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Outdoors 2006

Concrete Commitment
Local youth and business rally around new skate park proposal.

Anyone Can Run 63,360 Inches
The Eugene Challenge Mile: for the young, old, out-of-shape and even the sporty

High Up & Far Out
A trip to Oregon's high desert

Bushwhacked in Wyoming
Outdoor (mis)adventures in a red state gone wrong

Take the Tsanchiifin Walk
Exploring the West Eugene Wetlands.

 

 

Concrete Commitment
Local youth and business rally around new skate park proposal.
BY ADRIENNE VAN DER VALK

Justin Bjur has been trying to land a kickflip indie all afternoon. Shirtless and baggy-shorted, his lip ring gleaming in the sun, Bjur gives himself a running start of at least 20 feet before hurling himself into the bowl. He emerges with a respectable raspberry on his leg, more determined than ever to land the trick.

Bjur is one of about a dozen young guys skating the afternoon away at the Amazon Skate Park, a modest concrete bowl swirling with years' worth of graffiti and boundless teenage enthusiasm. Over the grind of wheels against concrete, the skaters share words of advice and encouragement as well as stories and reviews of other skate parks in town. "Dude, I was over at Bethel today. That park is so for biking," says one of skaters.

It doesn't take much to get this crowd talking about what the city needs in terms of skating facilities. They all agree: the more space devoted to their favorite pastime, the better. None of them has heard about the grassroots push for a new skate park under the Washington/Jefferson Bridge but contemplate the pros and cons seriously when asked if they feel such a project would be an asset to the community.

"It would be better if we could just skate around town. They won't do that, but it would be cool if they could build a street park," says 15-year-old Chris Leland. "Everyone wants a place they can skate rails and stairs."

Leland's preference for "street" versus "vert" parks reflects a division among skateboarders unknown to many park designers, let alone the city council. Street refers to skating around in urban areas, using sidewalks, curbs, benches, rails and stairs for tricks and slides. Vert, short for vertical, means developed skating areas with curved walls, quarter pipes, half pipes, fun boxes, tabletops and other features created specifically for skateboarding and in-line skating. Bob Chandler, co-owner of Tactics Boardshop, wants to engage youth like Bjur and Leland in the planning process for a new park he and other Tactics employees and customers proposed to the city last month.

"The most successful [skate parks] out there have been designed by skaters and community consensus and built by companies that are owned by skaters," Chandler says. "Our hope is that this project will evolve and meet the needs of a lot of different levels and styles of skater."

Chandler has spent the last two years in dialogue with the city, gathering testimony and getting involved in the parks planning process called the Parks and Open Space Comprehensive Plan. He explains that using the Washington/Jefferson Bridge location, the location they're proposing, makes sense from both a geographic and a meteorological perspective. "It's covered and it's underutilized," he says. "It's central, but not right downtown. The Burnside Skate Park in Portland is similar."

Protection from the elements is also a concern for the skaters at Amazon who long to skate through the winter months. "The only places to skate when it's raining you have to pay for," laments Brendan Birr. "It would be cool to have a place under the bridge to skate in the winter. I don't believe in paying to skate."

The April 10th City Council meeting included a discussion of how to word a local bond measure designed to fund additional land acquisition for parks and open spaces. Chandler hopes to see the skate park listed as a project to be funded by the measure, but wants to explore all avenues to make the park a reality. He is currently in the process of establishing a nonprofit organization to provide structure to fund-raising efforts necessary to supplement whatever cash may or may not materialize from the bond. According to Chandler, to do the project right will take more than $400,000. That's more money than they'd get even if the project were included in the bond and the bond passes.

When told that most of the skaters over at Amazon said they were willing to help out with the fund-raising, Chandler is pleased. "Having a nonprofit provides an official mechanism to tap into this desire to participate and get the word out in the community."

Back at Amazon, the crowd is divided about whether they'd rather have a new park or see their own park improved. But they all reiterate a sense of feeling unnecessarily corralled into outdated, inadequate facilities. One skater points out that the wall Bjur has been bouncing off for hours was built hastily by an amateur builder with little knowledge of concrete.

Wherever they land on the issue, they're all eager to see Bjur land his trick. "I love this park and I skate it every day, but it could be so much cooler," Bjur calls over his shoulder, preparing to take one more run. "I'm going to try this again. No, I'm not going to try. I'm going to land it."

