Peak Northwest

By The Oregonian/OregonLiveSociety & Culture Sports Places & Travel Wilderness

Peak Northwest episodes

November 16, 2023How to make an herbal first aid kit
Making a first aid kit doesn’t have to mean buying tubes of pre-made ointments and salves, it can be as easy as harvesting plants from your own garden or from nature.
On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we talk to herbalists Madrone McCarthy and Tessa McKee, who teach people about the practices of healing wounds with plants.
Whether you have a cut, a burn or have wandered into a patch of poison oak, there’s a plant that can help you. Some are commonly found alongside the trail, making them very useful in a pinch, though most are easily grown in a backyard garden, and can be powdered or turned into salves and tinctures.
Here are some highlights from this week’s show:
What exactly is herbal first aid?
Yarrow is especially good at stopping bleeding, among other things.
St. Johns Wort has many uses, including healing deep puncture wounds.
Plantain is abundant in forests, and very useful for healing.
How to turn plants into salves and tinctures.

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33 min
November 09, 2023Why Tumalo Falls is one of the best waterfall hikes in Oregon
Most people stick to the west side off the Cascades to find good waterfalls, but just across the mountains is another incredible waterfall hike at Tumalo Falls.
On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we talk all about the Tumalo Falls Loop Hike, a Bend-area adventure that features nearly a dozen beautiful waterfalls along a relatively short and accessible trail.
The waterfalls are found along Tumalo Creek, which runs from the slopes of Broken Top down to the Deschutes River. If you want to experience the loop hike, you’ll want to go during the right season and start early in the day, as crowds tend to descend upon the popular trail even on weekdays.
Here are some highlights from this week’s show:
Where is Tumalo Falls and when is the best time of year to go?
What are the waterfalls like on the trail?
Why it might not be worth doing the full loop hike.
Some other things to do around Bend while you’re there.

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27 min
November 02, 2023How to stay active inside during the rainy season
With the rainy season upon us, we’re headed inside.
On this week’s episode of the Peak Northwest podcast, we talk all about our favorite ways to stay active and spend time inside during the darkest and rainiest months of the year. From yoga and indoor climbing to soaking pools and trip planning, there are a lot of different ways to spend the season.
None of that is to say you can’t continue to get outside this time of year. Ski season is coming soon, and rainy day hikes are always a joy, but it’s always nice to find some balance with inside time as well.
Here are some highlights from this week’s show:
How yoga can help keep you limber during lulls in activity.
Soaking pools are a joy on cold, rainy days.
Indoor climbing gyms can help you practice or learn new skills in the offseason.
The importance of striking a balance between staying active and allowing yourself to relax.

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32 min
October 26, 2023Old military batteries are a creepy attraction on the coast
It’s not every day you come across ruins in an Oregon forest.
On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we explore the old military batteries – concrete bunkers built after the Civil War – that still stand at state parks at the mouth of the Columbia River.
From the massive complex at Fort Stevens State Park in Oregon to the many batteries at Cape Disappointment and Fort Columbia state parks in Washington, the structures offer a different way to tour the spectacular area.
Whether you’re a history buff or just looking for a different kind of state park attraction, these old batteries are a fascinating attraction.
Here are some highlights from this week’s show:
What exactly are these things?
What’s it like to tour an old military battery?
Fort Stevens State Park is a great place to get the history.
Cape Disappointment has two interesting batteries and so much more to see.

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25 min
October 19, 2023A road trip to Oregon’s haunted places
Do ghosts haunt Oregon? There’s only one way to find out.
On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we talk to Samantha Swindler, videographer and features reporter for The Oregonian/OregonLive, who has made it her business to tour the spookiest places around the state.
Swindler talks about sleeping alone in purportedly haunted hotels, touring Old West ghost towns and researching ghost stories around the state. If spooky history is your idea of fun, this is a trip for you.
Here are some highlights from this week’s show:
Does the Lady in Blue haunt the Geiser Grand Hotel?
Hotel Condon in central Oregon is supposedly haunted.
Shaniko is a ghost town that may also be home to some actual ghosts.
Checking out the all-around spookiness of Knight Hall in Forest Grove.

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-- Jamie Hale and Vickie Connor

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30 min
October 12, 2023The annular solar eclipse is this week. Revisiting how to prepare for it
Programming note: This is a rebroadcast with updates of an episode from February, 2023.

An annular solar eclipse is crossing Oregon this fall, and whether you’re an eclipse-head or a casual stargazer, you’ll probably want to go check it out.
The eclipse is Oct. 14. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we talk all about how to prepare for the big cosmic event.
Because while the annual solar eclipse won’t be quite as awesome as the total solar eclipse from 2017, it will still be a spectacular sight to behold, creating a “ring of fire” in the sky above Oregon.
Here are some highlights from this week’s show:
What is an annular solar eclipse?
When and where is the eclipse happening?
Are there any particularly good places in Oregon to see it?
When will the next eclipse come to Oregon?

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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27 min
October 05, 2023Where and when to find peak fall color in Oregon
Our green Pacific Northwest forests are about to turn shades of red, yellow and orange.
Oregon’s remarkable fall color is best paired with striking scenery like towering volcanoes and raging rivers. From the highest elevations down to the coast, there are plenty of places to find that perfect combination, ushering in the season with incredible views.
On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we look at the Fall Foliage Prediction Map to see where and when peak fall color will be coming to Oregon. No matter where you plan to spend your autumn days, there’s bound to be some color nearby.
Here are some highlights from this week’s show:
Early October brings fall color to Oregon’s central Cascade Mountains.
Why Portland is one of the best places to see fall color.
Steens Mountain is a surprisingly good fall destination.
“Larch marching” through Washington.

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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36 min
September 28, 2023Exploring caves at the Lava Beds National Monument
Ever wanted to explore a cave? Lava Beds is the place to be.
On this week’s episode of the Peak Northwest podcast, our colleague Janet Eastman tells us about her experience exploring the caves at Lava Beds National Monument, found just across the border in northern California.
Featuring more than a dozen caves of various complexity, Lava Beds is a great place to either dip your toes into cave exploration or do some serious spelunking.
Here are some highlights from this week’s show:
What kind of gear do you need to go caving?
Janet talks about her experience in the caves.
It’s easy to opt out of more difficult excursions if you’d prefer to take it easy.
There are a lot of other things to do and see at Lava Beds, outside of the cave systems.

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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34 min
September 21, 2023Searching for huckleberries on Huckleberry Mountain
Why aren’t there more huckleberries on Huckleberry Mountain?
On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, a recent trip to the Mt. Hood National Forest leads to an investigation of the fickle huckleberry plants, which are especially susceptible to the whims of the natural world around them.
With a warming climate, in a place that is regularly ravaged by wildfire, what becomes of our beloved huckleberry season?
Here are some highlights from this week’s show:
Jamie recounts his hike up Huckleberry Mountain.
There are several reasons why huckleberries may grow in some places and not others.
Where are some good places to find huckleberries?
Despite the lack of berries, Huckleberry Mountain was still a great hike.

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24 min
September 14, 2023How to do a zigzag road trip through the Columbia Gorge
You’ve never toured the Columbia River Gorge quite like this.
With dozens of waterfalls, small towns, hiking trails and viewpoints spread out across both Oregon and Washington, there are a lot of ways to explore the scenic river corridor east of Portland. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest we explore one of the crazier ways to do it: a zigzag road trip.
Come along as we take a whirlwind trip to one of the most scenic places in the Pacific Northwest, crossing bridges and pulling off the highway for some seriously incredible views.
Here are some highlights from this week’s show:
What exactly is a zigzag road trip?
All the tolls and fees you need to keep in mind when traveling the Gorge.
Viewpoints galore greet visitors to the Washington side of the river.
The Wildflower Corridor may not be in bloom, but it’s still a gorgeous stretch.
Saving the best for last with a home stretch in the waterfall corridor.

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32 min