It's nearly time for Labor Day Weekend and the last hurrah of summer.  If you're thinking about a Joseph Oregon vacation, now is the time to plan if you'd still like to take advantage of the widest availability of things to see and do at Wallowa Lake and Joseph Oregon.

Vali's Alpine Restaurant closes after Sunday of Labor Day Weekend.  If you haven't had the chance yet to have dinner with Maggie and Michael and Dionne then you'd best book your reservation soon!  They offer only one entree choice per night, with only two seatings (5 pm and 7 pm and by reservation only) and they do not accept credit cards.  Don't let these restrictions deter you from one of the finest meals and restaurant atmospheres in Wallowa County.

You'll find their menu and more information at their website.

 We do have bed and breakfast guests that book their dinner reservations with Vali's first and then look for their Wallowa Lake lodging--call them at 541-432-5691 to reserve your table on the night of your choosing. 

The Wallowa Lake Marina shuts down for the season around mid-September so you'll have a little extra time to take out a motorboat, kayak, paddle boat or canoe.  And the Marina Store has all the things that fishing people need plus great tips from Gina and her staff.

And the Wallowa Lake Tramway is scheduled to close around the first weekend of October 2011.  They're especially busy over Labor Day Weekend--if you plan to ride the tram, you might consider the two-day pass that allows for two opportunities to soak in the view.  Landscape photography is always better at the ends of the day rather than at noon.  With a two-day pass, you can plan to be the first up the tram one day and last up the tram on the next.

Regardless of what you choose to do over Labor Day Weekend, if you're looking for a Wallowa Lake hotel or some Joseph Oregon hotels, we hope you'll consider our bed and breakfast.  With dedicated air-conditioning and an attached private bathroom for each guest room and plenty of amenities, we think your Labor Day Weekend vacation in Eastern Oregon will be all the richer for staying at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast.  Thanks!

One of our favorite Joseph Oregon restaurants is Calderas.   They're attracting quite a bit of attention including recent mentions in Sunset Magazine. 

The owners recently provided this update:

"This Saturday, August 13th Calderas will be closed due to the Bronze, Blues & Brews Festival in Joseph.  We hope this does not create an inconvieneince for any of you.  We will be open from 2-9:30pm Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday & Monday so be sure to come see us then.
 
The fresh produce from our garden is excellent!  People are raving about our Applewood Smoked Baby Back Ribs Special served every Friday night."
 
August Events Calendar @ Calderas:
August 19th ~ Darell Brann 6:30-9:30pm
August 21st ~ Singer Songwriter Kelley McRae
August 27th ~Janis Carper, Carolyn Lockert & Greg Johnson Trio

If you need lodging when you're here for dinner at Calderas, our Joseph Oregon bed and breakfast is walking distance.  Give us a call at 866-520-9769 or 541-432-0230, or use the "Book Now!" link at the right of this blog!

This year it's very late snow in the Wallowa Mountains of Eastern Oregon.  I didn't realize quite how deep, however!

Rich posted this article and wonderful photograph in the Outdoors blog of The Spokesman Review, the local newspaper in Spokane, WA, on August 3, 2011:

Whiteness greets hikers slogging deep into Eagle Cap Wilderness

BACKPACKING — The photo above shows Jeff Lambert of the Spokane Mountaineers in the last weekend of July along with Mirror Lake and Eagle Cap Peak from Carper Pass — all popular backpacking destinations in the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

The shot is worth a thousand words and a lot of slogging.

The high backcountry in the Wallowa Mountains of northeastern Oregon requires hikers to be equipped for snow, including self-arrest tools.

Yahoo!  You'd think this was a photo from the Spring, not from August!  I'm thinking that there will still be snow from 2010-2011 when the 2011-2012 snow season starts again in September.

If you're planning your Eastern Oregon vacation to include some hiking in the Wallowa Mountains, consider using the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast in Joseph Oregon as a starting or ending point.  Nothing like a bit of pampering before or after the trail, especially this year.  And, we'll await your phone call to ensure you made it out of the mountains.

