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inside
Youth hockey players (from left) Josh Deal, Anna Brenner and Kennedi Johnson work on improving their hockey skills during practice at Riley Arena.
Special publication of the
Cody Enterprise Special sections editor: Amber Peabody NEWS STAFF: Bruce McCormack, Darian Dudrick, Corey Morris, Buzzy Hassrick, Betsy Simon, Chris Frost DESIGN/Production: Jeff Carter, Christine Gonnion, John Sides Advertising: John Malmberg, Donna Merkel, Bill McPherson, Megan McCormick, Sarah Reid Photography: Raymond Hillegas
3101 Big Horn Ave., Cody, WY • 587-2231 codyenterprise.com
■ EXTREME
SNOWBOARDING . . . 6-7 ■ YELLOWSTONE WINTER TOURS . . . . . 8-9 ■ FLY-TYING . . . . . . . . . . .12-15 ■ WINTER PHOTOGRAPHY . . . .16-19 ■ YOUTH HOCKEY . . . 20-22 ■ SNOWMOBILING . . 24-25
■ KITE SKIING . . . . . . . . . . .
26
■ AIRBAG TOUR
AT RED LODGE . . . . . . . 28
■ QUILTing
group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
30-31
■ CARD GAMES . . . . . .
34-35
■ CASSEROLE
RECIPES . . . . . . . . . . . . .
36-37
ON THE cover: Braden Regester (from left),
Dorothy Shippen, Hannah Heinrich, Katie Shippen and Becca Skoric of the CHS Outdoor Club.
Chill 2014 • 5
Blazing a trail
Love, nature and extreme snowboarding By CHRIS FROST Staff writer
P
icture yourself in a beautiful mountain setting with pristine hills and breathtaking terrain. Now chug a five-hour energy drink and imagine yourself racing down that mountain with your heart pounding and body pushed to the limit. You’ve entered the world of Chay Donnelly, blazing a backcountry snowboarding trail since 1988. Challenging the mountain isn’t the priority, the Cody man says. He’s more into “spiritual oneness with the environment. “This is about exercise, skill and my love for the sport,” he adds. The little hills, Donnelly said, don’t get enough snow. “We go up high and ride in soft, deep, beautiful powder,” he said. “There is an adrenaline rush because of the danger.” The sport has origins in the 1920s when people tied wooden planks to their feet and used clothes line to guide themselves down the mountain. Donnelly began his adventure in 1988 when his parents gave him a “Snurfer” (a term derived from snow and surfing,) the first massmarketed snowboard. “It was as wide as a water ski, had no bindings and a string in front,” he said. “You stood on it and went straight.” Donnelly didn’t have to lobby his parents hard for his first board. “They were full believers in snow sports,” he said. “Additional expenses were all mine after the gift, but my father did once give me $500 for an entry fee because I wasn’t making much money.” The first rule of snowboarding is to have the proper equipment and education. “You need to be knowledgeable about avalanches, snowpack and how to read slopes,” he said. “My partner and I carry 30-pound backpacks up the mountain and have a beacon, transceiver, probe and shovel.” Finding an appropriate trail starts with observation from the road, then telephoto pictures to zoom-in on a destination. “But once you’re up there, it’s much bigger,” he said. Donnelly starts at the base of Sleeping Giant Ski Area and climbs to the top of the mountain. Or, if the chairlifts are running, he rides up and then hikes from the drop-off point. It’s a climb of about 3,000 feet. “Backcountry snowboarding requires years of experience,” he says. “The climb can get steep (about 45 degrees) and you can be chest-deep in powder. My board has serrated edges and the seven cuts on the side offer traction in icy conditions.” During 17 first-ascents up the mountain, safety has been the primary concern.
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“My partner and I leapfrog each other and always maintain visual confirmation,” he said. “Sometimes we would find a cliff and go from there. That’s how we learned the mountain.” The first time he reached the top, it was in complete whiteout conditions. “We had no idea where we were,” he recounted. “We took a guess and came down toward the North Fork Highway. We knew we’d made the right choice when we could finally hear kids playing (on the Sleeping Giant slopes).” Rule number two, bring a buddy. “If you aren’t snowboarding with someone, don’t go anywhere outside of your skill level,” he said. “Choose low angle slopes close to the road so you can get out in an emergency. If you are by yourself, a transceiver won’t work and they’ll find your body in the spring. “I don’t go alone.” Donnelly and his partner take turns leading the quest. “He goes fast, then rests,” he said. “I’m older and move slower. We switch halfway up and I lead us to the top.” Both carry a radio, and one is left behind at the Sleeping Giant office below. “If we get in trouble, we call down to the office and say where we are,” he said. An expedition down a trail called “Grim” brought some danger. “We were leapfrogging down and I reached a 30-foot cliff,” Donnelly said. “I landed on a tree, went off another cliff and rode out unharmed. My buddy landed on a rock, broke his board and binding, but still was able to ride his board down.” In 2012 they had an encounter with an avalanche. “I got pushed into some trees and my gloves were torn off,” he said. “Becoming complacent can kill you in high avalanche terrain. Every time you set foot in the backcountry there’s risk.” He never has been stranded overnight on the mountain. “But we carry enough gear to survive,” he noted. “I carry extra clothes, gloves, socks, hats and food, in addition to a first-aid kit. Drinking water before traversing the mountain is crucial. “Sweating is an issue, so I wear a thermal top,” he said. “Otherwise, I’d be all wet and freeze solid.” Rookies shouldn’t take on too much, too soon. “You can’t just hike to the top (of the ridge above Sleeping Giant),” he said. “It took us five attempts to find a route to the top. We ran into cliffs that wouldn’t let us proceed.” At 45, Donnelly says he can still handle the challenge. “I may be a bit overweight because I like beer a little too much,” he said. “I go out 50 times a year, climbing 3,000 feet vertical in a day.”
Becoming complacent can kill you in high avalanche terrain. Every time you set foot in the backcountry there’s risk.
6 • Chill 2014
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A picture from the Sleeping Giant Ski Area summit looking down toward the base and the North Fork Highway.
Physical labor on the job takes the place of working out. “I’m a carpenter and work hard every day,” he adds. “On the weekends, I play even harder on the mountain. Being there is the best way to prepare.” Donnelly became a professional snowboarder in 1994, an experience he described as “hurry up and wait.” “We would go places and get our pictures taken,” he said. “My best finish was eighth at the Squaw Valley Mountain Extreme Competition in 1995.” Looking forward, snow sports education is his primary focus. “I became a divisional clinician examiner for the Northern Rocky Mountain region of the American Association of Snowboard Instructors, a non-profit organization of skieducation professionals,” he said. He completed a 50-hour open book exam, and more testing on the mountain to teach level one education to instructors. Level three certification has only a 10 percent pass rate. Learning has continued throughout his career.
