By Fred Delkin

 Our nation’s 10th largest state bows only to Alaska among the 50 in providing a natural playground for adventurers.  Oregon offers millions of acres of wilderness areas bisected by lofty mountains and rushing rivers in a vast variety to tempt outdoor fun seekers.  This is a tourism asset sometimes obscured by resort development and a highway system that comfortably carries travelers to a wealth of views of the great outdoors…and to such civilized pursuits as shopping, dining and golf. 

Recreation that leaves our natural wonders pristine for ongoing generations to enjoy carries a travel industry designation of “Adventure Travel.”

Ken Streater is a prominent practitioner of this pursuit, making a growing profit from his Destinations Wilderness operation based in Sisters, Oregon and selling outdoor adventures to an international clientele.  Streater’s stable of experienced guides will lead you to “wilderness rafting, kayaking, trekking, culture and wildlife journeys in the most incredible places on earth.”

While Streater and co-owner and wife Danielle currently offer trips to remote areas in Alaska, Idaho, California, Hawaii, Mexico, Norway and Iceland, their Oregon adventures are the revenue cornerstone, underlining the wealth of dances with Mother Nature our fair state offers.   Why little Sisters for a base of operations?

Search leads to Sisters

“We drove all around the Pacific Northwest (in 1994) to seek a good place after we moved south from Alaska ,” Ken relates.  He says size (small) was a criteria for a community base, as well as the setting.  However, “what really made Sisters the place was the people of central Oregon….the nicest we met in our Northwest travels…add up the smaller town, great scenery and super nice folks…this was the place!”

Streater was birthed and raised in San Bernardino, southern California…getting out of there “as soon as I could.”   He developed as an outdoorsman in northern California, then moved to Alaska.  He created a guide and outfitting venture in the Homer area and met wife Danielle, who was working as a ranger in various Alaska national parks and forests.  The couple determined that business growth would be easier in the lower 48 and hence their Oregon transplant.

Destination Wilderness offers some very exotic journeys in far flung climes, but Oregon and Idaho rafting trips are their most popular offering.  These include both one day and 2-4 day floats.  Streater reports that Oregon destination business is comprised of 60% from Oregon residents.  He rates the following as his personal Oregon favorites:

 Upper Clackamas—white water excitement only an hour from Portland, “accessible, fun and safe.”
 Rogue—the four-day excursion through the wilderness section “has everything…scenery, wildlife, quiet while ashore and wild water.”
 North Fork of the Umpqua—“best in the west for 1-2 day trips…wonderfully clear water, safe but exciting.”
 Owyhee—“offers sheer isolation…like being on another planet.”

Rafting is definitely Streater’s top choice for adventure travel…”whether it’s 10 days in wild Alaska or just one or two days on the North Umpqua…what a way to just get away!”  (Editor’s note:  having done our share of rafting, including the top two above, we agree with Ken)

Adventure travel is best enjoyed, at least as you first get your toes wet or feet blistered, with the guidance of an experienced leader.  The Streater operation boasts a remarkable guide staff…men and women who have logged tens of thousands of water miles via raft or kayak, trekked the planet’s backcountry, authored popular guide books, taught in guide schools, earned graduate degrees in various environmental disciplines and, according to Streater,. are chosen for instructional ability and friendly personality.

River riding resources aplenty 

While Destination Wilderness stakes a strong claim to being Oregon’s leading outdoor adventure resource, the Oregon Guides & Packers Association includes 27 services providing whitewater experiences, most of them covering a variety of streams around the state.  We should also note that the major Washington rivers feeding the Columbia are superb water riding opportunities.  While rafts lead in craft popularity, kayaking has gained a growing number of adherents as a way to ride our rivers.  The “Packers” designation in the state guide association’s title stems from those who arrange horseback trips with riding steeds and pack animals…a luxurious way to tour the wild, and most popular in the open terrain east of the Cascades.  Insurance liability assures adventure travel clientele that they will receive adequate instruction in basic adventuring skills.

Outfitting is a function of most guide services.  The client is provided with the basic equipment to explore the outback and receives detailed input on clothing and other amenities they are expected to arrive with at the jumpoff point.  Photography is a strong suit with most adventure travel purveyors and some will organize excursions just for that purpose.  Dining well is a basic concern for adventure provisioners, and river craft and horseback both offer the means to take a hefty and varied supply of good grits into the wilderness. Adventurers arriving in Oregon by plane will be met by their guide service and returned to the aerodrome if they survive their expedition.

While riding rivers is the most popular outdoor adventure, worldwide, Oregon also has more than adequate terrain to attract climbers of ice, snow and rock ilk.  We deal with this topic in a separate story on these pages.

Adventure travel services link: 

(C) 2001 Oregon Magazine