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

In this episode, host Zach Urness forecasts the upcoming winter with state climatologist Larry O'Neill. The two discuss whether this winter will be rainy, snowy, dry or warm, and looked at how the El Nino weather pattern would likely impact the next few months. Specifically, the two talked about how the strength of this year's El Nino could determine whether Oregon has a wet or dry winter.

In this episode of the Explore Oregon Podcast, host Zach Urness talks with the godfather of sandboarding in Oregon and across the world — Lon Beale. They talk about how to get started sandboarding on the Oregon Coast and its dunes, why it's so much fun and how the sport started. Beale talks about some of the best places to ride, how the sport has advanced and how he designed the world's first modern sandboards. Beale is the owner of Venomous Sandboards and the Sand Master Sandboarding Park & Store in Florence.

In this episode, outdoors intern Olivia Stevens takes listeners through a Eugene author's unusual strategy to finishing the Pacific Crest Trail. Rather than the traditional experience of completing the trail from the borders of Mexico to Canada in one go, Bob Welch hiked the 2,650 miles in 17 chunks over 11 years. Welch recently published a book about his experience, “Seven Summers (and a few Bummers): My Adventures on the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail.” He will speak about the book and sign copies at Tsunami Books in Eugene on Thursday at 7 p.m. and at the Corvallis public library at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 7. Stevens talked to Welch about the PCT, trail magic and the pros and cons of sectioning out the iconic trail from Mexico to Canada.

In this episode, host Zach Urness talks about why fire investigation reports from the devastating 2020 Labor Day Fires still have not been finished or released by Oregon officials. Zach was interviewed about his in-depth reporting on the subject by Dave Miller, host of Think Out Loud on Oregon Public Broadcasting. They talk about where the investigations stand after three years, why it's taking so long, what we know and how California does thing differently.

In this episode of the Explore Oregon Podcast, host Zach Urness breaks down Oregon's 2023 wildfire season and puts it in prospective compared to recent years. Zach details the acres burned, homes lost and air quality impact around Oregon, along with the biggest fires of the year and big takeaways from the season. Then he talks with Alex Robertson, a longtime firefighter and regional fire director for the U.S. Forest Service, about what firefighters saw in 2023.

In this episode of the Explore Oregon Podcast, host Zach Urness and outdoors intern Olivia Stevens talk about some of the best things to do in the Wallowa Mountains. Olivia highlights overlooked campsites, cultural sites and museums and some new hikes in northeast Oregon's Joseph-Enterprise-Wallowa Lake area. Then, Zach posts a full episode that breaks down everything to know about the area with an episode originally recorded in 2018.

In this episode of the Explore Oregon Podcast, host Zach Urness and outdoors intern Olivia Stevens walks listeners through a unique experience on Wallowa Lake in the remote northeastern town of Joseph. A small, family-run company out there recently became a viral sensation after a social media influencer posted a video paddling through the glacial lake at night in light-up, clear boats. Olivia took the nighttime clear bottom kayak tour herself, and talks about whether the experience lived up to the hype driven by all the online attention. She also talked to the family that owns the company JO Paddle about how the business of clear bottom kayak tours and rentals began, as well as where they hope to take it in the future. JO Paddle will open reservations for their next season of tours and rentals on January 1. To learn more, go to their website.

In this episode, outdoors intern Olivia Stevens brings listeners to Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area to watch and listen to one of Oregon's most majestic animals — Roosevelt elk. Jewell Meadows, located in the Coast Range east of Seaside, is popular place where visitors can see up to 200 elk in one visit. Stevens highlights the sound an elk makes while "bugling" during mating season, breaks down how this popular wildlife refuge and talks about why it's making a trip to visit with refuge mangers and volunteers.

In this episode, Zach talks with University of Oregon astronomy professor Scott Fisher about the upcoming "ring of fire" solar eclipse. The annular eclipse, while not quite as dramatic as the 2017 total solar eclipse, will showcase the moon blocking the sun in Oregon beginning at 9:13 a.m. on Oct. 14 and traveling across a wide swath of the state. Fisher, also the director of Pine Mountain Observatory in Central Oregon, talks about where to best see the eclipse, what's happening in the sky and how it's different from the 2017 event.

Learn how to boat camp at Waldo Lake despite campground closures. Discover the clear and emerald glass-like water of the lake. Get tips on finding dispersed camping spots and navigating camping restrictions. Dive into the science behind the blue color of the lake's waters. Explore the islands of Waldo Lake and get recreation tips.