Page 8C
OUTSIDE
East Oregonian
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Eagle Cap Wilderness inholding purchased, public access retained
Land purchased by
Rocky Mountain
Elk Foundation,
conveyed to forest
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
banquet in Pendleton March 18
By GEORGE PLAVEN
East Oregonian
The
largest
private
inholding in the Eagle Cap
Wilderness will be kept open
to public access after the land
was recently purchased by the
Rocky Mountain Elk Foun-
dation and conveyed back
to the Wallowa-Whitman
National Forest.
The 470-acre property,
which runs parallel to Hurri-
cane Creek south of Joseph,
provides access points to
some of the most heavily
used trails leading into the
wilderness area, including
Hurricane Creek and Falls
Creek trails.
Bill Richardson, senior
lands program manager for
the Rocky Mountain Elk
Foundation, said the group
spent several years working
with the Forest Service
to buy the land from the
Hostetter Family Trust to
protect access for hunting,
fi shing and recreation. The
acquisition fi nally closed in
January.
“Public access is huge for
us,” Richardson said. “It’s
a real important part of our
mission.”
Staff fi le photo by Tim Trainor
Hurricane Creek is seen Dec. 17, 2016, in this photo taken near the Wallowa-Whit-
man National Forest boundary. Conservation and access groups including the Rocky
Mountain Elk Foundation worked to purchase 470 acres near here for public land.
The Hurricane Creek
project was identifi ed as
a national priority for the
elk foundation, based in
Missoula, Montana. The area
lies between elk summer and
winter range in the Wallowa
Mountains,
and
spring
chinook salmon also use the
upper reaches of Hurricane
Creek for spawning.
“The access to elk up
higher during hunting season
is crucial to hunters,” Rich-
ardson said.
That permanent access
was in jeopardy, however,
as Richardson said a private
outfi tter was also interested in
building a lodge on the prop-
erty. Instead, the elk foun-
dation purchased the land
from the Hostetter family for
$520,000, with funding from
the federal Land and Water
Conservation Fund.
Richardson said they
appreciate the family’s
partnership to secure conser-
vation on the land.
“It is open and available
for public enjoyment. I think
that’s a huge success story,”
Richardson said.
The Eagle Cap Wilderness
was established in 1940 and
now encompasses 359,991
acres. It is the largest wilder-
ness area in Oregon, and
home to a variety of species
including wolverines, bald
eagles, bighorn sheep and
mountain goats, in addition
to fi sh and game.
———
Contact George Plaven
at gplaven@eastoregonian.
com or 541-564-4547.
Swampy Lakes offers Nordic skiing solitude
The (Bend) Bulletin
SWAMPY
LAKES
SNO-PARK — Escaping
into winter is not diffi cult in
Central Oregon.
But escaping into winter
and fi nding some solitude
can be a challenge.
Century Drive west of
Bend is lined with sno-parks
and other areas where locals
and tourists alike can revel
in just about every snow-re-
lated outdoor activity:
downhill skiing and snow-
boarding,
cross-country
skiing,
snowshoeing,
fatbiking, snowmobiling,
sledding and more.
Avoiding crowds is not
always easy.
Last week I went in
search of solitude on skis
and found it at Swampy
Lakes Sno-park.
The sno-park, at about
5,800 feet in elevation, is
certainly not an unknown
place
for
wintertime
outdoors enthusiasts. But
for skiers, Virginia Meissner
Sno-park just a few miles
away seems to be more
popular.
One reason for those
crowds is that the groomed
trails at Meissner attract
skate skiers, who require
groomed trails for skiing.
Swampy Lakes has few
groomed trails, so the area
attracts mostly classic skiers,
who can cut tracks through
deep snow.
But Swampy Lakes is
also popular among snow-
shoers and fatbikers. Miles
and miles of well-signed
trails — some designated for
skiing and others designated
for snowshoeing — radiate
from the sno-park. Fatbikers
are allowed on the snowshoe
trails but not on the ski trails.
I set out on the Swampy
Loop last week, planning on
a ski of a little more than 5
miles. Snow was falling but
there was little to no wind,
so conditions were fairly
decent on the cold morning.
The
narrow
trails
included
tracks
from
previous skiers that cut
through the Deschutes
National Forest much like
singletrack mountain bike
trails.
In fact, many of the ski
trails in the Swampy Lakes
area follow trails that are
used by mountain bikers
when those trails are not
covered in snow.
I am relatively new to
Nordic skiing but have been
a mountain biker for many
years, so exploring these
trails when they are covered
in snow is an intriguing
experience. The terrain is
certainly familiar, but it has
a completely different feel in
the middle of winter.
About 2 miles into the
ski I came to a sign for the
new Swampy Shelter, which
was fi nished this past fall
and offi cially dedicated in
December.
I had seen the new shelter
when I was mountain biking
in the area last fall. This time,
I almost skied right past it.
The roof was protruding out
of the 6- to 7-foot snowpack,
but the rest of the shelter
was concealed by the snow.