“When I started in 1988, only ski mountaineers did this,” he says. “I’ve learned with my partner and made mistakes along the way. We assess every situation and find a safe egress if the terrain feels sketchy.” Backcountry snowboarding can best be described as a “feeling of freedom and bliss. “In my opinion, nothing matters except for the sound of powder under my board and enveloping me,” Donnelly said. “It’s being in love and celebrating your life.” People just getting started are going to experience bumps and bruises. “Don’t give up,” he advises. “Once you get past the initial stage you will quickly get good. The experience is a blast, whether you travel in dangerous backcountry or the beginner’s trail.” Lessons speed the learning curve. “Winter is a great time to get out and lose the cabin fever,” Donnelly adds. “I suggest three classes and supporting your community ski area.” Backcountry snowboarder Drewe Metzler rips the upper halfpipe between some tall pines.
Chay Donnelly takes on some deep powder at Sleeping Giant.
Chill 2014 • 7
Yellowstone still Winter tours great way to see the scenery Winter tours run through March Rimrock Ranch’s winter snowmobile tours into Yellowstone Park run Dec. 22-March 1. The cost is $350 per day per snowmobile and includes a guide, helmet and snowsuits. Ranch owners Gary and Dede Fales have four snowmobiles, one for the guide and three for guests. Each machine can carry two riders. Customers pay for filling gas tanks at the end of the day. Riders should bring binoculars, cameras, hand and toe warmers, water, snacks, driver’s license, credit cards and park passes. They can bring sack lunches or eat at Old Faithful. The machines are Arctic Cats. “They’re really nice,” Gary said. Dede adds that the sleds are designed for groomed roads, have four-stroke engines, and are heavier and slower than recreational snow machines. Along with day-long outings, trips can be customized to include several days. Gary recalled a group from Australia which spent one night at Chico Hot Springs, Mont., which provides shuttle service, and another in West Yellowstone, where people can ride on the streets. For more information, visit rimrockranch.com.
8 • Chill 2014
By BUZZY HASSRICK Special to the Enterprise
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pectacular is how Dede and Gary Fales describe the wonders of snowmobiling in Yellowstone Park. “We have by far the best snow on this side,” Gary adds. “You can go from here to Canyon, and it’s pretty nice.” Riders enter through the east gate and snake through the mountains, up and over Sylvan Pass. That entry is exceptional since the other entrances are flat and tree-lined, Dede noted. Moreover, Gary said, the roads are smoother on the east side of the park because they’re less traveled. “You’re cutting first tracks,” he said. “You feel like you’re floating in a cloud,” Dede adds. “It’s the trip of a lifetime.” The couple own Rimrock Ranch on the North Fork, a longtime getaway for guests who desire week-long stays during summers in Cody Country. In the winter they offer guided snowmobile trips into the park. “We have a spectacular entrance,” Dede says about the east gate. Sylvan Pass offers a glorious path through the Absaroka volcanics into
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the Yellowstone caldera and Lake area, said Terry Dolan, Rimrock’s principal guide. “Terry knows everything about Yellowstone,” the history, geology and schedules of geyser eruptions, Dede noted. “When he goes to work and heads west,” Gary added, “it’s a good day” for Dolan. Sylvan in the morning features alpine lighting, snow, elevation and rock, a “dramatic way to start the trip,” Dolan said. On a clear day, the Grand Tetons are visible from a pullout between Sylvan Pass and Fishing Bridge and also from Lake Butte. Also visible, he noted, is the Gallatin Range of Montana and glimpses into Idaho. Descending the pass toward Lake Yellowstone, riders are likely to see buffalo, bald eagles, otters, trumpeter swans and occasionally wolves – “and that’s before you hit Fishing Bridge,” Dolan said. “It’s always fun to see otter fishing,” Gary adds. Along the lake, the heat at Steamboat Point and Mary’s Bay “creates dramatic visuals,” Dolan said. The typical day trip, a loop of 165 miles, proceeds to Fishing Bridge, over Craig Pass to Old Faithful and the geyser basins, past Madison Junction to Norris, over to Canyon, through the Hayden Valley and finally out the east gate.
You feel like you’re floating in a cloud. It’s the trip of a lifetime.
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beckons
Winter transforms the geyser basins. “The cold air magnifies their features,” Dolan said. “They really stand out. The steam and cold temperature bring out the ‘incredibleness,’ the wonder of the super volcano.” At Mud Volcano, Dede added, “All the steam crystallizes on the trees. That’s amazing.” The crisp mist of Yellowstone Falls offers another stunning sight. “Canyon is spectacular in winter,” Dede said, with the spray accumulating into a pyramid at the base. From the falls, visitors proceed to the Hayden Valley, which was sculpted by the glaciers and continued on page 38
Chill 2014 • 9
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SLOW DOWN SAVE A LIFE! Save Yourself from a Large Speeding Ticket but, More Importantly...
The speed limit on 16th Street in Cody is
25 MPH
Parts of 16th Street are 20 MPH in the morning and afternoon when the lights are flashing C
IT
OR
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LICK
T IC K
Art of fly-tying
Rickert teaches class at North Fork Anglers By COREY MORRIS Staff writer The Poudre Canyon carves into the landscape from Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and emerges into the Laramie Foothills in Bellvue, Colo. – the Cache La Poudre River carving it deeper along the way. Steve Rickert, fly fishing then as a teenager in the late 1960s, threaded tippet through the eye of a hackle fly, found space between the pines, threw a few false casts and dropped the pattern into the seam on the river. Every summer, Rickert traveled to the Poudre Canyon to help his grandparents who operated Indian Meadows Lodge. The fly he fished, a “gray yellow hackle,” went by a description rather than a name – it was Rickert’s own fly. Rickert’s flies mimicked other patterns but were tweaked to better deceive the fish on those stretches of the Poudre. They did what they were made to do. The flies worked so well that his grandfather bragged to the lodge guests, and soon Rickert was tying for them as well. The guests asked Rickert to fish with them, and then a professional fly tier and guide was born. However, Rickert doesn’t see it as guiding. He calls it “sort of guiding.” “I was just helping out,” Rickert said. Cache La Poudre Poudre Libraries compiled a brief history of the river’s name: The Cache La Poudre was recorded as “Pateros (Latin for ‘bowl’) Creek” by Maj. Stephen H. Long during an 1820 expedition. A story passed down through generations has the river named “Piteux” (“Piteous” in French) after a young man who was left there by his party to look after a trap line.
The man was later found with his clothes tattered and his limbs were “frosted.” The group that found the man named the river after the condition in which they found him. The modern name, Cache La Poudre (French for “hide the powder”), is of unconfirmed origins. The story behind it tells of a large party of trappers caught in a snowstorm. They had to lighten their load, so they buried unnecessary items in a large bunker to keep Native Americans from recovering it. (The river was named “Minni Luzahan,” or “Swift Current” by the Kiyaksa band of Sioux.) Much of what the alleged trappers hid was gunpowder. Without a name – long before Native Americans, expeditions, trappers and lodges – the river accomplished its goal of finding a route through the canyon which had been created by a retreating glacier.
An artist is born Rickert was born in Nebraska and his family moved 44 times before settling in Powell. Somewhere in the travels (they lived throughout the American West) Rickert received his first fly rod. He then stole his father’s Thompson Clamp fly vise and started tying. “I remember looking in his (father’s) box of flies, and thinking at the time how good they were,” Rickert said. “They worked, but he was self-taught too.”
