May 2011 Archives - Outdoor Writers Association of America

How to define "citizen journalist"

OWAA staff — Fri, 27 May 2011 19:36:20 +0000

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BY PETER SCHROEDER
Members are encouraged to write about issues and topics. Views expressed do not represent the opinion or endorsement of OWAA, its staff, officers, directors or members. Opposing views are encouraged, as OWAA desires to create a forum for the exchange of ideas. Send commentary to editor@owaa.org.
Blogs, tweets, podcasts, YouTube videos — today, many “citizen journalists” use online social media to comment about the outdoors. The impact and credibility of these individuals can be significant — many are followed by thousands of people with whom they share their interests. Outdoor enthusiasts no longer depend exclusively on newspaper columnists, magazine writers or TV anchor people. The advice of the expert authority has been replaced by the collective wisdom of the crowd.
OWAA faces a challenge: how do we integrate citizen journalists into our organization? At the moment we do not have a membership category that fits these people working in the new media.
Here are some ideas that have been adopted by other writers groups facing this same issue. OWAA could establish a citizen journalist membership category that requires applicants to meet any four of the following five benchmarks:
1) Minimum one year of blogging, posting videos (on YouTube, Vimeo or a similar platform) online reporting, etc. on a social media website that allows response and feedback;
2) Income from a source other than PR firms, advertising agencies or commercial organizations.
3) Minimum two online written, audio, or visual updates per month (in season) that are editorial, not advertorial; redistribution of press releases does not qualify.
4) Minimum 500 page-views/hits per month, and must allow response feedback on the site.
5) Applicant must be responsible only for editorial content of a website and may not be involved in the selling of advertising.
Are these criteria broad enough, too restrictive, or incomplete?
— Peter Schroeder is a freelance writer and photographer. He specializes in recreational boating, cruising under sail, scuba diving, snow skiing, and worldwide adventure travel. Contact him at ptrschrdr@aol.com.
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Slow-motion disaster

