Peterson Ridge Trail complex complete

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 just the past few weeks. Rahm said that more than half of the original Peterson Ridge trails were laid out over old double-rutted Forest Service dirt roads, while all of the new bike/hike system is "single track" trail.

Rahm said that more than a hundred individual volunteers contributed to the project. Most spectacular among the additions is a three-mile stretch along the northern edge of the ridge. The new trail offers sweeping vistas to the north and west and new routes to viewpoints along the ridge.

Rahm referred to the trail design as a "stacked loop system," which he compared to a ladder in appearance, with a "dozen or so" cross connectors.

Volunteer Bruce Bowen explained, "A lot of work went into the connections. So, you can take as long or as short a walk or ride as you want."

While the trailhead is in town at the corner of Elm and Tyee Streets, Peterson Ridge itself is about five miles south of Sisters and can be also accessed at the top from Three Creek Road. Rahm said that trail users sometimes choose to drive to the top and ride or hike downhill.

The stacked loop trail system was built primarily by cyclists and is designed for use by mountain bikes and hikers. A separate equestrian trail climbs the middle of the same terrain. The Sisters Trails Alliance includes members from all three categories of users. The added trail miles provide separation for the different types of trail users and equestrian access to key viewpoints.

As part of the approval process with the Forest Service, eight miles of trail were created or converted to equestrian use. It is now possible to ride a horse from the rodeo grounds to the upper overlook, although signage for this route is still incomplete.

The Sisters Trails Alliance is comprised of community volunteers and businesses working together to make Sisters a better place to live. They provide a network of trails that offer recreation and transportation options, while fostering health, wellness, community participation and access to nature.

The local organization describes its trail system as a work in progress and has been creating and maintaining a system of community trails within the boundaries of the Sisters School District since 2001. The group envisions nearly 150 miles of community trails and will be seeking community input this winter for a Community Trails Plan update.

To expand their reach and effectiveness, the group recently became a membership-based organization and adopted its present name. It operates under the auspices of the Sisters Park & Recreation District, and all trails and services are free to the public.

Some new trail signage is already in place, and the rest will be completed by next summer. Trailhead kiosks and maps will also be updated to show the new trails, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned in the spring.

Free maps are available at the Eurosports store, located at 182 E. Hood Ave., at the trailhead, and at the organization's Web site. See http://www.sisterstrails.com for further information.