Okay you last minute procrastinators or you folks that just discovered the Bronze, Brews and Blues Festival in Joseph, OR.  We now have the Ferguson Ridge Room available for Friday and Saturday nights, August 12 & 13, 2011 here at our Joseph Oregon lodging.

The Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast is only one town-sized block from Joseph City Park, site of the annual Bronze, Blues & Brews festival.  Perfect walking distance to the event.  No standing in lines for the blue port-a-potties either.

The Ferguson Ridge Room is equipped with one queen-sized bed, dedicated air-conditioning and blackout shades (important for the morning after the festival).  It has an attached private bathroom with a deeper style soaking tub and a very nice shower head.  And of course it comes with the great breakfasts we serve every morning at our Joseph bed and breeakfast.  You can't bring all your friends, but you can bring one so the two of you can share the room.

Click the "Book now!" link at the right of this blog or call us at (541) 432-0230 and we'll be happy to take your reservation!

The Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast, just like most bed and breakfast lodging, is a small, independently owned business.  Once we retired from the US Army, Bill and I opened the Bronze Antler B&B in June 2001 because we wanted to own our own business and keep it a manageable size.

Sine then we have hosted guests from all over looking for an Eastern Oregon vacation spot.  We currently employ three fantastic staff members and are proud to provide local jobs.

And we buy local as often as we can from local markets, hardware stores, and other businesses.  And we blog about them too.

We recently learned of the "Independent We Stand" website and movement, encouraging the public to support independently owned businesses.   We definitely fit the profile and are listed on their site.

If you know of indie businesses your support, encourage them to list themselves on Independent We Stand--and remember that just a little bit of local partronage goes a long way to supporting a community!

Summer 2011 is going down as the year of late hiking in the Wallowa Mountains.  Seems like the late snows are affecting quite a few of the trails.  Last week one of our guests changed her plans about hiking to Ice Lake because the bridge was removed and the Wallowa River is too high for comfortable fording.  The week before that some of our guests hiked to Maxwell Lake, only to discover that it's still snowed in--and it's almost August!

I was reminded of this when I read this article at the East Oregonian website earlier today:

Posted: Saturday, July 30, 2011 12:05 am

Some Wallowa-Whitman Forest trails unpassable

If you're thinking about coming out to Wallowa Lake or Joseph Oregon for hiking in the Wallowas there are still plenty of places to hike.  We keep trail maps, hiking guides, etc. for our Joseph Oregon bed and breakfast guests.  And hopefully you won't need any snowshoes this summer!

The Wallowa Lake Marina supplies just one of the many things to do at Wallowa Lake in Northeastern Oregon.  Rent a motorboat, a paddle boat, canoe, kayak, rowboat, or the 21 foot pontoon boat!

Stephanie D. from Sacramento, CA, recently reviewed the Wallowa Lake Marina on Yelp! and had this to say: 

Wallowa Lake is a beautiful destination in North Eastern Oregon. The marina provides visitors with canoe, motorboat, kayak, rowboat, party boats, and paddleboats for reasonable prices. You can also purchase fishing licenses here for one or numerous days. The lake is also great to swim, play with your dogs in the water, or view the beautiful scenery and wildlife. The staff is very friendly and will be able to answer any of your questions. I hope you enjoy Wallowa Lake as much as I did.

Stephanie D. also submitted 15 photos of the Wallowa Lake Marina with her review.  The image displayed here is just one of them.

Our Joseph Oregon bed and breakfast guests often take a boat out for part of the day to enjoy views of the moraines surrounding Wallowa Lake, or maybe to get in a little fishing.  Plenty of lake trout and kokanee await you--some could even be world record fish.

If you'd like to contact the Wallowa Lake Marina directly, call (541) 432-9115 or check their very informative website at wallowalakemarina.com  They're open 8 am to 8 pm until Labor Day, then 10 am to 6 pm until they close for the season (sometime around September 15th).

Looking forward to seeing you at Wallowa Lake!

