Hells Canyon Lodging

A Perfect Joseph Oregon Vacation

Wednesday, July 21, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

View of the Wallowa Mountain from the Mirror Lake Suite at the Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast Joseph OR

We love it here at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast when our guests take the opportunity to do what they'd really love to do. Recently, we hosted a couple who arrived with their road bicycles and her yoga mat.

Turns out he enjoys serious cycling in the morning before breakfast and she enjoys her time on the yoga mat.

We sent him off on a leg of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway on the first morning--to the intersection of the Imnaha Highway and Forest Road 39. It's 8.3 miles each way--not a tough distance--but there's that gradual uphill slope with the abrupt drop off to the intersection. On the second morning he opted for the Hurricane Creek Road between Joseph and Enterprise. Not a lot of traffic and some lovely farm & ranch scenery.

She, on the other hand, enjoyed the peace and quiet of the Mirror Lake Suite with the Wallowa Mountains view from the windows.

Their guestbook comments:

Dear Heather and Bill:

You have created such a special place within such a special place. Joseph, the Wallowas and the sourrounding area are spectacular, and the Bronze Antler B&B is bliss. What a divine sanctuary! And this suite is sensational--I've never had a more stunning view than the mountains out the window while doing yoga.

Thank you for your kindness and hospitality, and for lovely vegan and non-vegan breakfasts!

If you're looking for that perfect Joseph Oregon vacation spot we'd be happy to help you find that place. Give us a call!

What to do near Wallowa Lake - Day trip along the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway

Thursday, July 15, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

Harl Butte Historic Fire Lookout on the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway

It's nice to find things to do near Wallowa Lake when you're on vacation in Eastern Oregon. With Highway 39 closed near the junction of Highways 39 and Oregon 86, you can still reach most of the Wallowa Mountain Loop Road (Highway 39) from the Joseph Oregon side.

Even the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast innkeepers get to enjoy the sights around here every now and then! Bill & I recently drove out to Harl Butte off of Highway 39. There's an historic fire lookout there. When we arrived we were surprised to find not only the historic building but an individual manning the lookout as well. From his vantage point he could see into the Imnaha River drainage, plus from his location you could see the fire lookout tower at Hat Point and across Hells Canyon into Idaho.

What impressed us most was the hand-stacked volcanic rock wall surround the lookout site (he told us a previous lookout had spent 10 summers erecting the wall). Someone obviously had a lot of time on his hands in between watching for lightning strikes and monitoring fires in Northeastern Oregon and across Hells Canyon in Idaho!

Harl Butte is about 1 1/2 hours from Wallowa Lake. When planning your Eastern Oregon vacation, consider adding it as an out-of-the-way place for vast beauty. We keep maps here at our Eastern Oregon lodging to get you there and back again. Hope to see you soon!

Hells Canyon Scenic Byway (unofficially) Open!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

So here we are at the end of May 2010 and the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is now unofficially open! Checked with the Forest Service this week and, although there are parts of the road that are down to one lane because of snow, the road between Joseph and Hells Canyon is passable. What a relief!

My contact at the Forest Service tells me that the road will be officially open once the snow is all melted and any rocks and debris are cleared from the road (which will be soon). So, if you've wanted to know about Highway 39, or the Wallowa Mountain Loop Road, or the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway (all the same places)--the answer is yes!

This photo was taken in July 2009 at Hat Point and you get the idea of the abundance of wildflowers in the area. It's a little early yet, but the flowers are coming soon too!

If you're looking for some Hells Canyon lodging along the way, our Eastern Oregon bed and breakfast is right along the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway. We're not the most convenient to Hells Canyon Dam (about 2:45 hours from the dam), but we're about 2 hours from scenic Hat Point in Hells Canyon and less than 2 hours from the Hells Canyon Overlook. Not much is convenient in the way of Hells Canyon lodging, but Joseph Oregon is a good jumping-off point!

