Outdoors

1859_Nov_Dec_Brent_McGregor_1

Brent McGregor

Sport | Mountain Climbing Hometown | Sisters Age | 62 photo by Kevin Grove When did you first start mountaineering? I started climbing mountains when most people my age were retiring from climbing, in my late 40s. I became very interested in the Cascade Range, and in the next few years, I climbed everything from Mt. Lassen in California to Mt. Rainier in Washington. Several of the mountains I summited more than once, climbing several different routes and in different seasons. In my early fifties, I attempted the Three Sisters Marathon which consists of summiting all three mountains trailhead to trailhead and finishing in less than twenty-four hours. I finished in less than twelve hours. photos by Brent McGregor What drew you in? For several years, I spent all my time with my wood-working business, Rocky Mountain Timber Products. One day, I thought, I don’t want to grow old being remembered…

1859_Nov_Dec_2014_Outdoor_Skiareas_3

6 Oregon Ski Resorts

Families visiting Oregon’s small ski and snowboard resorts are not looking for the great indoors, for the mountains are calling. Quaint lodges are just a base for big adventures at these resorts. We’ve written about Oregon’s top-notch larger ski resorts in recent issues. Here we focus on the smaller, lesser-known ski areas that make for fun winter excursions. We found half a dozen winter retreats worth the extra drive to ski big with the whole family. photo by Leon Werdinger   Fergi The history of Ferguson Ridge Ski Area, tucked away in the Wallowas, was cut through the trees by avid skiers. Today, Fergi has one T-bar, a rope tow and a focus on the freedom of skiing. With 170 acres and eight runs, Fergi caters to skiers of all levels in a laid-back family atmosphere. The twenty-five kilometers of Nordic trails lure skiers to explore the mountain at length….

talia galvin, forest park, portland

Run Forest Run

Nearly every day during my first year in New York, I met Sarah Rose beneath an ornate cast iron bridge at the southern end of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir in Central Park. From there, we’d run loops of four to six miles depending on time, the weather and the prior evening’s payback. Oregon and Forest Park were still some years off.

justin bailie, newport, coast

Hardcore Albacore

During Oregon’s albacore tuna season, Clay Archambault’s life is paint-stained Carhartt’s and finicky equipment, and long weeks at sea followed by relaxation with fellow fishermen in Newport’s South Beach Marina.

talia galvin, eagle cap wilderness, joseph

Wilderness at 50

A snag of a branch bobs up and down in the roaring whitewater of Hurricane Creek. In the milky light of dawn, dark green firs and hemlocks hover over the banks of Hurricane Creek as it pours down the mountainside. Daily life vanishes behind this compelling rhythm in the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

tyler roemer, smith rock, central oregon

Mayor of Smith Rock

An interview with Central Oregon rock climber Ian Caldwell, who is known as the “Mayor of Smith Rock.”

ben krause, hiking

Eight Hikes Into Wild Oregon

The snow has retreated to mountaintops, wildflowers are blooming and the days are long. In short, it’s summer—time to grab the hiking gear for a day-trek or backpacking adventure into Oregon’s remote beaches, rainforests, glacier-covered peaks, wild and scenic rivers, painted canyons and vast stretches of high desert.
Revel in the state’s biodiversity—marine mammals and birds, soaring raptors and grazing herds of elk, sheep and antelope. Breathe the air from the summit of Strawberry Mountain, hitch up your pants to cross a tributary of the Pacific or peer into the starry skies from your sleeping bag. Take the kids and teach them to walk softly through the rugged and delicate terrain of this state.
1859 culled eight hikes of varied length and difficulty, many in wilderness areas managed by the U.S. Forest Service or U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Be sure to check current conditions and restrictions, availability of water and campsites before entering the wilderness or starting a multiday hike.