By Patricia Filip

Over the last 25 years, the Mother’s Day weekend trek to Shasta Lake in Northern California has developed into an Oregon State tradition — much as the nickel hops, Trysting Tree and pajama parades were to previous generations. In fact, the trips to Shasta Lake were called “Oregon State’s one true tradition” in a 2004 article in the Daily Barometer by columnist Mike Nierengarten. “Shasta is the best kind of tradition, one that unites people from all factions of life. Whether on a Diet Shasta boat, wakeboarding behind a ski boat or on a houseboat with 12 kegs, you are a student of Oregon State,” he wrote. In light of a series of accidents at the lake, however, many are saying it’s time for that tradition to stop.