Bend Premier Real Estate Blog

On October 9, 2021 we were able to check another Central Oregon hike off the bucket list.  The hike to Four in One Cone off Scott Trail in the Three Sisters Wilderness has been a goal for sometime and we were scheduled to hike this earlier in the summer under the new Wilderness Permit System; however extreme wildfire smoke kept us away on our scheduled day. In early October, the hike started with cool temperatures (in the 20s) but warmed during the day to the 50s. The hike is not long (roughly 9 miles round trip) with elevation gain just over 1400 feet. The hike is called Four in One Cone due to the nature of the 4 cinder cones which are adjacent to each other and have the unique topography of being blown out on one side with the remaining rim flowing into the next cone. The views from the top of the cones are fabulous toward North and Middle Sister, Little Brother, The Husband and then north toward Mt. Washington, Three Fingered Jack and Mt. Jefferson. The Collier glacier is easily seen from the cone as is another spot which is now on our list - the top of Collier Cone. On this day, we saw only two other hikers the whole day - and those two thirds of the way back to our car. Early October is becoming one of our favorite times to hike in the Cascades with cooler temperatures, fall color and fewer people making our experience very special.

Today's dining experience has taken us to a long standing café with great eats and great atmosphere. Café Sintra, named after the owner Manuel's hometown in Portugal near Lisbon, is always a great place to gather and today was no different. With a great soccer game on the TV and the hum of happy patrons chattering, you feel the warmth and excitement prior to even ordering your food.

We decided to begin our experience with their home brewed jasmine fruit ice tea. This tea is wonderful down to the very last sip with bold spices and a touch of sweetness. It paired perfectly with the rich flavors of our lunch today. 

To begin, we split a cup of the Portuguese Chicken Stew. Featuring shredded chicken, white beans and roasted chilies topped with mozz...

Click Here to Read More...

What's in the October, 2021 Newsletter?

• Bend Single Family Home Sales Trends Changing
• Belknap Crater Hike
• Halloween Fun Home Decorating Ideas
• What's Causing Today's Competitive Real Estate Market?
• A Portuguese Experience in Downtown Bend

Bend Single Family Home Sales Trends Changing

Are we getting back to a normal, seasonal adjustment to Bend real estate sales? Typically Bend single family home sales drop off in the fall once children start back to school and regular fall activities resume.  Bend's usual homebuyer in the fall includes retirees, the second home buyer and investors.  However, Bend home sales fall of 2020 did not drop off with homebuyers snapping up available property at amazing levels through the end of October. Sales remained above normal even through the holidays.

As we reported in an earlier blog this year, Bend home sales started shifting from the frantic buying seen over the past 12 months to a more normal level in July, 2021 and this trend has conti...

Click Here to Read More...

We enjoy hiking the various trails accessed via McKenzie Pass (Hwy 242) while it is open during the warmer months. One trail we attempted the first time a year ago but didn't complete due to freezing temperatures was Belknap Crater. The trailhead is located just past the Observatory and traverses a section of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). The unique topography of this hike passes through two wooded "islands" which survived the recent (last 1000 years) volcanic eruption of Little Belknap Crater and provide for shade in this otherwise exposed terrain. Past the last island, the hike climbs onto twisted, rugged lava complete with lava bombs, pressure ridges, lava tubes, and of course, the two peaks which were the origin of the miles of lava the hike takes trekkers through. Good footwear is essential as is a good hat in this exposed landscape and we do not recommend dogs due to the rough ground which can cut their paws. We delayed this hike until it was cooler in order to avoid the high temperatures which a sunny summer day can generate on the exposed black and red rock.

The hike is not too difficult with 1100 feet of elevation gain to reach the top of Little Belknap Crater in roughly 2.6 miles. But once we enjoyed the views from the top of Little Belknap, we elected to continue on past the lava fields and tackle the steep hike up Belknap Crater.  This additional trek averages a 17% grade with a maximum grade of 49% in under a mile and a total of 737 feet in additional elevation. Belknap Crater does not have the rough lava surface of Little Belknap, but rather a smoother pumice and dirt surface with its older topography supporting plants and trees. We enjoyed the views before returning the way we had come.  All in all, this hike was less than 8 miles round trip, but did provide for fabulous views of Mt. Washington, North and Middle Sister, and The Husband. 

OkCancel