Getting youngsters excited about skiing for the first time can be a challenge. It’s cold, and for some, intimidating. Morgan Schaening and his wife, Natalie, are opening Shredder Bend, an indoor, year-round ski and snowboard school for children ages one to 10. “We get them in real skis, real boots, real snowboards and we help […]
Outside Features
Posted inOutside Features
Bend Into Balance
An interview with Cornelius Edison, former NFL athlete and owner of Lift Fitness Studio
Perhaps drawn to the sheer natural beauty surrounding Bend and its endless trails and terrains for hiking, biking, running, rock climbing, kayaking, skiing and snowboarding (and so much more), the city has attracted many individuals who get out, play, compete and thrive in this vibrant outdoor playground. And along with them, so have a great […]
Posted inOutside Features
Lead Toxicity in the Wild Ones
What is it? Where does it come from? How can we help?
My first experience with lead toxicity as a veterinarian was in a sweet basset hound that developed acute lead poisoning from licking lead paint dust from his paws. Currently, in the wildlife hospital at Think Wild in Bend, we see a different manifestation of the same toxicity, from an avoidable source. In mid 2025, a […]
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The Iconic Osprey
Share your passion through OspreyWatch
If the Seattle Seahawks lived up to their namesake, they would be known as the Seattle Osprey. Inspired by these magnificent birds of prey, the team unveiled their team sea hawk logo in 1976, which was a stylized inspiration paying homage to artwork of the Kwakwaka’wakw people who lived along the Pacific Northwest coast, primarily […]
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Oakridge Offers Miles of Picturesque, Quiet, Forest Trails for Mountain Biking and Hiking
About a 90-minute drive from Bend, the small town nestled in the Willamette National Forest enables an escape from civilization, but volunteers are needed to help maintain its trails and fundraise
In the time it takes to polish off a breakfast burrito and listen to an episode or two of your favorite podcast, Derrick Bell wants you to know that you could be enjoying the solitude of nearly 600 miles of biking and hiking through serene forest trails, reminiscent of Central Oregon a couple decades ago. […]
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High Desert Speaker Series Coming This Winter
Exciting presentations covering geology and Tribal history
Oregon Natural Desert Association’s 2026 High Desert Speaker Series invites audiences across Oregon and beyond to uncover the landscapes, geology and cultural histories of eastern Oregon through a pair of engaging online talks this winter. Registration is now open for the free, online public series, which runs from February through March. The High Desert Speaker […]
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Local Author Wins Literary Awards Following Publication of His Evocative Memoir About His Adventures
Michael Cooper, a Sisters resident, is an accomplished mountaineer, recording engineer, producer and music journalist, and now adds award-winning author to his résumé
Michael Cooper, like most people, has many sides. There’s Michael Cooper, adventuring outdoorsman who’s racked up more than 8,000 miles trailblazing in the desert and backcountry, summitted countless mountains (including the 10 highest peaks in Oregon), run wild rivers, and been on the brink of death more than once. There’s also Michael Cooper, music journalist, […]
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Health At Every Size and All Movement Counts
A Bend running/workout group is tailored for mid-life women
Michelle Poirot is no stranger to exercise and running. She’s coached local running groups for a dozen years and is certified by the Road Runners Club of America. But aging and some health challenges led her to refocus her mission. About six years ago, she started Ceiling: Unlimited, a health and running coaching business, specifically […]
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Seed to Table Aims to Build Community Health and Wellness
Nonprofit provides access to fresh produce and hands-on farming education for Central Oregonians
Little did 10-year-old Audrey Tehan know, as she furiously shielded her fledgling beet plants from a pounding hail storm on her family’s farm in Sisters, that one day, she’d be helping to grow more than 100,000 pounds of fresh produce in that same spot and helming a nonprofit that distributes the bounty to Central Oregon […]
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All Wags at Wanoga Sno-Park
Thanks to Dogpac, Nordic skiers and off-leash dogs can shred the groomed trails together
Jeff Johnston has a ritual during Central Oregon’s winter months. Several times a week, he finds himself, along with Kundi, his Australian Shepherd, standing in the pre-dawn light at Wanoga Sno-Park. As he unlocks a shipping container that houses a utilitarian Ski-Doo Skandic snowmobile, Kundi tears around in the snow, marking his favorite spots. After […]