STA hosts annual meeting

More than 50 Sisters-area trail enthusiasts showed up last week at the Pines Clubhouse to mark another successful year of trail system enhancement in Sisters Country. The Sisters Trails Alliance (STA) was founded more than a decade ago to encourage the improvement, creation, and use of trails in the Sisters area.

Last week's annual meeting was an opportunity to review the organization's progress and address plans and goals for the future. The STA's present trail system consists of 43 miles of local trails, 25 of which are equestrian trails. With an extensive and already existing trail system south of town, STA's eventual goal is to tie Sisters to Tollgate, Black Butte Ranch, and Camp Sherman.

The meeting was opened by STA board member Gary Guttormsen, who described STA's projects of the past year and introduced the other STA board members. Guttormsen was particularly pleased with the trail support offered up by local volunteers.

"The Peterson Ridge Trail was in need of some pretty serious work at the end of the summer season," he said. "So, we put the word out, and we had so many people come to help that we began to wonder what we would do with them all!"

Guttormsen also reported on the development of a new trail off the 1514 road south of town.

"That new trail construction was the highlight of what we did last summer," he said. As part of the Forest Service "Roads to Trails" program, heavy equipment was brought in to work portions of the decommissioned 900 and 460 roads.

Extensive habitat restoration was undertaken in converting the wide roads to a single-track trail, which generally runs from the south end of the (relatively) new Whychus Creek Trail, back across Road 16, and east to connect with the Peterson Ridge Trail system. The project was another example of the extensive impact that STA volunteers are having on outdoor recreation in the Sisters area.

STA Community Outreach Director, Ann Marland, echoed Guttormsen's praise of the trail volunteers and punctuated her remarks by presenting the organization's "Volunteer of the Year" award to Patrick Eckford. Marland noted that volunteers contributed 2,263 hours of work in 2013, which constitutes more than 56 40-hour work weeks!

Another significant STA accomplishment of the past year was the investment of more than $4,000 in new and improved signage for the trail system.

Both Marland and STA Treasurer Ken Serkownek hailed the monetary support of Your Store, Black Butte Ranch, Blazin Saddles, and the Investors Lending Group of Salem, a real estate and mortgage contract dealer. Black Butte Ranch has supported STA by giving Ranch guests the opportunity to donate one dollar to Sisters Trails when checking in or renting bicycles.

STA was also the beneficiary of grants from the Deschutes County Commission and The Roundhouse Foundation, a Sisters organization that fosters community enrichment and economic development through the arts in Central Oregon.

Additional sponsors who provided food and refreshments for volunteer workday projects included Eurosports, Blazin Saddles, and Your Store. Jen's Garden, a Sisters restaurant, has also been the sponsor of a major fundraising dinner each year.

The centerpiece of the evening program was a presentation by guest speaker Brent McGregor, a Sisters resident, who chronicled nearly 50 years of outdoor wilderness adventures, which have culminated in his discovery and exploration of the largest glacier cave system in the contiguous 48 states. His findings and explorations were the subject of a recent program on OPB's Oregon Field Guide.

Board member Jeff Sims provided a look into STA's future projects and organization. "I'd like everyone who is interested in trails to be our partners," said Sims. "I'd like an organization that is caring. Let's continue to reinforce our efforts to build quality hiking and biking trails."

Additional speakers included Zoe Falk, a Sisters High School senior, who is the founder and leader of Sisters Trails Alliance Youth (STAY). Falk is the captain of the cross-country and track teams and uses the trails for training. She started STAY as a way to give back to the STA.

Falk said that the "trails are an indispensable ingredient in the quality of life and economic vibrancy in Sisters Country - providing both healthy recreation and environmentally sound transportation." The new youth chapter (STAY), composed primarily of other high school students, is already meeting and playing a role in the community. As a first step, the group plans to adopt a trail, under STA's new adopt-a-trail program, to help with trail building and maintenance.

Also introduced was Amy Racki, the new Recreation Team Leader, Deschutes National Forest, Sisters Ranger District. Racki said she is looking forward to working with STA and the community to enhance and promote trails in the Sisters area.

The meeting did not go into the issue of paved trails.

Incoming STA chairman of the board, Chuck Humphreys, wrapped things up and urged continued community involvement. The community trail network sponsored and maintained by STA receives plenty of use, with a surprising number of frequent users from outside the area.

The influx of outside users makes STA a boon to local businesses; but STA wants to make sure that locals are also familiar with, and use, the Sisters trail system. When it's time to get off the pavement, STA offers convenient, close-to-home, and challenging outdoor settings.

The Sisters Trails Alliance is a community volunteer organization. Help and new members are always welcome. For more information, visit their website at www.sisterstrails.com.