TRIP PLANNER: TILLAMOOK COAST PG. 84
How to Style a Log Cabin
Cooking With Mulberries
What We Can Learn From Tribal Forestry
I NSI D
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Eagle Fern Park
Experience Estacada
Milo McIver State Park is famous among the disc golfing crowd for its 27-hole course, but its beautifully maintained trails and viewpoints deserve the spotlight, too. Look for hidden gems, such as a fish hatchery and bat barn. If you’re at the barn after sunset during the summer, you can observe the bats emerging to begin their nightly hunt. Milo is also a prime put-in spot to enjoy Estacada Lake. Take a guided paddle with Clackamas River Outfitters or rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards from their park location.
Estacada, with its numerous forested parks, trails and the Wild and Scenic Clackamas River, is an ideal place to escape to the outdoors and a thrilling adventure waiting to be explored.
For the little ones, Kids in Parks is a free national program that connects families to the outdoors with self-guided TRACK Trail activities and smartphone e-Adventures. TRACK your adventures to earn prizes along the way! At Estacada-area parks like Metzler Park, Eagle Fern Park and Timber Park, each brochure is a gateway to unique experiences. At Metzler Park, for instance, you can learn to identify six common trees in the area. At Eagle Fern Park and Timber Park, you can spot different birds through illustrations, field markings
Outdoor Adventures & Small-Town Charm
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and calls. At Timber Park, you can even explore the inner workings of the dam and reservoir, offering a one-of-a-kind adventure. East of Estacada on Highway 224, Promontory Park boasts the sparkling North Fork Reservoir of the Clackamas River running beside it. Rent a pontoon boat big enough for the whole group to enjoy. You can also make lasting memories with the kiddos at Small Fry Lake, a fishing pond stocked in early summer for kids up to 17 years old. Does your family crave a bit more action? Book a guided whitewater rafting trip on the Upper Clackamas to take advantage of the closest class III and IV rapids to the metro area. Keep your eyes peeled for waterfowl and Bigfoot. The city, too, offers a welcoming atmosphere to breathe in the fresh air. As you explore the town, be captivated by the more than 25 larger-than-life murals painted by the Artback Artist Cooperative, a testament to the community’s artistic heritage. Pick up a free Visit Estacada Field Guide for a current map. Explore The Spiral Gallery Artist Co-op and the adjacent shop Julie Cooper Designs, where the owner creates handcrafted jewelry on-site. Across the street, Mossy Rock is brimming with local goods, nature books and treasures, and Wade Creek Vintage Marketplace boasts over 25 vendors in a converted farmhouse. Time to refuel? Bent Shovel Brewing’s forested beer garden is down the road from Milo McIver State Park, and Stone Circle Cider’s on-farm cidery is five minutes off Highway 224 on your way back from Promontory Park or rafting. In downtown, Wednesdays Wine Bar provides sophistication and a small-town vibe. Time Traveler Brewing uses grains from local family-owned farms, and Clackamas River Growlers offers 32 brews on tap. Bonus: Most places are kid and fido friendly.
Estacada Murals
Promontory Park
Wade Creek Vintage Marketplace
Lucile Whitman looks at mulberry plants inside a greenhouse at Whitman Farms near Salem this spring.
Get Growing photography by Amanda Loman Lucile Whitman works her mulberry magic at Whitman Farms near Salem. Read more about these plants in Farm to Table, and then try your hand at mulberry cocktails and baked goods. (pg. 28) 4
1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
MAY | JUNE 2024
1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE 5
Christian Heeb/Travel Oregon
FEATURES MAY | JUNE 2024 • volume 86
54 The Ultimate Tent Camping Guide for Beginners What you need and where to go to get your feet wet as a happy camper. written by Jean Chen Smith
60 Restorative Balance Oregon tribes have centuries of ancestral knowledge of forestry. Will today’s forest managers finally begin listening? written by Daniel O’Neil
68 The Wondrous Portland Japanese Garden Revisiting the zen warren where floral scents waft through silence and beauty. written by Kerry Newberry 6
1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
Grab your hiking boots, pack a tent and get outside around Oregon this summer.
HERE, NOTHING STANDS STILL. Spectacular ocean views. Innovative coastal cuisine. Restorative spa treatments. Sunset bonfires on the beach. Heart-pumping dune hikes. Head out. Stay in.
PACIFIC CITY, OR
HEADLANDSLODGE.COM
503.483.3000
DEPARTMENTS MAY | JUNE 2024 • volume 86
LIVE 16 NOTEBOOK
Camper cut-offs; the nation’s first Queer Wine Festival; a guide to summer music festivals; the most dangerous wine in the world.
24 FOOD + DRINK
Oregon’s Asian American Pacific Islander Food & Wine Fest; Cannon Beach, indulged. Tim LaBarge/Big Ponderoo
28 FARM TO TABLE
18
All things mulberries.
36 HOME + DESIGN
Rustic meets modern in a designed Black Butte Ranch cabin.
42 ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Ka’ila Farrell-Smith leans into her Modoc heritage.
THINK 48 WHAT I’M WORKING ON
Ken Rumbaugh and Portland Parks rally for a Darcelle commemorative green space.
50 MY WORKSPACE
Brad Campbell, of LongHorn Lumber.
52 GAME CHANGER
The Hearth: healing through storytelling.
EXPLORE
76
Rich Bacon/Visit Bend
36
Kayla McKenzie
76 TRAVEL SPOTLIGHT
Newberry National Volcanic Monument.
78 ADVENTURE
Social-barrier-busting outdoor adventures.
82 LODGING
Stephanie Inn, Cannon Beach.
84 TRIP PLANNER
12 Editor’s Letter 13 1859 Online 94 Map of Oregon 96 Until Next Time
COVER
photo by Rich Bacon (see “The Ultimate Tent Camping Guide for Beginners,” pg. 54)
8
1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
You can’t spell Tillamook Coast without “moo.”
92 NW DESTINATION
Goldendale Observatory, Goldendale, Washington.
CONTRIBUTORS
NI MA Illustrator Musician
TOBIAS NOLAN Photographer My Workspace
AMANDA LOMAN Photographer Farm to Table
JAMES SINKS Writer Trip Planner
“Design and illustration are more than just beautiful images to me; they are powerful storytelling tools that can help solve creative problems. When I am designing a concept, I always consider the audience’s perspective. My ultimate goal for every project, whether it’s a commercial or personal one, is to create a design that is both meaningful and memorable.” (pg. 18)
“Meeting, talking to and learning from people doing something they enjoy is always a pleasure. It also makes it easier to capture genuine images. Brad (and Jack the cat) at LongHorn Lumber were an example of this. Most of our time was spent in relaxed conversation with photos being taken in between.” (pg. 50)
“Springtime on a mulberry farm is as picturesque as you might imagine—greenhouses bursting with new life and trees in bloom as Lucile Whitman and her three dogs showed me around the property. I can’t say that I’ve ever tasted a mulberry before, their role in my life limited to nursery rhyme, but they are now definitely on my farmers market shopping list for the summer.” (pg. 28)
“Travel and adventure journalism always relies on at least a little luck. Yet as I’ve zigzagged the Pacific Northwest, this was a first. Shortly after checking into a tidy tiny house at Sheltered Nook, my home base to explore the culinary and scenic bounty that is Tillamook Bay, I found myself in the back seat of a Ford Explorer, with a happy full-size poodle named Hug, en route to the local visitors’ association awards banquet, which just happened to be that night. Making my luck even better, it was held at the Tillamook Creamery Association, where the menu included ice cream for dessert.” (pg. 84)
Ni Ma is a freelance lifestyle illustrator and animator who teaches at Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. She loves to use visual language to inspire and encourage her audience while enjoying a nice latte.
Tobias Nolan is a commercial and editorial photographer. Originally from Dublin, Ireland, he now lives in Sisters and enjoys working throughout Central Oregon and around the world.
Amanda Loman is an editorial photographer in the Willamette Valley. A native of New York state, she’s been lucky enough to explore in Oregon for most of the last decade.
James Sinks is an award-winning journalist and freelance writer who thinks the meaning of life includes cheese, so believes Tillamook is a good place to visit. He lives in Salem.
10 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
EDITOR
Kevin Max
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Allison Bye
WEB MANAGER
Aaron Opsahl
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Joni Kabana
OFFICE MANAGER
Cindy Miskowiec
DIRECTOR OF SALES
Jenny Kamprath
HOMEGROWN CHEF
Thor Erickson
BEERLANDIA COLUMNIST
Jeremy Storton
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Cathy Carroll, Jean Chen Smith, Melissa Dalton, Joni Kabana, Julie Lee, Kerry Newberry, Daniel O’Neil, Ben Salmon, James Sinks, Grant Stringer
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Rich Bacon, Tambi Lane, Amanda Loman, Tobias Nolan, Daniel O’Neil, Arian Stevens
CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS
Ni Ma, Maggie Wauklyn
Headquarters
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1627 NE 3rd St. Suite 300 Bend, OR 97701
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All rights reserved. No part of this publiCation may be reproduCed or transmitted in any form or by any means, eleCtroniCally or meChaniCally, inCluding photoCopy, reCording or any information storage and retrieval system, without the express written permission of Statehood Media. ArtiCles and photographs appearing in 1859 Oregon’s Magazine may not be reproduCed in whole or in part without the express written Consent of the publisher. 1859 Oregon’s Magazine and Statehood Media are not responsible for the return of unsoliCited materials. The views and opinions expressed in these artiCles are not neCessarily those of 1859 Oregon’s Magazine, Statehood Media or its employees, staff or management.
MAY | JUNE 2024
1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE 11
FROM THE
EDITOR
I START this letter from a place where all endeavors should—under a notion of inclusion of all people. I don’t know why this topic has become controversial for too many people in recent years. Yet here we are in 2024, with a withering sense of humanity, a growing skepticism of each other and a fear that feeds acts of inhumanity. I swear, I can remember when people were just people, when we wished the best for each other along life’s difficult journey, when the flags we flew stood in support of things not against them. It wasn’t all grand, but it wasn’t this. In a blink of an eye, that prevailing decency vanished in the torches of Charlottesville. In the ’60s, while the Vietnam War was being waged, the Civil Rights Movement was taking hold, four civil rights heroes were assassinated, a Portland bar owner, Walter Cole, took a small step forward by lip syncing songs in his bar to circumvent a bizarre ordinance that prohibited live music performances. Over the years, Cole began to dress as a woman and with cutting wit, doing drag shows under the stage name Darcelle. The longest-performing drag queen, Darcelle died in March 2023. So prolific was Darcelle that the lead act at a show I was at that night in Midtown Manhattan addressed the crowd with a moving tribute and song for the Portland institution that Darcelle was. Toward the end of Darcelle’s career, she and other drag performers faced a creeping hostility, hate speech and violence. In 2023, and dressed up as legislation to protect our kids, the United States counted more than thirty-two bills all aimed at restricting the performance of drag queens. States like Kentucky, Tennessee, North Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, West Virginia, Texas and others. Back home in Oregon, a state House representative from Grants Pass, on his campaign website, compared LGBTQ+ people to child abusers and accused drag queens of pedophilia.
12 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
In the end, Oregon will usually keep its face to the sunny side of life and do the right thing. Turn to page 48, where we dive into the efforts of Ken Rumbaugh and Portland Parks to develop the Darcelle XV Plaza, a tribute to the legend Darcelle was and an enduring message of inclusion. In Adventure on page 78, we explore some of the top outdoor experiences for LGBTQ+ people. In a perfect world, these would simply just be experiences for all. We don’t, however, live in that world, or even that state. Oregon, like other states, has municipalities that elect people who peddle fear and hate as much as those who offer ideas and opportunities. In every issue of 1859, we try to do the latter. No matter who you are, the Tillamook Coast is another great weekender. Famed for its dairy taking the form of cheese and ice cream, these are the rewards for an otherwise adventurous section of the Oregon Coast. Turn to Trip Planner on page 84 for a taste of what Tillamook Coast has to offer. I would be remiss in not mentioning another form of inclusion. In “Restorative Balance” on page 60, writer Daniel O’Neil delves into tribal forestry, a generations-old tradition that sees the forest for all of its values—natural, recreational, sustainable, spiritual and economical—not merely board feet and business opportunity. It’s precisely this inclusive wisdom that other forest managers are just beginning to understand and deploy themes and variations of it as a common good for all. I feel like this needs to end in a quiet place of contemplation. Our Gallery on page 68 showcases the beautiful and peaceful Portland Japanese Garden, where you can stroll among pink cherry blossoms and over boardwalks, through lush gardens and on to the tea house for a meditative moment where the people of the world are one.
1859 ONLINE More ways to connect with your favorite Oregon content www.1859oregonmagazine.com | #1859oregon | @1859oregon
HAVE A PHOTO THAT SHOWS OFF YOUR OREGON EXPERIENCE? Share it with us by filling out the Oregon Postcard form on our website. If chosen, you’ll be published here. www.1859oregon magazine.com/postcard photo by Kevin Lesht Sunset at Drake Park in downtown Bend.
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MAY | JUNE 2024
1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE
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Tambi Lane
NOTEBOOK 16 FOOD + DRINK 24 FARM TO TABLE 28 HOME + DESIGN 36 ARTIST IN RESIDENCE 42
pg. 34 It’s the season for mulberries. Turn to Homegrown Chef to make this mulberry cordial.
Reopening May 24th 2024
For more information, please visit TravelBakerCounty.com
notebook
Tidbits + To-dos written by Cathy Carroll
Sunday Afternoons Chic Ashland-based Sunday Afternoons’ new spring Siena hat is picnic-chic, with a ribbon weave, pretty grosgrain hat band and wide, sloping brim. Be coquettish, not cooked, with this hat, offering UPF 50+ sun protection, a trademarked wicking sweatband of 100-percent recycled material, an adjustable chin strap, internal adjustable sizing and travelfriendly crushable design.
Camper Cuteness and Convenience Type 2 Campers—female-owned and made in Woodburn—blends the nostalgia of Volkswagen campers with modern ease. Tow it with a standard hitch on practically any car, including EVs, and store it inside a standard garage. The car-like design boasts a lighter, more durable and safer alternative to conventional RVs. Plus, it’ll turn heads at festivals, weddings, sports tournaments, tailgating, van life living—just about anywhere. Sleeper and kitchenette models come in five colors. www.type2campers.com
www.sundayafternoons.com
Winter’s Hill Eco-Packs Winter’s Hill has a new Pinot & Company subscription that ships wine in environmentally friendly eco-packs, great for summer getaways. The pouches hold the equivalent of two bottles of wine and have a spigot, preserving the wine for up to four weeks after opening. Their pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot gris and rosé of pinot noir are grown in the Dundee Hills vineyard, owned and operated by the Gladhart family, which established the farm in 1961. www.wintershillwine.com
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1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
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CAmark y LEN our DA R Remy’s Making Moves
Zachary Goff
Proof that imbibing doesn’t slow you down is embodied in winemaker Remy Drabkin. Since founding Remy Wines, she’s become the mayor of McMinnville and launched the nation’s first Queer Wine Festival. This year’s event, now in its third year, is set for June 30. Drabkin is one of eight mayors who received a Harvard Graduate School of Design fellowship for the nation’s preeminent forum addressing city design and development issues for just and equitable living. www.queerwinefest.com www.remywines.com
CAmark y LEN our DA R See Creatures at the new House of Orange Gallery in Cannon Beach showcases Northwest artists’ exploration of creatures from the sea, land and the imagination, through the end of May. Catch the compositions, done in ink, watercolor, acrylic, oils, clay, wood and steel at the trendy, midtown spot amid brewpubs, coffee shops, galleries and restaurants.
DadEats2.0 When Bend teen Jahn Erickson made a TikTok of feeding a bite of food—from Jell-O to head-on shrimp—to his dad, Thor Erickson (1859’s Homegrown Chef columnist), the quirky, endearing channel @dadeats2.0 quickly gained millions of likes, comments and nearly a million followers around the world. Illustrations of Dad (as a pizza slice wearing horn rims or with donuts exploding from his ears) are now on T-shirts, hats and stickers. www.dadeats.shop; @dadeats2.0 on TikTok
Photo: Brendan Loscar
Phil Seder
Cannon Beach See Creatures
www.houseoforange.gallery/ pages/see-creatures
MAY | JUNE 2024
1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE
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Musician
Your Guide to Summer
MUSIC FESTIVALS Soak in the sun and sounds of live music at these ten events around Oregon written by Ben Salmon | illustration by Ni Ma
THERE’S NO SHORTAGE of fun things to do in Oregon during the summer, and that includes music festivals, which give folks from Portland to Pendleton and points in between a chance to gather under the sun and enjoy a whole bunch of live music. Here are ten fests happening across the state that deserve a spot on your calendar this summer. 18 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
Otto’s Landing
AND RELAX! After a day on the trails, grab a drink and a bite to eat in Redmond, The Hub of Good Times and Unexpected Finds in Central Oregon. Where to Stay
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ROOTS-ROCKIN’ Big Ponderoo This is year two for Big Ponderoo, a new event from the team behind one of Oregon’s great musical gatherings, the Sisters Folk Festival. Well-organized and expertly curated, Big Ponderoo features two days of Americana, folk-rock, rootsy soul and more in an easygoing atmosphere. At a time when too many festivals feel increasingly corporate (and expensive), Big Ponderoo is a throwback to the good ol’ days. Dates: June 29-30 Location: Village Green Park, Sisters Lineup highlights: Shinyribs, Oliver Wood Trio, Silverada, The Brothers Comatose, Bella White More info: www.bigponderoo.com
Pickathon In February, organizers of Pickathon secured a ten-year permit to stay at
Rob Kerr/Big Ponderoo
The War and Treaty perform at last year’s Big Ponderoo music festival in Sisters. Now in its second year, the Central Oregon event features two days of Americana, folk-rock and more.
