Wednesday, October 14, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
HIKE: Hike is best
accomplished
with two vehicles
Continued from page 20
the summit of this 6,737-foot
“hill.” From there, the trail
drops abruptly down to a flat,
expansive meadow system
and the Scott Trail junction,
which is marked by a tradi-
tional wooden signpost.
We promptly left the PCT
and began the 4.7-mile return
to the Scott Trail Trailhead,
where we had left our other
vehicle. At present, drought
conditions have turned a
beautiful green meadow with
gorgeous wildflowers into
a cracked, brown cover of
dried-up vegetation.
From the trail junction
in the meadow, it was less
than a mile to another trail
that leads to the summit of
Four-in-One Cone, a cinder
pile built from the contribu-
tions of four separate craters
atop the cone. We passed on
that climb, as well, and con-
tinued across the stark vol-
canic landscape. A little over
a half-mile later, we crossed
our last lava flow of the day
and were plunged into a lush,
green forest comprised prin-
cipally of hemlock.
From here, we resumed
our exploration of Felix
Scott’s historic route. It
seemed like rather a long
haul back to the trailhead, but
the quiet and shaded forest
made for pleasant traveling.
When, finally, the hemlock
gave way to lodgepole pine,
we began to hear an occa-
sional passing car, and we
knew we were approaching
the trailhead at Scott Lake. It
was a good day.
This hike is most eas-
ily accomplished with two
vehicles, leaving one at each
of the beginning and ending
trailheads. Start by taking
the McKenzie Pass Highway
(242) west from Sisters to
the pass summit; from there,
continue west for another 5.6
miles and turn right (west) at
the Scott Lake turnoff. There
is a sign advising of the
approaching turn, but there
is an intervening turnoff, as
well; so wait until you are
abreast of the brown Scott
Lake sign before turning off.
Once off the highway, the
Scott Trail parking lot is the
next immediate right. We
left one vehicle here; and,
with the other, we returned
over the pass to the east side
(just past the summit) to the
Lava Camp Lake area and the
Matthieu Lakes Trailhead.
Neither trailhead had signs
requiring a parking pass.
Free wilderness passes are
required.
sisters: Council
heard how project
promotes civility
Continued from page 3
presentation last Thursday on
a program called Speak Your
Peace: A Civility Project
(SYP), thanks to Councilor
Amy Burgstahler, who
brought the program to the
Council’s attention.
Begun 12 years ago in
Minnesota by the Duluth
Superior Area Community
Foundation, SYP is a com-
munity resource for building
civic engagement. The pro-
gram provides nine tools of
civility to employ when dis-
cussing community issues.
The purpose of the project
is to teach and remind people
how to communicate in a
more respectful and effective
way. It is not a campaign to
end disagreements. Rather,
the goal is to improve public
discourse by simply remind-
ing everyone of the very
basic principles of respect.
By elevating the level of
communication and avoid-
ing personal attacks and gen-
eral stubbornness, unhealthy
debate can be avoided.
When a community
decides to adopt the SYP
program, there is every
attempt made to get as many
organizations, businesses,
civic groups, schools, and
governmental bodies as pos-
sible to sign a resolution
accepting the nine tools of
civility.
Trainings and materials
are provided to help the pro-
gram succeed.
The introductory pre-
sentation last Thursday was
given by Sisters resident Lisa
Dobey, executive director of
the St. Charles Foundation.
She served for 13 years as the
CEO of the Tahoe-Truckee
Community Foundation,
where they reportedly uti-
lized the SYP with great
success.
Dobey emphasized that
a community dialog that
is abusive and contemptu-
ous, charged with personal
attacks, a negative tone, and
full of vitriol, will tear a town
apart with mistrust and polar-
ization. People feel uncom-
fortable to volunteer and
hesitate to speak their minds
for fear of ridicule and retali-
ation. Businesses and visi-
tors begin to dwindle, invest-
ments in the city decrease,
and the economic vitality of
the community falters.
By changing attitudes
and communication styles,
practicing respect and civil-
ity, and advocating for the
community and not tearing it
down, citizens will again feel
21
safe to engage in commu-
nity activities, run for pub-
lic office, and enjoy living
where everyone feels heard
and respected.
The goal is not to silence
the naysayers, who Dobey
believes are acting out of
fear and frustration that they
aren’t being heard. Instead,
as the community incorpo-
rates the nine tools for prac-
ticing civility, citizens take
it upon themselves to con-
vey, “I want to hear what
you have to say, but the
way you are saying it makes
it difficult for me to hear
you.”
Dobey also believes that
local newspapers can set
standards of civility for let-
ters to the editor.
Dobey pointed out that
SYP “doesn’t solve all the
problems of a community,
but it moves you forward…
It is not an inoculation that
protects you forever. It is
more like eating a healthy
diet for life.”
Council will discuss the
project further and decide
if this would be a good
undertaking for Sisters. To
share your thoughts, con-
tact any of the councilors
on their City email, found
on the City website, www.
ci.sisters.or.us. More infor-
mation is available at www.
dsaspeakyourpeace.org.
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