 

 

Anyone Can Run 63,360 Inches
The Eugene Challenge Mile: for the young, old, out-of-shape and even the sporty
BY TIM O'ROURKE

Joe Colton is a convenience store clerk with a pack-a-day habit and an interest in binge drinking the weekends away. A former student-athlete who has traded his wind sprints for whiskey-and-waters, Colton prefers to drive the four blocks to work rather than walk under a shining sun. His once-boyish good looks are hidden under a beard that would make Chuck Norris blush and a mullet reminiscent of the "Full House" years. The last time this 30-year-old ran in a race, Tag Team's "Whoomp, There It Is" blared from his Walkman.

Despite this impressive resume, organizers still want people like Colton to come out and walk, run or roll in the Second Annual Eugene Challenge Mile race on May 27. The race is open to everyone: young, old, wheelchaired, happy, sad, professional, tattooed. Personal-best times won't be checked; Oakleys, short shorts and squirt bottles are not required.

"Last year, the average person ran [the race] in seven, seven-and-a-half minutes," said Laura LaMena-Coll, one of the event's organizers. "There were quite a few children out there running with their parents and grandparents, and that's what we want."

Last year's event hosted more than 350 runners and walkers, many of whom were serious distance runners there to strut their stuff and collect cash prizes. Cash means the competition is fierce: Last year's winner finished with a time under 4:10. That's faster than a greased pig tossed down a Slip 'N Slide.

The prizes this year, for both male and female competitors, will be $500 for first place; $250 for second; $100 for third. Prizes for certain age groups will also be awarded in a ceremony following the race, held in the Oakway Center. Expect live music from local band Swang, clowns for the kiddies and icy-cold refreshments for the adults. After running a mile, nothing's better than a margarita … besides maybe water.

The Eugene Challenge Mile is also the night before the Prefontaine Classic, considered by many the preeminent annual track meet in the country. LaMena-Coll expects athletes participating in the Classic to hang out at the Challenge Mile, as some did last year.

Yes, anyone can race … even smokers and people who race wearing Flash outfits. But there is an entrance fee of $12, although the better deal is probably $20 for the fee and a hi-tech T-shirt, the kind that stays dry no matter how much of last night's rum you're sweating out.

That $12 isn't only paying for your good time. Proceeds from the event go to Committed Partners for Youth, a Eugene-based nonprofit mentoring program for at-risk youth.

The Eugene Running Company is organizing the event, which will be held at the Oakway Center, in front of Umpqua Bank, on May 27. The kids' run starts at 6:30 pm and the Eugene Challenge Mile at 7 pm. For more information go to www.eugenerunningcompany.com

 

 

High Up & Far Out
A trip to Oregon's high desert
BY JAMES JOHNSTON

Green pastures, lush forests, crystal clear rivers ... Oregon is hopelessly typecast. If this is all you've seen of our diverse state, it's time to make the long drive to the extreme southeast corner of Oregon. Driving south and east from Bend on Highway 20 takes you into basin and range country with a climate and geology that has more in with common with Nevada and Utah than the rest of our state. Comprising close to a quarter of the land area of Oregon, these lonely mountain ranges and dry sagebrush steppes contain just 1.4 percent of the state's population, with many areas receiving less than 10 inches of precipitation a year.

The best-known landmark of the area is the 50-mile long and 9,700-foot tall Steens Mountain Range. Unlike the elegant pyroclastic cones of the Cascades, built from ash and lava violently expelled from volcanoes, the Steens are a fault block range, an enormous wedge of earth shoved skyward about 10 million years ago. The western slope of the Steens is a relatively gentle ramp leading to a precipitous 5,000-foot drop to a desert basin in the east.

Unlike other fault block ranges further south, the Steens have been heavily glaciated. The mountain's most remarkable natural features are enormous U-shaped gorges carved into the west side of the mountain, some of them more than a half mile deep, 5 miles wide and 25 miles long.

You can drive nearly to the top of the Steens along the 65-mile Steens Loop Road. Unfortunately this route is closed until late June or even later most years, and the best time to visit is in late spring.

You can experience some of the most spectacular scenery in Oregon with a two to three day backpacking trip up Big Indian Gorge to the top of Steens Mountain, descending back down Little Blitzen Gorge. Depending on the snow pack, late May to late June is the best time of year.

