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Damian Fagan is a freelance writer, outdoor enthusiast and avid birder. He is the author of several wildflower field guides including "Wildflowers of Oregon" and "Wildflowers of North America." Fagan lives in Bend with his wife, Raven, and a pollinator-friendly garden.
“If you build it, they will come,” is one of the themes that highlight the City of Prineville’s Crooked River Wetlands Complex on the west edge of town. In this case, the “it” is the secondary wastewater ponds, and the “they” are a wide diversity of wildlife species, including humans bearing binoculars, or riding bicycles […]
Though the ski season may be winding down, don’t “summerize” those Nordic skis just yet. The Oregon Nordic Club is bringing back the John Craig Memorial Ski Race and Tour up McKenzie Pass on Saturday, March 19. The event starts at the East Snow Gate on the McKenzie Pass Highway (9 miles west of Sisters) […]
This winter, a Bureau of Land Management timber project in Oregon’s Coast Range became newsworthy because of the possible presence of an extremely rare and unusual creature: the Oregon giant earthworm (Drilolerius macelfreshi). Really, such a creature exists. Two independent sightings occurred in and around the project area, but remain “unconfirmed” because as Doug Heiken, […]
Oregon Natural Desert Association’s High Desert Speaker Series begins Tuesday, Feb. 15 and continues through the spring with three outstanding presenters queued up. “I’m excited about this year’s offerings,” said Corinne Handelman, ONDA engagement manager. “The goal of the series is to take a deeper look at the High Desert, which is a vast landscape […]
Santiam Pass, named for the Kalapuya people who lived along the Santiam River long before emigrants and pioneers entered the region, is a relatively low pass on the Cascade crest which connects the Willamette Valley to Central Oregon. The 4,816-foot-high summit at Santiam Pass may be wanting for elevation, but the area offers a wealth […]
Located just west of the Hoodoo Ski Bowl at Santiam Pass, the historic Santiam Pass Ski Lodge is garnering the attention it deserves. Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps from July 1939 to February 1940, the lodge has stood empty and deserted since 1986, except for some periodic maintenance by the U.S. Forest Service and […]
Each fall, birds of prey wing their way southward across Oregon during their annual migration or winter movement. Some come as far away as the Arctic and one, the Swainson’s hawk, departs from its breeding grounds across North America and heads for the highlands of Argentina, although some small populations winter in Florida, Texas and […]
Wildlife conservation has often been associated with large tracts of state or federal land. Private lands, often in agricultural or forestry operations, also play a key role but the owner may have conflicting interests between land use and wildlife habitat. For some private landowners in Oregon, these lands are enrolled in agricultural or forestry tax […]
Smith Rock climbing guidebook author Alan Watts began climbing at Smith in 1975, eventually developing a new style of climbing known as sport climbing. “We were like a counter-culture movement rebelling against a counter culture,” said Watts. The style of climbing the big granite walls of Yosemite didn’t work on Smith’s volcanic rock. Bucking tradition, […]
High school students have many extracurricular activities to choose from in Central Oregon. There are traditional sports such as football and volleyball—but here’s one that might surprise you: trap shooting. Mountain View High School hosts a team that competes in the Oregon State High School Clay Target League. The MVHS team includes students in grades […]
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