News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 85 - 109 of 363
At one time or another, almost everyone makes a pilgrimage of patriotism to Mt. Rushmore. While much of South Dakota is eminently forgettable, there are lots of things to do and see in South Dakota's Black Hills. So, once there, don't just gaze at the massive stone faces of the presidents and leave. Devote some time to take in all that the Black Hills have to offer. The Black Hills have been revered by Native Americans for hundreds of years; and, in the mad rush of... Full story
Quite often, I am asked to recommend a hike that can be enjoyed by small children or people with limited mobility. So, occasionally, I like to feature a hike that is hardly a hike at all. Let's call it an "outing in the woods." The Jack Creek Trail is probably the premier local hike in that category. It offers a short, flat, obstruction-free trail in a park-like setting, with a truly remarkable natural phenomenon as a destination objective. I have even seen families with... Full story
Chush Falls is one of the premier hiking destinations in our area, and I am always a bit surprised at the number of local residents who have not yet taken this popular hike up to the thundering waterfalls of Whychus Creek. Don't be one of them! The falls, long known as Squaw Creek Falls, had a name change to Chush Falls after the State Legislature, in a sweeping gesture of political correctness, banned the use of the S-word for Oregon place-names. No matter what name you use,... Full story
Three weeks ago, the Forest Service opened a new handicapped-accessible trail to a scenic overlook above Whychus Creek south of town. It's a very easy loop trail of about a mile. In the process, however, another trail - in Whychus Draw - was also opened. Although it is less than half a mile in length, it opens up the area to an entirely new hiking opportunity. The trail in Whychus Draw takes off from a spot adjacent to the new overlook. In all the years I've been wandering... Full story
Although the snowpack is rapidly dwindling, it is still a good idea to stick to lower- elevation trails for the early season. Keep in mind that, even after the snow disappears, trail damage can occur when using higher-elevation trails that are still soggy with meltwater. The upper McKenzie River waterfall trail is completely snow free. Plus, it's hardly more than a half an hour from Sisters. However, at just 2.6 miles, it makes for a pretty light-duty hike. To remedy that, we... Full story
The new Whychus Creek Overlook and loop trail opened to the public last week. The dedication ceremony was "by invitation only" and not staged for the general public because of limited parking space. Still, more than 100 people were on hand for this long-anticipated addition to the outdoor recreation menu of the Sisters area. Among those in attendance were representatives of local government, business and private organizations that worked together to preserve and make... Full story
Fresh off the resounding success of the Whychus Creek restoration at Camp Polk, the Deschutes Land Trust (DLT) is gearing up for yet another major creek restoration project at their Whychus Canyon Preserve, which is downstream from Camp Polk. Beginning in July, bulldozers and heavy equipment will begin to reshape the canyon floor and streambed of the 930-acre preserve. Amanda Egertson, stewardship director for the Land Trust, explained that the lessons learned during the Camp Polk restoration will help to move this next... Full story
The canyon walls of Whychus Creek, as seen here from the Alder Springs crossing, reveal thousands of years of geologic history. People I see around town keep asking me when they will start seeing my hiking columns, so I guess I am a bit overdue. Today's selection is hardly unknown to Sisters hikers, but a lot has changed since I first wrote this one up in 2008. So it's a good time to remind folks about the excellent early-season hiking opportunity at Alder Springs. Alder... Full story
When conflicting interests arise in forest management, Forest Ecologist Maret Pajutee says that win-win solutions are still possible. Pajutee, whose 25-year Forest Service career is in its final days, spoke to a keenly receptive audience last week as part of the Sisters Trails Alliance (STA) speakers series. She dubbed her talk "Tale of Two Rivers - The Sequel - Keeping the 'Wild' in Wild and Scenic," building on earlier references to restoration efforts on the Metolius River... Full story
"I think the Three Sisters Irrigation District work represents a fascinating story," says Bjarne Holm, coordinator of the Sisters Trails Alliance's (STA) ongoing lecture series in Sisters. Next week, Marc Thalacker, manager of the Three Sisters Irrigation District (TSID) will give an overview of his organization's continuing modernization of their irrigation system and their role, with other partners, in the restoration of Whychus Creek. Over the years, the health of Whychus Creek has been a major concern in Sisters Country.... Full story
Earlier this month, an incident in Central Oregon highlighted one of the lesser-known hazards of snow country travel: the danger posed by tree wells. Tree wells form around the bases of evergreen trees when overhanging limbs interfere with the natural deposition of falling snow, and the resulting cavities can be deadly. This month's accident had a happy ending; but, according to the Deschutes County Sheriff's Search and Rescue (SAR) team that performed the rescue, some of the credit goes to the telemark skier who was... Full story
"This organization has never been as strong as it is today!" Chuck Humphreys proclaimed as he kicked off last week's annual meeting of the Sisters Trails Alliance. Established 15 years ago, the Sisters Trails Alliance (STA) has grown to become a principal advocate and facilitator of outdoor recreation in the Sisters area. An all-volunteer organization, it is dedicated to the planning, construction and maintenance of non-motorized trails in Sisters Country. Asked to comment on the organization's overall perspective, Humphreys... Full story