OWAA staff — Fri, 27 May 2011 19:22:26 +0000

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BY CHRIS MADSON
Members are encouraged to write about issues and topics. Views expressed do not represent the opinion or endorsement of OWAA, its staff, officers, directors or members. Opposing views are encouraged, as OWAA desires to create a forum for the exchange of ideas. Send commentary to editor@ owaa.org.
For about three months last year, the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig and the subsequent oil leak at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico were the biggest news stories in the United States, claiming more ink than the troop surge in Afghanistan, the earthquake in China, or the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland. Journalists constantly pressed scientists, engineers, and bureaucrats for data they didn’t have and predictions they couldn’t, in good conscience, make, but the lack of dependable information didn’t keep the media from reporting the story over and over again.
Then, on July 20, 2010, BP operatives managed to put a cap on the wellhead that stayed in place and, on Sept. 19, punched into the well casing from the side and plugged it permanently with concrete. Somewhere in the Gulf, 205 million gallons of crude oil and 50,000 tons of gaseous hydrocarbons were still drifting toward a final resting place, but with a cork in the well, the news machine moved on to other, more saleable stories.
As the news coverage of the Deepwater Horizon incident faded, the first extensive information on the effects of the spill began to emerge. Dr. Samantha Joye, a marine biologist at the University of Georgia, and her colleagues reported deposits of thick sludge on the ocean floor as well as concentrations of dissolved hydrocarbon gases suspended at depths of 3,300 to 4,300 feet. The sludge has killed most of the bottom-dwellers it settled on, and Joye and her partners expect that the dissolved gas will lead to persistent depletion of oxygen as bacteria use oxygen to consume the gas.
At about the same time, a team working for Dr. John Kessler at Texas A&M University reported that their samples show a drastic decline in methane concentrations in the Gulf since last summer, the result of accelerated bacterial action, according to the researchers. By the end of December, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was reporting that workers in and around the Gulf had picked up more than 8,000 birds that had been disabled in one way or another. About half of these birds had oil on their feathers; the other half showed no outward signs of oil but may have been poisoned by swallowing it. More than 5,000 of them were dead when found. The most frequent victims were brown pelicans.
The Gulf’s a big place, and there’s little doubt that the birds that were recovered are only a tiny fraction of the number that died as a result of the oil spill. Still, the numbers fall far short of the catastrophic losses many biologists feared as ducks, geese, and other water birds came south for the winter. Likewise, losses among sea-going turtles seem to be smaller than many observers had expected. Between January and March 2011, more than 80 bottlenose dolphins were found dead along 200 miles of the northern Gulf coast, possible victims of the remaining oil, but some marine biologists suspect that unusually cold water may have been the actual cause of death.
So the good news is that the death of the Gulf as a result of the Deepwater Horizon spill has been greatly exaggerated. There is much research yet to be done, and longterm impacts on elusive species like whales and the large pelagic fishes may not surface for years, but it seems that the Deepwater blowout, like the Ixtoc I blowout off the east coast of Mexico in 1979, hasn’t had the dire ecological effects that spills in places like Alaska’s Prince Williams Sound caused.
I guess that means we can go back to business as usual. The temporary suspension of offshore drilling has long been rescinded; the Department of the Interior has published a new set of guidelines for drillers, and as the price of crude rises with another round of unrest in the Middle East, BP and the other offshore operators can get back to the perennial search for record profits.
Business as usual is the real problem on the Gulf. Between the blue water of the open ocean and the dry land of Louisiana and eastern Texas, there is a belt of coastal wetlands that may be the most productive in North America. They are the nursery that supports one of the continent’s greatest fisheries — the commercial catch in Louisiana alone generates $2.3 billion a year; the recreational fishery is worth more than three times that. Something like 13 million ducks and geese winter on these marshes, and the marshes help protect cities like New Orleans and Biloxi from hurricanes. Ironically enough, they also shield infrastructure like the storage facilities and refineries that are crucial to the offshore oil industry.
The deepwater channel that runs up the Mississippi from the Gulf to New Orleans has stopped the river’s wandering ways. Once upon a time, the mouth meandered back and forth along the coast, dropping sediment for a few centuries in one place, then moving to another. Deprived of this periodic recharge of silt, the marshes have settled, allowing saltwater to invade. When the saltwater touches a freshwater plant — from cypress to maidencane — the plant dies.
At the same time, the fabric of the marsh has been tattered by canals from the ocean to the mainland, some of them for navigation, many more for oil and gas pipelines. These conduits allow seawater to penetrate far into the freshwater vegetation, where it opens brackish bays and lets the ocean in.
It’s been estimated that 1,900 square miles of coastal wetland along the Gulf have been lost in the last century, and at current rates, another 700 square miles could disappear by 2050. That’s what business as usual costs.
Some disasters are impossible to ignore. They come at us with a roar and a ball of fire and insist on action. Over the thousands of years of human history, they’ve often ambushed us, but after we recover from the shock, we nearly always rise to the occasion.
Others come at us in slow motion. They lull us into a false sense of security, disappearing into the background of daily life. We get used to them and sometimes even convince ourselves we can live with them. They’re the ones we have to watch out for.
— Chris Madson is editor of Wyoming Wildlife. He is also a freelance writer and photographer. Contact him at chris.madson@wgf.state.wy.us.
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Building our "store" of membership, membership, membership

