Camping cabins allowed at Suttle Lake Resort

The Sisters Ranger District has approved the placement of up to 15 "camping cabins" at Suttle Lake Resort.

According to Jeff Sims, lands forester with the Sisters Ranger District, the Forest Service will amend the resort's permit with a "categorical exclusion" to allow the cabins without requiring an environmental assessment.

"The environmental effects are none or less than the current use," said Sims. "It's not a ground-disturbing activity."

The absence of biological survey protocols recently put a roadblock in Suttle Lake Resort's redevelopment plans. The plan for a new lodge, permanent cabins and other proposed changes would require an environmental assessment (EA) since it involves ground-disturbing activity.

Before the Suttle Lake EA can be signed and the master plan approved, the Forest Service must first complete a regional EA addressing the protection of 32 rare species that share habitat with the northern spotted owl, six of which may occur at Suttle Lake.

Until the final assessments are done, temporary camping cabins will be erected in existing campsites.

According to Sims, camping cabins are currently in use at a number of Oregon State Parks, including Prineville Reservoir and La Pine State Parks.

"The state's putting them up all over the place," Sims said. "They're also talking about putting them at Cove Palisades."

Suttle Lake's 13-by-15-foot temporary cabins will sit on a frame of four 4-by-6-inch treated lumber, Sims explained. Each cabin will sleep four people with one double bed and a bunk. Cabins will have no electricity or plumbing, but they will have gas heaters.

Cabin renters will use existing bathrooms at the Suttle Lake marina and Cinder Beach.

"We're going out to select sites with them in spring and they'll wait until the snow's off to put them up," Sims said. "We're going to pick existing camping spots or hardened ground without removing trees or disturbing the ground. In some cases, it may actually improve the site."

The Cinder Beach campground at Suttle Lake Resort currently includes 21 campsites. Sims says the tent sites are not limited to any number of people and can hold between 10 and 15 campers.

"The cabins will limit these same sites to four people," he said.

Fewer campers may mean less environmental impact at the resort. Decreased use of the site, reduction of camping sprawl and less group camping are some of the factors that will be evaluated after the program's initial year.

Following cabin placement, the areas in the resort no longer being used for camping will be restored with native vegetation.

The Forest Service will allow the camping cabins for one year with a maximum of two years, or "until they get through the EA and the other process gets completed," Sims said.

In addition to measuring environmental impacts, success of the cabin project will be based on public acceptance and use, site aesthetics and traffic safety impacts. The cabins will be replaced if resort redevelopment is approved.

District Ranger Bill Anthony emphasized that the cabins are temporary and will not affect the resort redevelopment process.

"Allowing for camping cabins on a temporary basis will not predetermine the outcomes of the master development plan," he said. "We will still look at alternatives to figure out the best level of development. That process is going to be our priority focus."

Anthony added that the temporary cabins would help resort owners manage their business until the master planning process is complete.

"Our goal to accomplish the master plan by late spring or early summer is not a realistic objective," Anthony said. "It's still going to be a couple of years before the results of (the) master development process will be seen at the resort."

For more information on the Suttle Lake camping cabins or the resort master development plan, contact Jeff Sims at 549-7706.