Get out in the Wild Klamath-Siskiyou

Depending on your point of view, there can be many reasons why some hikes are more satisfying than others.

We need science.I’ve been drawn to the natural world for as long as I can remember. In childhood, I spent nearly every day in the woods near my house, climbing trees and building forts. As soon as I was allowed to range free with my friends, we headed straight to the river where we’d often look for critters hiding under rocks in the streambeds that would dry up in summer. I’m sure it was those early experiences that led me to study biology in college. As a college kid I

ASHLAND — Those who scramble along the rocky walls of the Jenny Creek Canyon to reach Jenny Creek Falls will see views rarely captured by the naked eye.Hike there June 11 with members of the Soda Mountain Wilderness Council, and you'll learn there's biology behind that beauty.They'll hear how the falls actually create a natural barrier isolating the creek's endemic native redband trout and Jenny Creek sucker — the only dwarf sucker found in the Pacific Northwest

Well. That didn’t take long.President Donald Trump has already issued the first major attack on our public lands in the form of an attempt to remove protection from the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in Ashland’s backyard, and 26 others around the country. Our monument is a critical stronghold for plants and animals, and a boon for local recreation. Now that the weather is warm and the snow is melting from the slopes, it’s time to get out and explore your monument and

"The earth laughs in flowers."— Ralph Waldo EmersonThe Wild and Scenic Section of the Rogue River has something special to offer no matter the season, be it summer rafting trips, fall colors or winter waterfalls. But for my money, the spring wildflowers along the river steal the show.I recently visited the Rogue River National Recreation Trail and enjoyed a full-bloom wildflower walk. While most folks hike the trail to Rainey Falls along the 2-mile trail on the south side of the river,

This is the final installment in the 2017 Summer Outdoor Guide, featuring my list of the top overnight backpacking trips. Part one sampled the nonprofits that can help get you out in nature. Part two looked at guided trips that outfitters offer in the region. Time to make some plans, get out there, and enjoy the public lands that are owned by you! I have a confession to make. I don’t like backpacking the Cascades that much. It is not an ugly or terrible place — it is beautiful and

Looking for an early spring antidote to cabin fever? The Little Grayback Mountain trail may be just the ticket.The low-elevation route offers snow-free hiking through forests, meadows and mountain peaks. Almost as soon as one starts up the trail, blooming pink and purple Henderson’s shooting stars (Dodecatheon hendersonii) provide a joyful burst of color and a heartening promise that spring has arrived and winter is in the rearview mirror.The trail steadily climbs up and around the south

Getting outside good for your health!

Travel Oregon is poised to launch a new organization and marketing initiative targeting the state's outdoor recreation industry, seeking to boost recreational access and the outdoors economy statewide and in Southern Oregon.Bolstered by a new poll that says almost 1 in 4 tourists come here specifically for outdoor recreation, the Oregon Outdoor Recreation Initiative seeks to ramp up an industry that the Outdoor Industries Association says generates $12.8 billion in consumer spending

JACKSONVILLE — Dave Calahan pauses Tuesday atop a ridge overlooking Bishop Creek and the town of Ruch, then kicks aside a white ribbon denoting the route of the long-awaited East Applegate Ridge Trail in the hills outside of town."This," Calahan says, "is going to be fun."He grips his brand-new Green Grubber trail shovel and swings it overhead, its downward momentum slicing the grubber's metal blade smoothly into the moist dirt."Nice and soft," he says. "We weren't legally permitted

This is the first in a three-part series to an outdoor summer guide. In this first installment, you’ll get to know some of the nonprofits that get you out in nature and teach about the region. Part two will feature guided outfitter trips in the region. Part three will feature the top backpacking trips in the region. It is so cold out right now. Sure, the snow is incredible this year. But if you’re like me, you may already be thinking about your spring and even your summer plans to

On a 300-mile trek across eight wilderness areas, Steve Marsden's goal was to create a regional trail through wilderness areas, alpine heights and watersheds.

From a young age, I knew that I would dedicate my life to protecting the natural world. I was not sure then what that meant exactly, but I wanted to be a scientist or a park ranger or maybe work with Jane Goodall in the rainforest.I remember learning about the mountains of garbage overflowing landfills, toxic pollution and deforestation. Maybe you had the same shock learning about how humanity is treating our planet. But it was the loss of wildlife species that really stuck with me.Eventually,

The Siskiyou Wilderness is a wonderous place where mountains and meadows tower high above vast watersheds of old-growth forests while pristine headwater creeks feed crystal-clear water into the Klamath, Illinois and Smith Rivers.Of all the wilderness areas in the West, if I had to pick a favorite, the Siskiyou would likely be my choice. The combination of expansive vistas, flowering meadows, ancient forests and sparkling mountain streams is a backpacker’s dream.Doe Flat Camp at the edge

The Siskiyou Wilderness is a wonderous place where mountains and meadows tower high above vast watersheds of old-growth forests while pristine headwater creeks feed crystal-clear water into the Klamath, Illinois and Smith Rivers.Of all the wilderness areas in the West, if I had to pick a favorite, the Siskiyou would likely be my choice. The combination of expansive vistas, flowering meadows, ancient forests and sparkling mountain streams is a backpacker’s dream.Doe Flat Camp at the edge

Summer solstice was on Monday, bringing the longest and hottest days of the year. After the short reprieve of cooler, wet weather, the forecast is calling for hot and dry weeks ahead.It is time to take the plunge and go “wild swimming.” Wild swimming is simply taking a dip in a natural body of water. And there is something special about it. There is nothing wrong with swimming in a pool. But for me, the difference between swimming in a pool and a wild river is same as the

Here in southern Oregon, we live close to paradise. This has been a green and lush spring in the Rogue Valley, but as things warm up I need to think about planning a trip into higher elevations of the Klamath-Siskiyou Mountains.As I mulled my trip, I reached for the trusty copy of my favorite hiking guidebook. There are many fantastic guidebooks and insightful authors that describe wild areas and rivers in Oregon and northern California, but none compare to "Hiking in Bigfoot Country," or as we