OWAA staff — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:16:30 +0000

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BY TONY DOLLE
Businesses that depend on a high volume of foot traffic build their stores based on the old adage of “location, location, location.” The more people that see your store, the more people who might come in your store and the more people who might make purchases at your store.
Simple. Solid. Effective. It’s their key to success.
But location isn’t the answer for OWAA. It really doesn’t matter where we house headquarters, our “store.” To that end, Missoula, Mont., works just fine.
But what’s not working so fine is OWAA’s own key to success: membership. It’s stagnant or falling or both, depending on your perspective.
A shrinking membership is the result of many things. Today, OWAA’s attrition rate is higher than normal, but then, we as a country are facing some tough economic times that aren’t normal, which are putting a strain on our traditional membership avenues. Our membership numbers are shrinking faster than we seem to be able to replace them. We have a problem building on the horizon.
We aren’t in this alone. Presidents of other media organizations – outdoor and traditional media – tell me they face the exact same thing, citing the same reason for shrinking membership as just I did.
While the new digital media market is wreaking havoc with the traditional print side of things, it is also opening up new venues for thousands of potential new members to media groups. OWAA cannot ignore these new venues, nor can we ignore these hundreds of potential new members who are utilizing digital media, many who are making a handsome living from it.
A committee headed by OWAA board member Matt Miller is putting together membership criteria for those whose work appears in digital form. Once the board and membership approve (and I’m pretty sure they will), we’ll begin focusing on this new category.
Remember, membership is the key to OWAA’s continued success.
During an April evening conference call with OWAA’s executive committee, membership was a major part of the discussion. Your officers have some pretty good ideas on halting the falling member numbers and building them back to a level that insures sustainability for OWAA.
One of those ideas is to bring back Outdoors Unlimited in a printed form and mail it to all members each month. The quarterly print version may not be enough. Even some of the staunchest supporters of a digital OU agree that having OU in their hands is a connection OWAA needs to make to keep members coming back, and as a resource for attracting new members.
Granted, there is a cost, but the executive committee feels it is worth investigating the feasibility of fitting the monthly print version of OU back into OWAA’s budget.
I promised the board I would concentrate on building OWAA’s membership base during the second half of my term and that’s what’s taking place. We are making membership a major focus of the executive committee, the board of directors and the staff.
The missing element is you. We need your help doing this. In fact, we can’t do it without you.
We’re counting on you to help us build our “store” of membership, membership, membership.
— Tony Dolle, OWAA President tdolle@ducks.org
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Headquarters has a new home

OWAA staff — Thu, 26 May 2011 17:37:32 +0000

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BY ROBIN GINER
A moving company recently dropped off a large stack of boxes and they are sitting in the reception area of OWAA’s headquarters. Pretty soon we’ll begin sifting through eleven years’ worth of the organization’s files and paraphernalia, filling those boxes as we prepare to move our headquarters to a new location here in Missoula. The Hickory Trail office is the only OWAA home I’ve known, from when Steve Wagner originally hired me back in 2000, shortly after the building was completed, to when I returned to the organization four years ago. While selling the condo — no small feat in Missoula’s current commercial real estate market — was a solid and beneficial choice, I can’t pretend I won’t be sad on May 12 when I lock those front doors for the last time.
We’re turning over ownership of the condo to a group of psychologists. A fit, I think, that compliments the professional nature of the other residents of the Hickory Trail property. Though our move may be bittersweet, it appears to be fate. The doctor purchasing our share of the building watched as the structure took shape more than a decade ago. She lived in the office’s neighborhood while finishing her degree at the University of Montana, and told herself that one day her practice would be in “that building.” Luckily for both of us, as she was looking to purchase a location for her growing practice, we were looking to sell our share of her dream location: a prairie-style building on a quiet residential street, just outside of Missoula’s busy downtown district.
Sale of our headquarters won’t leave us homeless. By the time this issue of Outdoors Unlimited is published, we will have signed a lease on a new headquarters. After looking at a number of possibilities in town, we’ve narrowed it down to two potential rental office spaces. The first is on a quiet residential street just a few blocks away from Hickory Trail, in a building housing a number of smaller businesses and artists. The other, on a decidedly busier thoroughfare, is farther outside the historic downtown area. Both will suit our needs and our budget, and in the coming days we’ll make our final decision and notify the moving company of where they’ll be hauling those boxes.
In the coming weeks, watch your mailbox and your inbox for change-of-address notifications from OWAA headquarters. We’ll miss no opportunity to let you know where you can find us next time you come rambling through Missoula or when you simply need to send something our way. Our door is always open and we look forward to your visit!
— Robin Giner, OWAA Executive Director rginer@owaa.org
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World’s largest archery tournament hosted in May by National Archery in the Schools Program