But this is a tough hike. Weather at the Steens can change minute to minute: sun one moment, snow the next. Lack of water, rattlesnakes and mosquitoes can be hazards or inconveniences depending on the time of year. Several extremely difficult off-trail scrambles should only be attempted by people in good shape with orienteering skills. Purchase a good map, consult guidebooks and the Burns BLM District for more detail and weather conditions, and come prepared!

To get to a good starting point, drive 60 miles south from Burns on Highway 205 to Frenchglen. The small hamlet is named for Pete French, who moved to the area in 1872. Within 30 years he built the single largest ranch in the United States. The Steens is still ranching country, although a landmark conservation compromise led to the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area in 2000, which created a 100,000-acre cow-free wilderness. Today, Frenchglen is built around the restored Frenchglen Hotel, which offers reasonable overnight stays and wholesome meals for people who want to enjoy the Steens with day hikes.

Continue south on Highway 205 another 9 miles to a well-signed road for the Steens heading east (a left turn). It's another 18 miles along a good gravel road to a bridge over the Blitzen River, then another 2.5 miles to South Steens Campground. The first part of the trip gives no indication of the spectacular scenery to come. At the far end of the family tent sites, pick up an old Jeep trail heading east. In 2.3 miles you'll cross Big Indian Creek, which is fast and at least knee-deep until August. Soon, you'll cross Little Indian Creek and the trail will bend north before turning east into the heart of the gorge. The hiking is easy with dramatic views of cliffs and distant peaks. Sagebrush and juniper ground cover give way to wildflower meadows and aspen groves as the route gets steeper.

In another 4 miles, you'll reach the head of Big Indian Gorge — an enormous natural amphitheater surrounded on almost every side by steep cliffs, dramatic waterfalls and lush spring wildflowers. This is a great place to camp before attempting the scramble to the top of the mountain.

The best route out of the canyon is along the left side of one of the bigger branches of Big Indian Creek that curve south. You'll scramble up a series of benches to a saddle with a view of Wildhorse Lake, a brilliant emerald-green mountain tarn. From this point, turn north and scramble along a ridgeline until you reach a gravel spur road. At the end of this road, you can take short hiking paths to the top of the mountain or down to the lake. Keep an eye out for big horn sheep.

The view from the top of Steens Mountain is as dramatic as any in Oregon. Looking south and east over massive Wildhorse Canyon is the Alvord Desert, waterlogged from Steens runoff in the spring, a heat-blasted checkerboard of cracked playa in the summer. Further to the south are virtually unknown but incredibly scenic mountain ranges: The Pueblos, Trout Mountains, Oregon Canyon Mountains and, over the border in Nevada, the Santa Rosas. On the clearest days you can pick out the Three Sisters to the northwest with binoculars, about 160 miles distant.

After these exciting detours, return down the spur road until you reach the main Steens Loop Road. There are plenty of good campsites, and plenty of snowmelt to replenish your water supplies. To be safe, filter all water in the Steens.

In the morning, continue north to a spectacular overlook of Little Blitzen Gorge. Either before or after you reach this viewpoint, you can drop the 1,600 feet into Blitzen Gorge. If the descent looks too tough, you can return to your vehicle on the High Desert Trail, which parallels the north half of the Steens Loop Road.

Follow the Little Blitzen River past more spectacular scenery for another 9 miles to an intersection with the Loop Road and a short walk back to the South Steens Campground.

You'll never look at Oregon the same way again!

 

 

Bushwhacked in Wyoming
Outdoor (mis)adventures in a red state gone wrong
BY ERIK BURGE

Contemplating that epic fishing/climbing/backpacking trip to the remote, mountainous wilds of Wyoming this summer?

Well … before you fall under the intoxicating "Adventure of a Lifetime" spell of all those soaring, snow-capped peaks, over-romanticized bronco busters and idyllic "dude" ranches, I got three words for you: 1) Dick Cheney, 2) gay bashers, and 3) freedom fries.

That's right, friends: Despite all those temptingly scenic, travel-friendly promotional images you might see featured on websites and travel brochures, Wyoming is bad for your health.

Just last spring, while drinking and driving way too fast down the east side of Togwotee Pass (about 40 miles between Jackson and Bum-Fuck-Nowhere) en route to a climbing trip in the Wind River Range, my vehicle struck and killed a bull elk that tore through the front end, knocked the engine off its block and shattered the windscreen/dashboard to bits before launching me and about $5,000 worth of climbing gear 40 feet down the embankment where, thanks only to a conveniently placed clump of immature alpine firs, we finally managed to stop.

Unfortunately, before I could get myself oriented (let alone fully extricate myself from the wreckage), I was bushwhacked by a posse of the meanest, most ill-informed, right-wing saddle tramps this side of Crawford, Texas.

Although my injuries (only minor cuts and bruises from what I could tell) seemed downright insignificant compared to the impact of the crash, when I pleaded with those no-good, jack-booted saddle tramps to take me to the nearest hospital or at least a telephone, not only did they refuse but they bound my arms and legs together with rope, threw a hood over my head and mounted me on a dangerously ornery, ill-tempered horse.

We rode fast and hard for days on end over terrain that proved so bumpy and butt-bruising that by the time my hood was finally removed (and the tube sock pulled out of my mouth), my rump was so saddle-sore that I could hardly make the 20 steps to the one-holer let alone sit in civilized fashion for any length of time upon the wooden bench.

Surprisingly, despite their staunch "creationist" beliefs, racial bigotry and ultra-conservative war-mongering ways, my chew-spittin', rabbit-eatin', bronco-bustin' captors seemed to tolerate (and, at times, even APPRECIATE) my "liberal" blue state values, anti-Bush/Cheney rhetoric and all-too-open-minded world view.

But then, one sweltering summer afternoon (after I'd chopped my daily 10 cords of wood, fed/watered the pigs and cleaned all their goddamned horse stalls) when I tried to explain how Brokeback Mountain should be viewed more as a traditional "love story" than merely just another "gay-rights movie," they roped me to a chair in a small, windowless shack and forced me to watch Fox News and "The O' Reilly Factor" for 48 consecutive hours without a single meal or even a pee break.

Fortunately, after the initial fury of the Brokeback incident died down, the following week passed peacefully and, despite my longing for home (not to mention organic baked tofu sandwiches and organic ginger snaps), I soon found myself settling into the ebb and flow of ranch life.

They taught me how to rope steers, castrate calves, and milk the goats. Despite the fact I hadn't eaten a proper green salad in nearly three weeks (the so-called "salad bar" at the nearest roadhouse was little more than a buffet of crackers, sesame sticks and dressing packets), I accepted (ever so grudgingly) my position as prisoner cum "barn boy."

Unfortunately, the glorious simplicity of ranch life hypnotized me into some sort of bucolic trance, and it took me nearly a month before I finally got around to inquiring just what the hell they intended to do with me. "Slick" Nard (the gang's unspoken leader) took me aside and laid it all out. They didn't want to kill me. They didn't want to hurt me. They weren't even looking for a ransom. What they really wanted was to "deprogram" me … make me "see things differently" … turn me into "one of their own."

Thankfully, early next afternoon, after Slick's conniving little brother Pete killed Chief Eagle Feather's eldest son in a squabble over a cache of stolen beaver pelts, the entire gang (me included) had to light out for their secret mountain hideout.

The remote, poorly maintained pack trail climbed slowly up a deep and spectacular river canyon flanked on both sides by steep, rock-strewn slopes that were booby-trapped with unsuspected obstacles. First, the notorious Bearded Ranger Lady (an extreme feminist/wilderness Nazi, God bless her soul!) slapped us with a $10,000 fine for exceeding the posted stock limit. Then, about a mile farther, the tread became infested with giant, rat-sized crickets that spooked "Eddie the Asshole" (Slick's favorite mule) off the trail and some 200 feet down into the canyon.

Next morning, after the diabolical gastronomical menace known as "Curly" Lerouix stuffed us to the batwings with about 500 quarts of his Black Squirrel Chili, our pack train was forced off the trail at a narrow, badly eroded cliff traverse called "The Catwalk." A long ledge of trail had crumbled some 300 feet down into the river, leaving only a sheer cliff face above and a terrifying chasm below.

After lacing my beans with Altram and forcing me to suck down an illegal amount of Rock Star energy drinks, they tied me into a long-ass climbing rope, placed a cantankerous 70-pound gas-powered drill in my hands and instructed me (at gunpoint) to bore a "grid" of blasting holes into the highly unstable, badly overhanging cliff for their explosives.

For the better part of the next 20 days (savage winds, rain, hail, snow and lightening be damned!) I climbed and rappelled precariously (and with increasing paranoia) off the Cliff of Doom high above the river while boring 12-24 inch holes into the badly crumbling rock. Dust storms lacerated my corneas. Vicious plagues of giant, horseshit gnats chewed my face into a raw, festering pulp. Meanwhile, salvo after salvo of fist-to-football-sized rocks rained down on me from above, whistling dangerously close to my ears and, once, even bonking me on the helmet and knocking me out.

