FALL 2021 thegorgemagazine.com
LIVING AND EXPLORING IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE
Gorge Artists The Open Studios Tour is back
Story Gorge
Local filmmakers find their niche
Vision Quest
Fifty years in a photojournalist’s life
Anna Guemperlein
Bill Irving
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CONTENTS | FALL 2021
20
FEATURE
BEHIND THE SCENES Gorge artists welcome visitors during the annual Open Studios Tour By Janet Cook
37
Michael Peterson
OUTSIDE
OUR GORGE
48 COME ONE, COME ALL
Newly protected properties in the Gorge will be designed for inclusive recreation
By Cate Hotchkiss
16 CREATE 20 EXPLORE
50 LIFE THROUGH A LENS
Photographer John Chao chronicles 50 years of adventures in a new book
By Ruth Berkowitz
56 HONORING THE CIRCLE OF LIFE
Mosier’s Great River combines natural burial with ecology education
By Janet Cook
FALL 2021 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE
26 IMBIBE 62 PARTAKE 66 YOUR GORGE
WELLNESS
4
8 PERSON OF INTEREST 12 VENTURES
ARTS + CULTURE
48
Ben Mitchell
62
Kacie McMackin
Cate Hotchkiss
HOME HOME HOME HOME
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EDITOR’S NOTE
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utting this issue together has brought with it a sense of déjà-vu. The last time we produced our annual Arts Issue, where we feature the Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour, was in the spring of 2020. We were blissfully ignorant, as we worked on it during the months prior, that the world was about to change. But I have a distinct memory of standing in the noisy press room at our printer in Salem late that February, watching magazine pages churn off the giant press, and feeling a sense of unease about this new thing in our collective midst, the coronavirus. Still, we were excited about our new issue — the biggest one in our nine-year history. We couldn’t wait to get it out into the world, and at that point it was still easy to push apprehension aside. We got the magazine back from the press a few days later and it hit newsstands on March 6. Within days, the governors of Oregon and Washington had declared a state of emergency, followed quickly by the Big Shut Down, with restaurants and retailers closing indefinitely. Like so many other events, the Open Studios Tour, slated for late April, was cancelled for the first time since its launch in 2006. The Gorge Artists, a nonprofit group that works to support artists in the region, rescheduled, and then rescheduled again. The tour will now take place in September, the first time it hasn’t been a springtime event. The whole situation — from the initial disappointment to ongoing uncertainty to the resilience of the artists and the eventual retooling of a longstanding tradition — has become commonplace over the last year and a half. With so many talented artists in the Gorge, the tour promises, as always, to deliver what it’s meant to: a wonderful opportunity to meet artists in the places where they create their work. We’re excited for the return of this beloved event, and offer a preview starting on page 37. Over these last 18 months, despite many challenges, so many people and businesses have just kept doing what they do. One is Stevenson-based veterinarian Bob Bussa, who specializes in endof-life pet care (page 8). Another is Hood River-based creative studio Story Gorge, whose talented filmmakers and educators aim to make positive change with their visual storytelling. They’ve doubled down on their social enterprise mission during the pandemic and started a community fund to support worthy causes (page 12). Our fall issue wouldn’t be complete without some autumn color, and for that we head to Dry Creek Falls. This hike near Cascade Locks rewards with swaths of yellow and orange foliage from the big-leaf maples along the trail (page 20). We hope you enjoy this issue, and may your fall be filled with color. Cheers. — Janet Cook, Editor
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Mosier artist Myrna Anderson created the painting on our cover, entitled 18 Mile Island. “I was up on the Mosier Twin Tunnels trail, and the beauty of it all just inspired me,” she said. “It was so pretty with the fall colors.” Anderson calls her technique “stained glass” style, where she builds up colors in “cells” on the painting, giving the effect of light shining through it. Facebook/Myrna’s Art Photo by Michael Peterson michaelpetersonphotography.com
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FALL 2021 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE
When you have read this issue please pass it on to a friend or recycle it. Together we can make a difference in preserving and conserving our resources.
FALL 2021 EDITOR Janet Cook
CREATIVE DIRECTOR & GRAPHIC DESIGNER Renata Kosina
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Jody Thompson
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ruth Berkowitz, Don Campbell, Cate Hotchkiss, Kacie McMackin, Ben Mitchell
COVER PHOTOGRAPHER Michael Peterson
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS John Chao, Cate Hotchkiss, Kacie McMackin, Ben Mitchell, Michael Peterson
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THE GORGE MAGAZINE II FALL 2021
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OUR GORGE I PERSON OF INTEREST
Dr. Bob Bussa A veterinarian finds his calling caring for pets at the end of life story by JANET COOK | photos provided
W
hen Suzette Gehring’s dog, Alfie, was diagnosed with cancer in the late winter of 2020, it was a gut punch. The two had been inseparable for eight years, ever since Gehring had adopted the Goldendoodle as an 8-month-old puppy. To add insult to injury, the pandemic had begun and Gehring’s veterinarian wouldn’t allow her to come into the clinic with Alfie during appointments. She knew she faced the prospect of eventually needing to have Alfie put down without being able to be with him. To Gehring, it was unacceptable. “Alfie was more than just a dog to me,” she said. “We did everything together.” The vet suggested hospice care for Alfie — something Gehring didn’t know existed — and referred her to Dr. Bob Bussa, the only veterinarian in the Gorge specializing in pet hospice. It changed the course of Alfie and Gehring’s last months together. _____ Bussa — or Dr. Bob as he’s known — came to the vet profession in a circuitous way. He grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and graduated from college with a journalism degree. He wound up working for a phone company, but his heart wasn’t in it and he yearned for a change. He’d always felt a connection with ani-
Suzette Gehring and Alfie, left. Inset and top, Bob Bussa and a client, Ellen Hixson. 8
FALL 2021 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE
mals, and found medicine interesting, so he set his sights on veterinary school. In 1998, he moved to the Pacific Northwest, eventually landing in Pullman, Wash., where he enrolled in the vet school at Washington State University. After graduating in 2005, he worked in Port Townsend, Wash., and Portland before moving to the Gorge in 2017. He settled in Stevenson and worked at a Gorge clinic. But it didn’t feel like the right fit. Bussa was looking for something different. During his time in various clinics, he’d come to believe that care for animals at the end of life was lacking. “There’s this whole end-oflife practice that slips through the cracks,” he said. He found the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care, an organization founded in 2009 that offers continuing education classes for veterinarians who want to become certified in the practice. “I decided that’s what I wanted to do,” Bussa said. In October 2019, he officially added CHPV to his credentials, becoming a certified
hospice and palliative care veterinarian. He launched his practice, calling it Quality Life Vet Care. The timing was right as in-person clinical vet appointments soon succumbed to pandemic restrictions, and Bussa works with clients in their homes. Along with hospice care, he does palliative care for pets with chronic conditions as well as home euthanasia and aftercare. Often, the latter is a continuation of care for a pet that has been on hospice or palliative care. _____ After Gehring contacted Bussa about Alfie, he gathered Alfie’s records, then set up what he calls a Quality Life Examination with the two of them at Gehring’s home in Hood River. “Bob listened to everything I’d done already,” Gehring said. “He went over everything — have you tried this, would you like to try that.” Chemotherapy had been suggested previously, but Gehring felt it would only prolong Alfie’s suffering. “I was trying to give him the best life I could for as long as he had,” she said. Bussa and Gehring came up with a care plan, which included making homemade food
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for Alfie. Bussa also prescribed medicine for pain and nausea. Another focus of his work is helping clients identify pain in their pet and gauge their quality of life. This helps them to trust their instincts about when it’s time to think about putting their animal down. After the initial visit, Bussa was available for Gehring anytime she had questions or needed to be “talked down,” as she put it. “I never had to go to the vet again,” she said. Alfie had initially been given 30 days to live. He lived another 100 days. Just as Bussa had told her, Gehring did know when it felt like Alfie’s time had come. “His take on it is, you’ll know, but if you don’t feel like you’ll know, I can help you,” Gehring said. “But he was right. I knew.” Gehring called Bussa and he came over. She had planned a ceremony for Alfie in her yard under a tree. “I had flowers there. I wanted to hold him. We had music,” she said. “Bob sat there and talked to me and let me love on Alfie until I was ready for him to give the injection to go to sleep.” Gehring held Alfie as he went to sleep, and when she was ready, Bussa gave him the final injection. “Bob just sat there with me until I was ready,” she said. “He was right there on the ground with me.” Afterward, Bussa wrapped Alfie in a blanket and took him to be cremated. “It was total dignity for my animal,” Gehring said. “As difficult as it was, it was so beautiful and so ok. I’ll never do it any other way again.” In the days after Alfie died, Bussa checked in with Gehring. Along with the grief of losing a beloved pet, “hospice care for caregivers is a lot,” he said. “Then there’s this big void. You have to make sure they’re ok.” Bussa feels like he’s finally found his calling. “That bond between a pet and their caregiver gets so much tighter at the end of life,” he said. “It’s amazing to see.” Although it’s a time filled with sadness, Bussa finds inspiration in that bond. “There is no grief without love,” he said. “I feel like I see the best of people. It’s been really beautiful and humbling.” To learn more, visit qualitylifevetcare.com
Jeff Thomas
OUR GORGE I VENTURES
Story Gorge finds its niche telling visual stories, and teaching others how to do it story by JANET COOK | photos provided
F
or Sean O’Connor and his Hood River-based company, Story Gorge, the pandemic pause is over. The past few months have been a whirlwind for him and his small team of filmmakers, with work taking them to Maryland, Idaho and California. July found them at the Oregon Coast and Seattle for editing “shut-ins” to work on a nine-year documentary project out of Nepal. In between, they’ve had a full slate of work in the Gorge, including in Hood River, White Salmon and The Dalles. “We took a lot of last year’s work that was already contracted, and then got more,” O’Connor said. Story Gorge, founded by O’Connor in 2016, is a creative studio specializing in filmmaking and education. The heart of its work is, as its name implies, storytelling. “It’s about telling stories that move people to insight and action,” he said.
Kim Oanh Nguyen, both images
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Sean Sperry
Lights, Camera, Education!
