Outside

A successful fall steelhead trip starts with the right provisions. If you're running the lower Deschutes, you'll need a boat capable of surviving a head-on collision with a speeding pick-up truck, about half a dozen rods, and 150 hand-tied flies. If it's October, you'll need clothes suited for the third week of June as well as the first week of January because you're likely to experience weather that oscillates between those two polar extremes on any multi-day float. You'll also want some durable, cleated boots to navigate the river's swift currents and notoriously slick rocks. Finally, you'll need the equivalent of a fully stocked bar, at least one bottle of bitters and a jar of pickled, spicy beans. Oh, and an air mattress, which aids in sleeping and can be used as an inflatable boat, should you happen to leave yours at the bottom of the river, as we nearly did a few weeks ago.

If you believe the numerous outdoor gear sites, self-appointed gear guru bloggers and outdoor magazine “test” stories and annual gear guides, no outdoor experience is worth undertaking unless you have the latest and greatest (read expensive) gear. A two-person tent's five-star rating by Backpacker magazine apparently means that every night spent in said tent during a howling blizzard will be as comfortable as a stay in a five-star resort. And woe be to anyone who even considers a snow cave as shelter.

CROOKED RIVER BELOW BOWMAN DAM: redband trout and mountain whitefish. Fishing has been great! Flows should remain consistent around 75 cfs throughout the winter resulting in consistent fishing. A sample of redband trout and mountain whitefish are tagged with a numbered floy tag protruding from the back. Anglers who catch a trout or whitefish with a floy tag are encouraged to release the fish after recording the tag number, fish length and location caught. Anglers can send the information to ODFW at (541) 447-5111 ext. 24 or michael.r.harrington@state.or.us.

The party in the Grand Canyon started in the parking lot of Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe even before we left Bend. The group of nine of us gathered on the grasses near Geoff Frank's large passenger van, sharing beers and stacking gear and kayaks on top of the roof. Although we had a fourteen-hour drive ahead of us that Saturday night in late September, our spirits were soaring with anticipation of three weeks of rafting on the Colorado River.

It's the full-finger gloves, warm tights, warm inner layers, windbreaker jackets, beanies-under-the-helmet season. It's time for mountain bike riders who don't ski, or skiers simply looking for a change of recreation pace when the snow conditions aren't that good. And during most winters, there are always trails that will be snow free and worth riding. Here's a few of my favorite off-season rides: