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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Winding Trails: by Al Hobart
unbelievable beauty of Crater Lake’s
winter-locked Rim, a privilege
granted to only a lucky few.
The 30-mile journey around the
crater’s 7,000 ft. high rim on skis,
although no casual pastime for the
faint of heart or physically unfit, is
an inspiring, priceless experience
for those capable of appreciating
nature at its fantastic loveliest.
Hardy, experienced skiers can make
the rugged trip in a single long day,
but a more leisurely 2-day trip is
endurance-testing enough, and much
more productive of enjoyment of the
out-of-this-world scenery on all sides
of the tortuous undulating way.
To make this trip, especially in
foul weather, without the leadership
of a competent, experienced guide
would be extremely hazardous and
foolhardy. On our 7-man round-the-
Rim ski tour last weekend we were
led by Bill Pruitt, the Rim’s own
tour guide, who has made the winter
circuit on skis 7 times, either guiding
a group on a 2-day tour or making a
record one-day run.
Early Saturday morning we
started our ski tour from the lodge,
on the Rim. The temperature was
slightly below freezing, snow was
Thursday, March 30, 1967
Illinois Valley News
Skiing Crater Lake
Rim – 2-day Trip
– Part 1
No one can deny that
one of winter’s most attractive
manifestations is the formation and
display of icicles, those transparent,
often colorfully translucent, cold,
brittle, sometimes fantastically
shaped structures of frozen water.
Being normally imaginative
and appreciative of natural
phenomena, I have always been
fascinated by icicles. Always, that is,
until last weekend, when Nature so
far forgot herself as to hang a bevy
of her precious icy stalactites on my
gale-numbed chin and nose.
But being occasionally
blizzard-whipped, with icicle-draped
face and with fingers stiff and cold
in spite of heavy protective mitts–all
of the temporary discomfort of
being exposed to the battering of
the periodically rampaging elements
is a minuscule price to pay for the
privilege of being exposed to the
ROGUE VALLEY
falling and a moderate wind was
blowing. Visibility at times was
limited to the near canyons, rocky
prominences along the rim-top, and
the gnome-like snow-loaded conifers
that decorated the slopes. Our
destination for that day was a little
snow-bound cabin on the far side of
the crater, about 14 miles distant.
Our skiing that day was done
in falling snow, except for a period
of little more than an hour, when
the sun broke through and gave us a
view of the crater’s captive lake and
the Rim’s wintry fairyland sculpture
that can only be described as breath-
taking.
Many admire the view of
Crater Lake from the lodge even in
midwinter. But to view the lodge
side from the far rim is an altogether
different experience, presenting a
picture that few are aware of or are
ever permitted to enjoy.
To drive around the Rim
road in summer is a memorable
experience, but the deep snows of
winter make a different world of
the crater’s rugged tree-studded
rim. The road, for the most part, is
completely obliterated. Where the
summer road existed, now in places,
OF GOVERNMENTS
Food & Friends Menu
FRIDAY – MAR 31
BAkED CHICkEN W/
SUPREME SAUCE
filled the room with smoke so dense
we were forced to retreat back up
the escape hatch and out again into
the icy wind. To keep from freezing
I clung to the ladder inside the shaft
and let my head hang out against
the wall, my tongue hanging out
and gasping for breath. While I was
hanging draped over the sill, faintly
trying to cough the carbon out of
my tortured lungs (dying for all
he knew), my sadist friend Len, a
leather-skinned geologist who laughs
in the teeth of icy gales, laughingly
snapped my picture.
Bill, whose lungs must be made
of rawhide, stayed down and fought
the smoking stove till I thought
he’d surely pass out. Dashing down
the ladder now and then to help,
my only contribution was to give
Bill a few seconds of company
before gasping my way back up the
chute. Eventually the trouble was
overcome, and a hot fire was drying
damp clothes and filling the cabin
with the appetizing aroma of sizzling
steaks, on the heels of the vanishing
smoke.
i.V. Wellness resources
It is the mission of Illinois Valley Wellness Resources
to support the health and wellbeing of the senior and
disabled residents of the Illinois Valley.
If you are a senior or disabled resident of the Illinois
Valley and you are trying to find resources to keep you
happy and healthy in your own home, please call us for
referrals that have been pre-screened with background
checks and references.
We can help you find the following:
• Caregivers
• Handymen
• Yard workers
• Firewood
• Housekeepers
• Pet helpers
• Computer skills
• Home Safety Evaluations
• Health & Social Services
Please call Laura Mancuso the Illinois Valley Well-
ness Resources program coordinator at 541-592-9781.
