Klamath Life: Winter Tales

REGIONAL MAGAZINE FOR KLAMATH, LAKE, MODOC AND SISKIYOU COUNTIES

Klamath Life WINTER TALES A Kingdom’s Honor

Enter the world of the Society for Creative Anachronism

Seasonal sojourn

Best bird watching winging its way to the Basin

Warner Wonderland

Family-friendly skiing outside Lakeview’s back door

H e r a l d a n d N e w s | D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 7 | w w w. h e r a l d a n d n e w s. c o m | $ 4 . 9 5

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Klamath Life

Winter Tales On the cover: The Society for Creative Anachronism

Inside:

Story on page 21.

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employs weapons, armor, fighting styles and clothing from the 1630s back to the Celts, Vikings and Greeks.

Cover photo by Samantha Tipler

Making tracks: Winter days filled with cross country skiing Page 3 Warner wonderland: Family-friendly skiing outside Lakeview’s back door. Page 6

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11

Seasonal sojourn: Best bird watching winging its way to the Basin. Page 11

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Stream of dreams: The unconscious lures of a winterbound fisherman. Page 14

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Living history: Enter the world of the Society for Creative Anachronism. Page 21

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A better forest: Projects expand for regional forest partnership. Page 18

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The big picture: Lakeview partnership works on town improvements. Page 26

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37

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Silver & Gold: Christmas Tree Jubilee embraces the holiday spirit. Page 29

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Rising to the occasion: Holiday bread recipes to warm the spirit. Page 32

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Checking his list: Santa’s all business these days as he prepares for his fly-in. Page 37

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3 This publication is copyrighted under Klamath Publishing LLC doing business as the Herald and News (c) 2017. All rights reserved.

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 3

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4 | Klamath Life | WINTER TALES

Seasonally perfect: Klamath snow trails For people living in or near Klamath Falls, or visiting for a day or weekend, here are some recommended places for seasonally perfect places to ski or snowshoe include:

MOORE PARK When the snow’s abundant, there’s no place closer to home to ski or snowshoe than Moore Park. The 458-acre city park has soccer fields, tennis courts, restrooms, children’s play equipment, a disc golf course and miles and miles of paved roads and signed trails. When the snow flies, roads closed to motor vehicles and existing trails offer a variety of terrain good for everyone from first-timers to veteran cross country skiers. Some of the best routes follow or branch off from the Eulalona and Ridgeview trails. Sightings of bald eagles, deer and migrating ducks and geese are common.

LINK RIVER TRAIL Located along Moore Park’s south flank is the 1-1/2 mile long Link River Trail, which follows the river’s west side from Upper Klamath Lake to Lake Ewauna.

Expect frequent sightings of winter birds and ducks, including black-crowned night herons, hooded mergansers and Barrow’s goldeneye.

WINGWATCHERS TRAIL Lake Ewauna and a series of birdpopular ponds are the scenic highlights along the Klamath Wingwatchers Trail. A 1.3-mile loop trail provides views of the lake and several ponds, where it’s common to see hundreds of resting ducks and geese. Winter is a good time to see gulls, redtail hawks, kestrels, mallards, robins, ruddy ducks, sparrows and, most impressive of all, bald eagles, which are often seen atop an eagle perch. Completed last year is the mile-long Ken Hay Trail, which connects with the Wingwatchers trail from the Klamath County Visitor Center off Highway 97. Skiers and snowshoers can combine the trails for a longer loop.

SKILLET HANDLE RUNNING Y RANCH RESORT There’s no better way to enjoy a sunny wintery day than cross country skiing or snowshoeing along wide-open sections of the Running Y Ranch Resort just outside Klamath Falls. During snowy periods, the golf course’s club house is the gateway for heading out to the miles of dikes that border marshes. Depending on conditions and individual whims, it’s easy to gently ski or snowshoe one or two easy miles, or spend several hours kicking and gliding five to 10 or more miles.

It’s possible to access the Skillet Handle Trail, which meanders 2.5 miles along a peninsula, from the club house starting point or, more directly, from a parking area near Upper Klamath Lake. A mostly gentle ski, the trail travels through a ponderosa pine, juniper and Western white oak forest.

For a list of cross country skiing and snowshoeing areas on the Fremont-Winema National Forest, visit http://bit.ly/2m2DMSc

File photo by Lee Juillerat

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 5

Winter dreams: Making fresh tracks along Lake Ewauna Me? I’m hoping for a repeat of last winter, and outings like one on the Klamath Wingwatchers Trail.

I made fresh tracks alongside Lake Ewauna, which was overflowing with thousands of birds — some resting like frozen statues on open water and even more sitting motionless on iced-over areas. The trail forked, following Lake Ewauna on one side, a series of ponds on the other. Instead of taking the loop back, I followed the trail to its junction with the new Ken Hay Trail. Near the South Portal Building, home of Discover Klamath and the Klamath County Chamber of Commerce, I doubled back, following my tracks to the junction, carved new tracks on the unskied loop and returned to the trailhead.

It wasn’t enough, so I skied another loop on my freshly groomed tracks. Again the lake and skies were filled with birds, including delightfully, noisily honking flights of Canada geese. But I hoped for more. Upward of 500 bald eagles winter in the Klamath Basin, the largest concentration in the lower 48 states. But I hadn’t seen any, not even on the 80-foot tall eagle perch near Lake Ewauna.

Because eagles typically leave at their perches when daylight fades, I figured I was out of luck.

Surprise! Waiting atop the perch was a regal eagle. As I stopped and gawked, he seemed to peer at me, as if asking, “Satisfied?” Then he spread his wings and soared high, gliding out of sight.

TRACKS, from page 3 There are also tentative proposals to create groomed ski trails at the Running Y Ranch Resort and in the Lake of the Woods area. Lake of the Woods Resort manager George Gregory said trail grooming is possible, but approvals will be necessary through the Fremont-Winema and Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.

“I’d be willing to work with the clubs,” Gregory said of generating groomed ski trails with input from the Klamath Basin Ski Club and Southern Oregon Nordic Club. “We want to work with them. There are lots of opportunities.”

It’s also possible Nordic ski trails will be closer to Klamath Falls. Barrett is working with Klamath Falls parks managers about grooming beginner trails at Moore Park and, depending on snow availability, offering free lessons.

Making tracks Snowshoers and cross country skiers often travel along the same areas, but they shouldn’t necessarily share the same trail.

There’s no better way to raise a skier’s ire than having snowshoers track and obliterate a skier’s tracks. Instead, people on snowshoes should, when possible, walk alongside ski tracks.

Signs asking snowshoers to not use tracks made by cross country skiers are posted at places like Crater Lake National Park but, according to park officials, are often ignored.

Snow etiquette: A sign at Crater Lake National Park advises hikers, snowshoers and snowboarders to not travel on cross country ski tracks.

File photo by Lee Juillerat

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6 | Klamath Life | WINTER TALES

Family-friendly skiing experience outside Lakeview’s back door

A Warner Wonderland

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 7

By KURT LIEDTKE: H&N Staff Reporter

I

t’s difficult to find a more convenient proximity to a community for winter sports, nor a more family-friendly setting for fun in the snow, than Warner Canyon Ski Area in Lake County. Located a very short drive northeast of Lakeview, the hill’s nearly eight decades of operation has provided for many residents a chance to learn how to ski or snowboard before advancing to more challenging mountains.

With a summit of just under 6,500 feet and an 800-foot descent to the base, Warner Canyon is one of the smallest ski resorts in Oregon, and the second oldest, yet its charm is alluring; consistently drawing skiers from beyond Lake County’s borders. A single chairlift, installed in 2000, rarely has long lines and makes for a quick ride to the top, where over 20 established runs race to the bottom from beginner bunny slopes to intermediate and black diamond runs.

The resort is the property of Lake County, acquired through an acreage exchange with the U.S. Forest Service, but is overseen by an all-volunteer club — Fremont Highlanders

Ski Club. While operations typically don’t begin until December and continue as long as the snow pack permits before the inevitable spring thaw, managing Warner Canyon’s finances and upgrades is a year-round venture. Members write grants, plan maintenance, coordinate schedules and handle what can at times be tenuous finances during seasons when the snow is lean.

It is a long-standing tradition that the people’s hill, dubbed “the world’s largest babysitter,” is something every local has invested in to keep going.

See WARNER, page 8

Snow hopes: Warner Canyon Ski Area had its second great snow season in a row, remaining open until midMarch in 2017 offering months of family entertainment just a few minutes outside of Lakeview.

H&N file photo by Kurt Liedtke

8 | Klamath Life | WINTER TALES

Summer attractions During the off-season at Warner Canyon Ski Area, plans are in the works for adding a new porch for the lodge, and a 40-acre land donation by Dennis Barry will allow for construction of campsites. A new well was recently drilled at the end of the parking lot, which will be connected to the lodge in time for the 2017-18 ski season. Barry Shullanberger, Fremont Highlanders president hopes that with RV spaces and campsites available, the lodge will become an attractive alternative for special events.

One already well-established summer event is a multi-day outdoor archery shoot. Hosted by the Lakeview Bowman’s Club, archers ride the chair lift and work their way down the hill shooting 3-D targets, many camping on-site for the multi-day experience. Rumors have circulated for years that it could also be attractive as a summertime mountain biking site, but proactive work to prepare trails to accommodate bikers has not commenced. Also on the docket are plans to repaint the chairlift towers, a task not conducted since they were first installed in 2000.

“We think that if we build it, they will come,” chuckled Shullanberger.

“Hopefully we will see more people reserving the lodge and camping, it would be great for receptions and reunions.”

H&N file photo by Kurt Liedtke

To the top: Barry Shullanberger gets a helping hand onto the lift from Warner Canyon Mgr. Jim Copeland on the 2016-17 season’s last day of operations. The chair lift was installed in 2000, offering for the first time a ride to the top of Warner Canyon.

WARNER, from page 7 “We give a ton of credit to our county commissioners,” said Barry Shullanberger, Fremont Highlanders president.

