When was the last time you participated in a scavenger hunt in the forest? It’s become an annual tradition for the Willamette Valley Visitors Association to host an ornament contest in both the Willamette and Umpqua National Forests. 200 wooden ornaments have been placed along non-wilderness trails in both forests and are ready to be discovered by hikers.
This year the colorful ornaments are made by Portland-based company 20 Leagues, and feature a Willamette valley sunrise in a frame shaped like the state of Oregon.
If you find an ornament, register it online to be entered in the giveaway. The ornament will have an ID number located on the back that will be needed when registering. Registration must be submitted online by Jan. 1, 2022 to be included in the drawing. No matter how tempted you are to go looking for more, only one ornament may be registered per household.
This year, the grand prize is a $500 gift certificate to Chehalem Ridge B&B, plus a $100 gift card to spend at local businesses in McMinnville. There are three other prizes for the runner-ups: a $75 gift card to spend in Corvallis and two tickets to the Benton County Historical Society’s Corvallis Museum, $150 gift certificate to Our Table Cooperative, and a family pass for the Cascades Raptor Center.
Any remaining ornaments will be picked up by forest rangers by January 15.
By Momoko Baker
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