Humongous Fungus
The humongous fungus ranks as the single largest living organism in the world and it lives underground in eastern Oregon. This honey mushroom covers more than 3 square miles in the Malheur National Forest.
Owyhee River Journey
Oregon Field Guide joins geologist Dr. Liz Safran and river guide Audrey Gehlhausen for a journey through the geologic wonderland of the Owyhee Canyonlands. Beginning in the small town of Rome, Oregon, our cameras reveal a raw and breathtaking landscape sculpted by lava flows, landslides and volcanic eruptions.
Steens Aspen
Hardwoods are rare on Oregon's east side but that's not the only thing that makes aspen unusual. The trees sprout from rhizomes in large "clones" or shared root systems that can live up to 1000 years, though the trees themselves rarely live beyond a century. Aspen stands are eco-hotspots, creating their own food webs and providing habitat for everything from birds to bears.
Photogeology Tour
A beautiful tour of the stunning Jordan Craters and Leslie Gulch as we learn more about the wonders of Oregon geology.
Sage Grouse
Sage grouse, a desert bird that depends on sagebrush, has been in decline. The US government may add it to the endangered species list. Ranchers fear the grouse could become their spotted owl, restricting use of western lands. A number of groups are adopting conservation measures in hopes it will be enough to stop the listing as endangered.
Smith Rock Video Postcard
Climbers, ultra runners, and hikers revel in the first weekend after Smith Rock State Park reopens, some finding that weeks of being cooped up from Covid-19 quarantine has made scaling sheer walls of rock even more relevant as a way to face down fear.
Mecate Rope Makers
98-year old Frankie Dugal carries on a ranch tradition of horse-hair “mecate” ropemaking and is passing it on to the next generation in the southeast Oregon town of Jordan Valley.
Blue Mountain Forest Partners
A small group of loggers and environmentalists in Eastern Oregon have done the unthinkable: worked together to find common ground—and even become friends.
Alvord Desert Gliders
Glider pilots enjoy the thrill and beauty of soaring above the Alvord desert. Once a year a group of 20-30 pilots gather for a week of soaring above the playa, but their method of getting airborne is unique. Using the 18-mile long playa as their runway, these gliders forgo the traditional airplane tow and opt instead for a tow cable hitched to a car in one of the most remote corners of Oregon.
John Day River Paddleboarding
Adventurous stand-up paddleboarders embark on a multi-day journey down the John Day River. When everything has to fit on your board, how do you pack? How are rapids negotiated while standing up? What's it like to experience four days of raw geologic splendor in the John Day canyon? "SupPaul" Paul Clark shows us why "Adventure SUP" is a great new way to get down the river.
The Ship Report
A simple broadcast of the comings and goings of ships passing Astoriahas evolved into the most popular show on KMUN. Joanne Rideout provides the voice of passion that aims to illuminate the sometimes invisible world of mariners.
Hydrofoiling
Columbia River Gorge wind sports have continued to evolve since wind surfing became popular in the 1980s. Hydrofoiling became the rage after the American team raced their new hydrofoil vessel across the finish line in the 2013 America's Cup. Today, there are hydrofoils all over the Gorge. Hood River's experts show us the excitement and skill of this innovative new sport.
Mudbone Grown
When Shantae Johnson and Arthur Shavers embarked on their “Mudbone Grown” enterprise in 2015, they were doing more than building a 19-acre farm from scratch, they were changing the narrative of what it means to be a Black farmer in Oregon, where exclusion was literally written into the state constitution.
Tufted Puffins
For decades, bird lovers have traveled from all over the country to Cannon Beach's Haystack Rock, because it's one of the last places they can see the iconic tufted puffins in the lower 48. But the bird's population has plummeted in recent years, and now scientists and puffin lovers alike are scrambling to figure out what's happening with these charming seabirds.
Sea Jellies
Meet Evonne, the “Jelly Mom.” We go behind the scenes at the Oregon Coast Aquarium and out in the ocean to learn more about the fascinating world of sea jellies.
Buzz Holmstrom
Oregon river legend, Haldene "Buzz" Holmstrom, was the first person to run the entire length of the Green and Colorado rivers, including through the Grand Canyon. He died mysteriously from a gunshot while rafting the grand Ronde. River guide and author Vince Welch retired from commercial river running to write the story of Buzz's life.
Tribal Land Transfer
Native Americans on Oregon’s north coast were pushed out of their ancestral home by white settlers more than a century ago. But a local land trust recently decided it’s not too late to give some of that land back. In a historic land transfer, members of the Clatsop-Nehalem Confederated Tribes were reunited with 18 acres of their homeland in Seaside.
Wallowa Mule Packer
A high country pack trip with mules in the Wallowas. Oregon Field Guide photographer Michael Bendixen found one man who offers travelers a different way to travel in the backcountry, and his pack mules are part of a long Oregon tradition.
Klickitat Canyon Photo Essay
Scenes from the newly created Klickitat Canyon Conservation Area. Shot on land set aside by the Columbia Land Trust. Oregon Field Guide photographer Brandon Swanson brings you a photo essay from Washington’s stunning Klickitat Canyon. Filmed in fall 2020.
Tim Palmer
Tim Palmer has canoed, rafted and kayaked nearly every major river in Oregon. Profile of author and river lover, Tim Palmer, publisher of “Field Guide to Oregon Rivers”. A meditation on rivers for everyone.
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