“We weren’t open two out of three seasons, and we had to pay our liability insurance whether open or not. Some of it gets reimbursed if we don’t open, but it got down to where we only had a little money left in our account, and the commissioners agreed to make the first insurance payment. Thankfully we got a lot of snow last year and were able to pay them back, but they’ve been very supportive of us.”

For a community as isolated as Lakeview, the hill’s enduring survival is a testament to a do-it-yourself community spirit. First established in 1938 utilizing a rope tow powered by a truck engine, in 1971 a T-bar was installed, and in 2000, a used ski lift from Squaw Valley was acquired. Each of the towers

was donated by a local family, with the families performing the manual labor to dig the holes for the heavy mounts.

During the winter months, nearly the entire town can be found at the ski hill, kids clamoring for one more run while parents mingle outside the rustic ski lodge at the bottom of the hill. A kitchen inside the lodge serves hamburgers, hot dogs and other simple treats, while facilities are maintained by volunteers.

Nearly everyone is on a firstname basis with each other.

Snow permitting Warner Canyon typically opens in time for the winter school break in December, snow permitting, then in January remains open on weekends into March. Starting in January, ski lessons for beginners and intermediates are offered on Saturdays for six weeks at $20, plus the cost of lift tickets. Every year Lakeview High School hosts competitive ski races, and near the end of

each season the resort hosts Snowfest – incorporating a tri-tip dinner and auction, ski races for families and all skill levels, and a torchlight evening parade down the hill.

From its early days, Warner Canyon has been a popular draw locally, while being a relative hidden commodity statewide. While the second oldest downhill ski area in the state should garner notoriety, the out of the way locale has kept Warner Canyon largely a secret except to the locals who have grown up skiing the hill and a few lucky travelers who have made the trek. Throughout its various renovations, Warner Canyon has always provided a friendly atmosphere with a casual approach.

It’s a nice alternative for those who begrudge long, crowded waiting lines and even longer chair lift times to reach the high summits of Mount Bachelor or Mount Ashland.

See WARNER, page 9

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 9

Warner Canyon on ‘Oregon Field Guide’ Watch an OPB segment on Warner Canyon at http://bit. ly/2AmFwrJ

At the lodge: Warner Canyon Ski Area’s lodge, which recently had its interior remodeled, provides food, parking passes, lift tickets, accessories, or simply a warm place to get out of the snow.

H&N file photo by Kurt Liedtke

WARNER, from page 8 Even with only one chair lift, it is rare at Warner Canyon for wait lines to exceed 10 to 15 people, and the summit can be reached in a few short minutes to maximize time spent on the snow.

It helps too that Warner Canyon offers the leastexpensive lift ticket rates in the state, while sno-park passes are also conveniently sold on-site. For rentals, the M&B Ski Shop, operated out of Affordable Fitness in downtown Lakeview, offers a close-by site to acquire skis, snowboards and related gear for a day of fun on the slopes.

“This is just a good family hill,” said Shullanberger.

“It’s a place to bring the kids to learn how to ski, and also more advanced skiers can still be challenged.”

Many from the community volunteer at the hill, either as ski patrol, maintenance, or by pitching in financially to keep the facilities afloat. It’s a place where the whole community can congregate for a fun afternoon on the slopes, a safe environment where everyone knows each other and helps out wherever they can.

There have been numerous efforts to improve the Warner Canyon experience while not losing its innate charm.

Over the past several seasons, work crews have conducted tree thinning operations to enhance runs and improve the experience for skiers who desire cutting through trees. The lodge was recently remodeled, where a contracted kitchen offers food at reasonable rates, including a $4 cheeseburger that Shullanberger personally highly recommends.

Ticket attraction Lift ticket rates are typically slashed near the end of the season, but standard costs are incredibly affordable comparative to rising ticket costs around the state. For adults, a day of skiing is just $32, with discounted costs for seniors, students and children. While one of the lower summits in the state, Warner Canyon can operate with as little as 2 feet of snow at the base.

“We’ve put two good years in a row together,” reflected Shullanberger on the final day of operations for the 2016-17 season back in March. “Last year got us back on track, and this year the snow was fantastic. We’re trying to promote

skiing, get kids involved and bring the parents, and everybody has fun.”

in the know, Warner Canyon remains one of Southern Oregon’s true winter gems.

The ski hill has gained some notoriety. In 1964, Lakeview local Jean Saubert won two medals at the Winter Olympics at Innsbruck, Austria. Facing the world’s best skiers who trained on the biggest mountains the globe could offer, Warner Canyontrained Saubert proved it wasn’t the size of the hill that counts when it comes to quality skiing.

For more information visit www.warnercanyon.org.

The secret may soon be out about Lake County’s lone ski area, as the 2016-17 season drew the attention of Oregon Public Broadcasting. A film crew visited from Portland to film operations and interview skiers and staff about Warner Canyon’s enduring success as a great alternative to Oregon’s large mountains for a feature on Oregon Field Guide. The OPB feature premiered in late October, raving about this quaint, remote ski hill offering tremendous views, short lines, and a community-driven family atmosphere.

Whether that results in more out-of-towners making the trek to hit Lake County’s slopes this season is yet to be seen, but for locals and those

kliedtke@heraldandnews.com

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WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 11

B

asin bird watching during the winter months has never been easier nor more rewarding, for both the newbie and the expert.

The abundance of websites, cell phone apps and good old-fashioned birding books make the sport more enjoyable than ever. But for the best results, go out with someone who knows the region. For example, Kevin Spencer and Dave Hewitt are local experts.

They’ve been studying the bird life in the Basin for several years.

“It’s not always seeing, but listening,” notes Spencer.

“While you’re out walking, you may see a bird ahead of you, but you’ll hear a lot more around you. Recognizing the sounds birds make is also part of the fun.”

Spencer is a fifth-grade teacher at Tulelake Basin Elementary School. He’s been a life-long birder, before he knew it was “a thing.”

“I was on a fire crew and went with a kid from back East out to Summer Lake to look at the shore birds. He was in the Audubon Society. He got pretty amped up when he saw what we have here. I’ve been pretty hard core ever since,” Spencer said.

Hewitt is a fish biologist for the United States Geological Survey and became interested in birding in college.

“I thought it was kind of nerdy, but I became enthralled,” he said.

Viewing tips, see page 12

Seasonal sojourn Keep your eyes on the skies: The best bird watching is winging its way into the Klamath Basin

By GERRY O’BRIEN: H&N Editor

Flying high: Crimson-capped sandhill cranes form extremely large flocks—into the tens of thousands—on their wintering grounds and during migration, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Photo courtesy of David Ramirez

12 | Klamath Life | WINTER TALES Here’s Spencer and Hewitt’s take on what to see and where to go this winter in the Basin:

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Start with bird feeders outside the home. With the cold weather, and a skiff of snow on the ground, small birds flock to feeders. Pine siskins, juncos, Steller’s jay, gold finches, California quail, mourning dove and a common red poll may show up.

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For larger birds, such as hawks and waterfowl, the Lower Klamath and Miller Island national wildlife refuges are the places to go. White snow geese and Ross geese are starting to move in; Canada geese remain in the area as do cackling geese (a sub-species, a smaller but close look alike to the Canada goose).

Tundra and trumpeter swans should show up later in the year, too. Many of them are staging at the refuges, and will head south to the Central Valley of California soon.

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Waterfowl are just about everywhere: mallards, teals, coots, buffleheads, golden eye, cinnamon teal and kingfishers.

Upper Klamath Lake and Lake Ewauna are best.

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Snow geese and Ross geese are staging for the flight south at Tule Lake.

They will head to the central valley in California the next big flyway stop-off.

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There are some 4,000 Bonaparte’s gull invading during the drainage of the irrigation canals. They’ve become habituated to stopping here in late October through November to load up on stranded minnows and chubs in the canals.

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Raptors are moving through the area: Bald eagles, red tail hawks, Coopers hawk, red shoulder hawks. Raptors take advantage of the thermal updrafts hear Hagelstein Park.

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Owls, especially great horned owls and pigmy owls are prevalent now, but the best time for hearing them is in the early evening, especially at Upper Klamath Marsh.

Rare bird: A large flock of snow geese take flight to avoid a juvenile bald eagle at the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.

H&N file photo

Pompadour: A crested duck stares down the photographer while it plies Basin waters.

Photo courtesy of Jordan Jones

Specklebelly: Greater white-fronted geese rise from the water at the Butte Valley Wildlife Area near Macdoel.

H&N photo by Holly Owens

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 13



TOP 10 ‘HOT SPOTS’

Here are the top 10 “hot spots” for viewing birds, according to ebird.org:

1. Wood River Wetlands 2. Lost River trail 3. Klamath Marsh 4. Miller Island 5. Upper Klamath Lake at Rocky Point 6. Eagle Ridge and Shoalwater Bay

on Upper Klamath Lake 7. Lower Klamath National Wildlife

Refuge (Oregon side) 8. Moore Park 9. Putnam’s Point at the source

of the Link River 10. Hagelstein Park near

Upper Klamath Lake

READY, SET, REGISTER ...

FOR WINTER WINGS Registration for the Klamath Basin Audubon’s 2018 Winter Wings Festival opens at 9 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 16, at www.winterwingsfest.org.

The four-day event will offer just about something for everyone. There are five main components to the event that draws upwards of 600 birder to the Basin.

Topics include: Birding and technology, including drone photography; history of the region; conservation issues facing the Basin; photography; and art and wildlife.

This year there are three keynote speakers: Stephen Shunk, author and woodpecker specialist; Moose Peterson, Nikon ambassador and wildlife photographer; and Kevin McGowan, author and instructor with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

New presenters include: Kevin Barnes from the Yurok Tribe on the California Condor recovery efforts and lead shot issues; Teresa “Bird” Wicks on “Birding by Ear;” Mel Clements on photographing the Great Gray Owls of Southern Oregon.

H&N photo by Holly Owens

INSIDER INFORMATION One of the best resources for birding is ebird.org.

