The Gorge Magazine - Spring 2025

SPRING 2025 thegorgemagazine.com

LIVING AND EXPLORING IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE

The Rivers That Run Through It Working together to ensure a healthy Hood River watershed

POP-UP WORLD

Chef Anthony Dao’s culinary journey

ALL ABOUT THE ART

Go behind the scenes during the Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour

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CONTENTS | SPRING 2025

45

Feature

THE WATERSHED WINS

Thirty years ago, the Hood River Watershed Group was formed to restore and protect the Hood River for all its users, from fish to farms. Spoiler alert: it’s working.

By David Hanson David Hanson

ARTS + CULTURE

10

Nikki Rohan

OUR GORGE

50 VIEWING ART IN A WHOLE NEW WAY Gorge artists welcome visitors in annual Open Studios Tour

By Janet Cook

10 PERSON OF INTEREST 16 VENTURES 20 LOCAVORE

WELLNESS

28 EXPLORE

56 NO TIME FOR FEAR

32 IMBIBE

A lifetime with Lyme disease has taught Gretchen Bayless a few things about resilience

By Janet Cook

62 PARTAKE 66 YOUR GORGE

32

50

Courtesy of Jacob Williams Winery Detail of artwork by Brenda Huskey 4

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JEWELRY + HOME HOME + JEWELRY HOME + JEWELRY HOME + JEWELRY HOME + JEWELRY

HIGHLIGHTING LOCAL ARTISTS SINCE 1994 S I N C E 1994 1994 SINCE SINCE 1994 SINCE 1994

305 OAK STREET 305 STREET 305 OAK OAK HOOD STREETRIVER DOWNTOWN 305 OAK STREET DOWNTOWN HOOD DOWNTOWN HOOD RIVER RIVER 54 1-386-6188 DOWNTOWN HOOD RIVER 54 1-386-6188 54 1-386-6188 3 054 5 1-386-6188 OAK STREET

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EDITOR'S NOTE

Carol@DonNunamaker.com RealEstateinTheGorge.com HoodRiverProperties.com

A FEW MONTHS into Covid lockdown in 2020, when we were all hunkered at home trying to reimagine life and desperate to figure out what the heck our kids could do for fun, I got a message from mountain bike coach Bekah Rottenberg. She was offering to put together some informal mountain biking sessions for kids she’d previously coached.

With an energetic 7th grader doing school on an iPad and no extracurricular activities in sight, it was a message I desperately needed. I took Bekah up on her offer before I even asked my son. When I dropped him and his bike off at Post Canyon a few days later to meet Bekah and a handful of other kids, I shed some tears of joy.

It turns out those pandemic-era rides were not only a welcome slice of normalcy in a weird time, they were also the start of what would become Brave Endeavors. A one-time competitive mountain bike racer, Bekah combined her background in teaching with her love for mountain biking to create a business focused on bike camps for kids, as well as clinics and retreats for adults — mostly designed for women. She also teaches strength-training classes to help bikers and other athletes build muscle and confidence for their active pursuits. You can read about Bekah’s journey and Brave Endeavors starting on page 10.

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Parkdale resident Gretchen Bayless has undergone an altogether different journey — one that began when she was a child and continues today. Severe joint pain led to a misdiagnosis of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at age 10. She endured years of medications, medical debt and deteriorating health before she was finally diagnosed with Lyme disease more than two decades later. She’s in a much better place with her health today but must continue to manage the lingering effects of chronic Lyme disease. You can read our story about Gretchen starting on page 56.

Most of us probably don’t think too much about the Hood River watershed and its vital role in the health of farms, fish and this beautiful valley of ours. Luckily, there are a bunch of people who do, and their collective work as the Hood River Watershed Group over nearly three decades has been a model of collaboration and consensus among diverse interests for the good of the whole. Writer David Hanson’s story about the group starts on page 45.

You’ll find lots of other interesting stories in this issue as well, including a piece on Iliana Maura Muhl and her vegan butter (page 20), and a profile of chef Anthony Dao (page 16). Don’t forget to mark your calendar for the annual Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour in May. Find a preview of the beloved event starting on page 50. We wish you a lovely spring in the Gorge!

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SPRING 2025 thegorgemagazine.com

— Janet Cook, Editor

LIVING AND EXPLORING IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE

About the Cover The Rivers That Run Through It Working together to ensure a healthy Hood River watershed

POP-UP WORLD

Chef Anthony Dao’s culinary journey

ALL ABOUT THE ART

Go behind the scenes during the Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour

541-490-5099

Oregon & Washington Broker

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DAVID HANSON, a photographer, video producer and writer, took our cover shot while working on a short film about the Hood River Watershed Group last year. “This is a steep, relatively short river valley and with just a little elevation afforded by a drone, you can capture a lot of how a watershed is just the big, green, fruity, rock-capped funnel we live in,” he said. ModocStories.com

When you have read this issue please pass it on to a friend or recycle it.

Together we can make a difference in preserving and conserving our resources.

SPRING 2025 I THE GORGE MAGAZINE

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SPRING 2025 EDITOR

Janet Cook

CREATIVE DIRECTOR & GRAPHIC DESIGNER Renata Kosina

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Jody Thompson

ADVERTISING SALES Kim Horton

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Molly Allen, Ruth Berkowitz, David Hanson, Kacie McMackin, Jana Shepherd

COVER PHOTOGRAPHER David Hanson

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Molly Allen, David Hanson, Petar Marshall, Kacie McMackin

TO ADVERTISE IN THE GORGE MAGAZINE

please contact Jody Thompson jthompson@thegorgemagazine.com

COME CHECK OUT THE VIEW FROM OUR NEW PATIO SEATING AREA

NOW OPEN FOR DINNER, TOO! Specials every Friday - Sunday

Current specials menu announced every Thursday on our Facebook & Instagram 10% discount for seniors and veterans

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THE GORGE MAGAZINE 1812 Belmont Ave. Hood River, OR 97031

We appreciate your feedback.

Please email comments to: jcook@thegorgemagazine.com

The Gorge Magazine is published by Columbia Gorge News, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without the express written permission of Columbia Gorge News, LLC. Articles and photographs appearing in The Gorge Magazine may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of The Gorge Magazine, Columbia Gorge News, LLC, or its employees, staff or management. All RIGHTS RESERVED.

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PERSON OF INTEREST 10 • VENTURES 16 • LOCAVORE 20 • EXPLORE 28 IMBIBE 32 • PARTAKE 62 • YOUR GORGE 66

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OUR GORGE

person of interest

Katie Sox

Bekah Rottenberg

story by JANET COOK • photos provided

TEACHING MOUNTAIN BIKING AND LIFE SKILLS IN EQUAL MEASURE “FAILURE” CAN SOUND LIKE A BAD WORD, EVOKING FEELINGS of disappointment and self-doubt. But for Bekah Rottenberg, failure is what led her to launch her business. She embraces it, removes the stigma from it, encourages her clients to see it as part of their own journey, and teaches kids not to fear it.

Rottenberg does this mainly from the seat of her mountain bike, where she spends much of the spring, summer and fall teaching kids mostly, but also adults — primarily women — how to navigate trails on two wheels. Through her business, Brave Endeavors, Rottenberg offers mountain biking programs for kids ages 4 through 15. In after-school programs in the spring and fall, and summer programs tailored to all levels of riders — from beginner to advanced, including girls-specific programs — Rottenberg teaches bike skills, but also life skills.

“I want to create a safe space for both kids and adults to feel like they can fail and that’s okay,” she said. “Life is about struggle, it’s about trying hard things, it’s about making mistakes, literally falling down and getting back up.”

Along with kids’ programs, Rottenberg offers adult clinics that range in focus from foundational skills to specifics like jumping and cornering. During her Friday Night Spotlights, she teaches skills tailored to individual trails in Post Canyon followed by a casual dinner at the trailhead. She also hosts women’s tech clinics at Mountain View Cycles and two women’s mountain bike retreats each year — scheduled for Oak Ridge and Bend this year, and tentatively for Baja and Chamonix in 2026.

In a way, Brave Endeavors seems like a perfect merging of Rottenberg’s skills and life experience into a career. But not unlike the singletracks she navigates on her bike, the trail to get here was long, often steep and peppered with obstacles.

An accomplished team-sport athlete throughout her youth in Massachusetts, capped 10

Bjarne Salen

by playing Division 1 lacrosse at Brown University, Rottenberg headed west after college. She landed in Utah, where she wound up teaching environmental science at a private school. “I kind of fell into this teaching position, but I really liked it,” she said. “Teaching felt really natural to me.”

Eventually she moved to California to pursue her master’s in agricultural education at U.C. Davis.

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In Utah, and then more so after moving to California, Rottenberg got into biking — road biking at first, joining a road cycling team and racing competitively, but also doing some recreational mountain biking. One day, at the urging of a friend, she registered for a mountain bike race. “I signed up as a beginner, because I’d never raced on a mountain bike before,” she said.

She wound up winning by more than half an hour. “I was kind of like, huh, I wonder where this could take me? From there, it sort of unfolded and I ended up racing professionally for five years.”

After teaching for several years at a public charter school in Davis, Rottenberg and her partner, Michelle Morelos, were ready to leave California. Morelos, a veterinarian, found a job in The Dalles. Neither one of them knew anything about the area, but a google search touted nearby Hood River as an “outdoor enthusiast’s paradise,” Rottenberg recalls. “I said, ‘Yeah, let’s go.” They arrived in Hood River in 2014.

Bjarne Salen

Bekah Rottenberg coaches rock-riding skills at a women’s mountain bike retreat in Bend, opposite. Above, she demonstrates a drop technique during a clinic on her home turf in Post Canyon.

Rottenberg was hired to teach engineering at Hood River Middle School, and started coaching mountain biking for local youth programs in her spare time. Life was cruising along smoothly when she was told she’d need to start teaching a math course in addition to her engineering classes; it required passing a math test.

That was, as Rottenberg puts it, like “double kryptonite.” “I’ve always struggled in math, and I’ve always struggled with multiple choice tests,” she said. But she decided to approach

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person of interest

it with a competitor's mindset “I figured, I’m an athlete, I love a challenge. I’ve got this.” She studied hard, even working with a tutor, but failed on her first try. And her second. And then her third. The school district reduced her position, which decreased her pay and benefits.

