I confess: As a teenager, I occasionally avoided paying campsite fees by leaving early in the morning before the rangers could stop by to demand payment. Hey, I was 16 years old and making $1.80 per hour at a restaurant, and $3 a night seemed like a lot of dough. (on the other hand, I was more than willing to pay $1.99 for a 12 pack of Lucky Lager beer in 11-ounce bottles. Don’t ask how I got them.) Okay, I cheated. I apologize. Since then I’ve been a good citizen and paid fe

Trillium Lake has long been a popular destination in the Mt. Hood National Forest, drawing thousands of visitors each year for its calm waters and uninterrupted views of Oregon’s tallest peak. This fall, the popular 1.9-mile trail reopened in full for the first time in several years after a multi-season effort to rebuild deteriorating sections of the Trillium Lake Boardwalk. Multiple stretches of the boardwalk, originally built in the early 1990s, had reached the end of their

For nearly 30 years, Jamie Simpson has hiked into the local forests in search of edible treasures. Over that time, he’s gathered countless chanterelles, hedgehogs, and lobsters. This mushroom season has been different, though. Fewer finds and a busier schedule has left him low on returns. On Sunday, November 16, however, that tough run ended when Simpson hauled in an enormous cauliflower mushroom. This rare species of mushroom typically weighs about two pounds. The big boys t

This is a revision of a story originally posted in our October edition . Clarifications are posted below. On a rainy October afternoon, the warmth inside the Timberline Rim Recreation Lodge was unmistakable. Sweaters, raincoats, and the hum of friendly conversation filled the room as about two dozen members of the IWAKT Community Garden gathered for a harvest celebration marking not only the end of the growing season but also the beginning of a new partnership with the Hoodla

Cougars are an essential part of the Mt. Hood ecosystem, and their presence in the surrounding areas is more common than many residents realize. Check out this video we received from local Mike Eldred from E Arthur Hailey Rd. Credit: Mike Eldred from E Arthur Hailey Rd According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), Oregon's cougar population is robust and healthy, with higher densities in the Cascade Mountains where their primary prey, deer, is plentiful. Th

Every year, tourists flock to the area, spend their money and soak up the natural beauty. They’re drawn in no small part by the splendor of the Sandy River, a tributary that runs like a lifeline through the Hoodland area. What most locals have forgotten and what newcomers may not know is that our peaceful corner of the Pacific Northwest was nearly destroyed thirty years ago. It was preserved only after a years-long battle fought by a handful of passionate supporters. Deb Scri