O’Connor has built his filmmaking credentials over more than 20 years, since he left rural Vermont, where he grew up, to attend Prescott College in Arizona. At the time, his passions were rock climbing and wilderness adventure, having recently completed a National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) program where he spent three months in the outdoors. He was drawn to Prescott for its immersive learning model and adventure education program. At Prescott, he dabbled in photography, but engaged with it more after he broke his ankle and had to put his field studies on hold. He enrolled in a darkroom class to fulfill an art credit. One of his photos was picked up by a magazine and his interest in photography was cemented. O’Connor moved to Missoula, Mont., to attend the Rocky Mountain School of Photo-
Sean O’Connor, inset and at left, teaches a workshop for independent natural food retailers.
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graphy, then launched his own business called Freesolo Photography, selling conservation through adventure-based images to publications like Climbing and Outside magazines. He also worked as a photographerfor-hire, eventually moving to Portland for wider access to clients and work. One project found him working as a photographer for a team that was climbing and measuring the nation’s biggest trees. The goal of “Ascending the Giants” was to update big-tree registries and raise awareness about the importance of trees to the ecosystem. “I got to touch pieces of the planet no one had ever touched,” said O’Connor, who climbed dozens of the largest trees and brought information — and imagery — back for scientific knowledge and education. The tree project, and others with a conservation bent, helped solidify for O’Connor that he wanted to accomplish something more than just the adventures his work brought. “The ethics started to become clear,” he said. “That’s when I got serious about wanting to make sure the planet and the community are served by what I do.” O’Connor pursued that goal with a stint at the ReBuilding Center in Portland, where he served as outreach and strategic coordinator for community programs. There, he built a community impact film program, securing more than $100,000 in grants and in-kind support over two years. By then, O’Connor and his wife, Katie, had two kids and they wanted to return to a more rural lifestyle. “The Gorge was the goal,” he said. “For me as a visual person, I’ve been all over the world and this is the most inspiring place I’ve ever woken up.” Story Gorge is a melding of O’Connor’s photography/videography skills, his storytelling prowess and his “give-back” ethos. “We’re not a nonprofit, but we look like one a lot of the time,” he said. “That’s intentional.” From the get-go, education was baked into the company’s mission. Its first local endeavor was a collaboration with Arts in Education of the Gorge, working to teach kids documentary filmmaking and develop a curriculum for teachers to use. “It was a huge launching point for us,” O’Connor said. That work continues, most recently with Riverbend Community School in The Dalles and Trout Lake School. Over the past five years, O’Connor and his team — which now numbers four, plus a college intern — have been steadily growing the
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Sean O’Connor on Mount Hood during a filming expedition with OPB and Oregon Field Guide.
cator training opportunities. Other calls followed. “As a social enterprise, we help our community, we meet people where they are at,” O’Connor said. Those community connections paid off in the form of work when O’Connor and his team needed it. “That social equity just came right back,” he said. “You never ask for it back, and you never expect to get it back.” The pandemic served to reinforce O’Connor’s business model. “It’s a testament to the fact that it’s not just a business, it’s a social enterprise. It’s a mechanism for community support.” O’Connor and his team believe so strongly in the social enterprise aspect of their work that they started a community fund during the pandemic. “Five percent of everything that comes through the door goes into that fund to be used when someone needs it,” O’Connor said. The fund has so far sponsored a kid’s film competition, sent a group of Latino youth rock climbing and helped support Project Koru, a Hood River-based program that provides outdoor adventure opportunities for young adult cancer survivors. “At the end of the year, we look at our bottom line, but we also look at the bottom line of how much did we support our community,” O’Connor said. “It breaks a lot of rules for business, but it’s proving itself. It’s the power of story to make positive change.” Andy Maser
film production side of the company. Their work runs the gamut from one-time standalone films to long-term projects. An example of the latter is the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, which Story Gorge has worked with since 2016 to produce an ongoing series of short films highlighting medical professionals around the country working to empower people to take control of their health. Story Gorge also provides professional development workshops that help entities learn how to tell their own stories — the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Nez Perce Tribe in Idaho are two such clients — and training for nonprofits and private businesses that want to step up their visual storytelling with accessible technologies, including phone cameras. Although work takes them to many farflung destinations, an important focus for the company is its local client base, which O’Connor credits for helping them get through the pandemic. “When it hit, we got all the messages everyone else got — ‘we need to cancel,’ ‘we need to put this on hold,’” he said. “But then, the phone started ringing.” The first call was from Arts in Education seeking to create online edu-
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Courtesy of Maryhill Museum
OUR GORGE I CREATE
Local exhibits celebrate the work of ceramic artist and educator P.K. Hoffman story by JANET COOK | photos courtesy of P.K. HOFFMAN and MARYHILL MUSEUM
Courtesy of Maryhill Museum
P.K.
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FALL 2021 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE
Courtesy of P.K. Hoffman
A Life in Clay
Hoffman’s resume is long. It includes four pages of workshops, teaching experiences, awards, exhibitions and permanent collections where his work can be found. The ceramic artist from The Dalles can also tick off a list of some of the most renowned potters of the last half-century that he’s worked alongside. Hoffman is getting some local recognition, too. An exhibit of his work, entitled P.K. Hoffman: Mill Creek Potter, is on display at Maryhill Museum through November 15, and The Dalles Art Center is hosting an exhibition called P.K. Hoffman Retrospective during October and November. Hoffman, for his part, is humble about it all. “I’m still trying to make the perfect coffee mug,” he said, his dry sense of humor fully intact at age 78. “And trying to keep ahead of the arthritis.” Hoffman’s down-to-earth demeanor comes perhaps from stumbling into his profession unexpectedly. Born and raised in Gearhart, on the Oregon Coast, he spent his youth clamming, playing football and surfing. He went on to the University of Oregon, where he played football and drifted academically, taking business classes but unsure of what he wanted to do. During his sophomore year, he became intrigued when a roommate told him about a ceramics class he was taking. “I had no clue what ceramics was,” Hoffman said. “I had no idea what he was talking about.” The roommate offered to take him to the studio and show him around, even helping him try out the wheel. “I couldn’t do it,” Hoffman recalled. “I was pretty physical and coordinated. I could do lots of stuff, but I couldn’t do that. It frustrated me.” He signed up for a ceramics class and never looked back. Hoffman gravitated to making large pots and went to L.A. for a kiln-building workshop. There, he connected with several well-established ceramicists, including Jerry Rothman, Paul Soldner and Peter Voulkos, influential members of the American Clay Revolution, which saw
Courtesy of P.K. Hoffman
Courtesy of Maryhill Museum
The work of ceramicist P.K. Hoffman, opposite, is celebrated in exhibits this fall at Maryhill Museum of Art and The Dalles Art Center. Hoffman, of The Dalles, has been an artist and teacher for 50 years.
artists begin to use clay as a sculptural material in its own right. By the time Hoffman returned to Eugene, he’d decided his future lay in ceramics. A shoulder injury finished his football career, but the extra time allowed for more art classes. After graduating, he was offered a teaching assistantship at the University of Iowa. He accepted and in 1968 headed for the Midwest, where he had his introduction to teaching. During that time, one of his works was chosen for an exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Crafts in New York, and subsequently for a place in the Young Americans traveling show which went to major museums and galleries around the country. “After that, I had a little bit of impetus to strike out on my own,” Hoffman said. He returned to his Oregon roots and established his first studio in Astoria, Hoffman’s Earth-NWorks and School of Pottery, where he built a 300-cubic-foot double-chambered salt kiln with a stack four stories high. He also continued teaching, hosting workshops and lecturing at colleges and universities around the West. During a visit to Great Britain in the early 1970s, he lectured at several universities in England, Scotland and Wales. The Glasgow School of Art offered him a teaching position, and he accepted. He spent several years teaching in Scotland, returning to Oregon every summer to host workshops with a fellow ceramicist. The two of them joined with a third friend from
The Dalles and set up a workshop site on his family’s farm. “We built 15 kick wheels, got a ton of clay and built a kiln out of brick,” Hoffman said. In 1972, they held the first Northwest SaltFire Workshop in The Dalles, which became an annual event for more than a decade. The six-day
THE GORGE MAGAZINE II FALL 2021
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workshops drew participants from near and far. “In the ‘70s, gas was cheap,” Hoffman said. “You could get in your VW bus and come out from anywhere.” The workshops attracted a wide cross-section of people who camped on the property and made meals in the outdoor communal kitchen. Everyone pitched in gathering wood to burn in the kiln. The workshops continued into the ‘80s. “Things changed,” he said. “But I always felt there was a certain nostalgia about the workshops because of the look and feel of them.” The local community college, then known as Treaty Oak, picked up the workshops and Hoffman began teaching there, continuing after it became Columbia Gorge Community College around 1990. Hoffman has lived full time in The Dalles since leaving Glasgow in the late ‘70s. He built a studio and kilns on Mill Creek, where he continues to create both salt-fire and raku works — many of them impressively large, and some of which have a fish theme. “I found fishing on the Deschutes River,” said Hoffman, who recalls fishing the upper river with his dad. “Redsides were the target of my youth, until I found the big fish in the lower river. I began chasing steelhead and salmon. Soon the fish began to follow me into my work.” Hoffman finds parallels between fishing and his life’s work as a potter. “Getting the results I was after seemed to be as hard as getting those big steelheads on the bank,” he said. “I have found that the joy is in the process of becoming whole.”
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OUR GORGE I EXPLORE
Dry Creek Falls Finding splashes of fall color in a green Gorge story and photos by BEN MITCHELL
A
s a native northeasterner, a love of autumn leaves runs deep in my roots. I’m a fiend for fall foliage, and having lived in the largely coniferous Columbia River Gorge for over a decade now, I’m always on the lookout for a
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good fall hike — a borderline obsession I’ve touched on before in previous articles in these pages. When I’m on any hike, regardless of the time of year, I’m making mental notes of any deciduous trees I’m passing. If my partner, Jennifer, never hears me say, “I wonder if this place would look nice in the fall,” ever again, it would still be too soon. Sometimes I’m disappointed when I come back to the same hike in the fall, as either my predictions about what the leaves will be like, or simply my timing, is wrong. Other times, the summer scouting of a hike ends up paying off. Dry Creek Falls is one of those hikes I’ve added into my go-to fall rotation that includes Cape Horn, Tamanawas Falls, the Cherry Orchard, and the Klickitat Trail. Due to its prominent waterfall and a trail that is mostly under cover of the forest canopy for the majority of its length, Dry Creek Falls is especially popular as a summer hike. I personally prefer it as an autumn hike, due to the fairly high number of big-leaf maple trees that provide some great swaths of yellow and orange foliage, especially at the beginning and end of the hike. However, hiking in the fall will mean that Dry Creek Falls will likely be at its lowest flow of the year (but still significant enough), so if that’s important to you, go visit it in the winter or spring. Fall is also a time when the trail is less crowded, but don’t expect solitude. Dry Creek Falls is popular no matter the season, due to both its accessibility (located right on the edge of town in Cascade Locks) and relative ease of the hike (a little over four miles total, out and back, with only about 700 feet of elevation gain, according to OregonHikers.org). You’re never too far away from civilization, and the road noise you can hear on a good portion of the hike will remind you of that. But that’s part of the attraction: it doesn’t take long to do (a couple of hours total), it doesn’t take long to get there (from either Portland or Hood River), and it’s a nice payoff for not a ton of work. Plus, you can hit up one of Cascade Locks’s ever-growing number of food and beverage establishments when you’re done. The trailhead for Dry Creek Falls is off of Harvey Street on the west side of Cascade Locks (head into town on WaNaPa, turn onto S.W. Wasco St., then take a right onto S.W. Moody Ave.,
ture! n e v d for A Ready
Hikers heading to Dry Creek Falls enjoy a colorful show from the big-leaf maples along the trail, and a close-up view of the 74-foot-high falls, opposite bottom.
and continue very briefly onto the gravel Harvey Road until you see the trailhead). On Google Maps, it’s listed as both the “Pacific Crest Trail Cascade Locks trailhead” and “Dry Creek Falls trailhead.” You can also park at the Bridge of the Gods Trailhead, but it’s significantly busier and requires the NW Forest Pass, as well as makes the hike slightly longer (maybe that’s a good thing). From the Harvey Road trailhead, hiking to the falls is pretty straightforward. Head across the road (southeast-ish) to the obvious trail sign pointing you onto the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). You’ll see evidence
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Evidence of the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire can be seen along the trail, but the damage here was minimal compared to other areas.
of the Eagle Creek Fire pretty much as soon as you step onto the trail and enter the forest. The blaze, caused by a teen’s cavalier lobbing of a firework into a dry canyon in 2017, scorched tree trunks, thinned the understory, and toppled some trees along the trail. However, having done Dry Creek Falls both before and after the wildfire, the damage sustained seems relatively minimal, especially compared to some other areas of the Gorge, and the hike is no less beautiful than it was before. You’ll head up the PCT on an easy to moderate incline for almost the entire hike, only briefly interrupted about a mile in by a Bonneville Power Authority power line access road. Go right to get on the road
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briefly (about 100 feet or so) before the trail heads back into the forest and reconnects with the PCT. You’ll keep climbing through the trees on the PCT for less than a mile before starting to hear the sounds of rushing water as you come to the intersection of the PCT and Dry Creek Falls trails. Turn right onto Dry Creek Falls Trail, which follows the pleasant, woodsy eponymous creek all the way up to the base of the falls, which you’ll reach after walking about a third of a mile. The 74-foot-high falls are nestled in a scenic, moss- and lichen-covered basalt amphitheater, with a rocky, but wide and relatively accessible viewing area at the bottom that makes an ideal place for exploring and for photo ops. Just down from the base of the falls, you’ll notice a concrete and metal structure plunked in the middle of the creek. Fun Fact #1: According to the City of Cascade Locks, these are the remnants of a water diversion system built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1890s, and then subsequently used by the city for its municipal water supply from the 1930s until the 1960s. Fun Fact #2: According to Friends of the Columbia Gorge, before it was used as a municipal supply, the water from Dry Creek was used to power the lock chamber gates at Cascade Locks (hence the city’s name) before Bonneville Dam became operational in 1937. When that water was in use, the creek below the falls went dry, hence the waterfall’s name. Once you finish enjoying the falls (and/or nerding out on some water infrastructure minutiae, if that’s your thing), simply turn around and follow the same route back. Ben Mitchell is a writer/filmmaker who lives in Hood River. He’s a frequent contributor to The Gorge Magazine. 208 4th St Hood River, OR 97031 541-387-3276 hoodriverbicycles.com
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OUR GORGE I IMBIBE
Fox-Tail Cider & Distillery A long-time orcharding family makes a fruitful leap to craft beverages story by DON CAMPBELL | photos courtesy of FOX-TAIL CIDER & DISTILLERY
Y
ou might be forgiven for thinking cider is the sole domain of the mighty apple. Au contraire. The word’s meandering etymology traces a fascinating history back to the late-13th through the mid-14th century. The biblical context translates to “strong liquor” and “liquor made from the juice of fruits.” In Old French, cidre and cire (“pear or apple cider”) are cross-cultural variants of cisdre, from the Latin word sicera, the Hebrew shekhar (a translation of “any strong drink”), the Old English boer, the Greek sikera, which is related to the Arabic sakar and its logical conjugation sakira, meaning “was drunk.”
Take that all how you will. It’s a long and deliciously antique way to describe what farmers do when they have an abundance of good fruit on their hands. Which, luckily for us, describes the verdant idyll that is the Hood River Valley and surrounding areas, providing rich volcanic soil and ideal fruit-growing weather conditions for a few million neat rows of fruit-bearing trees. Fruit, in other words, we got. For Bob and Sarah Fox, the plow line from orchardists to cider makers to distillers — all relying on the aforementioned fruit — describes a hearty The Fox family’s Hood River Valley orchards include apple, cherry, pear and peach trees.
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Come Get Refreshed.
Fruit from the Fox’s orchards sits in bins during harvest, left. The Fox-Tail tasting room serves 10 varieties of hard cider, which can be sampled in its tasting tray, right.
family operation that now includes a couple hundred acres of apple, cherry, pear and peach trees, a thriving popular roadside fruit stand in Smiley’s Red Barn, and the emergence over the last nearly a decade of their Fox-Tail Cider & Distillery. With the summer’s cherry crop just put away, and pear- and peach-picking on the horizon, the pair shared an afternoon at their rustic mid-valley tasting room on Highway 35 at Ehrck Hill Drive, next door to Smiley’s. A bustling crowd kept staff hopping, pouring samples, glasses, pints and growlers of some 10 varieties of hard cider, five fruit wines and five kinds of distilled spirits,
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Vineyards Est. 1984, 1998
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Ricki Sweringen, left, and McKenzie Miavitz enjoy cider tasting at Fox-Tail’s mid-valley tasting room.
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including vodka, gin and brandy. There are worse ways to spend a Saturday. Both born and raised in the Hood River Valley by agricultural families, “but from opposite sides of the valley,” says Sarah, the two met in high school and attended the same college. They began tending their own orchards and have stocked and operated the fruit stand for some 15 years. “We always wondered what to do with the extra fruit,” offers Bob. “So, growing the fruit and having a passion for alcohol, cider was a good combination to throw together.” It might seem like cider would be a tough market to enter, especially in these parts. When planning began for Fox-Tail in 2012, there were some 450 craft cideries in the U.S. Now there are over 2,000 by Bob’s reckoning, in just over eight years. The timing was right. “It’s clearly caught on,” he says. “Cider was America’s drink of choice before Prohibition. At that point beer became a lot cheaper. But there’s been a reemergence.” Indeed. The Northwest Cider Association lists some 100 member cideries in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana, with nearly 30 in Oregon alone. The actual Oregon cideries count numbers nearly 80, with the craft cider market continuing to grow, even during pandemic times. For the Foxes, making cider is like making wine (until the end of the process, which more resembles making beer). Novices, as with wine, tend toward sweeter, fruitier ciders and as palettes grow and mature, they gravitate to more complex, drier varieties.
Everett Rubin works in production for Fox-Tail Cider & Distillery, making cider, wine and spirits.
Like wine, cider making is part science, part art — in other words, part microbiology, part palette. “But you’re always learning as you go,” says Bob. They started with four
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Fox-Tail Cider & Distillery produces 10 varieties of hard cider, five fruit wines and five kinds of distilled spirits, including vodka, gin and brandy. Along with its mid-valley tasting room, Fox-Tail serves its beverages at its downtown Hood River location, the Tap House.
barrels, and by opening day, they had five ciders on tap. Some four or five years ago, they started thinking about refining cider into making spirits. “You have half the job done already,” Bob says, building on the cider product. Their first taste was apple-based vodka. “I always have
crazy ideas,” he says. “She [Sarah] tries to shoot them down half the time,” he says playfully, “to keep me grounded. But we just thought there was a market out there, sort of like when we decided to make cider. There weren’t that many craft ciders.” Nor that many craft distillers. Fox-Tail was this area’s second, behind Camp 1805, down along the waterfront. It’s a more complex process, requiring more elaborate equipment and wrangling pesky licenses and taxes. “We started small and worked our way up from there,” Bob says. “We’ve gotten calls from liquor stores from here to Lincoln City to carry our vodka. We only carry it here and at our Tap House downtown.” “Right now,” says Sarah, “that’s all we can keep up with.” The downtown Tap House, at Third and Oak in Hood River, was uncorked during the pandemic, a trying time for many businesses. But it afforded the Foxes the opportunity to cross-market. Bob served a term on the Hood River Chamber of Commerce, which undertook a study that showed that 80 percent of the downtown customers never ventured up the valley to the tasting room, while 80 percent of those who lingered up the valley rarely went downtown. “Almost two completely different audiences,” Bob says. But that disparity is beginning to shrink, with lots of customers at either place spending more time at the other as well. As a small business, especially an agricultural one, Fox-Tail has had its trials and tribulations, experimentations and requisite successes and failures, and every day is different. “It’s had its ups and downs, lefts and rights, but it’s done what I thought it could do,” said Bob. “There are always challenges.” And, as the years have passed and the business — as well as their two children — have grown, the Foxes find each day even more fulfilling and wake every morning to the fact they, after this many seasons, still like each other. “The cider,” says Bob, “helps with that!” To learn more, visit foxtailcider.com
Don Campbell is a writer and musician. He hides out at a secret fortress on a hilltop in Mosier and is a frequent contributor to The Gorge Magazine.
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Come stay a while.
N E W L O C AT I O N 7 0 8 O A K S T.
Q2 2021 GARDNER REPORT
Oregon & SW Washington Real Estate Market Update by Matthew Gardner
OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON HOME SALES > In the second quarter of the year, 19,614 homes sold, an increase of 37% from the second quarter of 2020. Although an increase was certainly expected given where we were last year, I was also very pleased to see a 59% increase in sales from the first-quarter figure. > The largest increase in sales from the first quarter was in the greater Portland metro area, but all counties contained in this report experienced more transactions. > Sales rose in every county other than Tillamook compared to a year ago, but this is a very small market that regularly experiences extreme swings in the number of sales. In markets where sales rose, all but two of them saw double-digit gains. > Demand remains strong but supply is still lagging. More buyers are getting off the fence after mortgage rates rose in the first quarter. Although rates have pulled back somewhat, the specter of them rising has generated a lot of competition for the homes that are available.
OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON HOME PRICES > The average home price in the region continues to soar. Prices were up 26.1% year over year to $532,397 and were 5.8% higher than in the first quarter of the year. > Relative to a year ago, Tillamook County again led the market with the strongest annual price growth, but it is a very small market prone to significant swings. The most expensive market was Hood River County, where the average sale price was $728,700. > All counties contained in this report saw prices rise more than 10%. Prices in Jackson, Klickitat, and Wasco counties were lower than in the first quarter, but I do not see this as being pervasive and I expect them to pick back up as we move through the rest of the year. > Prices continue to rise at an astonishing pace, but many areas are hitting an affordability ceiling. This, in concert with modest increases in mortgage rates, is likely to temper price growth—but just not yet. This year, prices will continue to increase at well above the long-term average. The above analysis of the Oregon and SW Washington real estate market is provided by Windermere Real Estate’s Chief Economist, Matthew Gardner. We hope that this information may assist you with making better-informed real estate decisions. For further information about the housing market, please don’t hesitate to contact your Windermere Real Estate agent.
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CATHLEEN REHFELD Oil Painting rehfeldart.com
MELANIE THOMPSON Ceramics melaniethompsonartware.com
JAN BYRKIT Wearable Art byrkitwear.com
MARY ROLLINS Watercolor artistmaryrollins@gmail.com
PENY WALLACE Acrylic Painting asherarts.org
NANCY HOUFEK BROWN Oil Painting nhb-artwork.com
JOY KLOMAN Oil Painting joykloman.com
JO DEAN SARINS Cloisonné Enamel arrayofelegance.com
ROD STUART Sculpture rstuart1945@yahoo.com
POLLY WOOD Ceramics pollywood47@gmail.com
MACRAE WYLDE Sculpture www.macraewylde.com
Visit gorgeartists.org or facebook.com/gaos.tour. Find tour books for this free event online and area Chambers of Commerce, Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River and The Dalles Art Center.
BE TH SC
Story by Janet Cook
THE
BEHIND SCENES Photography by Michael Peterson
Gorge artists welcome visitors during the annual Open Studios Tour The Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour is back! This year, 40 artists will open their studios to visitors for an intimate look at where and how they create their work. The tour has become one of the most-anticipated events in the Gorge, and with the cancellation of last year’s tour due to the pandemic, artists are particularly excited to welcome visitors to this year’s 15th annual event. The Open Studios Tour offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look into the artistic process, where visitors can talk directly with artists while seeing the spaces where they create their work. It’s also a unique opportunity for visitors to buy art directly from the makers. “The studio space is as much a creation of the artist as the work produced, and being in it is a special experience,” said Hood River artist Laurie Balmuth.
BEHIND THE SCENES
Tour artists and their studios are located throughout the Gorge, from Cascade Locks to The Dalles and White Salmon, Wash., to Parkdale. This year, the tour is increasing reach by offering a free guide on the Otocast art tour guide app. With the app, which is free to download on any smartphone, tour-goers can learn more about each artist, as well as find directions to studios. As a preview to the tour, a few of the artists gave us a sneak peek at their studios and answered some of our burning questions about their creative lives. Let the tour begin!
GORGE ARTISTS OPEN STUDIOS TOUR September 17-19 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more about the tour, and the Otocast app, visit gorgeartists.org. THE GORGE MAGAZINE II FALL 2021
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POLLY WOOD ceramics
John Wood, both images
What was your artistic path? I have a degree in art history which has provided me with a wonderful “image bank,” but I truly connected to design through the culinary arts. I became a pastry chef and cake designer in the early 1990s and ran my business, Polly’s Cakes, in Portland and Hood River for 17 years. I decorated many of the cakes with a malleable sugar dough known as fondant which felt similar to hand building pottery with slabs of clay. During those cake years I always thought that one day I would work with clay. I took several pottery classes over the years, including a series up at Mt. Hood Town Hall with former artist-inresidence Fiona Morehouse. Now I’ve hybridized my greenhouse into part clay studio and part plant start space. It all feels very home-grown.
How did you arrive at your medium?
I always knew that if I were to really dig into one artistic medium, it would be ceramics. It combines 3D and surface design so perfectly. Like cake and frosting or fabrics and patterns. I’m solidly on the hand and slab building side of ceramics rather than wheel work. 38
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How does your process work? I make a lot of hand carved stamps to use in my work. This is something I learned from local artist, surface designer, and dear friend Sheila Ford Richmond. Over the years we’ve had many happy hours carving away in her studio. I make templates for my mugs and tumblers, randomly embossing them with stamp patterns to create a “clay fabric” and then build from there. After the bisque fire, I frequently use an iron oxide wash, un-
derglaze pigments, and glazes to fill in the definition and color. I also love using a glaze pencil and underglaze pigments for more illustrated designs.
Where do you get inspiration for your art? A lot of my work is inspired by the natural world. I get flora and fauna “crushes” on things like flower petals, fruit, garden insects and native plants. I also pull a bit from my cake designing years. Most importantly, if I have an urge to do something out of the blue, an idea that stops me in my tracks, I do it. I don’t put it off because “I should make more mugs.” I sideline the “shoulds” and follow the urge. The urge work may not always turn out, but I learn from it. Some of my work has been birthed from bloops and misfires, but I either discard or refine those unexpected turns.
What do you find most satisfying about your work? It’s so tactile and I get to work in stages and with color just like I did with cakes. I like that rhythm. I also like making functional art.
What is it like to be an artist in the Gorge?
I get to draw from the amazing environment around me and all the inspiration I gather on walks, from light patterns across landscapes, and from my own garden. We live in the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area with all its blessings and challenges and I am grateful for its protected status and to those who defend it every day. Since I work out of my greenhouse, my ability to work is dictated by the weather, time of day, and seasons as well as by climate change — increased fire risk, smoke, extreme weather. We are mounting solar panels on our roof to reduce our footprint (I use an electric kiln). Also, so much of being an artist in the Gorge is about the people and the supportive community, and how we inspire one another in a very regional way. I’m also very grateful to be part of the Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour this year. Regional, supportive, and just plain fun — they’ve got it going!
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MYRNA ANDERSON acrylic painting Facebook/Myrnas Art
What was your artistic path? Even as a young child, I sensed art was my “calling.” I was always drawing or creating in some way. When I was about 10, I had a dream where my house was full of my own paintings hanging on my walls, which is true today. When I was in my early teens, my parents signed me up for correspondent art lessons. This was before the days of computers and online classes. It was very special because I knew my parents could not afford such extravagant spending. Eventually, I received my BA in art and a degree in art education. Along with teaching art, I headed an art literacy program in an elementary school and gave private lessons in my home. I now consider painting my full-time job and my passion.
How did you arrive at your medium? Two things, really. To begin, I was doing watercolors of large birds and flowers that would fill a whole sheet of watercolor paper. While I enjoyed this medium, I was spending a lot on framing which made the paintings heavy and took more care to transfer to shows. Also, I moved to the Gorge four years ago and when I approached a gallery about showing my work, they said, “We love your work, but do you do anything of the Gorge?” Well, being new to the Gorge, I did not. I wasn’t even doing landscapes. I felt like there were so many good landscape artists here that I had to come up with something different to stand 40
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out. In my searching, I slowly developed what I call my “stained glass” style. This process lends itself to working with acrylics and I was able to switch over to working on canvas and away from frames and glass.
How does your process work? I start with a pencil drawing that consists of what I call “cells.” I then go over these pencil lines with a Sharpie pen. Each of these cells is filled with an average of seven layers of color. I start with a transparent color to fill in and get rid of all the white. I don’t mix colors on my palette. I build up color in layers which then creates new colors. This also allows colors underneath to show through. I finish with a more opaque layer which ties everything together. My goal is to have light shine through my
AUTUMN AT 301
AUGUST: ABSTRACT GORGE SEPTEMBER: HOT OFF THE PRESS OCTOBER: CLAY AND GLASS NOVEMBER: ENCORE! “stained glass” and let it transport the viewer to another way of seeing. My work is derived from photographs which I take while enjoying the out-of-doors.
Where do you get inspiration for your art? My inspiration comes from nature, from the panoramic landscape to the minute detail of a flower. The beauty of creation is everywhere, one just needs to look. Albrect Durer said, “…Art is embedded in nature. And the artist who can extract it has it.” And from Rumi:“The inspiration you seek is already inside you. Be still and listen.” You just show up and trust the source.
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What do you find most satisfying about your work? Creating art is my passion. When I am at my easel, I am totally absorbed in what I’m doing. Painting is like meditation to me. When I let go of trying to control the painting, it takes on its own life. I might start with a plan, but the painting has a mind of its own. I never know what is going to come of it. I have to put down one color and then the next color reveals itself to me. And on it goes.
What is it like to be an artist in the Gorge? The Gorge has been good to me and for me. There is an endless reservoir of material to draw from. In addition, the Gorge has a strong art community built of both creators and supporters of art. My own art has improved significantly through the comradery of artists who are willing to share and to help strengthen and promote one another in their art.
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KAREN SARÓ TROEGER book arts | jewelry touchthesky.net
Karen Saró Troeger, above and bottom right images
What was your artistic path? I graduated with a communications degree, but when I made my first sheet of handmade paper at a calligraphy conference in 1984, I had a sudden revelation, a vision really, that I would make colorful journals for people to write in and it would be my calling. It would be a way of encouraging others to write, to grow, to follow their dreams and to look inside themselves.
I discovered the medium of tin for jewelry about 12 years ago. I was working in my studio one day, hammering out brass shapes to use on bookmarks for my journals. In a blur, I reached for a decorative tin box nearby, instead of the brass sheet, and hammered my first tin charms. It was too synchronistic, too useful, and too charming not to pursue this as an addition to my bookmaking arts.
A few months later I moved to Portland from Springfield, Mo., to attend Oregon School of Arts and Crafts. After an internship in Rosendale, N.Y., I returned and started my business selling my handmade books, made with my handmade and hand-decorated paper. I spread the message of book arts, which was having a renaissance at the time, at art fairs and markets, Portland Saturday Market, by helping start the Oregon Book Arts Guild, and also as a teacher in the Oregon Arts in Education program for years.
How does your process work?
How did you arrive at your medium?
For my jewelry, I take decorative tin boxes apart with metal cutting tools. I then flatten them, hammer out the tiny shapes, drill miniature holes, and design and assemble them into one-of-a-kind earrings.
I’ve been a book lover since a young age and always created little libraries around me, with shelves and a cozy chair and private space. When I got older and enjoyed fine writing and poetry, I found calligraphy to be a good craft practice and studied it diligently, which led me to other book arts like handmade paper, bookbinding, letterpress and printmaking. 42
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In bookmaking, there are many steps and it’s a fairly long process. I generally work on editions of journals, maybe 20 at a time, for at least 2-3 weeks. I cut out book covers from large full sides of leather, which are then trimmed meticulously. I hand fold, punch and trim paper signatures so they are ready for sewing. I hand-sew the book pages to the leather in a historical style called longstitch, and incorporate pocket pages, endpapers, linen thread and my signature on the back page, “Since 1988.”
Where do you get inspiration for your art? I feel a special purpose in making books as vessels for containing art,
Glenwood Valley 4’ x 2’ Oil
magic, stories, history, creativity. I love that these books will last a lifetime. I love that they are a traditional craft and that I am filling a need for people to continue feeling paper with their fingertips and writing on real surfaces with a utensil. I love that my books are a collaboration with the owner. My journals are not actually complete until they have been written or drawn in. My jewelry is so fun to make and is so active. Hammering, shaping, drilling, moving around the studio. I like to think I am upcycling to something more valuable from a common tin. I also love making people happy, and I love to share my large collection of tins.
What do you find most satisfying about your work? When customers bring their journals to show me what they have recorded, or tell me about the adventure they took my book on, or how much my journal meant to them at a difficult time. I also love walking to my studio through my garden. I have studio space inside my house, too, because it’s an art house, and dedicated largely to the creative life. So, after more than 30 years, I feel proud and satisfied that I’ve somehow managed to live my vision.
What is it like to be an artist in the Gorge? Sometimes it’s a little lonely. Most of us artists and artisans live far away from each other. But I relish the solitude every day because I have so many projects to work on. Being part of Art on Oak in Hood River is a blessing. I’m in amazement that I get to live in this magical place, and that there are such wonderful people here who support artisans, buy our work, and believe in our value. I feel a lot of gratitude, and certainly wonder and awe at my surroundings every single day.
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ANDY NICHOLS glass
nicholsartglass.com
Robbie Denning
What was your artistic path? My journey as a glass artist is the pursuit of form and color. The art of glass blowing is where my heart is and has consumed me for 25 years now. Each day I fire up the studio, I want to look beyond my last piece and strive to make a better form. I challenge myself each day to understand what needs to happen to achieve what my mind is thinking. This passion for perfection is what drives me as an artist. I learned at an early age that I’m here on earth to create. My heart and soul are drawn to that process. Hopefully, people see that commitment and passion through my art and want to be a part of that. 44
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Robbie Denning
How did you arrive at your medium? I started my glass journey in the 1980s at Killbuck Creek Stained Glass Studio in Rockford, Ill. It was just a part-time job but gave me the skillset to understand what glass was all about. It wasn’t until the mid90s that I discovered hot glass. This was a huge experience for me that expanded my curiosity for glass work exponentially. From then on, hot glass has been my primary focus as an artist.
How does your process work? My process is what I would describe as deliberate. I take a long time on my subject matter to fully explore it. Case in point, fish. I have been working on fish for almost 23 years. Many people ask, how long does it take to make a fish? In the studio, it’s 18 hours. But in reality, it is a continuum and the process is ongoing. It is a lifetime of study to perfect forming glass into the essence of the fish form.
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Where do you get inspiration for your art? Water obviously is an inspiration to me, and all that is in it. The natural world is intriguing. Colors, shapes and the forms that occur in nature like fish, shells and flowers inspire me. Working with the glass is a challenging and inspiring process. By taking a medium from a fluid to a solid state, I am challenged to somehow keep the energy of the fluid motion in the final piece.
What do you find most satisfying about your work? The daily challenge of finessing hot glass into the form and colors I want for each piece is my main driver. There is always something new to strive for. For example, in nature a fish’s mouth will change in shape and color throughout its life. I want to understand and capture this specific point in time in the fish’s mouth. These details are extremely difficult to execute, but ultimately this is what drives me.
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What is it like to be an artist in the Gorge? The Columbia River Gorge is the perfect place for me as a glass artist with the subject matter I am exploring. From the basalt rock formations to the tumultuous Columbia River and the natural beauty that surrounds us, it makes for the perfect location for my glass studio and gallery.
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JINX GRISWOLD painting
Courtesy of Jinx Griswold, images on the left
jinxgriswoldart.com
What was your artistic path? I began my artistic path with a small box of crayons and paper my mother scrounged for me, which I would color on the back of. Sometimes I would score a coloring book, which I liked a lot, except for being told I needed to stay within the lines. Finger paint was a lot of fun and there were no lines to stifle my creativity. Then I grew up and my dream of becoming an artist didn’t turn out exactly as I had imagined it.
How did you arrive at your medium? Marriage and career didn’t stifle my desire to be an artist, but it redirected it in ways I never imagined. I studied pottery for two years in college. I taught myself to sew and embroider, turning my children’s clothing into art. I sketched, and those were the days when we made sand candles and macrame. After I retired, I studied the art of Zentangle, took a course to teach it and was certified. I began teaching it and the more I practiced that art form, the more I realized that for me black and white wasn’t enough. Enter color! I broke the rules, went 46
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out of the lines by adding color to my art. That led me to acrylics and encaustics and mixed media in general. I combine paint, fabric, paper, stitching, found objects, you name it, to create wall art, clothing and journals.
How does your process work?
You’re asking someone who still uses crayons in her art how my process works! I have a whole studio filled with art and art supplies. Every day I do something artistic. I decide which medium and what I want to accomplish. Maybe I want to replenish my card stash (I love sending snail mail), or I have someone who needs to be uplifted so I will begin a special journal to give them. Sometimes I just want to work “big.” I grab a large canvas and begin to layer paint. I don’t begin with the picture of the finished product in my head. I let my inner artist decide that as I go along. I am just the one who wields the brush and splatters the paint. She’ll tell me what colors to use and when I’m finished. If I quit too soon, she won’t let me sleep until it is finished in her mind.
HO
OD RIVER
EXPLORE the HOOD RIVER Fruit Loop Visit all twenty-six of our member farm stands. Enjoy the bounty of award-winning wines & ciders, fruits, vegetables, flowers, delicious food, and artisan gifts. Experience spectacular scenery and breathtaking views of majestic Mt. Hood! Avoid the crowds by coming mid-week. Please pick up a map along the way, or visit our website.
Where do you get inspiration for your art? The things that can trigger inspiration and the desire to make art can be a color, feeling or emotion, what I have on hand to work with, or an idea — mine or someone else’s. In 2020, there was a lot of talk in the artistic community about how Covid was affecting us as artists. I wasn’t sure it was, at first. After all, artists work alone and spend much of our time alone. Isn’t that what Covid was trying to get everyone to do? It hit me later that it wasn’t the time alone, it was how some people I cared for were so fearful that they cut most people out of their lives entirely, thinking that would keep them safe. That saddened me. About that time, I realized my art was evolving. My color pallette was changing, my brush strokes were larger and bolder, I was layering paper and adding shapes I’d never used before. Was it an attempt to replace the negativity around me with joy and happiness in the form of my art? Was it Covid and the increased isolation? Was it a response to rejection? I can’t really say, but I was inspired by the circumstances of my life to paint, paint big, and paint bold.
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What do you find most satisfying about your work?
Art is a form of meditation for me. Even in the most trying of times, if I can begin creating something, my mind will focus on the project, joy fills my heart and temporarily I can put those things that trouble me into a box and close the top.
What is it like to be an artist in the Gorge?
Being an artist in the Gorge has been a very pleasant experience for me. I still have some of my early art that was absolutely awful. I keep it to remind me of where I started and how far I’ve come over the years. Mostly, though, I keep it to remind me of how gracious and kind the art community has always been to me in the Gorge. I was putting out some real crap and I was still invited to participate in shows, treated with love and kindness and encouraged along my way by other artists.
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OUTSIDE
Come One, Come All Newly protected properties will be designed for inclusive recreation story and photos by CATE HOTCHKISS
F
or years, Friends of the Columbia Gorge Land Trust Director Dan Bell had been eyeing a rare gem: a four-acre plot in the heart of the stunning Catherine Creek recreation area near Lyle, Wash. “As one of the last private properties amid 4,000 acres of protected public lands, it held the potential to expand preservation efforts, and enhance the space’s overall accessibility,” Bell says. Then, over Memorial Day weekend in 2020, the parcel was listed for sale. Given the current competitive real estate market, Bell and his team wasted no time submitting an offer. While closing on that purchase, Bell was presented with another unexpected opportunity: the option to secure 50 acres, a combination of two adjoining ownerships abutting the upper Cape Horn trail system in Skamania County. The owners, with whom Friends had developed a relationship spanning 15 years, were finally in a position to sell. “I have been working with land trusts for more than two decades, and chances like these are few and far between,” Bell says. “And I knew our window could be short.” By mid-December, Friends had acquired both properties. CREATING SHARED SPACES
While located on opposite ends of the Gorge, Friends’ new parcels possessed similar attributes: river views, road access, and relatively level terrain—ideal for designing spaces usable by all people, regardless of ability level or age. “Truly inclusive recreation areas are limited in the Gorge,” says Mika Barrett, Friends accessibility project manager. “Most trails traverse rugged, hilly landscapes, and are often out of reach for many groups, such as people with disabilities, young children, and elderly folks.” 48
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Furthermore, existing universal access trails are not always barrier-free, she explains. For instance, the paved one-mile loop at Catherine Creek offers breathtaking views of Mount Hood and lush native wildflowers; however, the parking area, a gravel shoulder along Old Highway 8, requires visitors to cross a busy road. And although the path is primarily flat, it does include several steep inclines, and is occasionally impeded by fallen, gnarled limbs and branches, the debris from wind-whipped oaks and pines. “For someone with mobility limitations, these types of physical obstacles can instantly derail an excursion and dampen their enjoyment and sense of belonging in the outdoors,” Barrett says. “The natural wonders of the Gorge should be welcoming and accessible for all.”