Pendarvis Farm, where they’ve been staging this magical event for nearly two decades, even as development inches closer. Known for its pastoral setting, artsy vibe and adventurous lineups, Pickathon is one of the best music-fest experiences not only in Oregon, but across the country. Dates: August 1-4 Location: Pendarvis Farm, Happy Valley Lineup highlights: Courtney Barnett, Durand Jones, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Adi Oasis, CocoRosie, Ratboys More info: www.pickathon.com
CLASSICAL VIBES Britt Music & Arts Festival Where some festivals focus on a day or a weekend, Britt Festival brings live music to Southern Oregon all summer long. The events are held at gorgeous Britt Pavilion, a naturally formed amphitheater set among majestic ponderosa pines and native madrones on the estate of nineteenth-century photographer Peter Britt.
20 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
The festival’s programming is diverse, with pop, rock, country and jazz concerts alongside performances of classical music. Dates: June to September Location: Britt Pavilion, Jacksonville Lineup highlights: Britt Festival Orchestra, Judy Collins, Willie Nelson, Trombone Shorty, Chris Isaak, Shaggy More info: www.brittfest.org
Sunriver Music Festival Launched in 1978, the Sunriver Music Festival presents world-class orchestra performances and pop concerts in Bend’s historic Tower Theatre and Sunriver Resort’s Great Hall, an all-wood, two-story building with stunning acoustics. Dates: August 10-23 Location: Sunriver Resort Great Hall and Tower Theatre, Bend Lineup highlights: Four classical concerts themed around earth, water, fire and air, plus a tribute to Broadway and film music More info: www.sunrivermusic.org
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BIG CITY FUN
GONE COUNTRY
Waterfront Blues Festival
Jackalope Jamboree
Now in its thirty-seventh year, the Waterfront Blues Festival is downtown Portland’s largest and longest-running music festival. It’s also a vibrant celebration of blues music and beyond, with a lineup that features giants of the genre, up-and-coming acts and local Portland talent. Staged in a prominent public park along the Willamette River right around the Fourth of July, the festival is a crown jewel of Portland’s summer event calendar.
Americana music and non-mainstream country is having a moment, with artists like Tyler Childers and Jason Isbell playing large venues and festivals popping up all over the country. Pendleton has its own version of this in the Jackalope Jamboree, which turns five in 2024. It’ll celebrate by hosting three days and three stages of music at the historic Happy Canyon Arena downtown.
Dates: July 4-7 Location: Tom McCall Park, Portland Lineup highlights: Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Greensky Bluegrass, Lucinda Williams, Bobby Rush & North Mississippi Allstars
Photos, clockwise from left: Jason Quigley/Waterfront Blues Festival, Greg Homolka/4 Peaks Music Festival, E.J. Harris/Jackalope Jamboree
More info: www.waterfrontbluesfest.com
4 Peaks Music Festival
Date: June 27-29
HIGH DESERT JAMS
Location: Happy Canyon Arena, Pendleton
4 Peaks Music Festival
Lineup highlights: Charley Crockett, Randy Rogers Band, Silverada, Kaitlin Butts, Pony Bradshaw, Vandoliers
For nearly two decades, 4 Peaks has been the grassroots festival that keeps going, despite the obstacles and occasional years off. In 2024, the event will host three days of roots music and jam bands, plus fun stuff for kids, a silent disco and more, all with a view of the beautiful Cascade mountains from which the festival takes its name. While other big events backed by big companies have moved into Central Oregon in recent years, 4 Peaks is run by a local who is committed to keeping it high-quality, homey and fun.
More info: www.jackalopejamboree.com
Dates: June 20-23 Location: Stevenson Ranch, Bend
Waterfront Blues Festival
Jackalope Jamboree
Lineup highlights: Neal Francis, ALO, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, Miko Marks, Diggin Dirt, Southern Avenue More info: www.4peaksmusic.com
Cascade Equinox Festival
Pendleton Whisky Music Fest
The electronic-oriented Cascade Equinox Festival is a feature-rich experience, with art installations, workshops, kids’ camps, excursions, a healing garden and more to supplement the event’s impressive smorgasbord of booming beats and late-night bass music.
Each July, Pendleton’s venerable Round-Up grounds transform from a rodeo venue to a full-fledged party for one night. Country is the focus, though past years have also featured pop artists like Post Malone and Maroon 5, and this year’s version includes a set of beloved ’90s jams.
Dates: September 20-22
Date: July 13
Location: Tom McCall Park, Portland
Location: Deschutes County fairgrounds, Redmond
Location: Pendleton Round-Up Grounds
Lineup highlights: Billy Idol, Big Thief, T-Pain, Violent Femmes, Gossip, Denzel Curry, Manchester Orchestra
Lineup highlights: STS9, Marc Rebillet, CloZee, Jungle, Liquid Stranger, John Craigie & Shook Twins
More info: www.projectpabst.com
More info: www.cascadeequinox.com
Project Pabst From 2014 to 2017, the multi-day Project Pabst festival attracted a throng of PBRguzzling hipsters to Portland’s waterfront to watch an eclectic lineup of bands perform under the hot sun. Then it stopped. And now it’s back with a mix of vintage pop stars and rising indie acts. Dates: July 27-28
Lineup highlights: Thomas Rhett, Jo Dee Messina, Vanilla Ice, Tone Loc, Sugarhill Gang More info: www.pendletonwhiskymusic fest.com
MAY | JUNE 2024
1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE
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SOMM TV
notebook
Cinephile
In the new, acclaimed film SOMM: Cup of Salvation, Moe and Naseem Momtazi of McMinnville underscore how their Persian heritage influences Maysara Winery’s sustainability and terroir expression.
Most Dangerous Wine in the World New film focuses on the Persian roots of winemaking interview by Cathy Carroll
THE NEW documentary SOMM: Cup of Salvation follows a charismatic Armenian father and daughter making the most dangerous wine in the world. Risking being thrown in an Iranian prison, they smuggle an iconic grape into Armenia from Iran, where Islamic law strictly forbids alcohol. They make a rare wine with the storied varietal, and the narrative comes full circle with the Iranian-American family behind Maysara Winery in McMinnville. Moe and Flora Momtazi founded the winery in 1997, after escaping Iran’s brutal, oppressive regime in 1982. Their three daughters, including Naseem Momtazi, operate all aspects of the biodynamic winery, from winemaking to sales. Cup of Salvation’s Los Angeles-based director, Jason Wise, won a James Beard Award for another SOMM TV original film, The Whole Animal, in 2023. The film depicts the significance of wine in Persian culture. Tell us more about that. Moe Momtazi: It was a very sacred thing, and the reason that it was so sacred was because it was affiliated with the sun, which was very much respected, because it’s the sun that gives us the energy, the light and the warmth and considered a liquid embodiment of the sun’s radiance. Even after Islam, a lot of poets and philosophers talked about wine, and in order not to get into trouble, they 22 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
said that they were talking mystically, and they were actually talking about divinity and God, not wine, but it’s so clear what they were talking about. Wine drinking has been banned ever since Islam came into the picture. They would punish anybody who would make wine, which was outlawed for 1,400 years pretty much. Islam forbids wine, but that’s something that Persians never really accepted. We thought that wine was such a sacred thing.
The film touches on the importance of your Persian heritage to you and your winery. Would you expand on that? Naseem Momtazi: People come out to the winery, and they hear that a Persian family owns a winery and the first thing they ask is, ‘How do you have a winery, if you’re Islamic?’ There’s a lot more religion in Iran than just Islam. And secondly, just because you are from a Middle Eastern country, doesn’t make you part of one religion. I’m personally not Islamic. We could have named the winery something basic like Momtazi Estates. My dad wanted to bring the root of our culture and tie it in with actual history. Maysara means house of wine, translated from Farsi. Jason, tell us about your decision to include the Momtazis in your film. Jason Wise: I think Americans do not have an understanding of what Iran is as a country. They don’t really know much about Persia, the history, and I think the more important thing is Americans don’t have a face to put to Persian people. I really needed the right person to connect with an audience to make them understand. Persians are a group of people, but Moe and his daughters, they’re Americans. They’re part of what makes America so great, that there are people like this, but I think a lot of Americans think of Iranians and there’s a negative connotation. They don’t understand the difference between the government and the people. Having Maysara in this was more than that Maysara has some of the best wine in the whole state. They really do. This was a chance to really connect people to a history and to a group of people through a father and daughter, which anyone can relate to. It’s astounding that I was able to find them, and their wine is fantastic. Imagine their story is that good and their wine is equally as good—that’s pretty rare, frankly.
BUILT FOR YOUR GREATEST ADVENTURES
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food + drink
Cocktail Card recipe courtesy of Nik Sokol Blosser, Sokol Blosser / DAYTON
Garden in a Glass Spritzer With more than fifty years of grape growing and winemaking under their belts, Sokol Blosser is branching out with something completely new: a pair of aperitif wines brought to life by Nik Sokol Blosser in collaboration with local Willamette Valley distiller Lynsee Sardell. This gardeninspired spritz is perfect for celebrating the return of spring.
Fill a wine glass threequarters full with ice. Pour the white aperitif over the ice. Top with club soda to taste. Gently stir to combine. Garnish with the basil leaf, sprig of mint and either a fresh grapefruit slice or grapefruit peel.
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Beerlandia
Beer and Outdoor Intelligence written by Jeremy Storton I WAS SITTING in a class recently where I learned about the realities of AI. Like many of us, I fear we are foolishly rushing into new technology without considering the implications or repercussions. The age-old wisdom “keep your enemies close” came to mind, so I took the class. That’s where I read a headline of another company investing in robotics. And, of course, I read this on my smartphone, aka my portable brain. I’m not afraid of innovation, but I am acutely aware that every significant invention, from fire and fermentation to the automobile and social media, has utterly changed the course of humanity for better and worse. I merely hope we don’t lose ourselves in the pursuit of innovation and fulfilling our sci-fi dreams. We all are tumbling headfirst into the future and will fall behind if we don’t act accordingly. At the same time, we must preserve who we are. We’re a part of nature, and we are social animals. Our social structures resemble a hive, our families that of pods of cetaceans. We must never forget those outdoor places that take us home. This is what a good beer has become for me. The beer in my hand reminds me of the land that gave birth to the barley and the hops. The water is the rain that flowed underground to pick up the minerals that accentuate the malt or hops. The once wild yeast found its way to my glass to greet me with alcohol, carbonation and flavors that exist only through fermentation. This is my favorite place to be, outside in Oregon with a beer in hand, realigning myself with loved ones and the places that make everything worthwhile. It’s this Outdoor Intelligence, or OI, that truly makes the future brighter.
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Illustration: Allison Bye
• 2½ ounces Sokol Blosser White Aperitif • Club soda, to taste • 1 large basil leaf • 1 sprig of mint • 1 grapefruit peel (or fresh slice of grapefruit)
See why & learn more at:
WALLOWACOUNTYCHAMBER.COM
Photos: Oregon AAPI Food & Wine Fest
food + drink
ABOVE Portland’s Sibeiho served up bites at last year’s Oregon Asian American Pacific Islander Food & Wine Fest. AT RIGHT Festival founder and director Lois Cho (left) with Kenzie Bindrup, festival volunteer and board member.
Gastronomy
Oregon AAPI Food & Wine Fest written by Kerry Newberry ONE OF THE great joys in the world of wine is discovering new pairings. That’s part of the magic you’ll find at Oregon’s Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Food & Wine Fest in May. The event launched last year with the vision to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander cuisine and culture during both AAPI Heritage Month and Oregon Wine Month. “What originally started as a potluck idea turned into this much larger celebration,” said founder and director Lois Cho. Last year, popular pairings like Korean fried chicken with a pét-nat chardonnay were served alongside more untraditional wine-paired fare like kobumaki (Japanese kelp rolls) and okonomiyaki (savory cabbage pancakes). “One surprising discovery was how well pinots paired with the umami of fermented black bean sauces,” said Cho. She still remembers a pinot noir from Junichi Fujita matched with jajangmyeon (Korean noodles in a thick black bean sauce). “It was mind-blowing,” said Cho. The two-day food and wine festival will be held May 18 and 19 at Stoller Family Estate’s Experience Center with twenty-two AAPI-owned restaurants and wineries. The participating restaurants include Magna Kubo, Norah, Warsugai, Jeju, Tân Tân, Bamboo Grove, Aji Fish Butchery + Zilla Sake, Hapa Pizza, Kim Jong Grillin & Frybaby, Kolectivo, Yaowarat and Xiao Ye. The wineries are Alexana, CHO Wines, Junichi Fujita, Hundred Suns, Kristof Farms, Et Fille, Evening Land Vineyards, Landmass and Shiba Wichern. For more information and tickets, visit www.oregonaapifoodandwine.com. 26 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
CRAVINGS:
EAT LIKE A LOCAL ON THE OREGON COAST BASALT STUDIO Two years ago, ceramicist Michelle Valigura launched Puffin Daze, an annual celebration of art, food and cannabis—and the return of the tufted puffin to Haystack Rock. The camaraderie and community from the event inspired Valigura to expand her offerings at Basalt, her art studio and showroom in Cannon Beach. She added a bespoke bar for pop-ups and has since hosted tattoo artists, woodblock printers and local foragers. Follow her Instagram for upcoming ramen nights where she serves up instant ramen from around the globe (plus fun toppings like foraged sea beans) to pair with sake, wine and beer. 239 N. HEMLOCK ST. CANNON BEACH www.basaltcannonbeach.com
BŪSU ASTORIA For an adventurous and impromptu dining experience, Astoria’s Būsu can’t be beat. Chef and owner Kenneth Booth cooks out of a tiny space, serving Japanese-inspired dishes to four coveted bar seats from a counter window. Booth posts menu updates and weekly hours on Instagram, but expect seasonal specials like fried orchard morels sprinkled with togarashi dust, egg drop soup with spot prawns and wild mushrooms, and spam musubi. He’s especially known for his savory yakisoba, miso soup and okonomiyaki. 275 11TH ST. ASTORIA Instagram: @busu_astoria
WOLFMOON This husband-and-wife-owned coastal bakery turns out naturally fermented organic sourdough loaves that have established a cult-like following. Unless the Manzanita Farmers Market is in season, you can only get these robustly flavored loaves by preordering for weekend pickup. When you swing by the tiny bakery, you’ll find your rustic bread in a paper bag with your name handwritten on it, neatly stacked on a baking rack on the porch. This bread alone is a reason to visit the coast. 35915 8TH ST. NEHALEM www.wolfmoonbakery.com
food + drink
BEST PLACES TO
SHOP THE DOCKS Two couples are reimagining what a seafood market can be in the charming fishing village of Garibaldi. Set near commercial fishing docks, the market stocks its fish counter with the seasonal catch—crab, tuna, rockfish and shellfish. The owners can tell you the name of the captain of the boat from which the catch came. On sunny afternoons, order up a round of oyster shooters, a crab or shrimp cocktail or clam chowder, perch at one of the picnic tables outside and watch charter boat guides unload their prize fish. 500 BIAK AVE. GARIBALDI www.captscorner.com
PORT OF NEWPORT At the peak of summer, join weekend tours of Newport’s fishing docks with Oregon Sea Grant, a cooperative program between NOAA and Oregon State University. These “Shop the Dock” walks give an introduction to the Port of Newport, home to around eighty vessels that haul in Dungeness crab, pink shrimp, black cod, halibut, tuna and more. On the walk, you’ll meet local fishers and have the opportunity to buy direct from commercial fishing boats in the town that’s deemed “The Dungeness Crab Capital of the World.” SW BAY BOULEVARD NEWPORT www.seagrant.oregonstate.edu/ outreach-and-engagement/shop-dock
PORTS FOR OREGON ALBACORE When the Oregon Albacore fleet is in, you can shop the docks from Warrenton to Winchester Bay and many port towns in between. Visit the Oregon Albacore Commission’s website for updates and contact information for individual fishers that sell direct to consumers such as Patrick Roelle, who captains James Lee, a beautiful wooden fishing vessel designed to go out to sea for up to thirty days. OREGON COAST www.oregonalbacore.org/the-fleet-is-in
Nicole Mason/Sea Level Bakery
CAPTAIN’S CORNER
One of Cannon Beach’s finest bakeries, Sea level Bakery makes many breads and pastries for adoring patrons.