Chaz Arthur (from left), Blair Van Antwerp and Cameron Torrey receive instructions from fly-tying instructor Steve Rickert during a recent class at North Fork Anglers. The family settled in Powell when Rickert was a high school freshman. When visiting his grandparents in the Poudre Canyon during the winter, Rickert tied flies. “Since you couldn’t fish there in the wintertime, It was something I could do that was fly-fishing related,” Rickert said. Trial and error Rickert ties flies three or four days per week in the winter. He’ll tie for up to four hours per day if he’s feeling into it. “Sometimes I’ll get an idea watching TV or playing cards, and I’ll drop what I’m doing and try it,” Rickert said. “Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t – it’s trial and error.” Rickert graduated from Powell High School in 1971 and attended Northwest College for two years. He then matriculated to the University of Wyoming for a semester. There he met his first wife. Rickert had been studying to become an art teacher. In college he worked with acrylics, oil, pastels, pen and ink and threw some “pretty nice pots.” Rickert left college for a full-time job when he got married. “My goal was to become an art teacher, but that didn’t pan out because I got married and had to get a job,” Rickert said. He was a produce picker for Associated Foods in Billings. During that time, he tied flies for Big Bear Sports in Billings, and also for Linton’s in Powell. They moved to Casper and Rickert worked for House of Printing doing ad layouts, developing film, making plates and running pages.
“Fly fishing has always been a big part of my life,” Rickert said. “No matter where I was or what I was doing, I always found time for fly fishing.” In Billings, Rickert drove to Red Lodge in the evenings to fish Rock Creek. He fished the Big Horn River at Fort Smith when he could. In Casper, he was close to the Platte River where he eventually caught the biggest trout of his life – a 30-inch male weighing 10 pounds, 12 ounces. Rickert’s first marriage ended in Casper. When he couldn’t fish, he tied flies. He primarily fished with his own flies, and when he saw an interesting fly in a shop, he bought it and tied copies. The halfback then was one of the most popular flies, and Rickert tweaked them to work better. He met another girl, Cathy, and followed her to Houston in 1996. He and Cathy were married in 1988. They lived in Houston for 10 years before moving to San Antonio in 1996. They had two boys, Tyler and Kevin. Cathy died of cancer in 1998 when Tyler was 7 and Kevin was 2. Tying “If you’re not thinking about tying flies, you’re not really tying flies,” Rickert said. When he’s tying, the goal is a natural-looking fly. “I try to make them as buggy as I can,” he said. continued on page 14
Chill 2014 • 13
FLY-TYING
continued from page 13
Rickert, who has a neatly trimmed beard and always wears a baseball cap, can take a joke. In the beginner fly-tying class at North Fork Anglers, Rickert dishes out as much as he takes and, while the class is focused, it’s also lighthearted and there is a sense of camaraderie between the fly tiers. Rickert teaches the class. The students are fishermen with limited fishing opportunities due to winter conditions, or the desire to tie as many flies as possible to stock up for the busy summer. Fishing is a priority in the summer to most of the students. It’s easy to make an excuse to not fish in the winter, and it can become somewhat unpleasant with blowing snow and wet hands. But summer lacks excuses, and time spent tying flies is precious time on the river lost. Coming home Rickert remained in San Antonio with his boys after Cathy’s death. “This is where my fly fishing for trout slowed down,” he said. But every summer, Rickert and his boys took three weeks to travel to Powell so Rickert could “get (his) fly-fishing fix in for trout.” He was a stay-at-home father until Kevin entered preschool. Rickert then embarked on a nine-year professional tournament bass fishing career. “Fishing for saltwater and large mouth bass became a big part of my life,” Rickert said. But Rickert is a father who cares greatly about his boys, and he made a decision for them that took them away from San Antonio. “I realized that I should probably get my boys closer to family in case something happened to me,” he said. In 2005, Rickert and his boys moved back to Powell. Tyler started his freshman year at Powell. Rickert applied to North Fork Anglers in August 2005 and was hired a month later. He has worked there ever since.
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In the first class of 2013, several Cody High School Outdoor Club members attended a class session. Rickert took time to help one of the students tie a woolly bugger. “When her mom came to pick her up, she jumped up and said, ‘Mom, look at what I tied,’” Rickert said. “It made it all worthwhile.” The fly-tying class (9 a.m.-noon on most Saturdays) runs through March 2014 at North Fork Anglers. There is no cost, and all levels of experience are welcome. If a student hasn’t attended previous classes but wants to learn, Rickert will accommodate. “I’ll go back and help each one start if they’ve never tied before,” Rickert said.
If you’re not thinking about tying flies, you’re not really tying flies. I try to make them as buggy as I can.
Worthwhile In 2012, Rickert took over the beginning fly-tying class when former instructor Chip Andrews left Cody. Now in his second winter of teaching the class, Rickert is quick to compliment the progress of students, and also takes time to help struggling individuals. The goal is to teach the students to tie the proper way so they can take the fly out to the river and fish it, Ricker said.
14 • Chill 2014
Passing it on Rickert’s father grew up on the Cache La Poudre River, and was an avid fly fisherman. Rickert has followed in his footsteps in that respect. He has taught friends and family how to tie flies throughout his lifetime, and it all goes back to the experience he gained by stealing his father’s fly vise. North Fork Anglers fly-tying Tyler and Kevin, now during a recent fly-tying cla 23 and 18 respectively, fly fish some, but “you don’t want to get into that,” Rickert cautions. “They’ll fish when I’m standing there, but when I start moving up the river to fish by myself, they’re off doing their own thing.” The Lower Shoshone River doesn’t freeze over in the winter and has a year-round temperature allowing for hatches, but Rickert’s favorite river still is “the Poudre,” (pronounced “pooder” – a nickname for the Cache La Poudre used by locals). Ask any fly-tying student if fly tying is an art, and the answer most likely will be a resounding yes.
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Tying a Woolly Bugger Materials used: Black thread, hook size 10 – 2X long, black marabou, gold wire, black chenille, black saddle hackle.
The thread is tied on and wrapped to the bend of the hook.
Marabou is tied in leaving a little more than a hook-length of the feather hanging off the end. The excess is trimmed from the shank side.
Saddle hackle is tied in.
Four inches of gold wire is tied in.
Four inches of chenille is tied in.
The chenille is evenly wrapped forward and tied down. The excess is trimmed.
The gold wire is evenly counter-wrapped with gaps for ribbing. It is tied down and the excess is trimmed.
The hackle is wrapped forward and tied down. The excess is trimmed before a head is established with several thread wraps. The fly is completed with a whip-finish and head cement.
g instructor Steve Rickert trims the thread of a completed fly ass. Rickert never completed his college degree, but that hasn’t stopped him from becoming an art teacher. Though he’s more humble than that. “I take what I know and share it with the people in the class,” Rickert said. “There’s something gratifying about catching a fish on your own fly, and I teach my class so they can all experience that.” People may not refer to fly-tying instructors as “art teachers,” but what’s in a name?
Chill 2014 • 15
wonders
Capturing
The sun sets on a crisp winter evening in the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone Park.
