Christmas Ornament Hunt

[jime]

While visiting Tumble Lake, ran into a Forest Service employee who said he was hanging Christmas tree ornaments. Apparently, this year’s National Christmas Tree will come from the Willamette National Forest. To celebrate, the Forest is hiding 200 ornaments along their non-wilderness trails. For the “Ornament Hunt”, if you find one, in addition to getting to keep it, there are prizes – including a chance to win a trip to the National Christmas Tree lighting in Washington, D.C.

Info here -

http://kval.com/outdoors/ornaments-hidd ... stmas-tree

Willamette National Forest Announcement with list of trails
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/willamet ... EPRD581522

Willamette Valley Visitors Association website (they’re coordinating the “Hunt”) also #FindYourOrnament
https://www.oregonwinecountry.org/us-ca ... stmas-tree

Happy hunting!

[jeffstatt]

I'm surprised more people didn't reply to this! Some folks might be pretty disturbed by this while others might find it super fun. I'm kinda ok with it - kinda harmless as long as they don't go too crazy with it and clean up after!

[retired jerry]

They could make them bio-degradeable

If they advertised enough, people would go out and find all of them

[BigBear]

Okay, I'll respond. I love the idea of ornaments on the trail. I liked the Nesika trail which had ornaments all year long and I hand ornaments on our trees along the sidewalk during those dreary winter months (recommend plastic orbs for those who wish to do the same). I like the idea of finding colorful glass floats at Lincoln City beaches - but, alas all I have to show for my efforts are 3 real but colorless glass floats (2", 3" and 4"). I even like the colorful birthday balloons - I just can't find any of them because there are other hikers who pack them out

Biodegradable ornaments? Shame. These items will be snatched up before the lichen even has a chance to taint their surfaces. Unlike litter (poo bags, cigarette butts, bear cans) that people won't pack out (even if they are the ones who brought the items into the forest), ornaments have a short limb life. People like shiny things.

So mark me down as a "yes" to pretty, shiny ornaments.