Zoho Music Visits our Hells Canyon Lodging

Wednesday, April 28, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

You just never know who will walk through the door when you own a bed and breakfast. This week Joachim Becker, president of Zoho Music in New York, graced our little Hells Canyon lodging with his presence.

Zoho Music Tribute to JJ Cale Volume 1: The Vocal Sessions

Joachim was on his way to Portland and decided to see a little of our fantastic Eastern Oregon countryside on his way. I wish we could've gotten him the spectacular view of Hells Canyon from Hat Point but the road is still snowed in. Just a good excuse for another visit to our Hells Canyon lodging in the summer or fall when the road is open.

Zoho Music is about to release a tribute compilation of music written by Oklahoma-born songwriter, singer and guitarist JJ Cale. Watch for "Tribute to JJ Cale, Volume 1: The Vocal Sessions" on June 10, 2010. Joachim was kind enough to leave an advance copy with us and with our other guests. The liner notes are clear, concise, and reveal a lot about JJ Cale as well as all the wonderful musicians appearing on this release.

We wished Joachim well on his drive to Portland, then loaded the CD for kitchen cleaning duty. With a variety of artists contributing to this CD from Swamp Cabbage to The Persuasions to Greg Skaff & Jimmy Hall among others, it's just the ticket for a voyage through classic American roots music! Thank you, Joachim!

Pub Talk at Mutiny Brewing Company in Joseph Oregon

Friday, March 26, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

What a night for a Pub Talk! Last night, the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network hosted one of their trade-marked Pub Talk programs at Mutinty Brewing Company in Joseph, OR. The theme was "Marketing from the Ground Up" and three of us local businesses were invited to present about some aspects of our marketing.

Paul Arentsen of Winding Waters River Expeditions talked about how his company uses Picasa to post pictures from his river trips and to encourage clients to share pictures and experiences from their trips among themselves. Winding Waters also keeps two blogs: a very important Fishing Report and another "fun" one called The Gearboat Chronicles, written by one of the river guides, with a good dose of tongue-in-cheek humor.

Kari Gjerdingen, owner of Mutiny Brewing Company, talked about her use of Facebook and Twitter for her restaurant. She makes a point of posting the restaurant's specials on a regular basis--good for us when we want to send our guests there for a lunch or dinner. Of course, we all wanted to know when the beer will be available. The new forecast: about the middle of April 2010.

And of course I talked about blogging for our business here at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast. I pulled a few statistics about our blog--it's amazing how many people want to know whether or not Highway 39 is open through Hells Canyon, or what's going on for Chief Joseph Days Rodeo!

One of the things I found so interesting too is how well the three businesses fit together. For example, if you're planning a visit to Joseph Oregon or an Eastern Oregon vacation, you're going to need a place to stay, somewhere to eat, and something to do. Between our three businesses, we've got you covered!

Is Highway 39 Open Yet to Joseph and Enterprise from Halfway Oregon?

Wednesday, March 24, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

If you're thinking about taking Highway 39, keep thinking. . .this road connects the Oxbow and Brownlee Dam in Hells Canyon to Enterprise and Joseph Oregon. Some people know it as the Wallowa Mountain Loop Road. Or Forest Road 39. Or the road from Joseph OR to Halfway OR. Or even the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway.

Anyway you look at it, this road is seasonal and typically doesn't open until sometime in May or even June. It all depends on the snow and how soon it melts.

Put this note on your to do list under Joseph Oregon Vacation or Eastern Oregon Vacation:

Call the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Service Visitor Center at 541-426-4978 (ext 0)
Bookmark this page: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/w-w/conditions/index.shtml
These are the folks responsible for the road opening and closure and will have the most current official information.

In the meantime, we're happy to help you plan your Hells Canyon to Joseph Oregon trip. Just hang on a little longer before taking Highway 39 unless you've got your snowmobile!

New Toy for the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast chef

Sunday, March 7, 2010 by Inside the Bronze Antler

Everyone deserves a new toy every now and than. Thursday, March 4, 2010, was an exciting day at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast. The bed and breakfast Executive Chef and co-owner (that's me) was the happy recipient of a new GE dual-fuel range.

