The Gorge Magazine - Summer 2019 by The Gorge Magazine

SUMMER 2019 thegorgemagazine.com

LIVING AND EXPLORING IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE

River Moves A water sports photo essay

Trout Lake Dairies Idyllic valley carries on a longstanding tradition

Klickitat Trail Easy riding on a former rail bed

Once we know what you love, we won’t stop until you have it.

THE DALLES

HOOD RIVER

CASCADE LOCKS

122 E 2nd St.

504 Cascade Ave.

315 Oak St.

651 WaNaPa St.

(541) 298-4451

(541) 386-3444

(541) 374-0031

WHITE SALMON

BINGEN

STEVENSON

216 E Jewett

106 W Steuben

220 SW Second

(509) 493-4666

(509) 427– 2777

Visit Historic Downtown

TROUTDALE the gateway to the gorge TAKE EXIT 17 OFF I-84

Visit our many Specialty Shops, Art Galleries, Antique Shops, Fine Restaurants, and more!

Taste of Village

Fabulous Food ~ Martinis ~ Wine

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Downtown Troutdale on the Historic Columbia River Highway

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TrouTdale HisTorical socieTy

Downtown Troutdale on the Historic Columbia River Highway www.Troutini.com ~ 503-912-1462

Downtown Troutdale on the Historic Columbia River Highway

oRDeRs to go: (503) 666-7768 302 e. historic Columbia River hwy

sun-thur, 11-10pm • Fri & sat, 11-10:30pm

Troutini.com 503-912-1462

gifts HomE dECoR EspREsso

Barn Exhibit Hall

King of Roads Exhibit

TROUTDALE’S PIZZA DESTINATION! Serving artisan pizza & a great selection of local craft beer, cider and wine in a friendly, relaxing environment.

Wed - Sat 10am-3pm Sunday 1pm - 3pm Admission: $5 (12+ years) 732 E Historic Columbia River Hwy Troutdale, OR 97060 troutdalehistory.org troutdalehistory@gmail.com 503-661-2164

Lindsey Rosencrans, OD

COMPREHENSIVE & URGENT EYECARE

(503) 618-9394

celebratemehoameonline.com 319 E. Historic Columbia River Hwy

Glasses • Prescription Sunglasses Contact Lenses 503-489-5730 • find us on Facebook 275 Columbia River Highway

503-492-3897 • troutdalevision.com 226 E. Historic Columbia River Hwy

CONTENTS I FEATURES

A PEEK AT THE PIKA Volunteers from Cascades Pika Watch monitor the furry mammal in one of its most unique habitats: the Columbia River Gorge By Linda Steider

44 WATER MOVES A photo essay by Bob Stawicki

52 RIDING THE CAT By David Hanson

Linda Steider 4

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

Photo by Darlisa Black

Discover Your Adventure... Experience Ours KLICKITAT COUNTY ~ THE NORTH SHORE OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE

MARTIN’S GORGE TOURS 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. 503-349-1323 • martinsgorgetours.com

RIVER DRIFTERS Perfect for families, groups, and friends with trips for all ages and abilities. Guided rafting on the White Salmon, Deschutes, Clackamas Rivers, and more! Last minute reservations okay. For updates and specials follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

BEST WESTERN PLUS HOOD RIVER INN The perfect base for exploring the Columbia Gorge. River view guest rooms, dining at Riverside, Cebu Lounge, heated shoreline pool, spas, and sauna. Wine tasting passes, tours and recreation packages. 800-828-7873 • hoodriverinn.com 1108 E. Marina Way • Hood River

HUSUM RIVERSIDE BED AND BREAKFAST Family run B&B by the White Salmon River. Five queen-size rooms and a premier king suite. All have private entrances and baths. Our famous 5-star breakfast buffet is included. Available for weddings and events.

800-972-0430 • riverdrifters.net

509-281-1181 • GorgeRooms.com 866 Hwy 141 • Husum

PIONEER PIZZA

STAMP THE EARTH LLC

10 taps, cocktail bar, sports channels on 4 TVs, patio dining, happy hour 7 days a week 3-6pm, and awesome pizzas and salads for the whole family! Family-run for family fun!

Specializing in decorative stamped and stained concrete. Serving the Gorge. Book today for Summer! Design, installation & maintenance. Visit our online gallery for ideas. CCB: 210688 WA: STAMPEC88JCS

509-493-0028 pioneerpizzakitchen.com 216 E Jewett Blvd • White Salmon

TETRAHEDRON WINES Experience our fine wines from small lot production and winemakers regularly pouring at the tasting room. Stop by and see what Tetrahedron has to offer! Friday - Sunday 11:00am-6:00pm 509-774-8323 • tetrahedronwines.com 421 State Street (Hwy 14) • Lyle

541-716-1094 • stamptheearth.com facebook.com/stamptheearth

HENNI'S KITCHEN & BAR

Celebrating 10 years in the Gorge! A place to celebrate friends, food, and family. Curry, pasta, steaks, fish, craft cocktails, local wines, and the best burger in the Gorge. New private dining room is waiting for your special event! 509-493-1555 henniskitchenandbar.com 120 E. Jewett Blvd • White Salmon

EXPLORE 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

CONTENTS I DEPARTMENTS

OUR GORGE 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 38 76 82

PERSON OF INTEREST VENTURES BEST OF THE GORGE HOME + GARDEN LOCAVORE CREATE EXPLORE WINE SPOTLIGHT PARTAKE YOUR GORGE

24 Left, by David Hanson and right, by Eric Bosler

OUTSIDE 62 KLICKITAT TRAIL

Built on an old railroad bed, the multi-use trail offers solitude and scenery

By Ben Mitchell

ARTS + CULTURE 66 BANKING ON ART

The 301 Gallery is a perfect fit for a historic Hood River building

By Peggy Dills Kelter

WELLNESS 70 THE DOCTOR IS IN

62 6

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Top, courtesy of Jordan Kim and bottom, by Ben Mitchell