Here's something to do at Wallowa Lake:  ride up the Wallowa Lake Tramway and feed the squirrels (oops, did I say that?).  Or ride up the Wallowa Lake Tramway and enjoy the views!  The Wallowa Lake Tramway is open (weather permitting) every day through the first weekend of October 2011.

And there's a lot to see from there!  Views over the Wallowa Valley, views to the Seven Devil Mountains in Idaho past Hells Canyon, views into the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

It's a great way to see nature without hiking up 4,000 feet--let the tram whisk you up to the top of Mt. Howard so you can walk the two miles of trails with ease.  When you're done, have a refreshing drink or snack at the Summit Grill.

And don't forget to feed the squirrels!  (Photo of Heather and her pal at the Royal Purple Overlook on top of Mt. Howard--even the innkeepers of this Wallowa Lake lodging can get away every now and then).

News you can use from the Wallowa County Chieftain!

The center section of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway (aka Forest Road 39 or sometimes incorrectly called Oregon Highway 39) in Northeastern Oregon will be repaired sometime starting in August 2011.  The road is currently open but there are small sections that are gravel only--the repairs made in summer 2010 after the road was damaged during the 2010 spring runoff.  Next month that will change (finally!).

The 13 sections that will be paved are near the intersection of FR39 and Oregon Highway 86 and are in the seven miles between Lake Fork Campground and Highway 86 (at the eastern or Halfway end of Forest Road 39).

According to Mary DeAguero, ranger for the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, the work will take about 10 days and traffic delays will be up to 20 minutes.  The road crew is expected to begin work in mid-August 2011.

So, what does this mean for our Joseph Oregon bed and breakfast guests?  C'mon through--your Hells Canyon lodging will be waiting for you at the end of your scenic drive!

You just never know who's coming through the door when you own a bed and breakfast.  We often have artists stay with us when they're visiting Wallowa County and Joseph Oregon.

We recently hosted raku potter Boni Deal and her daughter Sarah for a mother-daughter Eastern Oregon vacation.   Sarah's leaving soon for 2+ years in Africa to teach elementary school-aged children.

We supplied Boni and Sarah with names of local potters they might visit including:
Jim and Anne Shelly of FireWorks Clay Art
Ted Juve of Olaf Pottery
LH Project

Turns out that Boni knows the FireWorks Clay Art from regional art shows but hadn't actually talked with them.  She really enjoyed touring their studio up on Hurricane Creek Road near Joseph. 

The mother and daughter had a great visit--did a little hiking in the Wallowa Mountains, toured downtown Joseph Oregon, visited Wallowa Lake--as well as visiting FireWorks Clay Art.

Perhaps we'll be able to interest her in the Wallowa Valley Festival of Arts, our juried art show in Joseph Oregon that takes place every year during the first weekend of June.

It doesn't happen often but every now and then we get a last minute cancellation.  One person's loss, but another person's gain.  If you need a room in Joseph OR this weekend for Friday & Saturday nights, July 1 and 2, 2011, have we got a room for you!

The Sawtooth Mountain Room is definitely one of our more popular rooms at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast and suitable for a quick Oregon romantic getaway.

Private attached bath, queen-sized bed with luxurious linens, air-conditioning (though you probably won't need it), views of the Wallowa Mountains to the west and Enterprise to the north.  And don't forget the great breakfasts!  We'll even speak German if that makes your stay more comfortable (Heather will, Bill and Madigan won't).

It's all yours.  Too late for you to use our online reservation system.  Give us a call at 866-520-9769 (toll-free) or 541-432-0230 and we'll be happy to start off right your 4th of July Weekend 2011 in Eastern Oregon.

Okay, by now FR 39, aka the Wallowa Mountain Loop Road, or the center section of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway--the connecting road between Joseph Oregon and the Hells Canyon area of Oxbow on the way to Halfway Oregon and Baker City--has been open about three weeks for the 2011 season.  And it looks like it'll stick--the road hasn't washed out (yet).

The next popular question:  Is the road open to Hat Point Lookout at Hells Canyon?  The answer to that is yes and no.  Last I checked with Dave Tanzey at the venerable Imnaha Store and Tavern, the road was open past 5 Mile Lookout (looking into the Imnaha River drainage & to the Wallowa Mountains), but not quite open as far as Granny Overlook (still looking into the Imnaha River drainage).  He said there'd been crews up there cutting back trees that had fallen over the road.  And, the road all the way to Hat Point was still snowed in.

Take heart!  We've had some fairly decent weather, so Hat Point should be opening up soon.  It's quite the view into Hells Canyon from over 8,000' and the wildflowers are fabulous (see the photo taken in July 2009). 

If you really need to know right away about the road, give the Imnaha Store & Tavern a call at 541-577-3111.  Better yet, drive on down and meet Dave yourself over one of his famous sandwiches and a Terminal Gravity beer. 

And when you're looking for Hells Canyon lodging, look for us in Joseph Oregon.  We'll do the checking for you and make sure you're well equipped with maps and binoculars (we'd like to see you return for the evening!).

The Chief Joseph Band of the Nez Perce call this area home.  Visit here in Wallowa County, especially during summer, and you can learn a lot more about the Nez Perce.

The Wallowa Band Nez Perce Trail Interpretive Center, located in Wallowa, is open weekdays in summer.  Hours are Monday through Friday (except Thursday) 11 am to 4 pm.  On Thursday, hours are noon to 4 pm.  Or you can give them a call at 541-886-3101 to schedule an appointment.

The next to last full weekend in July marks the Tamkaliks celebration--a homecoming of Nez Perce.  Dancing, feasting, meeting people--it's great fun and full of pageantry.

October 1, 2011, will be the 15th Annual Nez Perce Art in the Wallowa event held at the Wallowa Lake Lodge (Wallowa Lake hotel).  If you can't make it during the summer, plan your Joseph Oregon vacation for late September/early October and take part in this wonderful event.

A very interesting video narrated by Joe McCormack is available here.  This eight-minute video talks about the Nez Perce in today's Wallowa County.  Take the time to watch it and learn more about this important tribe in Oregon. 

And if you're looking for an educational Joseph Oregon vacation, start with this website.   Then plan your stay with us at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast--we're happy to direct you to local places of Nez Perce significance.

I have to say that I saw the bird before she did.  Here we are in mid-June and we saw our first male Lazuli Bunting at the feeder.  Haven't seen any females yet but they're not as dramatic as the males.

This is our first sighting of this bird since we started keeping track of what birds are coming to the feeder.  He seems to prefer the cracked corn mix to the sunflower seeds.

What a gorgeous blue color against the backdrop of snow on the Wallowa Mountains!

If part of your romantic getaway Oregon style includes birdwatching, swing by and check out this Lazuli Bunting.  Of course, we don't know how often he'll be here, but there are plenty of birds to see in Joseph Oregon and at Wallowa Lake.

If you're planning to attend the 15th Annual Bronze, Blues & Brews Festival in Joseph Oregon, there's still room at the Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast.  The blues festival is held in Joseph City Park--only one block away from our Joseph Oregon lodging.  (Click on the widget for a sample of headliner Nick Moss & the Flip Tops.)

So here we are, June 8, 2011, and the unofficial word is that Forest Road 39, the center section of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway, is open to through traffic!

Winding Waters River Expeditions posted this status on their page on Facebook today:
The FS 39 road is open over Salt Creek Summit to Halfway. The crew headed out that direction this morning for our first Hells Canyon multi-day trip. They're excited to get down there as the wildflowers are BEAUTIFUL right now and 45,000 cubic feet per second flow should provide quite the adventure!

About 4 pm, Jon Rombach reported the following comment in response to the status:
Just got back from the [Hells Canyon] dam over 39 and it looks really good. No down trees, a few little snowy patches up around Wayside, but no big deal. Passenger cars were going over and it's in good shape.

