On March 7 the Oregon Nordic Club hosts its annual John Craig Memorial Ski, a 6.6-mile nordic trek from the east gate of the McKenzie Pass to the Dee Wright Observatory at the pass summit. The John Craig Memorial Ski is a noncompetitive groomed ski tour honoring legendary postman John Craig, who died delivering mail from Eugene to Sisters.
“The John Craig Ski started out as a tour, went to a race tour, and now is back to just a tour,” says Oregon Nordic Club president Skip Tschanz. The tour follows a 10-foot-wide groomed trail approximately 2,200 feet up the pass, leading to the Dee Wright Observatory. “Take a lunch and bring some extra clothing just in case the weather goes south. It’s pretty much a backcountry tour, except it’s groomed.”
Skiers of all ages and ability levels are encouraged to participate in the event and are advised to “use common sense” about how far to go before turning around. In good weather an average skier can reach Dee Wright Observatory in about three hours and Windy Point in two, and skiers can expect to get down from the pass in about half the amount of time they took to climb.
NOTE: Due to the lack of snow, this event has been changed to a bicycle ride over the same course. Meet at the east gate of the McKenzie Highway (Hwy. 242 on the west end of Sisters) at 10:00am. Riders can turn around at Windy Pass or continue on to the Observatory if conditions allow, turning back no later than 2:00pm.