Simply type in the location you’re interested in and up pops results posted by local birders. The resource tells you the best time of year to view local birds and the most common spots. If one follows those who are posting their results at the site, there’s a pretty good chance one will see the same birds.

14 | Klamath Life | WINTER TALES

Stream of unconsciousness

The snowbound fisherman Story and Photos By LUKE OVGARD: H&N Sports Reporter

I know I’m dreaming, but I let it play out.

I’m fishing in the wintertime.

The river feels out-of-sorts, but it holds the rarified air of a truly viable winter fishery.

Tender snowflakes crowd around me, lazily falling through the frigid winter air and trapping me in the white throes of silence, save for the soft music of the river.

Were the warm springs — none warmer than 65 or 70 degrees — not present, the slow-moving water would likely be frozen.

I’m chilled to the bone, and I know it has to be cold. Single-digits cold.

A bitter wind whispers through my coveralls and the insulated layers beneath. My hands, rendered nearly useless by the biting cold, stop spinning the handle of my reel.

I pause and look at the garish reds and purples of my skin and wonder what frostbite looks like.

Then again, you can’t really get hurt in dreams.

See FISHERMAN, page 15

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 15

FISHERMAN, from page 14 The muted palette of the white-andgray-and-black forest is tempered only by the golden sunlight slipping through the aspens from time to time.

It’s absurdly beautiful, but it doesn’t compare to anything else I’ve seen.

Time stands still as I take it all in.

What a dream.

The numbness has retreated from my weather-beaten hands, replaced by sharp pain.

Setting my pole in the powdery snow, I dip my hands in the tepid water.

It’s not enough to warm them, but it’s certainly enough to stimulate a little blood flow.

I follow this therapy up by placing my hands in hand warmer-fired gloves.

The exchange is timeless. It could’ve been seconds or hours, but eventually, my hands are reborn.

Unreality I grab my rod again. The eyelets are iced over. I dip the rod in the tepid

spring, the reel creaks to life as ice is replaced by moisture in the presence of heat and friction.

The simple twitch of the Rapala is enough to set off the chain reaction. A handsome buck slashes at my Rapala, and I feel the tap-throb of a take. The fight is on.

My arms are not my own.

It’s as if I’m in autopilot, or third-person or, fittingly, a dream.

Several minutes of adrenaline elevate my heart rate. Just as sweat begins to escape my pores, the fish shows its back in humbled defeat.

My rod is in the right hand that is still not mine, as I reach for a large net with my left.

Feet attached shuffle of their own volition. The left hand puts the basket of the net against the ground as one phantom foot stands on it. A button is pressed while the net lifts up, and the net extends three feet.

H&N photo illustration by Luke Ovgard

Winter fish: Few fish had as much meaning as this large redband the author captured during a snowstorm in the timeless past.

See FISHERMAN, page 16

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Nearly every color of the rainbow is present on this dark, spawning trout as if a prism has been reflected onto its lithe body ...

FISHERMAN, from page 15 This net has grown in the dream-state, and I laugh aloud.

Yet another unrealistic detail in an already unrealistic utopia.

The same hands play the fish to net, and it swims into the soft rubber mesh headfirst.

Nearly every color of the rainbow is present on this dark, spawning trout as if a prism has been reflected onto its lithe body: greens and purples and oranges shade the reddishpink base of the fish, as faint traces of silver leave no indication they reigned supreme on this canvas just months earlier.

Black markings and sharp, white teeth create a beautiful contrast.

Not unlike every fish I’ve captured in this reverie, it is well over 20 inches in length.

Pliers dip into the corner of the fish’s mouth, seemingly of their own accord, in the automatic fluidity of the moment.

The hook pops free of the fish, and the pliers, now wet, instantly freeze.

I (I suppose it is I, since no one else is around me) extend the net again, and the fish swims out with a flourish of its handsized tail.

Counting fish, not sheep That makes 20.

I love the dreams where I’m flying over the land below, free as a bird.

This dream is like that one, but the flying is figurative.

Time passes.

25.

Steam from the next warm spring rises in the cold, thin air.

The moment is surreal. Steam rises in the foreground of a snow-blanketed forest.

What did I eat last night? If I

THE SPRAGUE: Protecting the redband While the brief opening of the Sprague River last winter provided fishing most people can only dream about, it has historically been closed to fishing and is once again open only April to October. No fishing is allowed to protect spawning redband trout.

As my body slides down the hill, all of the force of my wet, bundled-up bulk is delivered to my reel.

It snaps at the base, right off of my rod, into two jagged pieces.

Nightmare

H&N file photo by Luke Ovgard

Iridescent: Redband trout, when in pre-spawn and spawning color patterns, are truly unbelievably beautiful. can duplicate this dream, I have every intention of doing so.

27.

Again, the stunning majesty of the moment catches me off guard.

Why am I doing math? It’s a dream, not a nightmare.

I take another step on what appears to be snow. Beneath the snow is a branch, slickened with ice.

That’s right. A dream.

Whistling sounds and the whirr of paired wings cause me to lift my head. It is barely audible in the muted snowscape, but my ears trace the sound back to a pair of wood ducks, painting color on the monochromatic sky as they flee my presence.

The day flashes before my eyes in the descent. My hands, again instinctively, reach out in front of me.

My rod is in my hand.

Too late I realize that it is going to take the brunt of the fall.

The dream is over. It is a nightmare. I curse and cry and plead. My other hand is slashed and bleeding, but I don’t care.

The reel is ruined. I have no spare in the car. Despite the excellence of the day, I calculate whether or not I can make it home and back.

At best, the icy roads would laugh at my haste. At worst … I shudder more deeply than the cold could demand on its own.

The newly frantic tempo of the nightmare finally subsides enough for rational thought.

A friend nearby has one of my reels, I remember. He’s been fixing it for me after I suffered a similar fall at some point in the undefined past of this dream world.

See FISHERMAN, page 17

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 17

H&N file photo by Luke Ovgard

Nature’s pool: Winter hot springs create a unique, micro-climate that even the most creative person would have trouble dreaming up.

FISHERMAN, from page 16 I sprint to the car, upset but purposeful.

Second chance Nearly three hours pass.

I park in the suspiciously car-shaped cutout in the snow along the highway shoulder.

I’m on the water again, but I’ve lost the better part of the day.

Daylight is beginning to fade, and so is my strength.

My unconscious has allowed both rapture and gloom.

This is a strange dream.

Tap. Tap. Tug! 28.

29.

Knowing my unconscious mind, it’ll end here. The perfectionist in me likes nice, rounded numbers.

Thirty would be nice.

But the dream continues to course-correct.

30 comes along. Then 31, 32, 33.

The graying light washes out the already grayscale terrain.

I’m transported back to another time.

When the world was younger, when the world was black-and-white and analog.

Yet, the digital display of my phone reads 5:15.

It is nearly dark when I catch my final fish.

34 fish over 20 inches.

Well, actually there was that one brown trout just under 20 inches in there. So 33, really.

That’s more than 19 yards — yes, yards — of trout.

Gross. Why so much math?

Current retakes the fish, and it’s gone.

The dream doesn’t end there, though. I don’t remember walking back to the car or

driving home. But at some point later that night, an exhausted Luke hit the sack. Hard.

Fleeting dreams Soft light broke through my room the next morning, and the cold light of day roused me.

I smiled as I remembered the beautiful reality of what had so clearly been a vivid dream.

“If only,” I mused, wiping the sleep from my eyes.

As I stumbled to the shower, I stepped on something jagged and sharp.

Profanity passed my lips.

Without my contacts, I’m nearly blind, but as I squatted over the object, a blurry object came into focus: a fishing reel, broken into two jagged pieces.

Read more at caughtovgard.com; Follow @LukeOvgard; Contact luke.ovgard@gmail.com.

18 | Klamath Life | WINTER TALES

A better

FOREST Klamath Lake Forest Health Partnership starts projects to benefit forest, landowners, wildlife and more

By SAMANTHA TIPLER: For the Herald and News

T

his year a group of agencies, nonprofits and landowners in Klamath and Lake counties did what some may think impossible. They banded together and worked toward a common cause of making forests healthier and fire resistant while providing jobs, wood for mills and grazing for landowners.

How did this happen? Through the Klamath Lake Forest Health Partnership. It mapped 80,000 acres of private and public land and started projects this year to the benefit of all.

“I’ve had this vision for 50 years and have not been able to realize it until now,” said Daniel Leavell, forestry agent at Oregon State University’s Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center. “All the stars that enable this have lined up.”

“We can shed some additional national light on how these partnerships may be the way we go forward in the future,” said Dan Shoun, Lake County Commissioner and member of the national Wildland Fire Leadership Council. “We can utilize the principal concepts in the national cohesive strategy as the backbone tool of how we do it.”

Leavell and Shoun are just two members of the partnership working together to improve forests in Klamath and Lake counties.

Photos courtesy Daniel Leavell, KBREC

See FOREST, page 19

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 19

Klamath Lake Forest Health Partnership members OSU Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center





U.S. Forest Service



Natural Resource Conservation Service



Oregon Department of Forestry



Bureau of Land Management



Chiloquin Fire and Rescue



Klamath Watershed Partnership



The Nature Conservancy



American Forest Foundation



Wildland Fire Technologies



Oregon Small Woodlands Association

Network of Oregon Watershed Councils



Before and after: Trees were marked on the North Warner Project by the Klamath Lake Forest Health Partnership to track changes done through commercial thinning.

Photos courtesy Daniel Leavell, KBREC

FOREST, from page 18 Partnership The Klamath Lake Forest Health Partnership was formed in 1993. In 2015 it held a summit on forest health. Since then it has been working with government agencies, nonprofits and landowners to make things happen on the ground.

“Relationships are so critical,” Leavell said. “You’ve got to work together. But you’ve got to know each other and trust each other.”

The partnership includes federal agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, and statewide agencies such as the Oregon Department of Forestry and Oregon State University extension. But these agencies don’t run the show. They worked with land-

owners to find common ground.