Though disappointed, she took it as an opportunity to assess her options. “I was looking around and starting to see other opportunities,” Rottenberg said — among them, coaching lacrosse and mountain biking, pursuing her personal training certification, and teaching fitness classes. “It felt like a now or never moment, so I quit my job,” she said. “I didn’t have a plan, but I had a passion, and that was to help other people to feel empowered in their mind, in their body, and on the bike.”

Toward that end, she began teaching spin classes at The Power Station, then earned her personal trainer certificate and trained clients one-on-one as well as teaching strength classes specifically for mountain

Nate Johnson

Bekah hosts women's tech clinics at Mountain View Cycles in Hood River, where she teaches bike repair skills.

bikers. She also took on more youth mountain bike coaching, and felt like she was just getting her legs under her when the pandemic shut everything down in March 2020. “Covid hit and every single form of income I had disappeared,” she said.

In late spring that year, she began reaching out to parents of kids she’d coached. “I said, hey if you get a group of three or four kids together, I’ll meet them at the trailhead, we’ll social distance and we’ll ride,” she said. “That’s where it started, just making connections.” She did the same thing with clients she’d trained, holding personal training sessions in parks and

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Nikki Rohan

at the waterfront. “I did a little bit of virtual training. I did workouts on Instagram Live.

I was just throwing everything out there to see what would stick,” she said. People started coming out of the woodwork, looking for opportunities for their kids, for their own training sessions or private lessons. “Everyone was so desperate,” she said. “For me it was the classic hustle, pivot, nose to the grindstone, piecing everything together like crazy.” Eventually, the way forward came into focus.

In the spring of 2021, she got bike jerseys emblazoned with the Brave Endeavors logo and set up her website so people could pre-register for one of four programs she’d designed for kids of varying ages. “I’ll never forget this moment,” she said. “I sent an email out to every person who had done a program with me and said, hey, I’ve got these kids' programs ready to go, this is how you can register.” Soon after she hit “send,” registrations began rolling in. “I just started crying,” she recalls. Rottenberg felt like she’d

Katie Sox

person of interest

Bekah holds a rider’s bike to help them find their balanced ride position, left. At right, kids take a break during a mountain bike camp to journal, which helps them connect the confidence gained on their bike to everyday life.

been “working backwards” until that point, creating on the fly in response to requests. “To finally front-load it and have it just work, that was amazing.”

Rottenberg added adult mountain bike clinics that summer. While they continue to be women-focused (with a few designated as women-only) she welcomes men, too, and gets about 10 percent male participation. She launched her first retreats in 2024. During the winter months when her mountain bike programs are on hiatus, she offers personal training sessions to a limited number of clients at her home gym and has an online class that continues year-round.

With the arrival of spring, Rottenberg is gearing up for her after-school programs, which kick off in May. Exploring local trails and improving skills is a focus, but Rottenberg brings a lot more to the programs than that. “I think of myself as a mountain bike educator,” she said. She adheres to what she calls her four pillars of Brave Endeavors kids’ programs: small groups, fun, deliberate confidence building, and journaling.

“The journals have become this really fun thing,” said Rottenberg, who’s created two levels of journals for different age groups. During breaks on the trail, kids sit down, have a snack and spend time with their journal. “We live in this very hectic, loud, busy world, so to find time and space in nature where kids can sit and be with their thoughts feels really special.” There’s space to draw and prompts to help kids explore their goals, fears, challenges and accomplishments. “The journals are designed to help them make a deliberate connection between the notion that as we work through challenges on the bike, that can help us to work through challenges off the bike," she said.

Brave Endeavors kids’ programs are limited to eight, with one head coach and one assistant. She started a coach-in-training camp two years ago, and some of her former Brave Endeavors athletes are now assistant coaches.

Whether she’s coaching kids or adults, Rottenberg draws on her background in education. “The experience I gained in the classroom has really shaped the way I design my mountain bike clinics,” she said. “I want them to be an immersive learning experience.”

She carefully crafts the language she uses when coaching — trying to use as few words as possible, and the most effective words she can “so that we can be more in our bodies and less in our heads,” she explained.

And “failure” is a word she’s fine with.

“It’s okay to try, and not succeed,” she said. “I feel like that’s where we find joy in life is in the struggle and learning from that struggle. If we stay in a fixed mindset, we don’t learn and we don’t grow and we don’t improve.”

To learn more, go to bravendeavors.com

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OUR GORGE

ventures

story by JANA SHEPHERD • photos provided

Zoe Ching

Honoring food, culture & community THE CULINARY JOURNEY OF ANTHONY DAO FROM THE BUSY STREETS OF MANHATTAN to the vineyards of Australia and back to the Pacific Northwest, Chef Anthony Dao’s journey is one of resilience and creativity, and is deeply rooted in the power of community. Dao, a first-generation American and son of Vietnamese refugees who fled Vietnam just before the fall of Saigon in 1975, has built a culinary career that blends multicultural influences with an appreciation for the land he now calls home.

Zoe Ching, left and right 16

Dao, who grew up in Seattle, earned a business degree from Washington State University in 2011, receiving a full scholarship from the College Success Foundation — a nonprofit that supports students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds.

It didn’t take long for him to realize his true calling was elsewhere.

Just a couple of years out of college and much to the chagrin of his family, Dao quit what most would consider a cushy corporate job and moved on a whim to New York City with his then-partner Kaylee. “I started bussing tables at the best fine dining restaurants that would hire me and eventually found my way into the kitchen,” Dao recalls.

Over the next several years, Dao immersed himself in the culinary world, working in Anthony Dao and his wife, Kaylee, at Soča Wine Shop in White Salmon, top.

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Skaters take advantage of frozen water at The Hook, opposite top and above, and at the Sandbar, left. Weather conditions cooperate only a few times every winter to make it happen, but when they do, skaters come out to play on the ice. Opposite bottom, skaters play roller hockey at the Hood River Armory.

Kelly Turso

Anthony and Kaylee prepare food at a pop-up at Soča Wine Shop, above. Left and opposite bottom are dishes he prepared during a residency at the restaurant Måurice in Portland last fall.

Carter Hiyama

some of the most reputable kitchens in New York. “This granted me access into spaces and places I would have never been a part of otherwise, as someone who didn’t come from a place of privilege,” he says. “Playing a part in the inner workings of highly ambitious restaurants made me realize that hospitality was something I wanted to dedicate my life to.”

Eventually he and Kaylee, by now his wife, ventured to Australia on a holiday visa, working on farms and vineyards, further deepening their connection to food and its origins.

Returning to the Pacific Northwest in 2019, the couple joined Hood River’s Hiyu Wine Farm as interns. Anthony honed his craft under chef Jason Barwikowski, while also immersing himself in the garden and cellar. When the internship ended that December, the pair returned to Seattle to plot their next move, opening a wine bar with friends in the interim.

In a fortunate turn of events, just before the pandemic hit Anthony bought a mobile pizza oven from his friend Jure Poberaj — of White Salmon Baking Company fame — whom he’d met at Hiyu. The challenges of 2020 brought unexpected obstacles, but also new opportunities. Laid off from the wine bar during lockdown, Dao began making pizzas out of his driveway, selling to neighbors to generate some income. “Momentum gained and soon it became a thing

with people bringing their own beverages and lawn chairs,” he says. “My front yard turned into an al fresco pizzeria.”

What started as a small project quickly grew into a vibrant community gathering. “It was a reminder of how food can bring people together, even in tough times,” says Dao.

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Anthony Dao doing afternoon chores at Hiyu Wine Farm last spring, left.

At right, a dish he created during his three-year tenure there as sous chef.

But he and Kaylee missed the beauty of the Gorge. When Dao was offered the sous chef job at Hiyu Wine Farm in January 2021, they decided to return. He remained there until March 2024 when he moved on to his next adventure — spending a couple of months in Singapore helping a friend develop the menu for an all-day café.

Dao’s latest venture, Dao Deli, began last July. It’s a roving popup concept driven by his passion for culture and nostalgia. Partnering with local venues like Hood River Common House and Soča Wine Shop in White Salmon, as well as a few select spots in Portland and Seattle, Dao Deli serves as a platform for collaboration and community.

When asked where he draws inspiration, Dao says he believes creativity manifests itself in various forms — from the mundane beauty of everyday life to highlighting other people’s stories. Whether it’s a friend sharing a dish or collaborating with local farmers, “it’s all about bringing people together through food and the universal desire to gather around a table with loved ones,” he says. “In almost everything I do, I strive to replicate these ever-fleeting feelings of generosity and conviviality.”

Zoe Ching

Anthony Dao

His culinary philosophy is rooted in simplicity. “Less is more,” Dao emphasizes. “It’s about honoring your ingredients and cooking with intention. The current zeitgeist, especially in American food, would have you believe that quantity and quality are one and the same. What I’ve come to realize is that there is a poetic sense of luxury behind sincerity. There is abundance in the understated.” When asked how he goes about developing a menu, he responds, “I ask myself two questions — who am I and where am I?” Dao is eager to credit the work of other chefs and food writers as a source of influence and inspiration. “The resounding perspective of Alice Waters, Edna Lewis, Elizabeth David, Richard Olney, MFK Fisher and Jim Harrison — to name just a few — is far more interesting to me than any particular dish or flavor combination.”

Dao finds the most challenging aspect of being a chef to be that of managing expectations. With inflation driving up food costs and labor, staying solvent requires higher prices. “There will always be tension when you’re trying to close the gap in the value you assign to your work and the value perceived by the customer,” he says.

“But, despite all of this volatility and fluctuation, there are opportunities to overdeliver on an experience.”

Now living in Underwood with Kaylee, their dog Fern, and a baby on the way, Dao continues to weave his culinary journey into the fabric of the Columbia Gorge. “We’re building something totally organic here,” he says. “Dao Deli is more than just a pop-up, it’s a conduit for new ideas, a way to connect with producers and curators we admire, and a delicious celebration of community.”

Dao Deli will be in residence at the Hood River Common House three to four days a week starting in early spring, focusing, according to Dao, on a fresh, approachable and dynamic offering.

His vision is clear — to create spaces where people can come together, share a meal and leave feeling inspired. “Food has the power to make the world a better place,” he says. With Anthony Dao in the kitchen, it’s hard to argue otherwise.

For the latest updates, follow Anthony Dao @anthonydao, and the Hood River Common House @hoodrivercommonhouse.

Jana Shepherd is a writer living in Lyle. She’s a frequent contributor to The Gorge Magazine.

