Category: Wilderness

50th Anniversary of The Wilderness Act

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Greg Vaughn

[photoshelter-gallery g_id="G00007CFOp8Wk28Y" g_name="Wilderness" f_show_slidenum="t" img_title="casc" pho_credit="iptc" f_link="t" f_enable_embed_btn="t" f_send_to_friend_btn="t" f_fullscreen="t" f_show_watermark="t" f_htmllinks="t" f_mtrx="t" fsvis="f" width="675" height="600" bgcolor="#AAAAAA" btype="old" bcolor="#CCCCCC" crop="f" twoup="t" trans="xfade" tbs="5000" f_ap="t" bgtrans="f" linkdest="c" f_constrain="f" f_topbar="f" f_bbar="f" f_bbarbig="" f_show_caption="f" f_smooth="f" f_up="f" target="_self" ] September 3, 2014 marks the...Read More

Hiking Salmon Lakes Trail in the Oregon Cascades

Posted on August 30, 2014 by Greg Vaughn

[caption id="attachment_1471" align="aligncenter" width="434"] Salmon Lakes Trail, Willamette National Forest.[/caption] Mention any place in Oregon you visited with “Waldo” in the name and anyone who knows the central Cascades will ask, “How bad were the mosquitos?” Waldo Lake, one of...Read More

Rafting the Wild and Scenic Rogue River

Posted on July 16, 2014July 16, 2014 by Greg Vaughn

[caption id="attachment_1454" align="aligncenter" width="650"] A calm stretch on the Wild & Scenic Rogue River.[/caption] Southern Oregon's Rogue River has long been a favorite of whitewater rafting and kayaking enthusiasts, fishermen, hikers and wildlife lovers. After a couple of inflatable raft trips...Read More

National Wildlife Refuges Anniversary

Posted on March 14, 2011December 8, 2011 by Greg Vaughn

[caption id="attachment_519" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Tundra swans at Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge"][/caption] The U.S. National Wildlife Refuges system celebrates the 108th anniversary of its founding on March 14. President Teddy Roosevelt signed the law creating the first National Wildlife Refuge...Read More

The Enchantments – Alpine Lakes Wilderness

Posted on October 25, 2010January 20, 2013 by Greg Vaughn

[caption id="attachment_419" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Alpine larch trees at Perfection Lake in The Enchantments.[/caption] On a beautiful early October morning I stood with a 40-pound pack on my back at the bottom of Aasgard Pass and exclaimed "O.M.G.!" Twice. Once for...Read More

National Wilderness Month

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Greg Vaughn

[caption id="attachment_411" align="aligncenter" width="420" caption="Wildflower meadow, Mount Adams Wilderness, Washington."][/caption] September is National Wilderness Month, so proclaimed by President Obama. I've had the good fortune to hike and backpack in several wilderness areas recently, and firmly believe that our federally...Read More

Cathedral Rock and Horse Heaven Wilderness proposal

Posted on January 29, 2010 by Greg Vaughn

[caption id="attachment_299" align="aligncenter" width="332" caption="The Wild & Scenic John Day River at Cathedral Rock"][/caption] For the past couple of years, the Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) has been working to bring together landowners in the John Day River Basin and...Read More

High Divide Trail, Olympic National Park

Posted on July 24, 2009 by Greg Vaughn

[caption id="attachment_213" align="aligncenter" width="420" caption="Backpacking the High Divide Trail in Olympic National Park"][/caption] I just returned from a week-long trip to Washington's Olympic Peninsula, during which I visited the Quinault Rainforest area, hiked the Lake Ozette-Cape Alava Triangle on the...Read More

Shi Shi Beach and Point of Arches

Posted on July 10, 2009 by Greg Vaughn

[caption id="attachment_200" align="aligncenter" width="420" caption="Point of Arches and Shi Shi Beach at dusk."][/caption] Olympic National Park in Washington state is a wondrous place, with environments ranging from snow-covered volcanic peaks to lush temperate rainforest to wild and remote Pacific coast....Read More

Bend Badlands Wilderness

Posted on April 2, 2009 by Greg Vaughn

[caption id="attachment_141" align="aligncenter" width="355" caption="Juniper tree and rabbitbrush, Bend Badlands Wilderness, Oregon"][/caption] Late last week, the U.S. Congress passed, and President Obama signed, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, which will provide protection for thousands of acres in...Read More