The entryway was clear,
and I stepped down into the
entrance, which included
two sliding barn-style doors.
The new shelter — much
like two other local struc-
tures, the Virginia Meissner
and Swede Ridge shelters
— provides a respite with a
SKI REPORT
Spout Springs
Tollgate, Ore.
CLOSED FOR SEASON
Anthony Lakes
North Powder, Ore.
New snow: 12” since
Sunday
Base depth: 65”
Conditions: Good new
snow, music Saturday
by Bourbon Rockwell.
Ski Bluewood
Dayton, Wash.
New snow: 10”
Base depth: 65”
wood stove for winter sports
enthusiasts to take a break
and warm up.
The Central Oregon
Nordic Club raised about
$30,000 for the new log
shelter and put in some
5,000 hours of volunteer
work to build it.
The shelter made for
a nice place to rest about
halfway through the ski. I
had the place to myself, and
I also had the trails to myself
for most of the day.
The classic ski trails from
Swampy Lakes connect
to more trails to the north
near Vista Butte. They also
connect to the Tangent Loop
groomed trail, which leads
south to Meissner Sno-park.
Swampy Lakes is often used
as overfl ow parking for
Meissner on busy days.
As I continued along
the loop, the trail led me
deep into the forest that
skirted the Swampy Lakes,
which aren’t so swampy
in the middle of one of the
Conditions: Great
snow, runs groomed
out nicely and chance
of sun.
Ski Fergi
Joseph, Ore.
New snow: Unknown
Base depth: 25”
Conditions: Unknown
Mt. Hood Meadows
Government Camp, Ore.
New snow:
Base depth: 107”
Conditions: Awesome
hardpack groom. Off
piste is skier-packed
powder and hardpack.
biggest winters for snowfall
in recent memory in Central
Oregon.
The lakes were simply a
fl at, snowy expanse, which
I skied across to reach
the other side of the loop.
Through the gray clouds, I
could just make out the east
face of Tumalo Mountain.
The trail back toward
the sno-park included a
few rolling hills and some
sketchy downhill sections. (I
am still getting comfortable
with going downhill on
cross-country skis.)
When I fi nally made it
back to the car, the snow had
stopped falling and the sky
began to clear — perhaps a
brief break before the next
winter storm would roll in.
I had encountered just
two other winter outdoors
enthusiasts on the trip — a
fellow classic skier and a
fatbiker.
Yes, it is still possible to
fi nd solitude on skis near
Bend.
Fyfi shers want to ban jetboats from portion of Rogue River
MEDFORD (AP) — A fi shing club
in Oregon is asking offi cials to ban
jet-powered boat engines from a portion
of the upper Rogue River.
The
Medford-based
Rogue
Flyfi shers Association and riverside
landowner Greg Layton have fi led a
petition with the Oregon State Marine
Board to ban jetboats from a 24-mile
stretch of the river, reported The Mail
Tribune.
It is an attempt to limit where Rogue
Jet Boat Adventures owner Taylor
Grimes can operate. The petitioners
say traditional sports like drift boating,
kayaking and fi shing are threatened by
Grimes’ operation.
The speed needed to power a
jetboat through the narrow and often
shallow stretch of river from TouVelle
State Park up to Rattlesnake Rapids
puts other users at risk, said Layton.
The 25-foot tour boat could crash into
another vessel and its large wake could
cause issues.
“It just seems to be a use that’s not
conforming to that part of the river,”
Layton said. “I know he tries to be
careful, but there are still limitations.
It’s inevitable there will be some kind
of mishap.”
Grimes said he runs up to four trips a
Jamie Lusch /The Medford Mail Tribune via AP, File
In this 2014 fi le photo, Taylor Grimes, with Rogue Jet Boat Adventures,
leads a crew up the Rogue River at TouVelle State Park near White City.
day through the area during the summer
tourism season. The upper Rogue is “a
multiuse river” and a jetboat ban would
cater to one or two particular interest
groups, he argued.
“I don’t think the public will really
tolerate that,” he said.
Marine Board boating safety
program manager Randy Henry said
the board has historically been pretty
conservative about restrictions between
confl icting users and requires a clear
safety issue to restrict access to the river.
“That’s why we’re gathering the
public input, to see if it rises to that
level,” he said.
PENDLETON — The Pendleton chapter of the
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will host its 30th
annual Big Game Banquet on Saturday, March 18,
featuring an appearance by two of the organization’s
original founding members.
Bob Munson and Charlie Decker will be on hand to
visit with local members at the Pendleton Convention
Center. They, along with fellow hunters Bill Munson
and Dan Bull, established the foundation in 1984.
“These two are still very active,” said Tim Campbell,
Pendleton chapter chairman. “It is kind of a big deal we
were able to get on their short list.”
While last year’s banquet drew 285 people and raised
just under $60,000, Campbell said they are hoping for
350 people this year. Proceeds support the foundation’s
mission of wildlife conservation, habitat restoration and
public outreach.
