Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 28, 2016)
2017 Big Read features Vietnam classic. Page A3 Enterprise, Oregon Wallowa.com Issue No. 37 1 December 28, 2016 2 $1 3 Chieftain Ellen Morris Bishop/For The Chieftain Courtesy Photo 2016 TO P WA L L OWA C OU N T Y STO R I E S O F T H E Y E A R 4 6 Kathleen Ellyn/Chieftain 8 Steve Tool/Chieftain 9 Ellen Bishop/For The Chieftain 10 Chieftain photo Rob Ruth/Chieftain YEAR FULL OF ENDINGS, FIRSTS, CHANGES the LLC to purchase the lodge and cover the expenses of a nine- month campaign. Often, important news stories are about big changes, but this one resonates because an important part of county history will remain the same. Wallowa Lake may benefi t for generations. By Tim Trainor Wallowa County Chieftain 5 W allowa County might seem off the beaten path for big stories, but a quick glimpse through a year’s worth of papers reveals stories and issues that refl ect and magnify nationwide concerns. The most impactful stories of the year often involve decisions and actions that will have long, wide-ranging effects both in Wal- lowa County and outside of it. And it’s clear many such decisions were made here in 2016. Without further ado, our list of the Top 10 Stories of 2016 in Wallowa County. 1 WALLOWA LAKE LODGE SALE FINALIZED In April it became offi cial. A long, convoluted process fi nally came to an end, securing local ownership and preservation 2 GOVERNOR SIGNS OFF ON WOLF PLAN, FIRST WOLVES KILLED BY STATE IN FIVE YEARS Elane Dickenson/Chieftain of perhaps the landmark property in Wallowa County. The purchase of the lodge, which sits on the headwaters of Wallowa Lake, also included a 10- acre conservation easement that was taken on by the Nez Perce Tribe. That will keep the land, on the south end of the lake, from being overly-developed. The fi nish line of lodge own- ership and operation was found by Wallowa Lake Lodge LLC, which formed and raised $3.1 million from local investors and others from throughout the Pacifi c Northwest. That amount allowed Wallowa County has been the epicenter for wolf re-introduction in Oregon since the beginning, so it is no surprise that 2016 once again put it front and center in the ongoing debate. Perhaps the most newsworthy moment, in another year fi lled with them in regards to wolves, took place in March. See YEAR, Page A5 New director hired for Wallowa Avalanche Center Victor McNeil fills role after former director died in avalanche By GEORGE PLAVEN EO Media Group A new director has been tabbed for the Wallowa Ava- lanche Center — and not a mo- ment too soon as early season conditions are ripe for back- country excursions in Eastern Oregon. Victor McNeil, a profes- sional ski guide for Wallowa Alpine Huts in Enterprise, was offi cially hired last week by the nonprofi t avalanche center. He succeeds former EO Media Group photo by Steve Tool Mt. Joseph in Wallowa County. director Kip Rand, who died March 8 in an avalanche while backcountry skiing near Chief Joseph Mountain in the Eagle Cap Wilderness. Founded in 2009, the Wallowa Avalanche Center provides regular updates and observations on avalanche conditions in the Wallowa, Elkhorn and Blue mountains. Weekly reports are posted to the center’s website, and volunteers host educational clinics on how to identify av- alanche terrain. Julian Pridmore-Brown, deputy director for the center, said McNeil has broad outdoor experience and knowledge of the local mountains, which makes him a good fi t for the position. “I’m really excited to see Victor take the reigns,” Prid- more-Brown said. “We’re thrilled to have him.” As director, McNeil will oversee a team of snow ob- servers whose job is to moni- tor avalanche conditions on the ground. The center also main- tains three weather stations, at Salt Creek Summit and Mount Howard in the Wallowa Moun- tains, and at Anthony Lakes in the Elkhorns. See MCNEIL, Page A7