Last week the Oregon Department of Transportation announced in a press release that Oregon’s Sno-Park permits take effect on November 1, beginning this year.

The announcement, however, has been lacking transparency to the general public.

I first learned about the change on Monday when I noticed several signs posted had the November 1 date posted, instead of the November 15 date.

The Oregon Department of Transportation press released was buried deep in their website. In fact, you had to hunt it down in the press release for ODOT’s Highway Region 1. Aside from the press release on ODOT website, Tripcheck.com (part of ODOT) has the updated effective dates, also buried deep within the Tripcheck.com website.

The media apparently is quiet on this subject, especially since recreationalists may head for the Sno-Park areas this coming weekend and the announcement came with such short notice.

Sno-Park does not mean there needs to be snow at a ski resort, but Sno-Park also includes some all-season hiking trails.

At other government agency websites and other third-party websites, the new effective dates are not updated. Several ski resorts still show the permit effective date as November 15.

Several U. S. National Forests locations in Oregon, such as Mt. Hood, Deschutes, Ochoco, Umatilla, and Willamette national forests also indicate the permit effective date as November 15 on their websites.

Surprisingly, the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles, which is part of ODOT, did not update their website with the new effective date, but continue to show the old permit effective date as November 15.

Two question: how many unsuspecting outdoor enthusiasts will receive a $30 fine for not having a Sno-Park permit displayed on their windshield, and how many people are aware of the new permit season date (before reading this post or the one I posted yesterday)?

The fine for not having a permit is $30. I bought my permit today.

Here is my first “Destination” video production. This is a tour of McKenzie Pass and the Dee Wright Observatory in the central Oregon Cascades.

Chair lift.

If you though the time for purchasing an Oregon Sno-Park permit is coming up in a couple of weeks, November 15, guess again.

The Sno-Park season begins two weeks earlier, thanks to a change in the law. The official start date is November 1, 2008. The end date, April 30, has not changed.

Annual passes are $20, three consecutive day pass, $7, one day pass is $3. All passes have a small fee if purchased at a commercial retailer (no fee if purchased from the DMV).

Parking in a Sno-Park area without a permit may result in a $30 fine.

Read the Oregon Department of Transportation Press Release, October 24, 2008

SPOT: Satellite Personal Tracker and Steins Pillar.

When my friend purchased a satellite tracking device called “SPOT,” or Satellite Personal Tracker over the summer, I did some thinking about getting one too. He gave me a summary about what it is and what it does. I figured I think this device may be some extra insurance.

The device works three ways. One is a check-in feature to let your party on the email list for your service know that everything is good. Second is a non-life-threatening help, such as car breakdown. Third is the 911 button, and when pressed, it contacts a dispatch center that reports your coordinates and forwards the call to the local authorities. The help and check-in messages can be customized but they are brief.

Last week when I hiked Steins Pillar, I thought I would put this device to the test. The entire was cell phone-free zone or the signal was too weak to establish a connection. I established a “check-OK message at the trailhead, the overlook and back at the trailhead. When I returned home, I found all four of my check-in transmits were successful. My cell phone was worthless and I hand no need for both my CB and FRS radios.

If you do assign your friends or relatives to the email list, it helps to tell them that the email from the device should not be treated as junk mail.

One other feature is the tracking feature for an extra $50, which I opted out because I personally do not need an electronic leash. On one other note, do still pack your matches, fire starters, signal mirror and whistle, because electronics are susceptible to failure.

Mt. Hood from Sherrard Point.

If the weather forecasters are right, this weekend is going to be sunny. This sounds like an opportunity to capture some fall colors. Green trees are giving way to red, brown and gold colors. The sunlight is at a lower angle, thus providing more light reflectivity, deep contrasts, and vibrant colors.

Spring, fall and winter are my three favorite seasons to photograph. Spring brings in lush green leaves and colorful flowers. Fall, as I mentioned, brings out the vibrant colors. Winter brings snow-blanketed landscapes, ice formations and the low sunlight brings a warm feeling to a rather frigid place.

Summer is my least favorite time to photograph, at least because the latitude which Oregon sits. The sun almost directly overhead, which reduces reflectivity, creates dull colors and it casts shadows. The only good times to photograph in the summer is around sunrise or sunset.

Owen and Henry romp around in the fall snow at Timberline Lodge. Oct. 20, 2008.

After spending the day over at the Ochoco National Forest where the weather is much warmer, I thought I’d swing by Timberline Lodge on my way home. Instead of enjoying the warm, partly sunny conditions that I had enjoyed at the Ochoco, I found myself caught in a blizzard.

Did I shoot many photos? Apparently not. The reason for it was I wasn’t dressed for the occasion. I was wearing a t-shirt and shorts, which was suitable for the 60-degree temperatures I had in the Ochoco. This was not really the appropriate attire for the 25-degree plus wind chill, snow and ice pellets.

When I drove up Timberline Road, the “Snow Zone” sign was blank. Many other people attempted to drive up the road without traction tires or devices, failed. I began losing traction at the “Y” near the lodge, but I kicked my rig into 4-wheel drive and finished my way to the parking lot.

There is no doubt that my two Labradors, Owen and Henry, love the snow.

Mt. Adams.

I am relieved to learn the news of the missing Mt. Adams hiker who had been found alive but injured five days later yesterday. Oregonian hiker Derek Mamoyac, 27, injured his ankle that he could only crawl or scoot his way back down the mountain, according to the media stories.

It was one week ago the news turned tragic in the Columbia River Gorge with two incidents involving other hikers. I cannot tell you how relieved I am that this guy was found alive and the outcome is positive.

However, given that Mamoyac is an avid outdoorsman, it wouldn’t surprise me that he survived five days feasting on insects, drinking from streams alone. The amazing thing was he had the apparent willpower to stay strong and survive five days of primitive conditions.

As I always say when I venture out onto the trails, “Be prepared for anything. Be prepared to go primitive.”

Do not leave your valuables visible in your car!

It annoys me to see shattered glass piled on the parking space at some recreational trailhead. Part of the problem is that some people are inviting thieves and car clouters to smash and grab goods from cars.

As I found the other day at a trailhead (which I will remain nameless), I parked next to one car with an MP3 player laying on the front seat. This car had an all-around clear glass windows so anything inside was visible as daylight. That is as I walked to the back of my car, I pinpointed in the back of this car that they had a car stereo box clearly visible at the top of a shopping bag. This was not one of those cupping your hands on the window and peek inside deal. This was one of those things, thanks to the clear glass, these items were visible from even inside my own car.

Whatever the case may be, it is best to take your valuables with you. I hear this from time to time from a police officer who attends our neighborhood association, the best defense is to keep your car looking sterile (meaning get all those valuables out of there).

Upper Horsetail Falls.

Friday was a tragic day in the Columbia River Gorge. Two separate incidents occurred within close proximity of each other. A rock slide along a trail near Horsetail Falls struck a family of five hiking, causing serious injuries to some of the hikers, but all survived. In a separate incident about the same time, a hiker reportedly died after plummeting 40 feet off a cliff near Triple Falls and Oneonta Trail #424.

I don’t know yet the full details of what caused these incidents. I am not going to speculate anything. These incidents, however, are a reminder that you should always be careful out in the Columbia River Gorge or anywhere else out in the wilderness. Always be prepared for anything to happen. Always stay alert to your surroundings.

Triple Falls.