A big cosmic show is coming this weekend, and conditions should be good to see it from Oregon.

The annual Perseid meteor shower, one of the most reliably spectacular astronomical events of the year, will be peaking on Aug. 12 and 13, bringing beautiful streaking meteors to the night sky.

On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we talk all about how, when and where to see the Perseids, and explain what exactly it is you’ll be looking at.

Here are some highlights from this week’s show:

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-- Jamie Hale and Vickie Connor

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Looking to round out summer with a few good leg-burners? You’ve come to the right place.

On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we dive into some of the toughest hiking trails around the Portland area, finding them at Mount Hood, the Columbia River Gorge and the Coast Range.

These are not your average day hikes – they’re intense climbs meant only for the hardiest of hikers.

We have all the details to help you settle on the best hike for you, from mileage and elevation gain to the necessary precautions at each place. If you’ve spent the season on some of the easier and more moderate trails, this might be the time to challenge yourself.

Here are some highlights from this week’s show:

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-- Jamie Hale and Vickie Connor

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Programming note: This is a rebroadcast of an excellent episode from July, 2021.

This week on the Peak Northwest podcast, we discuss how to enjoy Olympic National Park: from the coastline to the forest, lodges to campgrounds.

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Programming note: This is a rebroadcast of an excellent episode from September, 2022.

The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens is considered the most destructive volcanic eruption in United States history. The explosion reduced the mountain’s elevation by about 1,370 feet. Today, hikers and mountaineers set off to the volcano for the day-long adventure to climb to the top. The reduced elevation makes the trek suitable for beginner mountaineers, too.

On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, co-host Vickie Connor talks about her first volcanic summit at Mount St. Helens.

Here are some highlights from this week’s show:

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There are tons of incredible road trips in the Pacific Northwest. You can loop the Olympic Peninsula, drive the length of the Oregon coast, cruise the Cascade Mountains or head out to the treasures of the high desert.

A road trip to Alaska is on a whole other level.

On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest we talk with our colleague, photographer Dave Killen, who made the epic trip from Portland to Alaska with his partner and their two dogs in a vintage Volkswagen bus he rebuilt himself.

The three-week excursion was full of good hiking, incredible scenery and a lifetime of memories. How, exactly, do you go about planning a trip of this magnitude? And is it a reasonable excursion for the everyday Northwest adventurer?

Here are some highlights from this week’s show:

Subscribe to Peak Northwest on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

-- Jamie Hale and Vickie Connor

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Between wildflower hikes, scenic bike rides, tree climbing and tide pooling, the first half of 2023 has been especially active for the Peak Northwest crew.

On this week’s episode of the podcast, we run through our favorite trips from this year so far, crossing almost the entirety of Oregon, from the roaring ocean, over the mountains to the arid high desert.

If you’re still looking for some spring or fall travel ideas around the Pacific Northwest, we have some excellent ideas for you.

Here are some highlights from this week’s show:

Subscribe to Peak Northwest on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

-- Jamie Hale and Vickie Connor

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If you want to get away and really get away, you might try escaping to Owyhee.

Located along the Owyhee River on the far eastern side of Oregon, the Owyhee Canyonlands are a remote high desert getaway with places to hike, boat, fish and explore. Even the drive is incredible.

On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we talk all things Owyhee, giving a primer on exploring the far-flung destination.

Here are some highlights from this week’s show:

Subscribe to Peak Northwest on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

-- Jamie Hale and Vickie Connor

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Maybe you liked to climb trees as a kid, but this is a whole other level.

A new company in Oregon is taking people high into the canopy of an old-growth forest, offering a new perspective and a thrilling adventure.

On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we talk to Leo Rosen-Fischer, founder of Tree Climbing at Silver Falls, which takes people hundreds of feet above the forest floor at Silver Falls State Park.

The experience of climbing into the forest canopy, as Rosen-Fischer tells it, is like nothing else. And the adventure of ascending up the trunk of a living giant is one you won’t soon forget.

Here are some highlights from this week’s show:

Subscribe to Peak Northwest on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

-- Jamie Hale and Vickie Connor

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Is there anything better than soaking in a hot spring, breathing in the cool mountain air?

We don’t think so. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we gush about one of our favorite resorts in Oregon, a place where you can truly disconnect from the outside world.

Whether you’re at Breitenbush Hot Springs for the day or staying a couple of nights, it’s a little slice of paradise that all but forces you into a state of relaxation. We have everything you need to know about the resort, and an impassioned endorsement of the retreats they provide.

Here’s the full episode:

Subscribe to Peak Northwest on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

-- Jamie Hale and Vickie Connor

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If you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to explore another planet, you don’t need to leave Earth to do it – or even Oregon.

The John Day Fossil Beds of central Oregon are a strange natural attraction that seem out of this world. Between the glowing colors of the Painted Hills, the strange prehistoric fossils found underground and the blue badlands that emerge from the desert, this is a place like no other.

On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we explore all there is to see at the national monument, with tips on how to see it all for yourself this season. Bring water, grab your camera and get ready to be wowed.

Here are some highlights from this week’s show:

Subscribe to Peak Northwest on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

-- Jamie Hale and Vickie Connor

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