1:30 pm
Distance: around 3 miles
Elevation gain: negligible
Difficulty: easy
No registration required. For additional details contact leader Leslie Hogan at qwi...@peak.org 541-799-9303
I don’t know if we still will need to worry about mud by April, but I have plotted a trail where we can keep our feet dry. Our hike will start on the concrete walking trail around Waverly Lake, with a detour to see Hub Valley Village on Waverly Ave. (27 tiny homes of 400 to 500 feet floor space approaching completion), then back to the Waverly Lake walking path which will carry us on to Talking Waters Garden. There the path changes to gravel and bark chips and the scenery becomes filled with cattails and holding ponds and the air is replete with the song of red winged black birds. We then retrace our steps back to our cars parked at Waverly Lake. If time permits, we can take another quick detour to Hebrew Cemetery and a pioneer cemetery across the street from our car park.
This route is about 3 miles and there are some negligible little hills around the lake, otherwise it's flat. (Just FYI, this is a reasonable place to push someone in a wheelchair who would like a change of scenery, as long as you can get them up those wee hills.)
Trails are broad and can accommodate a larger group so no registration is required.
Directions: Traveling east on Pacific Blvd. in Albany, drive past Waverly Lake at the east end of Albany, turn left on Albany Ave and take the first right on Salem Ave. SE and then the first right which leads you into the lower Waverly Lake parking lot. Please arrive at 1:20 for a 1:30 departure.
*Addendum to Waverly Lake, Talking Waters Garden hike on April 5.
We will proceed with the hike as planned but will take up to 15 to 30 minutes extra at Hub Village for tiny homes. Dr. Gary Goby, one of the founders of this project, will give our group a short tour of the area with time for questions before we continue on with our hike.
Leslie Hogan, hike leader 541-799-9303
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New! Tuesday April 9th - Vineyard Mountain
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Distance: 4.5 miles
Elevation gain: 580 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Pace: Slow
Registration required! Contact the outing leader to reserve a spot and obtain further details. Leader: Mary Beth Downes, mbcd...@gmail.com
The trail along Mulkey Creek is full of trillium, fawn lilies, snow queen, bleeding hearts, Oregon grape, hound's tooth, iris and others. Some are blooming and some are ready to bloom. Mulkey Creek is a 4.5 mile hike off of Oak Creek Road parking lot. The trail is flat at the beginning but after crossing the Mulkey Creek, it begins to climb. At the top are some benches and beautiful views. Towards the halfway point you can see open fields of the Oak Restoration areas.
Bring your cameras and your knowledge of local wildflowers since I'm no expert. There will be many opportunities for photos of the flowers and the sweeping views. Wear clothing appropriate for the weather. At this time of year rain gear may be necessary. The path is gravel and packed dirt, so you'll want to wear comfortable and sturdy shoes. Bring water and a snack or lunch. Poles are suggested if it's a muddy day.The pace will be slow with frequent stops.
Parking is very limited at this trailhead so we will have a meeting place and carpooling. The number of hikers will be limited.
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Webinars:
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Thursday April 11th - Transforming Marys Peak Webinar
7:00-8:30 pm
This second of the three-part Liz & Bob Frenkel Spring Webinar Series presents five current transformational projects that will help the Marys Peak ecosystem thrive and overcome recent human impacts. The projects will also regenerate culturally-important resources for the Kalapuya, Wusi'n and Yaqo'n people for whom Marys Peak is a very powerful place. These plans are relevant to what needs to happen throughout Oregon
Presenters include Michele Holman, Doug Glavich and Matt Smith from the U.S. Forest Service; Scott Hopkins from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management; and Kathleen Westly from the Marys River Watershed Council.
To register for this free and open to the public webinar, click here: https://bit.ly/2024frenkelseries2
Sponsors: Marys Peak Group Sierra Club, Marys Peak Alliance of AFRANA (Alliance for Recreation and Natural Areas) & Corvallis-Benton County Public Library
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Announcements:
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Save the Date! MPG is Hosting a Summer Solstice Potluck!
Come and celebrate the start of summer with a potluck on June 22nd. at the Rotary Shelter in Willamette Park from 1-5pm. Join us for good food, great conversation and a hike along the Willamette River.
Details to come.
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2023 Champinefu Lectures are Now on YouTube
Closed-caption recordings on the first two Champineful Lectures are now available on YouTube.
Willamette River: Ancestral Highway
YouTube Recording
This recording begins with a film by the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde on the topic of canoe culture. It is followed by a panel discussion about the importance of canoe culture to the Grand Ronde and their relationship to the Willamette River.
Fire is Life: Living in Relation with Indigenous Fire Practices of Western Oregon
YouTube Recording
Joe Scott (Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians), winner of the 2023 Indigenous Place Keeping Artist (IPKA) Fellowship, was the presenter. He discussed how he is connecting local indigenous people to the sacred fire resources and practices that have sustained people of this place through the seasonal round since Time Immemorial.
******Spring 2023 Frenkel Lecture Series on Wetlands Now on YouTube
The three 2023 Liz and Bob Frenkel Environment and Hiking Spring Series webinars are now available on YouTube with closed caption subtitles.
Reviving the Wetlands at Finley National Wildlife Refuge
This webinar will entice both those who have never been to Finley and those who have been there many times to visit the refuge with new eyes and new expectations. A high level of wetland restoration work has already established the Finley Wildlife National Refuge as a significant wildlife refuge that also attracts thousands of visitors each year. This webinar will show you a mature restoration site and how you can best enjoy it. Presenter: Jarod Jebousek is a wildlife biologist for U.S. Fish and Wildlife currently focusing on the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program for the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex. His office is at the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge ten miles south of Corvallis.
Reviving the Wetlands at Herbert Farm Natural Area
Herbert Natural Area is a little visited, beautiful natural area in the middle of a restoration process. Owned by the City of Corvallis and purchased to be restored as a natural area, the Institute for Applied Ecology has been managing the restoration process, assisted by the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde. This webinar will show you the areas in the restoration process, how they are accomplishing this complex task and how you can enjoy the area now. Presenters: Jude Geist, Parks Division Manager, City of Corvallis; Tom Kaye, Executive Director, Institute for Applied Ecology; Sara Alaica, Restoration Ecologist, Institute for Applied Ecology.
Owens Farm/Jackson-Frazier Wetland Complex
While the Jackson-Frazier Wetland has been a popular hiking area for decades, the wetland extends far beyond the current publicly accessible area. The wetland extends to the northwest across 99W into an area called Owens Farm. This webinar will present a bold plan to restore the entire wetland and make it publicly accessible through a network of extensive trails. This will not only open up a new wildlife refuge area, but it will open up a whole new hiking experience in the region. Presenters: Jessica McDonald, Executive Director, Greenbelt Land Trust; Jesse Ott, Acting Director, Benton County Natural Areas, Parks
and Events Dept., Meredith Petit, Director, Corvallis Parks and Recreation Dept.; Ellen Tappon, President, Alliance for Recreation and Natural Areas (AFRANA)
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All three of the 2022 Champinefu Webinars are now available for viewing on YouTube.
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General Notes:
1) Newcomers to MPG outing events, please view the GENERAL OUTING POLICY on our MPG website http://oregon2.sierraclub.org/marys-peak before pre-registering for or attending an outing.
2) Contacting Marys Peak Group: Marys Peak Group contact information is obtainable at http://oregon2.sierraclub.org/marys-peak Listed are the Executive Committee members and the Administrative and Program Coordinators.
3) Facebook: Marys Peak Group – Sierra Club is on Facebook. Check out MPG’s Facebook page to view pictures of past hikes and events, and learn about upcoming opportunities. Post pictures from hikes and outings you participate in! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marys-Peak-Group-Sierra-Club/159377960779
4) Minutes of the MPG Executive Committee can be viewed at the aforementioned website by clicking on the About Us/Ex Comm Meeting Minutes tab or by clicking on MPGMinutes_Jan2024 for the minutes of the last meeting on January 4th, 2024.
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OSU Forestry Recreation Updates: