10 tips for climbing @ The Skinner’s Butte Columns

Hello everyone. It’s almost that time of year again when The Columns at Skinner’s Butte stay reliably dry enough for consistent climbing. With the change of weather comes the crowds and all the great people climbing at Skinner’s Butte for their first time.  With this in mind, I’ve been talking with other Skinner’s Butte climbers about what kind of advice they would give to people new to the community.

Top 10 Tips:

1:  Practice your rigging and rappelling at home. The Columns are a great place for practicing and learning, but it’s good getting the basics sorted at home. There are tons of books at the library on how to do this including Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills and Climbing Anchors by John Long.

2: Backups and double checks, every time all the time. It’s easy to get into a routine and stop paying attention to the basics. If you make double-checking yourself and your partners a part of the routine, then no worries eh? Learning and teaching others how to back up a rappel could save a life.

3: Give crack climbing a try! The Columns are an amazing place to learn crack climbing with 5.7 cracks all the way up to 5.12 and up. Crack climbing can be very nuanced and technique-specific, so it can be baffling and frustrating at first. I promise that if you keep with it you’ll be cruising up The Columns with ease very soon. Typing “crack climbing technique” into your search engine of choice can really speed up the learning process as well. There are lots of great videos and articles online. The best way to learn is hands on, so check out our crack climbing clinic July 28.  To find out specifics and sign up go to https://ceapps.eugene-or.gov/econnect/Activities/ActivitiesAdvSearch.asp Class barcode # is 105010

4: When tossing a rope down it is customary to holler “rope!” and wait a few seconds. It’s also a good idea to look where you’re throwing your rope to make sure it’s clear. Not dropping your rope on somebody is a great way to make an introduction. Tossing rope bags, sandals, or anything else is generally a bad idea.

5:It’s all in the feet. It’s natural to focus on hand/finger jams and totally forget about footwork. Footwork is just as important in crack climbing as in other types of climbing, but in some ways can be harder to learn. Standing on a ledge comes naturally enough, but learning how to create a comfy ledge with a foot jam takes a lot of practice and testing to see what works.

6:The Columns can get super crowded and busy. The best way for us to be able to share this limited resource is to stay relaxed about getting on any specific routes, and talking with people who are already on them. Most of the people who are there on a crowded day are in a similar situation as you and might not know what do next. This is a great opportunity to introduce yourself and talk with people around you. Often you can just trade with people, jump in with their group, or figure out some sort of solution. If you find yourself waiting around for a route to open up, this is a chance to clean up some of the broken glass and garbage which invariably finds it’s way to The Columns. A few minutes of cleanup does wonders for your route-negotiations as well.

7: Clear communication is critical. At a busy place like the Columns (and other local spots like Smith Rock) it is critical to communicate clearly with your partner. Commands like “on belay” should include your partner’s name, “On belay Joe?” so there is no doubt of who is talking to whom. It can be helpful to establish what you plan to do once you reach the top, and to let your partner know what you expect them to do before you leave the ground. Hand signals also can work well if you’ve worked them out beforehand.

8: Extending your anchor out past the edge can really help with the rope-eating nature of the cracks, save wear on your gear, and cut down on rope drag. This can also make rappelling or lowering a little more scary, so try to find what makes you feel most comfortable and go with that.

9:We get a lot of people stopping to gawk and take pictures. Climbing is still a weirdo-type thing for some people, so you might get asked some strange questions. Please try to be as polite as possible in answering them. In the big picture, it’s important to interact positively with the non-climbing community since these are often the folks who own or manage land with potential climbing spots. Also, bringing your gear with you to the base of the routes you are climbing helps keep everything looking tidy and less like a free pile of gear to people passing by.

10: Recently it’s become more common for people to bring radios climbing. Please be considerate with them, especially when there are other people around. Bringing pets to climb can be similar. It might be great fun until it isn’t, and then all of a sudden it’s no fun at all. Skinner’s Butte is a Eugene City park, so if you do bring a pet it needs to be on a leash, and please clean up any waste the pet produces.

Thanks for reading some of the ideas which some local climbing addicts wanted to share. Please note   that these are tips, not rules. Climbing is about self management and an at-your-own-risk activity. The Columns are a very special place, but Eugene City park rules still apply.

Have fun out there and don’t forget to introduce yourself around!

I hope to see you @ The Columns.

