News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 64
Runners and walkers are invited to don their ugliest sweaters and other holiday garb for the fourth annual Ugly Sweater Run/Walk. The 5 kilometer event, set for Saturday, December 7 at 10 a.m. will be staged from the Fir Street Park in downtown Sisters. Race director Kelly Bither, founder of RunSistersRun, sponsors theme-oriented runs during the year and sees the events as an opportunity to get people together for some fun while also raising funds for local non-profits. This... Full story
Roadside “brushing” operations started Friday, November 22, along Forest Service Road (FSR) 11 on the Sisters Ranger District. Depending on weather conditions, brushing operations will occur along FSR 12 and FRS 14 over the next few months. Roadside brushing is conducted as a part of road maintenance to prevent vegetation from encroaching into the roadway and improve visibility along the travel corridor so drivers can see other vehicles, pedestrians, and wildlife. Roadside brushing decreases wildfire risk by reducing the hei... Full story
The Deschutes National Forest plans to close Forest Service Road 16, which provides access to Three Creek Lake, and Forest Service Road 370 to wheeled motor vehicle traffic on Wednesday, November 13. Road 370 provides access to Broken Top. The roads are closed to provide for public safety, minimize resource damage, and preserve the snowpack as these routes transition to winter recreation. Forest managers said Forest Service roads across the Deschutes National Forest are not plowed or maintained for winter driving access and... Full story
Discover Your Forest, the non-profit partner of the Deschutes National Forest (DNF), is hosting the annual Winter Volunteer Information Night for volunteers who are interested in supporting the Forest Stewards in the DNF. The event will be held on Tuesday, October 29, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the DNF office, located at 63095 Deschutes Market Road, in Bend. The event is focused on recruiting volunteers to serve as Forest Stewards. The focus of the Forest Stewards program is to engage visitors while they are in the forest... Full story
The third annual Giddy Up run and walk took place under perfect conditions, with snow-dusted mountains as a backdrop at Pole Creek Ranch Saturday, October 19. A total of just under 150 runners and walkers, some in cowboy hats and other western garb, completed the five-mile and five-kilometer courses on the dirt roadways of the picturesque, iconic ranch. In addition twenty-six kids raced in the short "Buckaroo Dash" to kick things off. Madison Palmer of Arnold, Maryland, won th... Full story
The third annual Giddy Up 5K/5Miler Ranch Run is set for Saturday, October 19, at the Pole Creek Ranch. There’s still time to sign up, according to race director Kelly Bither. Runners and walkers are welcome. There is also a free “Buckaroo Run” for kids 2-10 that kicks off at 10 a.m., just before the other races. The race, like others Bither sponsors during the year for RunSistersRun, is themed, so participants are encouraged to don western hats, bandannas and other cowboy gear. In addition the run/walk finishers recei... Full story
Oregon Hunters Assoc-iation (OHA) is partnering with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) to encourage hunters to get their deer and elk tested for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) this season. Hunters who submit a CWD test from a harvested deer or elk between August 1, 2024 and April 1, 2025, will automatically be entered to win either a Howa 1500 .223 with mounted Nikko Sterling Gamepro 4-12x40mm Scope combo or a Sig Sauer Whiskey3 4-12x40mm Quadplex scope. A winner will be drawn on April 30, 2025. Hunters will... Full story
A lost hiker near the summit of South Sister was found by Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue on Sunday, September 15. The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue (SAR) was notified of a lost hiker near the summit of South Sister at 4 p.m., Saturday, September 14. Though the hiker was thought to be in Lane County, Deschutes SAR was requested to respond and activated the rescue mission at 4:15 p.m. Lane County Sheriff's Office SAR requested an... Full story
The town of Sisters, established in the late 1800s where two wagon roads met, continues to serve as a haven for cross-Cascade explorers drawn by the spirit of the Old West. Thousands of backpackers, with trail names like Forest and Sasquatch, arrive to rest and replenish as they walk through the wilderness. On a recent day, Chief Frodo, fresh from a stay at the Best Western Ponderosa Lodge, crossed the street in search of Neosporin and instant coffee for his trek along the... Full story
Sisters Bike Park 242 is located on the edge of the Sisters High School parking lot. It provides an outlet for kids, of all ages, to get a little dusty and 'send it' while riding their bikes. In October 2015, the bike park received donations to start building a small pump track. In April of 2016, the big pump track was created. Then, in September of 2016, SPRD received a parks and recreation development grant to keep expanding the park. Much like everything else, when COVID... Full story
Pickleball has been named America's fastest-growing sport for the third year in a row in the 2024 Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) Topline Participation Report. The report shows participation grew 51.8 percent from 2022 to 2023. In 2023, the 65+ age group was tied for having the second highest number of participants. In 2023 alone there were over 35 million pickleball players and it was growing exponentially at a rate of 158 percent over the last three years. The r... Full story
The height of summer is a good time to take the 4.8-mile Clear Lake Loop. Why go? The scene, the wonderfully enchanting intermittent combination of topaz and turquoise water mixed with old growth conifers and ancient lava flows. When to go? Pretty much any time works but best when snow is off the trails. And in the summer, like most all Central Oregon hikes, start early in the morning to get a good parking spot and to beat the heat. What to expect? This easy-to-moderate hike... Full story
