But there is a ray of light…Grab your snow shoes (or cross country skis) and get out to check out the snow shoe trails in the park and around Sumpter.  Below is the latest area map outlining the current trails through the park.

The blue trail outlines where the current snowshoe trail is. The Red trails are where the actual park trail is, but this area has not been gone through with snowshoes yet. The yellow trail is where the snow mobile trail cuts through.

If you’re interested in joining other avid snowshoers, check out the Sumpter snowshoeing web site at   http://www.sumpter.org/menu/sumpter_snowshoeing.html for information about upcoming guided hikes and trail conditions.

As always, be safe and hope to see you out there.

Granite rocks punched with holes can be found in the park and the City of Sumpter

Nope!  These are called Fourth of July stones.  They are the remnants of Stone Drilling Contests held in Sumpter during the Fourth of July Festivals.   You might think of a drilling contest using a large hole-boring machine with a big drill bit, but this was not the case.  They used HUMAN drilling machines!

As they prepare, note the granit stone in the center with the long spikes resting on it. photo is courtesy of the Baker Co. Library Photo Archives.

The contest begins! Photo Courtesy of Baker Co. Library Photo Archives

As you can see in the photos, a platform is built around the granite boulder.  One man hunkers down to hold a tall metal spike in place while another stands above and pounds the stake into the granite with a large maul.

Action Shot! Photo Courtesy of Baker Co. Photo Archive

The contest was a tribute to the strength, endurance, and hand/eye coordination of the miners.  I, for one, would not want to be the man holding the stake.

In reality it wasn’t that fast or exciting or musical.  In fact, the actual mining boom wouldn’t take place for another 30 years!  The reason for this was because of Sumpter’s remote location.  It was just close enough to the Oregon Trail and other travel routes for word of the gold to slip out and entice those passing by; but the access to Sumpter, being limited to rough narrow trails and roads over or through the mountains, left something to be desired. This severely limited the ability to establish large mining operations, as well as as merely bringing in the supplies needed to support large groups of miners with food, housing, and the general comforts one would want if one wants to live in comfort out in the middle of nowhere.

The Mining town Of Sumpter, late 1880's

So, that said, the mining operations plodded along at a slow pace until just before the turn of the century.  The catalyst that finally pushed the Sumpter Gold Mining off of its trickle pace and off on a rush actually wasn’t even gold.  It was WOOD!  The vast forests that stretched over this portion of the Blue Mountains was enticing lumber companies, namely the Oregon Lumber Co., to make their way into the mountains and from this ambition the Sumpter Valley Railway Company was born.  The railroad not only provided the Lumber Companies access to the forests, it also opened the Sumpter Valley to the outside world allowing the little mining town of Sumpter to Boom to a large city almost overnight!

Sumpter Valley Railroad Company Making Their Way Through

The City of Sumpter After the Mining Boom

Unfortunately for Sumpter, even though the train continued to chug through the valley until 1947, the boom was short-lived.  The gold industry that had built the town depended on began to decline shortly after the turn of the century.  The railroad helped bring in the equipment needed to build two large dredges which could tap into the abundant vein of gold buried deep beneath the valley floor, but even this did not stop the decline.  In 1917, a fire destroyed most of the business district bringing the golden age to a sudden halt.

The Railroad continued back and forth From Baker City to Prairie City seeing the continued dredging of the Sumpter Valley, the burning of Sumpter, the rise and decline of other towns supported by its trek, including; Whitney, Tipton, Austin, and Oregon Lumber Company’s own company town, Bates.

With advancements in transportation, such as cars and trucks, better roads made their way through Sumpter Valley and on up over the mountains to the west.  In time the need for train transportation waned and as previously mentioned, the Sumpter Valley Railway Company made its last trip through the Sumpter Valley in 1947.

But wait!  That’s not the end!

In 1971, a nonprofit organization named Sumpter Valley Railroad Restoration Inc. was established and through blood, sweat, and hard work they were able to find, rebuild, and restore several original Sumpter Valley Railway Co. cars and engines, as well as about eight miles of narrow gauge track from the old McEwen station back into Sumpter just shy of its original location (The Oregon Deptment of Transportation frowned on the idea of reconstructing the railroad track on the now existing Hwy).