-Joe Richardson is a Rock Climbing staff at the River House Outdoor Program

If you’ve got an awesome tip of your own to share, please leave it in the comments

Being prepared: Taking a Wilderness First Responder Course

Photo Credit: Lena Conlan/WMI of NOLS

Spring break for most is a time to celebrate and enjoy free time, but for a small group spring break meant waking up at seven a.m. and being in class by eight. Why? Because we wanted to become WFR’s. For those not familiar with the term WFR, it stands for Wilderness First Responder and is a first aid certification like no other. Most first aid classes focus on the basics, setting students up to be prepared for minor injuries in an urban setting. The WFR class is an eighty hour course that prepares its students to deal with injuries and illnesses in the backcountry. Taught by NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School), the WFR certification has become an industry standard and has improved the safety of trips lead by outdoor educators.

Photo Credit: David Anderson/NOLS

Taking the WFR is an undertaking of its own, it means committing to the eighty hour course, and for some City of Eugene River House staff it meant giving up spring break. The first day we met at 7:45 a.m., and next thing we knew it was day two and we were doing scenarios.  Scenarios were used to teach us how to assess patients, plan for their care and record important details about the patient. We had the opportunity to have our scenarios near the Life Flight landing area which provided an exciting element when the Life Flight helicopter was taking off or landing.

The first scenarios were fun, and all of our practice patients were conveniently found lying on their backs, in the perfect patient position, which gave us the ability to easily assess them. By day four things changed, we went outside to find our patients and at first we could not. They were not lying on the grass or sidewalk, we looked around at each other wondering where the instructors had put our patients. Sensing our confusion the instructors pointed to the bushes lining the area we were standing in, as we approached the bushes we could see our patients, not conveniently placed on the grass and certainly not in the perfect patient position. Luckily for our patients we had spent the morning practicing rolls and carries that would protect their spines. We clambered into the bushes and proceed to carefully remove our patients, while the extraction and assessment went well, all of us had splinters from the mulch for the next few days. A reminder that patients don’t always lie down in the grass and get into the perfect patient position before having a medical emergency.

Throughout the class we were challenged to think critically and to use the information we had been taught to deal with unique situations. Overall the course provided an excellent understanding of the challenges we would face should medical issues arise in the back-country as well as how to handle issues and provide high quality care. While we may have given up our spring break, the information we learned is highly valuable and as summer approaches we feel ready to play outside knowing that if someone should have a medical emergency we are prepared to offer them a high level of care.

Written by Althea Sullivan

To learn more about the WFR visit their website:

http://www.nols.edu/wmi/courses/wfr.shtml

To learn more about NOLS visit their website:

http://www.nols.edu/

To learn about the history of NOLS and founder Paul Petzoldt (please watch this video):

Paddle board yoga makes waves Yoga-on-the-water classes calming and challenging

Written By: Kathleen Kenna Special to the Star, Published on Fri Aug 24 2012

What do you call two Toronto women who standup paddle board on Lake Ontario in winter?

Entrepreneurs.

Fitness studio owner Gudrun Hardes, 48, and marathoner Diana Turnbull, 47, met on the lake and decided to start a stand up paddleboard (SUP) business.

It just made sense: “We’re out there in our wetsuits in December and January — the only two idiots on the water — and we figured we’re enjoying this so much, let’s do it the rest of our lives,” Hardes recalls.

By May they had opened WSUP, and Hardes, who has been doing yoga for 15 years, was experimenting with doing asanas (yoga postures) on a paddle board as well. They soon launched yoga-on-the-water classes at The Beach.

“People just love it,” says Hardes. “It’s really picking up everywhere.”

Gudrun Hardes (second from left) and students do yoga on stand-up paddle boards on Lake Ontario.

WSUP has had students aged 8 to 72 since it began offering paddle board yoga at two locations (Woodbine and Balmy Beach) this summer.

“People wanted a little more, as soon as they started ‘getting their legs,’” Hardes says. “With paddle boarding, you get really tight in the legs, so it’s a nice stretch after being out on the board.

“It really helps with your balance; it makes you focus more, and helps improve your posture.”

Yoga paddle boarding involves vinyasa postures, from the sun salutation to lunges. “I do it just for the feel-good aspect,” Hardes says. “Being on the water is so calming; people just gravitate to water naturally.”

