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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 25, 2019)
Wednesday, September 25, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon The our forest road system, so we have to prioritize. However, our skilled forest heavy- equipment crew and engi- neers completed the needed work this summer and the bevy of Prius-swallowing potholes was eradicated. I was up at the Jack Lake trailhead during the past Sisters Folk Festival week- end returning from an early deer hunt and counted 33 vehicles with a wide diver- sity of passengers in the parking lot. There were man-buns and soccer moms; crusty PCT through-hikers; trail-runners; birders with binoculars; golden retriev- ers and mutts; deer hunters with long-range, sniper-style rifles; flatbeds; stocktrailers; and Subarus; and the most adorable three-generation family hiking down the trail to fill their plastic jack-o9- lantern buckets with the last plump huckleberries of the season. It9s days like these that remind me that public lands truly offer something for everyone, regardless of how people like to spend their precious free time. How might this trailhead look dif- ferently next year with the implementation of the recent Central Cascades Wilderness Strategies Project decision? With up to 120 people (60 day-use and five overnight Ranger’s Corner Ian Reid Sisters District Ranger District had a productive summer Recent seasonal transi- tions remind me it9s time for another Ranger9s Corner. It9s been another produc- tive summer here, and even with shorter days and cooler temperatures on the horizon, we have a full plate of work planned for the fall. One of the tasks we accomplished this summer was much- needed major road mainte- nance on the 1234 road to Jack Lake trailhead, which accesses Canyon Creek Meadows, Wasco Lake, the Pacific Crest Trail, and many other popular wilderness destinations. Our road main- tenance funds are sparse given the large footprint of groups) allowed per day at that access point, the parking lot could look very similar in early September. What else has been hap- pening on the Sisters Ranger District? We recently autho- rized a project to remove dead, dying, and diseased trees from 250 acres around Suttle Lake, Dark Lake, and Scout Lake and plan to implement this in win- ter and spring 2020. We, along with our wonderful volunteers from Friends of Metolius and beyond, are restoring the Black Butte cupola lookout, a logisti- cal feat given the lack of road access and power. We are also currently replacing the trail bridge over Indian Ford Creek at Indian Ford Campground which will pro- vide better stock, bike, and hiking access on the Sisters Tie Trail. And we worked with our partners at Sisters Trails Alliance to install a permanent bathroom at the Whychus Overlook trail- head. Speaking of trails, e-bikes are still currently prohibited on all designated non-motorized trails and roads on National Forest System lands, regardless of recent changes with the Department of Interior. Our pilot project to staff our visitor information ser- vices at our front desk on Saturdays this summer was an overwhelming success with over 700 visitors served just on eight Saturdays, and we hope to continue this ser- vice in 2020. We have been working hard at consolidat- ing the equipment and sup- plies on our compound as we are in the process of selling the northern portion of our ranger station administrative site and have a willing buyer. Finally, once we dry out a little, we will start implementing our fall pre- scribed burning program. n B row Le e n a y Br rtist B y A CARPET CLEANING — Credit Cards Accepted — ENVIROTECH 541-771-5048 Licensed • Bonded • Insured • CCB#181062 RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL Mother Nature gave us a little reprieve this summer. Even though we received a lot of lightning resulting in numerous fire starts, it was accompanied by ample pre- cipitation which allowed our firefighters to make short work of these blazes. With our moderate indices this summer, we also took advan- tage of a good opportunity to let wildfire do its ecological work and manage for wilder- ness values with the Pacific Fire on the flanks of Mount Washington. And speaking of fire, we hope you join us at the free public showing of the Big Burn, a PBS American Experience documentary on the evening of September 26 at the Belfry. An expert panel on fire management and Forest Service history will immediately follow the one-hour movie. Doors open at 6 p.m. and seating is lim- ited. Hope to see you there! S L A T ME Quality Truck-mounted Quality Cleaning 16 years in Reasonable Prices Sisters! 15 elry w • Je air Rep • • ork om W Cust lry Je we Upstairs at 220 S. 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