A6
STATE
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, December 22, 2021
A white Christmas for skiers Eagle bounces back
from lead poisoning
Timely snowfall lets
Anthony Lakes open
for winter break
By KYLE SPURR The Bulletin
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The (La Grande) Observer
NORTH POWDER — Ski sea-
son is back in Eastern Oregon.
Recent snowstorms allowed
Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort to
open just in time for winter break
as skiers flocked to the slopes on
opening day on Saturday, Dec. 18.
Conditions were ideal as ski resorts
across the Pacific Northwest con-
tinue to see a rise in traffic during
the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There’s a lot of folks excited
to get out and ski this weekend
and through the holiday break,”
said Chelsea Judy, the market-
ing director at Anthony Lakes.
“We definitely expect to see it
busy, but maybe not quite like
last season.”
Last winter in the midst of the
pandemic, Anthony Lakes saw a
major rise in skiers as most indoor
activities were closed off. Judy
noted that the absences of winter
sports also added a rise in individ-
uals looking for a different athletic
outlet to take part in.
“With no winter sports and
people being eager to get outside,
throughout the Northwest and even
the nation the ski industry was very
busy,” Judy said.
One skier noted that she was
surprised by the more standard
turnout this year, noting that last
year at this time she sometimes had
to wait up to 20 minutes to board
the ski lift.
Another skier at the opening
day stated that they were a bit rusty
since last ski season, but that the
conditions were ideal for getting
back in the swing of things.
While the turnout may have
seen a slight decline this year, those
in the industry expected such after
such a unique ski season in 2020.
Judy emphasized that skiing in
general has seen a rise in newcom-
ers in recent years, which was only
furthered during the pandemic.
While those at Anthony Lakes
were happy to see an increase in
visitors, the resort underwent a
series of precautions.
Anthony Lakes opened its lodge
again this year after closing it off
last winter for COVID-19. More
skiers are also allowed to park and
congregate in closer confines than
Davis Carbaugh/The (La Grande) Observer
A group of skiers descend Road Run slope at Anthony Lakes during the
resort’s opening day on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021. Ski resorts across the
country have seen a significant increase in traffic during the COVID-19
pandemic.
last season. Masks are required
inside of any indoor areas at the ski
area as the pandemic persists.
Perfect timing
The storms from the weekend
of Dec. 11 brought enough snow
for the resort to reopen. While
this year’s opening date was a bit
delayed compared to last year’s
opening right after Thanksgiving,
those at Anthony Lake are not too
concerned as long as the resort is
open before schools let out for win-
ter break.
“We really try to get open by at
least that Saturday going into the
holiday break,” Judy said.
Judy noted that the rush of ski-
ers on opening weekend makes a
big impact on the resort’s overall
revenue for the ski season.
“It’s supposed to keep snow-
ing, so that’s a bonus,” Judy said.
“It looks like we’re going to see
some awesome conditions for quite
a while.”
Revamped experience
As the resort continues to adjust
to COVID-19 and create an enjoy-
able skiing experience, Anthony
Lakes has started several new pro-
grams and ramped up its beginner
education.
The resort has rebranded its
learning center area as “Alice’s
Wonderland,” with numerous
slopes and training areas for begin-
ners and young skiers. The carpet
lift was remodeled with a covered
conveyor and renamed “the cater-
pillar,” while the handle tow is now
called “mad hatter.”
“It’ll be a really fun learning
experience this year,” Judy said.
Another new feature will be an
emphasis on supporting local busi-
nesses in Union, Wallowa, Baker
and Grant counties. Anthony Lakes
Mountain Resort will be promot-
ing “Support Local Thursdays,”
in which visitors can show a $40
receipt from a local business in the
area to receive a $25 lift ticket on
Thursdays.
“We’re just trying to encourage
local spending in the area,” Judy
said.
In addition to promoting local
businesses in surrounding areas,
Anthony Lake has also seen a boost
from being a more locally-based
ski resort. This recent trend along
with a rise in outdoor activities
during the pandemic have both
helped Anthony Lakes.
“People are really escaping the
larger ski areas and traveling to the
smaller ones,” Judy said. “That is
an industry trend that is benefit-
ing us. We’ll see a lot of locals and
visitors.”
Anthony Lakes Mountain
Resort is set to stay open through
Jan. 2. The area will close at 1
p.m on Christmas Eve and remain
closed on Christmas Day.
TUMALO — Corky Luster was
eager to see the golden eagle fly again
through the juniper trees. Luster, a Tum-
alo resident and an emergency med-
ical technician who volunteers with
Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office
search and rescue, found the eagle near
the Tumalo Canal Trailhead while on a
hike Nov. 18 with his two short-haired
retrievers.
The eagle was slumped under a tree,
unable to stand or fly with blood around
its nostrils. Luster rushed back to his
house to find a dog kennel and returned
to transport the bird to Think Wild, a
wildlife rehabilitation center in Bend.
Wildlife technicians at Think Wild
discovered the eagle had severe lead poi-
soning and would have died if not for
Luster.
A month later, Think Wild staff mem-
bers gathered on Friday, Dec. 17, to
release the eagle near the trailhead where
Luster found it.
The 10-year-old female eagle spread
its 6-foot wingspan and lofted its
11-pound body off a rock and flew down
a ravine.
“I didn’t think it was going to be a
good prognosis,” Luster said Friday.
“But miracles happened, even around
Christmas.”
Before the eagle was released, Think
Wild staff invited Matthew Stuber, a
Medford-based eagle coordinator with
the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, to
attach a radio collar on the bird. Stuber
strapped the 1.5-ounce collar to the eagle
like a backpack and said it will track
where it flies.
