Breaking news from the Siskiyou Snow Dogs Sporting Assoc –
Sunday evening the Siskiyou Snow Dog Sporting Association is bringing Iditarod Distance Musher, Liz Parrish (The Littlest Musher), to the Woodsman Hotel for a presentation about her 2008 Iditarod run. Liz will be speaking and showing pictures from her 2008 Iditarod run this Sunday, Nov. 30th at 5 PM, in the lobby of the Woodsman Hotel, 1121 S. Mt. Shasta Blvd. to help promote the 2009 Siskiyou Sled Dog Races – California’s First Iditarod Qualifier. Liz competed in the 2007 Siskiyou 135 Sled Dog Races and has supported the efforts of the Siskiyou Snow Dog Sporting Association since its inception in 2005.
Liz enjoys a life full of challenges, surprises and more than a few twists and turns. Her inspiring talk, Lessons from the Dogs: Speak Your Dreams and Your Passions, addresses what it took for her and her team to reach their twin goals of finishing the Iditarod and having fun in the process. Liz’s team finished the 2008 Iditarod in 14 days with 14 dogs, an extraordinary achievement for a rookie, especially in light of the severe injury Liz suffered early in the race. Liz will speak to the decade-long effort it took to reach this goal, highlights of the race itself, and share stories from training and the trail. She will be available after the speech for autographs, questions and answers and will share with the audience what’s next in store for “The Littlest Musher”.
This event is a teaser for the 2009 Siskiyou Sled Dog Races, to be held January 22nd – 25th. Admission to see Liz is a suggested minimum donation of $5 for adults and $3 for kids 10 and under. Coffee, tea, and desserts will be available for donation as well. 2009 Race T-Shirts designed by Catherine McElroy will be available.
For more information on the presentation by Liz Parrish call the Woodsman at 530-926-3411. The Woodsman Is the official Inn of the Siskiyou Sled Dog Races. There will be two musher receptions at the Hotel during the race weekend. For more information and a race weekend schedule visit www.siskiyousleddograces.net or write to info@siskiyousleddograces.net or call 530-467-3009 or 530-598-0466.
I stopped in at the Tasty-Q in Yreka’s Chamber of Commerce this weekend and was delighted by the colorful display of gift boxes put together by Wini and Terry. These gals have been wrapping like crazy – putting together towers of shimmering boxes filled with goodies like peanut brittle, peppermint bark, chocolate covered bananas, toffee peanuts, Miner’s Munch and peanut butter pretzels.
I brought home some Miner’s Mucnh, their mix of caramel corn, peanuts, almonds, chocolate drizzled caramel corn and other goodies. It went quickly in our house. We’re holding on to the peanut brittle for Thanksgiving Day.
Mom and I toured the store and browsed a great selection of locally and regionally made goods. There were sauces from the Klamath River Barbeque Company, Jefferson State Foods, regional olive oils, Terry’s Willow Creek Foods jalepeno jams, Biancia’s Spreads, and dipping sauces, including the one called “strawberry horsebite” that’s a strawberry horseradish sauce. Yum (I think – I’ve heard that it’s not too hot). Don’t miss Hot Lips Raspberry Chipotle Sauce – it is sooo good (I put it on bagels with cream cheese). A cute, old fashioned red shopping cart full of Miner’s Munch beckoned, and beyond that there were shelves of Camille Beckman body lotion.
Wini and Terry had also just finished their Miner’s Much Beer Bread: the big beer bottle is full of the baking mix and the directions are on the label. Wini said they had a heck of time getting the flour into the bottle, but you just pour it out and mix it up for a wonderful bread.
The Tasty-Q is also a great place to stop for lunch or a snack if you’re in downtown Yreka. It’s an old fashioned soda fountain with Bud’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream, banana splits and sundaes, as well as a lunch counter.
The Tasty-Q is on the corner of Broadway and Miner Streets in downtown Yreka. Stop by, or call 530.842.9729 to order a gift box.
Tags: Christmas, gift boxes, holiday shopping, local, locally made food, Tasty-Q, Thanksgiving, Yreka
Local Shopping, Townie Activities, Yreka area | Visit Siskiyou November 24, 2008 | 
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Looking for things to do over the Thanksgiving weekend? Well, here you go:
Christmas Tree Lighting and Merchant Open House – Mt. Shasta, Fri, Nov 28th:
Gather in front of city hall to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season. Join in as carols are sung by candlelight and the town’s Christmas tree is lit for the holiday season. Santa drives by on a fire truck on his way to his workshop located at the fire station. Santa and his elves will be building toys and baking. Merchants stay open late for browsers and shoppers, so get out there and do your LOCAL shopping. For information call the Mt. Shasta Visitors’ Bureau at 1-800-926-4865.
