Weekly Presentation – Minnesota Rovers Outdoors Club

In this presentation, Bruce will describe four backpack hikes within easy driving distance of Medford OR:

• The Rogue River Trail, a National Recreation Trail that stretches about 40 miles. It is easily the best known and most iconic trail in SW Oregon. It’s a great multi-day backpack with different start, stop and directional options.
• The Wild Rogue Loop includes a part of the Rouge River Trail along with a higher altitude passage along Panther Ridge and stunning views from Hanging Rock.
• The Lake to Lake Traverse uses the Pacific Crest Trail and other trails to connect Fourmile Lake in the Sky Lakes Wilderness with Crater Lake in Crater Lake NP. A short side hike to the summit of Devil’s Peak affords an expansive view over the entire wilderness.
• The Butte Fork Loop reaches some of the most sublime terrain in the Red Buttes Wilderness, which straddles the California/Oregon border.

Bruce is originally from California, where he spent an inordinate amount of time climbing and backpacking in the High Sierra, Death Valley, and the Mojave Desert. He climbed 16 of the major peaks in the Pacific Northwest and hiked extensively in the Columbia River Gorge, the northern Oregon Cascades, and in southern Washington.

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Jill and Kurt Jewell are new Rovers members who enjoy long distance running, biking, and camping. They got to experience the “once in a lifetime” trip of a hike up Mount Kilimanjaro in February 2023. In their presentation, they’ll share what led them to the highest mountain in Africa, their preparation, and adventures on (and off) the mountain. Perhaps after their talk you will set your sites on this bucket-list experience!

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NOTE: This presentation will be both in person and via Zoom. Additional information is at the end of the post.

Learn more about the mysteries and histories of Jordan and Egypt . Rover Sue W. spent a month exploring these two countries and will share her stories, pictures, and experience.

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In-person meeting location:
Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, 511 Groveland Avenue, Minneapolis MN. Socializing afterwards at La Dona Cerveceria, 241 Fremont Ave No, Minneapolis MN.

Join Voyageurs Conservancy’s Education Specialist and Dark Sky enthusiast, Jesse Gates, to learn about Voyageurs’ place as an International Dark Sky park. Learn about the adverse effects of light pollution, what makes Voyageurs dark skies so special, and what fascinating astronomical events to look out for next year!

Jesse has worked as a seasonal education technician and interpretive park range for the National Park Service for the past four years. His favorite type of educational program involves teaching about and observing the starry night sky. At his most recent assignment at Voyageurs National Park, he discovered the Voyageurs Conservancy. As an advocate for science and stewardship of the land, he quickly realized that this organization’s mission closely aligned with his own values.

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