OWAA staff — Fri, 06 May 2011 20:56:56 +0000

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FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky., will host the largest archery event in the world in 2011. On May 13-14, 2011 teams from 34 states will compete for more than 300 teams and individual medals, trophies, banners and plaques. More than 400 team slots will be filled by 393 schools, with total participation eclipsing the 2010 world record attendance of 6,784.
On April 25, with a few days to the close of registration, 6,956 youth had registered. Every team registered for the tournament qualified for the National Archery in the Schools Program nationals competition at their state’s tournament.
NASP is a coed activity and this year, 33 percent of the registered participants are girls.
Teams and their parents, coaches, sponsors and fans will fill local hotels and restaurants for several days. “Flights” of shooters will dominate the more than 1,250-foot (also a world record)
target range inside the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center starting Friday morning, May 13, at 9 a.m. Competition will conclude on Saturday night, May 14, at about 6 p.m. with the “Scholarship Shoot-Off” and awards ceremony.
The event is open to the public. General admission is $5 for adults and children over the age of 12. This provides access to more than 40 exhibitors on the show floor. Exhibits range from archery-related businesses to “ adventure tourism” activities. This year the exhibit floor and the tournament are co-sponsored by the Kentucky Tourism Development Cabinet and its Adventure Tourism section.
NASP conducts this event with tremendous support from host partner, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. NASP also partners with 47 state fish and wildlife agencies and the District of Columbia in this the eighth national tournament. NASP sponsors, the National Field Archery Association and Morrell Manufacturing, are providing much of the equipment and targets to build this mammoth indoor archery range.
NASP began with 21 Kentucky middle schools in March 2002 and has grown to nearly 9000 schools and 2 million student archer-athletes this school year. This year’s tournament will be conducted with more than 100 volunteers.
A press conference and briefing will be held at noon Friday, May 13, at the Southwing of the Exposition center. For more information and press credentials, contact tbennett@nasparchery.com. For more information about volunteering, contact rgrimes@nasparchery.com.

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Genus ND Fader Filter

OWAA staff — Fri, 06 May 2011 20:49:29 +0000

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BY JON LAWTON
Neutral density filters are a popular tool for photographers. ND filters are essentially a tinted filter that, when placed in front of a lens, limits the amount of light that can pass through without affecting the color balance. They are primarily used to give a photographer more creative control over exposure. By limiting the amount of light passing through the lens, you can extend your exposure time or select a smaller aperture to capture a more shallow depth of field. ND filters are commonly available in 1-, 2-, or 3-stop densities. A filter with the greatest number of stops will block more light.
The new Genus ND Fader is an all-in-one variable neutral density filter that allows the user to dial-in up to four stops of light reduction. Until recently, a photographer might have to pur- chase two or three separate ND filters to equal the range capability of the Genus ND Fader. The ND Fader screws on to the front of your lens and is operated much like a circular polarizer. It is made up of two glass elements stacked together. The outermost element can rotate 360 degrees, allowing you to increase or decrease the amount of light that passes through the filter. The filter’s metal ring also features a thumb screw that makes it easy to adjust with precision.
The Genus ND Fader Filter ships with a protective case, two removable thumb screws and a micro fiber cleaning cloth. It is currently available in standard lens diameters ranging from 52mm to 82mm.
If you have any questions about the Genus ND Fader Filter or any other photo- related topic, please contact Jon Lawton at jlawton@wbhunt.com.
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A (very) good way to improve writing

