Peak Northwest

There’s a lot to love about the southeast corner of Oregon – if you’re willing to drive. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we follow Vickie Connor, a visual journalist for The Oregonian/OregonLive, as she explores this far-flung region of the state. While her trip was short, Connor discovered a ton of southeast Oregon’s greatest treasures, from a towering fire lookout to hidden desert hot...

Boat tours on Crater Lake are among the top bucket list experiences in Oregon, but after this past summer, it will be a few years before they head back out on the water. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, features reporter Janet Eastman recounts her ride on one of the last Crater Lake boat tours until 2029, which took her and a group of tourists around the blue-hued lake and to the famed Wi...

Oregon is perfect in the fall. From the crisp, bright days of September to the gray, mossy days of December, the Pacific Northwest has so much to offer this time of year. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we discuss eight of the most essential fall activities in Oregon, helping you make the most of the season. Are you an outdoors enthusiast? You have to try your hand at mushroom foraging o...

Oregon is not known as a particular hot spot for whale watching – at least not compared to places like the Puget Sound or Hawaii – but at least one spot has enough action that it’s been dubbed the “whale watching capital of Oregon.” On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we take a trip to Depoe Bay, the whale watching destination on the central Oregon coast, where we look for gray whales, eat g...

Summer is almost officially over, and while some Oregonians may be eagerly transitioning into fall, there’s still time to get in your final few summer activities. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we go over 10 of the best ways to round out an Oregon summer, making sure you make the most of the last days of the season. While many are oriented around water – hanging out by a river, taking a...

You’ve probably traveled through some small cities in Oregon, but it’s unlikely you’ve been to cities this small. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we head to the five smallest cities in the state, places that barely have a population or main street to speak of. That’s not to say there’s nothing to see there. Samantha Swindler, features reporter for The Oregonian/OregonLive took a road tri...

It’s an age-old question for anyone who’s flown the nest: What are you going to do when your parents come to town? On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we go over one family’s perfect itinerary for showing off Oregon, from coastal landscapes to incredible Portland restaurants. While adventures will be different for every family, the intention is typically the same: finding a way to balance yo...

Whitewater paddling is everyone’s cup of tea, but some people feel like they don’t even have the chance to try. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we talk to the leaders of nonprofit organization Diversify Whitewater, who talk about the barriers that some paddlers face, and how the organization is helping serve those underserved communities. While Diversify Whitewater is not based in the Pa...

At 196 miles over two days, from the top of Mount Hood to the sand at the Oregon Coast, there’s a reason they call it the “mother of all relays.” On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we look at what it takes to tackle the Hood to Coast Relay, Oregon’s biggest annual footrace, which is returning this weekend. Cristian Vargas, founder of Juntos PDX and Caminando Running Club, joined the podcast...

If cute cottages and ghostly tree stumps are your idea of a good time, you’ll want to plan your next Oregon coast vacation for Neskowin. The tiny town on the north Oregon coast is known for its quiet, residential feel, with no small shops and few restaurants to speak of. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we get into everything you need to know to visit. The major attractions in Neskowin ar...

Even if you consider yourself a runner, you probably aren’t prepared for a run quite like this. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we dive into the Cascade Lakes Relay, a 216-mile race across the landscape of central Oregon that can get a little wilder and weirder than your average footrace. Similar to Oregon’s famed Hood to Coast Relay, the Cascade Lakes Relay involves teams of runners who...

Oregon is renowned for its wilderness areas, found in high desert landscapes and around towering volcanoes, but you don’t need to go far from the state’s largest city to get there. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we explore the Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness of the Mt. Hood National Forest, found just 50 miles east of Portland. This wilderness area has rushing rivers, dense evergreen fore...

Portland has a lot of great places to see and things to do, but there’s nothing quite like this. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we take a trip along the 4T Trail, a roughly 9-mile loop that takes combines public transit with hiking trails, taking visitors on an epic tour of Southwest Portland. The 4T Trail covers a lot of ground, from the Willamette River way up to Council Crest, over t...

Surviving in the wilderness isn’t a game, but learning the skills necessary to do it can still be plenty of fun. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, Tony Peniche, creator of the PNW Survival Games, talks about his attempts to turn some basic survival skills into big entertainment. Peniche’s games take hardcore survivalists and inexperienced people through skills like building shelter, making...

When the snow melts and the alpine flowers begin to bloom, it’s time for the folks at Mt. Hood Skibowl to start taking out all their toys. With racecars, ziplines and the beloved alpine slide, there’s a lot that goes into transforming the snowy ski area into a summer adventure park. That’s not to mention the hiking trails that emerge from the snowmelt and the skilift that gets rebranded to the “sk...

There is no shortage of beautiful bike rides in Oregon, but the Reach the Beach cycling event is a truly remarkable experience. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we talk to Vickie Connor, a visual journalist with The Oregonian/OregonLive, about her experience on this epic bike ride. Reach the Beach is a 105-mile ride from Sauvie Island to the Oregon coast, running through the scenic Clatso...

Summertime in Oregon is magical. But between the coastal beaches, the ice cream shops, the wine country getaways and the mountain views, how is anybody supposed to see it all? On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we discuss a few of the best ways to make the most of an Oregon summer, from one of the best Mt. Hood hikes to some of the best cities to explore on foot. No matter how you approach...

You’ve probably driven from Portland to Astoria. Maybe you’ve even taken the bus. But have you ever traveled between the two cities by boat? On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we talk about the twice-a-year travel experience that’s taking people down the Columbia River, providing a very different way to travel to the north Oregon coast. Lizzy Acker, who reported on the Astoria cruise earlie...

On hot summer days, Portlanders flock to the water – thankfully there’s a lot of that here. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we discuss the many, many swim spot options in and around the city, for people who are looking to dip their toes or take a dip in a cooling river or lake. Joining us to discuss swim spots is local swimmer Hadley Brooks, who for the last several years has embarked on...

Oregon is famous for its waterfalls, but not all are so easy to find. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we explore a hidden waterfall corridor along the North Umpqua River in the southern Cascade Mountains, ranking the best plunges and falls in the region. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes all you need is a quick trip to the ocean. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we take a baby day trip to the north Oregon coast – with an actual baby in tow. With stops in Cannon Beach, Manzanita and Nehalem, we find out what it’s like to explore the coast, from fish and chips shops to the sandy beach, with an infant along for the ride. Here are some highlights from this week’s sh...

There are a lot of places to stay the night on the Oregon coast, but some spots are just special. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we dive into our recent list of the best hotels on the Oregon coast, highlighting seven that are especially noteworthy. These places include affordable stays right off the highway, luxury destinations on the sand and unique spots with funky decor. Bookmark the...

There are a lot of places to find dark skies in Oregon, but relatively few that are set up to let you gaze deeply into the cosmos. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we talk to Paul Poncy, observatory manager at the Sunriver Nature Center and Observatory in central Oregon, which is one of the state’s best places to go stargazing. Aside from the dark skies, the observatory also has several t...

It’s not every day that you get a brand new attraction in the Columbia River Gorge. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we head out to the new Mitchell Point Tunnel, open to pedestrians and cyclists only, found on the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail west of Hood River. The 665-foot tunnel, which features rock windows that open to spectacular views of the Columbia Gorge, is one of...

Wildflower season is here! The only question is where you’re going to go hiking to see them. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, we cover all the best wildflower hikes in the Columbia River Gorge, which is easily the most colorful spot to get outside this time of year. From famous trails like Dog Mountain and the Tom McCall Preserve, to farther-flung destinations like Dalles Mountain Ranch a...