Whitman news since 1896

Whitman Wire

Vol. CLIV, Issue 6
Whitman news since 1896

Whitman Wire

Whitman news since 1896

Whitman Wire

OP winter offerings

Illustration: Emily Johnson

Ice Fishing
Ever take a gander at those old men sitting on the middle of a lake for hours, fishing through a miniscule hole in the ice? Well, now you can be one of them by coming on a two-day excursion to Moses Lake, where the main activity will be sitting on little chairs. This trip is perfect for those who need a bit of relaxing and who don’t mind staring at a four-inch hole in ice, looking for piscine creatures all day. After-sunset activities include campfire games and sleeping on the perimeter of the lake in tents.

Trail Maintenance . . . in the snow!
This five-day trip combines community service with some quality backpacking. The mosquitoes that can sometimes plague the Wallowas will not be there: although a breezy, icy chill will! We will cover three miles a day, removing great amounts of snow and reinforcing the outline of a trail that badly needs reconstruction. Bring snowshoes: the snow can be deep in some places. What’s even more fun than crossing the snow is moving three-feet-deep drifts out of the way! Come on this trip if you’re ripped, or want to be that way after five days of lifting snow.

Igloo Campout
Sure, camping in tents is fun, but igloos are quite supreme, especially when you have to build them yourself! Over four days, we will construct a variety of different igloo styles as we walk a total of 10 miles up Ross Lake and 10 miles back down. The soreness caused by the mileage will be alleviated by the warm, homey comforts of an igloo. What could be better than averaging five miles a day, then collecting almost a ton of snow to use in an igloo?

Rock Climbing . . . on ice!
There are few activities Whitties love more than rock climbing. Luckily, now there’s a winter version. Don’t forget to bring your gloves! The added twist is the chill of pure ice on your hands, and, man, can it get slippery. This trip is three days of harrowing, slippery climbing. What can be more fun than sliding down the side of Smith Rock, only to be caught seconds later by your safely secured harness? No rock climbing experience required, but bring some sap if you don’t enjoy those slippery slides down.

Search for Bigfoot
This five-day extended backpacking trip in the Blue Mountains has one main goal: finding Sasquatch. Moving through 15 miles of snow will hopefully result in running into this mystical, magical and super fantastical beast. Bring your cameras, for this is a sight to behold. Nothing, not even wet, heavy snow and freezing temperatures can get in the way of observing the coolest creature ever!!+

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