Calendar

Past Activity

Midnight Lake Loop

  • Start date: 12/23/2016

  • Start time: 12:00 AM

  • End date: 12/23/2016

  • End time: 11:59 PM

Description:

Weather permitting, we'll ski the loop in a clockwise direction. We'll warm up with the flat ski to Pengra Pass, then climb the hilly section to Midnight Lake, then the rolling hills over to the road by Bechtel Shelter, and then glide down the road and back to the Sno-Park. Lunch will be either at Midnight Lake or at the shelter.

This is NOT a beginner trip--but it's a good first trip of the year for intermediate skiers.

  • Event Leader: Sue Wolling

  • Event Leader Phone: 541-345-2110

  • Event Leader Email: sue.wolling@gmail.com

  • Assistant Leader:

  • Event category: Trips

  • Area Type: Mountain

  • Departure Location: South Eugene High School, 19th & Patterson

  • Rating: Moderate

  • Roundtrip total drive miles: 140

  • Season: 2017

  • Permits Required:

  • Event Status: Passed

  • Supplies and Equipment Required: Skis, boots, poles, layers of warm non-cotton clothing, food, drink and good spirits! I will not be able to drive, so anyone who possibly could drive, please come prepared to drive. Thanks!

  • participant prerequisites:

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance: 6

  • Member Fees: 1

  • Elevation Gain: 400

  • Non-Member Fees: 5

  • Committee: Trips

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

Four eager skiers were all ready to head into the mountains on the Friday before Christmas--but when a winter storm came through promising treacherous driving and 8-12 inches of snow to ski through, we took Lana’s sage advice: “How about if we try tomorrow?” The following morning things looked much more promising, so we headed up to Gold Lake Sno-Park, following behind a snowplow/gravel truck as long as possible, and made it safely and without having to put on chains. The four feet of snow piled up on the roof of the bathroom gave us pause, but we were glad to find a track broken as we headed out toward Pengra Pass. Skiing is fortunately something like riding a bike, so we quickly were gliding along with the same level of ineptitude as last year, and enjoying the snowy scenery. The track became a bit more faint as we turned up the PCT toward Midnight Lake, but we only had to break through a few inches of light snow, and quickly arrived at the lake. In fact, we must have arrived early, because there were no gray jays to greet us! We then continued the loop, trusting the navigation skills of the unknown skiers whose track we were following, and came out on the road near Bechtel Shelter. We went in for a quick lunch, wishing someone had built a fire in the stove. After lunch, the trip back down to the Sno-park was exactly what makes cross-country skiing so addictive: gliding effortlessly through a silent, snow-covered forest under a dazzling blue sky. It was a marvelous way to spend Christmas Eve.