1859 Spring 2010

Getaways
The Green Ridge Lookout in the Deschutes National Forest is a highly
coveted address that overlooks the Metolius River and four peaks of
the Cascades. below: Dusk at the Wallowa Huts after carving up some
of Oregon's best backcountry skiing.
Rustic Digs
Leave it to travel-savvy Oregonians
to sleuth out a sleepover gem with
world-class views at a crash-pad price.
Since 1963, the Green Ridge Lookout
23 miles north of Sisters in the
Deschutes National Forest has served
as both an advantageous observatory
for volunteer fire spotters and a spectacular
refuge for visitors.
Available for rental in spring and
early summer, the two-story-high
lookout tower rests on a breathtaking
location aptly described as “the top
of the world.” Perched at 4,800 feet,
guests in the single-room cabin can
take in views of Mt. Jefferson, Three
Fingered Jack, North Sister and Mt.
Washington. Below the lookout, flyfishing
opportunities abound in the
Metolius River. Bird watchers can spy
morning eagle feedings at the nearby
Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery. You can hike down the Green Ridge trail
to the Metolius River or up to Black Butte for moderate day hikes.
“Unlike many of these lookouts, you can drive right up to Green
Ridge,” says Sandy Sharp of the US Forest Service. “Once you’re
there, it’s absolutely quiet. You’ll see no highways. There’s no
electricity. And yet there’s a special sense of place.”
Green Ridge Lookout sleeps a maximum of four, though there’s room
to pitch a tent below the cabin. A propane stove and refrigerator are also
provided, as is a picnic area and an outhouse. The lookout is booked
through this summer, but there are always last-minute cancellations
that come available. Reservations for next year open in July.
The lookout is nine miles off Highway 22 on a gravel road and can be
rented mid May to late July for $40 a night. (recreation.gov)
Runners Up
Craftmen’s craftsmen, Henry Steiner and
sons, who had a hand in building Timberline
Lodge, built a series of charming cabins
from hand-cut and peeled fir logs in
the tiny unincorporated town of Zigzag in
the shadow of Mt. Hood. Today, guests can
curl up beside one of the oversized river
rock fireplaces when they rent an original
Steiner Cabin (mthoodrent.com). In Cave
Junction, Out ‘n’ About Treesort offers
44 1859 oregon's magazine spring 2010
tree-high accommodations in an array of
sizes and styles (including Swiss Family
and Saloon varieties) for the enjoyment of
kids and parents alike. The elegant, snowcapped
Wallowas surround guests staying
at the Wallowa Huts. Four- and Five-day
trips into these glades, bowls and couloirs
should make your winter or spring. In
winter, the hut skiing is easily some of the
best in the Northwest.
top photo by Dave Bohning