Sommers photographs Yellowstone’s wild places By AMBER PEABODY Special sections editor
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now, ice and the crispness that comes with freezing winter temperatures adds a special dimension to Meg Sommers’ photography. The Cody photographer has to take care of her camera equipment and also guard against frostbite and hypothermia. She often ventures into remote wilderness areas searching for the perfect winter landscape. The reward is stunning imagery. “I love shooting in the winter,” Sommers says. “I have never minded the cold, even at minus 20. You can dress for that and it’s invigorating. The air is especially crisp and clear in the winter, snow can create interest in an image and animals tend to move less or slower because of it.” An outdoor enthusiast since childhood, she began seriously shooting photos about 20 years ago. Every year she spends, on average, a total of about 12 weeks in Yellowstone.
16 • Chill 2014
“Photography is challenging in a technical sense, as well as creatively, and it keeps challenging me every time I pick up the camera,” Sommers said. “I’ve always been fascinated by every aspect of the natural world, but particularly with wild animals. Photography gives me an avenue to share with others what I see and learn. “If I can spark an appreciation for wildlife through images, that often leads to an interest in preservation not only for our future generations, but also for future generations of wildlife.” Shooting photos in the winter presents challenges. And one of the most immediate is that cold temperatures tend to drain batteries quickly. “You have to find a pocket close enough to your body to keep them warm, but easy to reach when needed,” she said. The cold also causes a problem when you’ve been outside and come in. Bringing a camera/lens in from outside directly into a warm car or building causes the moisture in the warmer air to make equipment “literally weep.”
of winter “The moisture in warm air condenses on the cold camera and lens and they are suddenly wet in what seems like a dry room,” she said. “The fix for this is to put your camera and lens inside a plastic ziplock type bag and close it tightly while you are still outside. That way when the warmer temperatures reach the gear, the moisture cannot get to it.” Sommers said if she had to choose one of her favorite winter photos, she’d select “Last Light” in which the sun is disappearing over a snowy hillside. “The subject is uncomplicated and, at first glance, not something you’d stop to photograph,” she adds. “Yet, if you look closely past the beautiful color, you see the sun disappearing and the tracks. In something so simple, there is still a story there.” When not taking her own pictures, Sommers spends time as a wildlife photography instructor at the Yellowstone Association Institute.
continued on page 18
A marten makes a rare appearance.
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Photography is challenging in a technical sense, as well as creatively, and it keeps challenging me every time I pick up the camera.
A coyote pounces on its prey.
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Chill 2014 • 17
PHOTOGRAPHY Early on she took many classes from a variety of sources and when the association was looking for a wildlife photographer she was recommended by a former instructor. “I think it’s helpful to hear the same basic information from different people,” she said. “I have taken many classes, not just photography, from the Yellowstone Association and made many friends there.” She led her first workshop in October 2010 and has taught several classes each year since. “I try to teach to the level of every student, sort of like what I imagine a one-room school must have been like,” she adds. “My goal is always to help them move forward their skill set. For all of them, though, my goal is to fuel their passion for wildlife and nature photography and boost their confidence in what they can achieve.”
To view more Meg Sommers photography, visit megsommers.com.
Right: Bison gather around Yellowstone’s hot spots during cold temperatures. Opposite page: 1 Snow pillows form on Soda Butte Creek. 2
Dropping temperatures in thermal areas like Tangle Creek create an almost ethereal air.
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A cornice in Hayden Valley just as the sun sheds its last light.
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Canary Spring is one of the hot springs of the Mammoth complex.
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Frosted grass is backlit to reflect colorful light.
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Ice begins to melt on a lake in Yellowstone.
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This young coyote tries to take a nap in Lamar Canyon.
18 • Chill 2014
continued from page 17
Along with her classes for the Yellowstone Association, she also teaches a general class in nature photography three times a year for the Road Scholar (Elder Hostel) program. These classes are weeklong and also are based in Yellowstone. She also teaches a nature photography class twice annually for Powell Valley Community Education, and last summer added a class with the Wounded Warrior program. “Photography, as a hobby, has experienced nothing short of a revolution with the advent of digital cameras,” she adds. “Taking a relatively short and informal class is a great way to get in the game. I’ve found that those who come to these classes want to learn. “What I love about teaching is that moment when it suddenly makes sense to a student and they see how it can be applied. “But I do try to give a warning at the start of every class that nature photography can be addictive.”
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Chill 2014 • 19
Park County Ice Cats Lauren Asher races her teammates down the ice during practice at Riley Arena.
Waiting for their turn to run a drill (from Ungrund, Keith Dewey and Nash Mathe
Shooting the pu Numerous benefits to playing youth hockey By AMBER PEABODY Special sections editor
F
our nights a week, the Riley Arena is buzzing with activity as the eight teams in the Park County Youth Hockey Association take to the ice for practice. More than 100 kids are participating this season. “I think hockey is the best sport there is and it’s an amazing program,” Squirts coach and past association president Chad Forsman says. “Skating is one of those skills that you can either do or not do. And the fact that kids are willing to come out and learn is great.” In an effort to provide everyone a chance to play, the association offers scholarships and a “Sponsor a Kid” program. All first graders also play for free. “It’s not for everyone so we want to give kids the chance to try it,” Forsman adds. “If they like the sport, we do what we can to make it affordable.” For more information contact Forsman, 250-6046 or crforsman@hotmail.com, or visit parkcountyhockey.org.
Tykes – 18 kids, ages 6-7
“Because skating is of such massive importance as the foundation for playing hockey, the majority of what we do is focused on learning how to skate.
20 • Chill 2014
“The greatest difficulty so far is in gathering kids together without someone falling into the group and knocking them down like bowling pins.” – Coach Pat D’Alessandro Katie Dewey, 6 • Years played: 1 “I decided to try it because it sounded fun. My favorite part is doing Supermans – that’s when you skate and then slide on your belly.” Jaxton Matthews, 7 • Years played: 1 “I saw hockey at Quake games and my dad signed me up. I like to skate fast. It’s hard to shoot the puck in the goal while there’s a goalie.”
Mites – 20 kids, ages 7-8
“It’s been going well. At this age it’s all about having fun – playing the game and intermixing some skills and development.” – Coach Jay Nielson
Zach Magargal, 8 • Years played: 3 “When I watched Quake games I got into it and wanted to play to see if it would be fun. I like that I get shots on goal and the hardest part is trying to save goals.”
left) Seamus Hopkins, Aspen Alexander, Dylan ews hang out along the ice rink wall.
uck
Squirt Cole Crawford catches his breath as he works on goalkeeping techniques.
Evan Statton, 8 • Years played: 4 “My friend started playing and I decided I wanted to play too. I like getting shots on goal. Going against someone is the hardest part.”
Squirts – 16 kids, ages 9-10
“They’re doing awesome and are a hardworking group. We have five new skaters and only four returning players.” – Coach Chad Forsman
Bodie Heintz, 10 • Years played: 5 “My dad signed me up and I loved it. I like the teamwork because you must play together to win.” Simeon Forsman, 10 • Years played: 6 “My dad has coached every team I’ve played on. It’s fun to play and I like meeting new people.”