“These people that represent these agencies, the ego is gone,” Leavell said. “They just want to overcome barriers and get work done.”

“Just about every faction, you might say, is represented,” Shoun said. “The key membership were not just the typical federal and management agencies, but also the private partnerships have been developed.”

When it came time to give a yes or no on any projects, it was up to landowners.

“It’s their decision. We accept that, honor it and respect it,” Leavell said. “We’re there to assist.

We’re not there to tell.”

Through grant funding the partnership provided mapping and projects with no cost to the

landowners, though some chose to give in-kind by lending a hand on the labor side.

“Yes it can work and it didn’t cost the landowner anything,” Leavell said. “It put people back to work, wood in the mill, and achieving forest health, fire resistance and wildlife habitat. We did it.”

North Warner Project The North Warner Project focused on 30,000 acres of private land surrounding 50,000 acres of forest service land. The Forest Service had plans in place for its land, but through the partnership, 20 landowners on 30,000 acres benefited from the plan, too.

“For the first time we had a big picture view of what was needed,” Leavell said.

See FOREST, page 20

NORTH WARNER PROJECT Project goals included

Increase forest health Reduce risk and hazards from wildfire Improve wildlife habitat Improve grazing Improve wildfire response

20 | Klamath Life | WINTER TALES

FOREST, from page 19 The partnership mapped the area over a period of four months. The maps formed the basis of the plan for what to do where in the North Warner Project.

Mapping identified forests and stands with these problems and prescribed ways to fix or treat them. Where the forest is overcrowded, stressing the trees and making them susceptible to insect damage and fire, commercial thinning was recommended.

“Local contractors harvesting and treating slash and taking pride in their community and pride in what they do,” Leavell said. “It’s a win-win for everybody.”

Commercial thinning meant wood going to local mills, such as Collins Products.

“It’s really neat when they can count 12 log trucks going through Lakeview on a given

day,” Leavell said. “That solidifies everything. Jobs, wood to the mills, income to the locals.”

Projects created defensible space around homes to protect from fire. It looked at roads to ensure fire crews could get to locations if there is a wildfire.

“Each recommendation and prescription is accompanied by a project,” Leavell said.

“That’s improving thousands and thousands of acres,” Shoun said. “We’re going to have the ability to withstand fire starts and take appropriate action based on the condition of these stands.

What’s next With the success in the North Warner Project, the partnership is looking to complete similar maps, plans and treatments in the Chiloquin area.

But there, instead of 20 landowners, the partnership must work with 2,000 landowners, including eight subdivisions.

Photos courtesy Daniel Leavell, KBREC

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Forest horizons: After completion of the North Warner Project, the Klamath Lake Forest Health Partnership is preparing for a new project in the Chiloquin area with more than 2,000 landowners.

“We’re following the same schedule and following the same process, except we have 100 times the landowners,” Leavell said.

Shoun hopes the projects the partnership is completing, and the partnership itself, can be a model nationally. Using this as a guide, it could help defend or lessen fire risk and damage across the West.

“As we move forward and perhaps see this as the model, it opens the model for how we manage our public lands,” he said. “I think we’re going to be able to reverse some of the trends in the last three decades of total devastation and totally unhealthy lands.”

NORTH WARNER PROJECTS Pre-commercial and commercial thinning Brush reduction Aspen restoration Meadow restoration Prescribed burns Reducing slash loads

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 21

Living History Enter the world of the Society for Creative Anachronism

By SAMANTHA TIPLER: For the Herald and News

Photo by Samantha Tipler

Made to fit: Most of the armor and clothing used in the SCA is made by the participants themselves, close friends, or by a select number of hobbyists.

T

he sound of sword on shield, glaive against axe, armor clashing armor, rang out through the trees around Lake of the Woods on a bright fall day in November.

“It’s exciting,” said Matt Widolff, of Vancouver, Wash., better known as Jarl Kjartan, a former king of the Kingdom of An Tir. “I love this activity. I love the physical aspect. I love the competition.”

Kjartan traveled from his home in the north to join in the Frostbite Tournament in the Shire of Southmarch.

See WORLD, page 22

22 | Klamath Life | WINTER TALES

WHAT IS SCA?

Photos by Samantha Tipler

Defender: Alex Snow, known as Leonardus of the Shire of Southmarch, is a second generation SCA member. At the November Frostbite Tourney, he won the honor of Defender of the Shire for the second year.

WORLD, from page 21 While this may sound foreign, it’s a world that exists right here at home. It is the world of the Society for Creative Anachronism, or SCA. The Shire of Southmarch is the name of the area most know as Klamath, and the Kingdom of An Tir encompasses Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and a sliver of Idaho.

“It’s a historical recreation group,” explained Alex Snow, of Klamath Falls, better known as Leonardus. “It’s not fantasy based. It’s real history.”

See WORLD, page 23

SCA stands for Society for Creative Anachronism. It is a “practical history society” according to the organization’s website. It focuses on skills and culture from pre-17th century Europe including the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Vikings and Greeks. Though it is perhaps best known for tournaments and armored combat, it also includes metalworking, carpentry, cooking, clothing, dancing, jewelry making and much more.

The SCA started as a themed party in 1966 and grew to become a worldwide practice with 20 kingdoms. The Shire of Southmarch (Klamath) has existed since 1980 and is part of the Kingdom of An Tir. The SCA is free to join. Many members will share garb until new members can make or purchase their own. Most technical equipment, like armor, must be made to fit individuals.

For more information, contact Renae Snow at 541331-0850

LOCAL SCA GEOGRAPHY Kingdom of An Tir: includes all of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia and the panhandle of Idaho.

Shire of Southmarch: Klamath area

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 23

WORLD, from page 22 On that day at Lake of the Woods, Leonardus won his title as Defender of Southmarch for the second year by defeating challengers in armed combat. He and the other fighters wore full armor including a 16-gauge helmet, chest, kidney, knee and elbow protection. They used wooden and metal shields and weapons made of wood or rattan covered in colored tape to denote cutting edges or points. If a fighter is hit in the head or torso with a killing blow, he forfeits.

“I like the fact that it’s based on honor,” said Lester Hale, of Springfield, better known as Sir Morgan the True Hearted.

“We’re not hurting each other, but we’re hitting reasonably hard. It’s not touchy-feely.

“I am wearing enough equipment to not get injured,” Kjartan said. “I’m not wearing enough not to feel pain when I’m struck.

“It’s got to be hard enough that if it would have been an actual sword it would have cut through chain mail and a leather jerkin,” said Sir Morgan. “That it would have wounded you bad enough that you couldn’t continue or it would have killed you.”

More than swords and armor The SCA is about more than armor and combat. It encompasses entire cultures dating before the 1630s. In the Pacific Northwest, it’s popular to adopt Viking, British or Celtic personas, Kjartan said, because the clothing from those eras is appropriate for the weather. In warmer climes, like California, SCA participants adopt Greek, Roman or Persian personas.

“Most of the stuff you’re going to see people wearing today is either, their friends made it, or they made it,” he said.

See WORLD, page 24

‘I like the fact that it’s based on honor.’

Lester Hale aka Sir Morgan the True Hearted

Defeat: SCA armored combat is on the fighters’ honor. If he or she is struck by a killing blow, such as to the head or torso, it is that fighter’s responsibility to yield defeat.

Combat: Weapons in the SCA are made of hard materials, such as rattan, covered with duct tape. Colored tape denotes a cutting edge of a blade or a flat side of a blade. That indicates what kind of blow a fighter inflicts during combat.

Photos by Samantha Tipler

24 | Klamath Life | WINTER TALES

By design: Most of the armor and clothing used in the SCA is made by the participants themselves, close friends, or by a select number of hobbyists. Matt Widolff, of Vancouver, Wash., left, known as Jarl Kjartan within the SCA, has garb which matches his Icelandic Norse persona.

Photos by Samantha Tipler

WORLD, from page 23 A year and a half ago Kjartan won the honor of king through combat. He fights with a helmet sporting a front like a bearded face. It was specially designed by an architect in Salem. It’s just one part of Kjartan’s historic persona.

Like other kings of An Tir, his reign lasted six months. During that time he toured the kingdom bestowing awards to SCA members. For that purpose, his garb matches his Icelandic Norse persona including jewelry of Thor’s hammer, Odin’s face and Christian cross. His clothing includes touches of silk on the linen or wool. About 1,000 years ago, a rich Viking might have silk on his clothes that had been passed down for generations.

SCA members engage in many endeavors, including armored combat and rapier fighting. But there is also clothing, carpentry and cooking to name a few.

“Anything and everything,

you can do it,” said Renee Snow, of Klamath Falls, better known as Viscountess Ekaterina.

The Frostbite Tournament was at Camp McLoughlin, the Boy Scout camp at Lake of the Woods. While combatants battled outside, other SCA members worked inside to craft period-appropriate meals.

Rock Mowry, of Bly, is the Seneschal of Southmarch and known as Arkasha in the SCA. On that November day he was baking meat pies according to historical recipes. Others made stuffed eggs (similar to deviled eggs but without mayonnaise or mustard) and brioche bread.

“Some of it is a little bit of modern adaptation for ingredients that used to be available and aren’t any more. Or just for changing taste,” Arkasha said. “People eat differently these days. Some things that are purely historically accurate might not be all that appetizing. We try to strike a balance.”

See WORLD, page 25

Foiled: SCA includes arts aside from armored combat, such as rapier fighting.

‘Gruel’ing work: Seneschal Arkasha, also known as Rick Mowry of Bly, prepares a feast at the Frostbite Tourney in early November at the Boy Scout Camp McLoughlin at Lake of the Woods.

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 25

WORLD, from page 24 Part of a family Leonardus has a 7-month-old daughter. Before starting the tournament at Frostbite, he held a new ax up to her tiny hands, and she took hold.

“OK,” he said to her, “you’re going to be a heavy fighter.”

Leonardus (Alex Snow) is the son of Ekaterina (Renae Snow) and a secondgeneration SCA member. Ekaterina started in the SCA in 1981, just a year after the founding of the Shire of Southmarch.

When it began, she said, most SCA members were young people and college students. As those young people married and started families, the SCA grew, too.

“We’re much more family oriented now,” Ekaterina said. “I have five kids and all five of them were raised in the SCA. That’s what we did. They didn’t have an option. But now they still play.”

Even Ekaterina’s mother is involved now, making a total of four generations in her family in the SCA.

Photos by Samantha Tipler

‘Snap’ shot: SCA members dress in historical clothes, fight with historical weapons, and eat historical food, but they also have fun, like taking photos and videos during tourneys.

Honor rules SCA combat is on the fighters’ honor.

If he or she is struck by a killing blow, such as to the head or torso, it is that fighter’s responsibility to yield defeat.

Growing up in the organization, Leonardus said he feels all of the SCA is family.

“You can go anywhere in the world and somebody will know someone you know,” he said.

“It’s the friendships,” Kjartan said. “It’s getting to go and pick a weekend once a month and spend three days with people who are all passionate about the same thing.”

26 | Klamath Life | WINTER TALES

Lakeview looks at

THE BIG PICTURE

Community partnership sets sights on aesthetic, structural improvements

By KURT LIEDTKE: H&N Staff Reporter

Encore, Encore! Lakeview’s Alger Theater is the latest target of the Lakeview Community Partnership, with the goal of acquiring and restoring it as a community center and theater.

H&N file photo by Kurt Liedtke

I

nspired by a state rural revitalization program, a group of Lake County residents is working to promote, fundraise and restore Lakeview’s past, while progressing into the future.

The Lakeview Community Partnership, LCP, was first organized in 2015 following a meeting with Oregon Main Street, a division of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. Using a plan mapped out by Oregon Main Street, members divided into committees focused on goals to improve Lakeview in a multitude of facets.

The committees covered promotion, design and economic vitality.

Promotion committee members looked at events that would invoke

community pride. Design committee members worked toward developing resources to help building owners with upgrades such as energy efficiency and grants. The economic vitality committee took a different turn, looking at the “big picture” — acquisition and revitalization of the Alger Theater. The Alger is considered the crown jewel of Lakeview’s downtown, a movie theater built in 1939, that closed in 2014.

See LAKEVIEW, page 27

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 27

LAKEVIEW, from page 26 Lakeview, like many rural communities across the United States, is a place in transition.

Once a thriving lumber town with as many as seven sawmills, Lakeview’s timber industry has been reduced to one operating mill.

The local hospital and schools are its largest employers, along with a few manufacturers. Its remoteness has prevented the big box store effect seen on Main Street in so many other communities, where most local businesses, unable to compete, shuttered.

Lakeview’s downtown remains distinct, but endangered, as many of its buildings foundationally need extensive work, while aesthetically, store fronts could use some fresh paint as well.

Industry options However, rather than helplessly watching their own slow death, like some mill towns, Lakeview got active. It has been one of the region’s leaders in geothermal and solar energy generation for over a decade.

Those efforts have in turn attracted new businesses to the area, such as a new commercial marijuana operation that plans to employ 50 in its initial phase, and a proposed biofuels plant that would generate 12 million gallons of jet fuel annually.

With economic opportunities blooming, LCP members in collaboration with the Lake County Chamber of Commerce and town government got active in

Jimmy Hall photo courtesy of Lake County Examiner

O Christmas tree: Ginger Casto, left, and Ann Logan, right, of Lakeview Community Partnership participate in a Christmas tree drawing at the Festival of Trees, a fundraiser to aid community revitalization efforts.

efforts to revitalize downtown Lakeview. With resources from the Oregon Main Street Project, initial efforts acted as inspiration for change. Some building owners took it upon themselves to repaint, several new downtown businesses opened, and government representatives were urged to seek funding to repaint and restore crumbling federal buildings such as the historic Lakeview Post Office.

Picture that One of the first projects placed large prints of historic photos in downtown business windows in time for the annual Lake County Fair and RoundUp, instilling community pride.

Several years later, some photos remain prominently displayed.

The photographs and historic information highlighting aspects

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of the area’s proud past were a popular draw during the annual festivities that bring thousands to Lakeview, in turn resulting in an increase in business for downtown.

The promotion committee created the Festival of Trees

for the Christmas season, a collaboration of local businesses to donate and decorate Christmas trees, with all submissions displayed during the holiday season and raffled. The event proved popular, and has quickly become an annual tradition.

Ca$h Mobs LCP members also began coordinating Ca$h Mobs, groups of dedicated shoppers surprising a local business by arriving at the same time on designated days committed to spending at least $20 each.

Expansion of an annual celebration honoring Lakeview’s most important historic resident, Dr. Bernard Daly, was another undertaking by LCP. Daly Days has for years been a health fair coordinated by Lake Health District, but with LCP’s help, it has been expanded to a day-long downtown celebration complete with a barbecue, beer garden, contests and live music.

See LAKEVIEW, page 28

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28 | Klamath Life | WINTER TALES

LAKEVIEW, from page 27 Other revitalization efforts have been more direct, working with building owners for the removal of derelict business signs. In collaboration with town government, LCP also has coordinated two community clean-up events, encouraging citizens to participate in cleaning public parks and private residences.

As LCP’s goals grew, help was sought, received in the form of Resource Assistance for Rural Environments AmeriCorps staff to provide support for studies and grant writing. While surveying the public about what opportunities LCP should pursue, one overwhelming response was undeniable — Lakeview residents wanted their movie theater back.

Left behind The Alger Theater was closed by its owners when film distributors switched almost exclusively to digital distribution. Unable to raise funds for a digital projector, the beloved theater sat mostly idle, though occasionally reopened for two special film screenings and several concerts. Complete with a classic marquee and 1940s-era interior fixtures, the theater invokes instant nostalgia for the golden age of Hollywood, a testament to a bygone era rarely found today amidst modern iMax cinemas.

While not yet finalized, much of LCP’s efforts have been diverted recently toward the ultimate goal of acquiring the Alger Theater for use as a community center. A stage below the screen allows for concerts, dance recitals and speaking events. Two community desires that dominated the surveys included the screening of first-run movies and movie-themed events such as film festivals.

“In all the years I’ve worked with nonprofits, I’ve never before now been in the position where I had to tell people not to write the check yet, just wait,” laughed Ginger Casto, LCP member and Rural Development Specialist for South Central Oregon Economic Development District (SCOEDD). “We feel like we’re planning ourselves to death, but with the Alger and other things we have to do that. Donors, foundations and grants want to make sure you’ve done your homework. When we did our marketing study it confirmed what we already knew, everybody loves the Alger.”

See LAKEVIEW, page 29

‘In all the years I’ve worked with nonprofits, I’ve never before now been in the position where I had to tell people not to write the check yet, just wait.’

— Ginger Casto, Lakeview Community Partnership member, South Central Oregon Economic Development District specialist

Jimmy Hall photo courtesy of the Lake County Examiner

Ca$h support: Shoppers clamor for deals during an organized Ca$h Mob, a surprise coordinated group of shoppers arriving at a Lakeview business spending at least $20 each. The Ca$h Mobs have been an effort by the Lakeview Community Partnership for several years to promote economic vitality.

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 29

H&N file photo by Kurt Liedtke

LAKEVIEW, from page 28 The owners of the Alger Theater, who also own the adjacent Burger Queen restaurant, have been willing collaborators, permitting LCP and others to coordinate events such as concerts by Blues Brothers and Doors tribute acts, and a fundraising show by local favorite Rico Nova. Other recent events included a premier of the film “Wild” — the book on which the movie is based was partially written in Lake County — and the screening of the documentary “Dryland.”

“We don’t want to change anything, we may be improving the Alger, but we are dedicated to keeping the ambiance,” said Ann Logan, president of LCP. “I think I will probably cry if we have to take the seats out. Anything that is in there gives that ambiance, it has a story behind it.”

The Alger’s acquisition isn’t the only task on the docket, but

Jimmy Hall photo courtesy of Lake County Examiner

A Blues Brothers tribute act is one of several recent events at Lakeview’s Alger Theater offered since it was closed in 2014. Efforts are underway to acquire the theater for movies, concerts and events.

if it comes to fruition would be a game-changer in LCP’s efforts to bring life back to Lakeview’s downtown. The building epitomizes the overall goals to

embrace and preserve history while also pushing the community into an economically viable future.

“Trying to get the build-

ing owners to buy-in was a struggle at first, it takes time to change the mindset and let them know they don’t have to do it all by themselves on an emotional and financial level,” said Casto. “Change is hard, and some of the building owners think it’s going to cost too much, but if they don’t do it they won’t have a building. The problem is that because of that hesitancy in maintenance, we have some buildings that are very endangered, and it would be difficult to impossible for a bank to loan money.”

“I would like to see all the facades downtown improved, and new siding and windows, energy efficiency to help businesses with heating costs,” added Logan. “Maybe foundationally many things still need to be done in town, but aesthetically things look better. We’ve had a little to do with it, and we’ll try to do a lot more things.” kliedtke@heraldandnews.com

30 | Klamath Life | WINTER TALES

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 29

By KURT LIEDTKE: H&N Staff Reporter

A Christmas-themed gala celebrates the holiday season each December. The funds raised personify the spirit of the season through Operation School Bell, a program which provides winter clothes for low-income school kids.

Holiday festivities embrace giving spirit Assistance League’s annual Christmas Tree Jubilee funds program for students

The Christmas Tree Jubilee and Wonderland of Trees are the biggest fundraisers of the year for the collective of dedicated volunteers with the Assistance League of Klamath Basin. The organization, a regional chapter of a national Assistance League, with over 28,000 volunteer members nationwide, has existed in the Klamath Basin for 31 years, operated strictly by volunteers.

