News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 260 - 284 of 363
When friends asked if I wanted to hike up Maxwell Butte, I said, "Sure!" Then I asked, "Where's that?" It turns out that Maxwell Butte is just a couple of miles northwest of the Santiam "Y" on Highway 22. Having hiked it now, I know why it's been overlooked on most lists of local favorites. From the trailhead, it's 4.8 miles and 2,500 vertical feet to the summit of Maxwell Butte. For the first four miles, it's relentlessly uphill. And then it gets steep. Officials from the Willamette National Forest are uncertain of the origi... Full story
Fish Lake, just over the Santiam Pass, is poised to perform its annual vanishing act. At the beginning of this month, the lake was full to the brim and overflowing down Fish Lake Creek to Clear Lake and the McKenzie River. By summer's end, however, the lake will be replaced by a wildflower-filled meadow. The lake's peculiar geology causes this unusual annual phenomenon. Each year, the lake's basin fills with snowmelt; but the underlying lava and volcanic soils are so porous... Full story
Exploring the Lower Metolius River didn't turn out to be quite what I was expecting. In its entirety it is more of an expedition than I was willing to undertake in a day. There are two ways you can begin this adventure. You can hike the road, which is sometimes a fair distance from the river; or you can beat the brush along the river's edge. According to most maps, there is a distinct 12-mile trail all the way from Bridge 99 at Lower Bridge Campground to Monty Campground just... Full story
Perhaps three to five million years ago, the rocks of Green Ridge were laid down. More recently (1.5 million years ago), the Cascade mountains formed. Ensuing pressure along north-south fault lines eventually lifted the older rocks of Green Ridge to form the magnificent miles-long hillside that cradles the Metolius River against the Cascade slopes. When Black Butte rose up, a mere half-million years ago, it plugged the south end of that trough, thereby ensuring that the... Full story
Way back in March, people began asking me if I'd hiked the Lower Whychus Creek trail yet. Even though it was on my to-do list last year, I had to confess that I still hadn't. I made up for that oversight last month. Perhaps because of the very public efforts to restore Whychus Creek and its historic salmon and steelhead runs, interest in the creek has been soaring. As a result, people are exploring it more - and that includes the lower reaches northeast of Sisters. The trail... Full story
It's not every day that we get a brand-new trail in the area; so, when I heard about the new Lake Creek Trail, a friend and I decided to try it out. Plus, this is in the snow-free zone, so it's a good early season hike that is easy and also suitable for trail bikes. We decided to take the downhill direction and started at the Suttle Lake trailhead, which starts at The Lodge at Suttle Lake. We parked at the public area just across the Lake Creek Bridge. Officially, the trail... Full story
In spite of a lackluster snow year, so far there is no early access to high country trails. In fact, cool temperatures and May precipitation have actually added to the snowpack at higher elevations. The mid-April snow line had retreated to an elevation of about 4,000 feet. Now, in early June, snow cover is reported to still be as low as 4,800 feet. In areas of heavy shade or northern exposure, it may be even lower. Conversely, ground may already be exposed higher up in the... Full story
The newly completed Scout Camp Trail takes off from Crooked River Ranch and is VERY difficult. If you don't like steep terrain, cliff edges, and heights, you would be well advised to stay away from this one. There is even a spot where it is necessary to climb a vertical rock wall about eight feet high. That said, this short three-mile hike offers some of the best river canyon scenery in Central Oregon. Naturally, we tend to associate Crooked River Ranch with, well, the... Full story
This time of year I'm always on the lookout for an interesting, snow-free hike in the lower elevations. I found one. I had planned to hike the Burma Road from Smith Rock State Park and loop around behind Smith Rock and come back on the river route. Instead, a buddy suggested that we come in from a trail that starts at the base of Gray Butte, about four miles to the east. We dropped my truck at the State Park and took my friend's rig on a series of left turns that lead to the S... Full story
An irrigation piping project currently underway by the Three Sisters Irrigation District (TSID) promises to be the final piece in a decades-old puzzle of how to restore salmon and steelhead runs to Whychus Creek. The project will transform nearly four miles of the open and leaky principal irrigation diversion into a sealed, watertight pipeline. Since the 19th century, local farms and ranches have diverted irrigation water from Whychus Creek (formerly Squaw Creek). At times,... Full story
"It's been a good journey," said Steve Rollins after closing a business that has been a part of the Sisters community for more than 35 years. "Times are hard," he said, "and I'm not getting any younger." The prospect of turning 60 soon seems to have also played a role in Rollins' decision to bring down the curtain on a career he began when he was in his 20s. Rollins started his car repair shop back in the 1970s where Sisters Feed & Supply is now and later in the old Texaco... Full story
Sisters Kiwanis is part of an international service organization committed to enhancing communities. Occasionally, Kiwanis has a guest speaker with information of such interest that the programs are thrown open to the community. Last week, one such presentation discussed the growing problem of modern piracy on the high seas. David Hiller is a local naval architect and marine engineer with personal experience in the field of piracy. No, he's not a pirate, himself; but he has been on board ships that were boarded by pirates.... Full story