Well, I can tell you this little Hells Canyon lodging is excited for the news!  We've been waiting and waiting for the Hells Canyon Byway to open all the way from Joseph to Halfway for 2011. 

Thanks Winding Waters River Expeditions for spreading the word!

Now, let's all keep our fingers crossed that the road stays open for the rest of the season!

Hells Canyon and Halfway here we come!

Anyone from Eastern Oregon knows that an Eastern Oregon vacation isn't complete without a cattle drive. 

Especially when you're in the middle of it!

Bill & I decided to drive out to the Zumwalt Prairie today to see what's blooming on the Nature Conservancy's land.  As we came through the intersection of Crow Creek Road and Zumwalt Road, the sign said, "Cattle Drive Next 14 Miles."  Hmmm. . .

At mile 12 or so, we found them.  Lots of cattle.  Lots of calves.  Lots of mooing by cows checking on their calves.  And a few stalwart cattle dogs, cowboys and cowgirls to keep the cattle on track.  One mounted cowboy offered to lead us through the herd so we could get on our way.  "Stay close," he advised.  One needs to know the proper etiquette around such matters.

Not far from Hells Canyon National Recreation Area or the Zumwalt Prairie.  Stay with us at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast and we won't necessarily guarantee you your own cattle drive, but we'll point you in the right direction!

And Bill says we stand out in the herd (ha).

This last week one of our guests disappeared about 5:15 a.m.  Bill just happened to be up and heard the front door close, then noticed that one of the guest cars was missing from the bed and breakfast parking area.

Renee Bryant, our guest, was out in search of the elusive morning light.  Renee is a naturalist photographer and has put together a wonderful website of her images.  You'll find it at PhotoArtByRenee.com.  Lovely images of landscapes, nature up close, flowers and other images.  You can view her photo galleries here.  And puchase an image or two that pleases you!

Unfortunately her "transparent" images wouldn't allow me to share any of them here on the blog, but take a moment to view her work.

We're not quite sure just where she went that morning.  It could've been Wallowa Lake or perhaps downtown Joseph Oregon or even farther afield.  Hard to say.  But she was back in time for breakfast!

Well, part of the reason the Joseph Oregon hotels aren't as clean is that there aren't any Joseph Oregon hotels.  But if there were, they'd have a hard time standing up to the annual deep cleaning we do at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast.

Every spring we take apart our guestrooms for deep cleaning--and I mean deep!  All the furniture goes out of the room.  Beds are disassembled and washed.  Rugs are rolled up, floors are washed down and the rugs are rotated before going down again.  Walls are washed.  Ceilings are vacuumed.  Are you tired yet?

Joanna and Gloria, our dynamic duo housekeepers extraordinaires, take the lead to ensure our Joseph Oregon bed and breakfast exceeds any hotel cleanliness standards.   And it certainly shows.  We're so incredibly lucky to have such an industrious team!

Spring is a great time of year for birdwatching in Eastern Oregon.  Many species are on their way back from winter in the south or just passing through on their way north.  And because we're so far east in Oregon close to Hells Canyon, you'll see the intercontinental birds that you won't necessarily find near the Oregon coast.

Bill put up feeders in the south garden last year so guests at breakfast can enjoy birds having their breakfast too.

Who's on the feeder this week?  We're seeing our first Black-headed Grosbeaks, both male & female.  The Western Goldfinch and the House Finch have been eating us out of house and home when it comes to sunflower seeds.  Downy (or Hairy--can't tell them apart) Woodpeckers drop by for a quick bit of suet.  Flickers are also suet fans.

Of course an Eastern Oregon vacation wouldn't be complete for birdwatching without a trip out to the Zumwalt Prairie.  Plenty of raptors and other species, plus the wildflowers are starting to bloom.  Guests of our Hells Canyon lodging are equipped with maps, binoculars and what-have-you for a visit to the Zumwalt Prairie.  Only about an hour away and Oregon's largest privately owned nature sanctuary--it's worth the trip!