Outside

Endorphins, sunshine and inspiring views — always a sure recipe for lifting me out of the winter blahs. I've always been addicted to the rush of fresh oxygen and the healthy buzz I get from working up a sweat in the outdoors. It admittedly keeps me sane and helps me work through things, stimulates creative ideas and releases the stress of the week or the day.
This Sunday, I had plans to explore the trails off Dutchman Flats with a mountain-biking buddy of mine, Keith Young. Before we left town for the trip that morning, I was having a case of the March blues. There was a sinking feeling of unease and lack of motivation pumping through my veins, a mental devil on my shoulder trying to talk me into sitting on the couch staring out the window all day.

Standing in a clearing at the dead-end of what are clearly the wrong Nordic ski tracks that I'd been following, I quietly curse the guy in the Maxwell Sno-Park parking lot who said, “The trails are really well marked.” I can't help but chuckle at the irony of getting lost (though I prefer off course) while on assignment for an article on snow shelter camping tips. Tip #1: bring a map or GPS and KNOW THE TRAILS. I knew I'd broken some of my rules for backcountry travel, rushed and ignored the clues that I was off course. But this wasn't really backcountry, it was marked Nordic and snowshoe trails near Hoodoo, just beyond the junction of the McKenzie Highway and Route 22.

Night Skiing
Not all of us have the luxury of flexible jobs that allow us to ditch the desk for an afternoon ski. But, because our sno-parks are so close to town, getting out on the trails at night has developed into quite the phenomenon in Central Oregon. On any given evening, you're likely to run into at least a few other skiers, if not a whole group, like the gang of WebSkis skaters that usually goes up on Tuesday nights.
Over the last few months, I've had the chance to get out there with a bunch of friends at night to bask in the light of the full moon or celebrate a few birthday parties. We've often ended up at the Nordeen Shelter, which is about two miles from Swampy Sno-Park. Thanks to volunteers, most shelters have a well-stocked supply of firewood that skiers are welcome to burn for warmth. If it's your first time organizing a group-hut excursion, try picking a destination that isn't too far out – in case you lose energy or have a few too many rounds by the fire. The Meissner Shelter is also a safe bet and offers views both to the north and south.

Travel to the lost world of Paulina Lake Lodge, just 45 minutes from Bend and you will feel transported to a wintry haven, far from the traffic lights and noise that can at times feel claustrophobic to so many of us who made the move to Bend for a life of serenity.
I embarked on the journey out to Paulina Lake with two rafting buddies, Sandy Arch and Tom Clawson, whom I met on a trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon. These guys are a work hard/play hard kind of couple that I knew would make this short little jaunt extreme in everyway.