Dining
Eat Your Way Through Cannon Beach in 24 Hours written by Kerry Newberry START YOUR morning with the locals at Sea Level Bakery (www.sealevelbakery.com), a husband-and-wife-owned spot serving up scratch-baked bread, veg-packed quiche and pastry specials like a crispy, caramelized kouign-amann, blueberry scones and sticky buns the size of frisbees. Expect a line on most days, but it’s easy to pass the time watching cute beach dogs bustle by. Next stop, picnic provisions for the beach, which you can find a few blocks away at Fresh Foods Cannon Beach (www.freshfoodsmarketplace.com). Early summer, local berries start to roll in and you’ll find ready-made snacks to tuck in beach totes. After exploring the town’s art galleries, boutiques and indie bookstores, swing by the boat-to-table Ecola Seafoods (www.ecolaseafoods.com) for a classic crab cocktail or a deeply satisfying seafood-and-chips basket. Find your afternoon refresh at the beloved Sleepy Monk Coffee Roasters (www.sleepymonkcoffee.com) or Suzy’s Scoops (www.suzysscoops.com). After more beachcombing, enjoy a convivial happy hour at Cannon Beach Hardware & Public House (www.cannonbeachhardware.com), the coast’s only combo hardware shop and pub (modeled after the iconic Foxy John’s Pub in Dingle, Ireland). For a casual dinner, the fresh fish tacos or signature IPAMORE INSIDE brined chicken salad at Public Coast Brewing (www.publiccoastbrewing.com) can’t be beat. Reserve ahead of time for an Read more about the Stephanie Inn elegant four-course tasting menu at the Stephanie Inn (www. on pg. 82 stephanieinn.com), where chef Aaron Bedard puts his own creative spin on classics like Dungeness crab cakes with creamy risotto and wild leeks and lingcod Oscar. MAY | JUNE 2024
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farm to table
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farm to table
Farm to Table
Here We Go Round the Mulberry (Tree) Mulberries can make a sweet addition to any kitchen written by Julie Lee photography by Amanda Loman “HERE WE GO ROUND the mulberry bush on a cold and frosty morning” is a familiar sing-along (to those over 40 perhaps), but the English had it wrong—mulberries grow on trees, not bushes. A fascinating doppelganger to the commonly known blackberry, mulberries aren’t true berries at all. They are multiple fruits, as opposed to aggregate fruits like blackberries or raspberries. Mulberries belong to the Moraceae family, which is more closely related to figs. Ripe mulberries can be white, light purple, reddish or a deep purplish black. Mulberries elicit reactions that vary from mild acknowledgement of an unknown fruit delicacy to immediate glorification of a berry that deserves more recognition in this world, one with a flavor all its own. The health benefits of this little antioxidant dynamo are numerous; mulberries contain iron, vitamin C and healthy compounds. Consuming them can reduce cancer risk and help with cholesterol and diabetes management. The flavonoids in mulberries fight free radicals to limit oxidative stress, which impacts physical and emotional health. Not every state has a mulberry queen, but here in Oregon, we do! Lucile Whitman of Whitman Farms near Salem reigns over the mulberry business, not just in Oregon, but countrywide. Who crowned her the queen of mulberries? “I did,” said Whitman. “That’s what I say. I have more mulberry trees than anyone else. I’ve been doing it the longest. I started out with gooseberries, then when mulberries came along, I realized I was the queen!” “Here is the interesting thing: I have no recollection of when I started growing mulberries,” she said. “No recollection at AT LEFT “Mulberry Queen” Lucile Whitman stands inside a greenhouse holding 3-year-old mulberry plants at Whitman Farms near Salem this spring.
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farm to table
all. But they are the (perfect) tree. The berries taste (delicious), it’s not a bad-looking tree, it’s a nice-looking tree, and some of them get big. Mine don’t get over 30 feet tall, but some wild ones will. They are clean, they don’t have bugs or diseases, and they produce good fruit. The oldest mulberry tree is the Illinois Everbearing, and that will grow almost anywhere.” Whitman Farms began in 1980 as an “informal nut tree and small fruit” nursery adjacent to a larger bare-root nursery in Salem. It was both passion project and a one-women operation from the get-go. After Whitman’s passion first budded then blossomed into the business of unusual ornamental trees and “weird and wonderful woody plants” she stumbled across, her business became what it is now, specializing in the growth and distribution of unusual trees and shrubs, shipping year-round depending on weather. She runs her own show, answering calls from around the world for trees and shrubs to be shipped and arrive in perfect condition. She counts customers as friends and has the customer service of a high-end retailer intent on garnering long-term clients. You want something? You call or text her directly for immediate assistance. A call from Hungary and an exchange between Sandalwood and Morus nigra resulted in Whitman falling hard into the business of mulberries. Morus “El Dorado” is one of her favorites. “It’s just wonderful,” said Whitman. “I’ve found I can send these trees around the country easily. El Dorado is hearty. There is one I call ‘big pink’ that produces sweet berries, and I’m talking serious sweetness, the kind where you stand under the tree eating straight from it and keep saying to yourself, ‘Just one more,’ when you really need to move on and keep doing your job.” She also favors the white ivory mulberry tree, which bears delicious fruit, and the Pakistan mulberry tree, which produces 3to 5-inch mulberries that are dark ruby red-purple in color with a sweet and tart flavor. Some berries, she said, even taste like bubble gum, though “I don’t like bubble gum myself!” Mulberry trees are like children to Whitman. “Mulberries are precocious,” she said. “They bear fruit young. Some I’m unimpressed by, like the Miss Kim (mulberry). But I have so many that are impressive. The Morus nigra (mulberry) has very tender huge black fruit. When you pick those, you have to stand under the tree and eat every one you pick. The juice just runs down your arm.” She continued: “The thing about Morus nigra is that it has the (best) combination of a very sweet and very tart flavor, more than any mulberry. They ripen later in the season, towards August, and the trees don’t bear heavily. But when you first eat one, it will raise the hair on the back of your neck, the flavor is that intense.” Whitman uses a unique system for growing called plant control bag technology, which controls the roots rather than the plant. Fabric bags that don’t disintegrate are planted in the summer, and then planting happens in the fall and spring. “We’re putting in plants that are out of 4-inch pots,” said Whitman. “As the roots grow in the summer, they meet the side of the bag with some, but not total, resistance. They first form a callous on the inside of the bag, and as soon as they meet resistance, it 30 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
makes the roots feel like they are being pruned, making more hair roots. You end up with a root control bag full of hair roots. It’s the hair roots that start growing, and new roots come from the callouses that are right inside the bag. The upshot of this is that if you take a plant out of a root control bag, which you must do to plant in the field, that tree grows immediately. It’s like a miracle. It’s a marvelous situation.” Mulberry trees are generally ready to harvest between June and August. Looking to purchase mulberry trees now? Portland Nursery is stocked up through June, according to John Sorensen there, who echoes Whitman’s endorsement of mulberry trees being great to grow at home. “There are no pest or disease problems, and they self-fertilize, which is a big bonus,” he said. Finding mulberries in grocery stores is a little like a game of Where’s Waldo? Because of their delicate, thin skin and
farm to table
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Lucile Whitman touches a branch on a 10-year-old mulberry tree at Whitman Farms near Salem. Whitman walks inside a greenhouse holding mulberry plants. Young mulberry plants at Whitman Farms this spring.
lightning-quick shelf life once picked, about two to three days tops, it’s best to eat them as soon as they’re in hand. About the short shelf life of the mulberry, Whitman just laughed and said, “You don’t try to keep mulberries! Don’t keep them—eat them!” Humble Spirit, a cozy wine country restaurant in McMinnville that celebrates seasonal bounty, offers a mouthwatering recipe using mulberries, the Cast Iron Baked Mulberry Crostata. Oregon’s culinary ambassador, chef Leif Benson, offers an easy answer to “what’s for breakfast” or a main dish accompaniment with his Oregon Mulberry and Ginger Cornbread. And Janken, the unique and ambitious Japanese-Korean fusion restaurant that has rapidly climbed Portland’s best restaurant lists, offers a flavorful cocktail using mulberries, the Janken Midnight Special.
Finding mulberries in grocery stores is a little like a game of Where’s Waldo? Because of their delicate, thin skin and lightningquick shelf life once picked, about two to three days tops, it’s best to eat them as soon as they’re in hand. MAY | JUNE 2024
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Cast-Iron Baked Mulberry Crostata
Humble Spirit / MCMINNVILLE SERVES 8
Humble Spirit
FOR THE CROSTATA DOUGH • 2¾ cups flour • 1 teaspoon salt • 2 teaspoons sugar • 1 cup butter, diced • 3 ounces ice water Humble Spirit’s Cast-Iron Baked Mulberry Crostata.
Oregon Recipes
Mulberries: Cocktails to Crostatas Midnight Special Cocktail
• Champagne or prosecco • Basil leaves, for garnish
SERVES 1
FOR SIMPLE SYRUP Dissolve equal parts sugar and water in a pan over low heat. Remove from heat and cool completely.
Janken / PORTLAND
FOR SIMPLE SYRUP • Sugar • Water FOR THE COCKTAIL • 3-4 mulberries • 1½ ounces citron vodka • 1/4 ounce St. Germain • 1/4 ounce crème de cassis • 1/2 ounce lime juice • 1/2 ounce simple syrup
Oregon Mulberry and Ginger Cornbread
Chef Leif Benson, Oregon’s Culinary Ambassador SERVES 4-8 • 1½ cups flour • 1 cup cornmeal • 3/4 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 3/4 teaspoon salt • 1½ sticks butter, melted • 1 cup milk • 2 eggs, beaten • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated • 2 cups mulberries, stems removed
TO ASSEMBLE Muddle mulberries in a cocktail shaker. Add the citron vodka, St. Germain, crème de cassis, lime juice and simple syrup to the shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Double strain into a martini glass. Top with champagne or prosecco, and garnish with a basil leaf.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the flour, cornmeal, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the butter, milk, eggs and fresh ginger. Combine the dry and wet ingredients, add the mulberries and mix lightly until just combined—do not overmix to ensure and maintain mulberry chunks. Spray or butter a 9-inch bake pan, and dust with cornmeal. Add cornbread batter to the pan and level. Dust batter with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick or knife comes out dry when inserted. Cool for 20 minutes. Invert pan to remove cornbread, and cool again for 20 more minutes before serving.
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FOR THE FILLING • 3 cups fresh mulberries • 1 tablespoon cornstarch • 1/3 cup sugar • Pinch of salt • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract FOR THE CROSTATA DOUGH Sift the dry ingredients together into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add cold diced butter, and mix on medium with the paddle attachment until the mixture begins to have the texture of oatmeal. Slowly add water with the mixer still running, stopping the mixer as soon as the dough comes together. Form the dough into an even block, wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. This can be done in advance, and the dough can be held in the freezer for future use. FOR THE FILLING Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, and stir until well combined. TO ASSEMBLE Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll the chilled crostata dough on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Brush off excess flour, and prick the rolled dough with a fork to prevent air bubbles. Place the crostata filling in the center of the rolled dough, and carefully fold the dough around the outside of the mounded mulberry mixture, pinching the pleats as you work your way around to keep the thickness of the dough consistent. Place the formed crostata in a castiron pan and bake for 35-40 minutes until the crust is brown and the filling is bubbly. Allow to cool before slicing. Top with whipped cream or ice cream.
farm to table
Janken
The Midnight Special cocktail from Janken.
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farm to table
Mulberry Cordial MAKES 1 QUART • 1 cup white sugar • 5 cups whole mulberries • 32 ounces vodka • Zest of 1 lemon Place washed, whole mulberries in a 1-quart mason jar. Add sugar and lemon zest on top of the berries. Pour vodka into the jar to top it off. Close the jar lid tightly and turn upside down several times to help the sugar begin to dissolve. Place in a dark place for six months. This aging will pull all the beneficial extracts into the vodka, while at the same time creating a smooth, full-flavored beverage. After six months, strain the mixture though a fine meshed sieve lined with cheesecloth. Enjoy by itself or add it to cocktails.
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What began as a tea tincture on the Oregon Coast takes on a higher spirit as a mulberry cordial.
Homegrown Chef
Mulling it Over written by Thor Erickson | photography by Tambi Lane THE FRONT DOOR brushed against a set of chimes, creating a pleasant sound as I opened it. A big head of wild curly black hair popped out from behind a cluttered shelf. “Hey man, just in time for tea,” my friend Mark said with a gentle voice as I walked in and found my usual stool at the counter. “Mary is on her way with some freshly baked date bread.” The air was thick with incense, and new age music played at low volume. Mark and Mary ran The Herb Store, a coastal hub of health, wellness and much more, stuffed into a former gas station in Neotsu, just north of Lincoln City. “Mulberry tea is good for your blood sugar, and your heart,” Mark explained as he filled a handmade clay teacup.
“And your colon!” a loud voice said, as the door chimes sounded. Scott, or E. Scott Ricotta, planetary herbologist as is his official title, strode in with New York Times in hand, taking a seat next to me. “Crossword?” he asked, sipping some mulberry tea. Mary followed Scott in with date bread and quickly changed the music to classic Joe Jackson. “Don’t you have a mulberry tincture?” Mary asked. Mark readily produced a bottle labeled with masking tape and offered an eyedropper to the three of us. “Delicious,” I said. “That needs to be made into a cocktail.” Everyone agreed and raised their teacups. “To mulberries!” we all exclaimed. Thirty years later, here’s the recipe for that cocktail.
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home + design
Home + Design
How to Decorate a Log Cabin A Portland interior designer crafts a delightful, rustic-meets-modern retreat in Black Butte Ranch written by Melissa Dalton | photography by Kayla McKenzie WHEN INTERIOR DESIGNER Wendy Scott bought this log home in Black Butte Ranch, the sale included not just the house, but everything inside it. “You name it, we inherited it,” said Scott. “Forks, cups, art, baskets of dusty fake ivy upon baskets of dusty fake ivy, log beds, phones from 1980, linens that were thirty years old, and games with missing pieces.” As one of the oldest, most traditional forms of American architecture, log cabins are storied enough without all the additional stuff. This one, built in 1990, is a more contemporary version, but still came with the design problems unique to its typology. For Scott, deciding what to keep or toss was the first of many issues to tackle. Add to that, the fact that the thick log walls can’t be moved, or even wired for new lighting. And then there’s the visual dominance of the wood, with its pronounced shape, color and exposed grain—all part of the charm, but also a challenge. “We had no choice but to embrace the logs,” said Scott, who alongside Teal Davison co-founded the Portland design studio Teal & Scott. “But that’s what I really enjoy about design, is taking on work that isn’t our normal. It pushes us, and we can solve problems that we haven’t solved before.” 36 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
A Portland interior designer undertakes a difficult mission— modernizing a classic cabin.
Embrace Imperfection Despite making a splash in the local design scene with a project on the Portland Modern Home Tour, the log home was a far cry from that. “When you look at designs that Teal and I have done, every surface is clean and every piece of hardware is straight,” said Scott. “When you go into a log cabin, every circular shape is different and every knot in the wood is different.” The redesign worked with those irregularities, rather than against them. For instance, when the great room needed a new furniture layout to create zones for lounging and playing games, Scott specified a custom L-shaped bench complete with storage in the base, to anchor one side of the room. Carpenter Sean Martin of S.G. Martin Woodworks fabricated the bench to fit flush against the round logs. “When you put cabinetry up against logs, it’s not straight,” said Scott. “So, you basically have to hand cut the back of every box.”
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home + design
To offset the orange hue of the logs, designer Wendy Scott added bold colors and patterns, such as the custom bench covered in a Pendleton wool with blues, greens and grays. BELOW More colors run through the kids bedroom with a teal steel bunk bed and a sewing station repurposed as a desk.
Don’t Be Afraid of Color It’s easy to assume that, with the logs providing the home’s predominant hue—and orange at that—that the best approach would be to stick to neutrals for everything else. “But I just really wanted more color,” said Scott. “If you think about orange, or any [strong] color, complementary shades do wonders.” (That means bringing in the colors that are opposite on the color wheel.) For this approach, Scott had the great room’s built-in bench painted a deep blue-green, Green Essex by Benjamin Moore, then topped it with a custom cushion made of a classic Pendleton plaid. The pattern added in more blues, greens and grays, which also synced with the existing river rock fireplace. “The design really started to feel cohesive when we got the Pendleton fabric on the bench,” said Scott. “I took it everywhere with me when I made purchases.” Additional analogous colors, like red, pink and burnt orange, offer fun accents in things like a metal bed frame, pillows and picture frames. 38 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
home + design
Create Unexpected Contrast Despite the traditional tableau, Scott didn’t want to abandon a love for modernism. “The one thing that I was always trying to figure out was, how do you modernize this house?” Scott said. To this end, vintage pieces, like an antique sewing table in the kid’s bunk room, were joined with more contemporary picks, like a rainbow floral wallpaper and teal metal bunk bed. “Even though we felt like we could go a little bit kitschy-er, I really tried to mix vintage with modern wherever possible,” said Scott. This contrast also played out in several of the art vignettes around the house, which include pieces from Scott’s family, like a landscape painting her father had since his 20s, and a cowboy oil portrait bought from a local thrift shop. These are mixed with modern prints, like one of a contemporary quilt design— “That’s a fun nod to Sisters,” said Scott—and works from local Bend artists.
Go Slow After a year of chipping away at the interiors, Scott is happy with the home’s newest incarnation, primarily accomplished with just the right combination of art, furniture and soft goods, and nary a basket of dusty ivy in sight. “We didn’t even change the carpets,” Scott said. The interior designer stresses that the process always involves a lot of trial, error and time to reach a result that’s truly unique, rather than perfect. “You want to get it to a place that you’re excited about and it’s livable, as it’s not realistic for most people to change everything over at once, nor should we,” said Scott. “And you have to embrace the funkiness and the quirkiness of it, because listen, it’s not going to be perfect.” ABOVE Subtle elements of design can be found around the home, such as these fixtures. BELOW, AT LEFT Kitsch meets art and history in art and prints hung on cabin walls.
