Skiing and golfing don’t have to be opposite season sports

By BEN OLSON/for The Herald  —  How many places are there where you could go skiing in the morning and play golf in the afternoon? It happened once in Wisconsin, but neither the golf or skiing were done in optimum conditions. It was right about this time of year. The only snow left to be found was in white strips beside the chairlift and rope tow. The greens on the golf course hadn’t been mowed since October. In Sauk County, where this took place, there was less than a thousand feet difference between the highest and lowest points in the county.

Highest point in Lane County?

Here in Lane County, there is a much larger differential. I knew that our county was at sea level on the west side. What was the highest point? I wrongly assumed that it was Diamond Peak, which rises to 8,748 feet. It was named for John Diamond, who, along with William Macy, were the first people to ascend it in 1852. With a little research, it was determined that the South Sister, also known as Charity, is found within Lane County. The tallest of the 3 Sisters, Charity reaches an altitude of 10,358 feet.

This got me thinking about which counties in the U.S. had a greater difference between the lowest and highest points. It turns out that Lane County isn’t even tops in our state. That distinction belongs to Clackamas County, where Mt. Hood is located. While it doesn’t have any seashore, Clackamas County contains the lower end of the Willamette River, which is only 10 feet above sea level at that point. The difference between the lowest and highest points there is 11,229 feet.

Let’s look at the other states

That doesn’t beat Arizona, though.  Humphreys Peak, in Coconino County, rises to 12,633 feet, with the Colorado River to the north at 1,380 feet. This isn’t as great as Clark County, Nevada, to the west. Charleston Peak is 11,915 feet above sea level, and the low point is, once again the Colorado River, now down to 479 feet above sea level.

Next on the list is Hawaii County, which makes up the entirety of the “Big Island”. Its sea level all the way around and 13,796 foot tall Mauna Kea in the middle. That doesn’t match Pierce County in Washington state, though. Pierce County includes a stretch of seashore and 14,410 foot tall Mount Rainier. None of those, however, top California’s Inyo County, which has both the highest and lowest points in the continental U.S. That county is home to Mount Whitney, at 14,494 feet in elevation and Badwater Basin in Death Valley, which is 282 feet below sea level.

And at the top of the list…

None of these counties holds a candle to Denali Borough in Alaska, though. The tallest mountain in North America is found there. Mt. McKinley, or Denali, as it is now permanently named, rises to a height of 20,320 feet. In that same borough the Kantishna River is a mere 385 feet above sea level. The differential between the highest and lowest places is a staggering 19,935 feet.

Can you go skiing in the morning and play golf in the afternoon there? Most of the year, that would be impossible. You certainly could find a place to strap your backcountry skis on anytime you get a hankering. Because much of the area is roadless, though, the logistics may foil your plans. The golf season is short there, and there is only one option. There is a 9 hole course in Healy near milepost 247 on the George Parks Highway, the road that connects Anchorage and Fairbanks.

Black Diamond Golf has a short season, however, opening in early June and shutting down with the first snowfall in September. Although it is often shrouded in clouds, Denali is a spectacular sight on a clear day, and can be seen from the golf course.

Oakridge may still be your best bet

I do like my options for skiing and golfing on the same day right here in Oakridge, though. It appears that I’ll be able to find a place or two to get out on the cross country skis well into June this year. I’ll have to drive up to the pass for that. By then they’ll be mowing the greens at the Circle Bar Golf Club just about every day and the herd of elk will have moved to higher pastures. We certainly have some great recreational options here in our spot on the map.