You can contact I.V. Wellness Resources at www.
ivwellnessresources@gmail.com. Please like our Face-
book page by searching for ivwellnessresources.
Senior BULLeTin
MONDAY – APR 3
BREADED BAkED fISH
WEDNESDAY - APR 5
ROAST TURkEY
If you need meals
delivered or want to
volunteer please call
541-955-8839.
B ingo
(Concluded next week)
Senior SPoTLiGHT
Sponsored by
COUNCIL
only an almost perpendicular wall of
snow is found. Not even the versatile
little flea-like snowmobiles, that are
becoming a familiar sight on every
winter landscape, can negotiate the
Rim when winter has laid down its
high-altitude mantle of deep snow,
making the trip feasible only on skis,
and not without hazards even then.
In the early evening we arrived
at the little “half-way” cabin that
sits on the rim overlooking the lake
far below. The cabin lay buried in 9
feet of snow, and to gain the interior
we climbed down a ladder inside
a wooded “snow chimney” that
reached well above the deep snow.
Inside this wee, wonderful
shack we found a good fuel supply,
some provisions and sleeping
bags–and shelter. A 40 to 50-mile
wind was blowing when we arrived
and the temperature was 24 degrees,
conditions that made that humble
little shelter seems like a welcome
crumb dropped from a heavenly
table.
But before we settled down
to warm, cheery comfort at last,
we were scheduled for a minor but
disquieting spot of trouble–the gale
outside blowing down the chimney
AARP TAx-AIDE
CHAIR FITNESS
FREE ADS
If you are a senior and
Classes FREE at
PROGRAM
want to place a FREE
Healthy U, Monday
Providing free tax as-
AD for a living or health and Wednesdays from
sistance for middle &
care need call Laura
2 - 2:45 p.m. 535 E.
low
incomes. Tax coun-
Mancuso at
River St., Cave Junc- selors are IRS-certified.
541-592-2541 or email
tion Call 541-592-
Call 541-592-6139 for a
laura@illinois-valley-
4888
or
visit
www.
news.com.
Wednesday appointment
healthyucenter.org.
in Cave Junction.
for
ANxIETY AND
DEPRESSION
PROGRAM
Seventh-day Adventist
Church in CJ Mondays
at 6 p.m. Call Kathy for
more information at 541-
291-7016.
WAnTeD
UCAN SENIOR
COMPANIONS
If you would like to
volunteer and become a
senior companion that
helps isolated seniors get
the help they need in their
homes please call Colleen
at 541-492-3520.
FOOD & FRIENDS
looking for back-up
drivers for Meals on
Wheels, mileage reim-
bursement available.
Must pass background
check. Call
541-955-8839.
t Ake the Crud off your house .
g et rid of miLdeW And moLd !
A ll A ges
WednesdAys
PreSSure WaShing
eArly Bird 6 - 6:30PM
Call now for an estimate
A house should be cleaned every 5 - 7 years.
17 gAMes 6:30 - 9:30PM
Hamburgers for sale
520 e. river street, CJ
W alt J uergens P ainting
541-597-4136
iv senior Center
open to tHe public
JP Auto &
Metal Recycling
New Parts - Used Parts
-We Buy Scrap Metal-
Certified Scales
29910 Redwood Hwy
Cave Junction, OR
541-592-3691
Monday-Sunday: 6aM-8pM
Art’s Red
Garter
Homestyle
dinner specials
Tues - Sat 5-9 PM
in Lounge
wiz
krisa
acoustic covers
F r i d a y, M a r c h 3 1
@ 5:30
from
KARAOKE
Wednesdays
@ 9 p.m.
Taylor’s
Country Store
KARAOKE
w/ Steve - OH
GUPPY
Friday, March 31 @ 9 p.m
Saturday the 1ST @ 6 p.m.
Saturday Pool Tourney @ 7
Every Wednesday Free pool on Sundays
Open MIC Night
6 - 8 p.m.
J Barley
Fridays @ 6 p.m.
Sportsman
Tavern
The
G SPOT
Hump day Karaoke
w/ Jammer Dave
PARTY OF FOOLS
Rosie Wittman &
Dawna Crocker
Saturday, April 1, 8 PM
free show
8-midnight
Open Mic w/ B
Thursdays @ 7 p.m.
BUCKLE RASH
Friday, March 31 @ 8
$10 at door
@
McGrew’s!