The paved loop trail at Catherine Creek is designed for universal access, including families with young kids. Dan Bell and Mika Barrett of Friends of the Columbia Gorge, above, plan for more inclusive recreation trails.
To that end, she is spearheading a recreation planning process through spring 2022 to engage a diverse coalition of stakeholders in reimagining and redesigning the new spaces. They will tackle interrelated issues, such as habitat conservation and restoration; inclusion and gathering areas; and universal access principles — all before any potential construction begins, or the areas become available for public use. “These projects are unique because, instead of trying to retroactively make adjustments to existing infrastructures, we are committed to shaping them, from day one, with an emphasis on creating spaces that
can be used by all people to the greatest extent possible,” she says. Barrett hopes the outcome, however it coalesces and materializes, could serve as a model for how land managers, both public and private, can better protect and steward vital lands, across the Gorge and beyond, by inviting everyone to share in the bounty of the great outdoors. To learn more, visit gorgefriends.org/access
Cate Hotchkiss is a freelance writer and photographer who lives in Hood River with her husband, two children, and their labradoodle.
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ARTS + CULTURE
Photographer John Chao chronicles 50 years of adventures in a new book story by RUTH BERKOWITZ | photos by JOHN CHAO
L
Courtesy of John Chao
ast February as snow fell fiercely in the Gorge, forcing I-84 to shut down intermittently, John Chao braved the weather. After taking a Covid test, he packed his suitcase and drove from his home in Mosier to the Portland airport where he boarded a nearly empty flight to Seattle and then to Seoul,
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Darrell Jones
Life Through a Lens South Korea. Pursuant to pandemic protocol in that country, Korean authorities dressed in hazmat suits, face shields and masks greeted Chao when he disembarked and escorted him to a small hotel room, where he quarantined for two weeks. The quarantine was fortuitous, even a “blessing of sorts,” Chao says, because it gave him time to work on his book, 50-Year Vision Quest. Chao, who was born in Taiwan and spent the first decade of his childhood in Peru and Brazil before his family settled in Michigan, originally planned to print his photographic memoir in China. However, the Chinese government demanded he remove two of his photographs. Chao felt that he couldn’t change history, but he could change printers. So, he found a top-notch printer in Korea and got to work. In the 12-by-20-foot hotel room, Chao tuned all 500 of his photographs, making sure the color specs matched the Korean printer’s profile. Chao was used to this tedious type of work from his days as editor and publisher of the award-winning American Windsurfer magazine. The result is a stunning, museum-quality book documenting Chao’s life as a photojournalist and adventurer. The 264-page book is not only visually captivating but also a page-turner, full of enthralling stories detailing a life well lived — or as Chao puts it, “a life well received.” “The camera was a passport to adventure,” Chao tells me as we sit in the living room of his Mosier home. His 6-foot-2-inch frame serves him well as a photographer, allowing him to stand over crowds and empowering him with a physical presence that has sparked memorable expressions. With the west wind shaking the oak trees outside and rattling the windows, Chao reflects on his past.
John Chao, inset, has photographed subjects all over the world, including one-time presidential candidate John Kerry windsurfing in Massachusetts, top, and a pair of Tibetan mastiffs he encountered while en route to Mount Everest.
In a way, Chao’s home is a metaphor for of his life. It had no concrete plans, no intricate architectural blueprints, but it is intriguing and stunning. He bought the eight-acre property in 2005 while looking for land for his girlfriend’s 30 dogs (she was a breeder). A few years later, when he started building his home, local resident Israel Urenda knocked on his door to see if he needed help. Since Urenda and his brother were skilled in stone and stucco work, Chao decided to use their talents. The stone walls and fireplace evolved with a focus on the magical view of Mount Hood. The deck, also constructed with rock, contains an outdoor pizza oven where many
John Chao’s book, left, documents his life as a photojournalist and adventurer. It features hundreds of photos taken over the last 50 years — including the first image he sold, right, to the Chicago Tribune in 1970.
have gathered over the years. The greenhouse this summer is hot and fertile, overflowing with sweet tomatoes. “I never set out to be a photojournalist,” says Chao. In fact, his parents had hoped he would become a doctor like his sister. But he was the black sheep of the family, in no hurry to get through college, much less go to medical school. “I squeezed four years at Wheaton College into eight,” he says, smiling and shaking his salt-and-pepper shoulder-length hair. In 1970, 17-year-old Chao became interested in photography and the darkroom while working on the high school yearbook. It just so happened, while roaming the streets of Flossmoor, Ill., with a camera in hand, that Chao snapped a photograph of a burning building and submitted
Encaustic Art by Donna Woods
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John Chao photographed a young boy in the remote Darien Jungle in Panama in 1973, left, and Bill Clinton in 1979 when he was governor of Arkansas, above.
it to the Chicago Tribune, receiving $25 and validation for the image. When he developed the photograph, Chao noticed the silhouette of a firefighter that made the image even more intriguing. “The camera saw something far more interesting than just a burning building!” Chao writes in his book. “This discovery made
me realize I had better pay attention to what the camera sees rather than what I observed. It was eye-opening.” Chao took this lesson and appreciation of the camera with him when he worked for GEO magazine and the Topeka Capital-Journal newspaper. His images, some of which appeared on the cover of The New York Times, Newsweek, Fortune and other prestigious publications, require you to look deeper, notice more, whether it’s Bill Clinton’s beaming grin or the dreamy look of a young Wounaan boy living in Panama’s remote Darien jungle.
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“When you don’t have expectations for life, you experience beyond your expectations,” Chao says philosophically, recounting his experience with his friend Walter Ordway, who lived with Chao in Mosier for nearly a year. Ordway had biked around the world for 23 years and met countless interesting people, including the Dalai Lama. In one of their many fireside chats, Ordway told Chao, “I learned early on that life can make better decisions than you can make. Your job is to stay out of the way.”
A father and his young son walk down a road in Taiwan in 1980, left. A Chinese man in Lhasa, Tibet, grins with the Potala Palace in the background, 2018, right.
Living in the moment has enabled Chao to gather friends from all walks of life, many of whom appear in his book. His website has a section titled Friends where he has chronicled thousands of pictures of his friends and their individual stories. He writes, “They are enshrined by the blink of a camera’s eye, providing reference, a road-map and a testament to Living Art.” Chao’s love of windsurfing lured him to settle in the Gorge. It also gave him a slot at the 1984 Olympics where he represented Taiwan. Perhaps one of the most intriguing stories relating to windsurfing is his friendship with John Kerry.
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In 1998, when Chao’s American Windsurfer magazine was headquartered in New Hampshire, Chao wanted to interview Kerry, then Senator of Massachusetts. Kerry’s press secretary allotted Chao 30 minutes for an interview at Kerry’s Nantucket home. When Chao arrived, he found Kerry lugging a windsurfer out of his garage. Chao ditched the interview. Kerry had extra equipment and they windsurfed together for days. Their friendship deepened as the two met up in other windy spots, including San Francisco, Aruba, Hood River and Maui. Later in the year, Chao met Kerry away from the water, on the floor of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. He wrote an extensive and personal article which he published in American Windsurfer: “John Kerry: The Windsurfer who Could be President.” Chao’s intuition sparked him to publish 20,000 extra copies of the magazine. “This nearly bankrupted me, and we didn’t sell any extra copies,” Chao chuckles. But eight years later, when Kerry ran for president, Chao happily distributed the remaining copies, hoping it would help Kerry’s campaign. As I marvel at the images and stories in Chao’s book, I think about the similarities between photography and windsurfing in that they are both transformable. John Kerry is now a kiteboarder. “Today everyone is a photographer,” Chao says, adding that the world of photojournalism has changed. He reflects on this change in his book, noting “The digital world has liberated the gods of serendipity! Images once restricted by the number of frames on a roll of film are today unfathomable in the ever-growing megabyte to gigabyte to terabyte capacity.” So, Chao is pivoting to scriptwriting. Two years ago, he finished writing a movie script titled Hello Dalai about Walter Ordway’s rambling life and his encounter with the Dalai Lama. Turning a script into a film is no easy task, but for Chao, it’s just his next quest in a life made full through curiosity and adventure. To learn more, and purchase the book, visit johnchao.com. A book celebration and signing are set for Sept. 25 at MoonMountain Highway in Bingen, Wash. Ruth Berkowitz lives in the moment and loves adventure. She came to the Gorge for windsurfing and when not out on her bike or the water, she is a mediator in Hood River.
