FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oregon Wild Summer 2009: Exploring New and Future Wilderness

Oregon Wild kicks off the hiking season with over 20 hikes and outings

Oregon Wild Summer is back for its second year and this time around, there's something to celebrate.

Fresh on the heels of the designation of over 200,000 acres of new Wilderness in Oregon, the conservation organization Oregon Wild kicks off a summer long event this week to help Oregonians explore the natural beauty of the state. Oregon Wild Summer 2009 will feature hikes all across the state, including into newly designated Wilderness areas in the Mount Hood National Forest and to proposed Wilderness in the Devil’s Staircase area outside of Eugene. In all, the group will lead more than 20 outings to the spectacular wildlands that define Oregon. The first hikers hit trailheads on June 13 with opportunities to get outdoors extending to August 22. Sign up for hikes here.

“We work so hard to protect these areas so that Oregonians of all ages can explore and enjoy them well into the future,” said Regna Merritt, executive director of Oregon Wild.  “Oregon Wild Summer is our chance to help connect folks to the areas that make our state so special.”

Oregon Wild Summer offers an outdoor adventure for people of all ages and interests. Several family friendly outings less than 3 miles in length visit old-growth groves and pristine mountain lakes. All of the hikes are rated according to difficulty (Easy, Moderate, or Strenuous), allowing participants to choose the hike that best matches their abilities. More rugged hikes are five miles or longer. These hikes may involve river crossings and steep climbs, but hikers will be rewarded with beautiful vistas and the satisfaction of exploring new horizons.

“With so many newly protected areas, now is a fantastic time to get out and celebrate these places by seeing them for yourself,” added Merritt. “Whether you are heading to a new area or visiting a favorite spot, Oregon Wild Summer is for you.”

While all Oregon Wild Summer outings provide a great chance to see water, wildlife and wildlands, several have a specific ecological focus. Celebrated naturalist Wendell Wood will lead wildflower identification hikes around Mount Hood and a wildflower focused camp-out at Iron Mountain in the Willamette National Forest. Erik Fernandez will also lead a tree identification trip to the diverse forests on the east side of Mount Hood at Fifteenmile Creek. All Oregon Wild Summer outings are led by experts who are knowledgeable about the ecological importance of each area. The trips offer a great opportunity to learn more about Oregon’s unique beauty and how to protect and sustain it.

A majority of hikes are free and open to the general public, with some hikes reserved for Oregon Wild members only. To find out more about membership, contact membership@oregonwild.org or call 503.283.6343 ext 213.

To find out more about Oregon Wild Summer 2009 go to:
www.oregonwild.org/about/hikes_events/oregon-wild-summer-2009

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