The nugget., February 17, 2016, Page 20, Image 20

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Wednesday, February 17, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Running commentary
By Charlie Kanzig
Correspondent
One of the advantages of
running is that you are typi-
cally going at a speed that
allows you to regard things
you would not notice when
biking or driving.
There is a sign that I have
driven past hundreds of times
along Highway 20. It’s just
beyond the edge of town, on
the north side, where cars
pick up speed as they head
out toward the Santiam Pass.
There is a pull-out there, but
nothing else to attract one’s
attention.
I stopped at this spot to
stretch a number of years
ago and read the sign. Even
then, it was worn and rough
with about half of the paint
remaining. I have paid more
attention to it since then and
begun to wonder how many
of the local residents have
ever read it.
The sign reads: “Oregon
History—Sisters: In this
vicinity early Indian trails
converged, one coming in
from Tumalo Creek to the
southeast, one from Sparks
Lakes and Green Lakes to the
Southwest, one from Scott
Trail (as later known) from
the west and one from The
Dalles to the north.” (U.S.
Department of Agriculture/
Forest Service.)
These historic markers
are all over Oregon, but it
appears that ours has been
neglected for quite some
time, so I contacted a group
based in Salem, comprised of
volunteers, who have made
it their mission to look after
this type of marker in hope
that they may be able to
provide assistance to fixing
up this sign. I haven’t heard
back, but I would like to be
part of helping this effort.
I like these Oregon
History signs because they
give us pause to think about
days gone by. In reading
this sign, I imagined the
native people such as the
Northern Paiute, who tra-
versed through this area from
all directions. Imagine the
wildlife, the acres upon acres
of old-growth ponderosa for-
ests, the unaltered streams
and rivers. Picture the arrival
of non-native explorers, set-
tlers, and military groups.
As a runner, I also think of
the trails themselves. Sisters
Country still prides itself
for its area trails. The trail
described on the sign regard-
ing Green Lakes makes me
think that the present day
photo by izaak kanzig
runners get to pause and take in little bits of history we pass by on the road.
trailhead at Park Meadow
from near Three Creek
Lake to the Cascade Lakes
Highway, which I have
run, may have started as an
“Indian” trail. Portions of
the Pacific Crest Trail most
certainly derive from historic
pathways.
I remember running a
portion of the Scott Trail,
which was instrumental in
the early travel and com-
merce of the pioneer settlers,
about 10 years ago on a very
windy and rainy morning.
As my wife, Deirdre, and I
The Nugget welcomes
Karen Kassy to our team!
Karen is deeply committed to Sisters — and to helping Sisters’
businesses thrive by ensuring that every advertising dollar is
as effective as it can be. With two degrees in business and a
background in advertising, writing and the arts, she has the
skills, drive, and creative energy to help local businesses and
organizations make their advertising compelling and powerful.
Karen is known for her inclusive nature and for connecting
people. She volunteered to help preserve Sisters’ recycling
center, for which she received the Central Oregon
Environmental Sustainability Award. She founded and organizes
the Taste of Sisters fundraiser for the Kiwanis Food Bank and
Furry Friends Foundation and is past chair of Newfoundland
Dog Rescue.
Karen has hit the ground running and is looking forward to
helping all of The Nugget’s advertisers tell their story as part
of a thriving, prosperous community.
You can get in touch with Karen by phone at 541-549-9941
or by email at ads@nuggetnews.com.
pulled up to the trailhead, a
bobcat leaped away from us
into the grey morning. As
we slogged up the trail, the
wind whipped eerily through
the beetle-killed pine trees
and I remembered imagin-
ing what it must have been
like for those on foot, with
miles to go before any sort
of settlement. Soaked to the
skin after an hour, I felt quite
pleased to have the shelter of
a warm car to get me home.
Some of the old trails
mentioned on the sign prob-
ably parallel current-day dirt
roads and highways. Our
community is still the hub
of trail “spokes” that go in
every direction that are now
used for biking, hiking, run-
ning and hunting. Perhaps
next time you are out on
the Indian Ford, Whychus
or Peterson Ridge trails you
might imagine being in the
same spot in 1825, about
the time Peter Skene Ogden
is reported to have camped
in the area, when Sisters
Country was largely a wilder-
ness, and revel in the beauty
we still have here