AERIAL
PHOTOGRAPHY & CINEMATOGRAPHY
PETERSON PRO MEDIA 541-399-2259 petersonpromedia.com
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ALLERGIES IN THE GORGE: NOT JUST A SEASONAL PROBLEM
T
he allergy season in the Columbia River Gorge can be a real challenge for many people. The Gorge is unique in that we are in a wind-dominated corridor; we get allergens/pollens from the east and west, depending on the prevailing wind, as well as our local allergens. Some plant pollens do have predominant seasons, but it is common for patients to be allergic to different things in multiple seasons. Wintertime allergens are frequently mold and dust mites. Tree pollen allergies dominate spring. In summer, grass pollens prevail and can be particularly problematic and long-lasting. This is also the time of year when stinging insect allergies cause problems that can be life-threatening for the sensitive allergic patient. Fall takes us into the weed season. Patients with animal allergies (including household pets) suffer all year around. Common allergy symptoms include: fatigue due to poor sleep, stuffy or runny nose, drainage in the back of your throat, cough, difficulty controlling asthma and/or eczema, itchy eyes, and sometimes rash or anaphylaxis. There are several measures you can take in your home if you are allergic. If you have wintertime symptoms, you should invest in dust mite covers for your mattress and pillows. You will want to minimize “clutter” in your sleeping area. If you were thinking about getting rid of carpet in your bedroom, you can add one more reason to your list. You can also add an air filter to your sleeping space. If you have animal allergies, you don’t need to get rid of your pets but if you can keep them out of your sleeping space and the area you spend the most time each day, you can minimize exposure. If you have forced air heat, you will
COMPREHENSIVE ALLERGY TESTING AND TREATMENT SPECIALTY ENT CARE We’re open in our NEW LOCATION at 1784 May St., in the Hood River Heights. Our clinic features a large, family-friendly waiting area and an expanded allergy testing and treatment space. Free parking is available in the clinic parking lot. We’re committed to providing personalized, comprehensive care for all ages in a friendly, patient-centered environment. In addition to comprehensive allergy testing & treatment, we provide specialty ENT care for:
Sinus Disease Asthma Ear infections Meniere’s Disease Ear Wax Vertigo
Earaches Tinnitus Hearing Loss Hoarseness Tonsils & Adenoids Sore Throat
Hyperthyroidism Salivary Gland Disease Thyroid Disease/Goiter LPRD/GERD Parathyroid Disease Pediatric ENT Health
want to make sure you change the filters annually. Allergen vacuum bags are also a good idea and are inexpensive and easy to find (Ace hardware, Home Depot etc.). When allergies become problematic enough that they prevent you from pursuing normal activities such as exercise, outdoor recreation, enjoying public gatherings or eating out, it is time to seek medical counseling. Allergy testing and specific treatment based on the results of these tests can drastically improve quality of life and sleep for most allergic patients, and be life saving for those who suffer from anaphylactic level reactions.
Dr. Mendy Maccabee, Board Certified ENT and Allergy Care FACS, FAAOA Left to right: Cathie Ward RNBSN, Gabriela Benavides CMA, Stephanie Serak Office Manager, Mendy Maccabee MD FACS FAAOA, Amanda Alvarez MA, Lisa Sponhauer NP
1784 May St., Hood River, OR 97031 • O: 541-436-3880 • F: 541-436-3881 • mendymaccabeeENT.com
WELLNESS
Honoring the Circle of Life Mosier’s Great River combines natural burial with ecology education story by JANET COOK | photos courtesy of GREAT RIVER
M
ost of us don’t like to think about death, much less our own death and what will become of us when it happens. Russell Hargrave didn’t either. But when his younger brother Robert died in 2009, that changed. Robert was cremated and after the funeral service, his ashes were distributed among several relatives. “I felt that one of the biggest shortcomings of how we dealt with his passing was that there was no place to memorialize him, no place where I might go to think about him, and find another
friend of his doing the same,” Hargrave said. “It left a yearning for solace that continues to this day.” Later, Hargrave moved his mother to the Gorge so she could be close to him and his family as she aged. He and his wife Stephanie began to think about what his mother’s endof-life plan would be. Then, they took the next logical leap. “I turned to my wife and, for the first time in my life, we looked at each other and asked, what are we going to do?” he said. “We looked Russell Hargrave, above, founded Great River two years ago, and has buried two family members there. 56
FALL 2021 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE
ER NEW
NOW
OPEN!
Russell Hargrave’s mother was buried at Great River in 2019, opposite top, and his brother Randy earlier this year, opposite bottom. Burial sites at the natural cemetery range from open meadows to forests of oak and pine.
out around this place, the home we built and the land we love.” Hargrave bought his initial 10-acre property in Mosier in 1990 and has lived there ever since, buying adjacent properties over the years when they became available. He and Stephanie were married on the land in 2000, and they have raised their 15-year-old twins there. While the answer to their question seemed clear, it brought up many more questions. Could they be buried on their land? How is it done? What will become of the property in a hundred years — who will own it? “I personally don’t want to be preserved,” Hargrave said. “I want to give back to the earth at the end of my life, instead of taking from it.” His research led him to natural or “green” burial, a practice that has grown in recent years as people seek a more environmentally-friendly hereafter — one connected with nature and its lifecycles and eschewing the accoutrements of traditional burial like chemical-heavy embalming, elaborate caskets and concrete vaults. Traditional burial is also increasingly a land-use issue, given that cemetery arrivals far outpace departures. “We came around to green burial because it fits,” Hargrave said. Figuring he wouldn’t be the only one interested in a final resting place amid nature in the beautiful hills outside Mosier, the quest to create a natural cemetery began. That was more than two years ago. Since then, Hargrave has been steadily working on his plan, with licensing underway that will have Great River, as it’s named, being one of the only exclusively green cemeteries in Oregon. It has three occupied burial sites so far — Hargrave’s mother and another brother, Randy, who died in May, as well as a Gorge resident who died in February 2020. Like most quests borne of the heart, Hargrave’s has evolved over time. Regulations, opportunity and Mother Nature have all played a part. Hargrave’s initial vision had the natural cemetery sited on 80 acres of his 195-acre property. He got the necessary permitting and in April 2019 when his mother died, she was buried on a ridge above Dry Creek Canyon, becoming Great River’s first cemetery occupant. Then, an opportunity came along to purchase a property that abutted his which seemed better suited for Great River. Hargrave had long eyed that property, which along with expansive views included a defunct RV
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THE GORGE MAGAZINE II FALL 2021
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park dating to the 1970s. There were several old campground buildings that Hargrave envisioned being repurposed for Great River, including a large hall for indoor life celebrations. Everything finally aligned and Hargrave closed on the 155-acre parcel at the end of July 2020. Less than two weeks later, the Mosier Creek Fire erupted and burned across the property, churning through stands of pine and oak. “We lost 100 acres of trees,” Hargrave said. Several of the buildings were also destroyed, including the large hall. As someone who has immersed himself in lifecycles of late, Hargrave was philosophical about it. “The fire erased a lot of habitat,” he said, “but it opened up a lot of habitat.” As Hargrave and a crew worked to clear out burned trees and vegetation — a process that continued this last summer — he also redrew the cemetery site to include acreage on the new land. An application is in the works for county approval of the new site, which includes six and a half acres of dedicated cemetery area spanning both the original and the new property.
Russell Hargrave stands with the simple casket he built for his mother to buried in, left. The Mosier Creek Fire burned across the Great River property in 2020, right.
Plans are to eventually expand the cemetery into other parts of the property with different natural features. As of now, it spans sloped meadows and lightly forested areas. “The vision is to extend the cemetery into other types of places with different options” for burial plots, Hargrave said. Natural burial tends to be participatory, with loved ones often digging the gravesite, building a biodegradable casket (natural burial also allows for interment in cloth shrouds) and transporting the deceased to the site. Great River invites as much or as little participation as is wanted, and will provide all the associated services if requested.
Time to get a vasectomy? Make an appointment with The Oregon Clinic Urology for a quick, worry-free procedure done in just one office visit. Our board-certified urologist, Dr. Amanda VanDlac, provides exceptional care and treatment for all urologic conditions.
UROLOGY HOOD RIVER
(503) 488-2323 | oregonclinic.com 1790 May Street, Hood River, OR 97031
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MCMC ORTHO - Gorge Mag - Full page 2021
Sports Medicine & Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Orthopedic Surgery Surgery
1901
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MINIMALLY INVASIVE SPINE & PAIN SPECIALISTS
Vertebral Compression Fracture Spinal stenosis Spinal nerve pain and Arthritis
Over the summer, children from Let’s Get Out, a Hood River-based outdoor adventure and education company, helped to plant trees and make signs at Great River.
Trails provide access through the cemetery, and visitors will be invited to explore the land. The goal, he said, is for it to be a place where people can come and connect not only with a deceased loved one, but also with nature. “That’s what we hope we can do with this land, and the solace it can provide,” Hargrave said. To that end, Hargrave has expanded the vision of Great River to include ecology and placebased education. “We envision something where kids could learn about the cycle of life in animals,” he said, perhaps studying them on the land and then walking through the cemetery “so the idea of death is more ‘normal.’ Or at least not scary.” Over the summer, Let’s Get Out, a Hood Riverbased outdoor adventure and education company, helped plant trees and make signs at the site. Hargrave also has been working with architects to design a new building to replace the large hall that burned down. The existing foundation will be the base for a multi-use building with space for indoor memorials and life celebrations as well as a “discovery center,” a room where people can learn about green burial practices and about the Great River site — including the ecology of the area and its historical use by Native Americans. Family and adolescent grief programs could also be held there. Work continues apace this fall at Great River, where Hargrave is drawing on his career as an engineer, tech executive and entrepreneur to create a place that is part green cemetery, part life celebration and ceremony venue, and part ecology and grief education center — all of it enveloped in nature. “We’ve been calling this the full circle of life cemetery,” Hargrave said. “We want it to be as interesting for the living as it is peaceful for the deceased.” To learn more, visit greatriveroregon.org
541-386-9500 1010 10TH ST HOOD RIVER 3601 KLINDT DR SUITE 200 THE DALLES 6542 SE LAKE RD SUITE 100 MILWAUKIE columbiapain.org
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Creating Healthy Smiles For A Lifetime! The premier pediatric dental specialists in the gorge! At A Kidz Dental Zone we believe that every child deserves quality dental care, and we are doingour part to make safety a priority for everyone. Is it time for the kids to get a dental checkup? Come see us at A Kidz Dental Zone in The Dalles and Hood River, the Gorge’s Big Authority...on Little Teeth!!
J. Kyle House DDS, FAAPD Pediatric Dentist
Steven Wohlford DMD, FAAPD Pediatric Dentist
Free dental exams for children 2 and undeR
541.387.8688 419 State St. Suite 4 Hood River
541.296.8901
1935 E. 19th St. Suite 200 The Dalles
S O L E A
Offering dental laser technology Anesthesia and pain free dentistry
PARTAKE I COOK WITH US
Pan con Tomate
with Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe and photos by KACIE MCMACKIN
This “recipe” is more of a collection of favorite things on one platter: the end of summer/early fall tomatoes, preferably from your own garden or that of a friend; a fresh baguette from Pine Street Bakery or White Salmon Baking Co. turned into pan con tomate; Burrata (stracciatella and cream encased in fresh mozzarella) from The Farm Stand; Italian Talatta brand anchovies in olive oil (also from The Farm Stand); and fresh, homemade basil pesto. It’s almost enough on a platter to gastronomically transport oneself to Spain and/or Italy ... though there are few places on Earth I’d rather be in the fall than the Gorge. PAN CON TOMATE Cut a meaty tomato in half to expose the juice and flesh. Heat olive oil in a pan until it just begins to sizzle. Place slices of baguette in the oil until they begin to toast and turn golden. Carefully remove them from the pan, allow them a few moments to get cool enough to handle, and rub the exposed tomato half against the toasted baguette. Sprinkle with flake salt and serve immediately.
