Willamette Chapter–Oregon Nordic Club

P.O. Box 181

Salem, OR 97308

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL

Willamette Chapter activities have been curtailed by COVID-19, but please renew your membership for the 2020-2021 season.  For only $20 you receive access to all the inside club news and support our efforts to improve cross-country skiing for everyone.  Our chapter pays $10 from each membership to the statewide Oregon Nordic Club to support its efforts and cover the cost of insurance for all ONC chapters.  You can renew by downloading a renewal form at oncwillamette.org/membership. 

SKI SCHOOL

The Willamette Chapter’s Ski School will be another casualty of the Coronavirus pandemic.  We have cancelled our group lessons and mentoring program for 2021, but hope to resume them in 2022.  Beginners and members interested in improving their skills may still find lessons taught by certified Nordic instructors at local ski areas.  For self-instruction please access the books and videos on our website and practice technique in a controlled setting. If you have questions about technique or equipment, please contact experienced club members.  We would be happy to help.

SNO-PARK PERMITS

The Willamette Chapter will not sell Sno Park permits in the absence of our regular monthly meetings.  Sno Park permits may be purchased online at the Oregon DMV:https://dmv2u.oregon.gov/eServices/_/.  Annual permits purchased directly from DMV cost $25—no handling fee.  The process takes only a few minutes and includes a downloadable copy you can print and use immediately while waiting for your permit to arrive in the mail.  Buy a permit and support Sno Park plowing.  

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

The Willamette Chapter has an active volunteer program assisting the Forest Service with ski trail clearing and marking, as well as shelter construction, maintenance and firewood stocking.  Thank you volunteers!  Please call Mark Olson (503–559-0728) or Jim Todd (503-378-7003) for more information or to sign up for one of our projects. 

During the ski season Willamette Chapter members help the Forest Service maintain and improve ski trails by reporting trail and shelter conditions. Please help the Deschutes and Willamette National Forests use their limited resources efficiently by sending a Nordic Trail Report when you ski their marked trails.  Contact Mark or Jim about trail or SnoPark conditions and we will forward the information to the appropriate Forest Service office.

VOLUNTEER REPORT

December 29, Tuesday:  Jeff, Jim and Mark assisted the Salamanders volunteers with ski trail clearing and placement of blue diamonds at Maxwell SnoPark.  Diamonds were placed between junctions 5 & 16 and between 21, 24 & 18.  An overgrown section between junctions 9 & 24 was cleared with hand tools and a power pole pruner.  To download a trail map with junction numbers: go to https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/willamette/recreation/wintersports/recarea/?recid=4671&actid=91, an incomprehensible area map; but fear not, just click the back button on your Browser to open the full Maxwell Sno-Park page; then, near the top of the page, click on Map of Maxwell Sno-Park Area (pdf) to download the map.

SKI TOUR REPORT

January 5, Tuesday:  our first ski of the New Year.  Chuck and Jim did an exploratory tour off the Mt. View Loop trail at Maxwell SnoPark.  To shorten the distance we parked at Big Meadows Rd. on Hwy 22.  After skiing the Big Meadows Rd. for a mile (4WD ruts with a dusting of fresh snow) we branched off to the south on the marked route to Mt. View Shelter; then headed east on old logging tracks.  With a little GPS and compass work we located a frozen pond for our lunch stop, then bushwhacked to the Shortcut trail near junction 19 and followed Big Meadows Rd. back the Hwy 22.  The snow was good, the weather mild, and theroute…interesting.

Cautionary Notes:  

1.  In the morning we pulled off the Hwy at Big Meadows Rd. onto a 12” layer of frozen snow and parked easily.  But by afternoon the snow had softened and our tires spun their way down towards the pavement.  We had to dig our way out to the Hwy.  Be wary and carry a shovel.

2.  The 40 mph speed limit on Hwy 22 is being enforced.  Slow down—stay safe and unticketed.