Trip Report
Forty-one true Obsidians didn’t let the rain dampen their spirits as they headed up Hwy. 58. It was snowing by the time we reached the Willamette Pass Ski Area for coffee and muffins. While watching the slopes, Ray (an employee) gave us a short history of the ski area, today’s operations and projections for 2003-04. We continued on Hwy. 97 toward Klamath Falls. While riding, our trip was enhanced by Rick Ahrens, birder and current Obsidian President. He talked about eagles off and on the bus and was continually spotting birds he identified and trained us how to identify the birds in flight. Bald eagles greeted us along the roadside as we drove into Klamath Falls. We had lunch at Applebee’s, then proceeded to Lower Klamath Lake, where we watched quail at feeders at the Information Center. Then we drove the Tule Lake Autotour. Rick had us learning to identify all kinds of birds. We spotted mule deer on our way back to town.
We stayed at the Best Western Olympic Inn in Klamath Falls, rising early to head out to Bear Valley and Stateline Rd. It wasn’t quite light and was pouring rain, but spirits were high. Bear Valley was closed so we had to park along the road. The rain stopped, the eagles started arriving, and the sun broke out. All was topped with a full rainbow. We saw coyotes playing along the dike. We want to thank Nick, Fred and Glenn for sharing their ’scopes with us out on Stateline Rd. Eagles, swans and ducks were highlights of the stop. Many hawks escorted us back to town. We packed, had coffee and headed for the Favell Museum. It was amazing place, so full of a wide variety of art, the fire opal arrowhead, and a picture of Klamath Falls before the dam. Our last stop in Klamath Falls was lunch at Applebee’s. One-thirty we headed in the rain on clear pavement back to Eugene. It was almost clear enough to see the top of the mountain at Willamette Pass Ski Area. Home by 5:30 p.m.
Riders were Rick Ahrens, Ethel Allen, Ewart Baldwin, Elaine & Dick Barrar, Mary & Richard Bentsen, Marian & John Borchardt, Mary Lee Cheadle, Kent Christoferson, Judy Dobell, Margaret Fea, Jeannette Forsman, Dora Harris, Pat & Ben Jeffries, Ben Kirk, LeRoy Klemm, Gloria Layden, Joe Lowry, Lenore & John McManigal, Glen Meares, Cleora Mersdorf, Dorothy & Fred Munz, Margaret & Bill Prentice, Virginia Prouty, Peter Rodda, Vincenza Scarpaci, Janet & Richard Speelman, Carol Stroud, Barbara Sutherland, Millard Thomas, Cristy White, Vera Woolley, and Liz Reamer & Ray Jensen, leaders. <h3 align="center">Bird List</h3> Prairie Falcons, Northern Harriers, Immature Eagles, Kestrel, Red-tailed Hawks, Bald Eagles, Ravens, Rough-legged Hawks, Golden Eagles, Gulls, Coots, Snow Geese, Canada Geese, Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Pigeons, Magpies, Mourning Doves, Tundra Swans, White Fronted Geese, Ruddy Ducks, Mergansers, Canvas--back Ducks, Scaup, Pintail Ducks, Eurasian Widgeons, Mallard Ducks.
