DatesAug 22nd - Aug 28th 2010 Service ProjectTrail monitoring and data collection Free DaysHiking, peak climbing, photography, wildlife watching AccommodationsBackpack camping Trip RatingStrenuous : 4 mile backpack, not pack animal supported. Long day hikes, GPS/Windows proficiency. LeadersEdward Hill Equipment |
In 1908, the Deschutes National Forest was established from parts of the Blue Mountains, Cascade, and Fremont National Forests. Nestled along the Cascade Mountains, the Deschutes National Forest is one of the most popular recreation forests in the Pacific Northwest. Truly a four season vacationland, the Forest attracts more than 8 million people every year to camp, fish, hike, hunt, ski, and enjoy a multitude of outdoor activities. The Three Sisters Wilderness within the Deschutes National Forest comprises 286,708 acres, making it the second largest Wilderness area in Oregon. It was established by the US Congress in 1964 and is named for the Three Sisters Mountains. Major peaks include the North Sister, Middle Sister, South Sister (all above 10,000'), and Broken Top, a great example of the effect of glaciation. Interesting geologic features include mesas, and volcanic cinder cones and craters, while the vast forest is covered by a variety of fir, hemlock and pine. Alpine meadows, waterfalls, lava fields, glaciers, and glacial lakes are abundant. Our service project is research-oriented social trail monitoring data collection in the Three Sisters Wilderness. Using hand-held GPS units, volunteers will work in pairs as they walk wilderness trails searching for telltale signs of trail braiding and new user-created trails. The Deschutes National Forest is digitizing its data collection and our monitoring data will be used as a measure against baseline data to accurately determine the ecological footprint of recreation and to develop management strategies. Volunteers will provide invaluable assistance with backcountry social trail monitoring that the agency alone can't accomplish. The project includes a roughly 4 mile backpack from a trailhead to a wilderness basecamp from which we'll day hike fairly long distances while gathering data. Participants must be able to walk mountain trails up to 8 miles daily and must be familiar with Windows-based software.
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