Heritage Family Medicine aims to fix healthcare, one patient at a time

By Janet Cook

HOME ++ JEWELRY JEWELRY HOME

SINCE 1994 SINCE 1994

305 OAK STREET 305 OAK STREET DOWNTOWN HOOD RIVER DOWNTOWN HOOD RIVER 54 1-386-6188 54 1-386-6188

EDITOR’S NOTE

e’ve been documenting adventures, meeting interesting people, learning about important work being done, celebrating the local foodie scene, and honoring the landscapes (to name a few of our endeavors) of the Columbia Gorge in these pages since our launch in 2012. During that time, we’ve done only one design update, in 2015. So we decided it was time to really freshen things up. Our creative director, Renata Kosina, dove into the project with her usual verve and considerable talent, and came up with what we think is a visually fun, accessible and modern new look. We still have the same departments and features, and the same focus on discovering what it means to live in the Gorge and explore its diverse bounty — all with a fresh new look.

PARMALEE

Live in Concert Sat. July 27th FREE with Fair Admission!

92nd Annual

RIDES, GAMES & COUNTRY THINGS ENTERTAINMENT NIGHTLY LIVE STINGRAY DISPLAY

ADMISSION Adults: $10/night KIDS 6-12: $5 Ride Bracelets on Sale till 5pm Wed July 24th HOURS ACTIVITIES OPEN 4-H & FFA: 8:30AM Exhibits & Commercial Booths: Noon Carnival Rides: 1PM

As a magazine nerd, I’m thrilled with it. It makes me proud to be part of the creative, hard-working crew that puts this magazine together every three months. I’m also grateful for our team of contributing writers and photographers, who never cease to amaze me with their talent and dedication. And, finally, I’m humbled by our advertisers and readers, without whose support we would not exist. In this fraught time for publications everywhere, thank you for believing in us and finding value in what we do. Our way of saying thank you is to continually work hard to fill these pages with interesting, worthwhile stories and photographs, presented beautifully. We hope you like our latest endeavor in this quest. Fittingly, this issue has a decidedly creative bent. We profile Jordan Kim, an artist who creates beautiful and whimsical collages in her studio, Found & Rewound (page 32). We also meet Chris Muhl, an artist who has been working on a lifelike drawing of an African elephant for the past two years as part of his Drawing for Change project (page 12). And we go to the studio of textile artist Julie Beeler, who takes us through the process of creating indigo dye from plants she grew herself (page 16). We also explore the 301 Gallery, a collective of local artists who have found a home in Hood River’s historic Butler Bank Building (page 66). This issue has a range of other stories as well, from a look at riding the CAT (Columbia Area Transit), an increasingly important piece in the public transportation puzzle in the Gorge (page 52), to an essay about Cascades Pika Watch, a group of volunteers who monitor the population of this cute mammal in the Gorge — one of its most unique habitats (page 58). There’s an action-filled water sports photo essay by Bob Stawicki (page 44), and you’ll find our annual Gorge Sipping Guide in here, too. Pull it out and bring it with you, wherever your journey in the Gorge may take you. Happy summer! —Janet Cook, Editor

SUMMER 2019 thegorgemagazine.com

HOOD RIVER CO. FAIR July 24-27, 2019

LIVING AND EXPLORING IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE

About the Cover

River Moves A water sports photo essay

Trout Lake Dairies Idyllic valley carries on a longstanding tradition

541-354-2865 hrfair@hrecn.net hoodriverfair.org Directions from I-84: continue on Hwy 35 for 8 miles, turn at the Odell Junction and follow signs to the Fairgrounds.

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

Klickitat Trail Easy riding on a former rail bed

White Salmon photographer BOB STAWICKI took this photograph of Jay Senior, of Seattle, getting some air off the Hood River sandbar. Stawicki took the photo from his signature Zodiac inflatable out on the river, where he can be found most days during the summer photographing kiters, windsurfers, paddlers and boaters. “I’ve learned how to stand out there in my boat and surf it while taking pictures,” he said. He’s out there nearly every day, but loves the windiest days the best. iwasphotographed.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.

SUMMER 2019

e Go h t e r e h w

rge gets engaged

EDITOR Janet Cook

CREATIVE DIRECTOR & GRAPHIC DESIGNER Renata Kosina

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Jody Thompson

ADVERTISING SALES Jenna Hallett, Chelsea Marr, Suzette Gehring

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

APLAND JEWELERS

Ruth Berkowitz, Don Campbell, Viki Eierdam, Peggy Dills Kelter, David Hanson, Kacie McMackin, Ben Mitchell, Linda Steider

CUSTOM DESIGNS | RESPONSIBLY SOURCED GEMS | RECLAIMED GOLD & PLATINUM

COVER ARTIST

541.386.3977 | 3RD & OAK ST., HOOD RIVER, OR | FACEBOOK.COM/APLANDJEWELERS

Bob Stawicki

BRIDAL RINGS ABOVE DESIGNED & CRAFTED BY KEN APLAND

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Paloma Ayala, Ruth Berkowitz, Eric Bosler, Brian Chambers, Viki Eierdam, Jennifer Gulizia, David Hanson, LarvickMedia, Kacie McMackin, Ben Mitchell, Henry Schifter, Bob Stawicki, Linda Steider, Colleen Wright

TO ADVERTISE IN THE GORGE MAGAZINE please contact Jody Thompson jthompson@thegorgemagazine.com

VISIT US ON SOCIAL MEDIA facebook.com/thegorgemagazine

THE GORGE MAGAZINE thegorgemagazine.com PO Box 390 â&#x20AC;¢ 419 State Street Hood River, Oregon 97031 We appreciate your feedback. Please email comments to: jcook@thegorgemagazine.com The Gorge Magazine is published by Eagle Magazines, Inc., an affiliate of Eagle Newspapers, Inc. 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 Eagle Magazines, Inc. 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, Eagle Magazines, Inc., Eagle Newspapers, Inc., or its employees, staff or management. All RIGHTS RESERVED. The Gorge Magazine is printed at Eagle Web Press.