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Connor Muhl

OUR GORGE

Building a Better Butter

story by RUTH BERKOWITZ • photos provided

INSPIRED BY A LOVE FOR ANIMALS, ILIANA MAURA MUHL’S VEGAN BUTTER IS GAINING CONVERTS YEARS AGO, while living in Sonoma County, Calif., Iliana Maura Muhl, then in her thirties, poured herself a cup of coffee every morning, went outside and blasted Johann Sebastian Bach on her boom box.

Sunshine, her neighbor’s friendly cow, would twitch her ears at the first notes, bucking up and down as if she were dancing. The two

Iliana Maura Muhl 20

shared this morning ritual for many months — until one day, Sunshine was gone. When Iliana learned that her beloved companion had been taken to a slaughterhouse, she was devastated. “It was so traumatic that I always knew I had to do something about it,” she recalls.

Fast forward many years. Iliana got married, moved to the Gorge, became a mother and a piano teacher. But she never forgot Sunshine. The loss of the beloved cow had planted a seed, one that grew into a deep commitment to treating animals with kindness, and one that slowly brought her to embrace a fully plant-based diet.

Yet her shift to becoming a vegan was gradual. Baking had always been a passion, rooted in childhood memories of kneading sourdough bread with her mother. Soon after college, Iliana had developed a fruit juice-sweetened cookie recipe and launched a successful cookie business. At that time, margarine, a vegetable oil-based alternative to butter, was widely believed to be a healthier alternative. But when Iliana learned that the margarine she was using contained harmful trans fats, she made the difficult decision to close her thriving business.

After moving to the Gorge, Iliana continued experimenting in her kitchen, eventually noticing that flour and dairy left her feeling bloated and uncomfortable. She eliminated both from her pantry. When she brought a dog into her family, Iliana created a vegan dog treat called StarrBarks after the Husky. She believed in the product’s potential, even coining a catchy slogan: “The healthy treat you both can eat.” However, pet owners didn’t seem eager Iliana Maura Muhl makes Divinely Dairy-Free Butter packaged in tubs for easy spreading and sticks for use in baking, top.

At left, the cow named Sunshine that inspired her quest to create vegan butter and other non-dairy products.

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Iliana Maura Muhl, both images

to provide vegan options for their dogs.

“We sold the treats on Amazon and in some pet stores, but there was no dedicated vegan section for dogs. Maybe in the future,” she reflects.

Next, she shifted her focus to protein bars when her athletic stepson moved in.

He wanted a snack to sustain him during long bike rides. Since Iliana was now gluten-

Iliana’s love for baking is rooted in childhood memories of kneading bread and baking treats with her mom, left. Her butter contains no palm oil, seed oils or artificial flavors, and is made from all plant-based ingredients.

free and pescatarian, she crafted a product that met her dietary needs while fueling Chris’s rides. The bars were so successful that she now sells them online, at the Hood River Farmers Market, and at Pine Street Bakery.

As Iliana worked on the protein bars, her mind kept drifting back to her old cookie recipe.

Could she recreate it without margarine? More importantly, could she find a dairy-free, vegan alternative to butter that met her standards?

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Hans Ogren Photography

Courtesy of Iliana Maura Muhl

Iliana with other business owners at an Oregon Entrepreneurs Network event, left. Experts at the OSU Food Innovation Center, right, helped her refine the recipe to extend the butter’s shelf life while maintaining strict ingredients standards.

She tried nearly every plant-based butter on the market — Miyoko’s, Melt, Earth Balance — but none were quite right. Many contained palm oil, which helps enable smooth spreading and keeps products shelf-stable due to its semi-solid nature and resistance to oxidation. But palm oil production also destroys the habitats of endangered species like orangutans — something Iliana couldn’t ignore. Other options relied on seed oils, known to cause inflammation.

Frustrated by the lack of a truly wholesome alternative, she once again turned to her own kitchen. “I decided to make my own vegan butter,” she says. Perfecting the recipe became an obsession. It took her more than four years of experimenting, adjusting measurements, changing ingredients, and refining the mixing process to achieve not only a silky-smooth texture but also a delicious, buttery taste.

After countless trials, she began sharing samples with friends — both vegan and non-vegan.

A few years ago, she gave me a blue glass jar filled with her butter. Although I’m not vegan, my cholesterol is slightly high, so I liked the idea of a zero-cholesterol butter. It spread smoothly on crackers and bread and tasted almost like dairy butter. It melted easily on popcorn, and I could substitute it for dairy butter while baking. However, it had a short shelf life and would mold if left out on the counter. “Keep it in the freezer,” she advised.

In 2021, she gave a sample to her manicurist, who passed it along to Mark DeResta, then executive chef at Hood River’s Riverside Grill. Eager to have a vegan menu, DeResta saw the potential in Iliana’s dairy-free butter and wanted to purchase it. This was her first significant order — but she needed a precision scale to ensure consistency. She reached out to the chemistry department at Columbia Gorge Community College, which loaned her one. Since then, she has upgraded to an even more powerful Sartorius scale to ensure precise measurements, down to the fourth decimal place.

Positive feedback reassured Iliana that she had created something special. Like many food entrepreneurs, she set up a booth at the Hood River Farmers Market to test her product.

“I sold out at every market,” she recalls. “People loved my butter.”

However, extending the butter’s shelf life remained a challenge. Luckily, Hood River’s proximity to Portland gave her access to resources and experts who help food entrepreneurs.

One day, Jon Maroney, general partner at Oregon Venture Fund, sampled her butter at the market. Maroney, who has helped hundreds of start-ups, connected Iliana with the Portlandbased Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN).

Through OEN, Iliana was introduced to the Oregon State University Food Innovation Center where she worked with renowned food scientist Sarah Masoni — dubbed “the woman with the million-dollar palate” because of her sense of taste and skills at determining which ingredients are needed to enhance a flavor and improve a product’s shelf life. Masoni 22

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Iliana sells her vegan butter and other products, including protein bars, at the Hood River Farmers Market, left. Above, a cookie made with Divinely Dairy-Free Butter by B’s Sweets, a home-based bakery and farmers market regular.

Connor Muhl

and her team took more than nine months to refine Iliana’s recipe.

They added sunflower lecithin and vitamin E to extend the butter’s shelf life from three weeks to five months. They also ensured the final recipe met Iliana’s strict standards: organic and free from palm oil, seed oils, artificial flavors and highly processed ingredients.

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“So many people have helped me along the way,” she says as we warm coconut oil to 100 degrees in a commercial kitchen owned by food entrepreneur Lindsay Gott, founder of Gateaux, a frozen dessert company based in Hood River. I am here to learn the intricacies of making vegan butter.

Her recipe requires precise measurements down to the milligram. Slightly more or less of one ingredient can change the taste and texture. “I’ve learned how to understand my recipe,” she says as we carefully measure apple cider vinegar. “Ingredients dance with each other and if you are off on one of the 13 ingredients, then it might ruin the butter.”

Mixing the ingredients with an immersion blender requires a special technique. A slow churn makes it creamier, ensuring that the coconut and olive oils blend with the blanched almonds, cashews and other ingredients.

We pour the thick, hummus-like mixture into tubs. After a few hours in the refrigerator, it solidifies and transforms into creamy, dairy-free butter. One devoted customer, Sonja Good Stefani, believes switching to this butter — along with a plant-based diet — helped lower her cholesterol significantly. “I’ve tried all the vegan butters, and this is by far the best,” she says. Her young kids prefer the vegan butter to dairy butter. “It works the same as dairy butter.

We bake cookies with it and use it for frying pancakes. It’s so delicious on bagels and toast.”

Looking ahead, Iliana hopes to see her butter on store shelves nationwide, proving that ethical, high-quality alternatives can stand alongside — and even surpass — traditional dairy products. “I just want to create something where everyone enjoys healthier, more delicious food, where families are benefitted and where animals are no longer harmed in feeding the planet,” she says.

And with every spread, melt and bake, she’s helping others take part in that journey, one buttery bite at a time.

Iliana Maura’s Divinely Dairy-Free Butter is available at the Hood River Farmers Market, Treebird Market and, most recently, at Market of Choice and New Seasons Market in Portland.

To learn more, go to ilianamaura.com.

Ruth Berkowitz is a mediator and writer living in Hood River. She is a frequent contributor to The Gorge Magazine.

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Petar Marshall

OUR GORGE

story by MOLLY ALLEN • photos by MOLLY ALLEN & PETAR MARSHALL

Wall of Wonders

STUNNING VIEWS AND SPRING WILDFLOWERS REWARD BIKERS AND HIKERS ON COYOTE WALL

Molly Allen 28

NO MATTER YOUR PERSPECTIVE — DRIVING EAST FROM BINGEN on Highway 14 or gazing across the Columbia River from Oregon — Coyote Wall is a striking landscape feature in a region full of them. Also known as the Syncline, Coyote Wall is a collection of basalt rock columns that rise dramatically from the river level, making it easily recognizable. The west side of its jagged edge creates a steep drop-off, with plenty of room to roam across the sloping hills to the east. With such fascinating features and breathtaking views, it’s no wonder Coyote Wall has become a top spot for bikers and hikers alike to recreate in the Gorge, and spring is one of the most popular times to explore it.

“The area has an amazing wildflower show during the early springtime,” says Stephen Elgart, recreation staff officer for the U.S. Forest Service. “The site hosts some of the first signs of wildflowers before places like Dog Mountain or Tom McCall.”

With their little green shoots and vibrant purple petals, grass widows pop up all over the terrain in early March — one of the first signs of spring on the way — with an array of other wildflowers to follow. According to Elgart, balsamroot, cornflower and hairy goldaster can be spotted in this area. I’ve also found Columbia desert parsley, lupine, pearly everlasting and prairie stars here. As March turns to April, the landscape comes alive with a beautiful color palette.

Of course, Coyote Wall didn’t always look like it does today. According to geologist Nick Zentner, a professor at Central Washington University and host of Nick on the Rocks, a PBS-TV geology series, we have the Gingko Flow to thank for the current landscape.

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Part of the Columbia River Basalt Group, the Ginkgo Flow was a series of lava flows that covered much of the Pacific Northwest over a few million years during the Miocene Epoch. It traveled through this area some 16 million years ago, and as flowing lava went downhill, it found the existing Columbia River and followed it out to the ocean.

“When the runny lava loses its heat, it solidifies,” Zentner says. “It forms basalt.”