Fortunately, the evening before Master Blaster could hook up his final charges, a massive end-of-the-world thunderstorm rolled in, bombarding our camp with a spectacular (but blood curdling) all-night lightning attack. The flashes were so bright we could see each other's skeletons and the thunder claps so loud it sent shock waves shuddering through the ground.

The whole sky exploded and came crashing down on top of us. Sparks came shooting down the mountainsides. Stricken trees burst wildly into flame, enveloping the valley in a perfect, natural-made smoke screen.

As the entire gang cowered meekly (and/or drunkenly) in their tents, I took the opportunity to pack my bags, fill my pack with leftovers from the kitchen tent, chase off all the stock and escape back down the trail to blessed blue state freedom.


Editor's Note: Erik Burge, aka Trail Rat, makes his home along the trails of the Northwest. We asked him if any of this tale was fabricated, and he told us, "only the part about drinking and driving."

 

 

Take the Tsanchiifin Walk
Exploring the West Eugene Wetlands.
BY STEVE GORDON

Come take a spring walk through the famous West Eugene Wetland prairie. These wetlands have been recognized nationally during the past year as a treasure right here in our green, environmentally friendly city. Learn why these prairies were vital to the Kalapuyan way of life and see first hand what plants and animals live in these moist, muddy soils along Amazon Creek in the Long Tom River watershed.

The West Eugene Wetland partners own more than 3,000 acres of land, most of it within the West Eugene region. The Tsanchiifin Walk is in the Willamette Daisy Meadow and the Tsal Luk-wah Wetlands.

Tsanchiifin is a Native American Kalapuyan word for the group of indigenous people who lived in the Upper Willamette region, and Tsal luk-wah means "river of grass." These wet prairie habitats are among some of Oregon's rarest plant communities and are home to a number of rare plants and the rare Fender's blue butterfly. The larvae feed on the flower Kincaid's lupine, which grows on upland patches adjacent to the wetlands.

This easy, all-weather walk consists of two short loops over concrete, boardwalk and gravel surfaces. It is an easy walk on flat ground, perfect for kids and adults.   Click here to download a PDF of the map.


Editor's Note: Immediately northwest of this walk, where the bike and walking path cross the railroad tracks, in the largest parcel of the West Eugene Wetlands, the proposed four-lane highway commonly referred to as the West Eugene Parkway would travel over your head and down into the Willamette Daisy Meadow and Meadowlark Prairie.

 

1. If the wetland office is open, check out some of the available literature inside. Outside you'll find more info posted on the seed cooler building (wetland seeds are stored here for future restoration projects). A portable bathroom is located nearby.

Currently, the Willamette Resources and Educational Network, WREN, operates its nonprofit educational programs from this office and the nearby yurt classroom. You can find butterflies and birds around the office. The hedgerows host Bewick's wrens, California quail, dark-eyed juncos and various sparrows. In spring, the trees around the office are filled with migrating warblers. Nearby are restored Kincaid's lupine, where you might see the rare Fender's blue butterfly.

2. Walk down the hill past the yurt and follow the boardwalk made of recycled materials. This boardwalk takes you over the prairie wetlands without trampling them. Look for the tall tufted hairgrass, deschampsia cespitosa, which grows in clumps. The tall stem rises to about 3 feet high before it drops its small seeds. In late summer and fall, this golden grass waves gently in the breeze and reminds you of tallgrass prairies that once greeted early settlers in the Willamette Valley. Look here for Nootka rose with its pink spring blossoms and red rose hips in winter.

 

3. When you reach the Fern Ridge Path near a small copse of Oregon ash, look for songbirds in the trees. American robins and American goldfinches are found here frequently, and you may flush a mourning dove from its perch. At the informational pullout along Amazon Creek, read about Willow Creek.

Looking south, you can see the outfall of Willow Creek as it joins Amazon Creek. A 2-mile stretch of Amazon Creek was enhanced in the late 1990s with more gentle slopes, enlarged pools and development of side channels. Here you can compare the steeper slope on the south side of the creek with the partially-restored section.

This widening allowed more woody plants like willows to be planted along the Creek while still maintaining flood capacity. You may find a green heron, a hooded merganser or a belted kingfisher along the Amazon. As you approach the Danebo Avenue bridge over the Amazon, look for signs of a beaver dam. Lucky observers have spotted river otters in Amazon Creek during the past year.