See, Joseph Oregon is not anywhere close to natural gas lines. That's one of the reasons we decided to open our Hells Canyon Byway lodging way out here where we're somewhat remote from things like natural gas. I've been wanting a gas range ever since we opened the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast and it's only taken me 10 years to get it!

It might not excite you, but the beauty of this baby is that is has a gas top and two electric ovens--the best of both worlds. And it fit in the bed and breakfast kitchen without getting out my Sawzall!

Having the ability to quickly control the temperature on the range with the gas is awesome! I tried it out Thursday night with lamb chops. They were seasoned only with salt and pepper and seared in the skillet, then rested in the oven while I made a reduction sauce. I sweated some shallots and threw in some small crimini mushrooms with a little butter, and added a cup and a half of exquisite $3.95/bottle Merlot. Once the liquid reduced to about half, I added a couple of tablespoons of butter.

While the sauce was reducing, I boiled up a big pot of water and cooked rice noodles. I then pan-fried them with scallions and tamari.

Heather & I had a very delicious dinner. We were so excited with the new stove that we forgot to take photographs of the stove in action or of our dinner before we ate it.

Now we're ready for the Eastern Oregon vacation season. C'mon guests!

Our Joseph bed and breakfast turns 200 (blog posts)

Friday, January 29, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

We've been steadily blogging about the Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast since November 2008. I stopped to count the number of posts recently and we're now at 212 posts!

If you search this blog (see the Search This Blog field at the right?) --->
you'll find information about subjects like:

Joseph Oregon and what to do in Joseph Oregon
Wallowa Lake and what to do at Wallowa Lake
Joseph Oregon and Wallowa County events
Planning an Eastern Oregon Vacation
Hells Canyon Scenic Byway, Highway 39 and Hells Canyon Lodging
Recipes from our Joseph Oregon bed and breakfast
Guest rooms at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast
Planning a romantic getaway Oregon style at our B&B

You can also click on the various "Categories" (again, to the right on the template) and move right into specific areas like Joseph Oregon Hotels (there aren't any, but we'll tell you about it).

Or you can just wander through the blog and learn probably more about us, our bed and breakfast, and Joseph Oregon than you thought you'd ever know!

Madigan, Bill, Joanna, Elizabeth, Tiffany and I hope you enjoy reading our blog. If you have some suggestions about what we can do to improve it, you know we're all ears!

Hells Canyon and Hat Point

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 by Heather Tyreman

Hells Cayon from the Hat Point Lookout near Joseph Oregon. Photo credit HT

Guests staying with us recently wanted to visit Hells Canyon and planned to drive to the Hells Canyon Overlook. I found a youTube video of the Overlook and blogged about it last August. It's a nice drive to get there and a well kept overlook, but the view isn't as spectacular as that from Hat Point.

Since our guests were driving an extended cab pickup truck, we recommended they visit the Hat Point Lookout instead. The two couples thoroughly enjoyed the trip and the views. They intend to return during the summer to see the abundance of wildflowers blooming at Hat Point Lookout and at the Granny Overlook (a scenic stop overlooking the Imnaha River Canyon on the way to Hat Point).

One guest left us with over 300 photos of their day trip to Hat Point Lookout. This blog post features one to give you an idea of the vastness of the space. Even in the late autumn, Hat Point Lookout in Hells Canyon is worth the trip!

Our Hells Canyon lodging is about a 2 hour drive from the Hat Point Lookout. It's a bit of a distance, but when you're talking Hells Canyon, most places aren't very close. Give us a call toll-free at 866-520-9769 and we'll be happy to talk with you about places to visit in Hells Canyon.

Hat Point Lookout: Not (very) far from our Hells Canyon lodging!