OWAA staff — Fri, 06 May 2011 20:41:05 +0000

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BY PAUL F. VANG
I don’t remember where or from whom I picked up this bit of advice but it’s worth remembering.
When editing your writing, watch for the word “very.” It’s a weak modifier and if it shows up, either delete it or change it to “damn,” if you really think you need more emphasis.
It’s a quick and easy way to tighten your writing and make it simpler and stronger. Alas, it’s a word that sneaks into our writing because it is so commonly used. It’s a word that’s overused and overpaid. On the bright side, after writing something and you need to pare words it’s an easy target, unless, of course, it’s part of a direct quote.
Here are what some experts say about the word.
In “Elements of Style,” Strunk and White say, “Use sparingly. Where emphasis is necessary, use words strong in themselves.”
In “On Writing Well,” William Zinsser says, “‘Very’ is a useful word to achieve emphasis, but far more often it’s clutter. There’s no need to call someone very methodical. Either he is methodical or he isn’t.”
In “A Dictionary of Modern American Usage,” Bryan A. Garner describes “very” as “A weasel word … that surfaces repeatedly in flabby writing. In almost every context in which it appears its omission would result in at most a negligible loss.”
Last year I had a chat with a fellow writer about the word because it made appearances in a story he wrote. I shared the little saying and he conceded familiarity with the principle. Then he added, “I write a weekly fishing roundup column and the bait shops and marinas say they do great business when I report that ‘fishing is very good.’ I don’t think my newspaper would go for ‘damn good.’”
So, who promised that writing would be easy? From the “Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus,” here are options: exceedingly, hugely, acutely, supremely, remarkably, mightily, mega, ultra, devilishly, awful, singularly.
The word “very” has ancient roots in the Latin word for truth and has cousins in French (verai) and Italian (vero). Still, it seems (and it’s worth remembering) when a character in an Italian opera says, “Vero,” he’s usually a villain and he’s lying.
Paul F. Vang has been a freelance writer/columnist/photographer since 1995. He is also an outdoor columnist for the Butte (Mont.) Weekly. Contact him at pfvang@bresnan.net.
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Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism

OWAA staff — Fri, 06 May 2011 20:13:21 +0000

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COMPILED BY HANNAH J. RYAN
The State of the News Media: An Annual Report on American Journalism 2011
In retrospect, 2010 was a good year for news media. The major cuts to the industry seen in 2008 and 2009 were less pronounced this go round, though most traditional media outlets continue to lose readers and viewers.
This is according to the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism. In Pew’s “State of the Media 2010” report on American journalism, there were significant shifts in audiences of the various media sectors.
Audiences are moving, yet last year the only outlets to suffer actual losses in revenue were newspapers.
NEWSPAPERS
Today feels almost calm in the world of newspapers, after the 26 percent drops in advertising revenues seen in 2009. Yet, revenues still fell in 2010 by 6.3 percent and print circulation continued to drop by 5 percent in daily papers.
The State of the News Media report lists the trends of the 2010 newspaper industry that reflect the beginnings of progress, as well as some retreats and setbacks:
-Paid online content: After two years of a lot of talk and hardly any action, many newspapers are now poised for real-time experiments in charging for some Web content.
-Mobile and tablets: One of the major events in newspapers, as in other news sectors, was the move to mobile. The serial success of e-readers, Apple’s iPhone (and Google’s Android variation and others from other makers) and now, the iPad and competing devices to follow, has grabbed industry attention.
-Hyperlocal news: Five years ago, an industry mantra held that local news was the core competency of most newspapers and their developing online editions. This theory has since been derailed. First off, merchants have been slow to embrace digital advertis- ing, the majority sticking to more familiar formats like print and yellow pages. Also, many metro papers could not in fact be all that local. Lastly, in the cost-cutting frenzy of 2008 and 2009, reporting and editing positions for hyperlocal initiatives were consistently among the casualties.
-Expenses are back up, quality pinched: The past year saw a surge in expenses, which limits funding available for experiments (especially those with substantial startup costs) and for maintaining editorial quality in print and digital format. Falling newsprint prices had been a windfall saving during the tough years of 2008 and 2009. By the end of 2010 and early 2011, paper costs were back up by 20 to 30 percent.
-The new CEOs — No newspaper experience required: Look at Facebook, Craigslist, Google, Monster and Groupon, and the media giants they’ve created. (http://stateofthemedia.org/2011/newspapers-essay)
MAGAZINES
Again, this year for magazines was not as bad as it could be. The decline of this business has slowed but circulation is still down and advertising revenue is stagnant.
Yet the end of the recession clarifies some stark realities. Most magazine profes- sionals believe that the industry must finally get serious about changing a flawed eco- nomic model. It must find a way to charge readers more and rely less on advertisers for revenue. And readers, shifting to digital platforms, will be even less responsive to agreeing to subscribe to print magazines they only vaguely want.
Magazines with particularly affluent audiences such as The Economist, The Week, The New Yorker and The Atlantic continued to thrive as the advertising market improved. (http://stateofthemedia.org/2011/magazines-essay)
ONLINE
The rise of the Internet continues.
The online audience and the amount of time spent with news on the Web is increasing. Indeed, the Internet is now ahead of newspapers and closing the gap with television, and among younger consumers, the Internet has already taken the lead. However, much of the traffic to the top news destinations on the Web goes to sites that are owned by traditional media companies.
One important question with online news explores the outlet’s profitability. Online advertising revenue for all kinds of content surpassed spending on print newspapers advertising for the first time.
Audiences have shown a preference for mobile devices as a way to get digitalize news out. People can go to a single destination through an app or Internet-serviced device. (http://stateofthemedia.org/2011/online-essay)
TELEVISION
-Network news — The audience for most network news programs has fallen again, though only by single digits. But on the same note, revenues at ABC, CBS News and NBC grew by an estimated 6 percent, thanks to an improving market for television advertising.
ABC instituted sharp personnel cuts. CBS News worked its way from financial losses back to break-even. NBC prepared for new owners, the third such transition since its founding in 1926.
(http://stateofthemedia.org/2011/network-essay)
-Cable News — All three major news channels were projected to have increases in operating profits — Fox News by 27 percent, CNN (and HLN) by 7 percent and MSNBC by 8 percent, according to the market research firm SNL Kagan.
Yet audience numbers are down. During prime time, median viewership at the three channels together dropped 16 percent to an average of 3.2 million viewers, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. (http://stateofthemedia.org/2011/cable-essay)
-Local News — There was some good news for local television! Thanks to the economic recovery and a busy election year, revenues rose sharply in 2010. As more stations continued to add newscasts in new time slots, the overall audience for local TV news actually held steady and new delivery platforms, including mobile, raised hope for the future.
The newsroom makeup also changed as local stations were able to hire again in 2010 after the average number of news staffers hit a seven-year low the year be- fore. But stations are shedding high-priced anchor talent and moving to make more use of multitasking solo journalists. (http://stateofthemedia.org/2011/local-tv-essay)
All in all, the industry is changing and outdoor communications is no exception. It’s terribly important to stay up-to-date on developing innovations and to adapt one’s practices with the fluctuations. The ways of reaching one’s audience is undergoing a revolution, join it.
For the entire report, visit http://stateofthemedia.org.
— Brought up wandering in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming, Hannah J. Ryan continues to feed her curiosities by pursuing bachelor degrees in journalism and Spanish. She is the spring semester intern at OWAA headquarters. Contact her at hannahryan@owaa.org.
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Wisdom through the years

OWAA staff — Fri, 06 May 2011 20:02:39 +0000

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BY HANNAH J. RYAN
A trail-builder for Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corps, an aviation gunnery instructor for the Navy, a ploughboy and a mailman. Bill Horine has tried his hand at an extensive array of careers and he will tell you something good about each of them.
In 1934, fresh out of high school, Horine joined the CCC. For $30 a month, most of which went home to his family, Horine swung a shovel and hauled gravel to build trails, and established erosion prevention projects across his home state of Iowa.
Throughout his life Horine continued to try his hand at many trades. He worked in a restaurant, built roads in Alaska and was Master of a Masonic Lodge.