Pee wees – 18 kids, ages 11-12
“Last year they finished third at state. They’re working hard and every chance they get they’re out on the ice.” – Coach Zack McMillen
Jack Harris, 12 • Years played: 6 “My cousins played hockey and got me started. I like being with my friends and I like shooting and passing.” Bobby Brenner, 11 • Years played: 6 “My dad thought it would be good because I wasn’t playing any sports. I liked it the first year, and every year I’ve liked it more and more. I just enjoy being on the ice.”
Bantam – 16 kids, ages 13-14
“It’s a little early to tell, but I think we’ll be a good team. They’re excited to do well.” – Coach Tom Keegan
Tyrell Christensen, 14 • Years played: 4 “There’s much physical contact and it’s a really fast sport. I like that I get to play with my friends. We work together.” continued on page 22
Chill 2014 • 21
HOCKEY
continued from page 21
Need a Gift?
Mites head coach Jay Nielson and his son Riley Nielson maneuver around cones during practice at Riley Arena. Aaron Finnenan, 14 • Years played: 2 “I got into it because of my friend Mac Simpson and it looked fun. I like that it’s a team sport and all about a team effort.”
Girls – 18 kids, ages 11-18
“It’s a completely different outlet for the kids to get out, be on a team and learn a sport. It’s not a typical venue.” – Coach Cheryl Aiken
Bryanna Wood, 16 • Years played: 1 “I wanted to play something different. It’s a good experience to get to know different girls from different age groups.”
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Jessica Shankle, 13 • Years played: 5 “I met one of the coaches of the girls team and they taught me to skate. It’s different than most other sports since it’s on ice and there’s not a ball. Since most of the girls are older, it gives me a challenge to skate faster and do better.”
Cwhillin’
ith 12 inche s...
Tasha Aiken, 17 • Years played: 12 “I grew up with my brother playing and he taught me a bunch of stuff. I like making new friends and learning new skills. My favorite memory, so far, is winning state. We had a good group of girls and gelled together.”
Midget – 10 kids, ages 15-18
“We have many young kids this year. I think we’ll come around by mid-season. We should be a competitive team.” – Coach Larry Johnson
Cameron Torrey, 16 • Years played: 5 “I was approached at a public skate and asked to play. It’s a faster sport than others I’ve played. I like the speed of the game and playing with great people.” TJ Fitzimmons, 18 • Years played: 16 “I’ve grown up on skates and played since the inaugural season in 2001. It’s a great program and it’s fun to get out there and play some hockey.” Devyn Brotherton, 17 • Years played: 5 “Once I started playing I couldn’t stop. I have a passion for it. If our team puts in the time and effort, we’re going to be good.”
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22 • Chill 2014
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Snowmobilers focus on safety Public shelter available during season By COREY MORRIS Staff writer
I
n the Beartooth Mountains, a 53-foot red and white trailer waits for snowmobilers – hungry and tired, cold and possibly wet, or even those facing an emergency situation. Surrounded by the Shoshone Forest, the trailer is planted at Island Park Campground under a special use permit. The trailer is maintained by the Cody Country Snowmobile Association (CCSA).
24 • Chill 2014
Sprawling out from the trailer is about 30 miles of staked snowmobile trails. “Up there, you can get really disoriented,” CCSA president Rob Marshall said. “Sometimes you’re really glad to find those markers.” The insulated trailer features wind and solar power technology, a wood stove, benches, a generator, lights, and an emergency phone.
Don’t miss Fun Days
Michelle Young, Amber Searly, Jerry Bales, Kari Bales, Ryan McDaniel and Dominic Chenowith attatch the stairs of the Beartooth Safety Shelter.
“That phone saves probably three to four lives every year,” said Bert Miller, CCSA director and Wyoming State Snowmobile Association (WSSA) president. An avalanche beacon checker is positioned near the door so riders can immediately know if their beacon isn’t working. As they enter the trailer, boots clopping and echoing, a beep from the checker greets them. With the expansive trail system, it’s uncommon that somebody is injured near the shelter. “They could be three miles away,” Miller said. However, injured snowmobilers can be transferred to the station where first-aid supplies are available. Emergency services can be notified using the phone. Everybody can warm up with the wood stove to prevent hypothermia before loading the injured rider onto a snowmobile to meet an ambulance at the WYO 212 junction. “When you’re up on top of the mountain, if you get hurt where you can’t get out, the first thing they do is take you to a safety shelter where it’s warm,” Miller said. Not every emergency situation requires an ambulance, Miller said. Sometimes a rider can end up in a creek. While uninjured, they’re wet. The shelter provides a midpoint where they can wring out clothes and warm up before making the trip back to the parking lot at WYO 212. “The clothes never get dry, but you’re able to get that hypothermia out of you and make a beeline for the car,” Miller said. “If you didn’t have it (the shelter), you’d really be in trouble.” In serious situations, Search and Rescue can use the shelter as a command center. S&R has a key to access the generator.
Recreation
CCSA formed in the 1960s and currently has 68 family memberships and 70 business memberships.
WSSA has approximately 3,000 family memberships. While the shelter is perfect for emergency situations, it’s not exactly what it was designed for. All of those snowmobilers in Wyoming, and others visiting from around the country and Canada, can use the public shelter throughout the snowmobiling season. “It’s so people can go in and have lunch and enjoyment,” Miller said. “Sometimes people go to the shelter and make a fire, and then go out and play, using the shelter as a base camp,” Miller said. The shelter maintains a temperature of about 70 degrees when unoccupied, Miller said. The benches are perfect for resting while riders eat, and the shelter has countertops for making sandwiches. The shelter also has condiments and pots and pans. A cellphone booster is installed. “You can always dial out,” Marshall said. “I haven’t taken my 4G phone up there yet, but my 3G lit up.” The trailer is put in at the start of the season in October, and taken out in the beginning of July. The trailer replaced the original shelter (a smaller trailer) in 2010. The trailer is housed in the Crandall area during the offseason. A donation box is kept near the door. CCSA usually receives $1,000 from the donation box per year. While dollar bills and pocket change are common, Marshall added, “We have pulled a $100 bill out before.” Funds taken from the donation box go to maintenance projects for the shelter. During the recent offseason, CCSA installed a rubberized roof to prevent leaks and installed a new wood stove. continued on page 38
Cody will host Fun Days on Feb. 28-March 2, with a convention and banquet Saturday, March 1, at the Holiday Inn. “It’s about camaraderie of snowmobilers around Wyoming,” Miller said. “And it’s a lot of family fun.” On average, 125 families attend the event. Designated rides are available for all levels of experience, from family to advanced rides. Fun Days takes place every year at a rotating venue. Last year, the Big Horns hosted the event. The last time Cody hosted the event was in 2011. “It has been here quite a few times because the riding is more consistent here than other parts of the state,” Marshall said. The conventions are designed by the host club (in this case, CCSA) to bring snowmobilers to the area to show off their trails and amenities. A white elephant auction is traditionally held at the convention. A bottle of schnapps has been auctioned off for the last several years. The bottle never has been opened and always comes up for auction. All bids are paid regardless of winning. The Jackson snowmobile club usually wins the schnapps. Last year, the other Wyoming clubs pooled their resources together in an effort to outbid Jackson. “Jackson still won it,” Marshall said. Last year, the Big Horn convention raised about $17,000 during the auction. Money raised is used to provide college scholarships to Wyoming students. WSSA has sponsored 10 students per year for the last several years. Registration is $75 for all of the activities during the three-day gathering. The fee covers meals and additional costs but does not cover lodging or fuel. “The most personal and fun part is getting to see friends from across the state that you only get to see once a year,” Miller said. “It’s good camaraderie and a lot of fun to raise funds for kids to go to college.”