BASIL PESTO
Pair with: COR Estate Vineyard : 2020 AGO Tocai Friulano Syncline Wine Cellars : 2016 Scintillation Blanc de Noir Sparkling Wine – Brut Marchesi Vineyard : 2019 Emma Sangiovese 62
FALL 2021 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE
Ingredients
Directions
• 5 cups basil leaves, packed • 3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted • 1 clove garlic, peeled • 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt • 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (you probably won’t use all of this) • 1 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Put the basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse until it’s finely chopped. Scrape down the sides. Turn the blender back on and slowly stream in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth, creamy and thick. Transfer the pesto to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
FOUR NORTHWEST TASTING ROOMS FEATURING FULL BISTRO MENUS
PARTAKE I EAT & DRINK
BACKWOODS BREWING COMPANY
BRIDGESIDE
541-296-5666 • baldwinsaloon.com 205 Court Street • The Dalles
541-374-8477 • bridgesidedining.com Exit 44 off I-84, Cascade Locks
Backwoods Brewing is family owned and located in Carson, WA. Established in 2012, we offer delicious beers, hand-made pizzas, outdoor seating, and welcome all ages.
Celebrating its reopening, the Baldwin Saloon offers a traditional American fine dining experience. The menu includes dishes made with exceptional ingredients and artisanship. Serves quality homemade food, fresh meats, seafood, breads, pastas, and desserts. Try our new takeout cocktails!
Stunning views next to the Bridge of the Gods – Bridgeside (formerly Charburger) serves tasty char-broiled burgers plus an extensive menu of breakfast items, chowders, fish & chips, salads, sandwiches, and desserts. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with friendly service.
Open daily: 11:30am-9pm
Open Mon-Sat | Fine dining in The Dalles Pickup & Delivery available | Order online
Gift shop • Special event room & terrace
BRODER ØST
CASA EL MIRADOR FAMILY MEXICAN RESTAURANT
CELILO RESTAURANT & BAR
541-436-3444 • brodereast.com 102 Oak St. Suite 100 • Hood River Offering Nordic inspired breakfast and lunch to the gorge. Something new and exciting for the whole family to enjoy. Come try traditional recipes such as aebleskiver (danish pancakes), swedish meatballs, norwegian lefse (potato crepes) and lots more!
541-298-7388 • casaelmirador.com 1424 West 2nd Street • The Dalles
541-386-5710 • celilorestaurant.com 16 Oak Street • Downtown Hood River
Celebrating over 15 years, Celilo began with a desire to honor the bounty of the Northwest. Our ever-changing menu reflects the seasonal highlights of the region’s growers and foragers. We offer the most innovative in fresh, local cuisine as well as an award-winning wine list, full bar, small plate menu, and happy hour.
#broderost
Quality Mexican food prepared with the freshest and finest ingredients. Warm, friendly service and a lively atmosphere. Indulge in generous portions of flavorful sizzling fajitas, fish tacos, savory enchilada dishes and daily specials. Drink specials & Happy Hour menu from 4-7pm, Mon-Fri. Full service bar, take-out menu, gift certificates and catering services. Open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week.
DOPPIO COFFEE
EL PUERTO DE ANGELES III
EVERYBODY’S BREWING
Relax on our beautiful patio in the heart of Hood River. Enjoy a hand crafted, in-house roasted espresso drink. Serving breakfast and lunch all day: panini sandwiches, fresh salads, smoothies and fresh baked pastries and goodies. Gluten free options available. Free Wi-Fi and our patio is dog friendly. Our tables are spaced apart and disinfected after each guest.
We are open and happy to serve you. Authentic Jalisco Cuisine. We provide a safe dining experience. Enjoy good food and good times. Offering daily lunch and dinner specials, served all day. Happy Hour Mon-Fri. Outdoor dining available (weather permitting).
Everybody’s sits nestled on the cliffs of White Salmon, overlooking the Columbia River Gorge. With awardwinning beers, globally-inspired food, welcoming atmosphere, and picturesque views of Mt. Hood, you’ll quickly discover why Everybody’s is a Gorge favorite.
Open Daily 10am-9pm Dine-In or Takeout
Visit Website for Updated Hours | Indoor/Outdoor Dining and Takeout (Order Online or Call)
We look forward to serving you!
541-386-3000 • doppiohoodriver.com 310 Oak Street • Downtown Hood River
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BALDWIN SALOON
509-427-3412 • backwoodsbrewingcompany.com 1162 Wind River Hwy • Carson
FALL 2021 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE
541-308-0005 1306 12th Street • Hood River, on the Heights
Open Tuesday-Sunday at 5pm
509.637.2774 • everybodysbrewing.com 177 E. Jewett Boulevard • White Salmon
PARTAKE I EAT & DRINK
GRACE SU’S CHINA GORGE RESTAURANT & TIGER LOUNGE 541-386-5331 • chinagorge.com 2680 Old Columbia River Drive • Hood River (Located off I-84 and the base of Hwy 35)
A Gorge favorite for over 41 years! Enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine full of flavor and our friendly service. Open Tuesday-Sunday, closed Mondays Takeout with curbside service Visit us on Facebook for hours & information updates
PFRIEM FAMILY BREWERS
GROUND ESPRESSO BAR & CAFE
THE LITTLE SEVEN SEVEN RANCH HIGHLAND BEEF
Get your daily fuel for your Gorge sports and activities here! A long time locals favorite coffee house and eatery, Ground features fresh in-house roasted coffee, house made pastries and cookies with lots of gluten free options. We make our soups from scratch every day and source mostly local and organic ingredients. Nitro cold brew on tap.
Grass-Fed Highland beef from our ranch to your home. Email to discuss beef preferences and we will assemble a $250 or $500 semi-custom box for contactless pick-up. Boxes include steaks, roasts and ground beef. Or: Visit us at our Lyle Ranch Shop to shop in a safe, open space.
541-386-4442 • groundhoodriver.com 12 Oak Street • Downtown Hood River
509-767-7130 • L77Ranch.com
Ranch pick-up for boxes: by appointment, daily Ranch Shop: by appointment, Saturday and Sunday
541-321-0490 • pfriembeer.com 707 Portway Avenue, Suite 101 • Hood River Waterfront
541-716-4020 • remedycafehoodriver.com 112 Third Street • Downtown Hood River
REMEDY CAFÉ
RIVERSIDE & CEBU LOUNGE
pFriem artisanal beers are symphonies of flavor and balance, influenced by the great brewers of Europe, but unmistakably true to our homegrown roots in the Pacific Northwest. Although they are served humbly, each glass is overflowing with pride and a relentless aspiration to brew the best beer in the world. We’ll let you decide.
Organic juice, smoothies, bowls, burritos & salads. House-made almond and coconut milks. Vegan and paleo options. Best quality organic and local ingredients. Organic espresso. Order Online - RemedyCafeHoodRiver.com
Welcome back to Riverside, where you’ll find the best food, drinks and views in the Gorge. Following guidelines for distanced dining indoors, outdoor on the waterfront, and takeout. Fresh menus change seasonally – plus an award-winning wine list and 14 taps with all your favorite local breweries.
Open Daily 12-7pm | pfriembeer.com
SOLSTICE WOOD FIRE PIZZA
Dine-In, Takeout and Curbside Options. Kids Corner. WiFi. “Where Healthy Food and Your Cravings Meet!”
541-386-4410 • riversidehoodriver.com Exit 64 off I-84 • Waterfront Hood River
Serving Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner daily.
541-436-0800 • solsticewoodfirecafe.com 501 Portway Avenue • Hood River Waterfront
541-386-7423 • sushiokalani@gorge.net 109 First Street • Downtown Hood River
SUSHI OKALANI
THUNDER ISLAND BREWING CO.
One-of-a-kind specialty pizzas, small plates, salads, & s’mores! Sublime cocktails, craft beer, wine, & ciders. Outdoor dining with views! Abundant vegan & gluten-free options.
We are the local’s favorite spot for fresh fish, Pan-Asian cuisine, and a huge sake selection, all available to-go only. We offer curbside pickup, 7 nights a week. With creative rolls, rotating specials, and fresh sashimi and nigiri, we also offer staples like Teriyaki, Tempura, and stir-fry dishes to satisfy all tastes. Phone orders only, starting at 4, pickup 5-8pm. Check IG & FB for specials and current menu.
A brewery and taproom located in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge. The river and mountain views pair beautifully with craft beer and delicious food. Well-behaved dogs are welcome on the patio. All guests are welcome, and are expected to follow Oregon state COVID guidelines. Cheers!
Order takeout from our website above or visit our waterfront pizza truck for fast slices & soft serve!
971-231-4599 • thunderislandbrewing.com 601 NW Wa Na Pa Street • Cascade Locks
Reservations are recommended. To book, visit thunderislandbrewing.com.
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OUR GORGE I YOUR GORGE
Artist Sally Bills Bailey calls this watercolor painting The Gorge. “After living in the Gorge for so long, the images of the region are imprinted on my brain,” she said. “The rocks, rivers, trees and mountains become the shapes and colors of my paintings.” This, she said, is how she sees the Columbia River looking to the east. “I have always loved the contrast between the dry smooth hills on the north side of the river and the angular tree-covered cliffs on the south.”
The Artist SALLY BILLS BAILEY has lived at the base of Mount Hood for more than 25 years, drawing inspiration from the mountain and other Columbia Gorge landscapes for her work. Her acrylic and watercolor paintings reflect her love of mountains, snow, trees and wilderness. Recently, winters spent in the Southwest have provided a new palette of warm colors and rugged landscapes. She’s known for her vivid paintings with bold shapes and colors, which she achieves by using lots of pigment and not much water. She loves creating both abstract and realistic work and has received numerous national awards for her paintings. sallybillsbailey.com
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Luxury is an experience not a price point. Our brokers provide exceptional service to buyers and sellers in all price ranges.
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(541) 716-0701 380 brokers in 15 offices serving Oregon and SW Washington
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Sotheby’s International Realty is a registered trademark licensed to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, LLC. Each office is independently owned and operated. All associates are licensed in the State of Oregon. Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc is owned and operated by Realogy.
