Out & About

OUTLAST

Forest giants fall to storms

Severe storms the past two winters have been the last straw for some of the biggest trees and oldest living things in Oregon and Washington.

A December storm snapped the largest recognized Sitka spruce in the United States: the 206-foot tall Klootchy Creek Giant east of Seaside that formed the backdrop for countless tourist photos.

That leaves Washington’s Olympic National Forest Lake Quinault spruce — 191 feet tall and nearly 59 feet in circumference — as the nation’s largest Sitka spruce, according to American Forests, keeper of the National Big Tree Register.

The Oregon Big Tree Registry says the loss of the Klootchy tree has crowned a new state champion Sitka spruce, a 144-footer (the top blew out 100 years ago) with a 48-foot circumference at Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint.

The Klootchy Creek Giant was believed to be 700-750 years old, having prouted from a seed on the forest floor around the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215.

Only two tress of that vintage are known to have survived age, weather and old-growth logging in Oregon, as well as just a handful in Washington.

OUTDO

Fest for rescues

The 2008 Priest Lake Huckleberry Festival, coming up at Priest Lake Golf Course on Saturday, isn’t just about food and fun.

Sponsored by Priest Lake Search & Rescue, Inc., the music and events help raise money for the equipment area volunteers use in bringing happy endings to mountain emergencies.

Enjoy the arts and crafts fair, food, commercial booths, bluegrass music from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and “Blues on the Green” music starting at 6 p.m.

Preregister for the special golf tournament and dinner.

Info: Mike Nielsen, (208) 443-6603 or e-mail huckfestgolf@gmail.com.

OUTLOOK

Best fishing times

Lunar tables from the U.S. Naval Observatory. Be fishing at least one hour before and one hour after peak times. Applies to all time zones.

(* indicates best days.)

Through Aug. 3

Today

8:25 a.m., 8:55 p.m.

Monday

9:25 a.m., 9:55 p.m.

Tuesday

10:30 a.m., 11 p.m.

*Wednesday

11:35 a.m., 12:05 p.m.

*Thursday

12:35 p.m., 1 a.m.

Friday

1:30 p.m., 1:55 a.m.

Saturday

2:25 p.m., 2:45 a.m.

Next Sunday

3:10 p.m., 3:30 a.m.

See the Hunting-Fishing Report every Friday in the S-R’s Sports section.