Chill 2014 • 25
Flying
the snow
Kite skiers flock to Big Horn Mountains
By BETSY SIMON Staff writer
S
kiing with a twist has become popular in the Big Horn Mountains, which offers some of the best kite skiing adventures in the region. “I prefer to kite ski in the Big Horns because there’s more reliable wind and terrain than in the Beartooths – and there’s better wide open spaces,” said Mark DeVries, a local kite skier. “If you know how to ski or snowboard, it’s not too hard to catch on to kite skiing.” He was introduced to kite skiing by a friend about four years ago. “I flew a trainer kite in the summer that was small enough to give the idea of how to control it,” he said. “Kite skiing is like flying a large kite, that has a large bar to control it and steer your skis or snowboard. “The more extreme users will do this in the air.” Another local kite skier, who picked up the winter sport seven years ago after watching a YouTube video, says he was intrigued by viewing the skiers “cruise around the mountains with a kite attached to them.” After researching the sport, he purchased kites and taught himself to kite ski. The process involves an individual with either skis or a snowboard hanging on to lines that are attached to the kite, as the skier soars down the slopes with the wind to aid him.
26 • Chill 2014
“Of course it’s dangerous to do this, but that’s why it costs more than $1,000 for each kite – they’re equipped with built-in safety features,” he said. Kite skiing is a natural fit for people who live near the Big Horn Mountains – one of the ideal kite skiing locations, he adds. “The mountain range is at a high altitude, there’s an almost constant wind, and there are fewer trees and fences to slow you down as you’re going,” he said. “We also have a long season. Our season will usually last from October to June. “The season is so long that some people just leave their snowmobiles at the trailheads all winter long. “This way it’s ready for them when they need to get up the mountains to kite ski.” The sport has become so popular that the Big Horn Forest played host Dec. 2-8 to the first Bighorn Snowkite Summit, when a Jackson Hole group and other winter enthusiasts gathered in search of some thrills. “Ideally, you need 10-15 mile per hour winds and 4-6 inches of snow,” DeVries said. “What I like is 15-20 mph winds because 10 miles per hour is pretty light. “But once the winds hit 25-30, it starts to get spookier.”
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Chill 2013 • 27
Airbag tour returns to Red Lodge Mountain
S
tomp new tricks this winter without fear of hard landings when the U.S. Airbag Tour returns to Red Lodge Mountain. The airbag is a large 50-by-50 foot inflatable pillow that is positioned at the base of a large kicker (jump) and allows for a safe landing. It makes it possible for nearly anyone to catch big air – and for advanced skiers and riders to try new tricks. Back by popular demand, skiers and boarders will have three chances to try it in Red Lodge. It will be at the ski resort Jan. 17-19, Feb. 7-9 and March 28-30, all Friday through Sunday weekends. Cost is $10 for three jumps, which is great for beginners and a good refresher for those refining tricks, or $25 for 10 jumps. For more information and to reserve your jumps visit usairbag.com.
28 • Chill 2014
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FEBRUARY: 1 1 8 14–16 14–17 15 & 16 21 22 28
Yellowstone Quake Hockey/Cody Missoula Children’s Theatre/Cody Missoula Children’s Theatre/Powell Yellowstone Quake Hockey/Cody 16th Annual Ice Waterfall Festival/Cody 6th Annual Ice Fishing Derby/Meeteetse Yellowstone Quake Hockey/Cody Buffalo Bill Birthday Ball/Cody Yellowstone Quake Hockey/Cody
MARCH: 7 8 13 14 19-21
Yellowstone Quake Hockey/Cody Missoula Children’s Theatre/Meeteetse Trio Voronezh/Powell Community Concert/Cody 31st Annual Jazz Festival NWC/Powell
APRIL: 11 12 25-27
Community Concert/Powell Artini Festival/Cody Songs of the Cowboys/Cody
Buffalo Bill Center of the West Jan & Feb Hours: 10–5 Thursday–Sunday March & April Hours: 10–5 Daily
Powell Homesteader Museum March–April Hours: 10–4 Tuesday–Friday
Heart Mountain WWII Interpretive Center January–April: 10–5 Wednesday–Saturday
Meeteetse Museums Feb–April Hours: 10–3 Tuesday–Saturday
www.yellowstonecountry.org
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Quilters share love Group meets weekly to focus on textile art By BUZZY HASSRICK Special to the Enterprise
S
outh of Powell along Road 9 is a deceptively simple building in which impressively complex creations are fashioned. The guest house of Linda MacDonald, the structure also serves as the gathering place for friends who quilt 9 a.m.-noon every Wednesday, 52 weeks a year. Around a large table in the largest room sits a group of women with an array of colorful projects in front of them. MacDonald described one cooperative effort that revealed the camaraderie among the piecers, though they usually focus on their individual projects while they laugh or share patterns, give advice or exchange fabric. When she moved into the building in 2001, a neighbor brought her a quilt pattern, proclaiming “‘Your walls are too bare,’” MacDonald said. “That was my first quilt.” Her works now cover the once bare surfaces. For her new house nearby, she made one quilt for one bed, and the one became many. “It just mushroomed,” MacDonald said. To expand her skills, she joined the Paintbrush Piecers Quilt Guild and attended its monthly programs. She bought quilting books, read information on the Internet and delved into library resources. She also gleaned ideas from the other quilters. “We all show each other new techniques we’ve learned,” MacDonald said. They often bring something to show along with the story of its fabrication. The clever piecers have even created works that utilize selvedge, the edge of a fabric that’s printed with the maker’s name – “the stuff you usually cut off and throw away,” MacDonald said.
Jeanne Knudsen sews around the edges of a quilt she was working on alongside Joan Talbott (center) and Linda MacDonald during a meeting of the Textile Artists of Greater Yellowstone.