“I think a healthy elk herd benefi ts everyone here in
Oregon,” Campbell said.
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has more than
222,000 members nationwide, including 15,496 in
Oregon. The group has spent more than $55.5 million
across the state to help protect 786,813 acres of habitat.
Approximately $125,000 is slated for projects on
the Umatilla, Wallowa-Whitman and Malheur national
forests, according to Campbell. He cited a recent land
acquisition along Hurricane Creek in the Eagle Cap
Wilderness, where the foundation purchased 470 acres
from a family trust to protect public access into the
wilderness area.
“This was a national priority project,” Campbell said.
“When you talk about limiting access, it affects a lot of
people.”
For the fourth straight year, the Pendleton chapter
also plans to partner with the Umatilla National Forest
to build fencing around aspen groves on the North Fork
John Day Ranger District. The work event will be held
June 3-4 on the forest south of Ukiah.
Campbell added the money spent on improving
habitat not only benefi ts hunters, but local businesses
throughout rural Eastern Oregon.
“I think our membership represents a demographic
that is important to business owners,” Campbell
said. “That whole outdoor industry is huge dollars,
obviously.”
Doors will open at 4 p.m. for the Pendleton banquet.
Unlike previous years, tickets will not be sold at the
door. Raffl e tickets and auction prizes will be up for
grabs, including 32 different guns and a pair of youth
antlerless mule deer hunts donated by Ruggs Ranch of
Heppner.
Tickets are $35 per meal, or $70 for a meal and
membership. Guests are encouraged to become
members, Campbell said. Other ticket packages are
available to purchase online at www.events.rmef.org.
For more information, contact Marla Campbell at
541-379-0488.
BRIEFLY
Oregon lawmaker
looks to replace
meadowlark as
state bird
SALEM (AP) — An
Oregon lawmaker says
the current state bird is
unoriginal, and instead wants
to replace it.
The Statesman Journal
reports that state Sen. Fred
Girod sponsored a resolution
to replace the western
meadowlark as Oregon’s
state bird with the osprey.
The Stayton Republican
says the meadowlark is also
the state bird of Kansas,
Montana, Nebraska, North
Dakota and Wyoming,
making it unoriginal.
He also says the
meadowlark is no longer
commonly seen in Oregon,
making it an inappropriate
choice. Girod says the
osprey can be found
throughout Oregon and
better captures the state’s
spirit.
Salem Audubon Society
president Ray Temple says
meadowlarks are declining
and could use the extra
attention of being the state
bird.
$5,000 reward
up for grabs
in Crater Lake
ammo theft case
CRATER LAKE
NATIONAL PARK (AP) —
Authorities have increased
the reward for information
that leads them to whoever
stole 10,000 rounds of
ammunition at Crater Lake
National Park.
Park spokeswoman
Jennifer Evans says the
reward has been boosted
from $1,000 to $5,000.
The rifl e and pistol
ammunition was discovered
missing Feb. 6 from a
building near the park’s
headquarters.
Investigators have
released a video of a vehicle
entering the Annie Creek
entrance station early that
morning. It’s unknown if
the occupants had anything
to do with the theft, but
investigators want to speak
with them.
The ammunition was
used as part of the park’s law
enforcement program.
Raptors to be
featured guests
at outdoors show
Eagles, hawks, owls,
falcons — a variety of
these birds and others will
be featured guests this
weekend at the 21st annual
ServPro Sportsmen’s &
Outdoor Recreation Show
at the Douglas County
Fairgrounds.
The birds will highlight
the Extreme Raptors show.
They’ll be on stage, but will
also do some free fl ying
overhead.
“The fl ying demos are
fantastic,” said Jonathan
Wood, the owner and trainer
of Extreme Raptors. He said
eight birds usually take fl ight
during each presentation.
Those are scheduled every
two hours during the
three-day show. The birds
will be on display throughout
the show.
“Some of those birds will
get up to 60 mph, maybe 80,
if they have the space,” said
Wood who will have about
20 birds at the show. “It’s
pretty amazing.”
He said the birds will
include a bald eagle, golden
eagle, an eagle owl that is
the largest owl species in
the world with a 5-foot wing
span, a pure white snowy
owl from the North Pole,
a white arctic falcon from
Iceland, a gyr falcon, which
is the largest of the falcon
species with a 4-foot wing
span, and a aplomado falcon,
an endangered species that is
now found only Texas.
“The cool thing about
my show is that people will
get to see the birds at arm’s
length all day long, not just
during a show,” Wood said.
“There are amazing photo
opportunities. The bald eagle
in front of the American
fl ag is one of the best photo
opportunities there is.”
Wood, 60, was fi rst
attracted to birds when he
found a baby falcon on
the beach when he was 12
years old. The falcon had
attempted to fl y out of a
nest in a New York area
lighthouse.
“It was trial and error, but
I developed some unique
techniques,” he explained. “I
managed to create a unique
rapport with the bird. I made
some mistakes, but I got it
to fl y.”