“The one thing that I was always trying to figure out was, how do you modernize this house? … Even though we felt like we could go a little bit kitschy-er, I really tried to mix vintage with modern wherever possible.” — Wendy Scott, interior designer
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home + design
DIY
Picture Framing and Matting CUSTOM FRAMING is not cheap—and there’s a reason for that. It takes skill and often specialized tools to build a custom picture frame. Read on for a quick guide to the components of the project. Depending on your skill level and shop setup, you might be able to make your own frames. Or, perhaps repurposing vintage finds is more your speed—we cover that, too.
MATERIALS For the frame: Use scrap wood or search out old frames at Goodwill, garage sales or antique stores. Both can be refinished according to your tastes, and cut to the size needed. Tip: If you’re putting together a gallery wall and need a lot of frames at once, our favorite way to do it is to purchase antique frames, which are often made of higher-quality materials, then cut the mat and glass to fit, and assemble it all together. For the mat: Buy pre-cut mat board from an art supply or craft store. To cut it, purchase a matcutting tool and a proper surface to cut on. The mat-cutting tool gives the mat window angled edges for a more finished look. Choose an acid-free, archival mat if what is to be framed needs to be preserved. There are also online retailers, like www.matboardandmore.com, where you can order custom mats. 40 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
DIMENSIONS When cutting material for the actual frame, know that the corresponding sides will need to be the exact same length, in order to get the frame to line up and be square, and not have gaps where the corners meet. The overall frame dimensions should take into account the size of the image and the surrounding mat, if using, and the rabbet (see below).
WHAT’S A RABBET? A rabbet is found on the back of a frame, and provides a lip—usually about a ¼ of an inch deep—to insert the glass, mat, photo and backing material. The rabbet keeps all the materials in place and flush with the back of the frame, and
it creates a viewing window that is slightly smaller than the actual dimensions of the image or mat. A rabbet is cut into the frame using a router. A TALE OF TWO JOINTS When making a frame from wood, there are two different corner joints to consider. A miter joint means the pieces are cut at a 45-degree angle at either end. This requires precision and a miter saw to execute. A butt joint is simpler, and has the two pieces abut one another. The corners can then be attached using a variety of methods, from wood glue and brad nails, to pocket screws, dowels and biscuits. The latter three require specialized equipment or jigs.
Illustrations: Allison Bye
For the glass or plexiglass: Try online retailers, local frame shops or art and craft supply stores.
Get the Look of the Black Butte Ranch Cabin
The Fort Bunk Bed from Room & Board is both practical and playful. The twin-over-full mattress configuration means it can be used for an array of guests, from kids to couples, and the durable metal construction is available in seventeen colors, such as tangerine and natural steel. www.roomandboard.com
The Thalia Sconce from Sazerac Stitches is petite, but packs quite the design punch, thanks to all its options—it comes in thirty combinations of metals and saturated hues. Install it vertically or horizontally to shine a little light over a bedside table or flank a bathroom mirror, or add it anywhere you just need happy color.
Interior designer Wendy Scott chose the MasayaCo Jicaro Dining Chair from Anthropologie to surround her cabin’s game and craft table because she liked how the woven seat recalled dice. However, these chairs would look just as good at a dining table or desk. www.anthropologie.com
Photo, top right: Kayla McKenzie
www.sazeracstitches.com
Scott also uses all types of items for the cabin’s art vignettes, from thrift store paintings, to local prints, and pennants from Budd + Finn, which has shop locations in Portland and Bend. The pennants depict a variety of locales, slogans and graphics to convey a cool retro camp vibe no matter the subject. www.buddfinn.com MAY | JUNE 2024
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artist in residence
Painting Thunder Ka’ila Ferrell-Smith synergizes art and activism written and photographed by Daniel O’Neil LIKE THE GREAT Thunderbird, Ka’ila Farrell-Smith has powerful wings. One covers art, abstract painting to be specific; the other, activism, particularly environmental and tribal. Each remains separate yet connected. Ferrell-Smith’s voice as activist and artist booms with fierce expression, and her work is charged with determination and ancient ancestral ties to what we today call Oregon. Born to an Irish-American mother and a Klamath Modoc father, Farrell-Smith grew up in the Eugene-Springfield area. Both of her parents were artists, so she had an art studio early on, along with the desire that she would be an artist when she grew up. Farrell-Smith attended high school in Germany, where her mother was working, and this exposure to Europe, and to her first art teacher, fostered a continued interest in western art. After graduating from Pacific Northwest College of Art, FerrellSmith intentionally enjoyed her youth by traveling and learning. She kept her father’s legacy tucked away for when she was older. Al Smith, Ferrell-Smith’s father, was born at Modoc Point, north of Klamath Falls, in 1919. Soon enough he was taken from his family and sent to Indian boarding schools to erase his Klamath Modoc culture. Instead, Smith embraced his Native American blood and traditions. His tribal activism culminated in a famous First Amendment Supreme Court case in 1990. Such a connection to Oregon’s tumultuous past is not lost on Ferrell-Smith. “I’ve been coming back to focus on that painful colonial history of this place and what happened to the Indigenous people, specifically here with my tribe, but also in Oregon in
Symbols convey identity in Ka’ila Ferrell-Smith’s art.
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Ka’ila Ferrell-Smith, a traditional Klamath paddle that she made and Mount McLoughlin all add definition to Modoc Point.
artist in residence
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artist in residence
Ka’ila Ferrell-Smith works quickly and intuitively in her Modoc Point studio. AT LEFT As a land-based abstract painter, Ferrell-Smith gathers and creates her own wild pigments.
general,” Ferrell-Smith said. “I was very close with my father, and I think there was a need for me to carry that relationship and to carry on that story.” Ferrell-Smith has worked with, and taken breaks from, environmental advocacy for the last twenty years. Lately, she has turned more toward her studio to make a statement. “Art has power, if you use it the right way,” she said. While earning a master of fine arts degree from Portland State University, Ferrell-Smith spent much time at the Indigenous Nations Studies Program, where she developed an interest in decolonization, taught a class on the subject and learned the craft of academic writing and publishing. “That’s really when my research started to go down this academic route and looking into what is the history of settler colonization in the state of Oregon,” Ferrell-Smith said. “And that allowed me to go through my father’s past and his life, and I was able to start processing that as an adult. So I did come around to it, and I left Portland, moved back home to Modoc Point.” Ferrell-Smith’s work over the last decade has explored and revealed themes involving cultural erasure, decolonization and conservation. Most recently, her Ghosts in the Machine series confronted proposals to mine for lithium at McDermitt Caldera in Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands while also questioning the cyber surveillance of protestors, including herself. Using wild pigment she gathered there—“Northern Paiute lithium topsoil,” as Ferrell-Smith calls it—the works are not just about the land. They are of the land. “All of my work is always connected to land and land-based issues,” Ferrell-Smith said. “It’s a way for me to come home and focus right here on my ancestral homelands.” 44 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
Artwork: Ka’ila Farrell-Smith
artist in residence
ABOVE, FROM LEFT A piece from Ka’ila Farrell-Smith’s Ghosts in the Machine series. Farrell-Smith’s G’ EE’ LA monoprint series was produced in collaboration with master printer Judith Baumann at Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts in Eastern Oregon.
In October 2018, Ferrell-Smith had her first print residency at Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts. This summer, Ferrell-Smith will return there for another. Crow’s Shadow master printer and studio director Judith Baumann worked with Ferrell-Smith during that first residency and is excited for this next opportunity, partly because of what Ferrell-Smith brings to the press. “Ka’ila is fierce,” Baumann said. “She’s authentic. She’s a truth teller, but she’s also a storyteller. And her work embodies that really unique perspective that she has, which is so tied to activism, to Oregon, and to her tribe. She’s a badass.” The Portland Art Museum has two of Ferrell-Smith’s paintings in its permanent collection. The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s recent exhibition Many Wests included FerrellSmith, as did the National Gallery of Art’s The Land Carries Our Ancestors exhibition. Now, Ferrell-Smith is represented by the
Russo Lee Gallery in Portland, and she is beginning work that will be included in the Oregon Origins Project. For this, Ferrell-Smith will portray Crater Lake, a sacred site for the Klamath Modoc and other tribes especially since the lake-creating eruption 7,700 years ago. The date of the eruption matters to Ferrell-Smith because in the Paisley Caves, near Hart Mountain just east of Modoc Point, archaeologists have found and dated human DNA from 14,000 years ago. A petroglyph that predates the formation of Crater Lake, a place of reverence that she used to visit with her father, connects these dots for Ferrell-Smith. “I found that petroglyph really intriguing because it’s from before the Mount Mazama eruption,” Ferrell-Smith said. “You have to think about what this place was like pre-colonization. How far back does it go?” MAY | JUNE 2024
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WHAT I’M WORKING ON 48 MY WORKSPACE 50
pg. 50 Preserving lumber for posterity, Brad Campbell of LongHorn Lumber.
Tobias Nolan
GAME CHANGER 52
News. Worthy. Daily.
NNA Landscape Architecture/Portland Parks & Recreation
what i’m working on
City planners, with help from private firms and Portland State University, hope to open the revamped park early next year. Preliminary renderings released by the parks department show a public square complete with a stage, grass slope, dog run and plaza. There will also be a “walk of fame” for other local queer leaders. The project will cost about $7 million. Rumbaugh has helped lead the project since September. Since then, he said he’s seen overwhelming public support for the project—a rare phenomenon in city government, he said, which sees plenty of crankiness from residents. (It’s no coincidence that hostile listening sessions with the public are a running joke on the hit TV show Parks and Recreation.) A rendering of the proposed Darcelle That’s because of Darcelle’s huge XV Plaza in downtown Portland. legacy. By the 2000s, Darcelle had become enmeshed in the civic fabric of Oregon’s flagship city as residents and officials began to celebrate its thriving queer culture. But getting started as Darcelle wasn’t easy for Cole. According to the Oregon Encyclopedia, Cole entered the city’s 1960s Portland plans to open a new park bohemian music scene as a cafe owner in the city’s southwest, but his business was displaced during a period of urban rehonoring its legendary drag queen newal. When he launched Darcelle XV tavern on NW Davis written by Grant Stringer Street and NW Third Avenue, Cole began lip-syncing to get DARCELLE XV is a legendary name in Portland. Billed as the around a bizarre Oregon law that forbade live music perforworld’s longest-performing drag queen, Darcelle, the persona mances, according to the encyclopedia. of Portland resident Walter Cole, passed away last March. She By the time of her death, Darcelle was considered the oldleft a hole in the city’s heart. est working drag performer in the world and was lionized as a A coalition of urban planners, activists and the City of Port- global ambassador of drag and Portland. land’s parks department quickly devised a lasting tribute: the Meanwhile, nearby O’Bryant Square had fallen into disreredesign of a public square in downtown Portland, which has pair. The brick plaza honoring Portland’s first mayor, pioneer been renamed in her honor. The new Darcelle XV Plaza will Hugh Donaldson O’Bryant, was often described by journalalso highlight Portland’s robust queer culture and its history. ists and city leaders as a den of hard drug use. In 2018, the Helping lead the historic project is Ken Rumbaugh, an art- city closed the park altogether. Its main attractions—avenues ist by trade and a senior community engagement coordinator of roses and a rose-shaped fountain of bronze—were hidden with Portland Parks & Recreation. behind fencing. “Darcelle XV is a Portland icon and somebody who is celRumbaugh joined Portland Parks & Recreation around that ebrated not only in the LGBTQ+ community but worldwide,” time. An artist by trade, Rumbaugh produced fine art of athRumbaugh said, adding that he’s thrilled to be involved in the letes for clients such as Major League Baseball and the Nationproject in part because he’s the parent of a transgender son. al Football League. Since then, he’s led the city’s effort to solicit In July, the city council unanimously voted to rename and and incorporate public feedback about the redesign. redesign O’Bryant Square for the history-making drag star. The city doesn’t have a hard-and-fast timeline when the park (Cole used he/him pronouns, except when performing as Dar- will reopen as Darcelle XV Plaza. Hopefully, residents and visicelle.) The half-acre park is located at the intersection of SW tors will be able to check it out by early 2025, Rumbaugh said. Park Avenue and SW Harvey Milk Street, which is also named Meanwhile, Rumbaugh and the parks department continue to for a queer icon, the trailblazing San Francisco politician. gather public feedback.
A New Stage for Darcelle
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EXHIBITION NOW OPEN
HIGHDESERTMUSEUM.ORG
my workspace
My Workspace
The Beauty of Wood LongHorn Lumber reclaims wood from historic and aged buildings written by Joni Kabana photography by Tobias Nolan
Have you ever walked into a winery, bar or someone’s home and felt a sense of awe when discovering old reclaimed barn wood put to good reuse? Visions of heritage homesteads where the wood once rested give the room a homey feeling often inciting visceral reactions. Brad Campbell has a long and varied history of working in the lumber industry and has honed myriad relationships along the way. During the forty-plus years he worked in manufacturing, truck loading, management and marketing, one thread consistently emerged: People love old reclaimed wood, in any way that it is used.
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Campbell now owns LongHorn Lumber, opened in 2008 and located in Powell Butte, whose mission is to source, distribute and build with reclaimed wood. He particularly appreciates how the wood is salvaged from an old barn or house and that it is given new life. “Hopefully people can see that we’re saving the past to last long into the future. I always say it will last another 100 years when we’re done with a custom design.”
A recent fire damaged a local historic home and the owners needed to replace old millwork that hasn’t been in production for many years. Campbell was able to take a salvaged wood sample to secure a reproduction so that the home was able to be restored to its original authentic state.
LongHorn Lumber acquires wood from word of mouth referrals and supplies wood for all sizes of projects. “I have a large inventory, and many of my customers become lifelong friends. I’m often asked if it is required to buy bulk and the answer is no. I can sell enough wood to build a custom home timber package or a picture frame.” View some of the reclaimed wood projects at www.longhornlumber.com. You can also see Campbell’s products at various locations such as Silvies Valley Ranch in Seneca or Bend’s Forged Elegance and the Cascade Lakes Welcome Station.
FAR LEFT Brad Campbell launched LongHorn Lumber in 2008. ABOVE Jack the cat lounges among piles of reclaimed wood at Campbell’s property. AT LEFT A hinge still hangs from a section of barn wood reclaimed from a location in Wheeler County.
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game changer
Cinthya Zapata shares her experience as a Dreamer at Breaking Down Walls: True Stories from Local Immigrants.
The Hearth Finding healing and human connection through stories, and listening written by James Sinks
BEFORE SOCIAL MEDIA and computers, telephones and even radios, there was a hearth. For most of human history, the threshold of a crackling fire invited people to gather and tell stories, to laugh and cry, and to be warmed by embers and the glow of connection. Today, we live in a hyperspeed, cold, often disconnected world. So when moments occur when people should come together, such as after disasters both natural and human-caused, how do you even begin? That question vexed Ashland’s Mark Yaconelli, an author, onetime youth minister, a dad and a consultant who led compassionfocused retreats. To him, society’s lack of connection begged for something new, something kind, on a larger scale. He found an answer in an age-old idea. 52 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
“Story is the language of human experience,” he said. “One way we cultivate compassion for each other is story. It is folk medicine, and we’re wired for it. When we find points of connection and can see the world through each others’ eyes, we can bridge divisions and deepen relationships.” Yaconelli said he was inspired by how audiences came together after a session from The Moth, a public radio-featured program that invites people to stand at a microphone and tell personal anecdotes. “I thought, this is how we do it. And so we started experimenting.” In 2010, harkening to the welcoming spaces where stories were traded, he launched a nonprofit called The Hearth. In the early days, the fledgling charity staged what became standing room story-trading events in Southern Oregon. Then, after a fatal mass shooting killed nine people at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg in 2015, Yaconelli was asked if storytelling might help Douglas County heal—and The Hearth began to fulfill his vision of drawing entire communities together. Over the course of a year, Yaconelli and his team met with countless families, including those of the people murdered,
game changer
“Story is the language of human experience. One way we cultivate compassion for each other is story. It is folk medicine, and we’re wired for it.”
and listened, and winced. They also heard about generosity and kindness and resiliency. And people came together, he said. In the years since, the nonprofit has grown to a staff of three and has led training workshops so that educators, faith leaders, social activists and even Modoc tribal women could better tell their own stories—and importantly, to elicit stories from others. The credentials are called Certificates in Community Storytelling. To help social and emergency personnel to combat burnout, the nonprofit invites stressed-out first responders and social workers to Caring for Caregivers sessions. In 2020, with not nearly enough grief counselors available, The Hearth trained 100 people to be compassionate listeners for those whose homes were among the 3,500 lost in the Almeda Fire, which burned from Ashland through Talent and into Medford. “We are in such a traumatized time right now,” he said. “How can you use story as a medicine? Story connects us to ourselves and our gifts, and restores the broken places in us. And stories are democratic, because everybody has a story and everybody can participate.” The Hearth’s nonconfrontational approach has drawn interest from conveners of an array of settings where people gather, from government to health care, and from churches to schools. He said social media and computers just don’t engender relationship-building the way in-person sharing does. This spring, Yaconelli finished a ninety-one-city promotional tour for his newest book, Between the Listening and the Telling. In La Grande, First Presbyterian Church co-pastor Laura Elly Hudson said the lessons from The Hearth are rippling through the community, sparking fuller conversations about faith, more interactive community dinners on Wednesdays and even inspiring new storytelling circles at the local library. “Everything I’ve learned from The Hearth has helped me grow in my facilitation of spiritual awareness and practice,” she said. “Stories are foundational to spirituality, which is all about connection—with the divine as you understand it, with other people, and with the more-than-human world.” The Hearth’s approach also is helping inspire new ways of approaching trauma-informed care, which is a field that focuses on reducing the impacts of toxic stress and retraumatization for people—often from underrepresented communities—in
Photos: The Hearth
— Mark Yaconelli, The Hearth founder and executive director
ABOVE, FROM TOP Survivors of the Almeda Fire share their experiences at a public story tent during the 2022 Almeda Fire Commemoration Event in Phoenix, Oregon. Erica Ledesma (left), executive director of Coalición Fortaleza, and The Hearth’s Mark Yaconelli facilitate story sharing at the Oregon Community Foundation’s Conexiones Summit.
what can be anxiety-triggering settings like government and medical offices. “People say that they hate small talk and that it is an empty way to spend time, but if it is about trust building, it becomes meaningful because you can hear a person and understand who they are,” said Christine da Rosa, a research assistant at Trauma Informed Oregon, based at Portland State University, and who is finalizing a guidebook for the use of storytelling in traumainformed settings. Up next, Yaconelli said the nonprofit is working with Willamette University—Yaconelli’s alma mater—to try to reduce friction surrounding local school politics on the Oregon Coast. Community workshops are planned this year. “How do you start those meetings in a way to create trust and empathy,” he said, “so people can hear each other, before they start talking about the hard things?” The place to start, is to listen. So, what’s your story? LEARN MORE
For more information, visit www.thehearthcommunity.com. Free copies of Between the Listening and the Telling are available from The Ford Family Foundation’s Select Books Program at www.selectbooks. org/collection/between-the-listening-and-the-telling
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Rich Bacon
Find a campsite with a good, flat area for setting up your tent.
