Oregon’s Alpenfest, the only Swiss-Bavarian cultural festival in the West, happens in the majestic Wallowa Mountains of northeast Oregon – a region whose spectacular scenery reminds many of the Swiss Alps.

Events are scheduled at Wallowa Lake, one of Oregon’s biggest attractions; the art colony of Joseph, and historic Enterprise. The glacier-formed lake is known for its pristine beauty and recreation assets ranging from boating, hiking, fishing and camping, to riding the tramway to the top of the surrounding peaks.

Featured performers are The Polkatones dance band, the Tirolean Dancers folk dance troupe, Swiss yodeler Shelby Imholt from Portland, Enterprise alphornist Bruce Coutant and accordion virtuoso Alicia Baker from Denver.

Polka stars Randy and Ashley Thull from Wisconsin will offer free polka lessons, and visiting accordionists will play on Main Street in Joseph and at the outdoor Alpine Breakfasts at Wallowa Lake.

Main performances take place Friday evening and Saturday afternoon and evening in the century-old Edelweiss Inn, traditional home of Alpenfest, next to the Wallowa Lake Tramway.

Numerous craft and food vendors will offer their wares Friday through Sunday at the outdoor Alpine Fair.

On Saturday and Sunday mornings, pancakes, eggs and sausage will be served at the Alpine Breakfasts to benefit the Wallowa Lake Tourism Association.

Details about the performers and ticket information are available at oregonalpenfest.com or by phone to 541-426-2577.

Alpenfest was born in 1975 when business owners at Wallowa Lake sought to create a reason for visitors to come to “Oregon’s Little Switzerland” after Labor Day, the typical end of the busy visitor season. Tourism is a large driver of the county economy.

A natural for the end of September, when other regions are staging Oktoberfests, the original Alpenfest lasted until 2008. In 2011, after disappointed tourists kept asking what happened, business owners in Joseph and at the lake decided to revive the festival.

The new era was ushered in with a new name, “Oregon’s Alpenfest,” in 2012. Events were scheduled in three Wallowa County locations, as is the case today.

Beer offerings will differ from those in past years. Instead of importing German beers, Alpenfest will pour exclusively eastern Oregon brews in Alpine style. Attendees receive free 24-ounce glass mugs at entrance.

Terminal Gravity Brewing in Enterprise, which has honored the festival with an Alpenfest beer every year since 2012, will make a German kolsch. East Fork Brewery in Joseph will provide a Bavarian Hefeweizen, M. Crow Brewing in Lostine a Berliner Weisse and Side A Brewing in La Grande a German black lager known as Schwartzbier.

Alpenfest’s bratwurst is produced by Hines Meat Co. in La Grande. Hines, a family-owned butcher shop, is the latest of several providers of bratwurst for the festival following changes in the region’s sausage landscape. Chuck Anderson, the event’s alpenmeister, said Hines “has the best smoked German bratwurst in the state that I’ve tasted.”

The event’s parent organization, Alpenfest, is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving Swiss and Bavarian traditions. Contributions are tax deductible.

ENTERPRISE, OREGON__A strong field of two dozen mushers has registered for the Eagle Cap Extreme sled dog race, to take place January 18 – 21 in Wallowa County. This winter’s combination of cold temperatures and abundant snowfall have ECX race organizers in excellent shape for the thirteenth annual running of the event.

“Even the slight warming we had earlier this week is good for trail conditions,” explains ECX public relations director, Troy Nave. “Trail crews and the Snowmobile Club groomer will have an easier time compacting the snow now that it’s warmer, making for a good running surface. Now we’re keeping fingers crossed for cool temperatures during the race.”

This year’s ECX features four races, beginning with the 200-mile, twelve-dog main event, an Iditarod and Yukon Quest qualifier. Then comes the 100-mile, 8-dog race, followed by the 31-mile, six-dog pot race (two stages: one on Thursday, one on Friday), and the 22-mile Juniors race (Thursday start, immediately following the start of the Pot Race). The racing begins at noon on Thursday, January 19, at Ferguson Ridge Ski Hill outside of Joseph.

Most of the field of twenty-four mushers are Eagle Cap Extreme veterans, with a handful of rookies sprinkled in. Among the rookies is Christina Gibson of Riverside, Washington. Christina is fifteen years old, and will be racing in the Juniors event on Thursday. “Someday I hope to run in the Iditarod,” said Gibson. Some of the returning mushers include the defending champions from each of the three events run last year. Jane Devlin of Bend, Oregon, will defend her Pot Race title; 100-mile champ Laurie Warren of Council, Idaho, will run the 200-miler this year; and two-time defending 200-mile champion Brett Bruggeman of  Great Falls, Montana, returns to attempt an unprecedented third consecutive title.

“This is my favorite mushing event,” says Bruggeman. Since coming in a close second place to Laura Daugereau three years ago, Bruggeman has torched the 200-mile field the past two years. Bruggeman has outpaced some highly competitive fields of mushers, including several Iditarod veterans. This year three of the ten mushers chasing him in the 200-miler are Iditarod veterans: Scott White, in his third ECX race; Mark Stamm, racing his fourth ECX race; and Alberta’s Jason Campeau, racing the ECX for the third time.

Race officials have also been determined. Dona Miller of Seeley Lake, Montana, returns as the Race Marshal. Miller has a long history of mushing and working with the Eagle Cap Extreme, first as a Race Judge and now as the Marshall. This year’s Head Veterinarian is Kathleen McGill, a former lead veterinarian for the Yukon Quest and several mid-distance races in the lower 48 states. Cari Hinesly and Michael Moore return as head timers.

Spectators are reminded to arrive plenty early to the 12 noon race start at Ferguson Ridge on Thursday. Plan on parking in the designated parking lot, then shuttling via free bus to the race start. Please leave all pets at home.

The Eagle Cap Extreme operates as a 501(c)3 non-profit, with the help of over 150 volunteers. For more information, visit the Eagle Cap Extreme web page at www.eaglecapextreme.com, and follow the ECX on Facebook.

Photo: Two-time defending 200-mile champ Brett Bruggeman, Great Falls, MT, is trying for an unprecedented 3rd consecutive win in 2017.

NOTE: This article was updated Monday, January 16.

It’s calving season in cattle country along the byway! Watch for newborn calves frolicking in the valley pastures. Worried and scolding mother cows can be seen, trying to curb their baby’s enthusiasm for newly discovered mobility. The playful antics and splendid facial markings, particularly on calves of mixed breed, are photo-worthy for every animal lover.

Where there are new calves, you will also find Bald Eagles. Always a treat to see, the noble birds act as a cleaning crew in calving grounds. Recently, over 20 Bald Eagles were seen in one field near Haines, Oregon. Watch for them soaring above meadows, standing in the middle of a herd of cows, or perched in willows and cottonwood trees.

Terry Richards, a writer for the Oregonian newspaper and a loyal fan of the Wallowas, recently posted an article on OregonLive.com about the magical mountain range. Read his tips and advice, then come explore.

But remember, just because it is spring in the valleys and the snow line is moving up the mountain sides, travel in the high passes can still be dangerous. Snow clogs many of the passes and you should not continue if you encounter drifts in the road. It will get worse as you move higher and you could get stuck and unable to turn around. Cell service is not available in many remote places. Stay cautious, don’t go into unfamiliar places and enjoy the lower elevations or stick to the well maintained roads.