After many years of planning, and more than a year of just waiting, the landmark Glaze Forest Restoration Project finally got underway last month - only to be halted last week by unfavorable weather conditions. The work suspension was not on account of severe winter weather. In fact, it was just the opposite. Temperatures were too warm to continue the delicate work in the forest. Because of the ecological sensitivity of important riparian lands and rare plants within the... Full story
Starting next week, the Sisters Chorale is set to begin a new season leading up to their annual spring concert, which will be held on an as- yet-to-be-determined date in May. The singers have been on break since performing Christmas concerts at Sisters Community Church last month. Irene Liden serves as director of the local community choir and has already put together a tentative list of selections for the new term. "The music will be a coupe of musical theater pieces," said... Full story
In spite of winter conditions, the U.S. Forest Service is continuing its proactive fire management program in the wildland forest interface near Sisters. Currently being targeted is a 600-foot-wide strip of forestland running nearly seven miles all the way from behind the Lazy Z Ranch to Gist Road. In all, the project encompasses approximately 500 acres. Last week, David Elpi, of Sisters Forest Products, and fellow contractor Keith Ross were operating brush mowers off... Full story
Last year there were two separate performing choirs in Sisters. This year, there is one really big one. The Sisters Community Choir, with a history going back nearly 20 years, has joined forces with the more recently established High Desert Chorale to become the Sisters Chorale. Under the direction of Irene Liden, the combined choir of 58 singers will present its inaugural performances on two different dates this coming weekend. The chorale will perform on Friday evening,... Full story
The Gospel Choir of the Cascades is coming to Sisters. This relatively new Central Oregon choir was formed only two years ago and has already grown to more than 40 members. Gospel Choir Director, Julie Eberhard, is looking forward to bringing the group to Sisters. "The Gospel Choir has always wanted to perform in Sisters," said Eberhard. "Sisters is a great place for the arts, and there are so many talented musicians who live there, so we are really excited to perform among... Full story
Everyone understands that the U.S. Flag is to be treated with respect, but most people do not know what should be done with a tattered or worn out flag that has outlived its usefulness. The Sisters posts of the American Legion and VFW and the Boy Scouts of Troop 188 answered that question at a special ceremony held last week at Sisters City Hall. With a turnout that seemed to surprise even the organizers, an overflow crowd packed City Hall for a patriotic ceremony that brought together active-duty military, veterans, scouts... Full story
For generations, the Christmas tree has been a familiar symbol of the holiday season; and, for many Americans, this means a trip to the local Christmas tree lot down at the corner or to the parking lot of a super store. This type of tree hunt, however, hasn't always been the norm; and for people who live in places like Sisters, there is a more "traditional" option. With thousands of acres of National Forest surrounding Sisters, obtaining the annual Christmas tree can become... Full story
The bulldozers, graders and other heavy equipment have completed preliminary meadow restoration work at the Deschutes Land Trust's Camp Polk Meadow Preserve for this year. The past and future channel of Whychus Creek was located, mapped, and gouged out. Since then, however, the more delicate phase of replanting the project has been underway; and it will be another couple of years before the full force of the stream is sent down the restored route. Nearly 50 years ago, the... Full story
Last week, a group of dedicated volunteers from the Sisters Trails Alliance declared the Peterson Ridge trail system complete. "This is it," said Trails Chairman John Rahm, "It completes the basic trail system as approved by the Forest Service. This finishes it." With snow already covering parts of the work area, last week's work party finished an 18-month project that added 20 new miles of trail in the Peterson Ridge area. The last three miles of the work were completed in... Full story
Forest Service officials are warning hikers to be wary of the possibility of falling dead trees on forest trails. With higher winds kicking up as winter approaches, thousands of fire- and insect-killed trees may pose a hazard to hikers. Despite the fact that most trails were cleared of downed trees over the course of the summer, the trees are continuing to fall. As the dead trees rot and deteriorate, the rate of falling windblown trees will likely accelerate as time goes on and, the more the wind blows, the more the danger... Full story
The Deschutes Land Trust still has a long path to tread before the Skyline Community Forest becomes a reality. But if wishes counted for anything, it would already be a done deal. Earlier this year, the Oregon Legislature approved a potential land deal that would bring 30,000 acres of the Bull Springs Tree Farm under the stewardship of the Deschutes Land Trust. Although planning and negotiations are moving forward, no deal has yet been struck to change the property's... Full story
Last week's benefit for impoverished Mexican children, hosted by Sisters Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, was a huge success. More than 200 people packed the church's community hall for a program showcasing John Muir, his writings, and his philosophy. With an overflow crowd spilling into the church hallways, Don Baldwin, a retired Methodist minister from California, entertained the assemblage with his portrayal of John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club and pioneer of... Full story
Don't give up on hiking season yet, there are still many places to explore. About five miles west of Sisters High School, there is a green road sign pointing toward Scott Pass Trailhead. In 1862, Felix Scott, Jr. assembled a crew of 40 men to drive over a thousand head of stock from the Willamette Valley into eastern Oregon, and this is the route they chose. Today we can drive our cars to within 3.5 miles of the place where Scott crossed the Cascade crest, lending his name to... Full story
