Journey
If you read part one of Mark’s journey, you will recall his original plan to spend two months in the spring visiting lesser-known wilderness study areas (WSAs) and to bring back pictures for possible publication in ONDA’s upcoming Wild Desert Calendar. Although his aim was to photograph these areas, his mission turned in to something unexpected, much...
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Journey
ONDA’s Wild Desert Calendar spurred Mark Darnell to visit Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs) throughout Oregon on the hunt for his own high desert images. Mark takes us through his adventures visiting lesser-know WSAs and shares how that journey became so much bigger than what he had expected. Story and images by Mark Darnell The hunting...
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Oregon: The Beaver State
You may have heard Oregon referred to as the “Beaver State.” The American Beaver, Castor canadensis, is Oregon’s official state animal and the Oregon State University mascot. And, there is an unincorporated community in Oregon called Beaver. What’s the story behind Oregon’s identification with this huge rodent? The beaver’s range encompasses all but one...
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Best Bets for Fall
As the days cool down and our thoughts turn to cozy campfires and the first few flakes of snow, Oregon Desert Trail Coordinator Renee Patrick has rounded up a few best bets for experiencing Oregon’s high desert in fall 2018. Remember, Oregon’s high desert is a dynamic place, so, as always, check current conditions...
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How to find a hot spring in the dark
ONDA’s Owyhee Canyonlands Coordinator Corie Harlan shares a lesson learned from a particularly epic trip into the Owyhee. Three hours into our drive to Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands, the AC quit working and I had a sinking feeling I’d forgotten my hiking boots – but there was no time to worry about any of that....
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Bikepacking the Steens Loop
If you’ve ever dreamed of a desert bike trip circling Steens Mountain, this post from Central Oregon Wheelers members Ben Groeneveld and Kevin Briggs won’t do anything to dissuade you.
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Appreciating Clouds
If you’ve ever looked out over the desert and wondered what type of clouds were filling the sky, you’ll love this post. We invited Maria Mudd Ruth, author of “A Sideways Look at Clouds,” to share her fascination with clouds with us, by identifying the clouds captured in images by photographers who frequently share...
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Wild & Scenic Film Festival returns to Bend
Will Nepali punk rocker Sareena Rai bag a first ascent? How does renowned climber and filmmaker Renan Ozturk define success? Where is the highest concentration of National Wild & Scenic Rivers in the U.S.? Find out on October 5 at the Tower Theatre in Bend as ONDA hosts the Wild & Scenic Film Festival....
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Species Spotlight: Bluebirds
Bluebirds of Happiness By LeeAnn Kriegh Is there any bird that inspires more passion and poetry than bluebirds? Henry David Thoreau, for one, wrote eloquently of the bird that “carries the sky on his back” and suggested that a person’s “interest in a single bluebird is worth more than a complete but dry list...
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