The tracking is part of a national U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service conserva-
tion research project to analyze the sur-
vival of rehabilitated golden eagles, Stu-
ber said. A total of 15 eagles are being
tracked through the project, including
five in the Pacific Northwest.
“We are trying to measure the sur-
vival of golden eagles who have been
rehabilitated,” Stuber said. “We’re really
trying to figure out how many of these
birds make it.”
The golden eagle was the fourth one
to be treated at Think Wild since its wild-
life hospital opened about three years
ago. Two of the eagles died shortly after
arriving, and another was released last
week.
Think Wild staff heard about another
golden eagle that died from lead poison-
ing Dec. 3 near Brothers, east of Bend.
The staff is alarmed at how many bird
Ryan Brennecke/The Bulletin photos
Savanna Scheiner, a wildlife techni-
cian with Think Wild in Bend, watches
as a rescued golden eagle takes flight
back into the wild Friday, Dec. 17, after
being rehabilitated from a near-fatal
amount of lead poisoning.
species are affected by lead poisoning,
which is often caused when a bird eats the
carcass of an animal shot with lead bullets
or a rodent that eats the poisoned carcass.
It’s obvious when a bird has been poi-
soned by lead because they will appear
intoxicated, said Sally Compton, execu-
tive director of Think Wild.
“They will have trouble with bal-
ance and not be able to fly,” Compton
said. “Once it gets really bad, they can
become completely paralyzed, anemic
and dehydrated.”
Think Wild is urging people to use
nonlead ammunition, fishing sinkers and
rodent control.
Compton said the eagle released Fri-
day was fortunate. It arrived at Think
Wild with five times the amount of lead
that is considered acceptable in wild rap-
tors. But technicians were able to inject
the eagle with medicine that improved its
health over the past month.
“We are really happy that it doesn’t
appear there is any significant long-term
damage that happened,” Compton said.
“We probably caught the eagle just in
time for this successful treatment.”
Compton watched Friday as a wild-
life technician, Savanna Scheiner, carried
the eagle to a rock overlooking an open-
ing through the juniper trees. Scheiner set
the eagle on the rock and it took flight as
quickly as a slingshot. Ten seconds later it
had disappeared into the forest.
“She’s gone,” Compton said. “I can’t
believe how fast that happened.”
Compton and her staff were thrilled
to send the eagle on its way. It was a rare
victory for the team, especially with how
deadly lead poisoning can be to birds.
“It’s a really big deal for us,” Comp-
ton said. “Especially for our vet team.
Every day they are working to take care
of these animals. Having a win like this
is extremely rewarding.”
MT. VERNON
PRESBYTERIAN
Community Church
SUNDAY SERVICE..............9 am
SUNDAY SERVICE ...........9 am
541-932-4800
EVERYONE WELCOME
Assembly
of God
896 E. Main 330 W. Front St.
John Day
Prairie City
Sunday Services
9:30 am
11am
Prairie Baptist
Church
238 N. McHaley
Prairie City
Sunday
Service
10:30am
St. Thomas
Episcopal
Church
Join us on Facebook
live Sunday 10am
Like us on Facebook!
Redeemer
Lutheran Church
Come Worship with us at
Grace Chapel (EMC )
154 E. Williams St.
Prairie City, Oregon
541 820-4437
Pastor Robert Perkins
Sunday School (all ages)
9:30-10:30
Sunday Worship
10:45-12:00
John Day Valley
Mennonite
Church
Meeting every Sunday
at Mt. Vernon Grange Hall
Sunday School ...............................9:30 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship ............10:50 a.m.
Pastor Leland Smucker
Everyone Welcome • 541-932-2861
2 Corinthians 5:17
Every Sunday in the L.C.
Community Center
(Corner of Second & Allen)
Contact Pastor Ed Studtmann at
541-421-3888 • Begins at 4:00pm
JOHN DAY
UNITED
METHODIST
CHURCH
Sunday Worship • 9AM
(541) 575-1326
johndayUMC@gmail.com
126 NW Canton, John Day
Food Pantry Friday 3-4PM
Like us on Facebook!
24/7 Inspirational Christian
Broadcasting
Tune into KSPL 98.1 FM
For more information,
call 541 620-0340
CHURCH OF THE
NAZARENE
Sunday School .......................... 9:30 am
Sunday Worship Service......... 10:45 am
Sunday Evening Service ...........6:00 pm
Children & Teen Activities
SMALL GROUPS CALL FOR MORE INFO
627 SE Hillcrest, John Day
59357 Hwy 26 Mt. Vernon
1 st Sunday Worship/Communion ..................10am
3 rd Sunday Worship/Communion/Potluck ...4:30pm
2 nd , 4 th & 5 th Sunday Worship .........................10am
Sunday Bible Study .....................................8:45am
Celebration of Worship
For information: 541-575-2348
Midweek Service
FIRST CHRISTIAN
CHURCH
Sunday School ..................... 9:45 am
Sunday Worship ...................... 11 am
Fox Community Church ............. 3 pm
Sunday Evening Bible Talk ......... 6 pm
Saturday Men’s Study ............... 6 pm
Weekdays: Sonshine Christian School
Full Gospel- Come Grow With Us
Pastor Randy Johnson
521 E. Main • John Day • 541-575-1895
www.johndaynazarene.com
541-575-1202 Church
311 NE Dayton St, John Day
Pastor Al Altnow
Sundays 5:30pm
Youth: 0-6th Grade
Thursdays 6:30pm
Youth: 0-6th Grade
Jr./Sr. High
Youth Connection
Wednesdays at 6:30pm
Overcomer’s Outreach
Mondays at 6pm at
LWCC
A Christ-Centered, 12-Step
Recovery Support Group
Pastor Sharon Miller
541-932-4910
www.livingwordcc.com
S270856-1