While the rewards of backpacking abound, it can be difficult to get started — and plan your first trips. This week on the Peak Northwest podcast, we cover some backpacking basics and provide recommendations for hikers seeking a night or two in the back...

The Pacific Northwest is home to plenty of awesome scenes of natural beauty, but capturing that moment in an awesome photo requires a little more effort. Here are some tips, tricks and tools of the trade to help you take better pictures outside. You do...

This episode of the Peak Northwest podcast is all about planning and packing for your next overnight outdoor excursion. We've got tips for beginners and experienced campers alike.You can support this podcast and our local journalism with a subs...

After months of sticking close to home, hikers in the Pacific Northwest are finally getting back out on the trail. But for those of us who have become a little out shape during the pandemic, as well as those who may be getting into hiking shape for the...

It can be hard to escape crowds in a normal year, let alone a time when more people than ever are sticking close to home and in search of an escape into nature. One way to beat the crowds is to skip the popular areas and head to some lesser-known hikin...

It’s high time to dial in your camp cooking setup. We aren’t exactly experts in this department. So we enlisted the help of Samantha Bakall, a freelance food, diversity and travel writer who’s long honed the art of whipping up a delicious camp meal....

Summer is only days away, and many outdoor spaces have reopened amid the coronavirus crisis.But the question remains: Where should I go? This week on the Peak Northwest podcast, we offer some recommendations for people looking to get their nature fix....

Many outdoor areas throughout the region have reopened after being closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. But just because your favorite outdoor area is open doesn’t mean you should expect business as usual when you arrive — or that you should tra...

As the coronavirus crisis continues, closures and restrictions remain in place for many outdoor areas across the region. On this week’s episode of the Peak Northwest podcast, we continue to dig into the complicated issues around recreating outside duri...

Trails, parks and boat ramps are slowly reopening in Oregon as we inch our way closer to summer. But with the coronavirus pandemic ongoing, the threat of transmitting COVID-19 in public places means that closures and restrictions remain in place for ma...

In the finale of our campfire stories, producer Dave Killen shares the tale of a mountain climbing misadventure and cross-country road trip. Then, we share a heartwarming story from a listener.We're getting back to more typical Peak Northwest p...

We're focusing on tales of spooky adventures on this week’s Peak Northwest podcast episode — the latest in our series of campfire tales.Want to submit an outdoors or adventure story of your own? Leave a message on our podcast hotline, 503-221-4...

We asked for your stories from the outdoors. And you delivered, responding with some darn good ones. So this week’s episode of the Peak Northwest podcast — the fourth in our series of campfire tales — features several great stories submitted over the p...

We all like to share the best moments from our outdoor adventures, but sometimes our most difficult experiences are the most rewarding. On this week’s episode, we look past the pretty photos to share experiences that pushed us to the limit — and taught...

Whether it’s a bear sighting, a critter who gets too close or a feisty creature who wants you to scram, we all have stories about memorable contacts with animals while out in nature. So this week’s episode of the Peak Northwest podcast — the latest in ...

We’re breaking out some of our favorite campfire stories, and and we want to hear yours! If you’re interested in sharing a story from a past adventure, leave a message on our podcast hotline, 503-221-4345, or send a voice memo to podcasts@oregonian.com...

Spring has sprung in the Pacific Northwest, but our favorite outdoor spaces are presently sitting empty, as most of us stick close to home to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Oregon. It hasn’t been easy for the outdoorsy among us. After al...

The ongoing coronavirus outbreak has shaken up life as we know it, with thousands of people in the Northwest becoming sick and many more finding themselves unemployed. Amid the upheaval, a loss of travel and recreation should fall low on our list of co...

Traveling with kids can be a challenge, albeit one with great rewards.For this week’s episode of the Peak Northwest podcast, we talked to a panel of parents to get their tips and tricks about traveling with kids. We also talked to a younger pair of exp...

Oregon’s spring break is fast approaching. And while lots of spring breakers have their plans set in stone, some others don’t. At least not yet. So this week on the Peak Northwest podcast, we rattle off road trip ideas for the lucky folks who have time...

The heartiest of runners pound the pavement year-round. But as spring approaches, the prospect of warmer, sunnier days is bound to beckon more runners to Portland’s sidewalks and trails. So before the season turns, we sat down with Oregonian/OregonLive...

Oregon has a lot of extremely busy state parks, but it also has plenty of places that see few visitors at all. This week on the Peak Northwest podcast, we talk to Seth Miller, executive director of the Oregon State Park Foundation, to discuss the least...

We discuss a few of our favorite winter options in and around Portland. We also shout out some Portland-area wildlife preserves that are worth a visit.Check out Jamie’s rundown of 10 wildlife preserves close to Portland.Watch a Peak Northwest video e...

We head to the rainy Coast Range mountains to discover hidden waterfalls in the woods.See Jamie’s stories on Niagara Falls and Drift Creek Falls.Also check out our list of the 10 things to pack for a day hike in Or...

Bend is a special place any time of year, but we’re particularly fond of Oregon’s high-desert hangout during the wintertime.Read Jamie’s 20 reasons to love Bend, and check out Michael Russell’s beer lover’s guide to central Oregon.