Outside
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Phase II of Santiam Pass Ski Lodge Restoration

Restoration project has come a long way since its inception
by Damian Fagan

When Susan and Dwight Sheets toured the defunct Santiam Pass Ski Lodge on a rainy October day in 2016 with Willamette National Forest Ranger Terry Baker, they were saddened with the condition of the historic lodge that had been unoccupied since 1986. “The archaeologist wouldn’t come in because it was horrible,” said Dwight. “We were […]

Posted inGo Here

Time to Shine with a Freak Holiday Salad

The Deschutes Historical Museum is celebrating gelatin sides
Avatar photo by Nic Moye

 Jello salad was created in 1904 by Mrs. John E. Cook of Pennsylvania. She called it the “Perfection Salad.” The colorful item became especially popular after World War II as a convenient, inexpensive dish for busy housewives. It became overshadowed in the 1960s and 70s with the rise of other cooking trends. Nonetheless, many families […]

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Species Spotlight: Burrowing Owl

A funny little owl
by LeeAnn Kriegh

Pronghorn are perhaps the most graceful animal native to the high desert country of central and eastern Oregon. Golden eagles are the most majestic, greater sage-grouse the most emblematic. And burrowing owls? They’re the funniest. For starters, burrowing owls have the peculiar habit of living in underground burrows — not the trees that most birds […]

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Volunteers Needed at Bunny Rescue

Ember’s Wildflower has rescued nearly 400 domestic bunnies
Avatar photo by Nic Moye

Most pet owners will reminisce about their favorite pet, one that deeply touched their heart, was a bonafide family member and by which each future pet is compared. Lindsey Provost took that sentiment to extremes after falling in love with her first pet bunny, Ember, in 2015. When Ember passed away in 2019, Provost started […]

Posted inNatural World

Rats! Central Oregon Hosts an Autumn Uptick in Cohabitating Vermin

There’s a rat in my kitchen, wha’ am I gonna’ do! – UB40
by Tom Rodhouse PhD Oregon State University-Cascades

With UB40’s classic reggae hit echoing in my mind, I pondered this question for the first time since moving to Central Oregon three decades ago. Tipped off by my dogs’ unusual curiosity around the furnace vents from the cellar, sniffing the blowing air, I set a few small snap traps in anticipation of an errant […]

Posted inNatural World

Western Rivers Conservancy buys in to preserve lands, protect wildlife

Sometimes to save a river, you have to buy it
by Damian Fagan

If you haven’t heard of Western Rivers Conservancy, you’re not alone. The organization engages in purchasing private lands along Western rivers to conserve habitat, protect wildlife species at risk, and to provide public access. WRG’s motto is Sometimes to save a river, you have to buy it, Way more than a slogan; it’s the core […]

Posted inNatural World

The Journey Back to the Wild

Think Wild performs life-saving surgery on a Great Horned Owl (GHOW 25-503)
by Sue Dougherty DVM MA DACVIM Think Wild Board President

Think Wild is Central Oregon’s nonprofit wildlife hospital and conservation center, caring for sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife while educating the public about coexistence and stewardship. Since opening for animal care in 2020, Think Wild has grown in staffing, services and the number of wildlife helped directly at its hospital. The spring and summer […]

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Holiday Gift Shopping Begins in Redmond

The Snowflake Boutique is an annual arts, crafts and food fair
Avatar photo by Nic Moye

To kick off the holiday season, the 49th annual Snowflake Boutique will transport you to a winter wonderland. The Cascade Lakes South Building at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond will be full of crafts, art and food items. Shoppers can fill their bags with gift and holiday items and pay for everything on the […]

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The Brip Brap Makes the Hip Hap 

Local teen moto racer leads his novice category heading to the 4th stop of AMA EnduroCross in Redmond on Nov. 8
Avatar photo by Peter Madsen

Gnar-buckets EnduroCross racing is returning to Redmond.  The American Motorcyclist Association EnduroCross series will pitstop at the First Interstate Bank Center on Nov. 8 — the fourth of six rounds winding through America’s Western states.  While the pro category boasts household names like current series leaders Trystan Hart, Jonny Walker and Ryder LeBlond, the AMA […]

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Mateo Paez cycles his way across the world as an elite competitive bikepacker

Bikepacking racers tackle tough climbs, long hours in the saddle, and emotional fatigue as they must rely on themselves to get through a race
by Dallas Finn Calvert

As a college student, Mateo Paez commuted on his Vespa up, down and around the hills of San Francisco. However, a collision with a car pulling out of a parking spot set Paez on a path to cycling up mountains, across the globe, that he never saw coming. “I didn’t have any major injuries, but […]

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