See JUBILEE, page 30

Silver & Gold: Christmas trees are decorated by volunteers, businesses and organizations each year to be auctioned at the annual Assistance League Christmas Tree Jubilee.

Submitted photo

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 31

JUBILEE, from page 30 This year’s “Country Christmas Jubilee” — cowboy attire optional — will be from 5 to 9 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 2, at the Running Y Ranch Resort Convention Center. Held in conjunction with the Klamath Falls Snowflake Festival, the event draws hundreds for a gourmet dinner, cocktail hour and auction. The gala is highlighted by a wide assortment of Christmas trees, all brilliantly decorated by local businesses, schools and Assistance League volunteers.

The Christmas Tree Jubilee marks only the first half of the holiday effort, however, as the following day the Wonderland of Trees will be offered from noon to 3 p.m. at the Running Y’s Convention Center. The event is free, a family-friendly effort aimed at giving every child a chance to revel in Christmas festivities.

The afternoon is filled with craft activities, refreshments, live music and affordable Christmas gifts via a gift shop. Santa makes an appearance, taking time to visit with each child. The decorated Christmas trees are auctioned during the previous night’s Jubilee, but remain onsite so families can view them at the Wonderland of Trees.

Tree showcase “It started on a smaller level, then we extended it for the Wonderland of Trees as our way to say thank you to the community,” said Linda Hartenberger, president of the Assistance League of Klamath Basin. “This is a way that everyone can come see the beautiful trees that were auctioned the night before.

Often we find that the trees are given to various organizations, and some of the auction items, as Christmas gifts.”

Much of the chapter’s funding is raised through Findables, a used furniture and home décor store at 1330 E. Main St., while private donations and funds raised through its holiday events fill the remainder needed for Operation School Bell.

Initially, Operation School

Weather ready: Smya Brisco, a Peterson Elementary School student, is all smiles while picking out scarves and hats during Operation Schoolbell at Fred Meyer in September.

H&N file photo by Kurt Liedtke

Sweet benefits: Patrons at the annual Country Christmas Jubilee peruse a dessert bar. The event provides much needed funds for the Assistance League of Klamath Basin’s philanthropic efforts.

Submitted photo

Bell provided clothing delivered to schools, but over time it was decided to let the kids come to stores and shop for themselves.

A close relationship with Fred Meyer was formed, and designated nights created where families choose items they like, with vouchers provided by the Assistance League. To help stretch every dollar, Fred Meyer offers additional discounts, students are given free hygiene kits and many Assistance League volunteers knit scarves and hats for the students.

For many low-income families, it is the lone opportunity to splurge on new clothing all year.

“We’ve had parents come up to us and cry, especially mothers, we get lots of hugs from people,” said Hartenberger. “We’ve had children who are very excited just to get a toothbrush or a pair of shoes. It’s a wonderful program and a great experience.

It makes the kids feel better.

Principals will sometimes call us and say that they had a parade of children go through their offices showing us their new clothes because they were so excited having brand new things.”

Funds distributed to cover the cost of gift certificates tops $30,000 for in-store events, with an additional $60,000 to $70,000 in clothing certificates for schools around the county. To afford the volume of certificates, the annual Christmas Tree Jubilee goes well beyond a welcomed celebration of the season, to a vital cog in assuring every child is properly clothed for winter weather.

Beyond a matter of safety, assuring students are ready for winter, the evening shopping events unexpectedly provide an added source of pride for kids that didn’t occur when clothes were delivered directly

to schools. According to Hartenberger, one major draw that brings volunteers back every year is seeing the smiles and pure joy from kids who are able to browse and pick out items at the store for themselves that their families might otherwise not be able to afford.

“The kids love the experience of picking out their own clothes,” added Hartenberger. “Our volunteers and the Fred Meyer staff like working with children, and it’s just a wonderful feeling to see a child smile when you give them something new.”

Holiday kickoff The Christmas-themed events were established a few years after the local Assistance League chapter was formed, established as its primary fundraiser, and over time has become a traditional kick off the holiday season.

This year marks the first time the Jubilee has had a specific theme, renamed for 2017 as the “Country Christmas Jubilee” from its established “Christmas Tree Jubilee” moniker.

The holiday events are not the Assistance League’s lone ventures. The chapter is also involved with Project USA, an effort to paint maps of the United States on school playgrounds, as well as providing family crisis center funding.

For more information about the Assistance League of Klamath Basin, visit www.klamathbasinassistanceleague.org. kliedtke@heraldandnews.com

he Oc t c to Holiday breads to warm the spirit, and brighten meals with family and friends

By HOLLY OWENS: H&N Staff Reporter

Take a deep breath and inhale all that holiday goodness. You’ve just baked a masterpiece to be remembered, at least until next year, when you receive encore requests.

These holiday bread recipes get their seasonal flavor boost from

ion as

Risin g

32 | Klamath Life | WINTER TALES

fresh citrus, tart and tasty dried fruits, crunchy nuts and the sweet spice of cinnamon.

Orange Breakfast Bread, is an easy recipe for beginners, and a treat for busy cooks looking for an uncomplicated and tasty bread.

See RISING, page 33

H&N photo by Holly Owens

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 33

RISING, from page 32 The bread’s orange flavor really comes through, thanks to orange juice and zest. It is a great recipe for other dishes, too. Skip the fruit and nut filling and bake as a traditional loaf for a delicious French toast breakfast, or for bread pudding.

Want a little something heartier for breakfast? Surprise Inside rolls, with meat, cheese and whatever you want baked inside, are made using a Challah bread dough base. The rich dough is easy to work with while stuffing the rolls, and bakes up tender and oh so delicious. The dough, of course, can also be baked into a beautiful goldenbraided traditional Challah loaf.

Need a bread recipe to bake ahead for an effortless day-of-the holiday treat? You need Perfect Cinnamon Rolls. The prepared-dough rolls can be frozen ahead of time and later baked for their big reveal, topped with cream cheese frosting, of course.

Cheers! And may your bread always rise.

See RISING, page 34

‘KNEADY’ THINGS

H&N photo by Holly Owens

Ahhhh: Surprise Inside rolls can be filled with the savory flavors of meats, cheeses and vegetables.

Tradition baked inside Do your favorite Christmas bread recipes come from the “old country?” Breads such as Germany’s stollen, Norway’s julekake, Russia’s krendel and Slovenia’s gubana each have their own geography lesson and holiday story. Learn more about panettone, kerststol and beigli at http://bit.ly/2zrqNis.

Baking bread can be time consuming and involve quite a bit of “knuckle” grease in the kneading phase. Do you have a bread machine tucked away in your cupboard? These bread recipes work extremely well when prepared with the “dough” cycle on a bread machine.

Simply add the recipe ingredients to the bread machine pan, plop down the lid, hit the dough cycle and let the machine do all the hard work.

Then you can whittle away at all of the other things on your to-do list.

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34 | Klamath Life | WINTER TALES

Orange Breakfast Bread 3/4 cup warm water 2 1/4 tsp. (1 package) active dry yeast 1/2 cup orange juice (room temperature) 2 Tbsp. brown sugar 1 tsp. salt 2 Tbsp. butter (or margarine, soft) 2 Tbsp. orange zest (1 medium orange) 3 cups all-purpose flour In a large bowl, mix warm water, brown sugar and yeast. Add orange juice, butter and orange zest. Stir. Add 2-1/2 cups of flour and salt, mix well.

Add in enough remaining flour to make a dough that follows the spoon around the bowl. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed until the dough is firm and smooth to the touch.

Place dough in a greased, mediumsized bowl. Turn dough over in the bowl so the top is also lightly greased. Cover with clean cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead for 5 minutes or until the bubbles are out of the bread. (If you are rolling in

fruit and nuts, do it at this stage. See directions below. ) Shape dough into a loaf. Place in a greased, 8- by 4-inch bread pan. Cover and let rise in warm, draft-free place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Bake bread at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until bread top is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when the top is tapped. Remove bread from pan and let cool on a rack.

Source: From thespruce.com at http:// bit.ly/2matbor

ROLL IN FLAVOR: To add a swirl of holiday flavor to your Orange Breakfast Bread loaf, roll in butter, brown sugar, pecans and dried cranberries.

On a floured surface, roll the dough into an 8- by 18-inch wide rectangle. You can roll the dough to a shorter or longer length, depending on your preference for layer thickness.

Spread ½ cup softened butter on the dough, sprinkle with ½ cup brown sugar, then sprinkle with ½ cup chopped pecans and finally, sprinkle ½ cup dried cranberries on top. Change the amount, or even type, of fruit and nuts to suit your taste.

Roll the dough into a “log” from one end to form an 8-inch wide roll of dough. Place fold down in a greased loaf pan and let rise in a warm place for ½ hour, then bake according to recipe instructions.

Challah

(Dough recipe for Surprise Inside rolls) 2 ½ tsp. (1 package) active dry yeast 1/3 cup sugar 1 1/8 cup warm water 1 large egg, beaten 2 ½ tsp. kosher salt 1/4 cup shortening, melted 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting Topping 1 large egg yolk Sesame seeds (for serving) Whisk yeast, sugar, and 1 1/8 cup warm water in a bowl or cup. Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.

Combine egg, salt, shortening and yeast mixture in a mixer bowl. Add 3 1/2 cups flour to the bowl.

Beat with dough hook on medium speed until dough is smooth, elastic, and very sticky and pulls away from sides of bowl, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.)

Grease a large bowl with shortening; transfer dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place until doubled in size, 1½ to 2 hours. (If you are making Surprise Inside rolls, follow directions below.)

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into three equal portions. Shape into 17-inch long ropes.

Grease one rimmed baking sheet with shortening. Place the three ropes side by side on the prepared sheet. Pinch logs together at one end; braid, then pinch ends together and tuck under. Let sit in a warm place until 1½ times larger, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat egg yolk and 1 Tbsp. water in a small bowl. Brush dough with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake loaf 15 minutes, then increase oven temperature to 425 degrees and continue baking until browned and sounds hollow when tapped, 15 to 20 minutes more. Let cool on baking sheet.

Source: Recipe adapted from www.bonappetit. com/recipe/challah

SURPRISE INSIDE PREPARATION

H&N photo by Holly Owens

Zing! Orange Breakfast Bread, with orange juice and zest baked inside, has a sweet and tangy citrus flavor.

Divide dough into 12 pieces, roll each piece into a circle, about 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick, depending on your preference. Place meat, cheese and other selected ingredients in the center of the dough circles. Tuck up edges and pinch dough together.

Place filled rolls, pinched side down, on a baking sheet and brush dough with egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Bake tray of rolls in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes, or until rolls are golden brown.

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 35

Perfect Cinnamon Rolls 1 cup warm milk 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees) 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 2 eggs, room temperature and beaten 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup granulated sugar 5 cups bread flour 3 tsp. instant active dry yeast Cinnamon filling recipe: 1/2 cup butter, melted or softened 1 cup firmly-packed brown sugar 4 to 5 Tbsp. ground cinnamon 3/4 to 1 cup chopped nuts (optional) Add all dough ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Using a dough hook, mix into a uniform dough. It should form a nice elastic ball. If the dough is too moist, add additional flour (a tablespoon at a time). The same is true if the dough is looking dry.

Add warm water (a tablespoon at a time).

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until elastic, from 9 to 15 minutes.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Turn the risen dough onto a lightly oiled surface and knead until elastic, approximately 10 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size.

Butter a 9- by 13- by 2-inch baking pan; set aside.

After dough has risen, roll and stretch the dough into approximately a 15- by 24-inch rectangle.

Spread the 1/2 cup softened butter from the cinnamon filling recipe over the dough with a rubber spatula or pastry brush.

Sprinkle cinnamon, brown sugar and nuts over the butter.

Starting with the long edge, roll up dough; pinch seams to seal.

OOH LA LA — TOP THAT! Cream cheese frosting is the perfect candidate for flavor tinkering. Give

With a knife, lightly mark roll into 1 1/2-inch section. Use a sharp knife, or slide a 12-inch piece of dental floss or heavy thread underneath. By bringing the ends of the floss up and crisscrossing them at the top of each mark, you can cut through the roll by pulling the strings in opposite directions.

Place cut side up in a prepared baking pan, flattening them only slightly.

Do not pack the unbaked cinnamon rolls together. The unbaked rolls should not touch each other before rising and baking.

At this point, the cinnamon rolls can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight or frozen for one month.

If refrigerated, rolls can be baked upon removing from the refrigerator, or let come to a room temperature.

If baking immediately after making, cover and let rise in a warm place for approximately 45 to 60 minutes or until doubled in size. After rising, rolls should be touching each other and the sides of the pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake approximately 20 to 25 minutes until a light golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Spread cream cheese frosting over the rolls while still warm. Best served warm.

Yields 15 large cinnamon rolls.

• Smoked Turkeys • Smoked Hams • Spiral Cut Hams • Rib Roasts • Special Cuts • Don’t forget our Homemade Jerky!

Source: whatscookingamerica. net/Bread/CinnamonRollsFantastic.htm. Video on how to make this recipe available on YouTube at http://bit.ly/2zWiTOO.

S GIFT CERTIFICATE AVAILABLE!

FREEZING TIME: The best part about making this cinnamon roll recipe is the dough can be mixed then the rolls filled, shaped and frozen long before they are baked. The night before they’re baked, or 10 to 12 hours, take the frozen rolls out of the freezer to thaw and rise. The next morning, just bake and frost.

it a zing with citrus zest, or flavored extracts. Want a frosting with some holiday spice? Add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, or, add a kick of ginger with 2 teaspoons of peeled, finely grated fresh ginger.

Cream cheese frosting 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract Place cream cheese in a

medium mixing bowl, gradually add butter, and continue beating until smooth and well blended.

Sift in confectioners’ sugar, and continue beating until smooth.

Add vanilla, and stir to combine.

Source: marthastewart.com at http://bit.ly/2yp42b2

Fluffy Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 4 Tbsp. butter, softened 1/2 cup purchased thick caramel sauce 1 tsp. vanilla extract Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.

Add the caramel sauce and vanilla; beat until well blended.

Add 3 1/2 cups of confectioners’

sugar and beat on low speed until blended. Add more confectioners’ sugar, if needed. Increase mixer speed and beat on high speed for 2 minutes.

Makes about 3 cups of frosting, enough tor 24 cupcakes or a two-layer cake.

Source: thespruce.com at http:// bit.ly/2jf8yGz

Celebrate the Holidays!

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36 | Klamath Life | WINTER TALES

— Flora & Fauna of the Klamath Basin — Bloomer’s daisy

Black-crowned night heron

Bloomer’s daisy, Erigeron bloomeri, features yellow disc-like flowers and is a low-growing flowering perennial that reaches a height of up to 6 inches and blooms from July through August.

According to “Common Plants of the Upper Klamath Basin,” it can be found at low elevations in scablands and other dry, rocky habitats. The flowers shown in the accompanying photo were growing in the vicinity of Sid Luce Reservoir near Plush in Lake County.

Bloomer’s daisy is unique to the asteraceae, or daisy, family and is readily identified because it lacks ray flowers, or traditional petals. Bloomer’s daisy is also known as Scabland fleabane and Waldo daisy and its growth is confined to western North America, according to the Calflora plant identification database website.

It is common in areas including Devil’s Garden and Lava Beds National Monument.

This species is named for California botanist Hiram G. Bloomer (18191874) who collected the plant in Nevada, according to the Wildflowers of the United States website.

The black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax, which is common in wetlands across North America, can be observed quite close to home. The stocky cousin of the long-legged heron family can often be seen resting in trees, in groups or colonies, along the Link River, Lake Ewauna and the Klamath Wingwatchers Trail near downtown Klamath Falls.

Black-crowned night heron facts  Nest in groups that include other species: other herons, egrets, and ibises.  Scientists can easily study the diet of young black-crowned night herons as the nestlings often disgorge their stomach contents when approached.

 A breeding black-crowned nightheron will brood any chick that is placed in its nest.  The oldest black-crowned nightheron on record was a female who was at least 21 years, 5 month old.

H&N photos by Holly Owens

Resources:  “Common Plants of the Upper Klamath Basin” at http://bit.ly/2fm4Jsj  Wildflowers of the United States website at uswildflowers.com  Calflora database at calflora.org

Bloomer’s daisy facts

 In the western U.S., grows in California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington  Named after Hiram G. Bloomer, a pioneer botanist of California, and

member of the California Academy of Sciences in the 1800s  Bloomer’s daisy is also known as Scabland fleabane and Waldo daisy

By HOLLY OWENS: H&N Staff Reporter

According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “They’re most active at night or at dusk, when you may see their ghostly forms flapping out from daytime roosts to forage in wetlands. These social birds breed in colonies of stick nests usually built over water. They live in fresh, salt and brackish wetlands and are the most widespread heron in the world.”

An adult will reach from 22.8- to 26-inches in length, with a 45.3 to 46.5-inch wingspan, weighing in at 25.6 to 35.8 ounces.

Some black-crowned night heron populations stay in place year-round while others disperse short distances of 5 to 60 miles while others migrate farther.

Resources:  All About Birds, from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at allaboutbirds.org.  Listen to the heron’s call on the All About Birds site at http://bit.ly/2iRNS4Z.  A checklist of Basin birds is available at Klamathbirdingtrails.com  Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife species identification information at myodfw.com/wildlife-viewing/ species

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 37

Quintessentials A close-up look at personalities who help make the Basin a great place to live

Santa Claus — the jolly ol’ elf

By BRITTANY HOSEA-SMALL H&N Staff Photographer

W

ith Christmas nearly upon us, a very special person will be coming to town soon.

For the man in the red suit, Klamath Falls holds a very special place in his heart. At the start of the Klamath Falls Snowflake Festival each year, Santa Claus arrives via helicopter at Kiger Stadium to greet children eagerly gathered to see him.

H&N photo by Brittany Hosea-Small

“It’s kind of special to see Klamath Falls from the air,” said Santa, whether it’s from the helicopter or his sleigh on Christmas Eve. His sleigh is a bit more of a challenge than the helicopter, he says, considering it’s much colder and Rudolph doesn’t fly quite as fast, but “they’re both exciting.”

Every year brings both new and familiar faces. A set of quadruplets has been visiting him every year for the past seven years. On their first visit they were 7 months old, all four fit in Santa’s lap.

“I look forward to seeing them every year,” said Santa.

It all comes down to seeing the cheer and smiles on children’s faces. The friendliness and excitement he sees from residents young and old each year is a true joy for him.

Even more exciting for Santa than the helicopter ride, is the Snowflake Festival parade.

With thousands of people filling downtown to watch, it’s “wall to wall kids” as he glides down Main Street on his float.

Excitement and joy fill the air as he passes by the children and it’s this exact atmosphere that is his favorite part of Christmas. The joy and giving that fills each person is what Santa looks forward to each and every year.

“I do it for the kids,” said Santa. “It takes a lot of time, but when it’s all done and I’m bone tired, it’s just been a wonderful experience.”

Come Christmas Eve it’s always important to have milk and cookies on the kitchen counter with a list said Santa. Plates of chocolate chip or no-bake coconut cookies are his favorite, but the most important part is the list.

“It always helps to have a list for me to read and make sure that everyone gets the right things.” bhosea@heraldandnews.com

38 | Klamath Life | WINTER TALES

On the calendar around the region DECEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER 10  Klamath Snowflake Festival including visits from Santa, tree-lighting event, parade, Snowflake Mile run, gingerbread house contest, coloring contest and more. Information at klamathsnowflake.com.

FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY DECEMBER 1-3  The Linkville Playhouse presents “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $11, $12 and $14. Tickets available in advance at Periwinkle Home, 831 Main St. FRIDAY DECEMBER 1  The John Welsh Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. at the Ross Ragland Theater. Tickets are $15, $19 and $24 before transaction fees.