Dog and Pony Show – McCloud, Sat, Nov 29th:
McCloud Chamber of Commerce’s 2nd Annual Dog & Pony Show Parade, noon on Main Street. Kids and parents can join in this growing family event. Bring your pets for dress up, or ride your bike or a stick horse in the parade. All animals are welcome. Kids, pets and parents are welcome to come in festive costumes. The parade includes a Stick Pony Contest, the Bike Brigade, CAL FIRE with Sparky the Dog, the Forest Service with Smokey the Bear and a kazoo band. Meet on Upper California Street at 11:30am to join in the parade. For more info call 530-964-2662.
Yreka’s Annual Holiday Parade – Yreka, Sat, Nov 29th (11am):
Enjoy the area’s biggest holiday parade, complete with marching bands, fire trucks, antique cars and equestrian teams as it tours historic downtown Yreka. Join merchants for hot chocolate and local shopping.
Hiker and author John Soares recently talked with series host Cindy Summers at KSYC in Yreka for the first installment of a new Siskiyou County adventure program. He shared informationa about the Lake Siskiyou Trail, the work of the Mt. Shasta Trail Association, and exceprts from his guidebooks 100 Classic Hikes in Northern California and 75 Hikes in California’s Mount Shasta and Lassen Volcanic National Park Regions. John also mentioned one of his favorite hikes, The Pacific Crest Trail to the Deadfall Lakes and the Mount Eddy summit, which you can read about on his website. To enjoy the show, tune in to 102.3 in south Siskiyou County and 101.7 in north Siskiyou County every Thursday just after noon.
To learn more about hiking in Siskiyou County and the North State, visit John’s website.
Photo of Deadfall Lake in June 2008 just as the wildflowers were starting, by Renee Casterline (it’s one of my favorites too).
The mountain is out after the storm, and she is glorious! This is the view from my neighborhood on the afternoon of Thursday, Nov 6th, 2008.
Same day – fall colors on the North Shore of Lake Siskiyou.
In celebration of winning its battle with the feds over its “Try Legal Weed” bottle caps, the Mount Shasta Brewing Company (in the town of Weed), is hosting a victory party Sat, Nov 8th from 4-6pm. Earlier this year the Brewery was contacted by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau with the command to stop using the bottle caps because the message was inappropriate. Go to the Weed Ales website to read an account of the battle.
Owner Vaune Dillman will be pouring beer at Happy Hour prices and selling “Weed Fought the Law and Weed Won!” t-shirts. Folks have been enjoying the Weed beers for a couple of years now, with the Shastafarian Porter and Mountain High IPA as tap room favorites.
The Brewery is just west of Interstate 5 (take the central Weed exit) at 360 College Ave. Everyone over 21 is invited.
It’s time to get in the holiday spirit – after all, the Christmas decor, wrapping paper and ribbons are on the shelves at Rite Aid. Take the time this Saturday to spend your time and money supporting local crafters and artisans while getting goodies for folks on your Christmas shopping list. I’m calling my mom for this so we can check it out together. The Annual Dunsmuir Holiday Craft Fair is from 10am to 4pm this Saturday, Nov 8th at the Dunsmuir Community Building (that’s on the north end of town by the swimming pool). Blankets, jewelry, pressed-flower crafts, handmade cards, pillows, wooden Christmas ornaments, doll clothing, festive recycled art, scrapbooking items, baked goods and houseplants are on the list of items.
The 31st Annual Holiday Craft Fair is a benefit for the Dunsmuir Rotary, which supports local youth projects.
Out in Montague, the Holiday Magic Christmas Craft Show is set for Friday, Nov 7th (6-9pm) and Sat, Nov 8th (10am-3pm) in the Montague Community Building with crafters, artists, specialty foods and live music.
Coming up Dec 5th and 6th is the big craft fair, the 12th Annual Country Christmas Holiday Craft Fair at College of the Siskiyous in Weed. Filling the gym, the show is a celebration of handcrafted works by local and regional crafters and artisans. You’ll see candles, jewlery, ornaments, soaps, wreaths, glass and wood products, and foods, including local honey. The Fair is Fri, Dec 5th from 5-8pm and Sat, Dec 6th from 9am-3pm at the campus in Weed.