Hardes, who can do some of the most difficult yoga poses on a board — including headstands — says she has started introducing subtle yoga moves in her regular paddleboard classes too. “When the water is nice and calm, it helps stretch you out — but it’s not a yoga class,” she stresses.

Paddle boarding is like surfing but more gentle, she adds. Add yoga and “it becomes a real social event. We’re getting a lot more groups who want to try paddleboard yoga.”

As proof, she cites a recent booking: Toronto’s Meet Market Adventures singles’ group.

“Men usually want a private lesson first, because they don’t want to fall in the water in front of a woman.”

Paddleboard yoga removes that concern, because poses are done slowly and with core-building strength and balance.

Kyhiera Machado, a yoga instructor in Santa Cruz, Calif., shows the ease of balancing on a paddle board.

There’s some dispute about the origins of paddle board yoga, with both Florida and California claiming that title. Canadian travellers taking classes at resorts from the South Pacific to South America began demanding paddle board yoga at home. Hardes tried it in Spain in May, before starting on Lake Ontario.

“Paddle boarding is the fastest-growing water sport in the world,” says longtime instructor Neil Pearlberg, owner of Santa Cruz Stand Up Paddle Board in California.

He says his son, Quinn, pioneered yoga on the water in 2009 when he was 17 after getting bored teaching an all-women paddle boarding classes at an upscale club in San Jose.

Pearlberg says he expected few takers when he started the classes — but had to call in Quinn as a backup teacher when 60 women showed up.

“After an hour, Quinn says, ‘Dad, I’m bored.’ He doesn’t want to be on the flat water with a bunch of women — he’s a surfer!”

But Pearlberg insisted, so Quinn made his job more interesting by leading students in poses he had learned at yoga classes with his mother.

“We’re in the middle of this lake and he’s doing downward dog, and all my students are saying they want to try that, too.”

Demand soared when Pearlberg began offering classes at outdoor pools later that year.

“Women don’t want to get cold, they don’t want to be in a 50-degree harbour, and they don’t want to know what’s on the bottom of the ocean,” he said. “They want to be in warm water.”

“You don’t have to be good at yoga,” Pearlberg says. “You can be injured (disabled); you can be overweight. If you can sit on a board, you can do it.”

When Pearlberg began classes in 2009, yoga instructors told him “You’re out of your mind,” because they were doubtful that paddle boarders would take to it, he says. “Now, we have classes all over the Bay area.”

Artist Kyhiera Miller, a certified yoga teacher, is among his instructors. Asked about the appeal of yoga on water, the 43-year-old has a one-word reply: “Bliss.”

WSUP classes are $25 for one session; $100 for five; $180 for 10. For more information, contact info@wsup.ca or call Gudrun Hardes at 416-834-5801 or Diana Turnbull at 416-725-7735.

Original article:  http://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2012/08/24/paddle_board_yoga_makes_waves.html

Snowshoeing to Sahalie Falls

When winter weather hits, you have two choices. You can hunker down in your Hobbit-hole with a good book and a hot beverage … or you can go play in the snow.

When the folks at the City of Eugene Amazon Community Center invited me along on a snowshoe trip to Sahalie Falls, I couldn’t say no. It’s nice to be indoors when it’s cold, but the chance to take a refreshing hike through the snow to see one of the tallest waterfalls along the McKenzie River was irresistible, and I was not the only one who felt this allure.

A group of 12 adventurous souls met on a chilly Saturday morning in February at the Amazon Community Center. For most in attendance it would be their first time on snowshoes. Luckily, there was a brief crash-course conducted by staffer Josh Lutje, to help hikers grow accustomed to the clunky appendages that would soon take them to the roaring water of Sahalie Falls.

The 80-minute bus ride was broken into parts, and those who sat close to the driver enjoyed juicy tidbits and details of McKenzie River topography. This is because Lutje is a bottomless wealth of information. His vast knowledge of the terrain is considered by many of the hikers to be part of the trip’s appeal, and for good reason.

“This is one of the more difficult rapids coming up here on the right,” Lutje narrates, nodding at the river while piloting the bus along the scenic Highway 126. “It’s called ‘Screamer,’ and it’s low right now but in the summer the water is way bigger there.”

From fishing holes to secluded campgrounds, from animal identification to general history of the McKenzie River area, Lutje has it covered. Going on a trip with him is like having your own personal tour guide—and one that knows where to find a tasty hot meal in the cold snowy expanse. At lunchtime, we all piled out of the bus and made our way into Takoda’s, a little restaurant with a homey feel to it and no shortage of menu choices. I strongly suggest the buffalo burger, and the French fries at this place are so wonderful you don’t need to use ketchup.

By the time we arrived at the trailhead, strapped on snowshoes and grabbed the walking sticks, all of which were provided, we were full-bellied but hungry to get to the falls. The snow level was high enough to almost completely cover the outdoor restroom facilities, and without snowshoes, a person could easily take a five-foot plunge into a very cold place. Luckily we were all well-prepared to follow Lutje down the trail, although from time to time things got tricky—do not try to back-up in snowshoes—and a few of us ended up horizontal. This did not matter, because falling down only presented opportunities to make snow angels.

Hiking up the trail, determined adventurers were treated to an up-close view of the falls. We’re talking about a deluge of ice-cold water plummeting 73-feet; the sound is thunderous and the sight is breathtaking. Most of the hikers who made it that far up the trail were rendered completely silent upon reaching the viewpoint.

As the afternoon faded into early evening, the temperature dropped quickly. We piled back into the bus after shivering back down the trail and stowing the gear. Most of the ride back was spent talking about other gorgeous snowshoe hikes we could go on as soon as possible.

There’s much to be said for hibernating through the winter, but getting out of your comfort zone and into the snow is worth the reward.

— Dante Zúñiga-West

Oregon’s Highest Peaks

I recently met with some friends and we were talking about what peak we planned on hiking this summer.  After doing South Sister the previous summer, we were ready to do another climb.  But, none of us knew what our next peak would be and more importantly we didn’t even know what the names of any of the peaks were.  So, thanks to google we were instantly turned onto this page by Glass Mountains website.  I thought it was informative and decided I would it share with you.

~Melinda K. Vega, River House Outdoor Program Office Coordinator

Straight from Glass Mountains website: Oregon’s Highest Peaks  Copyright © 2012 Paul J. McClellan

Oregon’s Highest Peaks (500′ Prominence)

Jeff Howbert published a list of “Oregon’s 100 Highest Peaks” in the May 1996 issue of Pack & Paddle magazine. Peaks on this list have at least 500 feet of “clean” prominence (rising at least 500 feet above any saddle connecting it to anything higher). Many of the peaks on this list are not named on USGS maps. Jeff Howbert chose the to name otherwise unnamed peaks after the name of their adjacent drainages, and placed those names in brackets (see below).

Since the publication of Jeff Howbert’s list, it has been recognized on Peakbagger.com that Peak 8428 in the Elkhorns qualifies for the list with at least 508 feet of clean prominence, and I have added it as number 63. This shifted Crook Peak to position 101.

Eleven additional peaks in the Wallowas can be included if the requirement of 500 feet of “clean” prominence is extended to “optimistic prominence”. I have added them provisionally below in gray. Revisions of topographically-generated (objective) peak lists are common when topographic maps are revised and reissued, and it is possible that one or more of these may qualify in a future map revision.

Most of Oregon’s Highest Peaks are in the Blue and Wallowa Mountains in the northeast corner of the state, rather than in the more familiar Cascade Range. For many years I focused on climbing the Cascade peaks, and have neglected Oregon’s rich variety of geology and ecosystems. I look forward to many years of exploring this varied state.

The Peaks

Oregon’s Highest Peaks – Cascade Range
Rank	Peak	Elevation	USGS 7.5 min Quad
1	Mount Hood	11239	Mount Hood South
2	Mount Jefferson	10497	Mount Jefferson
3	South Sister	10358	South Sister
4	North Sister	10085	North Sister
5	Middle Sister	10047	North Sister
16	Mount McLoughlin	9495	Mount McLoughlin
22	Mount Thielsen	9182	Mount Thielsen
23	Broken Top	9175	Broken Top
29	Mount Bachelor	9065	Mount Bachelor	Ski
35	Mount Scott	8928	Crater Lake East
45	Diamond Peak	8744	Diamond Peak
66	Howlock Mountain	8396	Mount Thielsen
68	Mount Bailey	8368	Diamond Lake
73	Aspen Butte	8208	Aspen Lake
75	Hollys Ridge	8178	Mount Thielsen
76	Hillman Peak	8151	Crater Lake West
77	Dutton Cliff	8147	Crater Lake East
80	Applegate Peak	8126	Crater Lake East
83	Ball Butte	8091	Broken Top	Ski
84	Llao Rock	8049	Crater Lake West
85	Pelican Butte	8036	Pelican Butte
92	Mount Harriman	7979	Aspen Lake
98	Mount Carmine	7882	Aspen Lake
100	Three Fingered Jack	7841	Three Fingered Jack
(104)	Mount Washington	7794	Mount Washington

