Peak Northwest

A rainy fall and mushroom season pretty much go hand in hand. If you’ve seen mushrooms growing on hikes, but haven’t foraged with the intent of eating them, you’re not alone. Hunting and identifying mushrooms can take years of studying. Some are great and tasty, while others strike worry, for fear of being poisonous. But if you’re interested in getting into mushroom foraging there is good news: the region has plenty of learning opportunities for beginners.

On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, Vickie and Jamie discuss their most recent Peak Northwest video shoot at Fort Stevens State Park. Guided by two rangers, who regularly lead mushroom hunting hikes, they foraged with the goal of eating some mushrooms for lunch.

Here are some highlights from this week’s show:

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If you’re looking to walk off that Thanksgiving dinner or avoid shopping malls like the plague, there’s another tradition for you: Green Friday.

Celebrated by state parks in both Oregon and Washington on the day after Thanksgiving, and sometimes called Autumn Day or Native American Heritage Day, the fee-free holiday waives all parking fees at parks where they’re normally charged.

While park fees, which run from $5 to $10 per vehicle, are pretty nominal compared to the price of gas needed to get to those recreation areas, it’s a nice gesture and a good excuse to get outside.

On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we have a few suggestions for those interested in celebrating this year.

Here are some highlights from this week’s show:

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Rim Drive in Crater Lake National Park is the scenic 33 mile route that goes around the entirety of the lake. Biking Rim Drive offers an incredible route filled with breathtaking views of the lake, canopies of trees and challenging elevation changes. Closed for a good portion of the year due to snow, Rim Drive is a bucket list ride for cyclists who find time to do it when the weather and conditions are just right.

On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we kick off our new sub-series, My Epic Adventure, with Vickie’s recent ride around the rim of Crater Lake.

Here are some highlights from this week’s show:

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-- Vickie Connor and Jamie Hale

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This fall, a bit of news came out that isn’t news to many Oregonians: Manzanita was named one of the most beautiful small towns in America.

That’s according to a list created by Architectural Digest, which included the north Oregon coast town with a two-sentence writeup highlighting the fact that visitors can see “beach dunes and mountains in one view.”

Locals and regular visitors to the coast know there’s a lot more to Manzanita than just views (though the views are pretty great). On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest we’ll get into all the best places to see and things to do while you’re hanging around town, from big hikes to cozy restaurants right off the beach.

Here are some highlights from this week’s show:

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Programming note: This is a rebroadcast of an excellent episode from October, 2021. Go hike this epic trail!

The Wilson River Trail runs almost 24 miles through the Coast Range, offering hikers a variety of options for excellent fall excursions.

Situated on the north side of Oregon 6, the highway between Hillsboro and Tillamook, the trail snakes through a lush, quiet forest featuring deciduous trees that change color in the fall.

This week on the Peak Northwest podcast, we discuss the many ways to explore the trail.

Some highlights:

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People using mobility devices, who are blind or who live with cognitive impairment all enjoy outdoor recreation, yet for hikers with disabilities there are still many obstacles in the way.

Overcoming those barriers is the goal of Access Recreation, a Portland organization dedicated to supporting hikers with disabilities through its own website, Access Trails, in addition to conducting trainings with land management agencies to help them provide those resources as well.

On today’s episode of the Peak Northwest podcast, Jamie spoke with Georgena Moran, founder of Access Recreation, who has spent the last two decades dedicated to this work while finding ways to access hiking trails herself.

With so many different kinds of disabilities and barriers that hikers may face, just disseminating basic information about trails can be vitally important, Moran said, from providing pictures of parking lots to offering descriptions of trail surfaces.

Here are some highlights from this week’s show:

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If you want a taste of Bavaria in the Pacific Northwest, then Leavenworth, Wash., is the place to go. You can indulge in bratwurst, pretzels and beer while wearing lederhosen, all while being surrounded by Bavarian architecture. Even the McDonald’s and the gas station are in theme. The town is also located at the base of the Cascades, making it a gateway to standout hikes and climbs.

On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we talk about where to eat, sleep and adventure, in and around Leavenworth.

Here are some highlights from this week’s show:

Here’s the full episode:

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-- Vickie Connor and Jamie Hale

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Down in southern Oregon, tucked away in the foothills of the Siskiyou Mountains, there’s a small but mighty wine scene just waiting to be explored.

On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we talk all about the Applegate Valley wine country, where a wide variety of grapes grow among some seriously beautiful scenery.

Nestled between Grants Pass and Medford near the California border, the wine region makes a perfect day trip while visiting southern Oregon, made complete with stops at places like the town of Jacksonville, Applegate Lake and the McKee Covered Bridge.

Here are some highlights from this week’s show:

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Birding is for everyone.

That’s the philosophy at Guero Bird Club, a Portland bird watching group run by local torta restaurant Guero, which for the last year has been leading regular bird walks for beginners and experts alike.

On today’s episode of Peak Northwest, we talk to Audrey Tawdry, co-founder of the Guero Bird Club, who brings a sense of community to her bird walks that she hosts at parks around the city.

Started in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the club is a part of the modern bird watching boom that focuses more on fun than bird counts. You can find the Guero Bird Club at guerotortas.com/birdclub or on Instagram @guerobirdclub.

Here are some highlights from this week’s show:

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The Hood River Valley consists of more than 15,000 acres of irrigated farmland. If you enjoy fresh picked fruit, or better yet, picking your own fruit, you’re in for a special treat at the Hood River Fruit Loop.

With 35 miles of country back roads, the Fruit Loop offers 27 different orchards, farm stands, bakeries, flower fields, wineries and breweries.

On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we talk about planning a full day of exploring the Hood River Fruit Loop, after visiting for our most recent Peak Northwest video series shoot.

Here are some highlights from this week’s show:

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