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Greetings from Oregon,
It hardly seems possible that it is April already.
But the trilliums are blooming and we've had some great days. 
March was full of activities and great outdoor adventures. We started off with Moonlight Snowshoe Trips and a Winter Camping and Survival weekend, hiked in the Columbia River Gorge  and at the Oregon Coast (where we also saw whales migrating), downhill skied at Mt. Hood, and finished up with the Spring Break Snow Adventure at Trillium Lake. 
Finally, senior guide Doug Wilson and I attended the American Alpine Club Annual Meeting in Bend,Oregon over the weekend and were able to climb with world class climbers Jack Tackle and Lynn Hill at Smith Rock.
April is going to be another fun month with a St. Helens Climb on April 6 and Alpine Mountaineering on April 7. There is still room on these, but you need to sign-up right away as the orientation session is Tuesday evening, April 3.
On April 15, we leave for the first of our 2007 international trips - South America - where we will tour the Amazon, Machu Picchu, and the Galapagos Islands. If you are feeling really bad about not going, there MAY be one spot available. Call Overseas Adventure Travel at 1-800 597-2452 and press option #2. Tell the representative you want to book with the Oregon Peak Adventures trip, Group number G7-20835.
I will be out of the office, April 11 - May 8, 2007. I will take a satellite phone and my laptop with me, so I will be able to stay in touch most of the time. Senior Guide Chris LeDoux will be managing operations while I am gone. If you need an immediate response, her cell phone number is 503 709-7581.
There is still space available for our extraordinary Nepal Adventure in September 2007.
OPA trips are now being offered through the Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District at the Nature Center. This provides a more convenient location for the orientation sessions for the folks who live on the west side of the Portland area.
If you are looking for a super experience for your young person, check out the Smith Rock Youth Camp in June. We also offer half-day rock climbing introduction sessions which are perfect for young people and are also great family activities.
We had two articles in the local press last month. An article on our Alpine Mountaineering classes was in the
Oregonian Newspaper and an article about wilderness survival is in the April Portland Monthly Magazine (page 199).
Read on for descriptions of our upcoming trips. In the Tips Section is is coverage of some new gear items we have recently tried.
We hope you can join us for your next adventure.
Past newsletters are available at the OPA Website
As always, our intent is to send this newsletter only to people who wish to receive it. If you don't want it, please click the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of this email. There you will also find a link which allows you to send this eNews to a friend or colleague. We invite you to take a trip with Oregon Peak Adventures. You may sign-up by e-mailing us at info@oregonpeakadventures.com, calling us at (877) 965-5100, or using our secure form.
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TIPS
Gear Evaluations
If you are gearing up for the summer and wondering what to do with your REI dividend, here are some suggestions on some of the things I have been using recently.
Merino Wool Base Layers
I still have vivid memories of five pound wool shirts and pants and how much heavier and uncomfortable they were when they got wet. The new wool clothing made of Merino wool is much different. I have a merino wool base layer set from
SmartWool and I really like it It feels and functions much like polypro base layers and I can't say which works better. It would depend on your personal preference for natural versus synthetic fibers. I got mine at The SockCompany.com and they still have them at 20% off.
Wrightsock Socks
I use the WrightSocks for liner socks because of the two layers which helps prevent blisters. I also like the merino hiker model for wearing with my in town shoes. The socks just feel good to wear. Again the best deals appear to be at The SockCompany.
Therm-A-Rest Prolite 4 Sleeping Pad
I have been a Therm-A-Rest fan for many years and have several different sizes. I scored a new one at the American Alpine Club silent auction last weekend. This one, the Prolite 4 R is state of the art. It is full length, rolls up the size of a loaf of bread, only weighs 1 lb. 8 oz., and is totally comfortable.
Restop 2 Human Waste Disposal System
Those of you who have climbed Mt. Adams are familiar with the human waste bullseye target and containment bag system in use there. The special requirement for this and other "blue bag" systems is that the bags must be placed in special barrels to be disposed of as human waste.
The Restop system uses enzymes to convert the human waste into biologically safe matter that can be disposed of in a standard garbage can.
In the past, we have taken a five gallon bucket and a toilet seat for group use on our snow camping trips. The other item I got at the auction was a folding stool with a detachable toilet seat. (It did not seem to prompt a bidding war!) It specifically works with the Restop 2 solid waste disposal bag and is much lighter and less bulky than the bucket/toilet seat combo.
They also make the Restop 1 bag system which converts liquid waste into a biologically neutral gel which also can be easily disposed of. The bags can also be used effectively when placed on the ground.
In many locations, it is inappropriate to leave human waste behind and, if a restroom is not available, these systems would come in very handy. In the car, or even in the home if the plumbing goes down, these would be good to have available.
Well, I think that covers a sufficiently wide gambit of gear for our our human experiences. Have a great April and we'll tell you all about our South America trip next month and all the cool trips coming up for the summer.
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