A Guide to Stargazing

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Durlin Hicock, Alice Elshoff Award winner

Durlin Hicock, Alice Elshoff Award winner

“Protecting public land is part of my spiritual being. It’s central to my identity to be in wilderness and to see it protected.” Durlin is proud to protect public lands for future generations, saying, “The highlight of my childhood was our family’s weekend outdoor trips. I look forward to my grandchildren having similar experiences outside in their lifetimes, and it wouldn’t be possible without ONDA.”

fact

Bobcat

Bobcat

Found only in North America, where it is the most common wildcat, the bobcat takes its common name from its stubby, or “bobbed,” tail. The cats range in length from two to four feet and weigh 14 to 29 pounds. Bobcats mainly hunt rabbits and hares, but they will also eat rodents, birds, bats, and even adult deer.

Latin name: Lynx rufus fasciatus

 

fact

What defines Oregon’s high desert?

What defines Oregon’s high desert?

Bounded by the Cascade Mountains to the west and the Blue Mountains to the north, Oregon’s high desert covers approximately 24,000 square miles. Annual rainfall in the high desert varies from 5 to 14 inches. The average elevation is 4,000 feet; at 9,733 feet, the summit of Steens Mountain is the highest point in Oregon’s high desert. The terrain of the high desert was mostly formed by a series of lava flows that occurred between 30 and 10 million years ago.

Sources: The Oregon Encyclopedia; Wikipedia  

More on Dark Desert Skies

Dark Desert Skies

Author: Kody Osborne  | Published: March 29, 2019  | Categories: Where-To, How-To For those of us who have spent time in Oregon’s high desert, there is no need to explain […]

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Dark Night Skies in the High Desert

Author: Renee Patrick  |  Published: March 21, 2022  |  Category: Profile Meet ONDA volunteer Rachel Kato and learn more about her contribution to help people understand the importance of the […]

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A Guide to Stargazing

By on March 15, 2024 | Posted in: Where-to

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: March 15, 2024  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in The Bulletin on March 14, 2024. Appreciate the high desert’s dark skies It’s no […]

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Making a Plan for the Owyhee Canyonlands

By on March 4, 2024 | Posted in: Deep Dive

The Owyhee Canyonlands is a national treasure, featuring miles upon miles of deep rugged canyons and rolling sagebrush grasslands that support a rich diversity of wildlife and feature some of […]

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Nature’s Ecosystem Engineers

By on March 1, 2024 | Posted in: Species Spotlight

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: January 17, 2024  | Category: Species Spotlight This article originally appeared in The Source on February 14, 2024. What we can learn from beaver about […]

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person soaking at Summer Lake Hot Springs

Where-To: Desert Hot Springs

By on December 12, 2023 | Posted in: Where-to

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: December 12, 2023  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in The Bend Bulletin on November 24, 2023. Escape the cold at one of these […]

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Where To : See Streamside Trees Aflame

By on November 9, 2023 | Posted in: Where-to

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: November 9, 2023  | Category: Where-To This article originally appeared in The Source on November 8, 2023. Where to find vibrant autumn leaves igniting eastern […]

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View the Solar Eclipse from the High Desert

By on October 6, 2023 | Posted in: Where-to

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Look Back: Reflections from Tribal Steward Wesley Scott

By on September 13, 2023 | Posted in: Look Back

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: September 13, 2023  | Category: Look Back From getting the opportunity to reconnect with indigenous communities to finding work that truly interests him In 2021, […]

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Floating Down the Owyhee Canyonlands

By on July 6, 2023 | Posted in: Look Back

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Species Spotlight: Pronghorn

By on June 8, 2023 | Posted in: Species Spotlight

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: June 7, 2023  | Category: Species Spotlight This article originally appeared in The Source on June 7, 2023. The resilient pronghorn has raced through millennia, […]

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Photographing The Desert

By on May 12, 2023 | Posted in: How-To

Author: Renee Schiavone  |  Published: May 12, 2023  | Category: How-To This article originally appeared in The Source on May 12, 2023. Experienced local photographers offer pointers for capturing the […]

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