
along the Richland shoreline
as the sun sank low on the
western horizon. When dark-
ness fell, we outfi tted rods
with deep diver Bandit lures
and spooled out 100 feet of
15-pound test braided line.
The light sticks on our rod
tips winked staccato time as
we trolled one mph upstream
along a 20-foot bottom con-
tour.
“Why all the fuss over
walleye. For one, their filets
are firm and flaky with a
flavor described as ‘delicate
with a buttery flavor.’ ”
Time passes slowly in the
dark. It is diffi cult to judge
distance, and details of the
landscape are obscured.
Luckily BT had a Fishfi nder
GPS and sonar with bottom
charts to guide the way. We
bundled up in insulated bibs
and stocking hats to ward off
the chill. The intermittent
honk of resting geese, far off
sound of police sirens, and
the purr of BT’s kicker motor
broke the stillness. As luck
would have it, one hour into
the moonless night produced
our fi rst strike. I grabbed the
pulsing rod and felt the pull
of a heavy fi sh.
“Put a light on my reel, will
you?” I yelled to BT, when
fi ve minutes of steady crank-
ing failed to bring the fi sh to
the boat. BT complied. The
line counter dial read “200.”
Tyler Miller/Contributed Photo
Proud angler Scott Abernethy shows off a 13-pound walleye that he caught and re-
leased on a evening trip with Tyler Miller of MillerTime Fishing.
Lesson learned: Large win-
ter walleye fi ght like a log.
Tighten your drag, put the
motor in neutral, and keep
constant pressure on the fi sh.
We eventually brought my
largest walleye ever to the
net: 35 inches from nose to
tip of caudal fi n and an esti-
mated 17 pounds. Two more
passes through the same
stretch of river and BT’s rod
went down to a more modest
size walleye. That one went
into the fi sh box.
Why all the fuss over
walleye? For one, their fi lets
are fi rm and fl aky with a
fl avor described as “delicate
with a buttery fl avor.” For
me, walleye fi shing provides
an excuse to get my boat out
when salmon and steelhead
angling is not an option.
According to Tyler Miller
(MillerTime Fishing, 509-
942-9044), trophy walleye
season brings in a large
number of out-of-state clients
for trips he runs on the
Columbia River. Tyler prefers
to start his fi shing day a
few hours before sunset.
He keeps his boat on the
water until the bite slows or
clients get tired of reeling in
fi sh. In addition to onboard
electronics, he carries extra
lighting and handheld GPS
that automatically sends your
location for help if needed.
“Some trips I don’t get home
until midnight,” he says.
See Walleye/Page 2B