You may have seen previous postings of the view from the Lodge overlooking Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. It looked like this today, as you look east from the Lodge :

View across the marsh

Today was a beautiful day, so I went for a drive around 30 Mile Land, past the Wood River Wetlands and ended up at Agency Lake. Here’s the view looking back to the west, toward Crystalwood Lodge across Agency Lake.

Agency Lake and Cascades with Sky Lakes Wilderness

As you can see, the Sky Lakes Wilderness and the high country atop the Cascades are still snow-bound. In a year with a normal winter, that situation would continue perhaps even into July, but this year, I’m guessing the trails will open earlier than normal due to the light winter we had. Right now we’re having very mild spring days, so stay tuned for the hiking updates!

Last but not least, you can’t talk about spring around here without talking about birds. Hearing birds, seeing birds. Everywhere. The cliff swallows that grace the sides of the lodge and delight our guests are back as usual, and busy nesting and eating the emerging bug population. I tried to catch a few shots of them near sunset, as they congregate before calling it a day:

Flock of cliff swallows at Crystalwood Lodge

Flock of cliff swallows near Crystalwood Lodge nests

So there you have it. Birds, fishing, snow remnants, budding trees, marsh greening up, beautiful days…spring and summer are a very special fleeting time around here! Hope you have the chance to get away and enjoy it with us!!

Don’t forget…for a complete calendar of all there is to see and do around Crystalwood Lodge, make sure to check out our new local visitor website, Things To Do Near Crater Lake. An outgrowth of our award-winning local visitor newspaper, the website is a tremendous resource for the myriad of recreational opportunities and services in our area. More about that in an upcoming post!

Daffodils bring the promise of spring at Crystalwood Lodge

Daffodills welcome the longer warm spring days

The birds are definitely coming back early, the grass is greening up…can spring be far behind? Crystalwood Lodge and the Upper Klamath Basin near Crater Lake are gearing up for spring migration, fishing season opener and  looking forward to the long lazy days of summer! We welcome you to join us!

Ready for a little apres ski?

There are a number of winter activities close to our Klamath Falls lodging, but once the snows are here, it is most fun to strap snowshoes (or skis) to your feet and head out into the wilderness.  Our lodge sits on 130 acres of land, and has five miles of trails available just for guests. If you like to get a little exercise and fresh air, but don’t want to make a day of it, exploring the trails at the lodge is perfect. This allows ample time for lounging, soaking, eating and visiting.

The Fremont-Winema National Forests are adjacent to our land, making forays into the wilderness convenient. Crater Lake National Park is less than an hour away by car, making it another great option for a day in the snow.

Be sure to dress in warm layers, bring snacks and water, and know where you are going when you head out for the day. But what a day you will have!

This winter, rent our entire Klamath Falls lodge and enjoy great discounts to the individual room rate. Gather together good friends and family for a week or weekend of great fun. You can even bring your dogs, as we are a pet-friendly lodge!

It’s a win-win for everyone.  Your group of up to 16 can enjoy the entire Lodge and property and have it all to yourselves!  I am excited because this enables me to have the Lodge open this winter, for if folks come and rent the entire lodge for 3, 4 or 5 nights, it makes it economically viable for me to open it up and make it available.  We’re due to have a great winter, so make plans now to come and enjoy it!

As we have all season, a Lodge Exclusive rental comes with use of the fully outfitted commercial kitchen at no extra charge.  Of course, this means that one and only one group will be here at a time…so first come, first served!  If you’ve been thinking about having a family get-together for the holidays, or a group outing to enjoy Crater Lake National Park in all her winter glory, book now!  When its taken, its gone!

Since this is a new official offering for us (we’ve been doing Lodge Exclusives upon request for years), I’m offering some incredible deals to kick start the process.  The longer you rent the Lodge, the less per night it is.  The cost per night drops dramatically, depending on how many nights you need to explore all the recreation opportunities in our area!

For example, if you wanted to do a 2-night rental (our minimum) for a getaway weekend, the basic rate is $497/night (plus lodging tax), a savings of over $212/night from our per-room nightly rates.  However, if you wanted to have the Lodge as your Thanksgiving holiday getaway, say for 4 nights Wednesday – Saturday, the price per night drops to $347.  And if you wanted to have Crystalwood Lodge as your home for the holidays for the week of Christmas or New Years, your investment per night drops to $297!  NO holiday upcharge.  NO surcharge for high season rentals.  Just come and enjoy!

We’re still pet welcoming, and for those of you who’ve stayed with us before, Brick wanted me to tell you he is looking forward to some visitors, and please bring treats.  I think he’s afraid I might forget he’s retired and try to hook him up with the dog team when we go out.  Not likely! 

So whether you’re looking to book an artist workshop, family reunion, church retreat, scrapbooking weekend, adventure experience or just an incredibly private and utterly relaxing getaway with those closest to you…we look forward to hosting you, making sure everything is taken care of for you, and helping you create some extra special memories in our corner of paradise! Check availability and book now!

