Lee Spencer has one of the most unusual job titles in Oregon—Fish Watcher. For the past 18 years Spencer has kept watch over thousands of returning summer steelhead in Steamboat Creek, a tributary of the upper Umpqua River System. Every May Spencer returns to his trailer headquarters along the banks of the Steamboat. He has […]
Bend Oregon Hikes
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Go Here 9/28-10/5
Bend Rugby Men’s Calendar Release Party Ladies and gentlemen, the Bend Rugby Men’s team presents its inaugural calendar for 2017, featuring the fit men of the Bend Rugby team. Not only will buyers get to view team members participating every month in a different activity that Bend is known for, but 10 percent of the […]
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Rare Sighting
The Sierra Nevada Red Fox
In all the 65 years I’ve had the pleasure of living in Oregon (except for a short stint with The Nature Conservancy in Arizona running Ramsey Canyon Preserve) I somehow missed bumping into a most remarkable animal, the Sierra Nevada red fox. The first I ever heard of this beautiful resident of the Oregon High […]
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Writing for Wild Women
Author’s new book guides women in the wilderness
Don’t let the Boy Scouts and lumberjacks fool you—women can handle the great outdoors just as well, if not better, than men. Ruby McConnell is helping to prove it. McConnell is the author of “A Woman’s Guide to the Wild,” published earlier this year by Sasquatch Books. The guide covers the outdoor experience from a […]
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Go Here 9/21-9/28
Discover Nature Festival Nature is one of the greatest classrooms where kids and adults can learn about wildlife, outdoor skills and get in shape. The Children's Forest of Central Oregon, Bend Park and Recreation District and U.S. Forest Service will celebrate all that nature has to offer with the annual Discover Nature Festival at Riverbend […]
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Go Here 9/14-9/21
Railroad Open House All aboard for a train ride that packs a lot of fun into a small setting! The Eastern Cascades Model Railroad Club and Central Oregon Area Live Steamers will host their 21st Annual Open House at 21520 Modoc Lane Sept. 17 and 18. Guests can check out expansive model trains and ride […]
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Evolution of the Sunriver Nature Center and Observatory
If there’s one constant in nature, it’s change. Some people call it evolution and scoff at the idea, but as you look around there’s no denying that, given a certain set of circumstances, you adapt and change, or die. This is also true with facilities that serve the public. Right here in Deschutes County we […]
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A Leap of Fun
If your boss tells you to jump off a bridge, would you do it?
As I stood on the edge of the platform—my toes gripping the carpet that separated me from a 300-foot drop—I tried not to look down. Otherwise I might not jump. And I wanted to jump. Crazy, right? Not entirely. This past weekend I was on assignment at Central Oregon Bungee Adventures, a company operating from […]
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Disc Golfing for Gold
Local pro wins her fourth world championship
If golf is the traditional gentleman’s sport, then disc golf is the cooler, laid-back sibling who everyone would rather hang out with. The sport continues to grow in popularity around the world, and it’s no different in Bend. A large part of that is definitely thanks to Valarie Jenkins, the 2016 Professional Disc Golf Association […]
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Go Here 9/7-9/14
Bend Boulder Bash Just because summer is ending doesn’t mean the outdoor fun has to leave with it. Bend Rock Gym will host “What the Bash?!,” a climbing competition, on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 4-11pm. The event is the first in BRG’s Bend Boulder Bash competition series, open to climbers of all ages and skill […]