WILLAMETTE CHAPTER – OREGON NORDIC CLUB

oncwillamette.org

P. O. Box 181

Salem, OR  97308

NEWSLETTER

January 2022

                            photo by Frank Hoffman

    Just as predicted in December, the snow, though a bit late, did come; and it came with a vengeance.  The Cascades had nearly 200% of their normal snowpack on New Year’s Day.  But almost drowning the cheers are the laments of skiers exhausted by hours of trail breaking.  Such is the nature of our sport.  Along with the joy of fresh snow comes the tedious slog through mounds of white.  Carry on and take comfort in the prospect of extending our ski season into May or even June.  

    And it would scarcely be a January Newsletter without a reminder that Ski Shool is on January 29, and IT IS NOT JUST FOR BEGINNERS!  Whether you have skied 10 years, 20 years or 40 years, a day spent honing skills on groomed snow should be part of your ski season. Tune your diagonal stride, develop a kick double pole, polish your snowplow, try a little skating or work on a telemark. These skills will save energy (and falls) on backcountry tours. You will ski greater distances on more challenging routes and you will enjoy it more. All these benefits will be yours with just one day at Ski School; and a day gliding on groomed snow will be a welcome change from trail breaking.  Pass the word to your friends and get them out on the tracks with us.

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL

    Please renew your membership for the 2021-2022 season.  For only $20 you receive access to all the inside club news, and the satisfaction of supporting our efforts to promote and improve cross-country skiing for everyone.  You can download a renewal form at https://oncwillamette.org/membership.  Join us for a great season on the snow.

WEEKEND DAY TOURS   

    Under current COVID-19 safety guidelines it is possible to resume the club’s scheduled ski tours.  However, individual members should assess their risk carefully before deciding whether to ski with a group.  We are responsible for our own safety.  No one should participate in a club tour if they have symptoms that might indicate Coronavirus infection.  The Willamette Chapter will require everyone to be vaccinated to participate in club tours.  Tour leaders may require proof of vaccination.  Carpooling to the trailhead is an individual choice.  Those who carpool should wear a face covering as a precaution.  Tourers should maintain 6’ social distance at all times and wear face coverings when social distancing is not possible.

    Guests are welcome on Willamette Chapter day tours.  Please contact the tour leader for details and to ensure the tour matches your interests and skill level.

    We need more tour leaders for weekend tours; please step up and lead a tour to your favorite destination.  If you wish to lead a tour, suggest a tour destination or learn more about tour leading, contact Jim Todd (503x378x7003).  The tour schedule is sparse at present due to Holidays and uncertainties about early season snow conditions; more tours will be added as the season progresses.  Remember, impromptu tours are always an option.  If you yearn for a day on skis phone Jim or a skier on the roster emailed last month.  Connect with your fellow Club members and get out when it snows.

January 8, Saturday:  Beginner/A Tour, an easy road ski or perhaps the groomed tracks at Hoodoo.  Contact Jim Todd (503x378x7003).

January 15, Saturday:  A Tour, Santiam Pass or Maxwell SnoPark, depending on snow conditions.  Contact Craig Wojcik (503x931x2705‬).

January 15 or 16, Saturday or Sunday:  B Tour, date and location depending on weather conditions and group interest.  Contact Bob Young (503x621x6626‬).

January 22, Saturday:  B Tour, the Ray Benson/Little Nash traverse.  Contact Jim Todd 

(503x378x7003).  

January 23, Saturday:  A Tour, Santiam Pass area, depending on snow conditions.  Contact John Hortsch (503x507x5727).

January 29, Saturday:  A or B Tour, Ski School at Hoodoo.  See details later in this Newsletter.

January 30, Sunday:  A Tour, Santiam Pass area, depending on snow conditions.  Contact John Hortsch (503x507x5727).

February 5, Saturday:  A Tour, an easy road ski or a return to Hoodoo’s groomed tracks.  Contact Jim Todd (503x378x7003).  

February 5 or 6, Saturday or Sunday:  B Tour, date and location depending on weather conditions and group interest.  Contact Bob Young (503x621x6626‬).

March 19, Saturday:  A or B Tour, John Craig Memorial Ski Event at McKenzie Pass.  Tour or race from the Sisters snowgate on Hwy 242 to Dee Wright Observatory and back; the route should be groomed.  Check February and March Newsletters and watch the website for details.

Tour Ratings: A key to the Tour Rating codes: 

    “Beginner” = Easy, short distances on flat or gentle slopes; appropriate for first time skiers.

    
“A” = Easy, distances up to 5 or 6 miles with a few slopes; basic skills are required; some of these may not be suitable for 1st time skiers. 

    “B” = Intermediate or experienced; distances of 6 to 12 miles or possible elevation gains of 2000 feet; may include steeper sections; some downhill skills are required. 

    “C” = Advanced, longer with greater elevation gains; includes both trails and off-trail with frequent steep terrain.

    “D” = Expert, very difficult or long; possible backcountry travel and/or ski mountaineering. 

WEEK DAY SKI TOURS

    Why not break the shackles that bind you to the calendar this season?  Try a mid-week tour.  Contact one of the enthusiasts below and arrange an escape from routine.  If you want to be added to this list, send your phone and email to Jim Todd, and we’ll include it in the next Newsletter.   Likewise, contact Jim, if you want your name removed for this season.

