Photos courtesy of Ann Padgett

On Sunday, a dozen eager Central Oregon Nordic Club (CONC) members gathered at Swampy Sno-Park, ready to tackle the Swampy Loop. As we arrived at the trailhead, we found three more CONC skiers already there, eager to explore the park on their own.

We headed out on the west side of the Loop, making our way towards the cozy Swampy Shelter. Once there, we stoked the fire in the stove, using the firewood kindly provided by CONC. As we prepared to continue our loop, three more club members arrived, making it a full-on CONC takeover of the shelter!

On our return trip, we encountered a lone field mouse darting across the snowy meadow. It was a peaceful reminder of the park's natural beauty.

All in all, it was a fantastic day of skiing under the warm winter sun. The Swampy Loop is a great option for a fun, family-friendly outing.