YON DODGE CABIN

 
From Holman Pass, descend steeply on Trail No. 752.  A short distance down from Holman Pass, you go by the low-roofed Yon Dodge Cabin.  Yon Dodge (1911-1971) was a sheepherder, and his cabin is very low because he was only 5 feet 2 inches tall--and because sheepmen, like trappers, usually put as little effort as possible into building and heating their remote log cabins.

-Excerpt from "Pacific Northwest Trail Guide: The Official Guidebook for Long Distance and Day Hikers" by Ron Strickland.

Monte (Mad Monte) Dodge, 1977 PCT thru-hiker, provided Ron Strickland this tidbit of information regarding the Yon Dodge Cabin.

RED SQUIRREL MIDDENS

As autumn rolls around spruce cones fall to the ground and the American Red Squirrel begins their harvest.  They store these cones in a central cache called a midden.  Middens are made up of shelled spruce cones and are typically found under large trees or windfalls.  Red Squirrels will use the same midden each year making some of them over a meter deep!

The American Red Squirrel's binomial name is Tamiasciurus hudsonicus. Tamiasciurus is Latin for “hoarder squirrel” or "the steward who sits in the shadow of his tail", while hudsonicus refers to Hudson Bay, Canada, where the species was first catalogued by Erxleben in 1771.

The Red Squirrel is active year round since they do not hibernate.  However, it can get quite cold up in the Boreal Forest and middens offer great insulation.  When the temperature drops to -30 degrees Celsius red squirrels head underground.  So, if you are out on a winter hike and you don't see any Red Squirrels, you'll know what the temperature is.

86th HARRIS HILL SKI JUMP EVENT

This weekend I'm heading up to Brattleboro, VT for the weekend to visit my mom, celebrate Valentine's Day with my wife, but also watch the 86th Harris Hill Ski Jumping Competition.  Founded in 1922 by Fred Harris, the Harris Hill Ski Jump has become a true landmark for the area.  It is the site of 18 national and regional championships and one of the region's most popular winter sporting events.

"I'm still here to sign my name, Cy Moss"

 

"Up, Up, and Away!"

 

1924 National Ski Tournament

Fred Harris was also the founder of the Brattleboro Outing Club and the Dartmouth Outing Club (the oldest and largest collegiate outing club in the country).

 

 Dartmouth Outing Club

The first meeting of the Dartmouth Outing Club took place in the room of Fred Harris, Class of 1911, in 4 Fayerweather Hall dormitory on Dec. 14, 1909. Harris wrote afterwards: "It might be said that the D.O.C. was 'born' at this meeting."

LAPPLAND

Lapland (or 'Lappland' in Swedish) is a province in northernmost Sweden and is home to some of the oldest national parks of northern Europe.  During the Middle Ages this area was considered unclaimed (no man's land).  However, it was populated by the Sami people, best known for their nomadic reindeer herding.  I hope to make it there in the near future.

3632

This photo was taken on a 650 km bike trip from Calgary, AB to Nelson, BC last summer.  (via)

BARBARA AND MICHAEL LEISGEN: MIMESIS

Barbara and Michael Leisgen are a couple from Germany whose photography careers took off in the 1970's with their first photo series titled 'Mimesis'.  These photos have Barbara standing in a landscape accentuating the scenery.  I will let the photographs speak for themselves. 

 

  

  

 

More photos can be found here, here, and here.