Recreation

MountNbarreL offers a local’s look at Hood River orchards and wineries.

Loop Dreams: Guided E-Bike Tours

The inside scoop on the renowned Fruit Loop guided e-bike tours Written by Cathy Carroll When the wet west meets the higher, drier East at the Columbia River Gorge, it coaxes from the earth a veritable summer picnic basket, from chardonnay, pinot and zinfandel to strawberries, blueberries, peaches and pears. That’s when the roads winding through Hood River call to take to them on two wheels. With the wind in your (helmeted) hair, the terroir fills your senses with every push on the pedal. MountNbarreL’s addition of e-bikes to their roster of guided tours makes it that much easier, especially for groups at varied levels of ability or desire to power themselves through an afternoon of exquisite sips and samplings of local savories and sweets. Best of all, the bike tours have a distinctly insider feel as local guides weave in the stories of area growers and makers of wine, beer,…

Ski guide PNW

Pacific Northwest Ski Guide

Find your favorite spot to shred the gnar pow this winter written by Kevin Max When it comes to skiing in the Pacific Northwest, we are pleasantly spoiled with options. Many of us are here to be in the mountains year-round, whether it be mountain biking or alpine skiing. When snow tops the Cascades, Blue Mountains and the Kootenay Rockies, skis of all widths come out of storage wax and their owners go into planning mode. Do we ski the same place we have forever because it’s familiar? Or do we break out and find a new place that has a cool ski culture and try something new? Here, we’ve brought together some of our favorites based on the alpine and nordic ski culture behind these winter destinations. OREGON Mt. Bachelor Because the nordic ski trails at Mt. Bachelor sit at about 6,000 feet elevation in the Cascades, this resort…

Aerial Courses — adventurers zip, sway and swoop on carefully designed courses

written by Jennifer Burns Bright Monkeys aren’t the only ones who can swing from trees. Increasingly popular at resorts and outdoor destinations, “American Ninja”-style aerial courses challenge visitors to sway on zigzaggy wooden bridges set between high platforms, climb rope webs and zip through the sky. Some even dare the fearless to leap to the ground or into water. We’ve selected three of Oregon’s coolest courses—all surrounded by nature in breathtaking areas—to explore on your summer vacation. Klamath Falls Crater Lake Zipline If hiking through the forests or fishing near Crater Lake seems too leisurely, how about zipping through the canopy of pine and fir trees? Just thirty-five minutes from Crater Lake National Park, Crater Lake Zipline affords magnificent 360-degree views of Upper Klamath Lake and Mount McLoughlin as riders sail over the treetops. Kids can now climb over their own spider webs and bridge challenges on the new Sasquatch…

romantic getaways

Wild and Romantic Outdoor Getaways

Getting outside can be an aphrodisiac— turn up the heat this summer with an outdoor adventure written by Kevin Max We know you like to make travel plans around new and exciting experiences in the outdoors, so we happily brought together some of our top picks for outdoor getaways in every region of Oregon. These range from remote hike-in cabins in Eastern Oregon to hot springs resorts in Central Oregon, a fabulous Mid-century makeover in Southern Oregon, a fire lookout in the Willamette Valley and more. Here is the fruit of this exploration. Eastern Oregon » Halfway In a southwest breach of the Wallowa Whitman National Forest and 10 miles west of the Snake River lies tiny Halfway. It’s the remoteness of Halfway and the cuteness of Pine Valley Lodge that makes this a romantic outdoorsy getaway. The bed & breakfast has twelve rooms with two stand-alone cottages, one that…

gravel riding

Gravel Ride the PNW

Get off the pavement and into backcountry on gravel roads across the Pacific Northwest by Kevin Max I climbed the last hundred feet out of my saddle, my bike tires spitting up a gravel road with Ponderosa pines towering overhead. I had gotten used to the feeling of pleasure and pain commingled in my body. Wide vistas of Idaho’s Pioneer Mountains narrowed to the width of the gravel road as I pushed up the last big climb of Rebecca’s Private Idaho, the brainchild of cycling legend and Ketchum, Idaho, resident Rebecca Rusch. Nothing seemed harder. Nothing seemed more gratifying than this, my introduction to gravel riding.    Gravel, in its forms of speech, has described scratchy voices and roads to dead-end residences. Now, gravel is an honorific describing a burgeoning trend in cycling and some of the best ways to experience the Pacific Northwest through either competitive races, group rides…