The Depot

At the Sumpter Valley Dredge State Park, just shy of its original location, sits the replica of the Sumpter Depot.  With train rides scheduled each weekend throughout the summer months, it is a great addition to a visit to the City of Sumpter and the State Park.  For more information please visit the Sumpter Valley Railroad Restoration’s web site http://www.svry.com/ and they can also be found on Face Book.

The No.3 Making it's way from Sumpter to McEwen

A welcome sight!

Although warm weather and rain has tried to move in, it’s still good conditions to grab the snow gear of your choice and come out for some winter fun.  Park staff and others have been trekking through to cut trails through the park, however this takes time so if you come out and are not sure where to begin it’s recommend that you stick to within the general area of the existing park trails…but since you can’t see those trails through a foot of snow, here is an aerial map to give you an idea.  Park trails are marked in Red.

Park maps and brochures can also be downloaded online at The Oregon State Parks web page.  As the snow continues we’ll update this map with alternate snowshoe routes and sledding areas.

Bring your sled, your skis, and your snow shoes and come out to play with us.

The Dredge in all of its glory amidst the obvious lack of snow.

Since our first snow in November, when we posted “Walking In A Winter Wonderland”, we’ve been waiting with baited anticipation to announce the schedule for our guided snowshoe hikes.  Sadly, it would seem that “Old Man Winter” is somewhat lacking in enthusiasm this year.  We have yet to see any significant snow accumulation leaving us wondering if winter will actually show up this year.

This year can officially be considered “unusual”, especially when compared past winters.

This is more of what we'd like to see. Winter 2008

The way it used to be, Sumpter 1905. ~Photo Curtesy of the Baker County Photo Archives

Looking back on winters gone by and recollecting all the fun had in those piles of winter whiteness, one could easily begin to feel disappointed at this year’s winter outlook.  But take heart, there is always a bright side.  Less snow means the roads are better to come up and play in the mountains…a day trip is always more fun if you’re not concerned about sliding off the road over Phillips Lake.  If you don’t own snow shoes it is a little easier (though uneven) to get around the trails since you don’t have to worry about wading through hip deep snow…just watch out for the icy spots.  Getting around the park to check out animal tracks, take photos of the dredge in winter, maybe do some sledding, or even some winter birding has never been easier.  And of course, the weather has been beautiful.

The cold season isn’t over yet, so you never know if Winter might happen pay a surprise visit to us and when that happens, we’ll be ready.

The Dredge construction crew, spring of 1935. Jack Craig is the gentleman with the parted hair, in the second row on the left side. R. D. Shelly is in the first row, on the right side, holding the dog.

Jack Craig went from inspecting the welding as the dredge was being built to other jobs on the dredge including being a winchman.  Larry spoke of being twelve and his mother packing extra in his father’s lunch pail so that Larry could stay on for a bit during the night shift.  It was cold in the winter time, but Larry remembers that there was an oil stove in the winchroom and next to that, a small sofa, from which Larry could sit and watch as his father explained how he steered and maneuvered the dredge using the many levers.

Being able to recapture moments like these are few and far between but a privilege and a pleasure when the opportunity arises.  They give us a glimpse into our past and let us better understand where we came from.

Wasp Nest Revealed!

Thinking back to the beginning of Fall (and warmer temperatures..) I recall walking along the trail not far from this spot.  Usually the only things heard in this part of the park are the wind, the birds, and the river.  However, this fall, another sound was heard…the low hum of buzzing.  Bees, mosquitoes, yellow jackets, and other insects of the buzzing nature are common in the park, but this year the yellow jackets and bald faced hornets put extra effort in making their presence known.  In some places they literally covered the trails and surrounding areas to a point that it was decided for the safety of visitors the area should be closed off.  Yes, they were pesky little buggers (pun intended).

What do Yellow Jackets, Bald-Faced Hornets, and Paper Wasps all have in common?  They are all wasps!  The terms yellow jacket, hornets, and wasps have all long been used interchangeably, but incorrectly.  The Northwest has several different species of wasps including the common yellow jacket, the western yellow jacket, and the bald faced hornet.  The bald faced hornet and the yellow jacket are usually easily distinguishable, but must confess that I have had no desire to get close enough to a yellow jacket to identify what different species we might have inhabiting the park.

Aerial Yellow Jacket...just one of MANY species of Wasp

Their painful stings and tendency to attack “en masse” when threatened have left wasps with a distasteful reputation, but before running out with a can of spray to fight back, consider some of the little known benefits of having these critters around. Though not as involved as the honey bee, wasps are considered part of an elite group called “The Pollinators”.  They are not as efficient as bees, but they frequent flowering plants in search of sweet nectar often enough to contribute to the process.  Where they add the most benefit is in pest control.  Wasps feed on caterpillars, grasshoppers, aphids and other insects who  can cause extensive damage to plant life if allowed to infest an area.

The Bald-Faced hornet

The Common, Western, and German Yellow jackets have a habit of seeking trouble by encroaching into human territory, especially where food is involved, but most species of wasps tend to keep to themselves attacking only when they feel their home is threatened.  So, take caution of these guys next year as you enjoy the out door and consider that if they are present but not posing a threat to leave them be and they will make it worth your while in many ways.

"Dreaming of sugar-plums and gold pans"

But with great snow comes great snow shoeing!  As the clouds pile it on, soon trails will be seen winding through the park as the snowshoers climb out from the cozy in their cabins and explore this winter wonderland.

The Tracks of a Great Elkhorn Snowshoer!

Grab your snowshoes and bundle up warm to see what is happening in the park during the winter.  This is a great time to look for animal tracks, take pictures, and just get out and play in the snow and see parts of the park not always accessible in the summer!

Remember to always keep safety in mind:

• Dress warm: Layers are best because you don’t want to get too hot while you’re hiking but you also want to stay warm when the temperature drops.
• Stay on the trail.  Always stick to premade snowshoe trails.  The snow hides many treasures but also many dangers.  There are drop offs, ponds, and other things unseen.
• Be wary of river crossing.  Crossing the river might look tempting if it is iced over, but looks can be deceiving.  The depth of the ice might look thick closer to the bank, but be thin in the middle.  If you don’t know, then don’t go!
• Know the weather.  Storms or temperature changes can come in quickly.  You don’t want to be caught away from your fire when that happens.
• Keep an abundant supply of hot chocolate.  This is especially important!

Park staff and volunteers will also be leading guided snowshoe tours over the winter.  Stay tuned for the dates.

Looking forward to seeing you as we’re walking in a winter wonderland!

With the end of the season coinciding with Halloween and all things spooky, it only seemed appropriate to host an “Is Skeleton Creek Real” Halloween Extravaganza.  Park Staff and visitors gathered around the camp fire on a crisp fall evening to hear stories and tall tales of the legendary Joe Bush who has been reported to haunt our gold dredge.

The Last Gathering

Special Guests Jeffery Townsend and Eric Rhodes, the actor who plays the Apostle in the books, joined us bringing never-before-seen clips from the books!

Guests Jeffery Townsend and "The Apostle"

Refreshments were to be had…..if you were brave enough to get by Joe Bush!!

The evening ended with a tour down to the dredge.  The intent was to see all of the cool places shown in the books, but all was interrupted when the REAL Joe Bush decided to make his presence known with clanks, knockings and moans to send shivers down your spine.

Into the dredge...What will we find??

All and all, it was a fun evening and a great way to wrap up the season.  So, for now the the dredge is closed for the winter and as Ranger Rella says every night she closes the dredge, “Good Night, Joe.”

A good time was had by all!

As our season here in the park comes to a close, we are reminded of the people we’ve met, the adventures we’ve taken and the things we have learned.

We have had visitors from Moscow, Idaho to Moscow, Russia. From Holland, Michigan to the more well known Holland. From most of the (easily) habitable continents, and 45 out of 50 states! Check out the hometowns of the guests we’ve had this summer: http://sumpterdredge.wordpress.com/the-guest-book/

And for the few states that didn’t visit this summer, (Louisiana, Georgia, Delaware, West Virginia, Mississippii) we look forward to your visit next season!

Now that the park is closing for the winter, it is time for me to depart. I have loved the feeling of community, and I will miss Sumpter and her people. She truly is a Queen of a city: with a heart of gold.

Sometimes it is hard to know how to say goodbye to something that has grown so important to us. In a certain sense we can never truly say goodbye to those closest to us because they have helped form what we have become. So until our paths cross next: take care of yourself old girl!

All my loving,

All of my gratitude,

-Kevin Silagi

Formerly an Interpretive Intern