 

4. After crossing under Danebo, look for the entrance to the Tsanchiifin walk in the Willamette Daisy Meadow. This site was an air landing strip in World War II, and in the 1950s it was a popular spot for drag racing. The asphalt has been removed and replaced with restored wetlands. Look for signs of the old runways as you walk along the loop trail.

Along the trail, you can see restored wet prairie and vernal pool habitats. These shallow, vernal pools fill with the winter rains and dry up by the end of spring. In winter and early spring they host Canada geese, mallards, green-winged teals and great blue herons. As you walk along the trail, you may flush a Wilson's snipe. This brown, streaked, long-billed shorebird will "squawk" and fly away in a zigzag fashion, so be quick to spot it.

 

5. In late April and May, the common camas blooms in rich blues. The bulb of this lily family member was a staple in the Kalapuyan diet. They gathered the bulbs, ground them, and roasted them in rock fire pits for trade and winter food. The blue blooms enliven the prairie and serve as a living reminder of the past.

 

6. The area to the northeast of the path is being enhanced by removing trees to open up more prairie. In the future, attempts will be made to restore Kincaid's lupine further to the north as future habitat for the recovery of Fender's blue butterfly. As you walk, keep an eye out for birds of prey. You can find turkey vultures, red-tailed hawks, northern harriers (formerly known as marsh hawk) and American kestrels, our smallest falcons, hunting in these grasslands.

 

7. As you round the bend in Tsanchiifin Walk and head south toward Amazon Creek, you enter a copse of ash. Here in the thickets you are likely to find spotted towhees, song sparrows, Bewick's wrens and house finches. There is a platform where you can look over the largest pond. Listen for Pacific chorus frogs (formerly known as tree frogs). For a real treat, return at night and listen to the frog chorus in full voice from February into May.

 

8. Upon reaching the concrete Fern Ridge path, a side trip leads to another overlook of a large pond. Signs here explain some of the Kalapuyan Wetlands Association and point out some of the common plants and animals at this site. Watch and listen for red-winged blackbirds; the males can be observed singing while conspicuously perched atop small trees and wetland plants.

 

9. Here Amazon Creek has a side channel. This is a favorite spot in summer for finding dragonflies and their smaller relatives, the damselflies. If you watch on a warm day, you will see a large, red dragonfly, the flame skimmer. A large blue dragonfly with bright, blue eyes is the blue-eyed darner. The smaller damselflies are often closer to the ground in short grass. Our two most common species are the tule bluet and the Pacific forktail, and both are found here. The smaller red dragonflies are species in the genus known as the meadowhawks.

 

Now you can complete the loop trip and return to the wetland office. If you cross Danebo Avenue, be careful of traffic. As an alternative, you can follow the path under Danebo Avenue at the bridge and walk a short distance up the hill to the office.

You should have seen plenty of prairie wetland sights on your walk. Come back as often as you want and bring friends to share the subtle beauty offered by this Tsanchiifin gem within our national treasure, the West Eugene Wetlands. For more info, call 683-6494 or visit www.wewetlands.org

Getting there (drive, bike or bus):

Drive west on West 11th Avenue about 2 miles.

At Danebo Avenue, turn right (north) and park at the BLM wetland office north of Amazon Creek.

Walk or bike along the Fern Ridge path and continue down to Danebo Avenue.

LTD's Barger bus, route #43, and Veneta bus, route #93, both have stops at the intersection of West 11th Avenue and Danebo Avenue.

Time: The walk takes 1-1 1/2 hours.

Wetland Office Hours: The wetland office is staffed by the folks who work there and has no set hours. But if it's open, be sure to stop in.

 

Calendar of Events

May is American Wetlands Month, and WREN has free guided walks and presentations about wildflowers, birds, dragonflies, otters and more. For more info, call 683-6494 or visit www.wewetlands.org

May 3   Evening marsh walk

May 5   Celebrate the wetlands at the Eugene Public Library

May 6   Wetland nature photography workshop

May 7   Wildflowers and wings family walk

May 10    Hynix stormwater tour

May 13   Willow Creek's 25th anniversary    special events

May 17   The natural history of the river otter

May 24   Hynix wetland and upland walk

May 31   Discover butterflies program

June 3   Spring butterflies of the    West Eugene Wetlands



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