Outside Features
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Raising Money for Avalanche Safety

The Fresh Tracks Silent Auction and VertFest are two of Central Oregon Avalanche Center’s biggest fundraisers
Avatar photo by Allie Noland

Central Oregon Avalanche Center is a community-funded nonprofit that works to provide Central Oregon with daily avalanche forecasts by zone. It was founded as a nonprofit in 2009 and has been providing the region with forecasts and updates ever since. This nonprofit doesn’t receive any government, state or U.S. Forest Service funding. Since there are […]

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Local Pro Mountain Biker Releases Book for Kids

The book on etiquette is not only for kids, it’s for anyone in the mountain biking community, author Lindsey Richter says
by Becca Murphy

Longtime Bend local, pro mountain biker and skills coach Lindsey Richter just released her first children’s book, “Mountain Biking Adventures with Izzy: Etiquette is a Big Word.” The book is aimed at teaching trail etiquette and how bikes can bring joy, confidence, community and more. It all came about when aeronautical engineer Heidi Ashwell reached […]

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Winter Running 101: Getting Comfortable and Confident on the Snow

All about shoes, clothing, gear, routes and tips for running in winter conditions
Avatar photo by Allie Noland

It snowed. Can I still run outside? What should I wear? Should I keep the same running routes, routine and pace, or switch it up? Running season doesn’t end at first snowfall, in fact, it opens a new door to conditioning. As a new runner myself, these questions were flooding my brain at the first […]

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Cross-Country Skiing, in Town

Grooming of a Nordic track at Skyline Sports Complex allows skiers to enjoy the snow under lights til 9pm every day
by Becca Murphy

A 1-kilometer loop groomed for skiing is now packed at Skyline Sports Complex in Bend, seated next to Cascade Middle School. The most recent grooming took place on Friday, Dec. 16. The park lights should be on until 9pm most evenings, allowing for night skiing. “It is a skate pad only as the snow isn’t quite […]

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Roped Together

A true story of an epic father/son adventure
by David Sword

I started rock climbing in the early ’80s and took to it as passionately as skiing, the sport introduced to me by my parents, and the first endeavor in which I pursued as a profession. Climbing was still a fringe sport and climbing gyms hadn’t evolved yet. From bouldering anywhere I could find a rock, and […]

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Climbing in Bend, 24/7

New Bend climbing gym will be the first in the state to offer members seven days a week, 24 hours a day
by Becca Murphy

A new climbing gym opening soon in Bend will offer unique route-setting and wide-open business hours. Hooked on rock climbing since she was 5, new Bend business owner Lilian Kral has been setting a unique route for herself ever since. Growing up in Portland, Kral got her first taste of climbing at Central Oregon’s Smith Rock. […]

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New to the Backcountry? Embrace the Side-Country.

An easy intro for the backcountry curious, and a few places to check out in Central Oregon
by David Sword

Ripped right out of the pages of “Zoolander,” everybody is talking about the backcountry. “Skiing and snowboarding in the backcountry is so hot right now.” But what exactly does it mean to be in the “backcountry?” Central Oregon has miles and miles of terrain to explore during the winter by ski or snowboard, and although […]

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First Time on the Slopes: What to Expect

Winter is nearly upon us, which means it’s time for beginners to think about hitting the slopes for their first epic ski session
by Becca Murphy

Is skiing hard to learn? As a long-time Bendite and avid skier, I get this question a lot. Like anything else, it takes practice; but with optimism, patience and a good teacher, you’ll be getting off the chairlift, conquering the hills and not falling on your face every five minutes – which is a win. […]

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As Redmond Grows, So Does Its Bike Community

Cascade View trails, expansion of Cline Buttes trails are some of the projects for the Redmond COTA chapter
Avatar photo by Nicole Vulcan

As warm weather gives way to cold, some of Central Oregon’s most well-known bicycle trails go to bed for the season, soon to be—or already—tucked away under the snow. But that doesn’t necessarily mean trail riding has to end. In honor of the 2022 Redmond Issue, we checked in with Central Oregon Trail Alliance Executive […]

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From Sea to Shining Sea… and Back Again

Bend local completes the scouting mission in an effort to establish a national scenic trail that circles the U.S.
Avatar photo by Nicole Vulcan

Plenty of people hike the Pacific Crest Trail, the Appalachian Trail or any number of other long-haul trails that give them a chance to experience a region and accomplish something big. But imagine essentially combining all the above-named trails—plus plenty more ground—to form a circumnavigation of the United States. The American Perimeter Trail, recently scouted […]

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