Spencer Butte

January 1, 2005

Andy Jobanek (a junior at SEHS) led a hike up Spencer Butte on New Year’s Day, 2005. It was snowing as we neared the summit. We celebrated the New Year with sparkling apple cider toasts. Someone Asked the question about what Obsidians usually did on New Year’s Day. We knew that a hike up Spencer Butte used to be a traditional outing.

Back home I called Rick Ahrens, our esteemed historian, and then I checked the records on our website. Rick said that the first New Year’s outing was 1927/28 at the McKenzie Hotel. They skied and snowshoed at Lost Creek Ranch. Beginning in 1928 for around ten years or so, they held their parties at the Lewis Cabin up the McKenzie; many people attended these events. One year they went to McCredie Hot Springs Hotel. There are also records that they held parties at the Belknap Lodge.

—Jan Jacobsen

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