30 • Chill 2014
Most years she shows her work at the Park County and Wyoming State fairs, along with the Yellowstone Quilt Fest. Her piece featuring a grizzly won judge’s choice at the Heart Mountain Quilt Show. MacDonald said she started with traditional patterns and transitioned into art quilts “because you can have just so many bed quilts.” With artworks the quilter creates the design; there’s no pattern. She either uses her stash of fabrics or dives into her bolts of white fabric that’s “PFD” – prepared for dying. She also has a store of material from her colleagues. “That’s what’s nice about having a group of generous friends,” MacDonald said. One friend, Patty Mayfield of Powell, belongs to the Textile Artists of Greater Yellowstone, which focuses on fiber art. The TAGY members are participating in a challenge to create 18-inch-by-24-inch pieces from photographs they took of Old Trail Town. With her image of an old wagon that she printed on fabric, Mayfield cut out the spaces between the wheels’ spokes. She’ll use different materials for the sky, where she’ll stitch in Heart Mountain, and for the ground, which will serve as the background for the wagon and appear through the spokes. She’ll also add rusty, flat wire on the barrel and wagon handles. “There’s a lot of work you do after you get it on the fabric,” Mayfield said. “I like to do artistic quilting,” she added, confessing that she has many unfinished bed quilts at home. “I’m not sure why. I go from one project to another.” Her experience began with a job in a fabric shop in West Virginia and continued in a quilt store that she opened. “We all kind of taught ourselves,” she said.
of craft When Mayfield moved to Wyoming in 1995 and a couple of years later found the group, she switched from large quilts to smaller ones. At the gatherings, Mayfield said, she enjoys the “camaraderie of friends” and finds the work relaxing, “unless you cut something wrong.” Mayfield became associated with the group at the same time as Pat Larsen, also of Powell. Larsen recalled that her aunts made quilts for her so, when she wanted something to give to her two sons, she decided to continue that tradition. “I’ve always loved quilts, ever since I was little,” Larsen said. “Most of them I’ve given away to family members.” Her grandchildren receive quilts when they go to college, and she has a stash for future gifts. If Larsen dies before they’re distributed, she’s instructed her husband “to give them to Linda,” not sell them. To select a project, she sees a picture or design she likes and gets the pattern. That’s the easy part. “The hard part is picking out your own fabric,” Larsen said. “I’m really a color person. I get wild with colors.” Jan Wilbur of Cody said she also uses patterns along with instructions – “I’m not ashamed of that.” Her debut came with retirement, when she’d promised herself to begin quilting. “I like to make lap quilts,” she said. “They’re a nice size.” Wilbur mostly gives away her pieces and enjoys her time with the guild, “just being around so many creative people. I’m amazed at what these people do. “I’m a traditional quilter, and they still let me come.” Wilbur also makes note cards from selvedge, while Barbara Harrison has used selvedge to create wall hangings. When Harrison moved to Cody in 1985, she took a quilting class at a local store. A year later she was teaching the subject. “I’ve sewn all my life,” she said, especially quilting. “It’s therapy. The fabric feels so good.” No longer teaching, she added, “I just quilt for me and my family.” Unlike Harrison, Jeanne Knudsen of Cody is a professional, the owner of Wyoming Quilting Co. She formerly ran a barbershop on main street but left after buying a 15-foot-long arm and becoming busy with that work. She uses the arm to put the backing on the batting. “It’s a creative outlet,” she said about quilting. “Being a barber is creative too.”
“
Patty Mayfield of Powell cuts fabric from an applique, which would be sewn onto a quilt block she was making for the group’s 2013 “Old Town” Challenge quilt. On a smaller scale, Knudsen makes “inchy quilts,” a combination of 1-inch-by-1-inch pieces with a charm stitched onto some squares. For an inchy quilt for MacDonald, she incorporated an arrowhead because her friend is a rock hound. Each inchy reflects the recipient. “Every one I made I made personal,” Knudsen said. She mostly does art quilts and won recognition for a 20-inch-by-20inch quilt with 50 stars and 50 charms in a SewBatik Challenge. “I was pretty proud to win ‘most representative.’” Joan Talbott of Powell chooses tradition over art for her quilts, which are mostly destined for cribs or laps. “I just do what I like,” she said, though a project for a grandson who loves bright hues will reflect his taste. “His quilt is colors, colors, colors.” Talbott mentioned that some people ask her why she’d take beautiful fabric and cut it up. Her reply is, “That’s the fun part – to see what designs it’s going to make.” “I do it for relaxation,” she added. “It calms me to sit at a machine and sew pieces together.” Quilting is a family tradition, since her grandmother and mother both quilted. “I grew up under a quilting frame,” Talbott said of her childhood on a farm where quilting was a cooperative effort. “They’d do it for each other.” The friends occasionally pursue cooperative projects, such as Quilts of Valor, a program to provide quilts of comfort and healing to Quilting group combat service members and veterans. meets monthly The group created blocks at home and then joined them during a session. Another The Paintbrush Piecers project was a quilt for a victim of domestic Quilt Guild meets at violence. 6:30 p.m. the fourth “Quilters are very generous that way,” Mondays, most months Knudsen said. at the Cody Senior Closer to home, a special project evolved Citizens Center. after a neighbor who once participated For information call in the gatherings encountered a health president Marybeth issue and was no longer able to attend. The piecers decided to devise a work that would Richardson, (307) 754-5399, cheer up their friend, a mobile of birds. or visit “Jan doesn’t like birds, so she made a yellowstonequiltfest.info. cat,” Knudsen said. “We do things for each other as well as other people too.” “We have fun,” MacDonald added.
It’s therapy. The fabric feels so good.
”
Chill 2014 • 31
chill.pdf 1 12/16/2013 3:42:01 PM
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Taking refuge from cold temperatures (from left) Marie Knox, Dolores Miller, Patsy Shockley and Fran Pierangeli play a game of Bridge at the Cody senior center.
Check out some of these popular card games. Crazy Eights
Play a card that matches the number or suit of the previously played card. Eights are wild. The first player who runs out of cards wins the game.
Egyptian Ratscrew
This oddly-named game requires concentration and lightning-quick reflexes. The fastest way to accumulate the most cards is to slap the stack when two cards of the same rank are played.
Gin
The rules of Gin Rummy are similar to those of Rummy. The main difference is the players do not lay down their sets and runs until they are prepared to end the round. If the opposing player has valid runs or sets in their hand, they will not count as points.
Go Fish
Go Fish is a set collection game in which players try to gather sets of four cards of the same rank by asking other players for cards they might have. If you don’t have what they are looking for, you tell them, “Go fish.”
Hearts
It’s called Hearts because the cards of that suit play a critical role in determining the winner. Each heart taken in a trick is worth a point. The goal is to end up with as few points as possible.
Rummy
Each player is trying to meld runs and sets in their hand. A run is a sequence of at least three consecutive cards in the same suit. A set is a group of at least three cards of the same number. Once assembled, individual melds can be placed face-up on the table.
Spoons
Cards are picked up and quickly passed around the table until someone gets four of a kind and takes a spoon from the center. Once the player takes a spoon, anyone can take a spoon. Players move closer to elimination each time they don’t get a spoon and take the next letter in the word S-P-O-O-N.
34 • Chill 2014
A card player selects a card to lay down during a g
Break out t
Classic games provide grea By AMBER PEABODY Special sections editor
W
hen gathering with family or friends on cold winter days, a great way to keep any group entertained is by breaking out a deck of cards. This time-tested activity is enjoyed by young and old alike, with many different games from which to choose. At the Cody Senior Citizens Center various groups meet every week to play Bridge, Hand and Foot, and Pinochle. During the Tuesday afternoon Bridge group, Joann Riddell, Marguerite Fergason, Patsy Shockley and Jenie Bloomquist play at one of three tables. All the tables in the room are full, with everyone recently braving sub-zero temperatures to take part. “I look forward to the games and getting together with the people,” Fergason said. Bridge is played by four players in two competing partnerships. The game consists of several deals each progressing through four phases: dealing the cards, the auction, playing the hand and scoring the results. The game moves quickly, with each team doing their best to come out on top. “We’re all pretty mercenary,” Shockley jokes. Many in the group play cards several times a week at the center and other places. Riddell started playing double solitaire at age 6 and moved on to Bridge and Pinochle. “We didn’t have radio or TV at first so this is what my family did,” she said. Shockely also grew up in a card-playing family and, after she retired and moved to Cody, she decided to learn how to play Bridge.
game of Bridge.
