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About The Bulletin. (Bend, OR) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 2022)
B10 The BulleTin • Friday, January 21, 2022 TOP PICKS WHERE TO EXPLORE Exploring around Redmond Redmond Caves — Featuring five caves on the edge of redmond, the system is part of the northernmost reaches of the newberry Caldera. Open year-round, the caves were formed from the collapse of one single lava tube. Wear sturdy shoes and take nothing but pictures when visiting. Steve roti/Submitted photos Skiers prepare to race in the Tour of Meissner at Meissner Sno-park in January 2021. Races Continued from B1 On Jan. 29, the Tour of Meissner 30K classic nor- dic race will be held at Vir- ginia Meissner Sno-park, just southwest of Bend. There is also a wooden-ski division offered. Registration for the Tour of Meissner is available at www.webscorer.com/ register?raceid=244164. The race is limited to 200 partic- ipants, and the registration deadline is Monday. There is no entry fee, but the sug- gested donation to Meissner Nordic is $20. The Tour of Meissner was staged last January but was limited to 50 skiers. “It’s nice we can do this, and we’re taking a lot of pre- cautions,” said David Smullin, organizer of the Tour of Meis- sner. He added that masks will be required at the start and finish but not while rac- ing. The Tour of Meissner was an annual tradition for many years in Central Oregon, but it disappeared from the cal- endar for several winters until 2020, when Smullin brought it back. Smullin, an avid nordic skier from Bend who coaches Redmond-area high school skiers, is entered into the wooden ski race along with one other skier and is trying to recruit other skiers with old wooden skis to take part. “My first non-wooden skis were 1977,” Smullin said. “There are people who still have them, I know that.” Signs that mark the chal- lenging Tour of Meiss- ner course will remain up through Feb. 6 for the vir- tual Boulder Mountain Tour ( bouldermountaintour.com). The Boulder Mountain Tour is an annual nordic ski race in Ketchum, Idaho, held ev- ery early February, that draws skiers from across the North- west. The race is being held in-person this winter on Feb. 5, but there is also a virtual option Feb. 1-6. Organizers of the event are encouraging nordic ski- david Jasper/The Bulletin Looking toward the low-slung entrance to Cave 4, which of the five Redmond Caves is located closest to Airport Way. Watch your head inside the cave, where the ceiling is low in places. Skiers race in the Tour of Meissner. ers from all over the world to participate virtually on a course of their choosing from distances of 15K to 30K. The website offers several sugges- tions throughout the country, including the 30K course for the Tour of Meissner. Smullin said a big con- tingent of skiers from Bend make the trip to Ketchum each February to race the Boulder Mountain Tour. He even takes some of his high school skiers from Redmond to race there every year. The Tour of Meissner is suitable for all skill levels, Smullin said, because touring classic skiers can take their time and go at their own pace. “It’s long and it has a lot of climbing, but it’s something that anybody can do,” Smullin said. “Anybody can tour. It’s not skating. It brings people together and gets them out on the course and gives them a good tour of the trails. A lot of people don’t venture that far out on the trails, and this sort of introduces them to a lot of trails.” Last year, the winner fin- ished in about 1 hour, 40 minutes, but some racers can be out on the course for five hours, Smullin said. For more information on the Tour of Meissner, email dhsmullin@gmail.com or call 541-390-8957. e Reporter: 541-383-0318, mmorical@bendbulletin.com Serial 1 eBicycles Powered by $200 off all eBikes in Inventory 2755 NW CROSSING | SUITE 133 844-394-3809 | vcoregon.com LES NEWMAN’S QUALITY OUTDOOR WEAR On NE Franklin Avenue across from Les Schwab 541-318-4868 Dry Canyon — The urban trail runs nearly 8 miles through the center of redmond, offering paved and un- paved sections for hikers and bikers to traverse. The trail is nestled in the wider rimrock canyon and is abun- dant with sagebrush and juniper trees. Several developed areas like playgrounds, ball fields and more can be found along the path as well. Smith Rock State Park — There is a reason Smith rock State Park, located a few miles north of redmond, is one of the most popular hiking areas in Central Oregon. While parking — which costs $5 — is at a premium on good days, you may be able to score a coveted spot and check out the stunning rock formations just out- side of Terrebonne with a bit of snow this weekend. Be careful on certain trails as they may become muddy or icy with thawing.
