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.

The Oregon Department of Parks & Recreation announced today a special pilot program that will offer discounted rates for electrical and full-hookup RV campsites is now available at selected state parks during September and October. Two parks in Eastern Oregon are included, Starting today, campers will be able to apply a special online code to receive a $7 discount off the nightly RV campsite rate, bringing the current rate from $24-33 down to $17-26.

From Sept. 4-30, the discount can apply to reservations made for Sunday through and including Thursday nights. From Oct. 1–31, the discount is valid all days of the week.

Only reservations made online on or after Aug. 22 are eligible for the discounted rate. Campers must use a special code at checkout—FallFun7—to receive the discount. For more information and to start the reservation process, campers can go online to http://bit.ly/fall4fun.

The discount is available at these parks:

September
—Farewell Bend State Recreation Area between Ontario and Baker City
—Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park near Florence
—Joseph H. Stewart State Recreation Area near Crater Lake
—L.L. Stub Stewart State Park west of Portland
—Viento State Park east of Cascade Locks
—William M. Tugman State Park south of Reedsport

October
—Champoeg State Heritage Area near Newberg
—Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area east of Pendleton
—Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park
—L.L. Stub Stewart State Park
—Milo McIver State Park near Estacada
—Prineville Reservoir State Park south of Prineville
—South Beach State Park near Newport
—Viento State Park

Chris Havel, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) associate director, says the discount is a test meant to see if price can encourage campers to explore different parks and to keep the outdoors affordable.

“Americans left 700 million days of vacation on the table in 2017, and more than 80% wish they took the time to discover new places. Oregonians can think beyond the typical summer vacation and show the rest of the country how it’s done,” said Havel. “Price is just one of the ways to encourage new travel, and this is only a limited trial program, but if things go well we’ll expand the discount.”

Additional details:
—The discount is only for new reservations made on or after Aug. 22, 2018.
—Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance.
—The discount is for recreational vehicle campsites; current tent site rates vary from $10-22 with lodging tax and remain unchanged.
—ADA-accessible campsites are eligible for the discount. To reserve an ADA-accessible site and apply the discount, call the state parks information center at 800-551-6949.

More information about the parks included in the discount program is on oregonstateparks.org.

#      #     #

On Sunday, May 13, the annual Mother’s Day Brunch Train leaves the depot at 10 a.m., with the promise of a wonderful brunch by Chuckwagon Sisters of Joseph. There will be a variety of breakfast and lunch entrées, salads, fruit and pastries. Mothers receive a corsage to take home and memories of the day to keep for a lifetime.

Ed Spaulding, volunteer engineer and President of the Friends of the Joseph Branch, the non-profit organization that manages the excursion train, says the 2018 season will be a busy one for the volunteer car hosts and crew.

“We have 19 trips scheduled, including the new Seeking Bigfoot Train, happening Saturday, July 28,” Spaulding said.  “There is an increasing amount of interest in the Bigfoot Legend. People are fascinated by stories that go back centuries, about a giant primate in the Blue Mountains.” Spaulding said the ride will be fun as well as enlightening. “We’ll be announcing our guest expert within a few weeks.”

The Wine & Chocolates Train, an evening ride on June 2, features a tasting of wines from Echo Ridge Cellars of Echo, paired with chocolates from Arrowhead Chocolates of Joseph. September 29, the focus shifts to wine and cheese, with Copper Belt Winery of Baker City and Umapine Creamery, located near Milton-Freewater, again serving samples of their specialties.

Train robberies always fill the train with passengers who love the added fun and excitement provided by bandits on horseback, who board the train and leave with glittering gold.  The Gold Rush Bandits have nefarious plans for June 16 & 17, October 6 and October 13. Also returning in the fall is a train ride designed with photographers in mind. With a brief workshop in one car, led by respected photographer Eric Valentine, this trip makes special stops to let photographers off the train for run-bys, giving them excellent views of the train as it passes. This is a fun trip for all passengers, not just photographers.

Other highlights of the season are Father’s Day Lunch, the I Love America! Train, and many opportunities to simply relax, enjoy the scenery and visit with fellow passengers who come from around the world. Read the trip descriptions and get your tickets online at www.eaglecaptrainrides.com, or call Alegre Travel, 800.323.7330, where agents can also help you with lodging and other vacation planning.
#    #    #

The Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is a thriving this Memorial Day Weekend. Check out the following activities, then go to the Wallowa County, Union County and Baker County websites for even more happenings. Have a safe, fun and meaningful Memorial holiday weekend.

Saturday, May 27th
Eagle Cap Excursion Train / Two River Bonus, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm, Elgin Depot
Following the Grande Ronde and Wallowa Rivers as they tumble their courses and join together at Rondowa, this longer ride takes you to Minam, before returning to Elgin. The ride offers beautiful views that can’t be seen from the highways. The scenery is fantastic! Lunch is included. Departs from Elgin Depot at 10 a.m. and returns at about 3:30 p.m.

La Grande Farmers’ Market, Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon, and Tuesdays, 3:30 to 6 p.m.; Adams Ave. & Fourth St., Downtown La Grande
The La Grande Farmers’ Market is a seasonal open-air market featuring fresh local produce, baked goods, specialty foods, quality meat, eggs, garden products, arts, crafts, and live music. Enjoy shopping locally while interacting with farmers, artists, musicians, craftsman and friends. Also visit many of the market suppliers along the Cove-Union Farm Loop.

Wallowa County Farmers Market Opening Day, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m,, Joseph St. and Main St., Joseph
Spring Planting Fest/Opening Day for the Wallowa County Farmers’ Market!! Live music, plant starts, produce, handmade crafts, homemade baked goods and more!!

