Peak Northwest

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

Peak Northwest episodes

June 29, 2023How to explore Oregon’s wild Owyhee Canyonlands
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:
How exactly do you get to Owyhee?
What can you do there?
The best places to explore while you’re out in the canyonlands.
There are a few good places to anchor your trip, though all involve a lot of driving.

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
June 22, 2023Tree climbing is the latest adventure at Silver Falls State Park
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:
What is this tree climbing experience like?
It can be hard work ascending a tree, but there are special tools to help those who need it.
What’s it like to be high in the forest canopy?
If you like tree climbing, try tree camping at Silver Falls.

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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26 min
June 15, 2023Soak in the idyllic beauty of Breitenbush Hot Springs
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:
What and where is Breitenbush Hot Springs?
What’s the deal with nudity in the hot springs?
How the resort has been building back after a devastating wildfire in 2020.
What you can expect when you go on a retreat.

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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31 min
June 08, 2023See the alien beauty of Oregon’s John Day Fossil Beds
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:
What exactly are the Fossil Beds?
The Painted Hills and beyond: everything you should see while you’re there.
How should you plan a trip out there?
What you should bring to stay safe while exploring.

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
June 01, 2023My Epic Adventure: Jamie's first backpacking trip
First-time backpackers often like to go on shorter, easier trips to break their packs in. It can helpful to go with friends who have a little experience, or pick spots that are closer to society just to be safe.
A solo five-day trip into bear country is a bold foray into backpacking.
On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we continue our My Epic Adventure series with a tale from our own Jamie Hale, who recounts his very first backpacking trip on the Rogue River Trail in southern Oregon.
With blisters, bears, snakes and ticks, it’s a true Oregon backpacking adventure. But one luxurious twist made the trip a bit easier to handle, and gave Jamie some much-needed rest along the way.
Here are some highlights from this week’s show:
How Jamie landed on this particular trail for his first backpacking trip.
What is the Rogue River Trail like?
Backpacking into bear country can get a little dicey.
Spending a night at Paradise was a game changer.
What to know before backpacking the Rogue River Trail yourself.

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37 min
May 25, 2023Biking Madras Mountain Views Scenic Bikeway
With countless mountain peaks in view, rolling hills and one of the most breathtaking views of Cove Palisades State Park, it’s hard for cyclists to not love Madras Mountain Views Scenic Bikeway.
On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, Vickie chats with Jamie about her most recent bike trip to central Oregon, where she biked 29-mile loop to celebrate her birthday.
Here are some highlights from this week’s show:
Vickie shares her thoughts on her first visit to central Oregon.
Oregon is home to 17 different designated scenic bikeways scattered throughout the state.
A breakdown of the route and what to expect.
Options for lodging, including camping, for this trip.
Our favorite place to grab a cinnamon roll in Madras.

Subscribe to Peak Northwest on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts.
-- Vickie Connor and Jamie Hale

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27 min
May 18, 2023How to spend a weekend in Yachats
Of all the beach towns on the beautiful stretch of Pacific coastline in Oregon, Yachats might well be the most charming.
Located on the rocky shores of the central Oregon coast, Yachats features a small but bustling corridor of restaurants and small businesses, with forested trails, tide pools, beaches and towering sea cliffs found nearby.
On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, Jamie recounts a recent trip to Yachats, where a spring rainstorm forced some last-minute adjustments and allowed for a fresh take on the coastal town.
Here are some highlights from this week’s show:
Where to find the best fried fish in Yachats (and the best on the Oregon coast).
A tour of some of the small shops in town.
The Ya’Xaik Trail is a small, but fascinating hike.
Tide pooling on a rainy Easter Sunday.
The Yachats restaurant scene has a lot to offer.

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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31 min
May 11, 2023The joy of tide pooling on the Oregon coast
Welcome to the weird, wonderful world of tide pooling.
Both primal and alien, tide pools are chock full of interesting life, from tiny shore crabs to giant green anemones. Exploring these intertidal areas is a cherished pastime on the Oregon coast, but what do you need to know to get started?
On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we talk to Jamie Kish, a marine biologist and tide pool ambassador based in Yachats, who not only offers some tide pooling tips, but dishes on her own love of these strange, beautiful ecosystems.
Here are some highlights from this week’s show:
Jamie’s journey from east coast kid to Oregon coast enthusiast.
What kind of creatures can you find in a tide pool?
Are Oregon’s tide pools endangered by climate change?
What’s the best way to get started going tide pooling?
Jamie’s not only a scientist, but a skilled tide pool photographer.

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
May 04, 2023How to tour the wildflower corridor of the Columbia Gorge
Wildflowers are everywhere in the Columbia River Gorge, but one small stretch of the scenic area is more jam-packed with flowers than the rest.
This wildflower corridor of the Columbia Gorge, located between Mosier and Lyle, is home to several beautiful recreation areas, where being among the blooms can be as easy as stepping out of your car, or as difficult as hiking up the side of a mountain.
On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we dig into six incredible spots to see the flowers bloom, located on both the Oregon and Washington side of the Columbia River.
If you want to see the wildflowers, you’ll want to act fast: they won’t stick around forever.
Here are some highlights from this week’s show:
Mosier Plateau is one of the newer wildflower hiking areas in the gorge.
Rowena Crest is home to some of the best blooms in the area.
Trails have recently been expanded at the beautiful Lyle Cherry Orchard.
A universal access trail Catherine Creek makes it much easier to see the flowers.

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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28 min
April 27, 2023Try a vintage Airstream hotel on the north Oregon coast
Imagine rolling out of your vintage Airstream trailer, walking across the road and reaching the sand, ready for a beautiful day at the beach.
That fantasy can be a reality at Hart’s Camp Airstream Hotel at Pacific City on the north Oregon coast, the destination for this week’s episode of Peak Northwest.
Located steps away from Cape Kiwanda – not to mention all the shops and restaurants in Pacific City – Hart’s Camp rents out several Airstream trailers, cottages and cabins beside its sister property, Cape Kiwanda RV Park, which has sites for RVs and tents.
After a spring trip to the Airstream hotel, we have the scoop on everything you need to know to check it out for yourself.
Here are some highlights from this week’s show:
Where exactly is the Airstream hotel located?
An outdoor patio and shower offer a little more breathing room outside the trailer.
Cape Kiwanda is a short walk away.
There are a few other outdoor attractions close by to check out.

Subscribe to Peak Northwest on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts.
-- Jamie Hale and Vickie Connor

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
25 min