“I think it’s obvious to all of us who are skiers and have skied in Central Oregon for a while that there is a change in the weather patterns,” says Matt Fox, who helps coach the Mountain View High School Nordic team. Every Wednesday for the junior racers is an “on snow” day, and so far the team hasn’t missed a single one of those events; however, the team usually practices at Meissner, and this month has needed to push farther up the mountain to Bachelor’s Nordic Center, and has skied a few times in the rain, which certainly dampens that winter feeling. A race the previous weekend at Hoodoo was canceled because of the lack of snow and standing puddles of water, and another race switched venues to Mt Bachelor. Hoodoo Ski Resort and Mt Ashland in southern Oregon remain closed. A cross-country ski race at Tea Cup Nordic Center, on the flank of Mt Hood, also was canceled last weekend.
“It certainly is starting to feel like the norm that we don’t have much snow during the season,” concludes Fox. However, he points out, the lack of snow hasn’t dampened enthusiasm. “There hasn’t been a lack of interest,” he asserts. “We have a big group of kids that came out this year.”
Oregon High School Nordic Ski Racing state championships are scheduled for Feb. 20-21 at Mt Shasta.
This article appears in Jan 28 – Feb 4, 2015.
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I wonder if you could ski on my laughter? Find some real problems, and then you can cry.