24 | DECEMBER 16 • 2021 

OUR COMMUNITY

A

fter a year’s hiatus 
due to COVID, a 
group of 39 Detroiters 
were happy to reconvene for 
their annual hiking trip in 
September. The 2021 hik-
ing adventure in the Bend, 
Oregon, area was the Detroit 
Hikers 19th hiking trip.
The trips are organized 
by Richard Stoler, D.O., 
Bloomfield Hills, who says 
that there are now more than 
140 alumni of the group. They 
enjoy the camaraderie, out-
door beauty and physical exer-
tion of hiking for four to five 
days in national parks around 
the U.S. 
Participants choose among 
three levels of difficulty. Hikes 
vary from about 6 to 15 miles 
daily, depending on the ter-
rain. Local naturalists hired 
for the group provide detailed 
information about each area’s 
geographic characteristics, 

wildlife and vegetation. 
This year’s trip to the area 
around Bend, Oregon, on the 
edge of the Cascade Mountains 
featured spectacular panora-
mas of mountains, forests and 
lakes. A special feature was 
a trip to Detroit, Oregon, a 
tiny town established in 1891, 
which was named for Detroit 
because of the large number 
of settlers from Michigan. The 
town suffered a massive fire 
last year and local officials, 
who met with the hikers, are 
trying to raise funds to replace 
some of its buildings. 
Stoler says that 90 percent 
of the Detroit area hikers are 
Jewish. Due to the large Jewish 
component, most days the 
group gathers a minyan so that 
participants can say Kaddish 
for their relatives. He antici-
pates a return to a larger group 
— 90 participants — for the 
2022 trip. 

Detroiter Hikers reconvene in 
Oregon after COVID hiatus.

Back on 
the Trail

SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

PHOTOS BY ROSS HOTZ

Nearly 40 Detroit hikers 
headed to Oregon this year. 
Here, they’re taking a break 
on the trail.

The Detroit, Oregon, mayor 
met with the Detroit Hikers to 
talk about the town’s plans to 
rebuild after a recent fire.

The hike passed clear 
mountain lakes.

Hikers learned about each 
area’s geography and wildlife.