Premature Spring in Oregon 2026

5 Feb 2026

We've had a pretty mild winter so far in the greater Portland area. We haven't had any snow yet in the Willamette Valley and our local snowpack in the Mt. Hood area is about 30% of normal. This week we've had a couple of days of record high daytime temperatures in the low 60's (F).

I was walking with my grandson and 2 granddogs and we noticed lots of bee activity in a patch of Heather (at least that's what my wife calls it). Mostly Honeybees and Bumblebees, also a few others that I couldn't identify. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any bee pictures because I had a bag of dog poop in one hand and was trying to control the dogs with the other.

It got me thinking about beacon_dave and site preparation for BeeBox. I'm looking forward to learning about how his BeeBox does this season.

When we got home I took a look at the only two plants (Hellebores and Camelias) that are currently blooming in our yard and found that we also are having bee activity. The bees weren't very cooperative so I didn't get any good closeup pics like Dave gets.

Older granddog

Good eye test to see if you can spot the honeybee in the next two pics. The third pic is of a bee that I can't identify. And I wasn't able to get a pic of the one bumblebee that I saw.

It looks like we will be back to colder and wetter weather next week. I am hopeful for a good bee season this spring and summer.

Parents

scottiebabe 1 month ago

Still cold up here
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ralphjy 1 month ago in reply to scottiebabe

Looks like you get to ski at your house ! Great view!
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beacon_dave 1 month ago in reply to scottiebabe

Never tried a rope tow but I guess it depends on the steepness of the incline. Still a lot easier than walking I expect. On some of the T-bar and Poma button tows, it can feel more like a chairlift at times as you hit the steep bits where the snow has drifted.

I wish I had body armour one year as I was hit in the head by a swinging T-bar. The person behind me on the tow, instead of letting it slow and wind up as it went around the end pylon at the top, just let go fully extended and skied off as I got clobbered with it.
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kmikemoo 1 month ago in reply to scottiebabe

I can't imagine just a straight tow rope, but I have used one with hand loops in it. From looking online, the little ski area I went to has upgraded it to a tubing run. The straps now pull a person in an inner tube up the hill.
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beacon_dave 1 month ago in reply to kmikemoo

Judging by the angle of the 2nd person's skis, if that tow starts up, then I think they will be in for a bit of a surprise.
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ralphjy 1 month ago in reply to beacon_dave

Funny, I just happened to be wearing my Mauna Kea sweater that my wife converted to short sleeves for me.

I haven't been up there in literally ages, but back 50 years ago - if you wanted to ski, you had to walk 300-400 ft up a hill which was quite difficult at 14,000 ft.

I think that I had a Kodak 110 camera back then, but I think all those pictures are long gone...
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beacon_dave 1 month ago in reply to ralphjy

That was quite common over here before the ski resorts got established and the tows and lifts got installed. Half the day climbing to the top and then a couple of minutes skiing back down to the bottom again.

I noticed a while back that the photos from my Kodak 110 camera have started degrading. Not quite as archival quality as people made out at the time.
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beacon_dave 1 month ago in reply to ralphjy

That was quite common over here before the ski resorts got established and the tows and lifts got installed. Half the day climbing to the top and then a couple of minutes skiing back down to the bottom again.

I noticed a while back that the photos from my Kodak 110 camera have started degrading. Not quite as archival quality as people made out at the time.
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