Oregon’s Highest Peaks – Wallowa Mountains
Rank	Peak	Elevation	USGS 7.5 min Quad
6	Sacajawea Peak	9838	Eagle Cap
-	Matterhorn	9826	Eagle Cap
7	Hurwal Divide	9776	Chief Joseph Mountain	B56
9	Aneroid Mountain	9702	Aneroid Mountain	B59
10	Petes Point	9675	Aneroid Mountain	B58
11	Twin Peaks	9673	Chief Joseph Mountain	S57
12	Chief Joseph Mountain	9616	Chief Joseph Mountain	B55
=	Hurricane Divide North	9600+	Chief Joseph Mountain
13	Eagle Cap	9572	Eagle Cap	1
14	Red Mountain	9560+	Cornucopia	B63,S73
15	Cusick Mountain	9518	Aneroid Mountain
17	[Wallowa-McCully]/Hidden Peak/Aneroid Mountain North	9440+	Aneroid Mountain	B61
18	Sentinel Peak	9400+	Aneroid Mountain
=	Petes-Sentinel Ridge/Polaris Point	9395	Aneroid Mountain
19	Hurricane Divide South	9386	Eagle Cap
21	Elkhorn Peak	9233	Steamboat Lake	S61
=	Craig Mountain	9204	Eagle Cap	B57
24	Glacier Mountain	9169	Steamboat Lake	S59
=	Peak 9160/Bonneville Mountain	9160+	Aneroid Mountain	B58
25	[McCully-Little Sheep]/Mount Melissa/East McCully Basin Peak	9128	Aneroid Mountain
27	[Dollar-N Imnaha]/Dollar Ridge/Dollar Lake Peak	9080+	Aneroid Mountain	B59
27	Krag Peak	9080+	Krag Peak	B63,S73
=	Traverse Ridge	9085	Chief Joseph Mountain
31	Needle Point	9018	Eagle Cap	S70
32	[Traverse-Trail]/Traverse Lake East Peak	8949	Bennet Peak	S69
33	[Echo-Tombstone]/Echo Lake Northwest Peak	8934	Steamboat Lake	S69
37	[Eagle-Lawson]/Eagle Lake East	8924	Eagle Cap	S70
38	Marble Mountain	8921	Cornucopia
40	Ruby Peak	8884	Chief Joseph Mountain
42	[Blue-Minam]/Blue Lake Southwest	8839	Eagle Cap	S59
43	[Last Chance-Long]/Long Lake South	8820	Steamboat Lake	S61
44	Lookout Mountain	8800+	N. Minam Meadows	S61
=	Peak 8721	8721	Krag Peak	S71
47	Granite Butte	8679	Steamboat Lake	B52,S68
48	[Lookingglass-Culver]/Culver Lake South	8676	Krag Peak
49	[Chimney-Wood]/Chimney Lake North	8675	N. Minam Meadows	S61
50	China Cap	8656	China Cap	B52,S68
53	[Lostine-Granite]/Granite Creek East	8627	N. Minam Meadows
=	Jackson Peak	8602	Eagle Cap
55	[Cached-Eagle]/Cached Lake South	8587	Krag Peak	S70
=	Peak 8500	8500	Krag Peak
61	[Arrow-Copper]/Arrow Lake Peak	8448	Bennet Peak	S70
62	[Lostine-Moccasin]	8441	Eagle Cap
69	[N Minam-Bear]	8352	N. Minam Meadows	S61
70	[Hidden-Minam]/Hidden Lake North	8335	Eagle Cap	S72
=	Peak 8120	8120+	Cornucopia
=	Peak 8080	8080+	N. Minam Meadows	S61
94	Sugarloaf Mountain	7960+	Cornucopia
=	Squaw Butte	7902	China Cap
-	< 500 feet of prominence
=	under review (optimistic prominence)
[ ]	name indicates a pair of lakes or drainages near the peak
+	at least this high

