The Peak View Newsletter March 2nd, 2026

[Rose Young]

The Peak View

Marys Peak Group - Sierra Club

P.O Box 863, Corvallis, OR 97339

http://oregon2.sierraclub.org/marys-peak

March 2nd, 2026

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Hikes: 

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New! Monday, March 9th, 2026

Cardwell Hill Loop

1:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Benton County

Distance: about 4.3 miles

Elevation Gain: 580 feet

Difficulty: Moderate

Pace: about 2 miles per hour

Registration required! The group is limited to 12 participants. To sign up for this hike and obtain further details, contact outing leader, Sheryl Thorburn, at thorbu...@comcast.net.

 

This hike is almost entirely within the Crestmont Land Trust. We will see pastures, meadows, forests, and Marys River. The trailhead is at the end of Cardwell Hill Drive, off Kings Valley Highway west of Corvallis. The route of the Cardwell Hill Loop consists of a figure eight with a tail. The loop is hilly and intersects with several other trails. From the trailhead, we will take Cardwell Hill Trail about a half mile (the tail) and then complete a figure eight by staying on Cardwell Hill Trail and then connecting to Creek Road, Creek Trail, Mid-Forest Trail, River Trail, Cardwell Hill Trail (again), North Trail, North Road, and finally Cardwell Hill Trail back to the trailhead. Toward the end of the hike, we will stop at the gazebo off North Trail/Road for a water and snack break.

 

AllTrails rates this hike as moderate. I think that it is on the easy end of moderate. The trail consists of well-maintained gravel roads and wide gravel paths. There are no areas with difficult footing, no large rocks or tree roots in the path, and no creeks to cross, etc. There are, however, a few steep sections. In addition, some areas could be slippery due to leaves on the path. Wear sturdy shoes with good traction or hiking boots.

 

The trailhead is about 20 minutes from Corvallis. There are only 4 parking spaces. I will send additional details and information about potential carpool options to participants closer to the date of the hike.

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Announcements: 

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New! A Kalapuya Legacy: Oak Savannas and Prairies on OSU Lands
Wednesday, March 18th
7:00 to 8:30 pm

A webinar with Dr. Dennis Albert, OSU researcher. Learn how our local Oregon White Oaks and native herbaceous species on OSU lands reveal Kalapuya ancestral culture and about current conditions.

This event is the first in the 2026 Liz & Bob Frenkel Environment Series. The theme for this year's series is Listening to the Land. Marys Peak Group has been presenting a free spring lecture series to the public for over 20 years.

Sponsored by: Marys Peak Group of the Sierra Club, Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, & Corvallis Sustainability Coalition Water Action Team
Registration Link: cbcpl.net/Frenkel1
Info: Corvallis Library

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Save The Date!

On Sunday, June 28, 2026, we are having our Summer Solstice Potluck. We are meeting at the Rotary Shelter in Willamette Park from 12-4 pm. Hike in Willamette Park after we eat! Details to follow. If you have questions, contact mbcd...@gmail.com. Hope to see you there!

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The 2025 Champinefu Series is Now Available Online

This year marks the ninth season of the Champinefu Series, which was founded by the Marys Peak Group of the Sierra Club and the Cultural Resources Department of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde. The purpose of these talks is to inform the general public about local Indigenous lands, rivers, and people. During the past nine years, there have been 27 unique programs featured through this series, some in person and others via webinar. 

The 2025 series was launched at OSU in October with an in-person program titled “The Future of Indigenous Foods in the Kalapuya Ilihi”. Members of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde who work directly with developing programs related to Indigenous foods were featured. YouTube link: The Future of Indigenous Foods in the Kalapuya Ilihi

The November talk was a webinar entitled “Indigenous Placekeeping through Tea.” It featured David Harrelson from the Cultural Resources Department of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde. He is experimenting with the processes related to Indigenous teas. YouTube link: Indigenous Placekeeping through Tea

The December webinar was a dialogue between OSU’s Dr. Molly Carney and David Harrelson as they focused on the cultural relevance of the tarweed plant and the importance of regenerating tarweed ecology in the Willamette Valley. That talk was called "Kalapuya Placekeeping through Tarweed". YouTube link: Kalapuya Placekeeping through Tarweed

The Corvallis-Benton County Public Library's Champinefu Webinar Series YouTube playlist contains videos from this program dating back to 2021. 

Co-sponsors of the series are the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition, the Spring Creek Project, the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, the OSU School of Language, Culture & Society, and the Marys Peak Group. Champinefu Series programs and presenters are all chosen by the Cultural Resources Department of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde.

Save the date! The first program of the 2026 Champinefu Series will take place at OSUs Patricia Valian Reser Center for the Creative Arts on October 15. The topic and presenters are yet to be chosen. Admission is free.

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Recordings of Spring 2025 Webinars Are Now Available

String of Pearls: The Magical River Parks of Corvallis was the theme of the 2025 Liz and Bob Frenkel Hiking and Environment Spring Webinar Series. Closed captioned recordings of two of the talks are now available on the Corvallis-Benton County Library YouTube channel. The talks provided the historical background, park ecology, and current user opportunities for the City parks along the Willamette River and the Marys River near Corvallis. 

Webinar #1: The South Corvallis Willamette River Parks with Gwendolyn Ellen includes Willamette Park and Kendall Natural Area.

The South Corvallis Willamette River Parks

Webinar #2: The Marys River Parks with Dave Eckert includes Herbert Natural Area, Caldwell Natural Area, Marys River Natural Area, Avery Park and Natural Area, Pioneer Park, BMX Park and Shawala Point. 

The Marys River Parks

Sponsors of the webinars are the Marys Peak Group Sierra Club, Corvallis-Benton County Public Library & the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition Water Action Team.

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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) Minutes of the MPG Executive Committee (ExCom) meetings for the last 5 years can be viewed by clicking on minutes. The ExCom meetings are held on Zoom and occur quarterly. All current Sierra Club members are welcome to attend. Contact MarysPe...@Oregon.Sierraclub.org to get the Zoom link.

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OSU Forestry Recreation Updates:

cf.forestry.oregonstate.edu/recreation/forest-updates