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contributed by trip leader Charlie Cornish

Alas, a wintery day to ski:  overcast, cloudy, sub-freezing temperatures, winds aloft.  The only thing missing was inches of freshly fallen snow overnight.  We ski on what we could get--about 1" of new.

Starting at Ray Benson Sno-park, a group of 7 skied the South Loop, took a side detour to Brandenburg Butte shelter for lunch, and returned via the Claypool Butte Trail to South Loop completing the circuit back to sno-park.

A good ski had by all. 

Two hours before the tour I got an email saying I was brave to be leading a tour into the white fog that had settled on Santiam Pass.  My response was that often when things don't look promising, you have your best tour.  And so it was on Sunday February 15... well maybe not the best but pretty good!  It was basically warm when we got out of our cars at Ray Benson, but we were on two or three inches of fresh (very wet) snow.  

  

No one had sticking problems as we headed south on South Loop towards Big Lake.  We diverted onto the snowmobile trail under partly sunny skies.  We did not go out on Big Lake, only on some firm, presumably shallow inlet with a view of Mt. Washington.  This is always the highlight of a Ray Benson tour for me.  Then we headed back north on the east part of South Loop, past the PCT.

 

And that is when we got into low snow conditions.  On some sections we were on bunch grass, while in others we were on sticks and twigs.  But everyone took it in stride; particularly when we broke out into one of the several Santiam meadows that had plenty of snow coverage.  We even tried our hand at turning on a slope or two!  What more can you ask of a ski tour?

Photos by Keith and Liz

contributed by trip leader John Stephenson

On a pleasant mostly sunny Thursday, six CONC snowshoers set off from the Bachelor Nordic Center to complete the Todd Lake snowshoe loop trail. We opted to do the loop counterclockwise and headed down the less-traveled eastern section. Surprisingly, no one had been on that section since the 10-inch snowfall on Sunday, so we got to break trail. We traded off frequently and everyone was up to the challenge. 
We returned via the western section which had been well traveled and packed down. Once it was broken-in and visible, several other groups traveled the eastern section, so we did our part to get the full loop back in use! It was a nice 4-mile trek.

Date:  Feb 12, 2026
Contributed by trip leader Charlie Cornish

A group of 11, several of which are CONC new members, met prior to the CONC Social at Crux to hike the Deschutes River Trail.  We started from the Bend Parks Headquarters, headed south along the west bank.  We crossed the southern bridge and returned via the east bank.  Fair weather was almost spring-like.  And river flow was low.  Where's the snow and cold temp's we expect for February?  Everyone keep doing their snow dance!

contributed by trip coordinator Char Newman 
February 1-February 6, 2026

A group of 19 CONC skiers headed to Ketchum/Sun Valley and were greeted by the area’s crisp mountain air, a holding snowpack, abundant sunshine, and stunning scenery making it an ideal destination for a ski trip.

Our Nordic ski adventure began at Galena Lodge where there was something for everyone—from gentle loops for beginners to challenging hills for seasoned skiers. Each day brought new discoveries. Our ski days found us on the multitude of ski trails radiating from Galena Lodge, on the Harriman Trail, and even across the Galena Summit into Alturas Lake located in the fantastically beautiful Sawtooth Valley.  Our trails also included those off the Harriman Trail, such as Prairie Creek and Billy’s Bridge. Galena Lodge provided a cozy spot to rest and enjoy a cup of delicious soup after an exhilarating morning exploring the many trails. Temperatures were above normal with sunny mornings and afternoons!

Off the trails, Sun Valley’s vibrant community offered après-ski delights. We sampled hearty mountain cuisine at local restaurants and explored the charming town of Ketchum.

A Nordic ski trip to Sun Valley is more than just a sporting excursion; it’s an immersion in nature’s beauty and a celebration of winter magic. It was a wonderful group of skiers, and we all enjoyed a great time together. CONC’s Sun Valley trip provided adventure, serenity, and memories that will last a lifetime. The perfect getaway-spent with a congenial group of ski-loving friends.

Sunshine and slightly used snow made for a mellow morning, as Carol Terzi led 7 skiers out Dutchman Loop.  They saw tracks of snow machines, but didn't actually see any on our tour!  The snow was a bit heavy and became sticky in the afternoon.  Luckily everyone had maxi glide or some kind of glide wax.

Saturday's NOAA forecast was for 2-4" snow at Dutchman.  Sunday's forecast changed a bit:  9-17" new snow!  So we anticipated a lot of trail breaking though deep snow, but were happily disappointed to find the entire Dutchman Loop tracked out.  It was such a beautiful day, and the group was strong and eager to ski longer and further that we decided to ski up Flagline Tie, down Flagline to Big Meadow and return to the Todd Lake TH where we had started.

Needless to say, we switched off breaking trail, but it was slow going.  No one complained as it was so beautiful with fresh snow on the treetops and blue sky beyond.  The biggest joy was lack of snowmobiles, even in Dutchman Flats.

Conditions through the little Flagline valley and down through the Big Meadow hemlocks were the best I've ever skied.  Everyone appreciated the extended tour, but I think everyone was also pretty tired at the end and ready to be done!

Photos by John Sweat

Contributed by John Sweat

Oh my goodness... Where to start? 
Our first day began with a short ski on the Blacktail Plateau.  Within the first mile we were greeted by a herd of Bison, not really paying attention to our existence.

On our second day we set out for Cooke City on the Bannock Trail. The snow and weather conditions were exceptional. Our keen eyed leader George Wuerthner spotted a Moose forging  in the trees.  We finished our day with a cup of hot cocoa in Cooke City and enjoyed a beautiful sunset.

Day three we headed to Chico Hot Springs to soak our bones and along the way... once again George spotted a large herd of Big Horn Sheep getting a drink from the Yellowstone River.  On day four we all boarded a snow coach and headed up to the upper plateau and the Grand Canyon. Snow was fantastic and the views from the canyon rim and upper falls breathtaking.  After a short lunch we were bused to two short down hill routes to cap off the day. 

While we were motoring down the hill in our snow buggy, low and behold we ran out of gas two miles from Mammoth Hot Springs.  We were quickly rescued by another snow coach and enjoyed a complimentary dinner in the Mammoth Hot Springs Dinning Room.  What a way to end a fabulous trip!

Contributed trip Leader Mark Waters.  Photos by Cathy Biber

Our trip up to the top of Vista Butte followed the beginners loop trail from Swampy Sno Park up to the Ridge Loop trail junction then to the top. Conditions were excellent with the deposit of several inches of new snow even beyond the snow conditions I found skiing the same route on Wednesday.
Seven Nordic club members participated on this trip consisting of 6.3 miles and just shy of 1000 feet elevation gain. All took a short lunch break on the top and a couple skiers took to skiing a quick run down the east open bowl off the top.
One skier (new to the Nordic club) didn’t notice the equipment requirement of ski minimum of 68mm width with metal edges and a substantial boot/biding combo and brought a very light touring setup. This person was able to complete the tour without serious incidence but did struggle even with their extensive alpine skiing background. The moral is please read the equipment requirements for posted trip.

Contributed by trip leader Carol Terzi

‘Twas Springu-ary at Swampy!  Almost T-shirt weather in the afternoon and the snow still very skiable.  The group got after it!