Trip Report

Camp Cecil
Wallowa Mountains, Oregon
July 28–August 4, 1984
Location:
Jack Creek, East Fork Eagle Creek, Wallowa Mountains, Oregon
(NAD27) 45° 1' 47" North, 117° 20' 5" West
UTM Zone 11, 473600 easting, 4986000 northing
Elevation: 4360 ft. (1330 m)

Camp Cecil Report by Wes Prouty

Rule number one for the outing chairman is: “Don’t forget the pancake griddles!” We did forget them (and the cook’s sleeping tent) but a trip to the nearest phone (26 miles) put some wheels in motion which got the griddles to Joe who arrived in camp Monday night.

We had a great campsite on Jack Creek in the East Eagle Creek valley on the south side of the Wallowa Mountains just outside the Eagle Cap Wilderness. Our original destination, Kettle Creek Camp, was accessible by foot by crossing logs over East Eagle Creek. All campers agreed that Jack Creek was a better campsite with the spring-fed creek flowing right through camp. The hiking was strenuous but rewarding. Overnight trips to Crater Lake and Moon Lake were popular. Hikes and car trips were made to some mining areas, but snow on Horton Pass made it impractical to reach the lake basin and Eagle Cap via the East Eagle Trail, but the valley way very scenic to that point. Every day there was a mad rush to the “Bea of the Baths” shelters after coming off the hot and dusty trails. Those showers were a wonder in engineering, and with warm water to boot! Even better than last year. (Isn’t solar energy wonderful out in the wilds?)

It was fun to have a lot of new faces at camp this year, including Jan Baker Jacobsen’s twin sister, Joan Morgan, who had us doing double takes guessing which was who!

Friday night got us through another President’s Tea as we bestowed President John with a lot of witty ceremony, music, and song.

The weather was great, with only a few mild thunder showers to keep the dust down, except our last night just after the festivities, when we had a lot of thunder and lightning, plus rain for at least a couple of hours.

The roads were rough, but the camp chairman’s rig took most of the beating with 4 flat tires during the week. Jane’s VW lost a throttle connector and Fred Schepman was delayed in Baker on the way home waiting for gas tank repair.

Then, there was the “Wizard of the Water Closets” who provided the best darned one-holers the Obsidians ever had.
—WBP


The Ballad of John Cecil
(To the tune of John Hardy, and as sung by Dave Stone at the President’s Tea)

John Cecil is a nature lovin’ man.
He goes to the woods most every day,
While he works all night, he hikes all day
Nobody knows when he sleeps, 0h, Lord,
Maybe he sleeps right on his feet.

He came to Eugene from across the sea
And here’s where he settled down
’Cause the mountains and the rivers are right outside of town
And that’s where he can always be found, Oh, Lord
Out there you’ll see him ramblin’ ’round.

Well, it wasn't too long before he joined Obsidians,
Pitchin’ in to do his share
Leading hikes, building trails and fighting for the land —
McKenzie River, Rebel Rock and Hardesty
On his way up to the presidency.

Well, he’s come a long way in the past several months
Doin’ all those official things
Running meetings, signing checks, and catching all the flack
Now he’s suffering through this Presidential tea, Oh, Lord
Does it all with such grand humility.


The Tale of John the Log Walker
As told at Camp Cecil President’s Tea
Wallowa Mountains, Oregon
August 3, 1984

Once upon a time, long, long ago in a land at the end of a long, bumpy road dwelled a strange folk called the Obsidians. These Obsidians were not like elves or gnomes, but they were still a pretty wierd lot. Their feet were covered with mole skin and blisters and had a strange odor. To hide this strange condition, the Obsidians hid their feet with various coverings. On their backs were half-filled packs and as they walked they limped. They were voracious eaters and carried enough lunch in their half-filled packs to feed the Knights of the Round Table, but they never cooked for themselves. They always ate their main meals in very large groups and had the best cooks in the land.

Like fairies, they are found in the woods and mountains; and because of their swiftness, they are difficult to see. Sometimes they leave candy wrappers in the trail, but they have an official named Chief Posy who follows their travels and picks up the wrappers so mortals will not know of their passing.

Kettle Creek Kingdom was peaceful. It was ruled with a gentle hand by a King—John the Log Walker was his name. His subjects lived in bright colored dwellings among the trees and along the streams. In this Kingdom also lived a Wizard, Wes of the Water Closets was his name. Wes of the Water Closets provided many wonderful things for the Kingdom such as four beautiful meditation buildings which the subjects used daily. Wes of the Water Closets was married to a beautiful Wizardess whose name was Bea of the Baths, who like Wes of the Water Closets also provided four facilities for the pleasure of the subjects.

Now that you know, a bit about these Obsidians, I would like to spin a tale of just how the Obsidian King got his name, John the Log Walker.

A long days walk from Kettle Creek Land was a magnificent mountain with a lake in a crater near the top. It was to this lake in a crater that each Obsidian desired to make a quest in search of the crystal waterfall. But the journey was not without peril and obstacles.

