CROSS COUNTRY/
over
the pristine
snow
Imagine a quiet cross-country trail over
a pristine snow landscape. At the higher
elevations, the sky appears a deep blue -
an exciting contrast to the green pines
and bright sun.
With the popularity of skiing booming
over the past few years, both cross
country and alpine skiers are starting to
look for secluded places to enjoy their
sport. The slopes and well-run ski trails
are just getting too crowded.
A good place to start looking in Ore
gon is the north slopes of majestic Mt.
Hood. One small ski area lays claim to
the sunny north side of Oregon's tallest
peak -- Cooper Spur.
Cooper Spur ski area is located 20
miles north of the small town of Hood
River in the quaint Hood River Valley
(Hood River is just 62 miles east of
Portland on Interstate 80N).
The ski area itself began with two
rope tows just after World War II. It has
recently been expanded to include a
1,100-foot T-bar and 40 acres of ski
trails.
From the top of the T-bar there is a
breathtaking view of Mt. Hood and Polla-
lie Creek canyon. To the north are the
rolling orchards of the Hood River Valley
spilling to the Columbia River and guar
ded by Mt. Adams in Washington.
Cooper Spur isn't just for alpine skiers.
The opportunities for cross-country buffs
are many.
The Cooper Spur Trail leaves the ski
area and travels three or four miles up
the mountain to Tilly Jane Camp and
then on to the famous Cloud Cap Inn at
the timberline.
Tilly Jane has a shelter for overnight
camping. Here is one of the most beauti
ful views of Mt. Hood -- the sheer north
face. If you're willing to climb a bit,
there's excellent downhill skiing here, too.
Cloud Cap Inn was built in 1889 and
was a popular recreation center on Mt.
Hood for many years. People used to
travel in buckboard wagons up the steep
trails for a week of relaxation in the
alpine setting. The inn has been closed
to the public since the 1930's, but is
still maintained by the Forest Service
and Hood River area mountaineering
clubs.
The view from Cloud Cap is awe-in
Photo courtesy of Mt. Hood Meadows
Ski preparation
There you sit, patiently waiting for the
snow to fall. But are your skis ready for a
trip up to the mountains?
"Every pair of skis should be thoroughly
checked and tuned up for the first use every
season," said Cliff Phillips, ski technician
at the Mountain Shop in Portland, "because
the porous wax dries out over the summer."
This involves checking and lubricating
bindings, tuning and hot waxing.
Bindings should be checked to make sure
release settings function properly. Silicone
may? be applied to release settings to insure
safety. Bindings should also be well lubri
cated.
The bottoms of skis should be cleaned
with lacquer thinner or white gas to remove
oldwvax. Gouges and scratches are filled in
iwith a P-tex candle. The candle should be
held about a half-inch from the ski base.
The first couple of drops usually contain
carbon particles, so let these drip onto a
piece of scrap; then start on the ski.
It's best to fill in the gouges until they
are «higher than the rest of the blade, said
Phillips, and then shave them down flush.
Sometimes, after smoothing them you'll see
that in some spots, small craters remain.
[These will have to be filled in again - until
they are flush.
Excess P-tex can be scraped smooth with
a Surform blade or a steel scraper. When
using either tool, exert pressure over the
edges, not in the middle, so as not to make
the base concave.
Thursday, December 9, 1976
Tuning is making base material flush with
edge and edges square. Ski bottoms may be
come either concave or convex with wear.
And frequently brand new skis are not flat.
A 12-inch mill bastard file can be used to
file edges and bottoms. Skis should be pla
ced in vice before filing.
To file edges, make mark with a black
felt pen. Hold file at a 45-degree angle from
the ski. File just until markings are gone
and edge is sharp.
When filing bottoms stop from time to
time to check the base for flatness using a
straight edge, steel scraper, or true bar. If
concave, the edges will have to be brought
down until they are flush with the base; if
convex, the base material will have to be
shaved off to bring it down flush with the
edges.
Waxing is important both for getting
maximum performance out of the ski and
in helping to prolong the life of the base.
Wax must be melted to penetrate the poly
ethelene base.
Brushing is the most common of home
applications. Use only a natural bristle brush
of about three inches wide. Melt wax in
saucepan; do not let it get too hot. Starting
from the tail, run the brush down the ski
quickly and smoothly with long strokes. Try
to get as thin and smooth a layer as possible.
Remove the excess wax from the running
surface with a flat scraper, plastic or metal.
If you don't feel qualified to prepare
your skis yourself there are many compe-
tant ski shops that are.
spiring -- the broad sweep of the Cooper
Spur, the ice cliffs of Eliot and Coe gla
ciers and the craggy face of the north
side of Mt. Hood.
Another route up to Cloud Cap Inn
for the cross-country skier is the road
which travels from Cooper Spur Ski Area.
It's flat and long (about 8.5 miles), but
it's beautiful. The road zigzags back and
forth in switchbacks that are sometimes
more than a mile in length.
On Ghost Ridge, at the northern cor
ner of one of these switchbacks, is a great
view of the mountain, Eliot Glacier and
the canyon of the Eliot branch (west
fork) of the Hood River.
You can reach Cooper Spur Ski area
and the beginning of some good cross
country skiing by taking Highway 35 out
of Hood River and travelling south. You'll
find signs on the highway that will direct
you to another cut-off and on up the
mountain to Cooper Spur junction. Con
tinue on up the access road from the
junction. It's paved and maintained by
Hood River County up to the ski ar«»'-
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