Eggceptional Breakfast & Lunch 1313 Oak St., Hood River

Open Daily 6am-2pm

541-386-1127

eggrivercafe.com

THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

MENS • WOMENS • KIDS • BABY • CLOTHING • SHOES • ACCESSORIES

ourGORGE person of interest 12 ventures 16 best of the gorge 20 home + garden 24 locavore 28 create 32 explore 36 wine spotlight 38

The patio at Marchesi Vineyards winery provides shade on warm summer days.

Paloma Ayala THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

OUR GORGE I PERSON OF INTEREST

Chris Muhl Making a difference, one drawing at a time story by JANET COOK | photos courtesy of CHRIS MUHL

ife for Christopher Muhl can change with the ring of his phone. His “go” bags are packed and he can be on the road in an hour. Such is the life of a wildfire contractor. Muhl works as a mapping specialist for a California-based company, providing mapping services on wildfire incidents and post-fire hazard mitigation projects. Last year, he provided GIS and map production work during the Carr Fire in northern California, and was called in during the aftermath of the Camp Fire — the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history — to provide mapping for hazard mitigation. “Because so many homes were burned, there was concern that with oncoming rains, hazardous materials would contaminate streams and local water resources,” he said. But as much as he likes his work, Muhl’s passion lies in what he does between wildfire seasons: art. And the primary expression that has taken over the past two years has been a six-foottall graphite rendering of an African elephant. Muhl finished the drawing in May, to stunningly lifelike effect. “I wanted to capture and put every wrinkle exactly where it’s supposed to be,” he said. “It’s been sort of a long endeavor.” Muhl was drawn to elephants long before he began the piece two years ago. He was working for a start-up in 2011 that helped people discover passions in their life. “In the process, I was trying to explore some of my own,” he says. An avid reader, he happened on a National Geographic 12

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

Giving starts in the Gorge

The Gorge Community Foundation helps donors create charitable endowment funds to support the causes you care about and projects that inspire you. Since 2003, the Foundation has made over $1 million in grants. You can start an endowment fund now with a tax-deductible contribution or include the Gorge Community Foundation in your estate plans.

Chris Muhl spent two years on his elephant, drawn in graphite, creating detail among more than 2,400 coordinates in order to make it as realistic as possible.

story about the plight of African elephants and the work of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya, the world’s most successful orphan-elephant rescue and rehabilitation center. “It brought me to tears,” Muhl said. He learned of the decimation of the African elephant through poaching, killing for their ivory, climate change and human encroachment on their habitat. Always a lover of animals, he was particularly intrigued by animals in nature. The article struck him at his core. “I started reading books on elephants and elephant behavior and I became really fascinated by them. They’re really sentient beings,” he said. A lifelong artist whose mother was a successful painter, Muhl had pursued a variety of artistic endeavors since childhood, when he had spent long hours in his mother’s art studio attached to their house. He’d tried a variety of mediums, but landed on drawing. After he became interested in elephants, he started drawing them in his spare time, thinking he could sell the drawings for elephant charities. His passion for African wildlife led him to enroll in college at Humboldt State University, where his busy schedule forced him to shelve his elephant art. He studied environmental science and management, with an emphasis in geospatial science, graduating in 2015. But elephants and art were never far from his mind and he eventually returned to the idea of creating art that would be beautiful in its own right and could also benefit elephant charities. The elephant drawing is part of a project he’s launched called Drawing for Change, where a portion of proceeds from his artwork go to nonprofit causes. “We find things in life that touch our hearts and we want to do something about it,” he said, “especially if there is suffering attached to it.”

Learn more at gorgecf.org or call 509-250-3525

GORGE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

We don’t need to know the beginning of a child’s story to change the ending.

Become a

Foster Parent today! Call 541-308-2207 for information

THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

Muhl hopes to support elephant charities in Africa with the drawing.

Using a common artists’ technique, Muhl set out to draw the elephant from a photograph. But instead of simply using the photo as a reference, he used his mapmaking expertise to create a scale factor. “I wanted the location of every wrinkle and fold to be precise, and the proportions of all elements to one another to be near perfect,” he said. “Using my computer, I chose distinguishable features of the elephant’s body in the photograph and then measured the distance between the feature and the edges of my computer screen horizontally and vertically.” With this, he created X and Y measurements for each point, then divided the numbers by his scale factor to produce the corresponding measurements on the actual drawing. “For example, if a corner of an eye was 20 millimeters from the right side of the computer screen and 30 millimeters from the top of the computer screen, the scale factor would produce corresponding measurements of 79 millimeters and 199 millimeters,” he said. “These measurements tell me where the corner of the eye should be on the paper.” In total, Muhl made 4,902 measurements, producing 2,451 pairs of X and Y values. He free-handed the lines in between to make wrinkles, then worked on texture. “Texture is a major element of this work and something that I strove to accentuate by capturing and intensifying every little detail,” he said. With GIS software that he uses in his mapping work, and scientific sampling techniques, he estimates the number of shapes he’s drawn in the piece to be about 205,100. Muhl appreciates the crossover between mapmaking and art. “Mapmaking is another expression of art,” he said. He cites hill-shading, a technique used in creating relief maps to show the topographical shape of hills and mountains. “Hill-shades are all about highlights and shadows and contrasts,” he said. “And drawing comes down to highlights and shadows and contrasts.” Muhl calls the elephant “every ounce of the artist and environmentalist within me poured out onto a sheet of paper.” His hope is that the artwork finds a home in a place where the public can view it. He plans to donate a portion of any proceeds earned to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

Muhl hopes to start another work for his Drawing for Change project, depending on how the fire season plays out. In the meantime, he hopes people who view the finished drawing come away with a greater appreciation for elephants and their magnificence. “I told myself when I started, if a kid could stand before this and feel a sense of awe,” he said, “it will all be worthwhile.” For more information, go to chrismuhlart.com.

