Wilderness
Posted inOutside

Outside Guide: On Sanctuary

Is there such a thing as sanctuary in the outdoors? Local outdoor advocates share their thoughts.
Judith Sadora

Under normal circumstances, our annual Outside Guide is chock-full of events and suggestions for where to go and what to do in the outdoors. With social distancing guidelines still in place, sending all of our readers to one locale, or even a handful of them, seemed tone deaf. Instead, we asked some locals who work […]

Posted inOpinion

Wilderness Permits: A (tentatively) good compromise?

The new permit system goes into effect in May. Now we know what it really looks like.
The Source Staff

For the past several years, officials from the Deschutes and Willamette National Forests have been engaged in a process aimed at managing overuse in the Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, and Three Sisters wilderness areas. We’ve known since last year that a day-use permit system, with a cap in the number of users per day, was […]

Posted inOutside

Man vs. Wild, Elk Lake Edition

Local man roughs winters at Elk Lake in an isolated, handmade cabin
Avatar photo Cayla Clark

Before taking the snowcat trip up to Elk Lake, my mind was clouded with the stress of day-to-day life. When would I have time to do laundry? Did I remember to pay my gas bill? The 45-minute drive through the wilderness quickly brought me back down to size. The snowy vastness reminded me how small […]

Posted inOpinion

Don’t Shoot the Preservationist

Permit fees and limited access follow growth
The Source Staff

On Oct. 8, the Deschutes and Willamette National Forests shared their plans for implementing the new special recreation permit fees and a limited entry system at a number of trails in the two forests—which include areas around the Three Sisters, Mt. Washington and other locations in the Central Cascades Wilderness. This is the next step […]

Posted inNews

Westbound: Stahlman Point

Bask in the beauty of the Willamette National Forest, Detroit Lake and Mt. Jefferson all in one go
Avatar photo Isaac Biehl

It’s rare to find a spot that can serve as a perfect day trip while also making for a great overnight outing – but planning a trip up to Stahlman Point does just that. While the areas around Detroit Lake can get crowded, Stahlman Point gives a nice reprieve from all of the others making use […]

Posted inNews

A New Report Highlights a Vision For Wildfire Planning

1000 Friends of Oregon releases a report on land use and wildfires
Chris Miller

California just witnessed the worst fire in the state’s recorded history: 86 confirmed deaths and nearly 14,000 homes destroyed in the Camp Fire in November. Last year in Oregon, the Columbia River Gorge burned as the result of a careless firework. Now, 1000 Friends of Oregon is trying to do something about catastrophic wildfires. Gov. […]

Posted inNews

Big Changes for Well-Traveled Trails

Forest Supervisors announce plan to create a permit system for busy trails during peak season
Avatar photo Nicole Vulcan

Ask a local how they feel about the traffic on trails and natural areas in Central Oregon, and chances are they’ll tell you that things are way too crowded. Some might even say that the wilderness areas near Bend are being “loved to death“—the phrase used in a post written by local writer Katy Bryce […]

Posted inOutside

Taking a Stand for Wilderness

Central Oregon’s Great Old Broads
Brian Jennings

In some social circles the term “great old broads” might be considered offensive. However, the Great Old Broads for Wilderness are proud of the label. The organization was formed in 1989 as a protest to Utah Sen. Orin Hatch who opposed a wilderness proposal in his state, declaring that wilderness is inaccessible to the elderly […]

Posted inCulture

Artwatch

Avatar photo Erin Rook

From a young age, Jason Waldron knew he wanted to be a professional artist—he just hadn’t found his medium yet. It wasn’t until he saw some guys carving logs into bears using chainsaws that inspiration struck. “I got a log from a friend and picked up a cheap electric chainsaw and started caving a great […]

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