Three Sisters Wilderness, Deschutes National Forest, OR
DatesAug 19th - Aug 25th 2012 Service ProjectRemoving illegal campsites & site naturalization Free DaysDay hiking, photography, relaxing, swimming, snow sliding! AccommodationsBackpack camping Trip RatingStrenuous : 7 mile backpack, bending, lifting, moving rock, digging, long day hikes. Pack animal supported. LeadersJane Beckwith 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, climb, 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 the original Wilderness Act of 1964 and is named for the Three Sisters Mountains that dominate the landscape. Major peaks include the North, Middle and South Sisters (all above 10,000'), and Broken Top, all great examples of the effect of volcanism and 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 locating, breaking down and removing illegal campsites, fire rings, rock wind shelters and social trails within special use areas of the Three Sisters Wilderness. It may also include using GPS systems as monitoring tools by marking locations of unwanted sites, allowing the Forest Service to develop better wilderness management strategies. The Camp Lake area sees high recreational use and impact over the years warrants regular volunteer efforts to keep it wild. The project includes a 7 mile backpack to a beautiful lakeside wilderness basecamp beneath soaring glaciers from which we'll hike up to 6 miles daily. Local volunteers are providing pack animal support for group food, kitchen gear and tools. Check out more photos from last year's Three Sisters project in our gallery.
|
