Oregon Coast Wilderness

While unspoiled beaches along Oregon's 300+ miles of coastline are, thankfully, plentiful-old growth forests are about as common as affordable housing in Seattle. Most of the sprawling conifer forests that abut the sandy shores of the Beaver State have succumbed to the axe and saw over the last century. Large tracts of ancient forest are a rarity. But, not all of the giant trees came tumbling down. A few parks and preserves along the coast have managed to protect a few groves here and there. The largest tracts of old-growth along the coast are protected within three small wilderness areas in the Siuslaw National Forest between Newport and Florence. The Drift Creek Wilderness offers the most accessible trails and some of the biggest trees among the three areas. But now with the Forest Service no longer cutting the giants down-Congress has cut the Forest Service's budget-and many of the trails in Siuslaw are in danger of disappearing. I have an upcoming article in Outdoors NW on hiking the wilderness areas of the Oregon Coast. Look for it. In the meanwhile call your Senators and Representative in Congress and demand that our National Forests be funded properly for trail maintenance and resource protection.

Steens Mountain

Oregon's "Big Empty"

The Southeast corner of the Beaver State has often been referred to as Oregon's Outback. An expansive land of massive fault block mountains, sprawling alkali lakes, lush canyons and sun-baked flats, and only a handful of human inhabitants, the monicker is appropriate. And while this region may be devoid of settlements and forests-it teems with flora and fauna-including a handful of species endemic only to this corner of the state.

The most notable landmark of the region is Steens Mountain, a 30 mile long escarpment that rises a mile over the surrounding countryside. Recently classified as a cooperative management area-with large tracts of wilderness-Steens is a wild land that begs to be explored. I recently wrote two features on Steens-one on hiking it-and one on running it. Check out http://outdoorsnw.com/c_editorial/pursuits_hdr_hiking.cfm for the story I wrote for Outdoors NW on hiking in this region. In this month's Northwest Runner I wrote a feature on running in southeast Oregon. Steens Mountain hosts the Rim Run, the highest 10K in the Northwest-where a handful of intrepid runners partake in a lung-busting journey on the Steens Mountain Road to cross a finish line at 9,600 feet above sea level.

Check these stories out so that you can get your fill of the Big Empty!

Protecting the Columbia Highlands

Check out the latest issue of Conservation Northwest Quarterly, the publication of Conservation Northwest for the scoop on the new campaign to protect the forests and wild lands of Northeastern Washington. As I stated earlier, I am authoring a book-to be published by the Mountaineers (Seattle) in cooperation with Conservation Northwest on this exciting initiative. Visit: http://conservationnw.org for more information on protecting the Columbia Highlands. I shot the full page spread on page 6 in the Quarterly. Aside from writing the book, several of my photos will be used in it.

Hike British Columbia's Silver City in the Clouds

Interior British Columbia is a far-cry from the Lower mainland. No sprawling Vancouver-no sprawling Whistler-no clogged Trans-Cananda Highway-and on the region's trails-NO CROWDS!

The Kootenays are one of my favorite regions in the Northwest for hiking and exploring. Last summer I wrote the cover story for North Columbia Recreation's summer annual. NCR is a great little alternative magazine published in Colville, WA that covers all of Northeastern Washington and BC's Kootenays. If you missed reading the story-you can check it out on NCR's website: Northcolumbiarecreation.com

Paddling
the Great Bay

New Hampshire may not have much of a coastline to explore, but it has one Great Bay worth checking out. Great Bay-as in the largest estuary in New England. And this inland sea offers some of New England's best salt-water paddling. Saturated in history and teeming with prime wildlife habitat, much of the Great Bay remains relatively undeveloped. Remarkable when you consider that this ecological gem sits a mere one hour north of Boston. How is this possible? Most of the Bay's shoreline has been protected by agencies such as the Nature Conservancy, NH Fish and Game, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. A good portion of the Great Bay is managed as the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge. And thanks to New Hampshire's senior senator, Judd Gregg (R-NH) the refuge continues to grow in size. Want to know more? Check out Canoe and Kayak magazine's website for my feature story on paddling this special place. http://canoekayak.com