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.

Zip the Lines at High Life Adventures

November 9, 2012
Go flying – not in an airplane or on a trapeze - but across timbered hillsides and over a lake along thrilling zip-line rides that are offered at the new High Life Adventures. From 70 feet above the ground, it’s easy to see that the high life provides a bird’s eye view to take your breath… More
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Oregon Coast , Amusement Parks , Family Fun , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions ,

Enraptured by Cascades Raptor Center

November 2, 2012
If you’re a fan of Oregon wildlife, there are many seasons when you can catch the sky show of waterfowl and raptors that migrate through the state. And you can see nearly every raptor species that makes Oregon home at places like the Cascades Raptor Center in Eugene. There’s goose ‘song’ in the air – have you heard… More
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Willamette Valley , Eugene , Birding , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Family Fun , Sustainable Travel , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions ,

Hiking for Foliage & History in the Tillamook State Forest

October 12, 2012
When summer’s glorious colors have faded and an amber glow wraps around the land, I am especially fond of the trips that breeze along some of Oregon’s finer roadways on a crisp October afternoon. When it comes to fall colors in the Oregon Coast Range Mountains, try two unique and easy to find trails: the… More
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Oregon Coast , Tillamook , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Sustainable Travel , Hiking & Backpacking , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions ,

Aufderheide Scenic Drive

October 5, 2012
Many Oregon roadways are busy blurs, but this week, slow down and enjoy the sights and sounds of the changing seasons. This getaway takes us down the country’s oldest national scenic byway in the Cascade Mountains. If the roadway flanking the South Fork McKenzie River has a number, I don’t care to find it on a… More
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Willamette Valley , McKenzie Bridge , Lakes & Reservoirs , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Scenic Drives , Rivers & Streams , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions , Scenic Byways ,

Century Farms

September 28, 2012
The seasons are changing – that’s what the calendar says – but this week, Grant shows us another sign of fall: harvest of Oregon’s abundant and locally-produced fruits and vegetables at family markets that are distinctive Oregon Century Farms. You can meet some of the friendliest folks – people like Gerry Frank – down on the farm.… More
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Willamette Valley , Gervais , Historic Sites & Oregon Trail , Sustainable Travel , Farmers Markets , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

Stand Up Paddle Boarding

September 21, 2012
A lingering summer may offer one more chance to try a new and different water-based adventure that’s recently arrived to Oregon’s waterways. This week Grant explores the latest innovation that’s a bit like canoeing because you use a paddle, but more like surfing because you’re standing: it’s called “Paddle Boarding,” and it has spread like… More
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Portland Region , Warren , Sustainable Travel , Trip Ideas ,

Opal Creek

September 14, 2012
If you wish to beat the heat during a late summer hot spell, consider an easy-to-reach getaway that offers an escape into the cool Cascade Mountain wilderness. All it takes is a simple leap of faith to find a moment in the gorgeous and refreshing pools of Opal Creek. The 30-foot drop from the high,… More
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Willamette Valley , Gates , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Family Fun , Sustainable Travel , Hiking & Backpacking , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions ,

Downtown Coos Bay Salmon

September 7, 2012
If you spend much time traveling across Oregon this month, you will begin to see and feel the early signs of the changing seasons. For me, one of the surest signs of transition from summer to fall is the many places you might cast a lure or drift bait for salmon along coastal Oregon. There’s a… More
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Oregon Coast , Coos Bay , Guides & Charters , Fishing , Trip Ideas ,

An Oregon Gem at Diamond Lake

August 31, 2012
If you’re on the hunt for one more Oregon summer vacation destination, consider a place that feels a million miles away from city hubbub, noise and everyday routine. Escape into the watery world of Southern Oregon at Diamond Lake, where hungry rainbow trout are often on the bite. The Umpqua River Scenic Byway provides glimpses into… More
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Southern Oregon , Crescent , Lakes & Reservoirs , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Scenic Drives , Camping , Rivers & Streams , Family Fun , Fishing , Sustainable Travel , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions , Scenic Byways ,

Striking Azure Beauty at Crater Lake

August 24, 2012
Crater Lake, in the Southern Oregon Cascades, is a paradise for those who savor scenic driving, camping, hiking, and wildlife watching. The lake’s translucent surface and dark, cold depths make for a scene of striking beauty. It is a place of moody moments, and like countless visitors I am overwhelmed by its size and awed by… More
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Southern Oregon , Prospect , Lakes & Reservoirs , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Rivers & Streams , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions ,