The Oregon High Desert Grotto, Bend’s chapter of the National Speleogical Society, records 690 known caves in Deschutes County alone. Just when I’d been in enough of the caves close to Bend—with their entrances christened with beer bottles, spray paint, and cigarette butts—to think, “Meh, seen one, seen ’em all,” I learned of these three […]
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DO Go Chasing Waterfalls!
Despite the disappointing snowpack across the state, sunny skies and warm spring temperatures mean it’s waterfall season in Oregon. Here are three worth leaving the county for. White River Falls State Park This park contains at least three of my favorite features: huge geologic landforms, a series of cascading whitewater falls, and the physical remains […]
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Go Here 4/22-4/29
Out of the Fire, Into the Frying Pan
Many of us think of wildfire as being a destructive force, but fire plays a number of important ecological roles in the landscape. The ponderosa forests we know and love here are dependent upon periodic wildfire for nutrient cycling, revegetation, and to prevent the buildup of fuels that, given enough time, will produce the sort […]
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Go Here 4/15-4/22
Wildlowers
Central Oregon is so beautiful, that when looking for places to explore, I often forget to look beyond my back door. While watching reruns of OPB’s Field Guide (you have your Friday night ritual, I have mine), I was reminded of two important and remarkably lovely spots in the Northeast. It’s a six plus hour […]
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Go Here 4/8-4/15
These Boots Are Made for Hiking
There are so many things about spring in Central Oregon to love. Not the least of them is the unveiling of the Deschutes Land Trust free hike schedule. For over a decade, the Deschutes Land Trust has worked tirelessly to conserve thousands of acres of vitally important lands in Central Oregon. DLT lands serve as […]
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Go Here 4/1-4/8
Gold Hunting!
Last summer, I worked at Bend Park & Rec, and while putting in long hours keeping Bend’s parks beautiful, a coworker of mine, a Crook County native, spun me tales of gold in the hills near Prineville Reservoir. The stories were entertaining, and I filed them away, like pirate’s treasure maps, for later consideration. Scan […]
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Reap What You Sow
Never mind those recent snow flurries—spring has officially arrived. And as branches begin to bud, and birds to sing, it’s time to start thinking about gardening. Now, Central Oregon isn’t the Willamette Valley. One does not simply toss seeds over one’s shoulder and return a few weeks later to find verdant greens emerging from the […]
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Go Here 3/18-3/25
With Great Gifts Come Great Vacation Itineraries
Spring has officially sprung in the Cascades and it’s time to stop looking mournfully at those snowshoes and Nordic skis, dust off your hiking boots, and hit the trail. As we give thanks for seasonally appropriate activities, let’s consider for a moment how fortunate we are to live in this majestic place. Should this reflection […]
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Get Your Rocks Off
We can thank Central Oregon’s tumultuous volcanic history for most of the things we all love most about living here: the outdoor recreation, the beauty, and probably even the beer if you want to talk hydrology (but you probably don’t, so…). One more gift bestowed upon us by virtue of tectonic mayhem? Rocks! Central Oregon […]
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Go Here 3/5-3/11
Long-distance hikes (that aren’t the PCT)
Since the deservedly successful novel Wild, by Cheryl Strayed, was published and adapted to the big screen, thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail has moved to the top of every Tom, Dick, and Sally’s bucket list. For those of us interested in the challenge and fulfillment a thru-hike offers, but seeking less of a time commitment […]