Enter to Win a Bend Winter Adventure Getaway!

The recipe for a great winter weekend in beautiful Bend, Oregon? It's tough to narrow it down, but we think this sounds pretty great: 

+Two-night stay at the riverfront Hampton Inn hotel in the Old Mill District

+ Two days of skiing for two at Mt. Bachelor during the 2017/2018 season

+ A half-day Bend adventure for two at Wanderlust Tours. Choose from snowshoeing, caving, brewery tours, canoeing, kayaking, or volcano tours!

+ $150 in Old Mill District gift certificates good for shopping, restaurants, and movies

+ $25 gift card to Strictly Organic Coffee

+ Two bottles of wine from Va Piano Winery

If you want in on this, just click here to share the ingredients for your favorite winter day, and you'll be entered to win. Don’t forget to use the tag #OldMillDistrict, or #WanderlustTours on social media so we can see all the amazing ideas you have!

The deadline is coming up fast! So hurry to enter before January 31, 2018 at 8 P.M. 

Let's Celebrate Women in The Outdoors!

Last weekend, Bend joined thousands of other cities across the nation participating in the second annual Women’s March. Over 3,000 people marched in solidarity through the streets of our little town to support the rights of their families, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. 

At Wanderlust Tours, we support the cause. Thank you, Marchers! To commemorate the occasion, we thought we’d highlight a few of the amazing women who have been important advocates for the outdoors. Carry on, ladies!

Mollie Beattie
First Woman Director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
“What a country chooses to save is what a country chooses to say about itself.”

With years of experience in forestry and conservation, Mollie Beattie was determined to use her role to fight against the forces seeking to undermine the protection of our wildlife. She ensured that 15 national wildlife refuges were created, and that over 100 habitat conservation plans were signed with private landowners. On top of that, she spearheaded the gray wolf’s reintroduction into the northern Rocky Mountains. 

A colleague remembered her rubbing cold water on the belly of a wild wolf at Yellowstone in order to cool it, so the animal could be moved to another site for release. He recalled her saying: “Any day I can touch a wild wolf is a good day.”

Emma Rowena “Grandma” Gatewood
First Woman to Solo Hike the Appalachian Trail in One Season
“If those men can do it, I can do it.”

Domestic abuse survivor, mother of 11, and grandmother of 23, Grandma Gatewood hiked the entire 2,050 miles of the Appalachian Trail in 1955 at the age of 67. She traveled light— a homemade knapsack slung over her shoulder, she carried nothing more than the clothes she wore, extra sneakers, a blanket and a plastic shower curtain to protect her from the elements. 

Although many have speculated why she decided to take on such an intense hike, she herself is quoted as saying "[I did it] because I wanted to.” 

Rachel Carson
Biologist, Conservationist, and Author of "Silent Spring"
“Man's attitude toward nature is today critically important simply because we have now acquired a fateful power to alter and destroy nature. But man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself.”

Carson was an extraordinary advocate for the environment, blending her skills as a biologist and conservationist with her ability to write. She wrote several books on marine biology, winning the National Book Award for “The Sea Around Us” before focusing on the dangers of chemical pesticides. Her most famous work, “Silent Spring,” led to the reversal of the national pesticide policy, and spurred the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Claire Marie Hodges
First Female National Park Service Ranger
“O, the mountains call and I feel their thrall, / And into the saddle I swing, / For keenest love / ‘neath heaven above / Is the love of wandering.”  

Hodges possessed a lifelong love of Yosemite National Park, and was with the shortage of men at the start of WWI, she found her chance to become the first woman to work as a National Park Ranger. As a mounted patrol, she often made long, overnight trips on horseback through the park. Her garb was the customary Stetson hat, a split wool skirt,  and she refused to carry the gun favored by her male counterparts. She remained the only paid female park ranger for the next 30 years. 

Arlene Blum
Environmental Health Scientist, and Leader of the All-Woman Ascent of Annapurna 

When she’s not focusing on removing harmful chemicals from consumer goods, Arlene is also an international mountaineer. Her most famous ascent was the first successful American attempt— completed with a team of all-women cohorts. They reached the summit of the 26,545 ft. peak on October 15, 1978. 

The team had raised part of the $80,000 required for the trip by selling T-shirts with the slogan: "A woman's place is on top."

Overnight Snowshoe Tour

Yes, you read that right. Overnight snowshoe tour on Tumalo Mountain. These are the faces of eight businessmen who decided that meeting indoors was overrated. They sought something a little more adventurous... and they came to the right place.

Instead of a conference table, they chose to share ideas around a campfire. Instead of a luxurious hotel room, they chose to dig their own snow trenches to keep warm at night. Instead of morning room service, they enjoyed breakfast on top of a mountain. Instead of a regular weekend, they have memories to last a lifetime. 

They left Bend on a Wednesday morning and headed to Tumalo Mountain. With two Wanderlust Tours guides, they strapped on snowshoes and loaded up all the gear to start making the 700' ascent of the mountain. As they snowshoed through the snowy, forested area, their guide shared with them about the surrounding flora and fauna and what makes this place so special. They made camp somewhere near the top by digging trenches in the snow and covering them with tarps. See pictures below for evidence of the snowy fortresses they built! If you've ever been out in the snow at night, you know that a campfire is the best way to stay warm. Once camp was set up, they enjoyed dinner and drinks and conversation around the campfire. When the firewood ran out, it was time for bed. As the sun rose the next morning, they boiled water on the top of a mountain and made their own coffee (plus Ocean Rolls because what trip to Bend is complete without one?) before snowshoeing to the summit. It was an incredible 24 hour tour and we can't wait to do it again. Are you in next time?? 

Enjoy a few pictures from their snowy adventure!

Making snowmen? Or the start of a giant snowball fight? I guess we'll never know. 

Digging snow trenches on Tumalo Mountain. 

How to stay warm overnight in the snow:
1. Dig a trench.
2. Cover with a tarp.
3. Crawl inside with warm sleeping bag.

Snowshoeing to the summit - all smiles.

Can you picture your company doing something like this? Our group planners are itching to come up with an adventure that will inspire and unite your team. Your greatest memories are just around the Bend.