Explore Oregon Podcast: The state's most beautiful places and biggest issues

In this episode of the Explore Oregon Podcast, host Zach Urness talks with Randy Dersham, director of the new documentary film "Oregon's Boat." Dersham describes the evolution of one of the world's most famous boats — the McKenzie River Drift Boat — that took place in Eugene and on the McKenzie River. The boat evolved under a series of colorful fishing guides, woodworkers and adventurers to become the ideal boat for navigating whitewater rivers across the West. The film recently recently won the award for Best Feature at the Oregon Documentary Film Festival.

In this episode, host Zach Urness talks with two Oregon researchers that just published a study about a massive underground aquifer below the Central Cascade Mountains east of Salem and Eugene. Leif Karlstrom, a University of Oregon earth scientist, and Gordon Grant, a hydrologist with the U.S. Forest Service, discuss an aquifer they estimate as containing 81 cubic kilometers of freshwater — or roughly as much water contained in three Lake Meads, the largest reservoir in the United States. Karlstrom and Grant talk about how the aquifer is formed, where it's located (roughly between Mount Jefferson and south of McKenzie Pass) and why it's important in a warming future. They also talk about how it fuels many of Oregon's most famous rivers and spurs dramatic volcanic eruptions at places such as Sand Mountain.

In this episode of the Explore Oregon Podcast, host Zach Urness talks about three different things: -Snowshoeing, skiing or micro-spike hiking at Maxwell Sno-Park, plus spending the night in its two cozy snow shelters. -The plan to drop Detroit Lake to its lowest level in history, in a controversial plan aimed at saving endangered spring chinook salmon but that could also impact fishing, access and water quality at the reservoir east of Salem. -The controversy surrounding offseason recreation on McKenzie Pass Highway 242. Are you allowed to ski, snowmobile and bike on the scenic highway between Sisters and McKenzie Bridge when the snow gates are closed during the winter and spring? The answer used to be yes, but now, it's a lot more complicated.

In this edition, host Zach Urness highlights the best adventures the Statesman Journal outdoors staff wrote about in 2024. In part II, Urness talks about a roadtrip to the Oregon Outback — plus its "dark sky sanctuary" — along with why Oakridge is considered among the United States' best places to mountain bike. He also talks about diving into an underwater forest of Clear Lake, float tube fishing Oregon's alpine lakes, backpacking Broken Top Loop and new sections of whitewater that have appeared on the Klamath River after dam removal.

In this episode, host Zach Urness highlights the best adventures the Statesman Journal outdoors staff wrote about in 2024. In this part I episode, Urness talks about the troubled but beloved Umpqua Hot Springs during its "quiet season" and exploring snow shelters in the winter backcountry near Gold Lake Sno Park. Other adventures highlighted include summer skiing on Mount Hood — even during an extreme heatwave — along with mountain biking a historic road and how to visit one of Oregon's most beautiful but semi-secret waterfalls. Part II of this countdown should be posted around the New Year.

In this episode, host Zach Urness talks about a collection of stories including the start of winter recreation season, the controversial drawdowns at Green Peter Reservoir and some fun winter adventures including skiing, hiking at Silver Falls and celebrating "yurtmas" by touring Christmas lights at the Coast. The podcast features interviews from KLCC in Eugene and considers why a plan to save endangered salmon has become so controversial, while other topics include new waterfall hiking loops at Silver Falls State Park, record setting coho salmon runs and one of the state's most epic Christmas lights displays.

In this episode, host Zach Urness and intern Alexander Banks talk about the iconic — and popular — hike to Pittock Mansion. Beginning in the heart of Portland, the route takes hikers through Forest Park landmarks and up to one of the most beautiful vistas in the Rose City. For additional prospective, Banks also talks with guidebook author Matt Reeder about what makes the hike special. Finally, Zach offers a few of Portland's other best hikes.

In this episode, host Zach Urness talks with three people who worked to rebuild a stunning mountaintop fire lookout in southern Oregon where visitors can spend the night. In 2020, Bolan Mountain Lookout was burned by the Slater Fire. Four years later, a district ranger and the leader of a nonprofit, along with his dad, spearheaded rebuilding a lookout with one of the state's most unique vistas. In the podcast, Scott Blower, Wild Rivers District Ranger of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, along Gabe and Lee Howe, of the Siskiyou Mountain Club, talk about the challenge and inspiration of rebuilding an iconic structure and how to make it even better than it was before.

In this episode, host Zach Urness talks with a Klamath River outfitter about how the largest dam removal project in United State history has transformed the river by returning salmon and opening new stretches of river hidden for over a century. Will Volpert, owner of southern Oregon's Indigo Creek Outfitters, has been rafting every stretch of what he's dubbed the "New Klamath" after dam removal to document, map and prepare for commercial trips and summer recreation on a stream that looks a lot different after four dams and reservoirs were removed near the Oregon and California state line. Volpert talks about being surprised by a salmon in a class IV rapid, exploring the river as it carves through an old dam sites and reservoirs, and running major rapids only recently discovered.

In this episode of the Explore Oregon Podcast, host Zach Urness talks with Oregon State Climatologist Larry O'Neill about the forecast for the winter of 2024-25. O'Neill details why a forecasted weak La Nina system could result in a cooler and wetter winter than normal and what that means for the state overall, including for skiing and winter recreation.