Dave Nissen shows the group a female pinecone.

DAVE NISSON TAKES A PAUSE from our hike along the Metolius Windigo Trail, picks up a pine cone, and launches into a discussion about the sex life of a ponderosa. Honestly, it gives you a whole new view of the forest.

But then, that’s Dave’s mission. When you walk with Dave, the natural world comes alive as you learn about the ecosystems around you—from the hydrology of central Oregon’s beautiful rivers to the life cycle of the forest to the geologic history of the Cascades. And did I mention the spectacular vistas? It’s hard to be anywhere around Sisters and not see either a pristine river or a huge, jagged mountain. Or both.

As Dave points out, when the Oregon Trail kicked off in 1843 and settlers began to head west, we were an agrarian society with a strong connection to the earth. “Now, the focus is on phenomenal achievements in technology,” he says. “I hope to bring folks back to the natural world.”

So Dave has teamed up with five lodge owners in the Sisters area to create the Oregon Cascades EcoTrek, which will be offered in the spring and fall starting in 2009. Five full days of hiking, five unique and beautiful lodges, and gourmet dinners (paired with Northwest wines) prepared by the chef at each lodge. Ranging from 6 to 8 miles, each hike will be led by an experienced guide from Wanderlust Tours.
The hikes will range from the Metolius River trail, an almost-level trail that follows this rushing river, to the aforementioned Metolius Windigo trail, with stunning views of the Three Sisters and Broken Top, to a slightly more strenuous hike up Green Ridge. One of the days will feature a tour of Skylight Cave, where you’ll don headlamps and venture underground into a world of total blackness.

The lodge at Suttle Lake

Along the way, your guide will offer insights into the ecology of the area, as well as encourage you to take the time to smell the pines. You’ll learn, as we did, about ghostly white, chlorophyll-less plants that wrap their roots around neighboring pine trees to tap into their sugar; that the bark of a ponderosa doesn’t turn orange until it’s 100 years old; that lodgepoles have two-needle bundles and ponderosas have three-needle bundles. And you’ll marvel at how the Fibonacci Series, popularized in the novel Da Vinci Code, is seen in the spirals of a pine cone.

Along the way, you’ll enjoy a box lunch and conversation with your fellow hikers. By 3 or 4 p.m., you’ll find yourself at one of the lodges, ready to enjoy a luxurious room, perhaps an Adirondack chair and a book, or maybe a spa treatment.

When you get home, you may want to brush off the fine layer of dust that clings to your hiking shoes, but you’ll surely want to hang on to the inner glow—a product of the deep-to-the-bones warmth of central Oregon sunshine, incredible vistas, crisp morning air, and local hospitality.

One small warning: after you’ve experienced this daily dose of sun, vistas, and exertion, you may find it hard to spend the day sitting at your desk again. I did, but it was a small price to pay.

When you walk with Dave, the natural world comes alive as you learn about the ecosystems around you

Great food is part of the fun.

The Lodges

Black Butte Ranch—
A getaway for Northwest families for more than 30 years. You’ll spend the night in a vacation condo and have access to the spa, bike shop, workout room, natatorium, outdoor pool, and of course, the two golf courses. (blackbutteranch.com)

Five Pine Lodge—This relatively new lodge on the edge of Sisters features, besides luxuriously comfortable Northwest-style lodgings, the Shibui Spa, a movie theater, athletic club, and even a brew-pub. (fivepinelodge.com)

The Lodge at Suttle Lake—Built with huge beams, this beautiful lodge operates on a special permit from the Deschutes National Forest and was specially designed for low impact on its surroundings. (thelodgeatsuttlelake.com)

Lake Creek Lodge—Located in Camp Sherman, this resort dates from the 1920s. Some of the early cabins remain; others are brand new. Owners Gordon and Jeff Jones have completely restored the creek and its riparian areas. (lakecreeklodge.com)

Ponderosa Lodge—This
is a Best Western with a difference. Twenty-eight new suites welcome guests with high ceilings, comfy furniture, stone fireplaces, and Northwest designs. (bestwesternsisters.com)

Wanderlust Tours—This Bend-based outfit is known for its experienced naturalist guides and great canoeing, hiking, caving, and snowshoeing trips. (wanderlusttours.com)