The Ultimate
TENT CAMPING Guide for Beginners … AND THE GEAR TO GET YOU THERE
written by Jean Chen Smith | illustrations by Maggie Wauklyn Something stirs in my soul when I am surrounded by nature in our state. It is an awakening of the senses— hearing the birds sing their unique melodies, smelling the Douglas firs, watching the flutter of branches as a bluebird takes flight, and even feeling the raindrops on my face. These are some of the reasons I love camping so much. When temperatures warm, one of my favorite things to do is pack the car up for a two- or three-night tent camping adventure. Tent camping can be both easy and affordable. You are able to drive up to the campsite location without having to lug all your gear on your back. In some instances, you must reserve a spot ahead of time. Some campgrounds have facilities such as communal showers and bathrooms. If you are a beginner, do not fret. Here are ten fundamentals for tent camping, along with our ultimate gear guide, so you can relax and enjoy your adventure.
10 Fundamentals for Tent Camping PRACTICE & PREPARATION Prior to venturing out, make a checklist of all the things you will need, depending on what season you are camping and where you will be going. Lay out all of your items, and make adjustments to your checklist as needed. Practice setting up your tent in the backyard to ensure things go smoothly once you’ve reached your campsite.
SETTING UP BASECAMP Your campsite is not only an area to catch some Zs—it is a place you will be spending time relaxing, cooking and eating, so it should be comfortable and inviting, like a home outdoors. Proper planning and the right gear can make all the difference to your camping experience. Finding a proper shelter is essential, so consider your needs when choosing the right tent for you. Ask yourself: What size do you need? Are you traveling solo or with a partner? Are you bringing the whole family? Do you want one that is tall enough to stand in? The most important thing is to purchase a tent that is waterproof because, well, it is Oregon. Be careful to note that water-resistant is not the same as waterproof—you will want the latter. We like the Columbia Three-Person Dome Tent ($129, www.columbia.com) because it is roomy, water-repellent and blocks even the smallest of bugs with its reliable mesh walls. It features
durable, fiberglass-fortified poles, is easy to assemble and includes a handy carrying case for transporting. When setting up your tent, be sure to drive the stakes completely into the ground; otherwise, you might find your tent blowing away in the wind. A campsite is not complete without a place to sit. As you spend your day reading a good book, or around the campfire roasting s’mores, Mountain Summit Gear Anytime Chair ($30, www.rei.com) will come in handy. Sturdy and comfortable, the frame and seat provide ample stability and can hold up to 300 pounds. It also includes cup holders on each side for drinks, so you can sit back and chill. Since you will be outside the majority of the day, be sure to bring sun protection. Coola’s Classic Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 ($32, www.coola.com) is organic and fragrance-free. Unlike most sunscreens, it glides on easily and isn’t sticky or greasy.
SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS Sure, the ground may look flat and springy, but sleep through the night on it and you will feel each bump and pebble. A camping pad is essential. The NEMO Switchback Sleeping Pad ($59.95, www.nemoequipment.com) is an affordable and comfortable option. It is made of closed-cell foam, so it folds and stores easily. The heatreflecting insulation will keep you warm on chilly nights. Be sure to also bring a sleeping bag. Marmot Nanowave 25-Degree Sleeping Bag ($119, www.marmot. com) is extremely lightweight and packable, making it an ideal choice for your camping adventures. The brand’s SpiraFil high loft insulation should keep you cozy at around 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Two-way zippers allow for easy-in, easy-out access.
CAMP KITCHEN Creating a camp kitchen is easy. First and foremost, create a wash area where you have access to water for cleaning dishes and washing your hands. You can use a jug with a spigot. Other helpful items to keep in your camp area are: biodegradable soap, paper towels, hand 56
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towels, cookware, utensils, sturdy food containers and a dish-drying rack. Consider how you plan to cook your food. Will you cook over a fire, or use a camp stove? If the latter, Coleman’s 1900 Collection Three-in-One Propane Stove ($229, www.coleman.com) can be a great choice. The compact design makes it easy to bring on your outdoor adventures. Durable and easy to clean, the stove comes with a removable cast-iron grill and griddle accessories. For quick meals with minimal cleanup, you can try freeze-dried meals such as the options from Backpacker’s Pantry (prices start at $8, www.backpackerspantry. com). Flavors include pad thai with chicken, fettuccine alfredo and curries. They even have vegetarian and vegan-friendly meals, as well as desserts. Just add boiling water and stir.
FOOD STORAGE & CLEANUP When outdoors, be mindful of all the critters—both small and large—that want access to your food. A reliable cooler for food storage is important, along with keeping your camp kitchen clean and free of food scraps. Once you are done cooking and eating, clean your dishes soon so you do not attract any unwanted bugs or animals. Leave no trace when camping so you can preserve the environment for future use. Another general rule is never to store food in your tent. The smell of any type of food can attract bears and raccoons, along with ants and other insects. The same goes for food wrappers and other garbage—make sure to dispose of them properly and immediately. A hard-sided cooler like Engel 13 Quart Drybox/ Cooler with Divider ($80, www.engelcoolers.com) is ideal. It is compact and lightweight, and it is crack- and leak-resistant for rugged days on the road.
RELIABLE HIKING SHOES Choose sturdy hiking boots or shoes with grip to protect your feet and ankles while on the trail. For those who prefer the feel of a shoe, Keen’s Headout Waterproof Hiking Shoes for women and men ($130, www. keenfootwear.com) are a durable and waterproof choice. The rubber outsole offers superior grip, so no slipping and sliding on those challenging hikes.
A FUNCTIONAL BACKPACK If you are hiking, you will need a reliable day pack for carrying essentials, such as a first aid kit, water, weather-appropriate clothing or extra layers, snacks and sunscreen. Osprey’s Skarab or Skimmer packs (www. osprey.com), available in several color and liter options, are versatile day packs with easy access, comfortable shoulder straps and a compartment for a water bladder, if you choose.
PACKING APPROPRIATELY Functional yet comfortable clothing will make all the difference, and packing in layers is essential. Vuori makes comfortable sweatshirts and sweatpants that will keep you cozy. The women’s Halo Performance Hoodie ($98, www.vuoriclothing.com) and matching bottoms ($108) are great for sitting around the campfire on chilly nights. The men’s version is the Coronado Hoodie and pants. Also be prepared for all types of weather. Helly Hansen’s Seven J Rain Jacket ($110, www.hellyhansen.com) will keep you dry from inclement weather conditions. It is waterproof, windproof and lined on the inside for comfort, and it also has an adjustable hood.
CAMP YOUR WAY Camping gear can be an investment, but you don’t need expensive equipment to get started. Choose items that fit your camping style, space and budget. Consider purchasing used gear from local outdoor shops or secondhand stores, which can be easier on both the wallet and the planet. Gear rentals can be another great option if you are just starting out or not ready to buy gear of your own. The outdoors is for everybody, so choose what works best for you and get outside!
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5 of Our Favorite Tent Campsites Around Oregon
HEADLAMPS & FLASHLIGHTS Headlamps, lanterns or flashlights are a necessity when the sun goes down. I have found the Black Diamond Astro 300 Headlamp ($20, www.rei.com) invaluable when navigating through a dark campsite. It is compact and offers three brightness levels. The IPX4 stormproof protection is meant to withstand heavy rain, and even sleet.
Camping can be an excellent opportunity to watch for wildlife. Remember to always be respectful of any animals you may encounter. Keep your distance and do not disturb any wildlife, and be sure to practice leave no trace principles. A pair of Nocs Provisions Standard Issue 8x25 Waterproof Binoculars ($95, www.nocsprovisions.com) will add hours of fun to your experience. The lightweight binoculars work like a camera, allowing you to not only view wildlife from a distance, but you can also snap a picture using a smartphone adapter. Aside from hiking, spend downtime at your campsite playing board games, on a bike or out on the water. Many campsites near lakes and rivers have kayak and paddleboard rentals.
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Modoc Stories/hood-gorge.com
NATURE WATCHING & DOWNTIME
Southern Coast
CAPE BLANCO STATE PARK Cape Blanco State Park sits north of Port Orford, on the southern coast. The campground offers restrooms, picnic tables and potable water. Rustic cabins are also available, and can be reserved in advance. Campers can explore more than 8 miles of hiking trails with beach access and spectacular views. Equestrians can enjoy a 7-mile trail and spacious open riding area. Nearby Cape Blanco Lighthouse is a historic treasure. Built in 1870, it is the oldest lighthouse along the Oregon Coast. More information: www.stateparks.oregon.gov
Campground is typically open from June to late September, depending on snow levels and other factors, and offers more than 200 sites with their own picnic table and fire ring, surrounded by a canopy of old-growth trees. There is potable water, flush toilets, showers and a laundry area. Firewood is available for sale. If you need provisions, Rim Village and the visitor center are a fifteen-minute drive away. More information: www.nps.gov Mt. Hood National Forest
TRILLIUM LAKE CAMPGROUND
Northern Coast
FORT STEVENS STATE PARK Best known for its maritime history, Fort Stevens State Park offers one of the largest campgrounds in the United States. The 4,300-acre park is the ideal tent camping location because of its size and resplendent beauty. It is also close to Astoria’s downtown, which is full of restaurants, boutiques and home to the Columbia River Maritime Museum. Amenities include flush toilets, showers and picnic tables. Reservations can be made in advance. More information: www.stateparks.oregon.gov Southern Oregon
CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK Camp at one of the Seven Wonders of Oregon. Famous for its clear blue waters and known to be the deepest lake in the U.S., this has to be one of the most idyllic spots for setting up your tent. Mazama Trillium Lake, in the shadow of Mount Hood, is an idyllic spot for family camping.
This idyllic spot sits alongside the 63-acre Trillium Lake in Mt. Hood National Forest. The campground is open from June through September, with reservations required in advance due to its popularity. Vault toilets, drinking water and a picnic area are available. Water enthusiasts can enjoy swimming, canoeing and kayaking. Trillium Lake Loop Trail is a picturesque and mostly flat 2-mile hike. More information: www.fs.usda.gov Malheur National Forest
IDLEWILD CAMPGROUND Located near Burns in Eastern Oregon, Malheur National Forest spans more than 1.7 million acres in the Blue Mountains. Idlewild Campground offers twenty-five campsites nestled in a charming grove of ponderosa pines. Constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, the spot has four vault toilets and potable water only from mid-May through October. Several hiking trails can be accessed nearby, along with mountain biking trails. More information: www. fs.usda.gov photos, above from left: Travel Astoria-Warrenton, Travel Oregon
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Restorative Balance Oregon’s tribes bring ancestral knowledge back into forestry written and photographed by Daniel O’Neil
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Oregon white oak, Douglas fir and Mount Hood define the landscape in the eastern Columbia River Gorge.
T’S HARD TO SAY who really arrived here first. As the last Ice Age glaciers melted away a little more than 10,000 years ago, today’s forests unfolded into the woods we know. Yet archaeologists have found remains of people in modern-day Oregon that date back 18,000 years, and the tribes begin their story when the Creator placed them here long, long ago. Either way, Oregon’s forests and its Indigenous peoples have essentially co-existed forever. As forests emerged across what became Oregon, tribes evolved with them, shaping them with elements like fire and being shaped by communities of plants and animals. Yet since the arrival of Euro-Americans, profit-driven mismanagement of Oregon’s forests has led to unhealthy, unstable, and fire-prone ecosystems, all in a rapidly changing climate. In this new century, public and private landowners have begun to collaborate with local tribes to revitalize Oregon’s forests. Such partnerships benefit tribes, non-tribal entities and forest ecosystems across the state. They also help build relationships founded on a shared respect for each other and for Oregon’s forestland. The age of tribal forestry has dawned, even though it has been here the whole time.
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Tribal forestry encompasses much time and space. It is rooted in a sense of respect and balance, viewing the forest ecosystem as a whole that includes flora, fauna, land, water and humans. Today, the concepts behind tribal forestry form what’s called traditional ecological knowledge, an innate understanding of how a place is supposed to be. Traditional ecological knowledge resides in the legends and stories that Native Americans have carried through millennia as residents here. The legends and stories also remind the tribes of their long-standing responsibility to steward these quote-unquote resources. “Traditional ecological knowledge isn’t in one place. It’s not in a document, not in a policy. It’s in our people, spread throughout our people,” said Don Gentry, who recently served as the Klamath Tribes chairman. Now, as a natural resources specialist for the tribe, Gentry helps manage their forestlands while also collaborating with non-tribal groups to co-manage ceded Klamath Tribes land. As Western forestry supplanted tribal forestry, cascading changes came to the land. The two views of how to manage the woods differ just as much as their cultures, but they also compliment each other using their relative strengths. The Western approach provides an elaborate, analytical and detail-obsessed scientific knowledge—think chemistry and biology, satellite imagery and computer modeling. The tribal component brings traditional ecological knowledge and a holistic appreciation of the forest. Rather than look at the forest from the outside, tribes view it from within. “Other management styles still separate people on one side, and the environment on the other,” said Nakia Williamson, director of the Nez Perce Tribe’s cultural resource program. “That’s a foreign concept to Nez Perce people, and if you think about it, it’s a false perspective. Mankind throughout the world has always been connected to landscapes. But I talk about these sorts of things and some people’s eyes glaze over, like, ‘What is this guy talking about? This is some esoteric perspective that doesn’t relate to me and the time and place that I live in, with all this technology, all this ability, all this science.’ And I say, ‘No, it does.’” For the Nez Perce and other tribes, land management, including forestry, does not just consider what the Western world calls “resources.” Nor does it focus on single species or objectives, such as Douglas-fir production or managing only 62 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
for revenue. Instead, tribes value overall forest health and reciprocity with the natural world. “There’s a disconnect when you commodify something that your cultural lifeways taught you wasn’t just something to be used,” said Taiontorake Max Oakes, a wildlife biologist with his tribe, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. “Your creation stories, and the things that you were told, and what guided you in your lifeways all taught you not to take that for granted.” Tribes like the Klamath, Nez Perce and Warm Springs, as well as others across the state, have realized they can have a greater effect on their ancestral territory if they partner with neighboring landowners. Likewise, groups like The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Forest Service and Columbia Land Trust recognize the benefit of including traditional ecological knowledge and an Indigenous perspective as they grapple with restoring forests in a changing climate.
n 2021, after the Bootleg megafire had devoured 650 square miles of forested land east of Klamath Falls, a few stands of ponderosa pine stood out. To some extent, it was an experiment gone right. The Klamath Tribes did not know a large-scale wildfire would soon test their approach, but they did believe their efforts would contribute on many levels, including fire resilience. Before the fire, under a treaty-based stewardship agreement with the Forest Service, the Klamath Tribes managed the above-mentioned stand of Fremont-Winema National Forest using traditional ecological knowledge. This involved returning a more historic, circa-1850 look to the arrangement and size of trees. For example, older, bigger ponderosa pines remained in clumps separated by openings in the forest. The management plan also applied fire to the landscape, a frequent and necessary visitor to this land until the Forest Service’s commitment to absolute fire suppression in the early 1900s (which has only led to more fires). The Bootleg fire swept through that stand but left it intact, burning the understory while leaving the large, old trees alone. What survived was a healthier forest made more resistant to wildfire, insect threats and climate change. Partnership between the Klamath Tribes and the Forest Service made this possible, and now the tribes are managing the Saddle Mountain area, a sacred site to them, in the same way, under the same stewardship agreement. “It allows us to employ tribal members to actively manage their homeland, so it gives them a sense of being empowered to tend the land,” said Tim Sexton, fire program manager for the Klamath Tribes. “Even though the land is now administered by the federal government, the Klamath Tribes consider it their land.”