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY DECEMBER 8 AND 9  The Linkville Playhouse presents “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $11, $12 and $14.

Tickets available in advance at Periwinkle Home, 831 Main St. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY DECEMBER 9 AND 10  The Little Linkville Series — Plays for Children presents “A Season of Aesop’s Fables,” 1 p.m. Saturday and 1 and 3 p.m.

Sunday. Tickets are $2 each.

Tickets available in advance at Periwinkle Home, 831 Main St.  Eugene Ballet Company presents “The Nutcracker” ballet, 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Ross Ragland Theater. Tickets are $19, $23 and $29 before transaction fees.

SUNDAY DECEMBER 10  Bill Collier Community Ice Arena Snowflake Tailgate party, including a chili feed and silent auction.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY DECEMBER 2-3  Quota Club Christmas Bazaar, Klamath County Fairgrounds.  Jefferson State Shooting Association gun show, Klamath County Fairgrounds.

DECEMBER 14-16  The 2nd Stage Series presents a “Rat Pack Christmas,” 7 p.m. each evening, at the Ragland Cultural Center. Tickets are $20 before transaction fees.

SUNDAY DECEMBER 3  The Klamath Chorale presents “Thank Heaven for Christmas,” 2 p.m. in the Ross Ragland Theater. Tickets are $15 before transaction fees.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY DECEMBER 16 AND 17  The Little Linkville Series — Plays for Children presents “A Season of Aesop’s Fables,” 1 p.m. Saturday and 1 and 3 p.m.

Sunday. Tickets are $2 each.



THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

Gliding through the season

Tickets available in advance at Periwinkle Home, 831 Main St. SATURDAY TO MONDAY DECEMBER 16-JANUARY 1  Special schedule of activities featured for the Christmas and New Year holidays at the Bill Collier Community Ice Arena.

SUNDAY DECEMBER 31  Bull Mania rodeo and New Year’s Eve celebration, Klamath County Fairgrounds.  Klamath Tribes New Year’s Eve Sobriety Celebration, includes dancing, drumming, free food, door prizes, games, arts and crafts, a raffle and more, Exhibit Hall No. 1, Klamath County Fairgrounds. For information, call 800-524-9787.  New Year’s Eve celebration with the Glamazons, dragqueen entertainers, at Running Y Ranch Resort convention center. Doors open at 9:15 p.m.

Tickets are $40 to $60. Information and tickets available at http://bit.ly/2m3vKZc. SUNDAY AND MONDAY DECEMBER 31 & JANUARY 1  Free fishing weekend in Oregon. Free fishing, crabbing and clamming available without a license, tag or endorsement.

JANUARY FRIDAY JANUARY 12  Klamath Basin Senior Citizen Center Spaghetti Feed Fundraiser, 5:30 p.m., with line

 

Grab your skates, or rent a pair!

The ice is nice at the Bill Collier Community Ice Arena. The arena offers open skates, ice hockey, broom ball, curling, skating lessons, rides on the Olympia ice grooming machine and more. For more information about the community ice arena located at the Running Y Ranch Resort, visit klamathicesports.org.

dancing following dinner and a raffle. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children under age 10.

JANUARY 12 - FEBRUARY 3  The Linkville Players present “Almost, Maine,” eight performances at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. matinee Sunday, Jan. 28, Linkville Playhouse, 201 Main St. Tickets are $11, $12 and $14, available at Periwinkle Boutique, 811 Main St. THURSDAY JANUARY 18  Golden Dragon Acrobats will feature award-winning acrobatics, traditional dance, spectacular costumes, ancient and contemporary music and theatrical techniques, 6 p.m., Ross Ragland Theater. Tickets are $23, $27 and $34 before transaction fees.

SATURDAY JANUARY 21  PLAY Outdoors, including interactive areas highlighting ways children can have fun outside, Klamath County Fairgrounds Event Center.

SUNDAY JANUARY 21  Award-winning country superstar LeAnn Rimes in concert, 6 p.m., Ross Ragland Theater. Tickets are $29, $42 and $55 before transaction fees.

SATURDAY JANUARY 27  Klamath Ice Sports presents “Winter Dreams,” its 16th annual Figure Skating Spectacular, 7 p.m., Bill collier Community Ice Arena.

Crater Lake by snowshoe



Crater Lake is one of the snowiest inhabited places in America, receiving an average of 43 feet of snow per year. Ranger-led snowshoe walks are a fun way to explore this winter wonderland while learning how plants, animals, and people survive the winter.

Learn more at www.nps.gov/crla/planyourvisit/ranger-guidedsnowshoe-walks.htm.

WINTER TALES | Klamath Life | 39

Klamath Falls Snowflake Festival ’Tis the Season to be Thankful

THROUGH DECEMBER 10  Klamath Falls Snowflake Festival Gingerbread House competition display, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Klamath Basin Home Builders Association, 205 Riverside Drive, Suite G.

FRIDAY DECEMBER 1  John Welsh Band, 7:30 p.m., Ross Ragland Theater

SATURDAY DECEMBER 2  50th Quota Christmas Bazaar and Craft Fair, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Klamath County Fairgrounds  4th Annual Ugly Sweater Run, 9 to 11 a.m., Harbor Links Golf Club  A Visit from St. Nicholas, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Woodland Lighting & Home, Winema Electric  Folksongs of the Winter Holiday Concert, 1 p.m., Klamath County Library  Country Christmas Jublilee, 5 to 9 p.m., Running Y Conference Center  Klamath Joyful Ringers Handbell Choir Concert, 7 to 8:30 p.m., First Presbyterian Church

SUNDAY DECEMBER 3  50th Quota Christmas Bazaar and Craft Fair, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Klamath County Fairgrounds  Wonderland of Trees, noon to 3 p.m., Running Y Conference Center  3rd Annual Santa Freeze, 1 to 3 p.m., Ella Redkey Pool

 The Klamath Chorale presents “Thank Heaven for Christmas,” 2 p.m. in the Ross Ragland Theater. Tickets are $15 before transaction fees.

TUESDAY DECEMBER 5  Visit Santa at Candy Cane Lane, 2 to 4:30 p.m., Klamath and Lake Community Action Services, 2300 Clairmont Drive  Winter Fest, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Santa visits children at Klamath Family Head Start, 1940 S. Sixth St.  Spanish-American Jubilee Christmas, 6 to 8 p.m., Spanish Christmas carols, cookies, punch, coffee, Jubilee Fellowship Church, 1313 Owens St.

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 6  St. Nicholas Day Cookie Decorating, 12:30 p.m., Children’s Museum of Klamath Falls, 711 E. Main St. children $5, adults free of charge.  Photos with Santa, 6 to 8 p.m., S&H Bedroom Gallery, 1204 Main St.

THURSDAY DECEMBER 7  Snowflake Mile, 6:30 p.m., downtown Main Street  Snowflake Festival Parade, 7 p.m., downtown from Spring to Main streets

FRIDAY DECEMBER 8  Santa Meet & Greet, 5 to 6 p.m., Shasta Family Dental, 2504 Shasta Way  Supper with Santa, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Children’s Museum of

Klamath Falls, 711 E. Main St. For reservations and seating times, call 541-885-2995.  Snowflake Snow Ball, 8 p.m., featuring the Black Cadillac Kings, Aftershock and Epicenter, 3901 Brook Drive  Karaoke Contest, 8 p.m., 515 Klamath Ave., Veterans of Foreign Wars, 515 Klamath Ave. winner will take home $100.

SATURDAY DECEMBER 9  Santa Claus is Coming to Town, photos with Santa from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Kla-Mo-Ya Casino, 34333 Highway 97, Chiloquin.  Linkville Players Presents: “Aesop’s Fables, Part 2,” 1 p.m., Linkville Theater, 201 Main St. Tickets $2 at the door.  Visit With Santa, 3 to 5 p.m., Klamath Falls Subaru, 2880 Washburn Way. Bring a toy for a child in need to help support Toys for Tots and enjoy cookies and fresh cider.  Living Nativity, 4 to 8 p.m., Mountain Valley Gardens, 4800 Washburn Way. Walk through a living recreation of old Bethlehem and discover the true meaning of the holiday season.  American Legion Dinner & Dance, 4 p.m., 228 N. Eighth St. Music from the Black Cadillac Kings.  “The Nutcracker Ballet,” 7:30 p.m., Ross Ragland Theater, 218 N. Eighth St. Local dancers join the Eugene Ballet Company for a magical holiday performance. Tickets are $19, $23 and $29 before transaction fees.

SUNDAY DECEMBER 10  Lunch with Santa presented by the Klamath Elks Lodge, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Chicken Shack, 3255 Washburn Way

 Linkville Players Presents: “Aesop’s Fables, Part 2,” 1 p.m., Linkville Theater, 201 Main St. Tickets $2 at the door.  “The Nutcracker Ballet,” 2 p.m., Ross Ragland Theater, 218 N. Eighth St. Local dancers join the Eugene Ballet Company for a magical holiday performance.

Tickets are $19, $23 and $29 before transaction fees.  Living Nativity, 4 to 8 p.m., Mountain Valley Gardens, 4800 Washburn Way. Walk through a living recreation of old Bethlehem and discover the true meaning of the holiday season.  LDS Christmas Social, 6 p.m., 6630 Alva Ave. Includes a musical tribute to the season with light refreshments and nativity scenes from around the world.

SATURDAY DECEMBER 16  Linkville Players Presents: “Aesop’s Fables, Part 2,” 1 p.m., Linkville Theater, 201 Main St. Tickets $2 at the door.

SUNDAY DECEMBER 17  Linkville Players Presents: “Aesop’s Fables, Part 2,” 1 p.m., Linkville Theater, 201 Main St. Tickets $2 at the door.

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Sky Lakes is a local, regionally recognized, internationally accredited system of health care providers and services.

We take great pride in delivering exceptional care to our patients.

And while we love providing big-city care, we love that our small town also offers world-famous sights.