Oregon’s Highest Peaks – Basin and Range (SE Oregon)
Rank	Peak	Elevation	USGS 7.5 min Quad
8	Steens Mountain	9733	Wildhorse Lake
20	[Kiger-Mann]	9348	Wildhorse Lake
52	Pueblo Mountain	8632	Van Horn Basin
60	Crane Mountain	8456	Crane Mountain
64	[Modesto-Little Cottonwood]/West Pueblo Ridge/Central Pueblo Mountains Peak	8420	Van Horn Basin
65	Drake Peak	8407	Drake Peak
67	Gearhart Mountain	8370	Campbell Reservoir
71	Light Peak	8325	Crook Peak
74	Yamsay Mountain	8196	Yamsay Mountain
78	Twelvemile Peak	8144	Crook Peak
79	Dead Horse Rim	8134	Lee Thomas Crossing
87	Stevenson Benchmark *	8027	Bretz Mine
88	Warner Peak	8017	Warner Peak
95	Cougar Peak	7919	Cougar Peak
96	Beatys Butte	7918	Beatys Butte
101	Crook Peak	7834	Crook Peak
[ ]	name indicates a pair of lakes or drainages near the peak
*	unofficial name

Oregon’s Highest Peaks – Elkhorn and Greenhorn Mountains
Rank	Peak	Elevation	USGS 7.5 min Quad
26	Rock Creek Butte	9106	Elkhorn Peak
34	Elkhorn Peak	8931	Elkhorn Peak
35	Red Mountain	8928	Anthony Lakes
39	Twin Mountain	8897	Anthony Lakes
41	[Cougar Pond]	8880+	Elkhorn Peak
46	Van Patten Butte	8729	Anthony Lakes
51	Angell Peak	8646	Anthony Lakes
54	Mount Ruth	8600	Anthony Lakes
58	[Cunningham-Dutch Flat]/Dutch Flat Saddle South	8525	Anthony Lakes
63	Peak 8428	8428	Anthony Lakes
72	Mount Ireland	8321	Mount Ireland
81	Vinegar Hill	8120+	Vinegar Hill
82	Columbia Hill	8117	Bourne
89	Crown Point	8006	Mount Ireland	S32,33
[ ]	name indicates a pair of lakes or drainages near the peak
+	at least this high

Oregon’s Highest Peaks – Strawberry Mountains
Rank	Peak	Elevation	USGS 7.5 min Quad
30	Strawberry Mountain	9038	Strawberry Mountain
56	Graham Mountain	8570	Strawberry Mountain
57	Indian Spring Butte	8529	Strawberry Mountain
59	[Riner Basin-Slide]	8511	Strawberry Mountain
86	Lookout Mountain	8032	Little Baldy Mountain
90	[Berry-Norton]	8000+	Pine Creek Mountain
93	Pine Creek Mtn., E Peak *	7975	Pine Creek Mountain
97	Indian Creek Butte	7886	Pine Creek Mountain
99	Bullrun Rock	7873	Bullrun Rock
[ ]	name indicates a pair of lakes or drainages near the peak
*	unofficial name
+	at least this high

Oregon’s Highest Peaks – High Lava Plains
Rank	Peak	Elevation	USGS 7.5 min Quad
91	Paulina Peak	7984	Paulina Peak	Ski
(136)	Hagar Mountain	7185	Hagar Mountain
(200)	Pine Mountain	6509	Pine Mountain

Sources

Peakbagger.com: Paul’s Oregon Top 100 Peaks
Peakbagger.com: Paul’s Oregon Peaks with 2000 feet of Prominence
Summitpost (Oregon Top 100)
The Northwest Peakbaggers Asylum

References

1. Bond, Barbara I., 75 Scrambles in Oregon: best non-technical ascents, The Mountaineers Books, 2005.
2. Sullivan, William L., 100 Hikes/Travel Guide: Eastern Oregon, Navillus Press, 2002.
3. Sullivan, William L., 100 Hikes in the Central Oregon Cascades, third edition, Navillus Press, 2005.
4. Thomas, Jeff, Oregon High: A Climbing Guide, Keep Climbing Press, 1991.

Snow day

Outdoor guides enjoy expanding their wilderness skills, learning to ski cross country along freshly fallen powder.

BY ROBIN MUNRO

For Special Publications

Published: January 2, 2013 12:00AM,Midnight, Jan. 2 

To take advantage of the first good snowfall of the season in the Cascades, eight of us board a bus at the River House Community Center, home turf for the City of Eugene’s outdoor program, and head east for the Hoodoo Ski Area in Sisters.

En route, we stop to gas up and grab some snacks. But before departing again, Anne Borland — driving separately — pops her head in the bus to give us our first instruction of the day. Anne is a senior River House instructor and the leader of today’s cross-country ski trip.

“I want you all to share your favorite beverage, favorite song and an activity you know really well,” she says, giggling a little at the fun of engaging a group of grown-ups in an icebreaker reminiscent of summer camp.

Milk, water, coffee and a local microbrew are mentioned. Biking, hiking, yoga and skiing are among activities our group knows well.

The icebreaker succeeds in getting us to laugh and talk, but for most of the group, the ice already has been broken. Seated on the bus are seven River House guides and just one newbie skier.

Today, Anne will lead a cross-country ski training for her fellow outdoor guides, each of whom teach different sports and activities at the River House.

As seasoned instructor Salmon Norgaard-Stroich explains, “River House invests in cross-training its employees.” The River House is selective with whom it entrusts to responsibly lead community members into the wilderness. And once they’re hired, River House takes the time to equip its guides with skills in many areas.

Since joining the staff in 1996, Salmon’s knowledge and skills in all areas have, he says, improved immensely.

Gear up, stride on

Anne, a River House instructor also since 1996, is particularly well-suited to lead today’s training.

Not only is she a pro on skis, but Anne has a naturally warm, supportive teaching style. Before leaving for Hoodoo, she checks in with the one novice in the group to make sure she’s wearing the appropriate attire — synthetic long johns, a wool or fleece sweater, and rain jacket and pants on top.

Never wear cotton when skiing, she advises. When you sweat, the moisture will just sit on your skin and make you cold. River House has some clothing available to loan, but participants provide their own gear. Berg’s Ski Shop rents skis, boots and poles for $10 a day, and $5 each additional.

Upon arrival, we head for Hoodoo’s groomed Nordic ski trails. Although you have to pay to use the groomed trails, the consistent terrain they provide is more forgiving for beginners. Today’s snow at Hoodoo is thick and powdery and perfect for falling.

Fortunately, the free heel on cross-country skis allows for a more natural range of motion than downhill skis, which lock your boots in place from heel to toe.

A locked-in heel does have its purpose in downhill skiing.

As Salmon puts it, “[It] prevents you from falling forward on your face. But it’s a lot more comfortable and natural to walk on cross-country skis.” The free heel also allows you to create the ankle flexion needed to propel forward in the classic cross-country motion, the “diagonal stride.”

During the lesson, Anne explains each movement like a professor of sports science — using terms such as “propulsion,” “flexion” and “extension.” But to help us translate the motion from brain to body, she uses fun, easy-to-remember imagery. To help us visualize the proper stride position — knees and ankles bent, body mass forward — Anne tells us to assume a “gorilla stance.”

Intermittently throughout the lesson, Anne also shouts “freeze frame,” commanding us to freeze in mid-diagonal stride.

And unexpectedly, the morning’s icebreaker becomes a tool to demonstrate how to carry our poles. “Don’t drop your favorite beverage!” Anne shouts as she merrily glides past, holding her poles ahead of her like a tray. To help us develop a rhythm — also key for efficient cross-country skiing — she instructs us to glide while singing our favorite song.

After a successful morning lesson, Anne has one more exercise in store. She tells us to drop our poles for a game of tag. Too busy dodging out of the way to worry if we have sufficient flexion, the exercise reinforces one key point: Don’t over-think it!

January through February, River House offers ski lessons for adults, age 16 to senior, as well as classes exclusively for seniors and youth. More advanced adult skiers also have a Level II option.

If new to skiing, you can always brave the trails on your own.

“But taking a lesson will make it so much more fun and efficient,” says Salmon, who admits he had to unlearn all of his self-taught bad habits. “You will be able to go faster, and farther.”

Have Fun, Play, and then who knows?… You might learn something!

I have received numerous articles and videos recently of some respected people who are championing the value of “Play”.  Here are a couple of recent ones that I highly recommend:

Play is more than fun it’s vital!

The Importance Of Play

In light of these great resources I wanted to take the discussion to the next step and provide you with some tips and suggestions to lead others in playful games and activities and point you in a direction to find further resources to PLAY!  Who knows where you can take it from there, but chances are you might learn something.

