Recreation

Three seasons aren’t enough for some bikers like this one in Central Oregon.

Fat Tire Snow Biking Getaways

Central Oregon is the playground for this pursuit written by Jen Sotolongo Fat biking is a relatively new sport. The first fat bikes were released on the market in 2009. Prior to then, early snow cyclists would pin or weld together two rims to create a wider base to accommodate travel over snow and sand. While the trails aren’t quite as zippy, mountain biking enthusiasts who miss their sport during the winter months can add a little girth to their wheels and hit the snow for some fat biking fun. “Fat biking opens up a lot more of the time that you can ride because you have more float with the wider tire,” said Gary Meyer, longtime fat biker and the Winter Trail Steward for the Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA). While one can take a fat bike and ride along a snowy forest service road, the place to ride…

Henry Hagg Lake is a great option for year-round paddling.

Secluded SUPing

To SUP is human. To SUP in seclusion is divine. written by Jen Sotolongo Home to calm rivers and crystal clear alpine lakes surrounded by mountain tops, paddleboarding enthusiasts can SUP just about anywhere in Oregon. The mild winter throughout much of the state means that with the right gear, paddling year-round is a possibility. Whether you prefer to while away the day in a lake, get a solid workout along one of the many designated water trails, or make a multi-day excursion stand-up paddlers won’t have to search far to find a serene spot to enjoy the sport. Permits are required for non-motorized watercraft, including paddleboards 10 feet or longer, as well as life jackets and whistles. One and two-year permits are available from ODFW and Oregon.gov. Henry Hagg Lake GASTON Just 30 miles southwest of Portland, Hagg Lake is a great option for year-round paddling. The lake is…

Wanderlust Tours leads snowshoe trips by the light of the sun, stars, moon or bonfire.

Fire + Ice = Love

A recipe for winter fun in Bend, from mellow to adrenaline-laced, or both written by Adam Thorn Smith If Oregon is a dartboard of adventures, Bend is the bullseye—dead center, dedicated to the outdoors, and destiny to adrenaline junkies. In this high desert town, people surf water and land, from river wave to snow-clad volcano. Wild mountains, streams, forests, caves and cliffs are top targets year-round. But, you can put the mild side of Bend in your sights too. Historic downtown is a rustic-hip center of food, drink, music, softly lit streets and riverside strolls. Festivals, fundraisers, concerts and markets populate the calendar. Boutique lodging and pro outfitters offer amenities and excursions suited to novice explorers and those who prefer endorphins over adrenaline. Of all the seasonal regional getaways in Oregon, winter in the state’s center is among the best. Getting there is part of the experience. If you’re coming…

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…