About the Author

Grant McOmie

Grant McOmie is a Pacific Northwest broadcast journalist, teacher and author who writes and produces stories and special programs about the people, places, outdoor activities and environmental issues of the Pacific Northwest. A fifth generation Oregon native, Grant’s roots run deepest in the central Oregon region near Prineville and Redmond where his family continues to live.

Songbird Science

September 29, 2014
Fall is a season of change in the great Oregon outdoors and it can be the best time to see the natural world at work. There are many places across Oregon where you can enjoy a front row seat on an age old wildlife story when bird migration kicks into high gear. Certainly, there are… More
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Willamette Valley , Birding , Trip Ideas ,

A Visit to Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area

September 26, 2014
Along the Coast, Oregon’s lighthouses can provide exciting history lessons that are worth exploring. As the seasons change, surf and sand often seem to merge into a golden, sun-burnished moment along the coast. The rocky headland called “Yaquina” (pronounced “Yuh-quinn-uh”), marked for miles by a towering white sentinel on the central Oregon coastline, is a… More
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Oregon Coast , Newport , Historic Sites & Oregon Trail , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Lighthouses , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions ,

Base Camp Baker Adventures

September 12, 2014
Outdoor adventures are easy to find across Eastern Oregon, where you can discover a treasure trove of activities that also teach you more about the state’s past. History runs deep across Oregon’s varied landscapes, including the border between Oregon and Idaho – not far from Baker City – where you can discover a treasure trove… More
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Eastern Oregon , Baker City , Trip Ideas ,

The Storytelling of Tamástslikt Cultural Institute

September 5, 2014
The pride runs deep among the American Indians who live, work and share their stories with visitors to the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute at the Umatilla Indian Reservation. It’s where some of Oregon’s richest stories are found - just east of Pendleton in the foothills of the Blue Mountains – and where cultural history reaches back… More
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Eastern Oregon , Pendleton , Historic Sites & Oregon Trail , Native American Culture , Museums , Trip Ideas , Attractions ,

Sumpter Valley Railroad

August 29, 2014
The beauty of traveling Oregon’s back roads and byways is the unexpected treasure that you may find along the way – not just the scenery, but interesting lessons about Oregon’s past. When the whistle blows near Sumpter, Oregon one thing’s for sure: adventure isn’t far behind! “Last call! Train Number One to Sumpter departing in… More
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Eastern Oregon , Sumpter , Trip Ideas ,

A Record Run at Buoy 10

August 22, 2014
One of the surest signs of Oregon’s transition from summer to fall is the uptick in salmon fishing opportunities along the Coast. Lots of folks are excited this summer to get outdoors as more than a million and a half Chinook salmon are forecast to swim up the Columbia River. It was the last thing… More
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Oregon Coast , Astoria , Fishing , Trip Ideas ,

Dune Riders

August 15, 2014
The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area covers forty-two miles from Florence to Coos Bay and is an Oregon landmark for outdoor recreation. It's a stretch of the coast that feels more akin to some vast, exotic locale where sand dunes stretch as far as the eye can see and geology reaches back 100,000 years. The Oregon dunes… More
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Oregon Coast , Florence , Trip Ideas ,

Newberry Crater

August 8, 2014
When the mood to move strikes my family, there’s no better way to celebrate summer than packing up and moving out toward our annual camping trip at the Newberry National Volcanic Monument near Bend. It’s a chance to leave busy U.S. 97 behind and follow the lonesome trail high into the alpine reaches of the… More
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Central Oregon , Sunriver , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions ,

East Lake Trout

August 1, 2014
East Lake is an Oregon destination where unmatched Cascade Mountain scenery rules the scene and warm hospitality is king – it’s a timeless place perfect for building lasting family memories of camping time together in the great outdoors. East Lake anglers have enjoyed a summer trout-fishing heritage that reaches back more than a century; anglers… More
found in
Central Oregon , Trip Ideas ,

Christmas Trees for Coho

July 18, 2014
Fishermen call it “Christmas in July” when gleaming silver-sided Coho salmon come aboard all wrapped up in a fishing net. In fact, it’s been a banner summer for ocean salmon fishermen who are enjoying one of the best seasons in years. “These are the good old days,” noted longtime salmon fishing guide John Krauthoefer. “It was… More
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Fishing , Trip Ideas ,