So here we go:

BASIC GUIDELINES and TIPS for PLAYING GAMES

from the SBCC Manual

Start with the group as it is, considering the age range, clothing, available play area, and their psychological readiness to interact with each other and go on from there.

Aim for games where everyone is involved. Standing around idle is opportunity for shoving, etc. And nobody likes to be “eliminated” from play for a long period of time and have to just stand around watching.

Be very open and welcoming to everyone, even a bit silly, modeling the style of play you want to encourage. Assure them with words and gestures that each game will be fun. Dress up the games with names promising fun, add appropriate “pretend” elements, and develop the group’s ability to play together.

Whatever the situation begin with simple games, easily explained, with simple equipment that provide easy access and that have few rules, that will end quickly so transition can be made to new games. Make room for new arrivals or latecomers and quickly incorporate them into play. Be ready to shift games as group size changes.

Form a circle. This is an easy way to establish that everyone is included and allows for the group to be able to see you giving instructions.  Remove sunglasses when talking to the group and try to position yourself facing the sun so that your participants are not looking into the sun while trying to look at you.

Begin with a general description of the game including its imagery, objective and if possible a familiar game category. Try to give them choices as to who plays what. Practice any special moves or phrases ahead of time.

Have a balance of strenuous and lower activity games. Let players stretch their bodies and feelings slowly at first. Try to conclude with an appropriate “wind-down” game as well. Be sensitive to when the players are getting tired and may need a less strenuous game, or even to stop playing.

Be very safety conscious, and give clear safety instructions to the participants. Make it clear that the objective is a good time for everyone. Use “Bumpers Up,” and “Wog” where appropriate.  Stress the use of strategy and teamwork.  Avoid rough contact games.

Work towards building trusting relationships between players. Balance individual expression with group awareness and community sharing. Play down aggressive competition, stress cooperation.

Keep your sense of humor. As the Referee-leader, don’t take yourself too seriously.  One outburst of anger can turn everybody off. Encourage and keep alive the make-believe imagery of the games. Play with them as much as practical and possible. Ideal situations are those where the children take over the leadership of the play.

Try to keep teams evenly matched – Some kids will always try to stay together, boys and girls will tend to separate from each other, some will need some “nudging” to get them involved, hopefully most will show some enthusiasm once you get started. Expect some resistance, be enthusiastic! Have some “Divider Games” in your tool-kit.

Have a signal for “everyone refocus and pay attention” such as everyone raising the “one way” sign. Learn some effective “Attention Getter” activities.

Be prepared to modify the game to maintain or create a balance in the level of challenge. Keep the game from being too goal-oriented. Give everyone equal opportunity to play different roles, and don’t allow certain people to dominate. Adjust the challenge, simplify or complicate moves, in order to adjust the speed of the game, its and the ease of achieving its goal. You want everyone to have as an opportunity to enjoy participation in the game.

Be flexible – if a game isn’t working, adapt the game or do something else.

End the game or change to a different game at the height of FUN.  As a facilitator you need to be aware of the group’s energy and interest level.  Ending a game when everyone is having a good time will keep the energy of the group up and the individuals engaged to listen to what’s next.  Don’t play a game and wait for everyone to be tired or bored in order for you to introduce the new activity.  For some groups, you’ve already lost them.

Watch your time!

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Recently a new game book has come out entitled “Find Something to Do” by Jim Cain.  It is a small book containing 123 Games and activities using little to no equipment.  I recommend the book as a helpful quick reference to get the ball rolling and play with groups.  The activities are written to be useful for a variety of leaders so I would encourage you to take a look.

A suggested activity that I have played for years to get the fun and play going with one of your groups is one of my favorite games called Transformer Tag

OR

Heads and Tails Tag

Objective:  to tag the other team

Description:Demonstrate to the participants the two body positions suitable for wogging (moving at the speed between walking and jogging!) Some participants will place one hand on top of the head, while others will place one hand on their rear-end.  Have participants stand with their hands by their sides.  Each participant will be allowed to decide which team they are on when you say “GO!!!”

Participants then immediately declare their identity on their head or their tail. One team (the heads) attempts to tag the other team (tails) and vice versa. When tagged, the tail is transformed into a member of the heads team and vice versa. The game continues until one team (heads or tails) has dominated the world, transforming all of the other teams’ members! Can be repeated although I usually do not play it more than 3 times in a row.

Robert Brack, Spencer Butte Challenge Course Director