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OUR GORGE I VENTURES

From Farm to Fabric Trout Lake artist wrings color from nature at Bloom & Dye studio story by RUTH BERKOWITZ | photos courtesy of JULIE BEELER and by BRAD JOHNSON

s textile artist Julie Beeler rapidly stirs the warm vat of dye, the bubbly “blue flower” suddenly emerges. “It’s working!” Beeler exclaims. We’re extracting the blue color hidden in the dried, dark green leaves we’re stirring. I’m not sure whether we are concocting a witch’s brew or mixing up magic. The smell of the potion has changed from thick earthiness to putrid and foul. Apparently, that means the cell structure of the leaves is breaking down and we are on the road to obtaining one of nature’s most beautiful colors: indigo blue. Our morning began in Beeler’s Trout Lake studio where, a year ago, she had planted a special Japanese variety of indigo, Persicaria tinctoria. She harvested the plant in the summer and then dried the leaves over the fall and winter. We gently remove the leaves from the plant’s stems and carefully measure

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

them on the scale. Her studio is filled with foraged objects, dried mushrooms, dried flowers, and special mordants that help the dye attach to materials. Last summer, Beeler ventured to the village of Arimatsu, Japan, where indigo tie-dying dates back to the early 1600s. Artists created exquisite and complex patterns using the Shiburi method of wrapping the cloth with twine. Their patterns were worn by Samurai warriors and high class emperors and their families. Indigo-dyed fabric is also said to contain medicinal value, with properties that purportedly heal wounds, ward off cancer and may even retard fire. Plant-based dyes have been used for centuries by cultures all over the world. Discovery of the brilliant red dye that comes from the mader plant wowed first the Pharaohs of Egypt and then the military in Britain with their famous red coats. By the mid-19th century, the Industrial Revolution had popularized the use of synthetic dyes and made the process of natural dyes a, well, dying art. This was also true in Japan where there used to be thousands of indigo artists. Now there are only a

Julie Beeler, opposite inset, teaches workshops on natural dyes at her studio in Trout Lake. She uses flowers and plants grown on her organic flower farm to make colorful dyes, and teaches Japanese Shibori techniques to create patterns on fabric.

handful of master dyers. During her visit, Beeler was thrilled to see the resurgence of the art and the passing of the baton from the old Arimatsu masters, many in their 70s and 80s, to younger apprentices. We place the leaves in a large stainless pot, fill it with water and simmer the concoction on the camp stove. The first heat cleans the leaves. We strain them, add more water and some pickling lime and soda ash and heat the pot a second time. “Let’s test the pH,” Beeler says. She is intrigued by the chemistry associated with natural dyes and surprised by the way she can, as she says, “push the colors with tinctures and tannins.”

I submerge the test strip. It’s a 9, indicating that we need more time and more soda ash. Indigo doesn’t dissolve in the water, rather it’s the chemical breaking down of its leaves that creates the lovely pigment. Beeler shares her studio with her husband, Brad Johnson, also an artist. In 1994, the two partnered in their Berkeley garage and founded Second Story, a digital media company. They eventually moved the company to Portland, where Beeler grew up, and created award-winning projects for an impressive list of clients, including National Geographic, the Smithsonian, and the Library of Congress.

THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

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Modest and unassuming, Beeler jokes that her past life as a graphic designer focusing on interactive storytelling was their “first story” and now she and Brad are living their “second story” in their dream house surrounded by nature. Designed by architect Tom Kundig, their home elegantly blends with its surroundings. Their living room sliding doors open seamlessly to a magnificent view of Mount Adams. They are building a reflective pool intended to mirror the mountain, another artistic touch to their new life. Back in the studio, I attempt a version of the Shibori technique with a scarf. Think tie dye, but more elegant and methodically Japanese. As I carefully pleat the fabric and wrap it tightly with twine, Beeler keeps me in the mood by playing some Indigo Girls songs. I love the serenity of the moment, with the rushing sound of the White Salmon River, and I can’t help smiling over at snowy Mount Adams overlooking us, as if to silently approve of this natural way of obtaining color. The synthetic blue dye in our denim jeans is not so environmentally friendly and comes from extracting petroleum and then mixing it with poisonous chemicals, like cyanide and formaldehyde. The process is so toxic that most of the synthetic dye is outsourced to China, which is one of the reasons Beeler is pondering growing fields of indigo on her land. Maybe someday she’ll have a facility similar to the one Sarah Belos has in Tennessee. Belos, founder of Stony Creek Colors and a leader in the natural dye movement, replaced her tobacco farms with indigo plants. Her goal is to produce a consistent, scalable color for use in the fashion industry. Although Beeler isn’t ready to disrupt the fashion industry, she is quickly becoming an expert on natural dyes and her green thumb, inherited perhaps from her mother who used to run a small flower business, has spurred her to launch a CSA for flowers. Members receive artistic, handcrafted bouquets of exotic flowers in the spring and summer. After our third straining of the vat, the pH reads 12 and now comes the moment when we can dip the fabric. Wearing gloves, I gently massage the silk scarf submerged in the pot, careful not to create bubbles, aiming to help the dye seep into the fabric’s folds, yet resist the tightly twined sections. When we remove the fabric, it looks yellowish green, and then, within seconds, and right before my eyes, the oxygen in the air turns it blue. Beeler advises dipping the scarf a second time into the dye to get a deeper color. After the fabric dries, it’s time to look at the scarf. We unravel the carefully wrapped twine and I marvel at the artistic design and the soothing blue color we created. Beeler has sparked my curiosity and transformed the way I look at plants and flowers. What’s their secret, their understory? What would happen if I boiled avocado pits? What colors come from purple Lupine? How about mushrooms? What about Dahlias? This inspiring indigo day felt like slow cooking from scratch with ingredients grown in the garden: time consuming and extremely satisfying. For more information, go to bloomanddye.com.