 This past week Crimp had a video interview about his book with Medford’s KOBI Channel 5.  To watch this interview Click Here  

 Crimp’s next interview is on the radio this Friday (August 28^th), on a program by KBOO Portland about women adventurers .  This interview will be available through KBOO’s live webstream. 

Crimp also has several personal appearances coming up!  On Thursday, August 27^th, he’ll be at the Running Y’s “Show Off Your Dog” show at the Village, 6-8pm.  He’ll be entered in the Dog Author category. 

Sunday, August 30^th is the Feathers and Fur Fundraiser at the Running Y Ranch.  The event will include an appearance by Crimp and the rest of the sled dog team, games, a raffle, prizes, vendors and a free concert by Krista Ravengael.  The event runs from 10am-3pm.

Crimp, a seven year old leader on Liz’s sled dog team, is pleased to announce that pre-publication orders for his new book Crimp! On-By!!  The True Story of a Most Unlikely Iditarod Lead Dog are now being taken.  Crimp’s inspirational story, which begins with an accident in his puppyhood, is told from his goofy, but thoughtful point of view. It is a positive and inspirational story that reminds readers young and old of the value of determination and the pursuit of one’s dreams.   

The book is currently being printed and will be in hand by next month, so pre-publication orders will be taken only until August 31^st.  Pre-publication orders will be  limited edition numbered and autographed (by Jan, Liz and Crimp) copies, complete with a photo of Crimp suitable for framing.

For more information and pre-publication orders visit http://crimponby.com/ or contact Liz Parrish at contact@briarspatchcoaching.com

Anyone who wants more info on Crimp and his teammates’ messages and teachings for us all can visit:  www.LifeLessonsFromDogs.com

August 21-23 is the Klamath Tribes’ Restoration Days Pow Wow and Youth Rodeo.  The Klamath Tribes were terminated in 1954 and, after a long struggle, regained recognition in 1986.   For the  past 22 years, the tribe has held an annual event in celebration of their restoration.  The event is open to everyone and includes a fun run/walk, pow wow, various vendors, a parade and a youth rodeo.  It will be held at the Chiloquin Rodeo grounds, which is about 20 minutes from the Crystalwood Lodge    .

For more information, please visit the Klamath Tribes’ website at http://www.klamathtribes.org/events/ or call 1-800-524- 9787 ext. 147

 The Nannie Creek trail itself, which begins from the parking lot at the end of the 7 mile trailhead, extends many miles past what I have actually been on.  A easy hour hike will bring you to the Puck Lakes, which are great for fishing.  They are probably great for swimming as well – they were pretty warm when I waded in and I wished I’d brought my swimsuit.   About an hour further will bring you to a rockslide which boasts impressive mountain views.  If you were to make a whole day of it, the Nannie Creek trails would lead you deeper into the mountains to several lesser-known lakes.   What I love about the Nannie Creek Trail is that it’s so quiet and hidden…. I always feel like I’m stumbling on some well-kept secret.

Here are some photos from my trips up Nannie Creek.  If you’d like more information on the Nannie Creek trail, you can call the Lodge at 866/541.381.2322 and I’ll try to help you out as much as I can.  We have some maps/books that tell a bit about the trails that guests are more than welcome to make use of.

The Crystalwood Lodge rents canoes for $12 for half a day and $20 for a full day.  It’s a great way to take in the beauty Southern Oregon has to offer and a great way to relax.

Many guests come to this area to see Crater Lake and, after driving around the rim and doing some hiking, ask me “What else is there to do around here?”   Our local newspaper, Now that I’m Here, was created for that very purpose and can be downloaded on our website (www.crystalwoodlodge.com)  It has tons of information on other things to do in this area and a great map in the center

Here are a few ideas on how you can make your trip down to the Crater Lake area the best it can be:

1.  Relax!  Get a blanket and lay own in our poplar grove, sit in the sunshine with  a book, play a game, try your hand at fishing or watch the sunset with a glass of wine in your hand…

2.  Come prepared.  Lately our commerical refrigerator has been filled with guest food!  People have enjoyed “playing chef” in the kitchen — baking biscuits for their breakfast, cooking on the stove or using our outdoor bbq for kabobs and steaks. 

3.  Go for a hike.  There are tons of hiking opportunities nearby the Lodge.  The Cherry Creek and Nannie Creek trails offer peaceful paths and wonderful views!  The Lodge has additonal information of hiking trails in the area.  Be sure to take some time to explore the Crystalwood property as well – we have 130 acres of property filled with several miles of easy walking trails. 

4.  Take a canoe out.  The trip down Crystal Creek is beautiful, peaceful and nature-filled —particularly great for birders.

5.  Check out some of the local museums and events.  Now that I’m Here has a calender of events and directions on how to get to the Fort Klamath Museum, Collier State Park Logging Museum or the Train Mountain Miniature Railroad. 

For more information on staying at the Crystalwood Lodge or local events feel free to check out our website at www.crystalwoodlodge.com

Still have questions?

Phone: 541/866.381.2322

Email:  reservations @crystalwoodlodge.com