The Sisters Bridge Club, which has a history going back more than 30 years, is thriving. Later this month, the group will be offering free bridge lessons. Just three years ago, however, the organization was in danger of fizzling out. "We had lost some of our older players," said Susan Sandberg, current co-organizer for the group, "and new people weren't taking their places." In late 2012, the group sometimes had a hard time mustering just two tables (eight players); and,... Full story
He has been described as a man protecting ecosystems "one salmon at a time." Darek Staab is the Upper Deschutes Home Rivers Initiative Project Manager for Trout Unlimited, and he will be speaking in Sisters next week. As part of its continuing quarterly speaker series, the Sisters Trails Alliance (STA), will host Staab's speaking engagement next week. Staab's presentation is free and open to the public. He has titled his talk "Spring-fed Rivers and Stewardship: Conserving our... Full story
I'm accustomed to receiving quite a bit of feedback on my hiking columns, but I'm always a little surprised when I hear it from people outside of Central Oregon. So, I was once again surprised, and flattered, when I received an invitation to contact Portlander Lewis L. McArthur about my October column on Tam McArthur Rim. Lewis L. McArthur is the 98-year-old son of Lewis A. McArthur, whom one might consider to be the godfather of geographic names in the state of Oregon. Togeth... Full story
Most people would tell you that Sisters does not have a senior center, but that's not exactly true. For one day each week, there is a place where seniors gather for socialization, lunch, entertainment, games and a host of other activities. To help provide Sisters seniors with some of the benefits of a senior center, the Central Oregon Council On Aging (COCOA) provides seniors with a variety of services every Tuesday. Events always center around an excellent lunch, but other... Full story
Our continuing dearth of precipitation is a disaster for the mountains, the snowpack, our water supply, and the skiing industry; but it does serve to extend the hiking season. Although, with dry lake-bottoms exposed, brooks dried up, and vegetation brown and bleak, the scenery isn't what we're accustomed to in the mountains. Yet there are some destinations that still have plenty to offer. So, when a friend asked me how recently I last wrote up Tam McArthur Rim, I had to think... Full story
In the latest installment of its continuing quarterly speaker series, next week the Sisters Trails Alliance (STA) will host a presentation by Michael Riehle, the Forest Service district fisheries biologist in Sisters, who will be speaking on the restoration of salmon and steelhead habitat in Whychus Creek. STA board member Bjarne Holm is the coordinator for STA's speaker series and invited Riehle to address the STA forum. Holm has a strong personal interest in the... Full story
Here is a pleasant 10-mile hike, peppered with historical footnotes, that involves a net loss of a little over 500 feet in elevation. This route begins near McKenzie Pass, ascends to the Matthieu Lakes, descends from Scott Pass, skirts the base of Yapoah Crater, and returns to the McKenzie Highway near Scott Lake. A car drop is required unless you want to walk the 6.5 miles of the McKenzie Highway between the two trailheads. The hike begins at the trailhead near Lava Camp... Full story
Yapoah Lake turned out to be a little bit of a mystery for me, and there are probably some folks out there who would have preferred that it remain that way. This remote little lake came to my attention when a reader contacted me hoping that I could help her find it. I told her that I didn't have a clue, but I'd be glad to help her look. She explained that, about 20 years ago, she had been a volunteer in the Forest Service's Passport in Time project. At that time, anthropology... Full story
Demaris Lake isn't really on the way to anywhere else, so it tends to be kind of off the general public's radar screen. Also, it's a little longer hike than some of the more popular destinations, and it can only be reached by hiking through the devastation of the Pole Creek Fire. On the other hand, I've never seen another hiker at Demaris Lake, so - unless everyone runs up there after reading this column - it's usually a place of solitude. A round-trip to Demaris Lake clocks in at just under 11 miles, and the elevation gain... Full story
In spite of the rich rewards offered by the short hike to Echo Basin, the trail is in horrible condition due to very poor maintenance. It is so bad that, if it gets much worse, only the most agile hikers should even attempt it. Severe erosion has created areas of rocky trenches that once sported a very nice trail. Numerous "leg traps" dot the trail's entire length. Some of these traps consist of hidden holes that cannot be seen because the trail is so badly overgrown by the... Full story
Most local travelers know that Lost Lake lies along that low, flat stretch of Highway 20 between Santiam Pass and the Santiam "Y." I've always thought it a bit odd that such a conspicuously located feature should be named as "lost." Lately, however, it does seem to be lost. I had seen recent reports that, in this year of extreme drought, Lost Lake's water was being lost through a big drain hole into a subterranean lava tube. So I decided to investigate it, myself. I didn't... Full story
At one time or another, most Central Oregon hikers have taken the opportunity to enjoy Canyon Creek Meadows and witness the rich and varied displays of wildflowers. Because of our warm and dry year, wildflowers peaked early this year; but that doesn't mean that all the flowers are completely gone. Regardless, there are still plenty of other good reasons to hike into this unique and scenic area. This hike explores the eastern base of Three Fingered Jack, and there are a number... Full story
Many of us have our own places in the mountains that have special meaning. One reader and long-time Nugget subscriber, a California resident named Ricks Mattson, contacted me to share just such a special spot. The place is Robinson Lake, a not-too-distant wilderness site that I was completely unfamiliar with. Mattson proposed to his late wife at Robinson Lake, and he still returns there to honor her memory. So, to follow up on this tip, I first had to locate the place.... Full story
