News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 276 - 300 of 363
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
As part of a continuing outreach program to impoverished children in Mexico, Sisters Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration has launched a drive to collect Spanish-language children's books. Church members hope to put together their next book shipment around the first of November. The local Episcopal church has partnered with the First Congregational Church of San Rafael, California, in the Every Dollar Feeds Kids (EDFK) program. Acknowledging that the first step in... Full story
When last week's early snowstorm turned everything white, a lot of hikers feared that the hiking season might be over. However, according to a status report released last week by Forest Service trails specialist Chris Sabo, that's not necessarily the case. For the rest of the season, of course, everything hinges on the day-to-day status of the weather. At last report, most trails below 6,000 feet were not only passable but in good condition. In fact, the moisture went a long w... Full story
On Sunday, October 18, the Sisters Knights of Columbus Roundtable will host their annual Oktoberfest. Although this will be the Knights' Fifth Annual Oktoberfest, it will also be a year of firsts: the first time the event will be held at the church itself; the first year with a live German band; the first year that local beer will be featured; and the first time it's actually been held in October. Event organizer, John Ries, said the annual Oktoberfest is the local Knights'... Full story
According to his biography, John Muir, famed American naturalist and founder of the Sierra Club, has been dead for nearly a century. However, a group of local advocates for children in Mexico say that won't keep Muir from showing up in Sisters. Don Baldwin, a retired Methodist minister, will portray Muir in a unique two-part program that begins with "John Muir in Person." Baldwin, in costume as John Muir, will relate stories, history, philosophy, and events from the personal... Full story
As part of an ongoing outreach to expand membership and participation, the Sisters Trails Alliance is hosting a fundraising and membership dinner on Tuesday, October 6, at Jen's Garden. The alliance is made up of community volunteers and businesses working together to make Sisters a better place to live by creating a network of trails that provide recreation and transportation options, while fostering health, wellness, community participation and aesthetics. Since 2001, the local organization has been creating and... Full story
"Wow! This is the best hike of the year!" Those were the words spoken by a member of our party after we reached the crest of the last glacial moraine separating us from the eastern base of the North Sister. We set out on this hike not really knowing what to expect. None of us had been into this area before. One trail book reports the trail to be "faint and unmarked," and it doesn't show up at all on most maps. We expected a lot of bushwhacking and route searching, but none of... Full story
Scott Mountain is an overlooked destination that offers one of the best views of the western side of the Three Sisters that you're likely to see. The trailhead for Scott Mountain takes off from the McKenzie Highway just a few miles beyond the pass. At 6,116 feet, this "mountain" offers sweeping views of the Cascades from an entirely different perspective than we usually see. The trail begins, appropriately enough, at the Scott Lake Campground. The hike has so many highlights... Full story
Hiking to Camp Lake isn't exactly a casual outing. If the Chambers Lakes are added in, it's a monster day hike. The first objective, Camp Lake, sits 7.1 miles up a trail that takes off from Pole Creek Trailhead, about a dozen miles southwest of Sisters. That makes a 14.2-mile round trip if you stop there. Hiking literature lists the trail to Camp Lake as difficult, but that's really only because it's so darn long. The trail itself is good, and the 1,800-foot elevation gain is... Full story
The hike to Cabot Lake is a nice little jaunt of less than four miles round trip. The most rewarding option on this trail, however, is to hike all the way to Carl Lake. Add in a little lakeside exploration, and you've got yourself a very respectable 10-miler! All of this hike is tucked away in the heart of the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness Area. Carl Lake itself sits upon the shoulders of the mountain. Hikers enter the wilderness only a couple hundred yards from the trailhead parki... Full story
When looking up at Broken Top from Sisters, have you ever noticed the prominent rock outcropping on the left shoulder of the mountain? Well, it's called Broken Hand, and that's where we're headed on today's hike. In geological - or mountaineering - parlance, a rock pinnacle on a ridge, such as Broken Hand, is termed a gendarme. From the French word for policeman or guard, this type of gendarme guards the approach to the summit. This rewarding climb builds on last week's hike... Full story
There are three kinds of "real" Sisters hikers: those who have hiked up to Tam McArthur Rim, those who will hike it, and those who are up there right now while you're just sitting there reading about it. Looking up to the mountains from Sisters, Tam McArthur Rim is the high ridge visible below and to the left of Broken Top. Three Creek Lake is one of those places we routinely share with visitors from out of town and is the jumping-off point for this hike. The lake is easy enou... Full story
As with life, hiking isn't necessarily about the destination. It's about what you experience along the way. On several recent hikes, I've noticed a variety of tree burls and decided to look into the phenomenon a little more closely. Burls are peculiar growths on tree trunks, branches, and roots. Usually, burls have a bulbous appearance and may appear simply as unobtrusive bumps. In other cases, they can become large, misshapen tumor-like protuberances larger than the tree... Full story
Let's call this an "entry- level" hike. If you're looking for a walk in the woods that's a little more challenging than a sidewalk but still suitable for toddlers, Little Three Creek Lake might be just the ticket. My three-year-old daughter didn't have any problem with this trail; although in the interest of full disclosure, I should probably point out that that was 33 years ago. This outing might also be a good choice for your visiting out-of-town relatives who consider... Full story
Now that the snow is clearing out of the high country, new hiking opportunities are opening up with each passing week. One hike at the top of my to-do list for this year was the loop trail into the Patjens Lakes. The last time I hiked into the Patjens Lakes, I was single, 21 years old, and about to enter into active duty with the U.S. Coast Guard during the Viet Nam War. When I hiked back out that day, one of those things had changed. I was engaged. That was over 40 years ago,... Full story
Kirk Flannigan arrived in Sisters last week to take on a new Forest Service job heading the recreation, heritage, lands and minerals staff for the Sisters Ranger District. "About 85 percent of my work will be in recreation," Flannigan said. "That's campgrounds, trails, wilderness, leased cabins...." Originally from Georgia, Flannigan headed west not too long after high school and ended up in Utah. An avid skier, he spent the last 15 years as a self-described "ski bum,"... Full story
The first, and most dramatic, phase of the Deschutes Land Trust's restoration of Whychus Creek at Camp Polk is expected to be completed by the end of this week. Strangely, in an area dedicated as a nature preserve, heavy equipment is currently carving up the landscape. For several weeks now, the land trust has been engaged in a "groundbreaking" effort to restore their Camp Polk Meadow Preserve, and an important section of Whychus Creek, to a recreated natural ecosystem. More t... Full story