It is here our play begins and for a play we need actors and actresses, and in proper Obsidian fashion, volunteers will be used.

Volunteer cast:

Obsidian King, John the Log Walker — John Cecil
Wizard, Wes of the Water Closets — Wes Prouty
Sir Fearless Fredrick — Fred Schepman
Lady Lois of the Ribbons — Lois Schreiner

So it came to pass, King John called his loyal subjects together and said:

KING JOHN: “Is there a volunteer to go on this quest?”
SIR FREDRICK: “I, Sir Fearless Fredrick will go.”

And so, Sir Fearless Fredrick journeyed forth. The path was difficult to find and was full of rocks. There was a roaring river to cross. He had to stay over night. He was cold and hungry. He was able to find the lake but not the crystal waterfall.

When he returned to Kettle Creek Land, he told the King of his journey.

SIR FREDRICK: “King John, it was tough.”
KING JOHN: “Oh dear, I’ll never make it.”
WIZARD WES: “I, Wizard Wes of the Water Closets will go.”

And so, Wes of the W.C. journeyed forth. He marked the way with bits and pieces of red yarn and used his magical powers to conjure a bridge over the river. From that day on the bridge was called Wes’s log. Unfortunately, Wes of the W.C. with all his conjuring woke up the troll, who lived under the log, from a 1000 year sleep.

When Wes of the W.C. returned and told of his adventure, King John was sorely worried and said:

KING JOHN: “Are you sure there is enough yarn?”
LADY LOIS: “King John, I, Lady Lois of the Ribbons have orange ribbons.”

And so Lady Lois of the Ribbons journeyed forth and beautified the trail with great amounts of gay, orange ribbon.

At last it was time. King John felt he could now find the way and as he departed he said:

KING JOHN: “I’m going.”

But first, some of his subjects who dearly loved their King brought gifts to help him on his way and to get him back safely.

SHIRLEY, MAID OF THE SWITCHBACKS: “King John, with the hot air readily, available among the Obsidians filling this hot air balloon should be no, problem.”

BOB OF THE BOONIES: “King John, at times it may seem that nothing can get you down the hot and dusty trail. That is the time you might think of the ice-cold beverage awaiting you. Please accept this freeze-dried can of beverage. Just add water.”

LADY ELLEN OF JACK CREEK: “King John when you’ve reached that lofty mountain and it’s time to return home, let this gift return you swiftly. Operated properly, you will avoid rocks, streams, slippery logs and trolls, landing one step from the dinner table. Here is your very own hang glider.”

KATRINA OF THE NEVER NEVER -- WELL ALMOST NEVER: “King John; I bring you this magical club to ward off lurking trolls and also, one pass over your boots and they gain incredible adhesion.

BRUCE THE BUNION SLAYER: “King John, I bring magical tablets from Sir Boots the Chemist. Stories are told of their extraordinary power which made hours pass like minutes and miles like feet. Take two only lest thou find thyself much beyond thy destination and still trucking.”

And so with gifts in hand King John set forth. He cleverly followed the yarn and ribbon, but when he came to Wes's log, he shook in his boots. He very carefully put one foot on the log, then another, when out came the troll.

The Troll said: “Who’s that stomping on my bridge?”

King John said: “It’s I, King John! Please don’t knock me in the water. Wait for Betty Boot Stomper.”

The Troll said: “OK.”

But this troll was filled with deceit. He or she ( King John was never sure of the sex) smeared vaseline on the log. This was too much for king John. Off he fell. But the King did not give up. He struggled out of the water and went onward and upward.

He moved swiftly until the Blister Demon met him on the 100th switchback. In pain, but undaunted, King John pushed forward.

At long last King John made it to the top where he found the lake and the wonderful waterfall. And so he returned to Kettle Creek Land with a glorious tale of how he conquered the Vaseline Troll and the Blister Demon.

Thus, he was given the name, King John the Log Walker.

And to this day, these strange folk called Obsidians still journey on this quest. Many reach the lake and are too weary to search for the crystal waterfall. Some have to stay over-night in the rain but they all still must conquer the Vaseline Troll and the Blister Demon.

No one ever said it was an easy life for Obsidians.

But the tale is not over.

The Obsidians were still worried about their King’s close calls with logs and blisters. And so a few toiled and built the 11th essential—guaranteed to conquer the Blister Demon and outwit the Vaseline Troll.

And now the twins present you, King John, with the perfect log crossing and blister, beater. (Joan Morgan and Janet Baker Jacobsen present King John with a bicycle appropriately decorated for forest travel and sang the following song to the tune of “Bicycle Built for Two.”)

King John, Give me your answer true.
We’re half crazy all for the likes of you.
We’ll help you cross the log
And you won’t fall in the bog
For you’ll look sweet upon a seat
Of a bicycle built for you.

THE END

Written by John and Janet Baker Jacobsen