Yet it was in the 1950s that Horine’s career as an outdoor journalist began. It started with a 15-minute spot on hunting and fishing for a local radio station and developed into weekly spots on KCCI TV-8, Iowa’s largest TV station.
Once, TV-8 did a survey of its viewers, and Horine said the results “really floored” him.
“When I learned half of my viewers were female and wanted more on the other outdoor things people did, it really opened me up,” Horine said.
At this point Horine said he expanded beyond hunting and fishing stories and reported on camping, cross-country skiing, national and state parks, outdoor cooking, trails, outdoor family vacations, canoeing and bird watching.
Mark Ackelson met Horine when working at the Story County Iowa Conservation Board, which Horine was active in establishing.
As an intern for the Board, Ackelson said Horine was his first boss out of college. Ackelson worked with Horine in the creation of the Skunk River Green Belt and Hickory Grove Park, among other projects.
“Bill has an especially keen sense of the outdoors,” Ackelson said. “Outdoor education, water quality and recreation were all is- sues Bill was especially interested in.”
Ackelson went on to become the president of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, an organization for which Horine has contributed stories and photography.
Phil Larson has travelled with Horine on numerous fishing trips and reporting projects. One memorable trip took them to Churchill, Manitoba, to see the beluga whales. Both were working on stories for different publications and went out onto the Churchill River to get their shots as the whales gave birth at the river’s mouth.
Larson often attended OWAA Conferences with Horine and the 1992 conference in Bismark, N.D., stands out in Larson’s mind. Larson said Horine always has a trick up his sleeve, or in one instance, a goldfish.
In Bismark, Horine stopped into a nearby dime store before a conference cocktail party. There he purchased a goldfish with the intent to place it in a friend’s drink. But the target of his prank left the party early that evening and Horine was stuck walking around the party with a fish in his pocket.
“Someone was holding my drink for me,” Larson said, “and when I walked back to retrieve it, Bill had gotten rid of his goldfish.”
“This typifies his personality.”
Beyond his fame as a prankster, Horine is often asked to speak about an animal whose golden-eyed stare first captured his attention when doing road construction in Alaska.
“I fell in love with bald eagles on my first time to Alaska,” Horine said. “I have been there six times, as a writer and as a summer volunteer naturalist. Eagles are the greatest of all raptors as far as I am concerned.”
Reaching his 96th year, Horine is still active outdoors and in his assisted-living community, and is working on various Iowa history projects.
From nearly a century of experience, Horine said he likes to focus on the basics of the outdoors and advises those working in this industry to see beyond its commercial aspects.
“Outdoor writers need a full knowledge of all aspects of the out of doors,” Horine said. “It just isn’t a fishing and hunting thing anymore.”
— Brought up wandering in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming, Hannah J. Ryan continues to feed her curiosities by pursuing bachelor degrees in journalism and Spanish. She is the spring semester intern at OWAA headquarters. Contact her at hannahryan@owaa.org.
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The Secret's Out: Cecret Lake a great hiking destination

