Caves Community Day set May 8
From our weekly issue dated May 05, 2010
The Chateau at the Oregon Caves (IVN file photo)
For 136 years, Oregon Caves National Monument has been a tradition of adventure for many individuals and families throughout southern Oregon and northern California.
In keeping with that tradition, the monument, 20 miles east of Downtown Cave Junction, will hold its annual Mother“s Day weekend Community Day Event on Saturday, May 8. Free cave tours will be provided to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Various area nonprofit organizations also will be present to share information about their involvement in the community.
Is there a catch“ Yes “ they want your food.
“A new partner for this event will be Rotary First Harvest, an organization that ensures surplus food from farmers and other distributors is delivered to our local food banks,“ said Superintendent Vicki Snitzler, who described how the monument will make a larger community contribution this year.
“We are asking community members who take the free cave tours to bring an item of nonperishable food. The food collected will be delivered by the National Park Service to food banks in the Cave Junction area. We hope this new addition will help foster greater ties with the monument“s neighbors,“ said Snitzler.
Cave tours on Community Day are 80-minutes long and will be offered on a first-come first-served basis. Long waits may be possible, especially in the afternoon. The tours are rated moderately strenuous and include more than 500 stair steps that are uneven and wet with low passageways that require bending and twisting while walking.
Children must be 42 inches tall and able to walk independently to go on a full cave tour. The temperature inside the cave is approximately 44°F (7°C) year round. Warm clothing and good hiking shoes are always recommended. Cameras with flash are allowed in the cave, but not tripods, flashlights or backpacks.
The event coincides with the seasonal opening of the Chateau at Oregon Caves, which officially will open its doors on Thursday, May 6.
The hotel will kick off Community Day weekend with free tours of the chateau at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. And a two-act mystery comedy, “No Bones About It,“ will premier. The comedy explores the history of the Oregon Caves and will be presented at the Chateau at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 8, and Friday, May 14.
There is a cost and reservations are required. Additionally, the chateau will offer a Mother“s Day Brunch on Sunday. The hotel will offer an assortment of other package deals and entertainment throughout the season and “always provides that special getaway close to home.“
Entrance to the monument is always free, and there are an assortment of beautiful forest trails always open.
Said Snitzler, “Look for other exciting tours and programs to begin when late June arrives. Participate in a Ranger Program, take a Candlelight tour on Fridays and Saturdays, learn about Oregon“s past on a guided tour of the historic hotel, and watch for new and family focused cave tours to begin.
“For the more adventurous, off-trail tours are offered by reservation for Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays during the summer months too.“
Visit the monument Website for up-to-date details: www.nps.gov/orca or by phoning 541-592-2100.
Lodging reservation and dining information for the Chateau at Oregon Caves can be found at: www.oregoncaveschateau.com or by phoning 541-592-3400 or 877-245-9022.
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