Plenty of snow fun right out our back door

The white stuff started falling in earnest on Christmas Day and, helped by lingering cold, created some of the best cross-county skiing and snowshoeing conditions Sisters Country has seen in some time.

The snow stayed wonderfully light and fluffy for several weeks straight - ideal for all kinds of human-powered snow sports and pretty darned rare in Oregon. Hopefully we'll get some more before the season ends!

As the inches began to accumulate in town, many of us started eyeing the Peterson Ridge Trail system (PRT) for some close-to-town snow fun. Why drive all the way to Three Creeks Nordic area or Santiam Pass when we could ski or snowshoe right from town?

Often, especially the lower sections of the PRT barely get enough snow cover and scraping one's skis across volcanic rock is not highly recommended! But for a few days this winter, we could literally ski right out our back doors onto the trails.

Locals also know that the trail system rises in elevation toward the south and correspondingly, the snow is usually deeper and longer-lasting on that end. That has certainly been the case this year. With such great conditions and recent extension of the PRT's southern network, there have been excellent opportunities for snowshoers and cross-county skiers to have loads of snow fun, all within about five miles of town.

On most "snow days" you'll find vehicles parked at several key PRT entry points, and most of the trail routes can be fun if there's enough white stuff. The two most popular starting points are the main PRT trailhead on Tyee Drive (for the lower-elevation sections of the system) and at the "Overlook" parking lot (for the upper-elevation sections). The Overlook parking area is located approximately 5.1 miles south of Sisters on the west side of Road 16 (aka Three Creek Road).

The southern (and higher) sections of the PRT offer some of the most rewarding skiing and a nice mixture of terrain and scenery, including stunning panoramas of the Cascades.

Two brand-new additions to that end of the PRT-West trail are especially worth exploring and can be accessed directly from the Overlook parking area.

The first is the new piece that connects the upper picnic table on the PRT-West to the Overlook parking area.

Best skied in reverse (south to north-northeast from the parking area), this section runs about 1.2 miles along the abrupt edge of Peterson Ridge to the PRT-West upper picnic table (#29 on the PRT trail map).

The views to the west are exceptional.

Loops can easily be made by linking up with other sections of the upper PRT system, eventually circling back to the Overlook parking area (for example: via the Top Rung Connector to PRT-East and then south, back to the parking area).

A second great option is along another new section of the PRT-West trail that runs about 2.3 miles south from the Overlook parking area to intersect with the Metolius-Windigo Trail (Met-Win) near it's junction with Road 1514.

This section of the system is entirely on the west side of Road 16.

Although parts of this trail will not be fully completed for bikers and hikers until early summer 2013, it already makes for a great ski or snowshoe experience.

The route leaves from the south side of the Overlook parking area, skirts a burned section high above Whychus Creek, then moves mostly south, past wooded swales and undulating terrain, through a mix of mature forest, then up to a fenced tree plantation.

From the plantation it connects down a spur road to the old Road 900, both of which have been decommissioned for motorized use and are part of an ongoing 'Roads-to-Trails Conversion' project being jointly undertaken by the U.S. Forest Service and the Sisters Trails Alliance (STA).

The route continues south along this decommissioned roadbed up to the Met-Win trail junction.

This new extension provides hikers, bikers and skiers a much-needed connection between the Met-Win trail and the main PRT network (and Sisters). In winter, it's a very pleasant route for cross-country skiers and snowshoers with a gentle gain in elevation up to the plantation, then a brief decent before climbing, very gradually, past some nice old-growth trees and interesting rock features to the Met-Win trail junction.

More experienced skiers can enjoy multiple off-track options to look down over Whychus Creek or hit a few nearby hillocks to cut some turns.

(Please note this section of the PRT system and forest is presently under a temporary closure due to the Pole Creek Fire and an active tree-thinning project. Always look for and obey area closure signs.)

Skiers and snowshoers should also remember to practice the "Share the Trail, Not the Tracks" protocol which helps ensure a great experience for everyone.

Separate tracks should be established and maintained for each type of user.

Even though the PRT trails are relatively close to Sisters, always be ready for backcountry travel and winter conditions.

Carry extra clothing, food, water, and a map of the area.

STA trail maps are provided free of charge at local bike shops and in a map box at the Tyee trailhead.

Please note, however, that the new PRT-West extension described above (from the Overlook parking area to the Met-Win), is not included on the current trail map but will be on a new map to be circulated soon.

For more information please visit www.sisterstrails.com.

Hope to see you out on the trails!