A18
REGIONAL
Wallowa County Chieftain
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Drifts continue to block Elkhorn Drive, other roads
Damp, chilly
spring slows
snow melt
By JAYSON JACOBY
Baker City Herald
Dan Story didn’t fi gure a
Harley-Davidson motorcy-
cle was a fi tting substitute
for a snowmobile.
But as the rumble of the
distant engine material-
ized into a visible vehicle,
Story had to concede that it
was indeed a Harley rolling
through a slushy snowdrift
on the highest paved road in
Northeastern Oregon.
That incongruous sight,
along the Elkhorn Drive
Scenic Byway on Wednes-
day, June 22, was perhaps
appropriate in what’s been
an abnormal season for the
byway and for other forest
roads, said Story, road man-
ager for the Whitman Dis-
trict on the Wallowa-Whit-
man National Forest.
The hottest weather in
nine months blistered the
region Wednesday — the
high at the Baker City Air-
port was 87 — but win-
ter refused to relinquish
its reign in the Elkhorn
Mountains.
It wasn’t the temperature.
Sunshine on the day after
the summer solstice warmed
even the peaks well into the
60s.
Yes despite the heat, deep
snow continues to block
a four-mile section of the
byway near Anthony Lakes
Mountain Resort.
The drifts aren’t solely
the remnants of winter bliz-
zards that delighted skiers
and snowboarders, though.
Starting in early April and
continuing into the middle
of June, a persistent weather
pattern brought a series of
unseasonably chilly storms
into the region. Snow, in
some cases many inches of
snow, has accumulated at
higher elevations, including
sections of the byway.
Chelsea Judy/Contributed Photo
Snow continued to block the Elkhorn Drive Scenic Byway near Anthony Lakes on June 23, 2022.
Chelsea Judy, marketing
manager at Anthony Lakes,
said about 114 inches of
snow has fallen at the ski
area since the resort closed
The lingering snow is a
tangible eff ect of the trend,
and one that is preventing
travelers from completing
the 106-mile Elkhorn Drive,
said that when he drove up
on June 22, the route was
blocked by snow between
the upper Crawfi sh Basin
trailhead and near Grande
est point on a paved road
in Oregon, behind only
the Rim Drive in Crater
Lake National Park, which
ascends to 7,900 feet.
“IT’S BEEN A CRAZY SPRING WITH THE LATE SNOW AND THESE REALLY COOL TEMPERATURES.”
— Dan Story, road manager, Whitman District, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest
for the season the fi rst week-
end of April — a respectable
amount for the same period
in the middle of winter.
“It’s been a crazy spring,”
Story said, “with the late
snow and these really cool
temperatures.”
which circles its namesake
range and passes through
Baker City, Haines, Granite
and Sumpter.
Although warmer tem-
peratures earlier this week
melted snow from about a
mile of the byway, Story
t
R
E
u
T
o
N
t
lef his WI
e
b
’t OLD t
n
o
D he C
in t
Ronde Lake, just west of
Anthony Lakes.
That section includes the
highest parts of the byway,
capped by Elkhorn Sum-
mit about two miles west
of Anthony Lakes. At 7,392
feet, it’s the second-high-
And the obstacles are
considerably more daunting
than a few modestly sized
drifts, Story said.
Snow still spans the
entire roadway in places.
It’s possible the byway
won’t fully open until early
July. That would be a month
later than in 2021, and about
two weeks later than usual.
The
Forest
Service
doesn’t plow snow from the
byway.
But Anthony Lakes
Mountain Resort, which has
a certain amount of expe-
rience in moving snow
around, starting last year
off ered to use its equipment
to punch through remaining
drifts when the byway was
almost clear.
That’s not the case yet,
though.
Peter Johnson, Anthony
Lakes general manager, said
on Wednesday that it prob-
ably would take “another
week or two” of melting to
make it feasible to clear the
remaining snow.
Although the byway
opening will be unusually
late this year, Story thinks
it might have been later still
but for a project he coordi-
nated several years ago that
had nothing to do with snow
but yielded an unexpected
benefi t.
He hired a contractor to
cut small trees — with a
diameter of less than nine
inches — within six feet of
the shoulder of the byway
between Crane Flats, a few
miles north of Granite, and
the Elkhorn Summit.
The purpose was to get
rid of tree branches that
impeded drivers’ views on
the curvy byway, Story said.
But since the work was
done in 2016, Story said he’s
noticed that snow doesn’t
accumulate to quite such
prodigious depths in some
places, and it seems to melt
earlier — he estimates the
diff erence at 10 to 14 days.
He fi gures that removing
the roadside trees, besides
extending drivers’ sight-
lines, exposed the byway
to more sunlight, hence the
accelerated snowmelt.
Story notes that this
eff ect is muted, however,
when snow is actually fall-
ing, as it did on many days
this spring.
Watch out
Wallowa County
The Frogmen
are coming!
What’s tougher
than a cowboy?
A FROGMAN!
PACIFIC NW UDT/SEAL
CHAPTER REUNION
SEPTEMBER 8 - 11 2022
WALLOWA COUNTY, OR.
ORDER NOW!
It’s time to place your wood
burning stove orders
Delivery: 12-14 week’s out
ANTON’S
HOME &
SPIRITS
Navy SEAL’s. (An acronym for Sea, Air, and Land; also known as “Frogmen”).
Have earned a reputation that’s renowned. In some circles, even feared. The most
elite community in Navy Special Warfare. Very possibly the toughest, most highly
trained military group that ever existed. No mission is routine. There are soldiers
and there are warriors. Navy SEALs are trained to succeed. Taking out key targets.
Conducting reconnaissance for future military actions. Standing ready to
neutralize the threat of terrorism around the world. A legacy of achievement.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy directed the US Navy to establish SEAL Teams
One and Two. Their mission: conduct counter guerilla warfare and clandestine
operations in the maritime and riverine environments of Vietnam. Since then,
SEALs have operated around the world, including Grenada, the Persian Gulf,
Panama, the Middle East, Somalia, Bosnia, Haiti, and Liberia. During peace and
war. Their impact has directly contributed to the security of our country – and the
demise of our enemies. Now, a group of these guys from the Pacific NW (WA, OR,
ID, MT) Chapter (roughly 200, counting wives and girlfriends (but not both)
will be in your County the weekend of Sept. 8-11
“The only easy day was yesterday.”
The main POC for this event is Jack James (CDR, USN, Ret,) who
served in the Navy SEALs from 1973 to 2007 (BUD/S Class 70,
graduating 23 Feb 73). Phone: (360) 509-2985.
DAV VSO: Jack is also a volunteer with the Disabled
American Veterans (DAV) as a Veteran Service Officer (VSO). He
enjoys working with the awesome Veterans of Wallowa County,
to help them navigate the VA Disability system, by filling out
the proper VA Forms and forwarding them through the DAV
system to the VA Headquarters. Please call him at the same Jack B. James (The Jackal)
CDR, USN, Ret., US NAVY SEAL
phone number above if you need help. Thank you.