Clicked into the skis for the first time today to go touring up at Sand Flat on the mountain. We (that being the dog and I) enjoyed about 6, maybe 8, inches of dry, fairly light snow and absolute quietude. We didn’t see another soul, and not even evidence of my husband’s tracks from yesterday. It’s so great to get out in the snow. We go kinda stir crazy here in Shasta when it starts snowing up on the mountain, and folks start thinking about which pair of skis to sacrifice for early season skiing (referred to as rock skis thereafter). Some folks went up to the ski the Old Ski Bowl a few days ago, in the midst of the storm, to get their first ski trip in. Looks like Everett Memorial Highway (the road up to treeline) got closed at Bunny Flat today – I saw a Caltrans truck heading up with a Road Closed sign, so I guess that’s it for easy driving to the Old Ski Bowl parking lot.
Sand Flat is such a great place to get outside – it’s about a 20 minute drive from town when the road is slick like it was this morning (I put it 4WD on the way up). Once you get into your skis or snowshoes, you’re heading out, and it’s just a little up hill and around a bend and then you’re away from it all. You’re skiing a road that takes you between towering trees caked in snow. It’s quiet except for the critters who live out there, and in my case, the jangling of my dog’s tags. We both love the mountain solitude of ski touring. There is so much to see and take in: the surprising lime green of lichen on the trees amid all of that grayscape, the symmetry of tree trunks, the patter of snowflakes falling on your face.
The road is mostly a gentle uphill until you get to the actual flat, then I like to tour around the flat, heading down the road first so I can try to get a glimpse of the mountain. Today she would not make an appearance: that skirt of clouds and fog lifted just enough to see the crags of Green Butte, but nothing more. She remained cloaked and mysterious and I felt like a kid waiting for Christmas morning to rip open the goodies. I can’t wait to see the new snow on the mountain – whether she’s fully blanketed, or if the ridgelines are still showing, giving her a stark look. But today was gray and mostly cloudy, a tease of a day.
If you’re thinking about heading up for some early season touring, be sure to check in with the local outdoor shops, where you’re likely to get a first hand report about a recent ski trip. The folks at The Fifth Season and Shasta Basecamp can tell you about coverage and conditions (keep in mind that if coverage is thin they’re not likely to rent you a new pair of skis just so they can be returned as rock skis). You can also check in with the Forest Service Avalanche Center and Backcountry site at www.shastaavalanche.org, although I’m not sure if they’ve starting reporting yet, or if they’ll wait until after Thanksgiving to start. Anyway, take your time, drive carefully and be prepared for changing conditions. Oh, and ENJOY yourselves.
Winter is on its way – in fact it’s been snowing on the mountain for days (raining in town, though). With a chill in the air, winter activities come to mind, and one of the first winter pastimes to open up is the ice rink. The Siskiyou Ice Rink in Mt. Shasta has set its opening date for November 22nd this year. This outdoor rink is the size of National Hockey League rinks and boasts a striking view of the snowcapped mountain.
The Siskiyou Ice Rink appeals to skaters of all ages, and offers lesson for those who would like to be out there gliding over the ice. Situated in Shastice Park, the rink has a great atmosphere for hanging out to watch the grand kids skate, or for trying the ice for the first time. Friendly instructors work with beginners to gain comfort and confidence on the ice as they share in the fun of this traditional winter activity. When you’re ready for a break from skating, the nearby sledding hill offers a playful change in winter snowplay.
The rink has several public skate times, mixed with practice times for the local hockey teams, that range from adult to pee wee teams. During public skate times (see below) the rink sells hot snacks and drinks, and provides a full line of rental skates. Friday and Saturday evening public skate times are a great time to take to the ice, with the chance of skating under a full moon.
Mt. Shasta’s Siskiyou Ice Rink is just one of a host of winter activities in the area. The Mt. Shasta Ski Park opens mid to late December, Dogsled Express gives sled dog rides throughout the winter, the Nordic center hosts an array of cross country skiing events and Snowman’s Hill draws crowds for the all-time favorite winter activity: sledding. If you’re visiting the Mt. Shasta area, you can find visitors information, along with tips for winter activities, at www.visitsiskiyou.org or by call the Mt. Shasta Visitors Bureau at 800-926-4865. For more information about the Siskiyou Ice Rink, visit www.msrec.org/icerink/ or call 530.926.2494.
Public skate times: Monday 10am to noon; Tuesday 10am to noon and 3pm to 5pm;
Thursday 3pm to 4:30pm; Friday 3pm to 9pm; Saturday 1:30pm to 9pm and Sunday 1:30pm to 5pm.
