[pct-l] OR and WA resupply recs

[wayneskraft at comcast.net (Wayne Kraft)]

Here's something to consider regarding some of these little resorts,  
at least in Oregon: they are treasured.  There are people who come  
back to them year after year and will continue to do so no matter how  
high the  price, how poor the service, how rude the proprietor.  One  
of my best buddies has this sort of thing going with Shelter Cove.   
He has fond memories of the place from annual visits during his  
childhood in the 50's and he wanted his kids to have the same  
experience.  During the late 80's and early 90's we went there with  
our families every summer and fished for Kokanee.  We met the same  
people there year after year.  We would all get together at the store  
before we left and make next year's reservation.  If we didn't the  
place would be booked.  We went through a couple of owners (not the  
current owner who I've never met) and they were the worst business  
people I have ever seen.  When a particular commodity was in short  
supply, like ice for example, would they put in extra stocks and  
maybe increase the price a bit?  No! They would ration it and get  
really nasty if you wanted to buy more than they thought you needed.   
And ask them to fill the gas tank on your boat with their overpriced  
fuel and you would think you've asked them to march to hell and back.  
Nonetheless, people come back year after year.  Odell Lake Resort at  
the opposite end of the lake from Shelter Cove is another place  
people love.  I recall a divorce proceeding in which next year's  
reservation for New Year's Eve at Odell Lake Resort was a hotly  
contested item.  Some people feel the same way about Olallie Lake.   
How can I explain it?  There's  a special spot in the lake where you  
fished with your grandad, who passed away a few years back, but when  
you anchor out there and put a hook in the water its like grandad is  
still there with you.  So the owner's a drunk?  What's that compared  
to your great memories of a great place?  So, my point is that some  
of these resort owners are really under no pressure to please  
anybody. The addicted will return no matter what.  They can treat  
everyone bad.  I've spent hundreds of dollars in a few days at  
Shelter Cove (not under the current management) only to be treated  
like scum.  I can only imagine how transient hiker trash were treated  
by the same folks.

Wayne Kraft
Former Kokanee Hunter


On Nov 15, 2005, at 5:53 PM, Lonetrail@aol.com wrote:

>
> The owner has the reputation of over indulging in spirits which  
> effect his
> mind set. He can be completely obnoxious one moment the next he  
> will give you
> his shirt of his back. I found this to be true with several other  
> owners of
> back  country resorts. Maybe living in isolation they tend to bit  
> the hand that
> feeds  them. I know one that horns onto our post and its enough to  
> make any
> back  county owner  paranoid of us backpackers. He will email me  
> and curse  the
> hell out of us. I walked into one small store and the owner  
> immediately
> strapped on a forty-five. I know we smell bad, look bad but what  
> the hell. He
> later rode me to the trail head with his forty-five at his side. We  
> drove by
> another store he bitched about that we backpackers buy from and not  
> his. I  wonder
> why.
>
>
> Lonetrail
>
>
> Fact, Olallie Lake Resort might not be accepting hiker packages   
> anymore.
> I called the owner a few months ago.  He was very irritated  that I (I
> identified myself as a PCT hiker) was taking up his time.  He  said  
> to call
> back after May 2006 to see if he's decided to take packages or  not.
>
>
>
>
>
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