NW Destination: Vancouver and its Foodie Secrets

Vancouver is the foodie capital of North America, and we’ve got all the secrets written by Michelle Hopkins Compared to most North American cities, Vancouver is relatively young. What it may lack in age, it certainly doesn’t lack in appeal. Mother Nature truly blessed this city of nearly 650,000 residents. Named after Captain George Vancouver, who laid claim in 1792, Vancouver has snow-capped mountains, the ocean, rainforests and beautiful foliage. As one of North America’s most cosmopolitan cities, Lotus Land has an overabundance of things to see, do and enjoy. Vancouver’s historic Granville Island has long been known as a gastronomy destination. This past summer, four of Vancouver’s most celebrated chefs founded Popina Canteen. Housed in brightly colored, repurposed shipping containers, this waterfront, gourmet counter-service eatery features sustainable seafood, salads and more. Besides its bustling food market, Granville Island has also made a name for itself as a hotbed for…

Foraging for Dinner in Western Oregon

Foraging for dinner in Western Oregon written by Felisa Rogers With its sheltered coves and temperate rainforests, western Oregon is a foragers’ paradise. Fall and spring get the most press, but winter is the best time of year to forage for mussels, and several varieties of local mushrooms are hardy enough to withstand frosty nights. The enterprising scavenger can put food on the table all year—provided you don’t mind getting up early and getting wet. On a cold November morning, I woke up at dawn to drive to the coast. My mission? Combat the winter blues by foraging for dinner. Armed with pliers, a utility knife, gloves, a bucket and my shell sh foraging permit ($10 for residents, good for a year), I parked at Seal Rock, south of Newport. To make access easier, I’d planned my expedition for a minus tide, which occur a few times a month. The…

Alysia Kezerian of Wheelies Around the World

Wheelies Around the World: Alysia Kezerian may use a wheelchair, but that’s not stopping her travels written by Mackenzie Wilson If The Little Engine That Could was a person, it would be Alysia Kezerian. The 24-year-old, from Danville, California, hasn’t let anything get in the way of her seeing the world, not even a devastating injury. In 2015, Kezerian, then a student at the University of Oregon, was paralyzed from a fall at Smith Rock State Park near Terrebonne. She was bouldering up a 10-foot rock face and on the way back down, a section of the rock broke off, sending her to the ground. Adrenaline dulled her initial understanding of whether she was hurt. “I thought, oh I didn’t hit my head, I’m fine,” Kezerian said. “ Then I tried to move my legs and I couldn’t.” It took rescue crews seven hours to get Kezerian out of the…

NW Destination: Sonoma County, California

A Phoenix From the Ashes Sonoma County won’t let a fire stop its spirit written by Sheila G. Miller A year ago, Sonoma County and surrounding areas were crippled by a massive wild fire. Rolling hills were blackened, vineyards were damaged, and homes destroyed, but the fires did nothing to dampen the area’s spirit. Indeed, nearly every street-facing surface in the area still features stickers that say #SonomaStrong or handmade signs thanking firefighters for their help in saving residents’ homes. There’s no better way to support this community as it gets back on its feet than by spending some tourism dollars in the region. I was happy to oblige. Glen Ellen was particularly hard-hit by the fires. But the Jack London Lodge in Glen Ellen, where I stayed on a recent weekend, was spared. This renovated motel, tucked into a lush hillside, has charm, free breakfast, and one heck of…