Ruth Berkowitz is a lawyer, mediator and writer. She lives with her family in Hood River and Portland and is a frequent contributor to The Gorge Magazine. 18

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

Andrea Johnson/Maryhill Winery

Discover Klickitat County Washington the north side of the Columbia River Gorge

STAY PLAY ENJOY 4

KLICKITAT COUNTY WASHINGTON Finish a beautiful driving loop tour with a visit to our premium wineries, museums, colorful shops, farmers markets, and festive restaurants. Oh, and meet some of the friendliest folks around. Join us on the sunny side of the Columbia River Gorge! Enjoy a scenic whitewater rafting excursion, kiteboarding or windsurfing, world-class fishing, cycling trails, or star-gazing at the Goldendale Observatory…Klickitat County has it all! Whitewater Rafting

Farmer’s Markets

Maryhill Museum

Maryhill Winery

Dean Davis Photography

MAPS AND ACTIVITY BROCHURES AVAILABLE AT:

MtAdamsChamber.com • 509-493-3630 • Highway 14 at the Hood River Bridge GoldendaleChamber.org • 509-773-3400 • 903 Broadway, Goldendale

OUR GORGE I BEST OF THE GORGE

Mosier Fest

The annual Mosier Fest celebration takes place June 29, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., at the Mosier Community School. There are art vendors, kids activities, food booths and a beer/wine/cider garden. Live music goes on all day, featuring the Tess Bar Band, the Norman Sylvester Band, The Mighty Sin Clines and Moon Cats. Headliner is the Curtis Salgado and Alan Hager duo.

Courtesy of Sienna McGinnis

Music Mondays

Mike’s Ice Cream and The Ruddy Duck host free live music every Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. during summer, in front of the stores at 5th and Oak streets. The family-friendly music nights aim to bring families downtown during the long summer evenings. Bring a picnic dinner to enjoy on the library lawn and get ready to dance. The series kicks off July 15 with home-town favorite, Tony Smiley. Facebook.com/mikesicecreamstore

Courtesy of Mosier Fest

Kiteboard 4 Cancer

Courtesy of KB4C

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

The annual KB4C takes place July 12-14 at the Hood River Event Site. The festival — the largest amateur kiteboarding event in North America — is a fundraiser for Project Koru, a Hood River nonprofit that empowers young adults with cancer through outdoor adventures and community. The main event of KB4C is the 6-hour Kite Derby, an endurance race designed to embody the battle someone with cancer endures every day. The festival also features the Boards of Hope art exhibit and auction, kids activities and live entertainment. kb4c.org.

Plein Air

Maryhill Museum hosts the Pacific Northwest Plein Air in the Columbia River Gorge event, with a reception Aug. 3 from 5 to 7 p.m. After four days of painting “en plein air” (in the open air) around the Gorge, artists will show their work at the museum and jurors will award prizes in several categories, including “Best Sky,” Best Mountain,” and “Best Water.” The reception includes wine and hors d’oeuvres. Paintings will remain on display and for sale through Aug. 24. maryhillmuseum.org

Mt. Adams Bike Tour

The 17th annual Mt. Adams Country Bicycle Tour takes place June 29 on the southern slopes of Mount Adams. The event includes rides of 51 miles, 54 miles and 105 miles, as well as an 11 1/2-mile family fun ride. All rides include well-stocked rest stops, lunch and dinner options as well as repair support and emergency teams. The event is a fundraiser for Trout Lake-area non-profits and community service groups. troutlakewashington.com

Artwork by Jeff Markowsky

Darlisa Black THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

OUR GORGE I BEST OF THE GORGE

Farmers Markets

Summer time means farmers markets are in full swing throughout the Gorge. Here’s where to find locally grown fruit, produce and other goods. gorgegrown.org

CASCADE LOCKS

KLICKITAT

THE DALLES

MT. HOOD TOWN HALL

June 2 - October 26 Sundays 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Downtown Cascade Locks

June - September Second Saturdays 9:30 - noon Depot Park

June 1 - October 12 Saturdays 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. City Park, Union and E. 5th Street

June - September Second Wednesday 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. 6575 Highway 35, Mt. Hood

GOLDENDALE

MERCADO DEL VALLE

SHERMAN COUNTY

May - September Saturdays 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Ekone Park

June 27, July 11 & 25, Aug. 8 & 22, Sept. 5 & 19 Thursdays 4 - 6 p.m. Atkinson Drive, downtown Odell

May - October First Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Main Street in Moro

MOSIER

June 8 - October 12 Saturdays 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. 199 2nd Street, downtown Stevenson

HOOD RIVER

May 4 - November 23 Saturdays 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. 5th and Columbia, downtown Hood River

June 2 - October 13 Sundays 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. First Street, downtown Mosier

STEVENSON

THE ANDREW’S EXPERIENCE

Skylight Drafthouse Theater “Outstanding Luxury Theater” First run films, great beer selection, create a gourmet pizza = perfect night out.

pizzeria • arcade drafthouse theater

Andrews has been a staple in the Gorge since 1991. The reason? Great pizza! House-made crust, stretched and tossed to order. Our signature sauce made with Italian herbs and just a touch of heat. A perfect blend of three cheeses. A wide array of toppings, including house-made sausage with herbs and fennel, roasted red peppers, and caramelized onions, just to name a few. Come in and enjoy our casual atmosphere and try our other offerings — including fresh salads, calzones, stromboli, and crispy baked chicken wings. We also have beer on tap and a large selection of wine.

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

Ben Mitchell

Summertime...enjoy a leisurely drive exploring Hood River Valley.

New For 2019! Bigfoot Adventure Cruise bigfootcruise.com

RiveR Coun od t o H

Guide to Local Farm Stands

2019

fruit stands orchards

berry farms Vineyards wineries

laVender fields

seasonal actiVities (Plan your triP)

Less than one HoUR from Portland!

hoodriverfruitloop.com

Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler Cruises The pastoral landscape winds through farms, orchards, and wineries in some of the most scenic locations with picnic areas and views of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams. It is a rambling pleasant drive the whole family can enjoy. Twenty-nine stops to visit on the “Loop”, maps available at local Chamber of Commerce and other businesses around town. Also visit hoodriverfruitloop.com for more information.

brunch - dinner - sightseeing holiday - private rental

portlandspirit.com — 503.224.3900 110 SE Caruthers Street Portland, OR 97214

Cooper Spur Mountain Resort has been hosting Mt. Hood travelers and their families for generations. Nestled on the north side of Mt. Hood, you’ll be sure to fall in love with the charming tavern and rustic log cabins. Escape to the mountain and enjoy cozy accommodations just 40 minutes from Hood River. � Farm to table dining � Historic lodge on beautiful grounds � Just minutes from several Mt. Hood hikes Happy Hour: All Day Monday & Tuesday-Friday 3:00pm-6:00pm

THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

OUR GORGE I HOME + GARDEN

Castañeros garden

Central Gorge Garden Tour Nine gardens provide inspiration for would-be and veteran gardeners story compiled by JANET COOK | photos by ERIC BOSLER

he Central Gorge Garden Tour showcases nine area gardens this year. The theme of the signature event of the Central Gorge Master Gardener Association is “Attracting Birds to Your Garden.” Each garden on the tour highlights unique features that promote good bird habitat, including plants that attract birds by providing habitat, cover or food.

Historic Landmark The historic Columbia Gorge Hotel was built in 1921 by Simon Benson to accommodate travelers on the newly completed Columbia Gorge Scenic Highway. Benson employed some of the Italian stonemasons who had worked on the highway to build stone walls on the hotel’s grounds. The walls remain to this day, and provide a permanent structure around the gardens. Tour participants can stroll along the pathways through the gardens and view the 208-foot Wah Gwin Gwin Falls. Among the gardens are a collection of well-established roses, an herb garden used by the hotel’s chefs, and a white garden often used for wedding ceremonies.

area, which is a showpiece of their landscape. It was created with the help of Marion McNew of Mt. Hood Gardens. Len built a Japanese water feature made from bamboo, and Marie built two Japanese bamboo screens for this area. A third section abuts a shaded wetland, where Len built a boardwalk. They planted several hundred native plants here as an ongoing experiment to see what grows well.

Complete Transformation

Small But Mighty For Marie and Len Borucki, the challenge in planning their garden was figuring out how to integrate several distinctly different areas of their property with each other and the adjoining common areas in their neighborhood. In the sunniest place, they established a small vegetable garden. They created a Western Japanese Garden in another 24

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

Colleen McMonagle and Anthony Peters turned their rambling, untamed backyard into a peaceful outdoor living space and vegetable garden with the help of landscaper Kay Kucera. A rockery was created, featuring two rock seats and a stone bird

bath. Woodland-type plants — including rhododendrons, hostas and ferns — create interest throughout the seasons. Raised beds, built by Anthony and painted various colors with milk paint, are home to lettuce, garlic, tomatoes, chard, collards, peas and strawberries. Blueberry bushes round out the edible garden. Flagstone paths make it easy to meander though the landscape.

Gardening with an Artist’s Eye

Recently completed Gorge home using Andersen windows and doors

When Dawn Elle bought her house seven years ago, it had a typical “builder’s garden” — a few shrubs, fewer trees, poor quality lawn and bark dust covering empty flower beds. She went to work, planting 200 perennials the first year. Over the next few years, she continued removing grass and expanding the beds. She planted curly willow, aspen and Leyland cypress trees to block the wind and a trellis over her south-facing deck for shade and to support for her grapevines. A shade garden on the north side features heucheras and hellebores. An accomplished artist and potter, Dawn displays pottery and garden art throughout her landscaping.

Studio cbc is a window and door showroom dealer for over 12 manufacturers including Andersen, Kolbe and LaCantina, providing windows and doors to builders and homeowners throughout the Columbia River Gorge. Visit our extensive showroom for clad-wood, aluminum, fiberglass and vinyl windows and doors. Located 5 minutes from Hood River, across the bridge in Bingen, WA. 1999-2019 – Celebrating 20 Years!

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Painting on a Blank Canvas

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Robin Thornton created her gardens in stages from what had been a sparse landscape. She created a walkway along the side of her house with flagstones. Corsican mint planted between them adds a gentle fragrance when walked on and a water feature provides year-round “water music.” She planted birch trees to make a privacy screen in one area, and created a Meditation Garden in another. A Fairie Garden contains ferns, mosses and fragile shade flowers. She planted a Rose Garden to replace once over-irrigated grass, and accessorized the roses by planting 100 daffodil bulbs among them.

Mila Leissler WINDERMERE REALTY TRUST 503-781-1114 MILA@WINDERMERE.COM WWW.PORTLANDHOME.COM THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

TRAILS & DESIGN

Labor of Love

Digging It

Jo Ann Harris began creating her gardens from scratch in the late 1990s, after building a home on her property. She began with trees, as their were none. Among her favorites are the tulip poplars, and a large Norway Spruce. The sloping lot required terracing, and she eventually installed raised vegetable beds. Other items that have come over the years include a small pond, a fire pit and a place for her hammock. She converted a tool shed to a “she-shed” and added a solar shower. She’s added stone pathways and a flagstone patio recently. Her garden is a “constant source of comfort and joy,” she said. “It is still the place I spend most of my time in the spring summer and fall.”

When Jana and Dennis Castañeros moved into their older Parkdale home, it had well-established landscaping that needed updating. So Jana started digging. She widened beds, took out plantings and added new plantings. She removed grass and created gardens. She planted pathways of creeping thyme to surround and connect a brick patio with a shade garden. She even dug out a pond, built a rock path on one side of it and built a berm to create interest. “I wanted something peaceful and I think I’m getting there,” she said.

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SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

Norma Curtis and her husband, Lee, have created their landscaped gardens over the past 12 years. She loves flowers and loves to share them, so she grows a wide variety. She is a longtime member of the Odell Garden Club, and often uses her own flowers to create bouquets that the club provides for special occasions. A waterfall, stream and pond are focal points of the back yard. A water feature in the front yard was built from an old rock crusher that Lee and a friend stumbled on while elk hunting. The friend passed away the day the water feature was finished, so the Curtis’s named it after him.

Diana and Lee Caryl started their garden the day they bought their house 19 years ago by planting blueberry bushes. A spring-fed pond is what initially attracted them to the property. It is now home to their ducks, and visiting wildlife often stop through on their migration routes. Over the years, the Caryls have created outdoor “rooms” throughout their yard. A shade garden is filled with hostas, hydrangeas, ferns and coral bells, with a huge weeping willow providing shade. Flower beds surround large trees and a wetland on one side of the property attracts wildlife. Their favorite place is the Mother’s Garden, a memorial garden created in the memory of both Diana and Lee’s mothers.

The tour takes place JUNE 22, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets, which include a map, are available at the Hood River OSU Extension Office and other outlets around the Gorge. On the day of the tour, tickets are available at the Columbia Gorge Hotel.

FEATURING

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206 STATE ST. HOOD RIVER

MONDAY - FRIDAY 10-5

(541) 386-2778

WWW.SUSTAININTERIORS.COM

OUR GORGE I LOCAVORE

Got Milk? Trout Lake Does Idyllic valley carries on its longstanding dairy tradition story by RUTH BERKOWITZ | photos by DAVID HANSON [Pearsons] and by RUTH BERKOWITZ [Schmids]

obert Schmid, a fifth generation dairy farmer in Trout Lake, Wash., just built a high-tech $3 million milking parlor for his 600 cows. It’s a bold move given the low price of milk, the increase of plantbased alternatives like almond, hemp, and soy, and the dramatic disappearance of small dairy farms. From 1993 to 2018, the state of Washington witnessed an 85 percent decrease in dairy farms. To put this in context, 25 years ago there were 2,500 dairy farms in the state and today there are fewer than 375. Oregon has seen a similar decline and consolidation. Trout Lake, a small community at the base of Mount Adams, once had 35 dairies. Today, only four remain. All are organic and owned by two families, the Schmids and Pearsons. Both families say they saved their farms when they decided in 1993 to transition to organic production, a move requiring them to feed their cows with only organic food and to cease medicating their animals with antibiotics.

I meet Schmid and his wife, Lesli, near their idyllic farmhouse where calves moo nearby. On their property is a small museum, built 10 years ago by Schmid’s son, Aaron, for his senior project in high school. It documents the family history in Trout Lake, which began in the late 1800s when Schmid’s great-grandfather, Peter, arrived from Switzerland. A homesteader, he and his family hand-milked cows, churned butter and cheese and subsisted off the land.

Jesse Pearson, above, feeds hay to his cows in their barn. Aaron Schmid, below, monitors the data from his high-tech milking parlor, left.

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

In contrast to Schmid’s high tech farm, Travis Pearson’s 220-cow dairy just down the road feels old-school. Instead of computer chips helping diagnose their cows, Travis observes his herd with his own eyes, taking note of his cows’ behavior and the amount of milk they produce. Sometimes Pearson sends blood and milk samples to a lab, but then he must wait a few weeks for the results. Like all organic farmers, he takes care of his bovines with natural medicine, like probiotics and liniment creams. Pearson and his wife, Clarissa, meet me at their barn. As I approach, the cows gather around me and want to be petted, like dogs, eager for attention. I reach over and scratch one brown-eyed girl just behind her ears and, unexpectedly, another one licks my cheek with her long, sandpaper tongue. Jersey cows are known for being friendly and curious. They are also famous for

Columbia Gorge Community College is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

The Pearson’s farm is located in the heart of the Trout Lake Valley, which has long been a dairy farming community.

Aubrie LeGault

Over the years, the Schmid family accumulated more land and more cows. Today Robert owns 700 acres of farmland, used mostly to grow food for his animals — primarily grass and hay. An athletic man who grooms Nordic ski trails around town and has an ice skating pond on his property, Schmid left home for one year of college and then returned to the farm. “We have everything we love right here in Trout Lake,” he says. The decision by the Schmids and the Pearsons to become certified organic came after the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of bovine somatotropim (BST, also known as rBGH or rBST), the first biotechnical product that increases milk quantities. Although tempted by the idea of boosting milk production by 15 to 20 percent, both families opposed injecting a hormone into their cows and joined Organic Valley Cooperative, an organization founded by dairy farmers in Wisconsin. Just as becoming organic was a huge milestone, embracing robotics feels like another game changer for this mid-size farm. As we walk into the newly constructed milking parlor, Schmid says the results have been beyond his expectations. Circling us are 50 of his cows, many happily chewing their cud and content to be hooked up to the merry-go-round contraption. The milking happens much quicker, an advantage for both the cows and the farmers. Schmid used to milk 20 to 22 hours a day with three employees on each shift. Today, he can milk the same number of cows twice a day in only seven hours. Schmid’s son, Aaron, sits at the command center, monitoring the milking and the data retrieved about each cow. As each cow enters the carousel stall, the machine reads the chip attached to her ear. Instantly, the quantity of milk gets compared to the previous milking, alerting the farm of any significant variations. The system also reads the cow’s temperature and white blood cell count, both important in assessing the animal’s health. If the machine detects any bad milk, the milk pumps detach automatically.

