Tracks

Report on Early Season Conditions

P1080410 Harvey--east to PCT+N Loop
Originally uploaded by oncwillamette

Conditions have been improving pretty markedly in the last week, as this photo suggests. (Santiam Pass, North Loop) A week ago Santiam Pass had 16" unconsolidated snow with numerous "lake" areas. Now the total is 30", with moderate consolidation. So those who've been prudently holding back to save their skis and dignity may need to seriously consider giving the trails a try.

Quid Pro Quo

I have it on good authority that Oregon and Washington have reinstated SnoPark permit reprocity!

While We Wait

P1000146 Maxwell descent.jpg
Originally uploaded by oncwillamette

The weather of late has been promising, with snow sporadically and tantalizingly falling in the passes. On this rainy Sunday morning, a quick check of the TripCheck pass cams shows warm temperatures, fog and soggy snow. Oh well.....

If you too are eager to get out on the snow and can't wait for it to reach necessary depths on the trails, you might want to consider a trip to Nordic trails at two local ski areas. Groomed trails, with their consistent surface and lack of underlying rocks and branches, are a great way to get in some early season practice before the back-country season really gets into full swing. As an added bonus, the lodge awaits with full facilities for those of us not quite aerobically up to the challenge of a full-day trip.

Hoodoo is hoping to open Thanksgiving weekend, and they have posted their 2010-2011 rates. Further south, Willamette Pass Resort is also optimistically projecting a "mid-November opening." Their Nordic rates are comparable to Hoodoo.

Goodbye 10th Mountain?

Santiam Lake Tour
Originally uploaded by oncwillamette

Several members of the Willamette Chapter use Karhu 10th Mountain skis (pictured above on the far left) and speak highly of them.

The following is a note regarding the evolution of this ski. One of our club members reports that he has "an aging pair of Karhu 10th Mtn skis which I really like, but they have around 6-700 miles on them and I know the day of reckoning will eventually come. I'd hoped to buy a backup pair, but repeated checks to mountaingear.com where I got my present skis revealed no 10th Mtns ... or any new-model Karhus at all. So I called Mtn Gear yesterday and a sales person told me she thought the company had been bought out, but she didn't know any more than that. I did a search and found this information at orscrosscountryskisdirect.com:

'K2 Sports, owner of both Madshus Skis & Karhu Skis, has discontinued the Karhu XCD product line and is now producing them as Madshus backcountry skis. Hence, the Madshus Epoch is exactly the same as the former Karhu XCD 10th Mountain skis. Only the graphics are different.'

Turns out ORS, Mountain Gear, Oregon Mtn Community and REI all carry the Madshus Epoch ski--and other versions of Karhu which have been similarly renamed. Hard to know how long K2 might continue these models, so I placed an order at ORS yesterday. 10% discount there currently, and no extra cost to mount bindings or ship.

Here's an article about K2's acquisition of Karhu in 2006: http://www.ski-review.com/ski_news/article/k2_acquires_line_and_karhu/
As noted on the ORS site, for the 2011 model year K2 has rebadged the Karhu ski line, apparently without changes to the ski specs."

Interested skiers who live further south might want to also check Berg's Ski and Snowboard Shop in Eugene. A quick of their stock indicates they do carry the Madshus Epoch, helpfully labeled as "formerly the 10th Mountain."

Might want to check this out, or put them on your list for Santa!

November Meeting: A Canadian Back-country Experience

Put Tuesday, November 9th on your calendars, as this promises to be an entertaining meeting! 

Jerry Vessello will share slides gathered from several years of skiing in the Blanket Glacier area of the Monashee range near Revelstoke, British Columbia. A place of Caribou, Crevasses, and appetizers prior to the sauna.Rumor has it that Jerry will be available for autographs after the show. :-)

Monthly meetings are on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, 7:00 p.m., at the Pringle Hall Community Center, located at 606 Church St SE, Salem. The Hall is in Pringle Park and parking access is from Church St.

Volunteer Opportunity

10 31 09 Mt
Originally uploaded by oncwillamette

The Willamette Chapter of the Oregon Nordic Club plans to work with the Detroit Ranger District to cut and haul log rounds up to Mountain View Shelter.

If there are enough volunteers we will also split the rounds and stack the wood in the shelter.

If you are interested in helping, please contact Jim Todd (503 378 7003) for information on where to meet to carpool up to the site.