Basin Adventures: Winter Sports in the Basin
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Photo by Alain Wong
Snow has already left a mark in the Cascades near pass levels. It will not be too long until measurable snow falls on the basin floor. Once it does, there are hundreds of places to go and play in the snow. Here are 5 locations you can play in the snow this winter. Basin Adventures is brought to you by the Klamath Falls KOA Journey – Your adventure base camp of the Klamath Basin.
Brown Mountain (Back Country Skiing)
West of Lake of the Woods near the summit of the High Lakes Pass is Brown Mountain. Known for its awesome mountain bike trails. Brown Mountain is a great location for cross country skiing and back country downhills. At 7,311 ft, there are panoramic vistas of the Sky Lakes Wilderness, Mountain Lakes Wilderness and Southern Oregon Cascades.
Kam Nielsen dropping into Pelican Butte. (http://www.kbsnowdrifters.org/photos/
Pelican Butte (Snowmobiling)
At 8,036 feet, Pelican Butte dominates over Klamath County. A trail twists its way up from Cold Springs on the west side to the summit. The but main attraction for snowmobilers is the “Bowl” on the north side of the mountain.
For more valuable information about snowmobiling in Klamath County visit the Klamath Basin Snowdrifters at http://www.kbsnowdrifters.org/
Crater Lake National Park (Snowshoeing / Cross Country Skiing)
Ranger led snowshoe hikes, are a great way to break into winter sports in Klamath County. The states only National Park offers hundreds of miles of marked trail to snowshoe or cross-country ski. The only area that is off limits is inside the caldera rim. Be careful, as trails are not groomed.
For more info visit https://www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm
Willamette Pass Ski Area (Don Collins) - http://www.willamettepass.com/photos.html
Willamette Pass (Skiing/Snowboarding)
At the northwestern edge of Klamath County sits the counties only ski park, the Willamette Pass Ski Area. This ski park celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2016 and offers 555 acres of ski-able terrain, rentals, lessons, five lifts, terrain park and more.
More info on the ski park visit http://www.willamettepass.com/home.html
Annie Creek Sno-Park (Sledding)
If all those adventures are too thrilling for you, how about sledding? Annie Creek Sno-Park is a great place to start snowmobile trail rides but is also a great location for sledding. The Sno-Park includes a Log cabin warming hut, fire pit, benches and more. Be sure to bring your own sled and/or tube. Don’t forget the Sno-Park Pass either. Passes are $25 annually and can be purchased locally at: Bimart, Klamath Basin Equipment, Lake of the Woods Resort, Parkers Rod and Gun Rack, and Sportsman’s Warehouse.
More info on the Annie Creek Sno-Park can be found at https://kfne.ws/2yjem4w
Basin Adventures is brought to you by the Klamath Falls KOA. Centrally located in Klamath Falls, the Klamath Falls KOA is the perfect jump-off point to visit all the spectacular recreation sites of the Klamath Basin – Crater Lake National Park, Lava Beds National Monument, wildlife refuges, hiking, biking, fishing and so much more. Visit http://koa.com/campgrounds/klamath/ for more details and to book your next adventure base camp.