Sunday, October 25, 2009 by Heather Tyreman

Bill taking in the view of Hells Canyon from the Hat Point Lookout near Joseph Oregon

The Hat Point Lookout is not very far from our Hells Canyon lodging. The problem with getting to Hat Point, just like most places in Hells Canyon, is not the distance (only 52 miles), but the driving time (about 2 hours).

But it's worth the effort to get there!

The Hat Point Road will close during the winter because of snow, but it often stays open well into November. It usually opens all the way to the lookout tower by mid or late June.

If you're thinking about an autumn romantic getaway Oregon style, then a trip including Hat Point Lookout could be a memorable event. You'll probably be the only ones there at the tower and can enjoy the scenery all to yourselves.

But then you'll need to plan another trip in the spring or summer to see the amazing wildflower display!

Give us a call at the Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast in Joseph Oregon and ask about the road to Hat Point. If we don't know for sure if it's open or closed, we'll be happy to "check our sources" and find out for you!

October Lodging Specials in Joseph Oregon

Sunday, October 18, 2009 by Heather Tyreman

Chief Joseph Mountain Room and a view of the Wallowa Mountains in Northeastern Oregon

For the rest of this month we're offering our October lodging specials in Joseph Oregon. The popular Mirror Lake Suite is $50 off per night. All of our second floor rooms (Chief Joseph Mountain Room, Sawtooth Mountain Room and Ferguson Ridge Room) are 20% off per night.

No two-night minimum on the weekends, either. . .which makes this the perfect time to experience Wallowa Lake, Joseph Oregon, or just plan a quick romantic getaway Oregon style to our Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast.

There's some snow on the Wallowa Mountains but the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is still open and bursting with fall colors. Joseph Oregon shops & galleries are getting ready for the Christmas shopping crunch so many stores are offering clearances on their summer wares.

To take advantage of these October lodging specials, you can make your reservation request by clicking on the button at right or give us a call toll-free at 866-520-9769. Bill or I'll be happy to reserve a room for you at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast!

Things to do in Joseph Oregon: Hike the Wallowa Lake Moraines

Wednesday, October 7, 2009 by Heather Tyreman

Hells Canyon Seven Devil Mountains from the East Moraine of Wallowa Lake

Here's something to do in Joseph Oregon: hike the Wallowa Lake moraines. This week was punctuated by an early, wet autumn snow. My friend Christine & I took a couple of hours and hiked up the east moraine of Wallowa Lake. It's a good walking road to get up there (took us only about 45 minutes). And what a view! The Seven Devil Mountains across Hells Canyon in Idaho are readily visible once you crest the east moraine. This is a photo of view once we reached the top.

The trip back down the east moraine was also beautiful--a reflection of the Wallowa Mountains in the still Wallowa Lake. This hike is less than a 10

Wallowa Mountains reflection in Wallowa Lake near Joseph Oregon

minute drive from our Wallowa Lake lodging and very accessible for those who are not hard-core hikers!

In winter it's also a great place to get out for some snowshoeing in the Wallowas without being too far away from some hot chocolate and a steamy shower.

Although Wallowa County did have an early October snowfall, the town of Joseph Oregon is still bright and sunny and the snows are rapidly melting. We don't expect our real winter weather for at least another month or two!

Literary Events in September in Wallowa County Oregon

Monday, August 31, 2009 by Inside the Bronze Antler

Madigan sends:

Literary events in September in Wallowa County Oregon? Geez, an' I thought I had the corner on the literary end of Wallowa County with my Observing Literacy program here at the bed and breakfast.

But she was surfing on my couch today an' reading her email, and read this from Rick Bombaci, the director at Fishtrap:

"While I was 40 miles north of town, dancing under the moon, those storm clouds were pummeling Enterprise with hail. But locals shouldn’t complain. In 1903, a hailstorm led to a flood which devastated the town of Heppner, Oregon, killing one out of five residents. Join us as former journalist Joann Byrd reads from her book, Calamity. Friday, September 25th, 7 pm at Fishtrap. Admission is free.

"And on [Wednesday] September 30, R. Gregory Nokes will read from his book Massacred for Gold, The Chinese in Hells Canyon, the first authoritative account of the long-forgotten 1887 massacre of more than 30 Chinese gold miners in Hells Canyon. Admission is free."

So there's still room at the Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast if anyone wants to come out and attend these Fishtrap events. I might think 'bout goin' myself if they'd dare let a cat into a Fishtrap (whatever that is). An' the price is right--free!

Hells Canyon Overlook along the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway

Tuesday, August 25, 2009 by Heather Tyreman

The Hells Canyon Overlook along the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is a favorite stopover for our guests travelling from Idaho to Joseph Oregon, or for guests taking the scenic route to Baker City Oregon.

I recently came across this short video that give a quick overview. The Hells Canyon Overlook is on Forest Road 39 (Wallowa Mountain Loop Road) and will be accessible until probably November when the road closes for the winter. Worth the trip? Yes--especially in an RV or on a motorcycle. The other vantage point to see Hells Canyon is at the Hat Point Lookout. This lookout is especially spectacular, but you'll need to drive 26 miles of gravel road to get there!

Our Hells Canyon lodging is not far from either vantage point (relatively speaking in Eastern Oregon terms). About one hour from the Hells Canyon Overlook and about two hours from Hat Point. Keep us in mind for your Eastern Oregon vacation and we'll send you to some other scenic locations too!

Things to do near Joseph Oregon: Swim in the Blue Hole!

Saturday, August 22, 2009 by Heather Tyreman

Blue Hole in the Upper Imnaha River near Joseph Oregon

Wondering about what things to do near Joseph Oregon? How about swim in the Blue Hole of the Upper Imnaha River? Bill & I took a midday off with visiting friends to drive out to the Indian Crossing trailhead on the Upper Imnaha River. It was a 90-degree day and a dip in the Blue Hole sounded like a good idea.

The Indian Crossing trailhead is about an hour's drive from Joseph Oregon on the Wallowa Mountain Loop Road portion of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway. From the Indian Crossing trailhead it's about 2 miles along a very flat trail, winding through brush, forest and open areas. The Upper Imnaha River is visible for most of the hike and very beautiful.

As for the Blue Hole, it's a wider, deeper area in the river just perfect for swimming. That is, if water at 58 to 60 degrees doesn't bother you! After a minute or so of wading, the water's perfect for a quick swim. It's a great place to cool off at the beginning, middle or end of a hike along the Upper Imnaha River.

If you're looking for a romantic getaway Oregon style, then a hike in the Wallowas is a good opportunity for some "twosomeness" without much (if any) interruption. Not many hikers out here. And the Blue Hole is often deserted, especially midweek!

Observing Literacy at our Joseph bed and breakfast

Saturday, June 27, 2009 by Inside the Bronze Antler

Madigan sends:

Well, here's another installment in my observing literacy program. It's been pretty busy this week at our Joseph bed and breakfast now that the rains are over. I'm thinkin' it's really summer for a change--nice and sunny, dry, and not too hot. The guests are liking it too. Plenty of hiking and some of them are riding the Wallowa Lake Tramway to take in the view from the top of Mount Howard.

So here's what they're reading:

The Google Way: How One Company is Revolutionizing Management As We Know It by Bernard Gerard (I actually saw this one before and forgot to comment on it. Oldie but goodie, I hear).

The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

The Informant by Kurt Eichenwald

Oprah Magazine (and this one had a cover with a lot of dogs--shoulda been cats!)

Coastal Living Magazine

The weather's so nice that some guests are taking picnics to the Hat Point Lookout Tower. It's about two hours away from our Hells Canyon lodging but definitely worth the trip. Lotsa pretty wildflowers and a long-way-down view into Hells Canyon.

Iff'n you come stay with us at the Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast I'll betcha she'll loan you a picnic backpack you can fill up for a trip to Hat Point.

Mutiny Brewing Company open in Joseph Oregon!

