A10
NEWS
Wallowa County Chieftain
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Hundreds gather for snowmobile event
By Steve Tool
Wallowa County Chieftain
I
n the neighborhood of 300
people crushed down on
Wallowa County for the
48th Oregon State Snow-
mobile Association’s con-
vention from Jan. 14-18. Not
inconveniently, the Wallowa
County Gamblers also were
hosting their annual poker run,
which took place on Saturday,
Jan. 18.
A couple of days of bluster-
ing winds, cold weather and ice
did nothing to quell the spirits
of the attendees, as they virtu-
ally filled the parking lot at Salt
Creek Summit, forcing late-
comers to park elsewhere.
Gamblers Club member and
office holder, Chad Cooney,
said the week proved enjoyable
for all. He said his favorite part
of the week included serving as
a trail guide for inexperienced
snowmobilers.
He took his first group of
18 for a leisurely 41 mile jaunt
through the area while his sec-
ond group of 10 saddled up for
a 60 mile spin.
According to Cooney, peo-
ple came from as far away as
Seattle, Wash., Twin Falls,
Idaho and Klamath Falls for
the event.
Cooney is proof that snow-
mobiles are not made for the
faint of heart: he’s brought his
to speeds of more than 120
miles per hour on frozen lakes.
“You have to have time to
shut them down, he explained.
“They’ll get up to 80 (mph)
like that,” he said, snapping his
fingers.
Cass Robb came down to
the event from Lakewood,
Wash. — mainly for the poker
run and his love of the area. It
was his second poker run and
his sixth or seventh winter trek
to the area.
“I come down here because
of the terrain,” he said. “The
snow’s good and there’s not
a lot of people and the people
there are great.” He added he
and a friend will come back for
more snowmobiling before the
winter is over and again over
the summer because of his love
for the area. He plans to return
Photos by Steve Tool
INTO THE DUST — With the wind buffeting the landscape, the snowmobiler on the right looks like he’s vanishing into the landscape during
the Wallowa County Gamblers poker run held on Saturday, Jan. 18.
Snowmobiling — It’s not just for grownups anymore, as this tyke
shows up at Salt Creek Summit on Saturday, Jan. 18, the last day of
the Oregon State Snowmobile Association convention.
A U.S. Forest Service officer and a snowmobiler help extricate a
rider from the snow after a snowmobile turned over on the edge of
a berm. No injuries were reported.
next year as well.
His favorite thing about this
year’s event:
“We had good snow and a
“bluebird” day,” he said. “On
Friday, the day before the
events bring business into the
county during a lean time for
most tourist based businesses.
The week was filled with
catered gatherings and dinners
at various restaurants.
poker run, it was really nice.
It’s always special and an awe-
some area down there – I love
it down there.”
In the end, Cooney wanted
to remind people that such
“You could see the parking
lot was full, and people were
parking on the road,” he said.
“There were a lot of sleds here
– I can’t tell you how many.
They all spent money here.”
Moraine: Dream comes true as East Moraine acreage becomes public land
Continued from Page A1
with over half coming in the form of a $3.5
million grant the Oregon Department of For-
estry received from the USDA Forest Ser-
vice’s Forest Legacy Program that helped
the Partnership reach the purchase price in
a voluntary sale by the Yanke family trust.
“We are grateful to the Yanke family for
keeping and managing the property so well
over the years, and giving the people of Wal-
lowa County the opportunity to share and
enjoy this landscape far into the future,”
Roberts said. “If the family had not made the
final offer, we would not have been able to
make this happen.”
Individual donors contributed more than
$1.1 million to the purchase. Oregon Parks
and Recreation contributed $1 million and
its staff is lending a hand in formulating the
land’s recreation plan. The Nez Perce Tribe
gave $300,000 to the campaign and is help-
ing the Partnership with the plan for man-
agement as well.
All told, almost $6.5 million was raised
through grants and donations to purchase
the moraine property and begin a multi-
use management plan for its perpetual man-
agement. The Partnership continues to seek
funding to support and sustain the manage-
ment of the property.
“This is an incredible milestone,” said
Kathleen Ackley, Wallowa Land Trust Direc-
tor. “It’s by no means the end of the project.
We still have a lot of work ahead on this. But
this is something to be proud of. More than
a million dollars came from private individ-
uals and families with deep connections to
Wallowa County and an enduring love for
Wallowa Lake and the Moraines. We remain
astonished by the incredible generosity of
our community.”
Formed about 19,000 years ago, a time
when glacial ice filled what is now Wallowa
Lake,and towered more than 100 feet above
the top of today’s East Moraine, the complex
East Moraine is a geologic as well as scenic
treasure.
For thousands of years the spectacular
East Moraine has been a refuge for wildlife
and sacred to the Nez Perce. Today it con-
tinues to be a working landscape enjoyed by
county residents and visitors alike.
In recent years, the land was zoned for
the development of houses, including three
trophy homes on the crest of the moraine,
but under county ownership the threats of
development and subdivision are now extin-
guished in perpetuity.
The Wallowa Lake
Moraines Partnership
and its funders
Wallowa Land Trust
The Yanke property consists of 1800 acres on the East Moraine. Property is outlined in yellow.
For years, the Yanke family has permitted hikers to go through their green gate and follow
a roadway to the top of the moraine. Purchase of the property by the Moraines Partnership
would ensure public access.
The project funders include:
• USDA Forest Service Forest Leg-
acy Program
• Individual donors
• Oregon Parks and Recreation
Department
• Nez Perce Tribe
• Collins Foundation
• Oregon Community Foundation
• Travel Oregon in partner-
ship with Eastern Oregon Visitors
Association
• Conservation Alliance
• Land Trust Alliance/Yarg Foun-
dation/Ace Program
• Rose E. Tucker Charitable Trust
• Walker Family Foundation
• Cycle Oregon
About the Wallowa Lake
Moraines Partnership:
The Partnership was formed in
2011 by Wallowa Land Trust, Wal-
lowa Resources, Wallowa County
and Oregon Parks and Recreation
Department to secure the East
Moraine as a natural landscape
and a model for sustainable natural
resource management. The goals
of the Partnership are to: provide
public access respectful of the land-
scape and its scenic beauty; pro-
tect open space for wildlife, recre-
ation and natural resources; and to
maintain sustainable working land-
scapes of farms, forests and range-
land to contribute to the local econ-
omy and rural ways of life.
Ellen Morris Bishop
Leasers of the Wallowa Lake Moraine partnership sign the paperwork needed to close
the purchase of the Yanke property. Left to right: Kathleen Ackley, Wallowa Land Trust,
Commissioner Todd Nash, Nils Christoffersen, Wallowa Resources, Commissioner John Hillock,
and Commissioner Susan Roberts.
Once complete, a multi-use manage-
ment plan will strive to balance healthy hab-
itat for native plants and animals, cultural
resources, non-motorized recreation, and
sustainable timber harvest and range man-
agement. Securing the East Moraine creates
a significant habitat corridor; protects cul-
tural resources; expands upon existing con-
served lands; and opens to the public the
property’s beautiful views on the moraine’s
southern crest in a manner that is respectful
of its scenic beauty. The draft management
is currently scheduled for public input and
review in spring of 2020.
“Community forests are a powerful
response to forest and rangeland loss to
development,” adds Nils Christoffersen,
Executive Director of Wallowa Resources.
“The East Moraine is central to our commu-
nity’s sense of place. This milestone helps
us sustain our connection to the land, which
is central to the custom and culture of every-
one who calls this place home. It’s an incred-
ible achievement.”
A ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebra-
tion is scheduled for late Spring of 2020.