The many vertical layers were created by the lava cooling, resulting in the pillars of basalt rock we now see at Coyote Wall and elsewhere along the Columbia River. “The area we’re referring to experienced major Missoula flood water,” Zentner adds. Around 16,000 years ago, those Ice Age floods hauled some of the basalt rock away, impacting the landscape on Coyote Wall and throughout the Gorge, creating the views that we get to enjoy every day.

“Coyote Wall is a unique place with a lot of history,” says Elgart. “Mountain biking, hiking, trail running, bird watching and geology spotting are all great activities to do there.” While hikers have been using the site for decades, Elgart notes that the formal trail system designations began in 2017. That improved access to the Coyote Wall area in all seasons.

Molly Allen

An extensive network of trails for bikers and hikers offers access to Coyote Wall in all seasons. Along with the dramatic geology and breathtaking views, an array of wildflowers covers the hillsides in spring.

choose, you’ll either have a steep and rocky climb or something a bit more gradual. Thanks to the climate and geology, there aren’t very many trees in the area, except for sparse oak and pine trees here and there. This provides expansive views in all directions.

You’ll see mounds of basalt and a view across the Columbia to Mosier and the surrounding Mosier Hills, with vibrant sprawling vineyards and orchards. Peeks of Mount Hood can be spotted, with views of streams, Little Maui Falls and the mighty Columbia as you make W I N G • F O I L• E - B I K E S • W I N D S U R F • S U P • K I T E

HIKING AND BIKING ON THE WALL The trail system on Coyote Wall is made up of more than 20 miles of designated trails, offering countless opportunities for adventure for hikers and bikers. “It is both fun and challenging, with a steep climb up to the top and a quick trip back to the bottom with a variety of switchbacks to take in the views of the Gorge from a number of different angles,” Elgart says.

The journey begins from the parking area off Courtney Road, just three miles east of Bingen. There is no fee to park here, and it’s open year-round with access to a vault toilet, but no water. Once parked, walk east on the old highway past Locke Lake to find the beginnings of the trail system. You’ll be right underneath Coyote Wall at this point.

The series of trails, including Old Ranch Road Trail and Little Maui, begin to branch off as you start your ascent in the Coyote Wall Recreation Area, quickly gaining elevation. Depending on which trail you

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your way back down. “It’s a year-round true Gorge gem with fun to be had for everyone on any given day,” says avid hiker and mountain biker Lisa Schlecht.

For me, Coyote Wall has become one of my top default trails when I can’t decide on where to go. It’s an excellent place for any level of activity and a comfortable spot to enjoy whether you’re heading out solo or recreating with a group of friends. You’ll likely encounter other hikers or bikers, so be sure to stay aware while sharing the trails.

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story by JANET COOK • photos provided

Courtesy of Jacob Williams Winery

Jacob Williams Winery THIS EASTERN GORGE TASTING ROOM IS A WORTHY DESTINATION FOR THE WINE, THE VIEWS AND MORE FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, A PIECE OF PROPERTY OVERLOOKING THE COLUMBIA River near Wishram, Wash., caught the attention of Brad Gearhart’s winemaker. John Haw had been procuring grapes from Gunkel Orchards for Gearhart’s Jacob Williams Winery, and as he stood in the Gunkel’s cherry orchards, he envisioned the winery’s tasting room set amid the breathtaking surroundings.

Gearhart’s winery was just a few years old then. Begun as Dry Hollow Vineyards in 2003 with Gearhart and a high school friend as founders, Gearhart found himself solo at the helm in 2007 and renamed it Jacob Williams after his two sons.

The winery’s tasting room had moved from The Dalles to Lyle, but Gearhart was looking for a new home that would stand out from an increasingly crowded field. He approached the Gunkels — a family operation that has been growing fruit along the banks of the Columbia River since 1936 — with his unusual vision, and wound up with a 100-year lease and the green light to build his tasting room amongst the fruit trees and stunning views.

Its location within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area came with its own set of challenges, marked by stringent restrictions and regulations, according to Gearhart.

“Navigating the complex web of approvals took us two years, but our determination to breathe life into this vision never wavered,” he says.

David Blaine Photography 32

The Jacob Williams Winery tasting room in Wishram offers indoor and outdoor seating for visitors, with stunning views of the Columbia River, the eastern Gorge hills and Mount Hood.

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Kelly Turso

Owner Brad Gearhart on the grounds of the winery with his sons, Jacob and William.

The Jacob Williams Winery tasting room opened in 2011 with three tables and a handful of barstools at the counter to accommodate guests. As the winery’s popularity grew, Gearhart built a larger tasting room adjacent to the original one with unparalleled views of the Columbia River and Mount Hood. The goal was to “set our winery apart as one of the region’s premier wine destinations,” says Gearhart.

The original winery space, now dubbed the Jacob Williams Club Lounge, is used for featured tastings, food pairings, wine education classes and other activities available to the roughly 1,000 wine club members. A kitchen, added a couple of years ago, has allowed the winery to expand its culinary options.

“For years, we just had a la carte items,” says general manager Regina Durrant. Now, the winery offers several charcuterie options as well as hot sandwiches and a rotating selection of soups in the colder months. Starting in April, the menu will include flatbread pizzas featuring locally-sourced ingredients, served every weekend through October. “It’s a lot of effort, but all it takes is a couple of happy customers and you know it’s worth it,” she says.

The expanded food menu is part of a larger effort to differentiate the winery, according to Durrant. “The whole wine industry is shifting,” she says. Multiple forces are at work, she adds, including inflation, people choosing alcohol-free lifestyles and the range of other beverages available, from craft beer and cocktails to non-alcoholic options.

Expressive wines with distinctive depth and character from the heart of the Columbia River Gorge. Visit one of our charming tasting rooms for an exceptional tasting experience of our award-winning wines.

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Courtesy of Jacob Williams Winery, this and next page

The menu at Jacob Williams has recently expanded beyond a la carte items to include charcuterie spreads, hot sandwiches and, in colder months, a rotating selection of soups. The expansive outdoor seating area allows visitors to enjoy the views with or without shade.

“The shift is palpable,” Durrant says. She notes that it’s not just in the Gorge region and beyond; she spends weeks every year in New Zealand, where her husband is from, and says the same thing is happening there, and elsewhere. “It’s uncertain waters. It becomes increasingly important for us to provide more than just a good bottle of wine,” she says.

With winemaker Peter Cushman at the helm, Durrant says providing a good bottle of wine feels like the easy part. “I think our wines speak for themselves,” she says. “I don’t have to convince people that the wine is good.” Cushman, who has been winemaker at Jacob Williams since 2016, took over from John Haw and is only the winery’s second winemaker. Cushman helped make the tran-

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Winemaker Peter Cushman, general manager Regina Durrant and owner Brad Gearhart celebrate the winery’s Best of the Gorge awards, including Best Winery, Best Wine Selection and Best Outdoor Patio.

sition easy by maintaining continuity with the winery’s “big Bordeauxs,” according to Durrant, including its beloved flagship Merlot.

“But he brought in some lighter red options as well,” Durrant says, including several Italian varietals. “He started playing around with blends, and our white program also exploded. We went from having two white wines to five, plus a Rosé.”

The increase in offerings helped Jacob Williams grow its wine club. In 2021, it opened a tasting room in McMinnville, which brought even more members into the fold. “Obviously the Willamette Valley is known for its Pinot Noir, but we were able to come in there with more of an expressive range of wines, everything from light to full-bodied,” Durrant says. The McMinnville tasting room has proven to be a great conduit to introduce people outside the Gorge to Jacob Williams. “And then, one of our goals is to bring people here to what I call the mothership. Because when you come here, we’re very much a destination.”

It’s just the way Gearhart envisioned it all those years ago.

To enhance the visitor experience, Durrant and the Jacob Williams staff have worked to amplify the perks at the tasting room. Along with the expanded menu, live music every weekend is held on the patio when possible, and inside the tasting room if it’s too windy (this is the Gorge, after all).

Durrant encourages visitors to walk around THE GORGE MAGAZINE I SPRING 2025

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imbibe

Courtesy of Jacob Williams Winery, both images

Local musicians play at the winery every weekend from spring through fall — usually outside, but inside the tasting room if it’s too windy. Kids and dogs are welcome.

the property, including through the orchards and the vineyards, as well as down to the river — extending their visit as long as they want. “We’re not here to rush you out quickly,” she says. “When you come here, we want it to be a full experience.”

Last fall, Jacob Williams became a member of Harvest Hosts, a network of wineries, farms and other locales that allow RVers to stay overnight. Durrant offers up to three spots for campers, who are

asked to buy a couple of bottles of wine in exchange for parking their RV overnight. “They can park right out here,” she says, gesturing to the winery’s parking area. “They can open their door and there you are, the river, the mountain — it’s all here.” It’s not only a great deal for campers, but it’s been fun for the tasting room staff, Durrant adds. “The camaraderie that it’s created is amazing.” She invites campers to stay as long as they want in the morning. “I tell

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WINERY & VINEYARD For fourteen years, our family has been committed to cultivating grapes and producing wine in an environmentally conscious manner in the picturesque Columbia Gorge. We have also been doing the same for thirty years in New Zealand.

South Hill, located in Underwood, Washington, is one of the highest-elevation vineyards and wineries in the area and has spectacular views of Mount Hood, the Hood River Valley, and the Columbia River. It is just 20 minutes from Hood River, and an hour from Portland. We look forward to sharing our award-winning wines and our story with you. Enjoy the breathtaking view while sampling our wines outdoors in our picnic area, or for rainy days we have a spacious seating area in our working winery.

Google reviews: • We had a fantastic time enjoying the wine and scenery and talking with the owners. The view from the tasting area was breathtaking, and the wine was the best we had tried in the Hood River gorge. It was quiet and peaceful. 10/10 • Visiting South Hill is a great experience, from the spectacular views to the world-class wines. From the first sip you can tell the Jones family has over 30 years experience in the industry!

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Courtesy of Jacob Williams Winery

At regular wine club parties held at the tasting room, members are treated to complimentary tastings, food and wine pairings, live music and barrel room tours.

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them we don’t get here until 10, but sit in our Adirondack chairs and have a cup of coffee.”

Harvest Hosts has so far been open to wine club members, but if space is available, non-members can sign up, too. Anyone not a member of Harvest Hosts can contact Durrant directly through the winery’s website.

The destination-like nature of Jacob Williams Winery means the club’s winemaker dinners also often turn into overnight affairs. “We encourage our members to bring their campers,” Durrant says.