OWAA staff — Fri, 06 May 2011 19:46:41 +0000

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BY BRIAN BRINKERHOFF
Early July often means fireworks throughout the country, but Utah’s spectacular high elevation fireworks should just be beginning as you attend the 2011 OWAA Annual Conference at Snowbird Resort in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Colors blanket the mountainsides from late June through August and are something to savor as you hike the lush green meadows. Vista views overlooking the landscape are unforgettable and serene hidden lakes will reward you if you schedule time along these alpine trails.
Little Cottonwood Canyon offers a variety of great hiking opportunities for conference visitors. Attending the OWAA Conference without sampling a few of these nearby wonders is like visiting a fine restaurant without tasting anything on the menu. Set aside at least a half day to breathe deep the cool morning air and fill your memories with all the brilliant colors your eyes can drink in.
Albion Basin hikes are in the neighborhood of 9,000-11,000 feet and catch many visitors by surprise. It is often more rewarding to seek shorter and easier hikes unless you are sure you can handle the bigger challenges. Two of my favorite easy routes in the area include the Albion Basin Trail and Cecret Lake.
ALBION BASIN WILDFLOWERS
Early miners originally came searching for silver and gold, but today’s most striking colors fill the hillsides as summer visitors seek the vivid array of colors filling the hillsides. Above average snow- pack in 2011 should result in vibrant early July viewing, unless cool weather delays snowmelt significantly.
Albion Meadows Trail is a gentle climb through some of the most vibrant colors and fragrances of the area. The trail begins at the large lot near the Albion Day Lodge and Ski Shop. Follow the trail southeast through the pines and open meadows until you have had your fill of colors. Many families bring a picnic lunch to enjoy some- where along the route. It is also a popular romantic stroll for couples.
CECRET LAKE TO HIDDEN PEAK
“Cecret Lake,” as originally spelled by resident miners, is also spelled “Secret Lake” on some maps and is approximately 450 feet higher than the trailhead in Albion Basin. The Sunnyside Chairlift Trailhead parking area is approximately 2 miles past the town of Alta on a gravel road, suitable for two-wheel-drive vehicles.
Cecret Lake is a sparlking hidden treasure, tucked away until the end of your easy journey. Interpretive signs placed along the route help with wildflower identification. Bring insect repellant to combat mosquitoes that linger around the shoreline — especially during the morning and evening hours. Fish are not currently found in this water, although stocking is being considered. Look for salamanders in the area.
For a more aggressive adventure, experts may want to consider Cecret Lake as the first leg to the summit of Hidden Peak, by head- ing to Sugarloaf Pass, between Mount Baldy and Sugarloaf Peaks, and following the east ridge route to Baldy. The climb along this trail is approximately 1,600 vertical feet. The Mt. Baldy Trail then traverses to Hidden Peak at 11,000 feet. You can then catch a free tram ride down to Snowbird Resort (during operating hours).
ALPINE FISHING
Anglers willing to hike a few miles and climb several hundred feet can find a number of high elevation waters with fine fishing for small trout. You will want to be on the waters very early for best success. Flies and lures can be effective, although fish can be extremely wary and challenge your catching abilities.
Lakes just east of Albion Basin through Catherine Pass include Lake Mary (lake trout and brook trout), Lake Catherine (brook) and Twin Lakes (Bonneville cutthroat). Fishing pressure is relatively limited with general limits and regulations.
In Big Cottonwood Canyon, Lakes Blanche, Florence and Lillian all have brook trout. Silver Lake at the top of the Big Cottonwood Canyon highway offers some easy brook and rainbow trout fishing. A level boardwalk stroll is popular here.
Below Snowbird in Little Cottonwood Canyon at the White Pine Trailhead, a hike to Red Pine Lake and White Pine Lake can also be worth a visit for those wanting to wet a line. Each hike will require some effort and most anglers plan an overnight camp to ensure prime fishing opportunities. Anglers can also be found in Little Cottonwood Creek throughout the canyon bottom after spring runoff subsides.
WILDLIFE
Mule deer frequent the entire area, but common wildlife also includes moose in the wetlands and mountain goats in the rocky crags. Other wildlife viewing opportunities include a myriad of insects, squirrels, salamanders, porcupines, songbirds, humming- birds and raptors.
TIPS AND REMINDERS
Start early. You will want to be on the trail before sunrise or in the early evening to beat the heat. Plan enough time to adjust to the altitude as you hike. Return before dark.
Stay hydrated. Summer months can be hot and dry. Many folks underestimate the amount of water they need. Bring extra.
Be Prepared. Be ready for brilliant sunshine and adverse weather conditions. Sunblock is a must to prevent a burn at this elevation. Pay attention to rapidly changing weather in the high country. Let others know where you are going and when you plan on returning. Consider technology that will allow you to connect with others in case of emergencies, such as the Spot Satellite Messenger.
Maps: USGS Brighton.
Jurisdiction: Wasatch National Forest.
— Brian Brinkerhoff is host of “Backcountry Utah,” Utah’s outdoor radio magazine on the Backcountry Radio Network. He co-authored “Best Easy Day Hikes Salt Lake City,” second edition. He is also host of Utah Outdoor Adventure Expo. Contact him at radio@backcountrynetwork.com.
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