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Today, the tribe’s influence extends beyond agreements with the federal government. With one eye on the future and another on the past, The Nature Conservancy has worked with the Klamath Tribes for several decades now, welcoming traditional ecological knowledge on its properties in the area. Wildlife ecologist Craig Bienz has worked in tribal/nontribal collaborative partnerships for more than four decades. Today he is The Nature Conservancy’s lead representative in South-Central Oregon. The Nature Conservancy had already combined its Western scientific information with Klamath Tribes traditional ecological knowledge to return its Sycan Marsh Preserve to a more historical state, which saved it, too, from the Bootleg fire. As director of the Sycan Marsh program, Bienz relied on a master stewardship agreement with the Klamath Tribes to reintroduce traditional ecological knowledge. “The more we allow the tribes to bring their practices back into the management of these lands, the more we’re going to see a healthier Earth,” Bienz said. “There’s a depth of understanding that is yet to be understood in Western science, the complexity of where they’re really coming from.”
Traditional ecological knowledge isn’t in one place. It’s not in a document, not in a policy. It’s in our people, spread throughout our people.” —Don Gentry, Klamath Tribes natural resources specialist
ABOVE Don Gentry (right) and Tim Sexton, of the Klamath Tribes natural resources department, discuss plans for cultural burning.
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Klamath Tribes fire program manager Tim Sexton said it will take at least five low-intensity burns to remove this layer of pine needle duff that, left alone, could fuel a megafire.
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Gentry is proud to be involved in such partnerships, including a recent strengthening of ties with the State of Oregon. Gentry appreciates the gains for his tribe and its ancestral forests. Just as these lands ignore cartographic boundaries, he sees advantages across borders and communities. “I truly believe that if you protect and provide for our interests in ecosystem management, you’re doing something that will be sustainable for everybody. It doesn’t just benefit the tribe. It benefits the region.”
espite its place-specific name, Oregon white oak grows along both sides of the Columbia River. This keystone species helps create an important ecosystem across a large swath of land that defies map quadrants. Protecting Oregon white oak woodlands thus becomes a multi-agency endeavor. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs reservation spans 1,000 square miles of land. Oregon white oak lives here in rolling woodlands similar to those in the Columbia River Gorge. Restoring and preserving the health of this forest means, for example, removing encroaching Douglas fir, reintroducing cultural burning and protecting tribal first foods like huckleberries and deer and also traditional medicinal plants. To accomplish all this, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs are partners in the East Cascades Oak Partnership, or ECOP. ECOP began in 2017 as a Columbia Land Trust initiative, and today it has nearly twenty core partners, including the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and the Yakama Nation in Washington. Such a far-ranging, diverse group demonstrates the benefits of collaboration with tribes while also revealing some of the challenges. “The collaborations bring ideas,” Oakes said. “They bring resources and people to the table.” This matters because with so much land to manage, and a legacy of federal underfunding, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and other tribes can only do so much. That’s where projects like ECOP, and others, can help get things done. Traditional ecological knowledge can lead a forest to health, but it can also test the trust involved in a burgeoning relationship. Warm Springs tribal members, for instance, keep their traditional plants and gathering areas close to their chest. A history of colonialist disrespect toward this body of knowledge fostered such a response, but open Western minds meet this secrecy with understanding, which tightens the bond. Mars Galloway, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs cultural resources department manager, has found ECOP partners helpful and receptive in understanding and working with those confidentiality concerns. “Which has been
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ABOVE, TOP Oregon white oak thrives on both sides of the Columbia River Gorge. ABOVE, BOTTOM Before cultural burning, the forest near Klamath Falls carries a heavy fuel load of small trees and oversized bitterbrush. After burning by the Klamath Tribes, the forest is renewed.
fantastic because it’s not always an easy point to get across and have folks understand and still say, ‘We can do good work,’” she said. “It’s about establishing and falling back on that trust-based relationship.” ECOP manager Lindsay Cornelius, who works for Columbia Land Trust, is more than willing to accept traditional ecological knowledge on its own terms. “We’ve had tribal elders who have freely shared stories and reflections on the ways that oak have been valued and used, and they shared that information in the context of trust, that we wouldn’t replicate or share that beyond the partnership without permission,” she said. “Much of Western culture carries this expectation that we deserve knowledge and that it should be freely shared, and that’s not necessarily the case.” Even the Forest Service, which has a rather tangled history with tribes, stands willing to listen and learn. It helps to have Kameron Sam, an enrolled member of the Fort McDermitt Paiute-Shoshone Tribe, as East Side District Ranger for the Mount Hood National Forest. “For me, the continued piece of the future as we move forward is, ‘What’s missing?’ And I think the tribes can give us perspective and cultural experience to help us find out what is missing. You can’t do that without a co-stewardship strategy.” MAY | JUNE 2024
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I see a future where we work together across cultures in a way that fully honors tribal sovereignty, where tribes have an equal seat at the table, looking together to find solutions.” —Dr. Cristina Eisenberg, Oregon State University College of Forestry associate dean for inclusive excellence and director of tribal initiatives
ABOVE (From left) Katy Nesbitt, Nils Christoffersen and Larry Nall evaluate a stand of trees in the East Moraine Community Forest near Joseph.
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esides filling tribal vacancies, tribal foresters are now in demand at nontribal entities in Oregon and beyond. Dr. Cristina Eisenberg is committed to getting more tribal boots on the forest floor. A Native American and Latinx ecologist, Eisenberg is also an associate dean in Oregon State University’s College of Forestry, where she recently created that school’s Indigenous Natural Resource Office and its Traditional Ecological Knowledge Lab. Eisenberg works across Oregon’s timber industry and said even private timber companies are becoming curious about tribal forestry, especially as trees struggle in a hotter, dryer climate. “I see a future where we work together across cultures in a way that fully honors tribal sovereignty, where tribes have an equal seat at the table, looking together to find solutions,” she said. In Eisenberg’s view, forests across Oregon and the West require a new approach and effort. “We can’t spend the next fifty years debating whether the Northwest Forest Plan
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Leon Werdinger, courtesy of Wallowa Land Trust
August Frank/The Lewiston Tribune
ABOVE, FROM LEFT Nakia Williamson leads horseback riders down West Wallowa Avenue in Joseph in 2021. Property along the east side of Wallowa Lake, seen here on the left side of the lake, transferred to public ownership under Wallowa County in January 2020.
works or doesn’t work, because it’s all going to burn,” she said. “Everybody is at that breaking point where you realize you’re in trouble and you have to do something. We’re experiencing a major paradigm shift, and the College of Forestry and the tribes in Oregon are at the heart of that shift in the Pacific Northwest.”
allowa County is steeped in tribal history. Its namesake lake and mountains were once, and in many ways still are, home to the Nez Perce Tribe. When the county and other local partners began looking for ways to protect the undeveloped east side of Wallowa Lake, the Nez Perce Tribe was welcomed to the table as an equal, not only because of its ancient ties to the area and its treaty rights, but more so because of its recent reconnection with Wallowa County. In 1993, when Columbia Basin salmon and steelhead landed on the federal endangered species list, Wallowa County and the Nez Perce Tribe began working together to help those fish. This forged a relationship that continues today. The East Moraine Community Forest’s 1,791-acre property transferred to public ownership under Wallowa County in January 2020. A newly developed management plan will now guide this flank of Wallowa Lake in a way that serves many interests, including those of the local community and those of the Nez Perce Tribe, whose reservation lies nearby in Idaho. “I would say overwhelmingly that if you come to the county you get the idea that we embrace Nez Perce heritage,” Katy Nesbitt said. Nesbitt is Wallowa County’s economic development and natural resource director and is the lead county
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official responsible for the EMCF. “And that’s what we’re trying to do is find that balance between the Euro-American style of land use and the Indigenous style of land use.” To prove its interest and commitment to the community forest, the tribe donated $300,000 to the cause at a critical junction, which encouraged other parties to follow suit. The Nez Perce believed in the universal benefits of this project and wanted to have a real role in the forest’s management. At Nakia Williamson’s first meetings with the EMCF partners, he stressed the importance of tribal involvement on multiple levels. He feared the Nez Perce input would, as usual, be buried in some report under the cultural section. Williamson argued that tribal forestry does not separate the cultural and the practical—they’re one and the same. Conservation land management goals address three tenets: natural, economic and social. For the EMCF, this means satisfying interests from hiking and cattle grazing to mountain biking, logging and traditional first foods gathering. Nils Christoffersen, executive director of Wallowa Resources, a community-based nonprofit deeply involved with the EMCF, believes the social element includes improving connection and opportunity for local and for tribal communities. “I’m hoping the EMCF is contributing to improve relationships and opportunities that lift up the local, rural community’s connection, while keeping its long-term prosperity in place, and that it creates new opportunities for tribal families and nations in these landscapes as well,” Christoffersen said. “Working together is really important to the future of our rural communities, for a better future and for the mutual benefits to families and to the lands we live on.” Williamson agrees. “The Nez Perce Tribe has always extended our hand and tried to work collaboratively with state, local and federal entities,” he said. “Even though we may have differences, if we come together, we can accomplish much more.” MAY | JUNE 2024
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Cherry blossoms at the Flat Garden and Pavilion at Portland Japanese Garden. (photo: Jonathan Ley/Portland Japanese Garden)
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PORTLAND JAPANESE GARDEN written by Kerry Newberry ONE OF Oregon’s most wondrous places to visit is the Portland Japanese Garden. Founded in 1963, the serene landscape encompasses 12 acres with eight distinct garden spaces along with meandering streams, elegant walkways and a stunning view of Mount Hood. It is considered the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan. Throughout the year, you can join signature programs that range from interactive art exhibitions to traditional celebrations and festivals. There are also demonstrations and performances that highlight Japanese cultural arts including ikebana, bonsai, tea ceremony and koto music. Stay tuned this season for Behind the Shoji, an annual summer marketplace featuring artwork along with panel discussions and lectures from global thought leaders in Japanese gardening and other cultural pursuits. Learn more at www.japanesegarden.org.
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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Overlooking the Sand and Stone Garden in the morning. The Cultural Village and its entry garden. The Wet Heron lantern stands in the Flat Garden. Pink blooms at Portland Japanese Garden. (photos, clockwise from left: Roman Johnston/ Portland Japanese Garden, James Florio/Portland Japanese Garden, Tony Small/Portland Japanese Garden, William Sutton/Portland Japanese Garden)
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The lush walkways of the Portland Japanese Garden. (photo: Mike Centioli/Portland Japanese Garden)
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ADVENTURE 78 LODGING 82 TRIP PLANNER 84 NORTHWEST DESTINATION 92
pg. 78 Opening minds and doors, adventures for everyone can be found around Oregon.
Adventures Without Limits
TRAVEL SPOTLIGHT 76
It’s time to travel Oregon The newly designated Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary is the largest dark sky sanctuary in the world.
Check out Oregon’s new IDA Sanctuary. Photo: Joey Hamilton
travel spotlight
Views from Paulina Peak on a hike in Newberry National Volcanic Monument.
Obsidian in Newberry National Volcanic Monument.
An Ancient Playground Central Oregon’s Newberry National Volcanic Monument is home to lava tubes and ersatz moon walks GET YOUR lanterns out—you’re going to need them. Lava River Cave, Oregon’s longest uncollapsed lava tube, can be found approximately 13 miles south of Bend but feels like it is located in an ancient undiscovered land. This cave is in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, which includes 54,822 acres of lava flows, lakes and geologic wonders. Visitors can also explore destinations such as Lava Butte, Lava Cast Forest and Newberry Caldera in addition to Lava River Cave. If you like reflecting about your life’s journey while setting your eyes on expansive vistas, you can drive (during summer months only) along rough terrain and hairpin turns to reach Paulina Peak at 7,984 feet, where views of the Oregon Cascades and high desert plains will leave you breathless. Take the time to explore more of this pristine region, and include an overnight stay at Newberry Caldera, which has multiple campgrounds, lodging, Forest Service interpretive guides plus access to water recreation, fishing and much more. You can even bring your horse for trail riding. Rock hounds will also appreciate the Big Obsidian Flow, the youngest lava flow in Oregon, formed during an eruption just 1,300 years ago. The area features a 1-mile loop trail through a huge, shiny obsidian field, easily accessible from roads within the caldera. Alpine lakes, hot springs, a Lava Cast Forest where 6,000-yearold lava flows created tree molds (and Apollo astronauts trained from 1964 to 1966) are all found within this Central Oregon destination. What are you waiting for? 76 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
Photos: Rich Bacon/Visit Bend
written by Joni Kabana
travel spotlight
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adventure
Barrier-busting adventures around the state let everyone embrace the outdoors written by Cathy Carroll
SKIS? CHECK. Raft paddle? Check. Wig, heels, false eyelashes and fishnet stockings? Yes. When Bend’s John Kish takes to the outdoors as drag queen Fertile Liza, they’re on a mission. “We are trying to use our art as a platform to not only make change but inject inclusivity into the outdoors by just showing up and being in these spaces,” he said. “If a drag queen can do these things in nature, then anyone of any shape, size and background can equally be welcomed and enjoy the lands that surround us. Making Oregon more inclusive in the outdoors truly comes down to just exposure and acceptance.” From ocean and forests to lakes and mountains, adventuring is for everyone. Here are some of the barrierbreaking ways to dive in, no matter who you are.
Participants explore Oregon’s central coast during an Adventures Without Limits CampAbility event.
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Willamette Valley and Portland Adventures Without Limits believes everyone has a right to enjoy the outdoors, regardless of their ability, socioeconomic status, gender, ethnicity or age. The Forest Grove-based nonprofit offers the joys of river kayaking at sunset with osprey circling overhead and stand-up paddleboarding with guided meditation to thrilling whitewater rafting and rock climbing. Their specially trained team customizes programs to meet guests’ needs, and they offer plenty of adaptive outdoor gear. Wild Diversity, a Portland nonprofit, aims to help create a personal connection to the outdoors for LGBTQ2S+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and two-spirit) and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) communities, through outdoor adventures and education. They offer themed and family campouts and single- and multiday kayaking, rafting and backpacking outings, and they provide gear and training. First Nature Tours of Mosier and Portland is LGBTQ+ owned and specializes in customized Northwest outdoor adventure tours and educational experiences for the
Shaun Ludford/Adventures Without Limits
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queer community. They work with Indigenous groups that teach cultural traditions and lead environmental stewardship projects on their tours. The company is an integral part of Northwest LGBTQ+ pride events and is working with queer-owned and operated Remy Wines on excursions during the Queer Wine Festival set for June 30 in McMinnville. Willamette Valley Visitors Association staff, recently certified as VisitAble Advocates, are having the area’s mountain biking trails evaluated this summer and expect to designate many of them as adaptive this fall.
First Nature Tours/@michaelandmatt
An Adventures Without Limits rafting trip on the Santiam River with Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Oregon Coast It has long been known as “The People’s Coast” because everyone’s welcome. At spots including Netarts, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Pacific City and Rockaway Beach, that means use of free beach wheelchairs, with puffy, wide tires to navigate sand, or battery-powered track chairs, with tank-like treads that 80 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
LGBTQ+-owned First Nature Tours has been a sponsor and organizer for Central Oregon’s Winter PrideFest since 2021.
John Kish Shaun Ludford/Adventures Without Limits
Bend’s Fertile Liza participating in trail maintenance and post hole digging.
can tackle all kinds of terrain. These innovations allow all oceanlovers to get right down to the salty Pacific’s edge—and even get their feet wet. Mobi-Mats, long mats that offer a smooth surface for wheelchairs and strollers, are rolled out over the sand during the summer in Lincoln City, Seaside and Beverly Beach State Park near Newport.
The Gorge The nonprofits Columbia Gorge Pride Alliance and The Next Door host activities including the Hood River Winter PrideFest for queer folk, families and allies.
Central Oregon Having a disability won’t hinder plenty of outdoor play yearround with Bend-based Oregon Adaptive Sports and its trained
guides and experts in adaptive equipment. This summer, hit the area’s renowned singletrack and vast network of forest roads with an off-road handcycle, or cruise on a tandem, tee up at the golf course or go whitewater rafting. Ride or ski with them in winter at Mt. Bachelor and Hoodoo or in Southern Oregon at Mt. Ashland. Vámonos Outside connects the local Latinx and BIPOC community to the outdoors in Central Oregon year-round, with mountain biking, fishing, hiking, climbing, rafting, snow sports and more. Saddle up with Healing Reins for nationally accredited, scenic, therapeutic horseback riding for all ages and abilities.
Southern Oregon The beauty and serenity of America’s deepest lake are undeniably healing, soothing and inspiring. Fortunately, everyone can tap into the powers of Crater Lake National Park. The lodge and the visitor center at Rim Village are wheelchair accessible, and Godfrey Glen Trail is the park’s fully accessible trail. The 1-mile loop winds through old-growth forest with canyon views and has no grade higher than 9 percent. After the snow melts in summer, East Rim Drive opens, with Vidae Falls Picnic Area’s accessible picnic sites, parking and restrooms. From there, the first hundred yards of the relatively flat, wide Crater Peak Trail is well suited to unassisted wheelchairs when dry and meanders amid towering trees. From secluded Lost Creek Campground, Greyback Road is wide, flat, compact and closed to vehicles. Restrooms are wheelchair accessible and have running water. Mazama Campground, elevation 6,000 feet, has five RV sites designated accessible. MAY | JUNE 2024
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lodging
ROOMS Gregor Halenda/Stephanie Inn
Each of the forty-two rooms at the inn is an oasis of calm with cozy in-room fireplaces, plush robes, soaking tubs (plus steam showers) and elegant decor with earthy tones. Thoughtful amenities like binoculars to spot seabirds and wavechasing surfers along with local art and books add to the coastal hygge. Stay in one of the oceanfront rooms for a world famous view—it’s enchanting to see ocean waves swishing and swirling around Haystack Rock at dawn and dusk.