Card players (from left) Betty Jensen, Katherine Guthrie, Alene Bryan and Ginny Hargash enjoy a game of Hand and Foot.
the playing cards
at entertainment for young and old alike “Bridge has many rules,” she said. Fergason played Bunco and Pinochle in high school and when she moved to Cody she took up Whist. “A woman in my Whist group asked me to try Bridge,” she added. “I like it because it’s stimulating and intellectual.” Bloomquist’s family grew up playing Auction Bridge and she took up the game in college. “My favorite part is getting a good hand,” she said. The group invites people of any age to participate and are happy to teach anyone to play. “We need younger players,” Riddell says. On Thursdays a group of about a dozen enjoys Hand and Foot. In this game, related to Canasta, each player is dealt two sets of cards – the hand, which is played first, and the foot, which is played when the hand has been used up. The aim is to get rid of cards from your hand and then from your foot by melding them. A meld is a set of 3-7 cards of equal rank placed face up on the table. Alene Bryan grew up playing Slapjack and War with her brothers. She decided to learn Hand and Foot when she tired of Pinochle. “It’s fairly simple, which is one thing I like about it,” she said. “It’s easy to visit while you’re playing.”
Her husband Cliff Bryan also plays Hand and Foot, as well as Pinochle on Fridays. The Pinochle group consists of 4-6 tables with four people to a table. The game is played with a 48-card pack containing two each of A, K, Q, J, 10, 9 in each suit with the object to score points by melding certain combinations of cards or by winning tricks that contain scoring cards. “I learned how to play in the Army and have been playing for 55 years,” he says. “I enjoy the challenge and skill involved, and games can get competitive.”
Ken Wood arranges his cards as he plays a game of Bridge.
Tasty casseroles Friends will beg you to make these cozy one-dish meals again and again.
36 • Chill 201 4
Chicken Florentine Casserole Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1/4 cup butter 3 teaspoons minced garlic 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 1/2 cup half-and-half 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 (13.5-ounce) cans spinach, drained 4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced 2/3 cup bacon bits 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place chicken breast halves on baking sheet; bake 20-30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Remove from heat, and set aside. 2. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. 3. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stirring constantly, mix in garlic, lemon juice, cream of mushroom soup, Italian seasoning, half-and-half and Parmesan cheese. 4. Arrange spinach on bottom of 9x9 inch baking dish. Cover spinach with mushrooms. Pour half the mixture from the saucepan over the mushrooms. Arrange chicken breasts in dish, and cover with remaining sauce mixture. Sprinkle with bacon bits and top with mozzarella cheese. 5. Bake 20-25 minutes in 400 degrees F oven, until bubbly and lightly browned.
Pizza Casserole Ingredients
2 cups uncooked egg noodles 1/2 pound lean ground beef 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 cup sliced pepperoni sausage 16 ounces pizza sauce 4 tablespoons milk 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions 1. Cook noodles according to package directions. 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 3. In medium skillet over medium-high heat, brown ground beef with onion, garlic and green bell pepper. Drain excess fat. Stir in noodles, pepperoni, pizza sauce and milk, and mix well. Pour this mixture into 2-quart casserole dish. 4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes, top with the cheese, then bake 5-10 more minutes.
Zucchini Herb Casserole Ingredients
1/3 cup uncooked long grain white rice 2/3 cup water 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 1/2 pounds zucchini, cubed 1 cup sliced green onions 1 clove garlic, minced 1 1/4 teaspoons garlic salt 1/2 teaspoon basil 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1 1/2 cups seeded, chopped tomatoes 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
Directions
1. Combine rice and water in saucepan, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, until rice is tender. 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease shallow 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. 3. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat, and cook zucchini, green onions and garlic 5 minutes, or until tender. Season with garlic salt, basil, paprika and oregano. Mix in cooked rice, tomatoes and 1 cup cheese. Continue to cook and stir until heated through. 4. Transfer to prepared casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Cheesy Ham and Hash Brown Casserole Ingredients
1 (32 -ounce) package frozen hash brown potatoes 8 ounces cooked, diced ham 2 (10.75-ounce) cans condensed cream of potato soup 1 (16-ounce) container sour cream 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease 9x13 inch baking dish. 2. In large bowl, mix hash browns, ham, cream of potato soup, sour cream and Cheddar cheese. Spread evenly into prepared dish.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. 3. Bake 1 hour in preheated oven, or until bubbly and lightly brown. Serve immediately.
Chili Rellenos Casserole Ingredients
2 (7-ounce) cans whole green chile peppers, drained 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded 8 ounces Longhorn or Cheddar cheese, shredded 2 eggs, beaten 1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 cup milk 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. 2. Lay half of the chilies evenly in bottom of baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the Jack and Cheddar cheeses, and cover with remaining chilies. In a bowl, mix together eggs, milk and flour, and pour over the top of the chilies. 3. Bake in preheated oven 25 minutes. Remove from oven, pour tomato sauce evenly over the top, and continue baking another 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining Jack and Cheddar cheeses, and serve.
For more recipes visit allrecipes.com Chill 2014 • 37
YELLOWSTONE
continued from page 9
affords “great visuals,” Dolan said. It also can offer drama, according to Gary who has observed predation in the valley. “Three times we’ve witnessed wolves killing buffalo, right in front of us,” he said. Before wolves were introduced, Gary noted, the buffalo used to wander the roads and even lie on the snow-packed surfaces, creating imposing obstacles. Now the buffalo move away when they see a dark object approaching. “We’ve never had a close encounter,” Dede said. “But the buffalo are used to snowmobiles.” Along with the wildlife and other wonders, another treat is experiencing the variations in conditions in the park, from snow to sun. “You see all different weather patterns along the way,” Dede says. Wintertime in the park also means fewer people. “Having it so much to yourself increases the drama and beauty of Yellowstone,” Dolan said.
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continued from page 25
The upgrades to the shelter accompanied regular offseason maintenance like stocking wood and riding the trails with ATVs in search of obstructions. When the snowmobiling season gets underway, the trailer is hauled up the mountain to its winter home at the campground. CCSA traveled to the shelter Dec. 8 for opening weekend.
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Our experienced family medicine physicians, working as part of our primary care team, are here to provide complete health care to you and your whole family. They provide a variety of services including: Women’s and men’s health Children’s health including well-child exams Immunizations Skin Care Care for colds, allergies and sinus problems Sports medicine and sports physicals
For more information, call us at (307) 527-7561 or visit us at 201 Yellowstone Avenue. www.billingsclinic.com/cody
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