Ahh sunshine. Feels great as I sit here and get ready to gear up for a long weekend. Will we have it all weekend? Mostly! Friday will be cloudy with some scattered showers, minus the thunderstorms that are likely to pop up this afternoon. After that, partly to mostly sunny with highs in the upper 60s and low 70s this weekend.

I’m heading out to an annual gathering of friends and friends of friends that I’ve been going to for the last 20 years, called Goose Creek. Don’t bother searching the maps, it’s the name of the event not the place. And for the sake of privacy, mine and everyone else who attends, I have to go all Dick Cheney on you and let Goose Creek remain a secret and undisclosed location. Music, morel mushroom hunting and merriment are on the docket. Can’t wait!

For those who are heading to the high hills for some climbing or back-country skiing in the Cascades this weekend… be aware! All the cold weather has dumped feet of new snow above 6,000 feet and the avalanche conditions will be ripe under the strong late May sun. We’ve had some horrific tragedies in the Cascades this time of year. It’s a popular time of year to climb, but the conditions are changing as the snowpack transitions from winter to warm, and things like cornices, snow-bridges and steep snow slopes start to loosen up. You don’t want to be there when they do. Not to mention increased rockfall as ice melts around them. So be careful in the back-country! And have fun and email cool pics to me at

mzaffino@kgw.com

If you’re staying in town this weekend, check out this show Sunday at Doug Fir Lounge: Sarah Dougher opening for The Mountain Goats. Sarah is the musical director for the Portland Flash Choir, of which I am a member. She rocks! We perform June 9 at the Lake Oswego Library. Why not? More on that in future posts. Sarah is opening for The Mountain Goats, from North Carolina. They sound interesting too. Have a great weekend!

Happy Trails,

Matt Zaffino