Weekday skiers:

    Chuck Daellenbach    541x928x4256    daellenbachc at comcast dot net

Frank Hoffman    541x475x0185    hh_tex at msn dot com

    Bianca Klar        503x949x9089    bianchiklar at yahoo dot com

    Mark Olson        503x559x0728    mark at olson dot us

    Foxie Proctor        503x581x0207    foxieproctor at comcast dot net

    Denise Sanders    503x859x4597    oncwillaweb at gmail dot com

    Jeff Starr        503x851x8403    jeffstarr3 at gmail dot com

    Jim Todd        503x378x7003    toddwac18 at gmail dot com

    Craig Wojcik        503x931x2705‬    ccwojcik09 at comcast dot net

    Pam Wojcik        503x362x3439    pjwojcik09 at comcast dot net

    Bob Young        503x621x6626    arch.byoung at gmail dot com

TOUR REPORTS 

December 14, Tuesday:      by Frank Hoffman.

    I skied from the 801 road to North Blowout Shelter. Blue sky, not much breeze. No broken trail, so I was moving pretty slowly—2-1/2 hr to the shelter, 1-1/2 back in my tracks.  I was sinking in a foot or more and backsliding on the new snow, so I attached skins, which helped. No need for them on the way back in my tracks. Fortunately, the pond was traversable. I didn’t see anyone else.

12/14/21:                photo by Frank Hoffman

December 17, Friday:      by Jim Todd

    Bill, Craig and I headed up Hwy 22 hoping to ski at lower elevation to avoid trial breaking at the pass.  Unfortunately, the first place we could park was Big Springs SnoPark with 2’ of fresh snow.  It was a slog in heavy, wet snow; but good exercise and the trees were beautiful.

12/17/21:                                photo by Jim Todd

January 1, Saturday:              by Frank Hoffman

    I skied the Little Nash and Nash/Potato trails New Years Day. Clear and cold, though it seemed snow had consolidated some since my trip to the pass a couple of weeks ago. I used skins, which helped on some of the climbs; my travel took me about 5-3/4 miles RT with 570’ gain. Trails were quite clear with the brushing/signing we did in mid-Nov. I saw one other skier when I reached the west end of FS 892, then a couple of snow shoe groups almost back to the snopark. Molly and her son Craig invited me to sit with them at the fire they’d built in the snopark near my car. It was an interesting, if unexpected, ending to my trip. Molly said she and her family had planned to snowmobile out of Ray Benson, but all parking was filled and the loop was gridlocked—police were there trying to sort it out. On my way back I noticed Potato Hill snopark was full with about 30 cars.

1/01/2022:                            photo by Frank Hoffman

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

    The Willamette Chapter has an active volunteer program assisting the Forest Service with ski trail clearing and marking; shelter construction and maintenance; and firewood stocking.  Thank you volunteers!  If you have questions about out volunteer projects or would like to join one, contact Mark Olson (503x559x0728) or Jim Todd (503x378x7003).

    The Deschutes and Willamette National Forests do 
essential work keeping our ski trails open, marked and 
signed through the winter; but they are desperately short
 of winter recreation staff. We can help them 
use their limited resources efficiently by sending a Trail Report whenever we ski the marked trails. “Cascade Volunteers” records volunteer activity
 and reports directly to Forest Service offices.
You can access their Trail Report form at:  https://cascadevols.org/usfs-work-report/.  (Note:  the form requires a trail number, but our ski trails are not numbered; just enter any number in the “Trail Number” field, then describe the trail in the “Trail Name” field).  You can also report your observations by sending an email to Jim Todd:  toddwac18 at gmail dot com.

SKI SCHOOL

CROSS COUNTRY SKI RACING

    The Winter Olympics will be held next month in Beijing and our sport will briefly appear in the spotlight.  The usual powerhouses (Norway Sweden, Finland and Russia) are likely to dominate, but the US women’s XC team has a reasonable chance of bringing Olympic medals home.  In World Cup competition this season Jessie Diggins (gold medalist at the 2018 Olympics) has two golds (10K Freestyle and Sprint) and three silvers (10K Freestyle, Sprint & Team Sprint); Rosie Brennan has a bronze (10K Freestyle); Julia Kern has a silver (Team Sprint with Diggins); and the Relay Team of Diggins, Brennan, Kern and Hailey Swirbul placed 4th—just missing a bronze.  For information on Olympic and World Cup cross country skiing visit https://olympics.com/en/beijing-2022/ and https://www.fis-ski.com/cross-country/. 

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.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
    The Newsletter now includes an Announcement Section. There members can post ski related items for sale, cross-country related questions, inquiries about conditions and suggestions for ski trips. Please send your announcements to Bob, Jim or Denise for inclusion in the Newsletter. Another good place for these items is on the website, ONCWillamette.org

    1.  Jeff Starr (503x581x8403) has a pair of Garmont Excursion 3-pin boots for sale.  They are Euro size 26.5, in good condition, for $40. 

2020-2021 OFFICERS & BOARD MEMBERS:     

            Available                                President

            Jeanne Miller                          Vice President

            Bob Young                              Treasurer & Membership

            Denise Sanders                        Webmeister

            Genice Rabe                            Newsletter Editor

            Jim Todd                                 Day Tour Chair

            David Forkner                         ONC State Board Rep & Board Member

            Pam Wojcik                             Overnight Trip Coordinator & Board Member  

            Mark Olson                            Volunteer Coordinator & Board Member      

            Christine Young                      Board Member

Available Board Member