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Show Caves in the cold Snow caves give opportunity to enjoy outdoors in zero-degree weather NATALI Z O L U N G E R , JUNIOR I N GEOLOGY and employee at the Outdoor Recreation Center, demonstrates the basic equipment used when snow caving. Snow caving is a popular activity during the winter months. PETE P. SMITHSUTH photo BySETH BRACKEN staff writer Inflatable sleeping pad, $4. Compact camp stove and cooking set, $10. Zero-degree sleeping bag, $12. Sleeping in a personal igloo-like cave, priceless. There's snow on the ground and now is the time to sleep in it. It's an unforgettable experience and almost anyone can do it, said Paul Bowman, Outdoor Recreation Center (ORC) employee. There are two main types of snow caves: a regular snow cave that is dug into an already existing snow bank, and a quinsy, where snow is mounded and a cave is built into it, Bowman said. "The quinsy is just like an igloo, except no blocks," he said. "You go in the very bottom and you dig up, making two sleeping benches." The quinsy can be built anywhere, even in a backyard. The other type of snow cave is a little more difficult to find. A common place in Logan Canyon is where the snowplows are stored, just past Beaver Mountain Resort, but before the summit, said Chris Brothersen, another ORC employee. It can be built wherever there is a mound of snow big enough to tunnel into. Brothersen said it's vital to have an arched snow cave so that when it heats up inside, the melting snow has a way to run off the cave and not pile up and bring the roof crashing in. "With a couple of candles going, it can be toasty. It can be up to 40 degrees inside," Brothersen said. "The real key is a real high arch and keeping an eye on the air." Brothersen also said when digging out the cave, he stabs sticks that are about a foot long into the walls so that he knows how much snow to dig out of the cave. The walls should be about a foot thick all around but there should be one or two small holes in the top to allow for air flow. Oxygen levels can easily be checked with a lighter. When the lighter is burning, there should be more yellow flame than blue flame, because oxygen burns yellow. Brothersen said campers need to make sure they bring a sleeping bag that can go to zero degrees or lower, a sleeping pad to keep it from getting wet, a camp stove and an extra complete outer layer of clothing to change into after digging the cave because it is easy to get wet while digging. Another tip Brothersen offered was to bring a small sled to pull the snow out of the cave and away from the cave. The key is to be prepared and anyone can have a great time building their own snow cave, Brothersen said. -seth.bracken@aggiemai!. usu. edu Indulge and judge at chocolate festival By COURTNIE PACKER features editor If chocolate is involved, anyone can have a good time. The 22nd annual Valentine's Chocolate Festival will be Saturday, Feb. 7, at 6:30 p.m. at the Bullen Center, located 43 S. Main in Logan. The chocolate event gives individuals the opportunity to indulge and judge some of the valley's finest dessert creations donated by amateur and professional chefs. Colleen O'Neill, member of the festival's organizing committee, said the chefs' creations are judged according to categories, ranging from teen entries, parent and child collaborations and a potpourri category, which O'Neill said allows items such as pies, tarts and other nontraditional uses of chocolate. The festival is put on every year as a fundraiser for Logan Planned Parenthood. O'Neill said Planned Parenthood is an organization which provides men and women low-cost reproductive health care. She said more than 3,000 individuals have used this service in the Cache Valley. O'Neill said after purchasing a ticket for the festival, attendees receive a book filled with nine coupons. Each coupon can be exchanged for one item of dessert. A silent auction will also be taking place during the public tasting. The silent auc- tion continues until 8 p.m. At the conclusion of the silent auction, the award-winning dessert will be removed from the silent auction and placed into the live auction. O'Neill said all winning desserts will receive prizes from donors throughout the community. Peggy Neuber has been participating in the chocolate festival for more than 15 years and said participating and donating to Planned Parenthood has been a rewarding experience for her. "This event is good because it helps educate people on family planning," she said. "It is great fun because there are a lot of people having fun, and you can't have a bad time when chocolate is involved." Neuber said she has placed many entries into the chocolate festival over the years and now takes part in planning and organizing. Neuber said she even volunteers as a dessert model during the live auction. She said her job is to model the award-winning desserts to help raise money for Planned Parenthood. It is not too late for anyone interested in participating in the chocolate festival. O'Neill said individuals need to fill out the entry form found on their Web site, www.thechocolatefestival.org, and creations can be submitted beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the Bullen Center. However, O'Neill said creations that involve perishable food such as raw eggs A C H O C O L A T E CAKE IS one of many chocolate creations from last year's annual Valentine's Chocolate Festival.The event is a fundraiser for Logan Planned Parenthood, an organization which provides men and women low-cost reproductive health care, photo courtesy COLLEEN O'NEILL or items that require refrigeration will not be accepted. O'Neill said each applicant needs to bring two of their creations. She said one creation will be cut up in small pieces for the public to taste and the other will be auctioned off. Neuber said she encourages everyone to participate because of the fun and social atmosphere. "There is nothing better to do on a dreary winter night/' she said. "Chocolate will bring up your spirits and help you make it through 'til spring." Tickets for the Valentine's Chocolate Festival are available at the door for $5. For more information about the event or to enter an entry, visit www.thechocolatefestival.org. -courtnic.packer@aggiemail.usu.edu |