“Some park here, some go down to Avery Park. Everybody does winemaker dinners but to be able to host it here and roll it into an overnight thing and have bacon and eggs in the morning is pretty special.”

Despite the headwinds in the wine industry, Durrant welcomes the changes that have turned Jacob Williams into even more of a destination for wine lovers. “It’s challenging in a good way,” she says. “I think it’s forced us to get reinvigorated, to find new stimulation, new reasons for people to join our club.”

When you’re heading to the Jacob Williams Winery and turn down the road to the tasting room, with its breathtaking views in all directions, it most definitely feels like you’ve arrived at a worthy destination.

“Whatever you’re dealing with in life, it will be there when you get home,” Durrant says.

“But while you’re here, just plug into this.”

To learn more, go to jacobwilliamswinery.com.

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Home&Garden S P E C I A L

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WITH SPRING COMES A SENSE OF RENEWAL. It’s all around us in the bright green hillsides bursting with wildflowers, the fruit trees blossoming in showy pinks and velvety whites. It’s also an ideal time to revitalize the spaces around us — our homes and gardens. Whether you’re building, remodeling or just reimagining a room or two, look to architects, designers and decorators in the Gorge to help you carry out your vision. Local landscape professionals can help transform outdoor spaces into the garden or outdoor living area of your dreams. Gorge retailers have all the tools and supplies to make your DIY projects run smoothly. Browse our resource guide for inspiration and guidance, then get started on your home improvement journey. Good luck and have fun!

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Watershed Wins

The

Story & Photos by David Hanson

Thirty years ago, the Hood River Watershed Group was formed to restore and protect the Hood River for all its users, from fish to farms. Spoiler alert: it’s working.

ALMOST THIRTY YEARS AGO, on a hot summer day, there was a potluck at Toll Bridge Park along the East Fork Hood River. Trays of salmon provided by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs sat next to bowls of salads and sides, coolers of beer and wine, and desserts featuring cherries, apples and pears, all brought by the attendees: Forest Service staffers, Fish & Wildlife biologists, Tribal members, orchardists, irrigation district managers, elected officials and regCourtesy of Hood River History Museum ular locals. It was the first of what would become an annual gathering organized by the Hood River Watershed Group (HRWG), a nonprofit that began with funding from the State of Oregon to solve local watershed problems with voluntary, collaborative solutions.

The idea for watershed groups throughout Oregon came about out of necessity. The sort of free-forall approach to natural resources of most of the 20th century had rendered watersheds like the Hood, Rogue and Grande Ronde rivers in rough shape. Fish populations were suffering from low water quantity and quality and, in some cases, from being inadvertently entrained in irrigation canals. It was not uncommon for orchardists to find fish under their trees.

So as the potluckers enjoyed their pre-IPA lagers, smoked salmon and cherry pies, and their kids played in the park, vital connections were being made that would, over time, find consensus in healing the local watershed.

Eliot Creek flows near Laurance Lake. Inset, a mill at what is now Kingsley Reservoir was fed by a flume that brought logs down from Rainy, Black and North lakes.

THE GORGE MAGAZINE I SPRING 2025 45

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The Watershed Wins continued

Alix Danielsen, restoration and outreach project manager for HRWG, leads a restoration site tour, left. Open dialogue and respect are prioritized at HRWG meetings, above.

“When I first came to the Hood River in the early 90s,” says Rod French, former fish biologist with Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW), “fish populations were barely hanging on. In fact, for a time it was believed that spring chinook, coho and bull trout went extinct from the river.”

The Hood River is, as rivers go, steep, cold and fairly short. Sourced by glaciers and snow fields, it is one of only eleven cold-water refuges for fish along the entire Columbia River.

Steelhead and bull trout and four species of salmon find refuge and spawning beds (aka reds) in the river, making it home to one of Oregon’s most diverse range of fish species.

Trouble is, by the mid 1990s all those species in the Hood River were on their way to being federally listed as threatened. A federal listing would not only indicate a serious prob-

46

lem for the fish, it would create new regulatory challenges for the other water users and riverside operators in the Hood River Valley. But how can you manage changing regulations that might be different across county and state lines when the species in question migrates with no regard to those political boundaries?

“The idea of watershed groups,” says Donna Silverberg, policy advisor to former Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber, “was to get people in a landscape from hilltop to hilltop talking about everything in between, sharing their knowledge and looking for collaborative solutions.”

The idea began in Oregon in 1987 when the legislature established the Governor’s Watershed Enhancement Board (GWEB) to offer grants and assistance to locally managed watershed groups. GWEB supported the founding of HRWG before becoming the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) in 1999.

There are few more contentious issues than water for a local economy based on agriculture. Maintaining the status quo would have threatened vital fish runs with extinction. If the community couldn’t figure out solutions for fish, the irrigation water would likely be shut off. No one wanted to decide between the fish or the farms. They needed to find consensus. GWEB hoped to support local solutions that could avoid a future of threatened fish and increased regulation on agriculture. So in 1996, with support from GWEB, Anne Saxby of the Hood River Soil and Water Conservation District and Rick Ragan, hydrologist with U.S. National Forest Service, founded the Hood River Watershed Group.

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The Watershed Wins continued

An engineered log jam on the West Fork Hood River helps create safe habitat for fish, left.

Above, salmon swim in the Hood River.

“We were willing to try something new and accept that there would be mistakes,” says Ragan. “And we were willing to work with folks, even if it wasn’t gaining everything that we wanted. The idea was to keep an eye on improving the habitat and go from there.”

Chuck Gehling is currently the President of the HRWG Board of Directors and took part in the initial meetings of the HRWG. “It was basically a brainstorming session,” Gehling recalls.

“Nothing was out of bounds. Folks wrote on little Post-it notes, just getting things out there.”

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The meetings became increasingly convivial, and Gehling encouraged everyone to sit in a circle to foster dialogue and a sense of equanimity. They agreed on priorities like adding wood to enhance fish habitat, rehabilitating riparian areas, adding more high-efficiency sprinklers on farms, and modernizing irrigation diversions to conserve water, reduce debris in irrigation canals, and protect fish from becoming orchard fertilizer. Eventually they spearheaded the negotiation to have Pacific Power remove Powerdale Dam, a river-wide fish-passage impediment near the mouth of the Hood River.

The group’s capacity to coalesce partners with different natural resource perspectives around a shared goal means they can find funding from a wide array of resources. In some cases, the HRWG spearheads a grant proposal and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs provides a match through their accords with the Bonneville Power Administration.

“The improvement that I’ve seen in the Hood River has been quite astounding,” says French. “From the habitat projects that have added large wood, to irrigation modernization that’s increased flows.”

The win-wins have been adding up over the decades and relationships among the HRWG now span generations. The improvements often go unnoticed: a new stack of logs in the upper West Fork Hood River and Neil Creek that help slow the current and create safe harbor for fish; irrigation canal diversions that allow fish to remain in stream; creating fish passage on Tony Creek to allow critical upstream access to five miles of clearwater habitat.

Looking ahead, changes in climate loom large for the valley.

Hood River County helped spearhead a study conducted by the Bureau of Reclamation to consider how the hydrology of the watershed will change as Mount Hood glaciers retreat and perhaps disappear. Calculating the change in stream flow years ahead of time can help the HRWG set precise goals for watershed improvement and water savings before stream flows change.

Cindy Thieman, HRWG executive director, appreciates the personal relationships in the group as they look toward future challenges.

“Water conservation and habitat restoration are certainly winwins because they benefit everyone,” says Thieman. “We might not always agree on the best approach to natural resource challenges, but we value the partnership enough to talk about it and be open to compromise.”

David Hanson is a writer, photographer & video producer based in Hood River. Find his editorial and commercial work at ModocStories.com & weddings at CascadiaStudios.com.

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Explore More... on the northshore of the

Columbia River Gorge in sunny Klickitat County MARTIN’S GORGE TOURS

HOOD RIVER HOBBIES, LLC

Guided tours for individuals, groups, families, or couples. Including waterfalls, wildflowers, wineries, breweries, trail hikes, scenic drives and more. Sit back and relax as we explore the hidden treasures of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

We have something for everyone at your local family-owned hobby and game store. Games, toys, discs, kites, RC vehicles, models, crafts, events, and more! Come find a new hobby or a unique gift.

503-349-1323 • martinsgorgetours.com

541-386-1223 • hoodriverhobbies.com 110 - 4th St. • Downtown Hood River

CONSCIOUS NECTAR

RIVERVIEW RIDES

Your Ayurvedic Health Center for consultations, herbal medicine, and rejuvenative therapies. Discover spice blends and teas to harmonize your routine. Embrace the wisdom of ancient traditions, awaken your senses and embrace vibrant health.

Private shuttle service in the Columbia River Gorge. Services include, but not limited to: Personalized wedding shuttles; wine, brewery and distillery tours; bachelor, bachelorette and birthday parties or outdoor hiking adventures.

Book your ride!

509-310-8878 • consciousnectar.com 181 W Jewett Blvd • White Salmon

RIDGE OF WONDERS WINE Making wines in the Columbia River Gorge since 2016, exclusively from locally-grown grapes. Sparkling, rose, reds & piquettes. High-elevation vineyards and organic farming.

Family owned. Woman crafted.

509-637-5815 ridgeofwonderswine.com 172 W Jewett Blvd. • White Salmon

BEST WESTERN PLUS HOOD RIVER INN Welcome to the perfect base for exploring the Columbia River Gorge. River view guest rooms, dining and drinks at Riverside, heated shoreline pool, spas, sauna, shoreline path, seasonal packages.

800-828-7873 • hoodriverinn.com 1108 E. Marina Way • Hood River

541-490-5523 • riverviewrides.com

VIA CANGIAMILLA VINEYARDS & WINERY The Cangiamilla family winery provides quality handcrafted wines from vineyards of the Columbia River Gorge.

Located in the center of the Lyle wine region, with a beautiful view of Mt Hood and landscape.

19 Sauter Rd. • Lyle • 408-455-0468

MARYHILL WINERY Wine Press Northwest’s “2015 Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year”, 50+ award-winning wines, tasting room, Tuscan-style terrace with views of Mt. Hood and Columbia River, Bocce, and gifts.

877-627-9445 maryhillwinery.com 9774 Hwy 14 Goldendale

VISIT KLICKITAT COUNTY, WASHINGTON AND THE NORTH SHORE OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE!

VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER: 1 HERITAGE PLAZA, WHITE SALMON, WA 98672 • 509-493-3630 • MTADAMSCHAMBER.COM

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Paloma Ayala

ARTS + CULTURE

story by JANET COOK • photos by PALOMA AYALA & provided

Viewing Art in a Whole New Way GORGE ARTISTS WELCOME VISITORS IN ANNUAL OPEN STUDIOS TOUR For all its wonderful consistency as a highlight of springtime in the Gorge, the Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour manages to possess a unique feel every year. This year’s tour is tied for the largest number of participants, at 48. With a mix of long-time participating artists along with ten new artists, there’s lots to take in during the three-day event, happening May 2-4.

The annual studios tour, which is celebrating its 19th year, offers a chance for visitors to see where artists work and get an insider’s view of their craft, as well as to buy art directly from the artists.

“There simply isn’t a better way for people to see my paintings, view the workspace where I conceive and develop pieces, and answer questions about an art-fueled life,” says

Paloma Ayala

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Paloma Ayala

painter Mary Rollins of The Dalles. “An open studio tour is a wonderful time to connect with the public and receive their valuable feedback.”

The free, self-guided tour allows visitors to roam among studios at their own pace. A guide to participating artists and a map of studios is available online.

MACRAE WYLDE

Enjoying the artwork of Yvonne Pepin-Wakefield, top, and Abigail Merickel, above, during last year's tour.

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JODI WRIGHT

SCOTT MACDONALD

Daiva Bergman Harris, a mixed media artist and board member of Gorge Artists, the nonprofit organization that promotes arts in the Gorge and organizes the tour, encourages visitors to “find a new relationship with art” by visiting new artists and exploring new mediums.

“As you travel from studio to studio, branch out to visit an artist you haven’t met before or find an artist working in a medium you are unfamiliar with,” she suggests. With studios located in all four Gorge counties — Hood River and Wasco in Oregon and Skamania and Klickitat in Washington — the three-day tour offers ample

ART IN HOOD RIVER 301

Desert Ridge Dusk by Sally Reichmuth

301 GALLERY / 301 OAK STREET / HOOD RIVER, OR 97031 / 541-215-6681 PAINTING PHOTOGRAPHY SCULPTURE GLASS WOOD METAL CERAMICS JEWELRY

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ARTS + CULTURE

RALPH DAUB 541.436.3660

Capturing Light 350 YEARS OF EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN PAINTING On view March 15–November 15, 2025

opportunity to visit studios up and down the Gorge, on both sides of the river.

A sampling of work in this year’s tour includes oil painting, pastel, watercolor, photography, ceramics, basketry, woodworking, fiber and textiles, jewelry, enamel work and more. A few of the artists will share a studio for the event, making a total of 42 studios on this year’s tour.

“Living in such a vibrant community that is supportive of the arts, I’m excited to be included in this year’s Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour and be part of a dynamic group of creative thinkers working in diverse media,” says Hood River painter Joy Kloman.

By tour weekend in May, Gorge hillsides will be painted in vibrant greens beflecked by colorful wildflowers. Fruit trees in blossom will add their own drama to the palette.

“Take in the beauty that is everywhere in the Gorge as you journey from studio to studio,” Bergman Harris says. “And as part of an artful day, explore all the region has to offer, including delightful inns and hotels, eateries, wineries, breweries, shops and more.”

For details and a tour map, go to gorgeartists.org and follow @gorgeartists on Instagram.

Charles A. Wilkinson (British, 1830–1925), Hemmingford Hemmin i gfo in f rd Abbots fo t on the ts t e River Ouse, th c. 1880, oil on canvas, 14” x 21”; Collection of Maryhill Museum of Art

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MaryhillMuseum.org @maryhillmuseum

JAN BYRKIT

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GORGE ARTISTS

OPEN STUDIOS

The weekend of May 2-4, 2025

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IOS

RALPH DAUB Fine Art Photography Prints ralphdaub.com

BLAINE FRANGER Landscape & Nature Photography blainebethanygallery.com

DAIVA BERGMAN HARRIS Fiber Fine Art StudioDBH.com

SARAH HUI Ceramics trulysarahceramics.com

ROBYN JOHNSEN Silversmithing & Painting rabbitholejewelry.com

JOY KLOMAN Painting, Drawing & Printmaking joykloman.com

CHRISTINE KNOWLES Pastel christineknowles.com

JUDY LARSEN Jewelry bentwireworks.com

CHANTAL MORRISON Jewelry rabbitholejewelry.com

MARY ROLLINS Watercolor maryrollins.com

PENY WALLACE Acrylic, Stoneware & Lifecast asherarts.org

POLLY WOOD Ceramics IG @pollypwood

Find more information for this free event on our website — and make sure to pick up a tour booklet from one of our sponsors, which include the many art venues in Hood River, White Salmon and The Dalles, as well as area Chambers of Commerce.

website: gorgeartists.org • social media: @gorgeartists

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ARTS + CULTURE

The Watershed Rock Opera

Mt. Adams Institute’s Sense of Place program celebrates its 15th anniversary with a landmark event to culminate the season: a multimedia performance called “The Watershed Rock Opera” that pays homage to the Columbia River Gorge and its communities.

The performance will take audiences from sky to river in a creative storytelling deep-dive that uses the watershed as its guide. It features original music and stories from tribal members, a wildlife biologist, a fourth-generation orchardist and a wastewater wizard — er, manager.

“It’s like a love letter to a place and its people, but with more percussion,” said Sense of Place host Sarah Fox. And like all true love stories, she added, there will be passion, tragedy, humor and awe.

“Imagine a pear orchardist, ready for harvest when Mother Nature strikes,” Fox said. “Or hiking in the high Cascades with a wildlife biologist on the lookout for a rare carnivore. Even here, in our homes, schools and workplaces — there's something mysterious, maybe even magical, happening right under our feet, and butts.” And there to witness it all is the watershed.

More than 20 local musicians and performers will take the audience on a wild romp through the one thing that connects us all, Fox said, this place.

Performances take place at Hood River’s Columbia Center for the Arts April 11 at 7 p.m.; April 12 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and April 13 at 2 p.m. General admission tickets are on sale starting March 4. To learn more, go to mtadamsinstitute.org.

Full-Service Interior Design

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Experience the impactful stories of the Columbia River Gorge through art and historical objects.

Hand-built biplane by Wally Olson

Detail of hand-carved totem World's largest rosary collection

990 SW Rock Creek Dr. Stevenson WA 98648 columbiagorgemuseum.org | 509-427-8211

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From The Lightbearers Collection Become a Member

2/18/25 5:04 PM

WELLNESS

Ryan Flood

No Time for Fear

story by JANET COOK • photos provided

A LIFETIME WITH LYME DISEASE HAS TAUGHT GRETCHEN BAYLESS A FEW THINGS ABOUT RESILIENCE GRETCHEN BAYLESS has some advice: don’t let the “fear of ” stop you from living the life you want to live. It’s advice that carries weight given what she’s been through.

CDC/James Gathany 56

“Fear of ” manifests in many ways, both real and imagined, but for her, it comes in the form of a tiny, 8-legged arachnid that most people don’t think much about: the tick.

No one ever saw the tick that bit her when she was a child growing up in Banks, west of Portland, but it probably happened when she was 5 or 6 years old. Her mom recalls Gretchen having a bullseye rash on her arm. Her parents took her to a dermatologist, who was perplexed, but the rash eventually went away and was forgotten.

Gretchen’s long nightmare began a few months later when the joints in her hands and fingers began to hurt. Then the pain moved to her wrists, followed by her knees. Doctors blamed it on growing pains, but her parents were skeptical and kept pushing for answers.

“It was doctor appointment after doctor appointment,” Gretchen recalls. “I was exhausted and sleeping all the time.” The pain in her hands grew worse until she couldn’t even make a fist. Then she started getting fluid-filled lumps, called ganglions, under her skin.

Eventually Gretchen was referred to a rheumatologist who diagnosed her with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and started her on a raft of pharmaceuticals.

She was 10 years old.

By high school, Gretchen was frequently bedridden with joint pain and muscle stiffness that sometimes rendered her immobile. “I would go through these roller coasters where I’d Gretchen Bayless, Taylor Hood and their two daughters, top. A “bullseye” rash, left, sometimes occurs after a bite from a tick carrying the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.

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State-of-the-Art State-of-the-Art wake up one day and be completely fine, with not a single symptom,” she State-of-the-Art said. By the

ER

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next day, she could be back in bed. At one point she was taking 70 pills every day, plus daily injections of immunosuppressive drugs and biologics to reduce inflammation. Once a week, she got an IV infusion of monoclonal antibodies to treat complications of rheumatoid arthritis like vasculitis. None of it seemed to make much of a difference. “It was just putting a Band-Aid on something.

There was no investigation into why is this happening? What triggered it? Can we look at any dietary or environmental cause?”

Desperate, Gretchen’s parents sought Courtesy of Gretchen Bayless, both images out a rheumatology specialist at the CleveGretchen and her dog at the beach the day she met Taylor, left. The swelling in Gretchen’s joints, including her fingers, land Clinic. It was months before they could eased after starting an anti-inflammatory diet and natural medicine protocol, right. get in, and they finally flew across country hoping for answers. After a 20-minute assessment, the doctor told her she had in- started at 3 p.m. “It gave me all morning and afternoon to try and get up, get moving and EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT somnia and prescribed sleep meds. get the joints going,” she said.

To the disapproval of her doctors, she stopped taking all her WHITE SALMON, WASHINGTON EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT After high school Gretchen attempted medications. “I was in massive medical debt. It was $3,500 a month just for the biologics, and WHITE WASHINGTON college, but her illness made it untenable. thatSALMON, was with insurance.”

After stopping everything, her symptoms remained about the same.

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT She got a restaurant jobSALMON, with a shiftWASHINGTON that Life ground along in an endless series of good days and bad days. Some mornings, she WHITE

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WELLNESS woke up feeling fine. Other days, she spent the hours before work in the tedium (and sometimes agony) of moving around her apartment getting ready to go to her job.

The uncertainty made it impossible to plan for anything.

“So that’s what it was for a lot of years,” she said. “I didn’t have any brain space to think about the future.”

One morning in 2010, her dad called and asked if she wanted to go to the coast with him. It was a “good” day, so she went.

At the beach, she sat with her dog enjoying the sunny February day while her dad surfed. “A dog came up and was playing with my dog,” she said. “Then this cute guy came up.” It turned out to be the other dog’s owner, Taylor Hood. They hit it off and by the time they parted ways, he had her phone number.

The next day was a “bad” day. Gretchen was in “full pajama mode, hanging out on the couch” at her brother and sister-inlaw’s house when Taylor called. She didn’t

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Courtesy of Gretchen Bayless, both images

A month after being diagnosed with Lyme disease, Gretchen had shoulder replacement surgery, left. At right, nine months after being told she was dying, Gretchen and Taylor celebrate her improving health by adventuring in Washington’s Cascades.

answer, but her sister-in-law encouraged her to call him back, then implored her to go meet him. Finally, she agreed. “I was dreading it,” she recalled. “I felt terrible and didn’t want to go hang out with someone I didn’t know and try to be happy.”

But she met him for dinner, and the rest, as they say, is history. Gretchen told Taylor that she had arthritis, that there were things she couldn’t do, that it was hard to make plans. “He never judged, never got mad, never got annoyed,” she said. “He told me that he was going to find my cure. I said, ‘That’s nice, good luck.’”

By the time Gretchen moved in with Taylor two years later, she was getting sicker, relying on a steady dose of ibuprofen to tamp down the pain. Continually researching and seeking answers, Taylor signed Gretchen up for an Alcat food sensitivity test, which can indicate foods and other substances that trigger inflammation. The results came back showing sensitivity to most of the 300 foods, spices and household items tested for.

Gretchen began eating what she could based on the test — mostly fruit and some other whole-food items. “I physically looked like I’d lost a lot of weight, which was really just inflammation,” she said. She felt better, but it lasted only a couple of months before she began feeling worse again. This cycle went on for two years. Then, in the fall of 2015, she began a precipitous decline.

“This was a whole new level than anything I’d experienced,” she said. She and Taylor had moved to Portland from Parkdale so Gretchen could be closer to medical help. “Doctors were testing me for everything, including the most random viruses,” she said. One day, her dad took her to yet another doctor, physically carrying her into the appointment because she couldn’t walk. After testing for Hepatitis B (negative) the physician offered some advice, directed at her dad. “The doctor said, ‘She needs to come to grips with the idea that this is what death looks like for her. She needs to start saying good-bye.’” Gretchen still chokes up at the memory.

Taylor doubled down, calling everyone he knew for ideas, advice, options they hadn’t already pursued. A cousin suggested a naturopathic doctor at Grain Integrative Health, Dr. Lindsay Baum. By the time Gretchen arrived at the clinic, she weighed 80 pounds. “I was skin and bones but so inflamed in all my joints,” she said. After reviewing her blood work, Baum asked her if she’d ever been tested for Lyme disease.

Gretchen was 31, well into her third decade of illness. It was the first time anyone had mentioned Lyme disease. Baum initiated lab work to test for antibodies to the Lyme bacteria and started her on antibiotics immediately while awaiting results. “She told me if I had Lyme, I’d start feeling different in three days,” Gretchen said. “Literally on day three, I was able to get out of bed.” Her bloodwork confirmed the diagnosis.

Within a month, Gretchen was strong enough to go through with long-planned total shoulder replacement surgery (the disease had destroyed her shoulder joint and surrounding cartilage) and sailed through the procedure. When symptoms returned soon after, she didn’t

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welcomes

Hood River Dermatology Melinda Riter, MD PhD to the Columbia River Gorge!

Hood River Dermatology welcomes MELINDA RITER, MD PHD to the Columbia River Gorge! Dr. “Mel” Riter is a board-certified dermatologist who worked in the Gorge with OHSU/MCMC from 2013-2019. She is thrilled to return to her chosen home of Hood River after practicing in Sandpoint, Idaho, and Bend, Oregon.

Dr. Riter grew up in Colorado, where she studied physical sciences at Colorado College. She then joined the University of Colorado Medical Scientist Training Program where she received both her medical and research doctorates, focusing on tissue engineering and wound healing. Dr. Riter served her residency internship at Stanford University and went on to complete her dermatology residency at OHSU. Dr. Riter collaborates with OHSU on projects that provide dermatology specialty care in rural and underserved communities. She is passionate about improving healthcare delivery by prioritizing the well-being of both patients and healthcare providers.

Dr. Riter travels widely, often with her puppy Rivet. She loves to talk about RVs, camping, biking, skiing, pets, and local events.

Dr. Melinda Riter joins the staff at Hood River Dermatology: Luke Sloan MD, Aaron Loyd MD, Melissa Arndt PA-C, Victoria Hopkins PA-C, and Jessica Sanderson PA-C.

For an appointment to see Dr. Riter call 541-386-2517.

Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 AM–5 PM hoodriverdermatology.com 917 11th Street, Hood River, OR 97031 ph: 541.386.2517 fx: 541.386.1919

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WELLNESS feel the despair that had marked her previous lows. “The pain in my shoulder was gone and I had a new plan, a proper diagnosis,” she said. “Then it was a lot of mental and emotional stuff I was dealing with. There was a lot of anger. I’m still angry. Decades of doctors and no one ever thought about this.”

There was also resentment for the many doctors over the years who she felt had insinuated that her symptoms were all in her head.

As Gretchen inhabited her post-diagnosis life, the swings she had endured for years continued, but now she knew their cause. Because the bacteria that causes Lyme disease can adapt and survive even with antibiotic treatment, Gretchen experienced what’s known as the Herxheimer reaction — an adverse response to toxins released by the bacteria when they’re killed by antibiotics — whenever her treatment protocol changed. Recurring food sensitivities and bouts of inflammation continued — typical of patients whose Lyme goes untreated for so long. “At this point, there’s no way to get rid of the bacteria,” she said.

With the knowledge that she would endure ups and downs but at least have a way to fight back and a trusted doctor at her side, Gretchen and Taylor decided to start a family — a dream she never thought possible during her years of illness. Their first daughter was born in 2017, and their second two years later.

Gretchen’s illness was the impetus behind the couple’s first business venture, Roamerica, a camper van rental service they launched in 2015. They’d gotten their first van as a way to explore the outdoors

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Gretchen recommends the LymeLight Foundation as a resource for information and stories of hope. Above, a tick kit from the organization includes a “key” for tick removal.

while giving Gretchen a place to retreat if she wasn’t feeling well.

“We wanted to provide others with the ease of getting out,” Gretchen said. They maintained a fleet of vehicles equipped with everything customers would need for a trip — including a “tick kit” from the LymeLight Foundation. “That was part of our spiel,” Gretchen said.

“We told customers, this is how you use the van, but when you’re outdoors, this is what you need to do to protect yourself.”

Their second business, Axis Vehicles, spun off Roamerica and keeps them busy with up to 17 van buildouts a year, along with other smaller projects. Last year, the couple paused Roamerica to focus on Axis, their growing girls and Gretchen’s health. She continues to eat a simple, clean diet to stave off inflammation. Lots of juicing and eating foods that “don’t stimulate the bacteria,” she says, has allowed her to go to a very low dose of prednisone. “I am almost off of it, something no one ever thought possible — including myself,” she said.

Gretchen spreads the word about Lyme disease whenever possible.

She teaches her girls to spray down with an organic, all-natural tick repellent when they go outside and to take preventive measures like tucking pants into socks. They check for ticks before coming back inside, and again before bed. “You walk out our front door and you’re in the forest,” she said of their home in Parkdale. But it’s their dream home and living close to nature their dream — despite Gretchen’s ordeal.

“The best way to move past being afraid of something is to inform yourself of preventive measures you can take to mitigate the risk,” she said. There’s no reason to be afraid of the possibility of something, she adds. “Because if I was, I would live in a city surrounded by concrete and never do anything in the outdoors. But then I would just be living in fear, and every decision would be based on that.”

She credits Taylor for helping her regain her health, and for encouraging her to embrace the outdoor lifestyle with all its risks and rewards. “There were times when I was starting to feel better when he was like, ‘Oh, you have a lot of energy, you’re really bouncy,’” she said with a laugh. “He’s stuck with me now.”

To learn more about Axis Vehicles, go to axisvehicles.com. For more information about Lyme disease, go to lymelightfoundation.org.

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PARTAKE I COOK WITH US

SALAD with

hard-boiled eggs, garlic croutons & fried capers Recipe and photos by KACIE MCMACKIN

This salad is a delightful way to welcome spring. A tangy vinaigrette and crispy, salty fried capers perfectly complement the vibrant greens, fresh chives, and the crisp bite of radishes, while the richness of eggs ties everything together.

Ingredients • 6 eggs • baby lettuce • baby spinach • baby kale • small carrot tops • radish (or other) microgreens • pea shoots • capers • chives, minced, and their blossoms • French breakfast radishes, very thinly sliced • Roma or cherry tomatoes, sliced • feta, crumbled • half loaf of ciabatta, torn into bite-size pieces • 1/4 cup champagne vinegar • 2 tsp. minced chives • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard • 2 garlic cloves, smashed • 1 sprig fresh rosemary • 2 sprigs fresh thyme • paprika • extra virgin olive oil • kosher salt • freshly ground black pepper • flake salt 62

Directions Place the eggs in a large saucepan, cover completely with water, and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Allow the eggs to cook in the resting water for 12 minutes (for fully cooked eggs, shorter if you prefer soft boiled). Carefully transfer the eggs to a bowl filled with ice water. Set aside and allow to cool completely before peeling and slicing in half.

Wash and thoroughly dry your greens, then place them on a large serving platter or in a large bowl. Pour about 1/4 cup of olive oil into a large nonstick skillet, add the crushed garlic, thyme and rosemary sprigs, turn the heat up to medium and allow the garlic and herbs to infuse the oil. Carefully remove and discard the garlic and herbs before increasing the heat and adding the torn pieces of bread. Toss continuously in the hot oil until croutons are golden and crisp (adding a bit more oil if/when needed). Transfer the croutons to a paper towel-lined plate, season immediately with salt, pepper and paprika, and gently toss.

In the still-hot oil, carefully add a teaspoon or two of rinsed capers (they may sputter a bit in the oil), sauté them for a minute or two before transferring them to a small plate. Crush one half of the croutons into fine breadcrumbs using a rolling pin. In a small bowl, whisk together the champagne vinegar, minced chives, and Dijon mustard. Slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil while whisking. Gently stir in the breadcrumbs, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the radishes, broken up chive blossoms, fried capers, tomatoes, crumbled feta and eggs to the salad. Season the eggs with a little extra pepper and flake salt if desired. Dress the salad and serve immediately.