Stephanie Inn
Gregor Halenda/Stephanie Inn
ART
Lodging
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP The Stephanie Inn at sunset and overlooking Haystack Rock. The cozy guest rooms with fireplaces and ocean views. Stay for the haute cuisine at Stephanie Inn.
Stephanie Inn written by Kerry Newberry WHEN THE iconic Stephanie Inn opened thirty years ago, the vision was to create the ultimate beach house, a retreat that felt like the luxurious yet comfortable home of a good friend (a friend that has the design aesthetic of filmmaker Nancy Meyers). Let’s say mission accomplished and more. Especially with the recent renovation that enhanced the already resplendent inn. As part of the remodel, you’ll find an expansive collection of commissioned artwork from coastal artists throughout the property. On rainy days, take advantage of the guided art tours—schedule the walk around afternoon happy hour and you can learn about local legends like painter Jeffrey Hull while sipping a flute of rosé bubbles from the Willamette Valley. Other new additions for guests include seasonal experiences from sunrise yoga to guided tidepool adventures, farm-to-bar mixology class and culinary outings with executive chef Aaron Bedard that range from shopping the local farmers market to catching Dungeness crab. But don’t be surprised if you find yourself lingering in your room—the oceanfront ones offer a mystical view of Haystack Rock, the 235-foot-tall sea stack that rises like a regal sculpture from windswept surf. Perched above the sliver-blue water, watching the swish of dune grass and the riffle of waves, you’ll find a renewed sense of wonder that only comes from the sea. 2740 S. PACIFIC AVE. CANNON BEACH www.stephanieinn.com
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Take time to explore the expansive collection of commissioned artwork from coastal artists that was curated to celebrate the inn’s thirtieth anniversary. The “Art of the Stephanie” includes nineteen original pieces and ranges from sea-glass chandeliers to a wall of ethereal gyotaku (fish prints) by Duncan Berry. Other evocative works that capture the magic of seascapes: Pacific Cathedral, a watercolor piece by renowned Cannon Beach artist Jeffrey Hull, and Dreaming in Blue by surfer-painter Drea Rose Frost.
AMENITIES From complimentary beach cruiser bicycles to a concierge for beach bonfires, the amenities here are above par. In the beachfront library, there’s a local wine and beer happy hour in the afternoons and a “good nightcap” with housemade cordials at 9 p.m. A lobby cookie jar and coffee bar remains stocked with housemade treats. Book ahead to unwind at the on-site spa with a signature massage or facial treatment. Departure gifts that make leaving easier: the chef’s trail mix and a “Stereo Stephanie” playlist for the drive home.
DINING Mornings start with a breakfast buffet that will satisfy any craving from signature scrambles and mini waffles to pepper bacon, pork sausage and pan-fried potatoes. You’ll also find pastries and muffins along with fresh fruit, berries and granola. Made-to-order options range from avocado toast to a veggie hash. For dinner, the chef offers a seasonal tasting menu sourcing from local fishers, farms and ranches.
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Tillamook Coast This coastal region is a watery, culinary, cheesy—and collaborative—wonderland written by James Sinks
Tillamook Coast Visitors Association
PRIOR TO statehood, there was no easy overland route to Tillamook Bay. So, before refrigeration was a thing, settlers had to rely on faster seafaring shippers to transport dairy and farm products to market in more populous Astoria and Portland. Thus, when traders said in the 1850s they’d no longer make the treacherous trek into the bay, it could have been disastrous. Cranky and motivated, the community came together and built its own boat, milling local lumber and scrounging metal and sails from nearby shipwrecks. Local tribal members even aided in the construction of what became the state’s first christened ship, and the Morning Star of Tillamook made its maiden voyage in 1855. It stands as an example of an apt oxymoron—independent cooperation—that still defines the Tillamook Coast. In 1909, family dairies teamed to create the Tillamook County Creamery Association, paying $10 each to get it started. Now, working
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together, they produce some of the best cheddar on the planet (and other delicious stuff to test your lactose tolerance). In the 1950s, after a series of “Tillamook Burn” forest fires scorched the coast range, the sawmill-supported community helped in the massive reforestation effort. More recently, independent food producers joined to showcase the region’s surf-turf-and-farm bounty, collectively calling themselves the North Coast Food Trail. And after years of reluctance, strongheaded locals who saw Tillamook only as a timber-and-farm economy have been swayed by a collaborative tourism sector. “Tourism used to be a dirty word here, but not anymore,” said Nan Devlin, director of the Tillamook Coast Visitors Association, before a recent gala awards banquet celebrating everything from breweries to bookstores to museums. The welcome mat is officially out. The mat also might be a little rain-soaked in these parts, but don’t let that dampen your excitement for a packed—and flavorful—itinerary. Prowl uncrowded beaches and trails. Ride the rails. Unleash adrenaline in the sand. Float the bay. Actually catch some dinner. And, of course, ignore calorie labels and your doctor, and sample the cheese and the ice cream with abandon. Tillamook is abundant enough to fill a weekend— and your cooler—and then some.
Not merely wonderful dairy, the Tillamook Coast has some of the most scenic hikes on the Oregon Coast.
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The Cape Meares Lighthouse has a kerosene-powered Fresnel light, a work of art. AT RIGHT, TOP The Octopus Tree is believed by historians to have been a burial tree for Indigenous people, who once buried their dead in canoes. AT RIGHT, BOTTOM The small Oceanside community rises up from the shore of the Pacific.
The North Coast Food Trail brings together the highest and best foods of the coast.
Day Seedling is believing. With 72 million baby trees planted afterward—by air, crews and even busloads of school kids— there’s little sign today of the devastating Tillamook Burn fires of 1933 to 1951, as the Wilson River Highway snakes southwest toward the coast. At the Tillamook Forest Center, now fully reopened after the pandemic, learn about those blazes, logging, local critters and also how nice an indoor bathroom can be if you have a lowbladder-capacity traveler. Also, climb seventy-two steps (one for each million seedlings) to a towering replica fire lookout. Agricultural sights and smells will welcome you to the fertile Tillamook valley, where five rivers empty into the bay, organic growers raise everything from vegetables to wasabi, and where cows outnumber people. The name Tillamook comes from tribes that once lived nearby. Head first toward the shore and the Three Capes Scenic Loop. Atop Cape Meares, it’s a short stroll to Oregon’s shortest coastal lighthouse, at just 38 feet. From the size-isn’t-everything department, the kerosene light was visible an astonishing 21 miles away, before it was decommissioned in 1963. Up the trail, marvel at Oregon’s gnarly Octopus Tree, a Sitka spruce that looks vaguely like a giant candelabra. Some speculate the 250-year-old specimen was sculpted by Indigenous tribes for burial ceremonies. Happily, it does not contain octopi. The laid-back hillside town of Oceanside stairsteps to the beach, and at the base is a two-block cluster of surf shops, restaurants and the venerable Three Arch Inn. At family-owned Roseanna’s Cafe, soak up views of the Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge offshore, plus shrimp melts and mixed drinks. If the tide allows, an Oregon bucket list attraction waits at the north end of Oceanside Beach. Enter a concrete bunker to 86 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
Photos: Tillamook Coast Visitors Association
CAPES • TUNNEL BEACH • DUNGENESS MAC
a short passageway, and you’ll emerge at Tunnel Beach on the other side, amid a smattering of agates and wannabe Instagram models. Head south to Netarts and Lex’s Cool Stuff, a kitschy retail smorgasbord that’s as effervescent as owner Lex Maxwell. You’ll find her handing out brownies and, on a good summer day, she’ll go through six batches. She shows no signs of slowing down, even though she opened the place at retirement age, two decades ago. “I used to say I would do this until I was 80, but 80 is long gone,” she laughed. Posh spice maker Jacobsen Salt Co. operates alongside Netarts Bay, and while there aren’t tours, you can see where seawater is piped and boiled to yield gourmet salt crystals, infused with
trip planner
flavors like habanero, lavender and truffle. Find sodium sensations at the cozy gift shop, a stop on the North Coast Food Trail. Imposing and beautiful, Cape Lookout juts more than a mile into the Pacific and is one of Oregon’s best places to watch whales when they’re on the move. It also was the site of a tragic B-17 reconnaissance flight crash in 1943. After paying $5 to park, catch the north trail through old growth spruce and across a 90-foot suspension bridge. The 5-mile hike is a good appetite enhancer for locally sourced supper at the ship-evoking Schooner Restaurant & Lounge, with steak and salmon, Dungeness mac and cheese, and—if the notoriously finicky coastal sky is cooperative—a blushing sunset over Netarts Bay. MAY | JUNE 2024
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Photos: Tillamook Coast Visitors Association
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Day
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Find fresh seafood at The Spot in Garibaldi. The Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad operates between Garibaldi and Wheeler along the Tillamook Coast. Fishing and charter fishing is abundant in this coastal region.
KAYAKING • FRESH FISH • LOCAL BEER From the well-appointed tiny cottages at Bay City’s Sheltered Nook, it’s a block to the basketweave of trails and boardwalks at Kilchis Point Reserve. Overseen by the local historical museum, the bayfront property was the site of an Indigenous village (the chief was named Kilchis) and where the first white pioneer settler was invited to live in a giant spruce stump. It’s also where the Morning Star sailship was constructed. Tillamook is a watery wonderland. Launch kayaks almost everywhere for a leisurely float—or rent and have them delivered by Kayak Tillamook, which will even point you toward good clamming spots. Water also means fish, and you’ll find fresh catches of the day at The Spot, on the marina in the bayfront community of Garibaldi. They’ll even tell you when the tide goes out and the fishing boats will come in. The only way the fish could be fresher is to catch them yourself, and you absolutely can. Toss lines off the pier, take a half-day trip with Siggi-G Ocean Charters for rockfish, or book a bay or river excursion with Fish Slayer Guide Service for salmon. Blue collar Garibaldi, population 830, is also the terminus for the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad. During warm months, steam and diesel-powered trains ferry passengers on low-speed 88 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2024
sightseeing trips north to Rockaway Beach and back, about a half hour in each direction. A wheelchair lift is available. For art and the unexpected, a historic grocery store is home to Belladonna Beads, a sprawling emporium with hundreds of thousands of them—some centuries old—and even jewelry made from neon beetle wings. Not all beers are created alike, and that’s definitely the case at de Garde Brewing, whose no-added-yeast fermentation yields smooth, fruit-tinged “wild ales.” Find out why it has a national following in its downtown Tillamook tasting room. For upscale pub fare, wander to the local outpost of Pelican Brewing Co., which got its start just south in Pacific City. For charcuterie and food carts on a patio with peacocks, head to Blue Heron French Cheese. And for fish with flair, try Tora Sushi Lounge—one of three on the Oregon Coast—where the menu includes pot stickers, sashimi and a “Heart Attack” appetizer with spicy tuna and jalapeños. Ever wanted to be a lumberjack, and sleep all night and work all day? Wear whatever you want and toss axes at Mook Axe Cowliber, for $25 an hour or $1 per throw. Loser buys drinks at late night hot spot Rendezvous, where drinks are strong, the laughter is loud and the karaoke can be as spotty as the local holsteins.
Photos: Tillamook Coast Visitors Association
TILLAMOOK COAST, OREGON
trip planner
EAT Blue Heron French Cheese www.blueheronoregon.com de Garde Brewing www.degardebrewing.com Downie’s Cafe www.downiescafe.food87.com JAndy Oyster Co. www.jandyoyster.com
Where ice cream dreams come true—Tillamook Creamery.
Pelican Brewing Co. www.pelicanbrewing.com
Day
Roseanna’s Cafe www.roseannascafe.com
RIDING DUNES • OYSTERS • TILLAMOOK CREAMERY
Schooner Restaurant and Lounge www.theschooner.net Tillamook Creamery Visitor Center www.tillamook.com Tora Sushi Lounge www.torasushi.com
STAY Sheltered Nook www.shelterednook.com Three Arch Inn www.threearchinn.com Turtlejanes Bed and Breakfast www.turtlejanes.com
PLAY Bayocean trail www.tillamookbayheritageroute.org Belladonna Beads www.facebook.com/belladonnabeads Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint www.stateparks.oregon.gov Fish Slayer Charters www.facebook.com/fishslayerguide Jacobsen Salt Co. www.jacobsensalt.com Kayak Tillamook www.kayaktillamook.com Kilchis Point Reserve www.tcpm.org/kilchis-pointreserve.html Lex’s Cool Stuff 503-842-1744 Mook Axe Cowliber www.mookaxecowliber.com Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad www.oregoncoastscenic.org Sandlake Tsunami ATV Rentals www.sandlaketsunamiatvrental.com Siggi-G Ocean Charters www.siggig.com Tillamook Air Museum www.tillamookair.com Tillamook Forest Center www.tillamookforestcenter.org
On the sandy ribbon between Tillamook Bay and the Pacific, investors in the early twentieth century built what they called the “Atlantic City of the West.” Bayocean had a theater, houses, a train and even a giant seawater pool with a wave machine. Now, there’s nothing. Over the following decades the place was swallowed by encroaching waves, the last structure disappearing in the 1970s. Park at the trailhead on the south end of the peninsula, and it’s a 7-mile round-trip hike to the old resort site, where there’s sand, seagrass and quiet. What’s less quiet will be your stomach. Fix up any hunger pangs at Downie’s, a popular hole-in-the-wall eatery in Bay City. To patrol the coastline during World War II, the U.S. Navy launched surveillance blimps—and parked them in a mammoth hangar just south of the city limits. One of the largest clear-span wooden buildings in the world and now home of the Tillamook Air Museum, it’s the sort of place that you remember is incredibly big, but every time, you still gape at how big it is. For ground-based adrenaline junkies, nearby Sandlake is a federally managed 1,076-acre magnet for the high-octane, high-speed and high-noise set. Unload your four-wheeler for a sandy spin, or if you’ve got a state off-highway vehicle license, book them by the hour via Sandlake Tsunami ATV Rentals. At JAndy Oyster Co., find molluscs many ways, from fried to raw on the half shell to bagged by the pound, all of them freshly harvested from 90 underwater acres in nearby Netarts Bay. The restaurant also has
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greenhouses with plants for sale, live music some nights and an annual oyster fest on Father’s Day weekend. Owner Todd Perman, who named the place after his son, Jacob Andrew, said it’s nice to see Tillamook on the tourism map for the breadth of food that’s grown, raised and caught. “If you like fresh food and fresh seafood, there’s everything here you could possibly want,” he said. Finally, no trip to Tillamook would be complete without taking your taste buds (and cooler) to the yellow-cheddar-hued visitor center of the Tillamook County Creamery Association, still a farmers co-op, which attracts more than a million visitors a year. Chances are, many of those visitors will be in line at the ice cream counter. Join them. It’s worth the wait. While there, it’s hard to miss the boat. An ode to Tillamook-style independent cooperation and tenacity, on the company logo and sitting out front, is a replica of the doublemasted Morning Star.
Get your fun on with rental four-wheelers in Sandlake.
Our attractions are always open.
PLAN YOUR NEXT ESCAPE AT BANDON.COM/PLAN-YOUR-ESCAPE Bandon Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center 300 2nd Street, Bandon | 541.347.9616
Pursuing excellence through fitness 61615 Athletic Club Drive
(541) 385-3062
northwest destination
Goldendale Observatory
A late Geminid meteor and fireworks illuminate dense fog right before the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve at Goldendale Observatory.
From cuisine to art to the starlit sky, things are looking up in Goldendale
Troy Carpenter
written by James Sinks
ABOVE THE COLUMBIA RIVER in Central Washington— past a patchwork of vineyards, sentries of spinning windmills and the weathered farming community of Goldendale—the universe is waiting. In a cavernous dome and with a whir, a refrigerator-sized telescope with a 24.5-inch-diameter lens pivots and focuses, bringing into view distant celestial celebrities like star clusters, planets, galaxies and nebulae. The reflector-style scope is the star attraction—well, along with the stars—at Goldendale Observatory State Park, which invites visitors to climb a ladder for a peek during two free shows, several days a week, on a hilltop overlooking the city. Afternoon sessions are all about the sun, and offer views of the fiery surface that you’re not able to see anyplace else. “No one else does it like we do,” said Troy Carpenter, the observatory director and frequent tour guide. At nightfall comes the main event, when attention shifts to the polka-dotted cosmos and the futuristic, recently expanded observatory facility glows with red lights. The $6 million remodeling project won four architecture awards, Carpenter said. Next, he envisions a rooftop observation deck and another telescope. On the drier eastern side of the Columbia Gorge in the high desert, the sky is more reliably clear overhead than ninety 92
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minutes away in Vancouver, Washington, where the centerpiece scope was built and lived until it moved to Goldendale in 1973. The observatory’s mission is public education, and the staff takes it seriously. There aren’t planetarium-style shows on the ceiling, but the classroom multiscreen session can feel like a fastpaced college-level astronomy class. In front of the room, Carpenter dispatches wide-ranging questions rapid-fire, and sometimes even rings a sound effect bell from his desk. One topic that gets his eyes rolling: aliens, or LGMs or little green men, as he calls them. “Whatever is happening, it is always reasonable to assume it is not because of aliens,” he said, before leading the way outside to show off an actual outer space thing, the Orion Nebula. While admission is free, you’ll need a ticket, which can be reserved from the website. Quotas ensure less than 110 people per show, so that everybody gets a turn to look through the telescopes. If you want to park a car, you’ll need a Washington Parks Discover Pass, which is $10 a day or $30 for the year. Also, bring a jacket for the night shows. The lion’s share of the time is spent outside, and the high desert gets chilly year-round when the stars come out. And wow, do they. Also, day or night, telescopes aren’t the only things that are looking up in Goldendale.
GOLDENDALE, WASHINGTON
Jason Hummel Photography/State of Washington Tourism
northwest destination
EAT Cafe Genevieve’s www.facebook.com/ cafegenevieves D’Avanzo’s www.facebook.com/davanzos Honky Tonk Bar and Restaurant www.facebook.com/ TheHonkyTonkBarandRestaurant Maryhill Winery www.maryhillwinery.com St. John’s Bakery www.bakery.stjohnmonastery.org
STAY The Dalles Fairfield Inn & Suites www.marriott.com Ponderosa Motel www.ponderosamotelgoldendale. com Quality Inn & Suites Goldendale www.choicehotels.com Wasco House Bed & Breakfast www.wascohouse.biz
Maryhill Museum of Art
Maryhill Winery
PLAY
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP No Druids here, but the impressive 1918 replica of Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, is Maryhill’s tribute to WWI soldiers. Another stunning beauty is the Maryhill Museum of Art sitting on a bluff over the Columbia River. Sit back at a room with a view at Maryhill Winery overlooking the mighty Columbia.
In addition to admiring starlight that’s taken millions of light years to get here—Klickitat County invites you to gaze back in time a few decades, from century-old barns outside town to museums to old-style watering holes and eateries on Goldendale’s Main Street. Hungry for Italian? Try alfredo and flavorful half-pound meatballs at D’Avanzo’s. Western fare? Steaks, salads and old fashioneds await at The HonkyTonk Bar and Restaurant. Greek? Gyros and baklava beckon up Highway 97 at Holy Monastery of St. John the Forerunner, a Greek Orthodox Church women’s monastic community founded in 1995. You’ll also find surprising constellations of art. In town at Monkeyshines Studio & Gallery, browse whimsical pique-assiette mosaic art made of broken tile pieces—and creepy ones, too, if that’s your thing. At the monastery, buy site-made art prints, incense and candles. Don’t miss world-renowned Maryhill Museum of Art, in a sprawling Italian-style mansion overlooking the Columbia. The indoor collection includes eighty pieces by French sculptor
Goldendale Observatory www.goldendaleobservatory.com Jacob Williams Winery www.jacobwilliamswinery.com Klickitat County Museum www.presbymuseum.com Maryhill Museum of Art www.maryhillmuseum.org
Auguste Rodin including one of his famous “Thinker” statues, plus find Native American displays and evocative outdoor art like a massive orange metalwork flower called Malabar Bombax. At the cafe, watch river barges creep past below. Three miles away, Samuel Hill, whose house became the museum, in 1918 commissioned a concrete, full-sized replica of Stonehenge at the original Maryhill town site, as a World War I memorial to eighteen fallen local soldiers. Now in the shadow of power-generating windmills, the place is free to visit, and there’s a seasonal fruit stand next door. Finally, vineyards color the landscape, which means you can admire art in a glass. At Maryhill Winery, the bistro menu includes wine flights, a brie-and-caramelized-onion panini and a Washington apple cobbler. Just west on Route 14, boutique Jacob Williams Winery welcomes with robust reds, a river view, a cherry orchard and a patio. They have blankets if there’s a breeze. It’s a perfect place—at least on this planet—to raise a toast to gastronomy, oenology (the science of winemaking) and astronomy. MAY | JUNE 2024
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1859 MAPPED
The points of interest below are culled from stories and events in this edition of 1859.
Astoria Seaside
Milton-Freewater Hood River Portland Tillamook Gresham
Pendleton
The Dalles La Grande
Maupin Government Camp
Pacific City Lincoln City
Baker City
Salem Newport
Madras
Albany Corvallis
Prineville
Eugene Springfield
John Day
Redmond
Sisters Florence
Joseph
Ontario
Bend Sunriver Burns
Oakridge Coos Bay Bandon
Roseburg
Grants Pass Brookings
Jacksonville
Paisley
Medford Ashland
Klamath Falls
Lakeview
Live
Think
Explore
18 Jackalope Jamboree
48 Darcelle XV Plaza
76
Newberry National Volcanic Monument
26 Oregon AAPI Food & Wine Fest
50 LongHorn Lumber
78
Wild Diversity
27 Sea Level Bakery
52 The Hearth
82
Stephanie Inn
28 Whitman Farms
84
Cape Meares
42 Modoc Point
92
Goldendale, Washington
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Until Next Time Fly-fishing on Hosmer Lake on a summer evening. photo by Arian Stevens
Continue for Special Insert
FROM A HISTORICAL long-term perspective, the U.S. dollar at $0.74 per Canadian dollar makes a compelling case for Pacific Northwesterners to seek adventures farther north and, in some cases, farther west. This summer, destinations in British Columbia will appear more compelling, not just because of the exchange rate, but also because of the range of new world-class experiences you can find in relatively undiscovered and pristine parts of this country. From far west BC surfing hot spot Tofino to a well-planned date night in Surrey and downhill biking in far eastern BC’s Fernie, you will find solitude, the exhilaration of somewhere new and the feeling that this is all just the beginning of your Canadian chapter.
Summer Going North for the
BRITISH COLUMBIA SETS IMPOSSIBLY HIGH STANDARDS FOR SUMMER RETREATS
A publication of Statehood Media www.1859oregonmagazine.com www.1889mag.com Cover: Island Lake near Fernie (photo: Destination BC/Kari Medig)
An aerial view of Desolation Sound on the Sunshine Coast. (photo: Destination BC/Andrew Strain) 2024 CANADIAN GETAWAYS
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Tofino
BEACHES & BEAUTY PROVINCES in eastern Canada are known for maple syrup. In Tofino and western BC, surfing is becoming the maple syrup, though still relatively untapped. With 35 kilometers of sandy beaches, consistent waves, surf shops and lessons, Tofino is no longer a counterintuitive playground for beach culture. The best months for waves are in the fall, but summer makes for a more family-friendly experience. Find yourself at Long Beach Lodge Resort, where you can take part in on-site surf lessons, rentals and an oceanfront retreat with beach yoga. You have options when it comes to dining—from casual sandwiches and beer at the Surf Club to lemongrass noodle salad and Cox Bay chowder at the Great Room, sitting in front of a stone fireplace and overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Add to that an outdoor hot pool and cedar sauna, and you’ll have an extraordinary experience. If surfing sounds too wet for your sense of being, head to the nearby Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, where you’ll find many trails and stunning beauty. Head to the Tofino Market (Saturdays, May through October) to explore local artists and the wares of local craftspeople.
Situated on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Tofino’s waves are ready for riding. (photo: Destination BC/ Graeme Owsianski)
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CANADIAN GETAWAYS 2024
Blackie Spit in South Surrey is an excellent location for birdwatching. (photo: BC Bird Trail/Discover Surrey)
Surrey
CITY VIBES MEET GREEN SPACES JUST NORTH of the United States border and south of Vancouver is the bustling city of Surrey. Surrey is a place for outdoor adventure followed by nights of culture and comfort. It also has many charming venues for planning a perfect date night. Start your day in one of Surrey’s green spaces, parks or beaches along the shores of Boundary Bay. Head to South Surrey to hike along the rugged shoreline or to Blackie Spit on the northern tip of Crescent Beach to discover hundreds of species of birds as part of the Pacific Flyway. Next up is a little shopping for the soul. The Shops at Morgan Crossing have everything you would expect from an upscale outdoor shopping center, from Levis to Lululemon. Or go local at Semiahmoo Potters popup gallery on Beecher Street, Mainland Whisky on 189 Street or the Belgian waffles inside of the hidden gem Leon’s Cafe on 152 Street. Art and culture should never be overlooked on a date night. Take in regional Indigenous art through a city walking tour, with creations of the Coast Salish peoples. Go to the City of Surrey’s website to find art walking tour maps. As your day winds down, book a relaxing massage or pedicure from Casbah Spa on King George
Boulevard. Other day spas in Surrey include Salt Wellness Centre, Sueño Spa and Aru Spa and Salon, to name a few. For a romantic dinner, get reservations at Old Surrey Restaurant, a force in the Surrey culinary scene for fifty years. In a setting with white tablecloths, flowers and candles, Old Surrey’s menu is a mix of local seafood and classic French fine dining— chateaubriand, breast of chicken forestière and Vancouver Island Qualicum Bay scallops. Surrey is not short on lovely lodging options either. Retire for the night at the Civic Hotel where you will be treated to a luxurious stay in the heart of downtown. Ask for a high floor to overlook the city from your suite. If you want to stay close to water, book Ocean Promenade Hotel near Crescent Beach and enjoy views of the bay from elegant modern rooms.
Take in Surrey’s public art on a walking tour of the city. (photo: Ian Harland/ Discover Surrey)
A VIBRANT MOSAIC AWAITS Discover an internationally recognized food scene, spectacular natural scenery, and more — just across the border in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.
W E ST B R I T I S H CO LU M B I A
Sunshine Coast
ABOVE The 180-kilometer Sunshine Coast Trail is hut-to-hut hiking at its finest. (photo: Destination BC/ Andrew Strain) AT LEFT Welh Áynexw tl’a Swa7ámchet, a carving by Squamish artist Sinàmkin (Jody Broomfield), adorns the exterior wall at Gibsons Public Art Gallery. (photo: Sunshine Coast Tourism/Shayd Johnson)
ULTIMATE ADVENTURE TO THE EAST of Tofino, across Vancouver Island and the Strait of Georgia, is Canada’s Sunshine Coast. Known for its small coastal towns and harbors, Sunshine Coast is a bounty of trails, pristine fjords and provincial parks, as well as its First Nations arts and culture. Seclusion is one of the most compelling attributes of the Sunshine Coast, as it is accessible only by BC Ferries and short flights from Vancouver or Vancouver Island. The two main regions are North and South Sunshine Coast, with North Sunshine Coast being more remote and South Sunshine Coast more popular. Book a tour boat to experience the Norway of Canada. One of the most compelling
6 CANADIAN GETAWAYS 2024
and beautiful fjords in the region is the Princess Louisa Inlet, surrounded by steep granite walls and dropping 1,000 feet below sea level. As the winter’s snow melts, waterfalls cascade along the perimeter of Princess Louisa. The deepest fjord on the Sunshine Coast is Jervis Inlet, measuring 2,200 feet deep and the picturesque home to many bald eagles.
Bikes are a common and fun form of transportation throughout the region. Cycling trips along the rugged and beautiful coastline on the two-lane Highway 101 are one rite of passage. Likewise, the 180-kilometer Coastal Circle Route is a bucket list item with miles after miles of gorgeous views of the Salish Sea, four ferries and the coastlines of the
Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island. The 180-kilometer Sunshine Coast Trail is another bucket list adventure for intrepid hikers. With fourteen first-come-firstsleep cabins along the trail from Sarah Point to Saltery Bay, you will encounter stunning coastal shorelines, old-growth forests, pristine lakes and breathtaking mountain top vistas.
YEAR-ROUN D E N J O Y ME NT Experience our hot springs pools and cave, contemporary guest rooms, Spirit Water Spa and the Ktunaxa Grill. Find out more at ainsworthhotsprings.com. Proudly owned by Yaqan Nukiy
E AST B R I T I S H CO LU M B I A
Golden
YOUR GATEWAY TO NATIONAL PARKS THE FIRST thing you must know is that you will be taken … by the beauty of Golden in the Valley of a Thousand Peaks. Surrounded by six national parks—Yoho, Banff, Glacier, Jasper, Kootenay and Mount Revelstoke—Golden is a place where your outdoor adventure fantasies all come true. Find more than 185 kilometers of cross-country mountain biking, including the smooth and flowy trails of the Moonraker network. For bigger thrills and more challenge, head to Mount 7 where you may not even notice the spectacular views along this descent. Either drive to the top of the trail network on a forest service road or make the rewarding climb on your bike. Downhill rides continue at Kicking Horse
Mountain Resort for 3,700 feet of vertical and more than thirty trails across 50 kilometers. The Kicking Horse River is also renowned for its whitewater as it runs wild and free through Kicking Horse Canyon. Canoe, kayak or SUP in the Columbia River and Wetlands. In nearby lakes and in tributaries of the Columbia, fish for rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and char. Guided wildlife-watching trips bring you closer to elk, deer, moose, bighorn sheep and even grizzly bears. In Golden, try Eleven22 for a wonderfully eclectic dinner that spans Asian, European and American cuisines, with such dishes as pork and kimchi potstickers, duck spiedini and
FROM TOP Golden is your base camp for outdoor adventure in the Canadian Rockies. Local waterways offer ample opportunity for paddleboarding, kayaking or whitewater rafting. (photos, from top: Kootenay Rockies Tourism/Mitch Winton, Destination BC/Ryan Creary)
blackened mahi mahi. The wine list is exclusively composed of wines from British Columbia. Wind down back at a mountain lodge of your choice—from
Basecamp Lodge Golden to the beautiful Winston Lodge at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. You’ll marvel at how quickly you were taken.
Ainsworth Hot Springs
A REJUVENATING WELLNESS RETREAT
Enjoy a scenic soak alongside Kootenay Lake in the natural hot springs at Ainsworth. (photo: Destination BC/Kari Medig)
8 CANADIAN GETAWAYS 2024
IN EASTERN British Columbia and a little more than 90 miles north of the Washington border is the Ainsworth Hot Springs. Owned by the Ktunaxa First Nations people, Ainsworth was recently ranked as one of Condé Nast Traveler’s best wellness retreats in the world. It’s no surprise to anyone who has visited the hot springs adjacent to Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park and along the banks of Kootenay Lake. The air is clean and the spring water rejuvenating. The natural springs come
up from deep in the earth and surface to cooled temperatures of 108 degrees into the 150-footlong, horseshoe-shaped natural limestone cave and to 96 degrees for the main pool. The yearround hot springs at Ainsworth also have a nice stream-fed cool-water plunge pool as well as a lounging pool. The resort’s lodgings are cozy and with stunning views. The Ktunaxa Grill features a refreshingly creative menu. Think Salt Spring Island mussels, wild game chili and arugula beet salads.
Photo by Agathe Bernard
At the heart of it.
Golden BC, at the Heart of Your Parks Adventure Sitting at the confluence of two historic rivers, Golden B.C. is an authentic mountain town at the doorstep of the Canadian Rockies. Golden is surrounded by six of Canada’s most stunning national parks: Yoho, Glacier, Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, and Mount Revelstoke. This unique location makes Golden the ideal place to experience the spectacular scenery, iconic hiking trails, waterfalls, lakes, and heritage sites of the national parks. Enjoying what Golden has to offer is even better after a great night’s sleep, with plenty of accommodation options such as luxury mountain homes, charming rustic cabins, and full-service hotels. We hope to see you in Golden for your next adventure.
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E AST B R I T I S H CO LU M B I A
Fernie is a mountain biker’s dream in the summer. (photo: Destination BC/Kari Medig)
10 CANADIAN GETAWAYS 2024
FROM TOP Find hiking trails for all skill levels near Fernie. Peaks surround this idyllic mountain town. (photo: Kootenay Rockies Tourism/Mitch Winton/Island Lake Lodge, Kootenay Rockies Tourism/Mitch Winton)
Fernie
A FOUR-SEASON STUNNER NEITHER the coal mines nor the belated railroad access did the trick. Eventually its mountains and beauty became its sustainable industry—four-season recreation. Located 242 miles northeast of Spokane and surrounded by the Canadian Rockies, the small mountain town Fernie is renowned for its snowfall and its ski resort. In the summer, Fernie Alpine Resort becomes a downhill biking mecca, served by two lift chairs that access miles of novice to expert downhill trails. This summer, Fernie adds new biking and hiking access from Timber Chair and a playground for kids. In town, Fernie has a wellkept network of walking and biking trails. Mount Fernie
Provincial Park has well-marked easy hikes, as Lizard Creek tumbles through before plunging into a waterfall into Elk River. Fairy Creek is another 4.6-kilometer roundtrip easy option that ends at Fairy Creek Falls. For lunch at the Fernie base village, try Legends Mountain Eatery, which has two kinds of poutine on its menu, plus burgers, sandwiches, beer and wine. In town for dinner, head to Yamagoya Sushi for sashimi and ramen or to The Fernie Taphouse for daily happy hour. End your day at The Spa at Island Lake Lodge, which has spectacular mountain views as well as a cedar barrel sauna, a hot pool and spa services to enhance your wellness.
2024 CANADIAN GETAWAYS
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Summer in the Canadian Rockies
World-class Fly Fishing • Golfing • Hiking • Mountain Biking • Rafting, Kayaking, SUP • Spa • Dining • Shopping
Fernie is a friendly mountain community in the Rocky Mountains of southeast British Columbia. Summer is the perfect time to explore our beautiful landscapes, lush valleys and clear waterways. Experience the historic downtown, endless outdoor activities, quaint attractions and local arts and culture. Just over 100 miles north of Kalispell, MT and the Glacier Park International Airport. Save approx. 30% on everything thanks to the great exchange rate!
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