Winter Recreation
Know Before You Go: Winter Recreation
The Deschutes National Forest offers a wide-variety of winter recreation opportunities! Most people are aware of winter's hazards. But it's easy to forget how wind, cold, snow, or whiteout can turn an outing into a tragedy. Knowledge of the area, weather, route, and the limitations of your body and equipment - plus a little common sense - can help ensure safe and enjoyable outings.
Packing the 10 Essentials
As you're packing up your car to head into the forest this winter, make sure you have the following:
- Full Tank of Gas
- Flashlight & Flares
- Extra Clothes, Gloves, Boots & Hat
- Extra Food & Water
- Ice Scraper
- Shovel
- First Aid Kit
- Cell Phone Charger
- Snow tires and/or Chains
- Jumper Cables
Once you make it to your destination and you're ready to hit the trail, make sure you've packed:
- Map & Compass
- Extra Clothing Layers
- Headlamp
- Extra Food
- Plenty of Water
- Emergency Shelter/Blanket
- First Aid Kit
- Firestarter
- Pocket Knife
- Hat & Sun Protection
If you're planning to travel in avalanche terrain, make sure you have the following items and know how to use them:
- Shovel
- Beacon
- Probe
Clothing and Equipment to Take Along
Layers of clothing which can be adjusted to prevailing conditions are best. A good quality windbreaker jacket and wind pants are excellent. Avoid tight-fitting clothes and boots which may restrict circulation. Take extra socks and gloves or mittens, warm hat, matches in a waterproof container, candle, fire starter, nylon cord, general purpose knife, high-energy food, plastic tarp, space blanket, signal mirror, first aid kit, wide tape for repairs, metal container for melting snow, map, compass, and hatchet.
Snowmobilers should be certain to have tools for emergency repairs, extra spark plugs, extra gas, emergency flares, and drive belt. Experienced snowmobilers always carry snowshoes (in case of equipment failure) as well as the normal emergency and survival gear for winter.
Food and Water
A good rule is "lightweight but loaded," meaning loaded with calories. Plan your meals to ensure a diet of high-energy foods.
Water is often difficult to find in winter. All that is available may be what you carry in containers or melt from snow. The body loses as much as 2 to 4 quarts of fluid per day under exertion. Replacement of fluid loss is very important for maintaining physical condition. Eating snow provides only limited water (10 to 20 percent), drains energy, and cools the body temperature. Avoid melting snow by body contact. Travel equipped to melt snow. Save your energy.
Litter and Sanitation
Litter and debris can mar the quality of a recreation experience - particularly when viewed against a mantle of white snow. Help others enjoy winter travel in National Forests by carrying out what you carry in. Take food in easily compressed packages that require little space in your pack.
Avoid leaving human waste near any water course. If you are in a group, avoid concentrating wastes. Nature can assimilate only small quantities at a time.
Traveling to Your Destination
It's important to note that Forest Service roads are not plowed or maintained for winter travel. When choosing a route to your destination make sure you stick to open, maintained routes. Don't rely on navigation devices alone. Use these devices in conjunction with a paper map. Navigation devices and cell phones may not have signal once you're out in the forest and batteries can quickly drain in the cold.
Check road conditions before you leave:
Check the weather conditions before you leave, but remember conditions can rapidly change in the mountains:
Winter Range Closures
Winter range is habitat deer and elk migrate to in order to find more favorable living conditions during the winter. Winter range is found predominantly in lower elevations of central Oregon and is extremely important to mule deer survival. Winter ranges usually have minimal amounts of snow cover and provide vegetation for forage, hiding cover, and protection from the weather. In Oregon, mule deer migrate, often long distances, to lower elevations to escape or minimize exposure to snow cover.
Winter range closures are in effect December 1 through March 31. Motorized vehicles (including snowmobiles and electric bicycles) are prohibited in the closure areas to protect deer and elk during the winter.
Before You Leave
Notify a responsible person of your planned route of travel. Mark it on a map. Give your planned time of departure and return. Be sure to check with that person when you get back. Get back before dark.
Recreation Maps
When you hit the trail, don't rely on navigation devices alone. Use these devices in conjunction with a paper map. Navigation devices and cell phones may not have signal once you're out in the forest and batteries can quickly drain in the cold.
General recreation maps are available at Forest Service offices and local retail locations. Visit the Maps & Publications page for more information.
Winter Recreation Trail Maps -
You can download these trail maps to any smart phone and view them in a PDF format as a digital map.
If you have a smart phone you can download these maps and then using the Avenza PDF maps App from iTunes or Google Play and you can use the GPS feature to track your location on these maps.
When printing these maps, you may need to readjust some files to fit the entire map on one sheet of paper. This can be done in the printing options by selecting the "fit to page" option.
SnoParks on the Deschutes National Forest
For a full list of snoparks and snopark guidelines visit the Deschutes National Forest SnoParks webpage.
- Many snoparks regularly reach capacity – have a “Plan B” or alternative option if the snopark of your choice is full. Consider planning your trip for times that might be less busy.
- DO NOT park in areas marked with “No Parking” signs. This can impact ingress and egress for other visitors and emergency vehicles. Vehicles that are incorrectly parked may receive citations.
- A valid Oregon Department of Transportation SnoPark Permit is required for parking November 1 - April 30.
- If parking a regular vehicle in a space designated for the length of a vehicle towing a trailer, please pull forward to allow two vehicles to park in the space. This maximizes parking opportunities for everyone.
Choosing Your Route & Avalanche Safety
All winter travelers should:
- Match trail difficulty and length of trip to your physical condition and ability. Be physically fit - Top physical condition may be required to walk out if equipment fails.
- Know storm warning signs - Mountain weather is unpredictable. Pay attention to changing conditions.
- Stay on safe routes and avoid avalanche terrain.
Large and small avalanches can have tremendous force and are a serious threat to winter travelers. The more time you spend in skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and other winter activities, the greater your chances are of being caught by snow avalanches. Knowledge can help you avoid being caught by a snow avalanche; it will help you survive if you are buried.
Play safe. If in doubt, stay out of avalanche hazard areas. During periods of high or extreme avalanche hazard, back-country travel is not recommended and should be confined to avalanche-free areas.
If you do choose to travel in avalanche terrain, make sure you have the necessary training, avalanche rescue skills and safety gear. Check the avalanche forecast before you head out. If you're traveling in Central Oregon, you'll want to visit Central Oregon Avalanche Center for the day's forecast and recent observations.
Winter Trail Etiquette & Travel Safety
Non-motorized Travel
- Cross-country ski trails are not regularly packed or groomed. Stumps, rocks, and other obstructions are sometimes present. Ski under control.
- Please do not walk or snowshoe on top of groomed ski tracks or skin tracks.
- People traveling downhill have the right-of-way as they have more speed, and it can be difficult for them to stop.
Snowmobiling
Travel in a group using at least two machines. Avoid sudden dips (washouts) at stream crossings and (blowouts) around the base of trees.
Sharing Routes
In some areas of the National Forests, those traveling by skis, snowshoes, and snowmobiles must share the same routes and areas. The following suggestions will help provide safe routes for everyone:
- Operate snowmobiles at minimum speed near skiers or snowshoers. Travel slowly until well beyond those on foot. Snowmobilers should be able to stop within half of the visible distance ahead.
- Skiers and snowshoers should realize that snowmobile operators generally can't hear other approaching trail users. On steep slopes snowmobilers are generally limited to the developed trail surface, so give them the right of way. Use common courtesy and respect so that all trail users can enjoy their winter travel.
- Snowmobiles are not permitted on developed ski trails used for cross-country skiing. Restrictions are posted.
Dogs
- Dogs are prohibited on the north side of Cascade Lakes Highway November 1 through May 1.
- An exception to the rule is for a permitted working dog in harness on a groomed snowmobile trail. Permits are obtained at Forest Service offices.
- Dogs must be on leash at developed recreation areas on the south side of Cascade Lakes Highway.