When winter weather hits, you have two choices. You can hunker down in your Hobbit-hole with a good book and a hot beverage … or you can go play in the snow.
When the folks at the City of Eugene Amazon Community Center invited me along on a snowshoe trip to Sahalie Falls, I couldn't say no. It’s nice to be indoors when it’s cold, but the chance to take a refreshing hike through the snow to see one of the tallest waterfalls along the McKenzie River was irresistible, and I was not the only one who felt this allure.
A group of 12 adventurous souls met on a chilly Saturday morning in February at the Amazon Community Center. For most in attendance it would be their first time on snowshoes. Luckily, there was a brief crash-course conducted by staffer Josh Lutje, to help hikers grow accustomed to the clunky appendages that would soon take them to the roaring water of Sahalie Falls.
The 80-minute bus ride was broken into parts, and those who sat close to the driver enjoyed juicy tidbits and details of McKenzie River topography. This is because Lutje is a bottomless wealth of information. His vast knowledge of the terrain is considered by many of the hikers to be part of the trip’s appeal, and for good reason.
Find out why at the link below.