B10 The BulleTin • Friday, June 25, 2021
Hikes
Continued from B1
For those capable, the 3 addi-
tional miles are well worth the
effort for a chance to get close
to the eroded core of the extinct
shield volcano.
Directions: From Sisters,
take U.S. Highway 20 about 12
miles northwest to a Mount
Jefferson Wilderness Trail-
heads sign. Turn north on
paved Road 12 for 4.4 miles.
Turn left on one-lane Forest
Road 1230 for 1.6 miles to the
end of pavement, and stay left
onto Forest Road 1234, which
climbs 6 miles to the Jack Lake
Trailhead.
3. Obsidian
Features: The Obsidian
Trailhead provides access to
the Pacific Crest Trail and to
loop hikes of 10.6 and 15.8
miles that feature some of the
most dramatic scenery in Or-
egon. Black obsidian rock glis-
tens in the sun along sections
of the trails that take hikers
along alpine meadows, rugged
cliffs and Cascade peaks that
rise into the blue sky deep in
the Three Sisters Wilderness. A
high point along the trail pro-
vides sprawling views of North
and Middle Sister.
Directions: From Sisters,
head 16.6 miles west on state
Highway 242 over McKenzie
Pass to the Obsidian Trailhead
access road on the left/south
side of the highway.
4. No Name Lake
Features: High atop a ridge
above sparkling-green No
Name Lake, the views are
never- ending. Any direction
one looks offers some form of
alpine wonder. The small lake
Central Cascades wilderness permits
The majority of permits become available within a seven-day res-
ervation period, on a rolling basis. For example, for a trip starting on a
Friday, that permit could be reserved starting on the Friday prior.
Hikers needing a permit can visit recreation.gov and browse for
available dates in the areas they want to go. Reservations can also be
made by calling 1-877-444-6777.
Day-use permits are $1 per person for each outing. Overnight per-
mits are $6 per group for each outing (1-12 people per group).
sits nestled below the craggy
spires and strata of 9,177-foot
Broken Top on the peak’s east
side. To the northwest, the
Three Sisters jut into the sky
just a few miles away. To the
north, Mount Jefferson, Mount
Hood and faraway Mount
Adams in Washington round
out the Cascade collage. The
6-mile out-and-back hike from
Broken Top Trailhead includes
about 1,200 feet of elevation
gain and incredible wildflowers
depending on the time of year.
Directions: From Todd Lake
(23 miles southwest of Bend
off Cascade Lakes Highway),
a 6-mile drive along bumpy
forest roads 370 and 380 is re-
quired to reach the trailhead. A
high-clearance, four-wheel- or
an all-wheel-drive vehicle is
necessary to make the drive.
5. South Sister Summit
Features: The third-tallest
mountain in Oregon is a pop-
ular climb because hikers can
essentially walk to the sum-
mit without the use of ropes,
crampons or other technical
gear. While the trail to the top
of 10,358-foot South Sister in-
volves no technical climbing,
it is tremendously steep and
challenging. From its start-
ing point near Devil’s Lake off
Cascade Lakes Highway west
of Bend, the trail gains nearly
5,000 feet in elevation over the
six miles to the summit. The
dazzling array of blue sky, rug-
ged, snow-covered peaks and
pristine alpine lakes makes the
climb to the top well worth the
effort. (Trekking poles come
in handy, especially on the way
back down the mountain.)
Directions: From Bend,
drive about 30 miles west on
Cascade Lakes Highway to the
trailhead parking on the left/
east side of the highway just
past Devil’s Lake. The South
Sister Summit trail is just
across the highway.
e
Reporter: 541-383-0318,
mmorical@bendbulletin.com
TOP PICK OF THE WEEK
Rockridge Disc-Golf Course
BY DAVID JASPER
The Bulletin
For those new to disc golf,
let us introduce you to Rock-
ridge Park in northeast Bend.
Disc golf is played very much
like traditional golf, replete
with tees and fairways on 18-
hole courses and shouts of
“fore” when there’s an incom-
ing projectile. Perhaps the big-
gest difference is that disc golf
uses chain and metal baskets,
aka pins, in lieu of holes.
Each hole can range from a
couple to a few hundred yards
long, and playing a full round
entails a lot of walking. If the
thought of learning to play on
a full course — which only
seems longer when throws go
awry, which happens to be-
ginners and more experienced
players alike — seems intim-
idating, Rockridge’s compact,
nine-hole putting course is the
place to go and practice mid-
range throws and putts.
The course is generally rocky
— they don’t call it Rockridge
for nothing — and populated
with juniper trees. Each hole
has two tee pads, allowing
players to vary the length and
difficulty, the perfect place
to prepare for a round at the
nearby 18-hole Pine Nursery
Park or one of Central Ore-
gon’s other disc golf courses.
Getting there: Rockridge
Park is located at 20885 NE
Egypt Drive, Bend. The disc
golf course is at the west end of
the parking lot.
e
David Jasper: 541-383-0349,
djasper@bendbulletin.com
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