Lower Valley Farmers’ Market, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m,, 301 E. 1st St., Wallowa
Year-round indoor farmers market. Our mission is to increase our community’s access to fresh, local products from local producers and to offer a vibrant social gathering place.

Bigfoot Hot Air Balloons Is Open For The Season, 
Bigfoot Balloons is now open in Joseph, OR. We will be offering sunrise Hot Air Balloon Flights all summer long. We have 2 special pricing options for local Wallowa County and Union County residents. If you have a specific date that you would fly you may book our Shared Flight at $50 off per person and if you are flexible with your dates we will put you on a standby passenger list for our shared flight with a $100 per person discount. Look for us up in the sky at sunrise! To make reservations call 432-443-7994 or go to our website.

Joseph Branch Railriders Is Open for the Season
Joseph Branch Railriders will open  May 20  and end Oct 9, 2017  for our 4th season.  We will serve you five days a week, Thursday thru Monday.
Choose between the 2 hour Joseph departure or the 6 hour Minam adventure which includes a lunch break in Wallowa. Now is the time to plan ahead for your summer adventures. We are looking forward to seeing you all this summer. Online reservations are open and can be accessed through our website,

The 2017 season includes some new trips, designed for lovers of wine and artisan food. A Wine & Chocolates Train, leaving the depot at 4 p.m., June 10, features a tasting of wines from Tero Estates Winery, expertly paired with chocolates from Petits Noirs Chocolates. Both businesses are located in Milton-Freewater, Oregon, at the south end of the Walla Walla Valley. In September, the focus shifts to wine and cheese, with Copper Belt Winery of Baker City and Umapine Creamery, located near Milton-Freewater, serving samples of their specialties.

“We have created two train rides that call attention to the amazing food and beverages produced in our region,” said Janet Dodson, a board member who helps design the trips and schedule. “Passengers will be served a light meal at the beginning of the trip and will have the opportunity to enjoy wine and chocolates (June 10) or cheese (September 30) during the return to the depot.”

Also new is a train ride designed for railroad photographers, with special stops to let photographers off the train for run-bys, giving them excellent views of the train as it passes. See the website for trip descriptions and the full schedule.

Reservations are required and are available through the online booking service on the website, www.eaglecaptrainrides.com; go to “Ride the Train” and select “Book Online” from the drop-down menu. Passengers who prefer to talk to an agent can call Alegre Travel, the excursion train reservations agency, 800.323.7330. Agents can also, upon request, book motel rooms and offer advice on other activities and attractions in the area.

Passenger train excursions use the section of track from Elgin to Minam. This section travels through mostly roadless country, staying north of Oregon Highway 82 to Enterprise, also known as the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway. Volunteers with the Friends of the Joseph Branch, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, manage the excursion business for Wallowa Union Railroad, operating the train and hosting passengers, as well as restoring the rail cars and preserving the history of the railroad. See the web site, www.eaglecaptrainrides.com for the full 2017 excursion schedule and information about how to join the Friends and volunteer to assist with train activities.

#    #    #

Learn more about the dragon boat races and find out how you can watch the spectacle or get involved by going to the Dragons In the Wallowas website or reading this recent piece on page A10, in the March 15 Wallowa Chieftain. Dragon Boats in the Wallowas

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.

Baker City, OR – With the Memorial Day weekend around the corner, National Forests are gearing up for the start to the traditional Northwest recreation season. A wide range of activities awaits in Oregon and Washington’s 16 national forests, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, and Crooked River National Grassland: camping, hiking, biking, horseback riding, fishing, caving, hunting, mushrooming, bird watching, and simply driving for pleasure to name a few. Summer is a great time in the Northwest to get outdoors and explore the forest you haven’t quite made it to yet.

On the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, there are campgrounds, trailheads, boat launches, and many other undeveloped attractions awaiting you. Unlike some public lands, you can camp nearly anywhere in your national forests – please just leave your site cleaner than you found it.

A lot of snow remains at higher elevations on the Wallowa-Whitman, such as in the Eagle Cap Wilderness and on some of the upper mountain roads; however this is a great time of year to visit Hells Canyon and the lower elevation trails around Baker City, Enterprise, and La Grande. Some campground and trailhead maintenance may be delayed due to addressing safety concerns, such as hazard trees, rocks on roads, water testing, etc. so before travelling, please check with the local Ranger District to obtain current information. You may also find current condition information on the Forest web site at this location: http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/ConditionReports.

If you are looking to travel the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway, please be advised that Forest Service Road (FSR) 39 is under construction beginning at the junction of Highway 86 (out of Halfway, OR), going north on FSR 39 for 13 miles to the junction with FSR 66. This section of the road is referred to as the North Pine section and is closed to all travel at this time. The detour route (FSR 66) for the construction is still inaccessible due to high elevation snow levels. However, travel to Hells Canyon Overlook is accessible via FSR 39 from Joseph, Oregon. Please see the Forest web site for complete construction information and schedule of operation: http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/WallowaMtnLoopRd.

Some campgrounds require reservations – www.recreation.gov – and some trails require a pass to help us keep them maintained – Passes and Permits in Your Northwest Forests. However, all 24 million acres of National Forest System lands in the Northwest belong to you and beckon for you to come visit.

Good news: There are three fee-free days and a fee-free weekend left this year, two coming up in June:

• National Trails Day – June 7
• National Get Outdoors Day – June 14
• National Public Lands Day – Sept. 27
• Veterans Day Weekend – Nov. 8-11

For other Oregon and Washington Forest’s recreational opportunities and restriction information, check out what’s available at: Your Northwest National Forests.

Wallowa-Whitman Ranger District’s Contact Information:

*Photo by Sarah B. Anderson