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Kacie McMackin is an avid cook, writer, and owner of Kings & Daughters Brewery. She’s a frequent contributor to The Gorge Magazine.

THE GORGE MAGAZINE I SPRING 2025

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PARTAKE I EAT & DRINK

BACKWOODS BREWING COMPANY 509-427-3412 • backwoodsbrewingcompany.com 1162 Wind River Hwy • Carson

Backwoods Brewing is family owned and located in Carson, WA. Established in 2012, we offer delicious beers, hand-made pizzas, outdoor seating, and welcome all ages. Now featuring brunch on the weekends!

bettertogethertaptruck@gmail.com bettertogethertaptruck.com Dakota and Greg Wilkins serve the Gorge bringing the bar to you with 6 beverage taps on a classic GMC pickup.

They are ready to serve your favorite beverage at your event!

BISTRO 1907

541-467-2277 • balchhotel.com/dine 40 Heimrich Street • Dufur, OR Join us for casually elegant, indoor/outdoor destination dining. Features local beer and wine, seasonal fare, mountain views, and the magic and charm of the historic Balch Hotel. Found 15 scenic minutes from The Dalles, where the Gorge meets the High Desert.

Open daily: 11:30am-9pm

Reserving now for 2025

First-time guests, mention you discovered us in The Gorge Magazine, and enjoy a drink on us!

BRIDGESIDE

CASA EL MIRADOR FAMILY MEXICAN RESTAURANT

CELILO RESTAURANT & BAR

541-374-8477 • bridgesidedining.com Exit 44 off I-84, Cascade Locks Stunning views next to the Bridge of the Gods – Bridgeside serves tasty char-broiled burgers plus an extensive menu of breakfast items, sandwiches, chowders, baskets, salads & desserts. Dine-in or takeout. Serving breakfast and lunch with friendly service.

Gift shop • Special event room & terrace

541-298-7388 • casaelmirador.com 1424 West 2nd Street • The Dalles

Quality Mexican food prepared with the freshest and finest ingredients. Warm, friendly service and a lively atmosphere. Indulge in generous portions of flavorful sizzling fajitas, fish tacos, savory enchilada dishes and daily specials.

Drink specials & Happy Hour menu from 3-6pm, Mon-Fri. Full service bar, take-out menu, gift certificates and catering services. Open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week.

541-386-5710 • celilorestaurant.com 16 Oak Street • Downtown Hood River

Celebrating over 19 years, Celilo began with a desire to honor the bounty of the Northwest. Our ever-changing menu reflects the seasonal highlights of the region’s growers and foragers. We offer the most innovative in fresh, local cuisine as well as an award-winning wine list, full bar, small plate menu, and happy hour.

Open Tuesday-Saturday from 5pm

DOPPIO COFFEE

EL PUERTO DE ANGELES III

EVERYBODY’S BREWING

Relax on our beautiful patio in the heart of Hood River.

Enjoy a hand crafted, in-house roasted espresso drink.

Serving breakfast and lunch all day: panini sandwiches, fresh salads, smoothies and fresh baked pastries and goodies. Gluten free options available. Free Wi-Fi and our patio is dog friendly.

We are open and happy to serve you. Authentic Jalisco Cuisine. We provide a safe dining experience. Enjoy good food and good times. Offering daily lunch and dinner specials, served all day. Happy Hour Mon-Fri. Outdoor dining available (weather permitting).

Beer for all! With award winning, innovative beers and a diverse food menu, a welcoming atmosphere and a beautiful view of the Columbia River Gorge, you’ll quickly discover why Everybody’s is a Gorge favorite.

541-386-3000 • doppiohoodriver.com 310 Oak Street • Downtown Hood River

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BETTER TOGETHER MOBILE TAP TRUCK

541-308-0005 1306 12th Street • Hood River, on the Heights

Open Daily 10am-9pm Dine-In or Takeout

509.637.2774 • everybodysbrewing.com 177 E. Jewett Boulevard • White Salmon

Visit Website for Updated Hours | Indoor/Outdoor Dining and Takeout (Order Online or Call)

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PARTAKE I EAT & DRINK

GROUND ESPRESSO BAR & CAFE

THE LITTLE SEVEN SEVEN RANCH HIGHLAND BEEF

PFRIEM FAMILY BREWERS

509-767-7130 • L77Ranch.com

541-321-0490 • pfriembeer.com 707 Portway Avenue, Suite 101 • Hood River Waterfront

Get your daily fuel for your Gorge sports and activities here!

A long time locals favorite coffee house and eatery, Ground features fresh in-house roasted coffee, house made pastries and cookies with lots of gluten free options. We make our soups from scratch every day and source mostly local and organic ingredients.

Nitro cold brew on tap.

Grass-Fed Highland Beef from our ranch to your home.

Known for flavor and tenderness, Highland Beef is higher in protein and iron than conventional beef, lower in fat and cholesterol. The L77 Ranch Shop is tucked into the woods of Lyle, WA. The impressive Highland Cattle can be viewed as you travel through the ranch. Email for a Local Price List.

pFriem artisanal beers are symphonies of flavor and balance, influenced by the great brewers of Europe, but unmistakably true to our homegrown roots in the Pacific Northwest. Although they are served humbly, each glass is overflowing with pride and a relentless aspiration to brew the best beer in the world. We’ll let you decide.

By appointment only.

Open Daily | 11:30am-9pm

RIVERSIDE RESTAURANT & BAR

SUSHI OKALANI

THUNDER ISLAND BREWING CO.

Come find us in the basement of the Yasui Building, the local’s favorite spot for fresh fish, Pan-Asian Cuisine, and a rockin’ atmosphere! Lots of rotating specials, creative rolls, and a large sake selection means you’re always trying something new! Private rooms are available for groups up to 20 people. Take-out menu available online. Open for dinner Mon-Sat at 5pm, closing hours change seasonally.

A popular brewery and taproom situated in the scenic Columbia River Gorge. Known for its award-winning craft beer and delicious food offerings, which visitors can enjoy while taking in the breathtaking views of the river and mountains. Well-behaved dogs are welcome on the patio.

A unique experience for beer lovers and nature enthusiasts.

541-386-4442 • groundhoodriver.com 12 Oak Street • Downtown Hood River

541-386-4410 • riversidehoodriver.com Exit 64 off I-84 • Waterfront Hood River

Welcome to Riverside, where you’ll find the best food, drinks and views in the Gorge. Dine indoors or outdoors on the waterfront with fresh menus changing seasonally, a wine list with the area’s best selections, and 14 taps with all your favorite local breweries. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with the freshest ingredients grown and harvested by thoughtful, intentional local growers.

971-231-4599 • thunderislandbrewing.com 601 NW Wa Na Pa Street • Cascade Locks

541-386-7423 • sushiokalani@gorge.net 109 First Street • Downtown Hood River

Please visit website for current hours.

We’ve been part of the Gorge community for more than a decade!

RESERVE AN AD now in the SUMMER 2025 issue!

Space reservation by April 11

thegorgemagazine.com LIVING AND EXPLORING IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE

Never m

iss anoth

SUBSCR er issue Order on IBE

Advertising Inquiries: Jody Thompson jthompson@thegorgemagazine.com 425-308-9582

General Inquiries: Janet Cook jcook@thegorgemagazine.com 541-399-6333

thegorgem line at ag or call 541-3 azine.com 99-6333

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OUR GORGE

your Gorge

Photographer Calley Lovett was hiking through a meadow near Mosier in early spring when she captured this ethereal image of grass widows in the morning light. “There were dew drops everywhere,” she said. “It was heavy on the grass and the flowers, creating these orb-looking things.” Photographs can “take you to another place,” she added. “It’s like, is this even real? Yes, it is, and it’s right in our backyard.” Lovett often writes a poetic caption to go with her images — an attempt, she says, to “connect with people’s hearts.” For this one, she wrote: The Living World is full of wonder & mystery…there is nothing of the mundane here… when my heart reaches out to befriend Life something shifts…it is like Life takes a great exhale welcoming me in as if I am family who has journeyed long & far away, finally returning home.

the photographer

CALLEY LOVETT began taking photographs years ago but got serious about it in 2018. “I bought my first fancy camera and became pretty addicted to it,” she said. These days, she works at Moon Mountain Highway in Bingen, a shop and studio featuring works of makers, artists and craftspeople, and is also a personal trainer. But whenever she has spare time, she likes to get outside with her camera. “It’s kind of meditative,” she said. “It’s an excuse to get me out with nature to connect, and it’s also hoping I can capture something beautiful that could possibly invoke wonder and awe in people who see it.” With her photographs and her writing, Lovett hopes to inspire people to feel gratitude and love for nature. “That makes people more prone to protect it,” she said. “Here’s our beautiful environment. It needs protection. It needs people to care.” @scry_eye_photography on Instagram.

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COnversiOn Add-Ons repA ir COmmunit y New VaNs Op t imized

S

herpa: Simple, modular and budget-friendly. Our newest standard van platform makes it easy, with fewer decisions on the front end and all the versatility on the back end. ard to find a flat spot? The elevating bed platform can also tilt to level you out. xtra friends? While the basemodel does not require a bench seat, the layout is ready for a no-hassle add-on to get 4 seatbelts. ather not have a galley? Unplug it and pull it out. It's on thumbscrews and designed for removal. artial to sports with lots of gear? The open layout leaves so much room, and did we mention? -- the bed lifts out of the way. ll wheel drive. You already know why that's important.

H E R P

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HOOd river, OregOn

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Home sweet home.

Cyndee is a NW native and has called Hood River home for over 20 years.

Licensed in OR & WA, Cyndee is a top producer in The Gorge. thinking of listing? ready to buy?

Cyndee can help you achieve your Real Estate goals - just ask her clients!

HHHHH

Cyndee was amazing! She was on the job for several months before our property even listed. She took initiative to investigate issues involving county regulations and deed/ title issues. As out-of-state sellers, Cyndee helped us clean and prepare the property for sale using her incredible local network. She advised on local market trends and sales strategies for maximum returns.

So grateful! — Thelma H.

HHHHH

Cyndee is a hard worker and a down to earth, kind, respectful and collaborative professional.

I liked how she works with her team to maximize what she contributed to the process.

Highly recommended!

— Green Tara LLC

Cyndee Kurahara BROKER, OR/WA

541-490-1396 cyndee@copperwest.com IG: cyndee_kurahara

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