Managers of the Deschutes National Forest are asking for public comment on a draft change in administrative rules that would allow approximately 160 miles of trails to be freed for use by Class 1 e-bikes. Currently, no e-bikes of any class are allowed in the Forest except on roads shared with other motorized vehicles. E-bikers say this is dangerous, often confronting high speed UTV and ATV users on narrow roads. Conversely, some non-e-bike users and pedestrians say that it is... Full story
It was a perfect day for a trail run in Central Oregon as runners gathered for the ninth annual Kiwanis Run to The Top at Hoodoo Ski Resort. Temperatures were still in the 60s as the runners set out at 8 a.m. for their 13.2 or 3.1 mile adventures. It's a simple concept - with an evil twist. Run a 5K or half marathon trail course around the beautiful Hoodoo Ski Area then finish the last mile gaining over 1,000 feet as you climb to the top of Hoodoo Mountain. "It's an awesome... Full story
The Forest Service is proposing to approve special use permits for two local businesses, Stagecoach Adventures and Cog Wild, to provide shuttle services to and from several trailheads within the Sisters Ranger District. Both companies have provided proposals for their operations and the District is currently completing the environmental effects (NEPA) and special-use permitting reviews. According to District Ranger Ian Reid, the two companies have proposed to operate shuttles that would serve hikers, bikers (mountain and/or... Full story
Ecosystems in the Northwest were heavily shaped by wolves before they were nearly wiped out of the region, a new study finds. By the 1930s, gray wolves were nearly gone in Oregon and the rest of the West, leading to the multiplication of animals the wolves hunted and creating an imbalance in the environment, researchers at Oregon State University found. But the full impact of their disappearance isn't fully understood because ecological research from the last century largely l... Full story
Two local pickleball players climbed to the top of the podium in a major competition in California. On the Fourth of July, Riley McHugh from Sisters and Georgie Scott, an Eagle Crest resident, fought their way through seven matches at the Newport Beach Open to win the 75-79 age group Mixed Doubles, 4.0-4.5 combined skill level. The win gives them a "golden ticket" ensuring an invitation to the national tournament in Mesa, AZ , Nov. 10-19, 2024. On the previous day, July 3,... Full story
Should e-bikes be allowed on certain local trails? The Deschutes National Forest is seeking input on that question, regarding the “E-bikes on Select Trails” project draft environmental assessment (EA). The proposed project would allow Class 1 pedal assist e-bikes on select, existing, natural surface trails and paved paths located near Sisters, Bend, and Sunriver. According to the Forest Service, “there are multiple reasons to consider the need to allow the use of Class 1 pedal assist e-bikes on select trails. The first reaso... Full story
The first iteration of the "Red, White, and Blue" 5K run and walk attracted over 200 participants on July 4th. The race replaced the annual "Rumble on the Runway 5K" that had been a part of the Sisters Eagle Airport festivities that took place for many years. Thursday's untimed, low-key event included people of all ages - visitors and locals alike - who enjoyed a pancake breakfast supplied by the Sisters Rotary Club following their navigation of the 5K course that started and... Full story
There is perhaps no better wildflower trail in western Oregon at this time of year than the Cone Peak/Iron Mountain loop, which of course makes it very popular. It's about 7.5 miles if you do the whole thing, but some of the best flowers are within a 5 mile up and back jaunt on the Cone Peak (eastern, lower) end. Massive old growth trees on the way up, spectacular sweeping meadows packed with abundant and diverse flowers, and some excellent views complete this package of... Full story
They bloom in shades of blue over the deserts, forests, and meadows of Sisters. In the world of common names, some local wildflowers lean into a little poetry with titles like "Fairy Slipper," "Blazing Star," and "Spring Gold." Common names for plants can be both illustrative or confusing. There are many flowers called "Spring Beauty." Some plants have multiple common names. But how did a group of delicate wild blooms end up with the strange common name of "Beardtongues?" The... Full story
The busy outdoor recreation season is underway in Sisters Country and across Central Oregon. That means it’s the busy season for Deschutes County Search and Rescue. Last month, volunteers have responded to calls for service to injured motorcycle riders, lost or missing people and hikers, lost snowmobile riders, missing motorcycle riders, medical emergencies and injuries, stuck climbers, and stuck motorists. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and Search and Rescue is asking the public to plan, and prepare for their outdoor... Full story
Eric Benedon, the Volunteer and Events Coordinator for the Sisters Trails Alliance, describes himself as a "forest person through and through." Benedon grew up in Southern California, spending time snowboarding at Big Bear, in the San Bernardino Mountains, an alpine region of pines and snow, not dissimilar to Sisters' high desert. With a degree in art history, Benedon graduated from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver BC. While there, he worked as an assistant to t... Full story
Sisters Trail Alliance (STA) is currently recruiting high school students for the Youth Ambassador program which started last summer with three high school students and will be active again this summer. This part-time summer position is perfect for young people with a strong interest in environmental conservation, outdoor recreation, the Forest Service, or related fields. STA encourages Youth Trail Ambassadors to tailor the role according to their passions, empowering them to... Full story
After weeks of below-normal temperatures and incessant winds, Sunday was a picture perfect spring day. And it was the backdrop for the 15th running of the Sisters Stampede, an annual Memorial Day weekend mountain bike race for 579 riders, nine to 70-plus. "I don't know why they call it a race," said MJ Miller of Vancouver, Washington, making her fourth appearance, this time with her brood of three - ages 12, 10 and 7. "This is nothing but fun. I know there are some who are her... Full story