Saturday, June 20, 2009 by Heather Tyreman

The Mutiny Brewing Company is finally open here in Joseph Oregon! We're excited--yesterday was their opening, so we wandered down for dinner and to congratulate Kari.

At this point, they're in a two-week holding period until they can serve beer. Looks like 4th of July Weekend will have more than fireworks--the beer should be available too!

There's outdoor seating that should be great once the weather warms up a little for summer. The pub will be open 7 days a week through summer--another great eating and drinking option for our bed and breakfast guests.

In the meantime, we contented ourselves with the fine pub menu. Bill & I both opted for the fish tacos, but the panini sandwich also looked yummy.

Yummy Fish Tacos at Mutiny Brewing Company Joseph OR

The Mutiny Brewing Company's website isn't launched yet, but you can content yourself by visiting the blog here.

The pub is located at the north end of Joseph Oregon--one of the first things you'll see as you drive into town on the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway route.

We've got the menu in our reference book for our guests. Be sure to ask about Mutiny Brewing when you come to town!

Wallowa Mountain Quilters Guild Show in Joseph Oregon

Sunday, June 14, 2009 by Heather Tyreman

If you're looking for some June or September quilting entertainment, you can start with the Wallowa Mountain Quilters Guild Show in Joseph Oregon. Always held during the second weekend of June at the Joseph High School, the Wallowa Mountain Quilters Guild Show complements the Oregon Mountain Cruise Classic Car Show taking place on the same weekend.

There's been more than one couple staying at our bed and breakfast where HE takes in the cars and SHE takes in the quilts!

Then in September, you'll find a second Wallowa Mountain Quilters Guild Show taking place in Enterprise Oregon (only 6 miles away) on the weekend after Labor Day. This show is held in conjunction with the Hells Canyon Mule Days--a mule-centered rodeo on the Enterprise Oregon Fairgrounds.

There's always a raffle for a nice quilt. And there's a vendor show too. During this year's show, a "Tin Lizzie 18" quilting machine was on demonstration. I can't imagine paying upwards of $6,000 for a quilting machine, but everyone has their own passion. And, from the looks of the people in the photo, there were plenty interested in trying it out.

Bill and I took the afternoon off from the bed and breakfast to visit both the Oregon Mountain Cruise Classic Car Show and the Wallowa Mountain Quilters Guild Quilt Show--easily done in one afternoon--and great things to see here in Joseph Oregon.

Forest Road 39 is open for the 2009 season!

Saturday, May 23, 2009 by Inside the Bronze Antler

Madigan sends:

I heard her talking to newly arriving guests from Boise Idaho today. Apparently they came to Joseph on the Wallowa Mountain Loop Road (aka Forest Road 39 aka center section of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway).

So, the road is open for the season! Now the guests can drive the full length of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway from Baker City to LaGrande with our little Hells Canyon lodging about halfway through the trip.

I can hardly wait for the guests on motorcycles to start arriving. . .mebbe I can talk one of 'em into giving me a ride. . .I hear the twisty-turny parts of Forest Road 39 are lots of fun!

Anxiously waiting for the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway to open. . .

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 by Heather Tyreman

We've been receiving quite a few inquiries at our Joseph bed and breakfast from guests about Forest Road 39 and the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway. Forest Road 39 is also known as the Wallowa Mountain Loop Road and is the central portion of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway. It connects the eastern part of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway around Idaho and Halfway, Oregon, with the Wallowa Valley portion of the Byway.

The office with the most current information about this road is the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Visitor Center in Enterprise, OR. The phone number is (541) 426-4978 and the office is open only Monday through Friday.

At last check, Nancy at the Visitor Center said the road will probably not open until Memorial Day Weekend. It closes every year--usually in November--because of snow. It usually opens sometime in mid to late May, but every year is different, so it's worth the phone call. Also, it's possible there might be a slide in May or June that would close the road temporarily.

We want you to have a wonderful Hells Canyon lodging and vacation experience, so please do call the Forest Servce Visitor Center at (541) 426-4978, or call us and we'll do our best to find out for you!

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