dinner (Daily) 5pm-close lunch (F/Sa/Su) 11:30am -3pm

541-386-5710 www.celilorestaurant.com 16 Oak Street, Downtown Hood River, OR

Cooking with Kathy: French Classics

Just one of many community education classes available at CGCC. Explore today!

www.cgcc.edu/ community-ed

THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

producing rich milk that contains more protein, calcium, and butterfat than the average milk. The Pearsons moved to this dairy in 2012. Since then, they have quadrupled their herd and survived the challenges of farming. To help make ends meet, Pearson not only sells his milk to Organic Valley but also to Cascadia Creamery, a local artisan cheese company. Travis’s older brother, Jesse, his wife, Megan, and their eight children have carved a niche market in the dairy industry, selling raw milk. After 10 years living in India, Jesse took over his fatherin-law’s raw milk business and expanded it to a small herd of 24 Jersey cows. He sells raw milk at a premium of $10 a gallon directly to customers who buy it at his farm or at one of the small stores he sells to in Washington. Federal law prohibits farmers from transporting raw milk across state borders or selling it in stores in Oregon, so every Monday afternoon, Jesse makes his way down to the Mt. Adams Chamber parking lot in Bingen and distributes his milk to local customers, many from Hood River. Milking with Jesse feels similarly low-tech to his brother’s operation, only much smaller. Jesse knows the names of every cow in his herd and instead of milking twice a day, his exclusively grassfed cows only need to be milked once a day, at a civilized 7 a.m. I join Jesse and his eldest son, Jedidiah, in their milking parlor at the end of town. Eight cows at a time enter the room and the father-son team first disinfect the teats with iodine, then attach their udders to the milking claws. The hum of the vacuum pump rhythmically pulsing sucks the milk into the stainless pipes. The cows are docile and produce about two gallons a day compared to the national average of 6.5 gallons 30

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

Jesse Pearson, above, and his sons, Shane, center, and Jed, right, bottle raw milk at the dairy. Pearson’s daughter, Havilah, below, works in the milking room. The Pearsons’ dairies, as well as the Schmid’s, have been certified organic since 1993.

(mostly from grain fed conventional herds). The milk comes out at about 100 degrees, then is immediately cooled to under 40 degrees in the stainless tank from which it’s bottled. Although it strongly recommends against drinking raw milk, the Washington State Department of Agriculture licenses and monitors its production and sale. Oregon is more restrictive than Washington, allowing farmers with three cows or fewer to sell their milk on their farms only; Oregon dairies are also prohibited from advertising. With the rise of Keto and Paleo diets, raw milk is gaining in popularity. In addition, a recent discovery by a New Zealander, Dr. Cory McLachlan, found that proteins in milk affect people differently. According to McLachlan, ordinary cows produce milk with two different beta-casein proteins called A1 and A2. Some cows have both proteins and some cows naturally have only the A2 protein, which studies have shown can be easily digested by those who are lactose-intolerant. As a result, the market for A2 milk is rapidly growing. That’s good news for Jesse, who already has a number of cows that are exclusive A2, but he is currently tweaking with breeding so his entire herd will be genetically A2. With both high-tech machines and old-fashioned milking techniques, Trout Lake’s dairies are proving that the valley’s long history of milk production is moving solidly into the future. Ruth Berkowitz is a lawyer, mediator and writer. She lives with her family in Hood River and Portland and is a frequent contributor to The Gorge Magazine.

Photo by Greg Wallwork

GOLDENDALE GOLF CLUB

MARYHILL WINERY

A semi-private golf course with great views of mountains and wildlife. Green Fees under $45 with cart. Please call for more information or a tee time. Keith Johnson - PGA Pro

Wine Press Northwest’s “2015 Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year”, 50+ award-winning wines, Tuscan-style terrace with views of Mt. Hood, Bocce, picnicking, live music every summer weekend from 1pm-5pm, tasting room, gift shop.

509-773-4705 • goldendalegolf.com 1901 N. Columbus • Goldendale

DWINELL COUNTRY ALES Visit our family-friendly tasting room and beer garden to sample unique, seasonal beers with a distinct sense of origin. We’re dedicated to using local ingredients and an elegant blend of yeasts to create beers that defy traditional styles.

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

GOLDENDALE FARMERS’ MARKET Come see us for fresh locally grown produce, prepared food, and fun-unique handmade items. Open every Saturday from May 11 until September 28, 9am-2pm.

509-773-3138 • countryales.com 206 W. Broadway Street • Goldendale

Ekone Park • Goldendale One block North off Broadway (Hwy 142) on Wilbur.

GOLDENDALE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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Contact us for local knowledge! Tourism & visitor guides. Relocation information. Business Resources. M-F 9am - 4pm 509-773-3400 • goldendalechamber.org 903 E. Broadway • Goldendale

We are custom builders. Our work is built to last. What can we build for you? WA License #SWEETHD823DB 509-774-4604 • sweethomeconst.com sales@sweethomeconst.com PO Box 1348, Goldendale, WA 98620

GOLDENDALE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND VISITOR CENTER CONTACT INFO: 903 E. BROADWAY, GOLDENDALE, WA 98620 - 509.773.3400 - www.goldendalechamber.org

OUR GORGE I CREATE

Painting with Paper Jordan Kim explores connections through the layers of her art story by JANET COOK | photos courtesy of JORDAN KIM

ordan Kim’s art studio, located in a room in her house in Parkdale, looks like it could be a wellorganized kid’s craft space. Shelves are stacked with magazines and books and boxes filled with things like paint swatches and old maps. The narrow drawers of a cabinet under her desk have neat labels reading Hair/Fur and Texture, as well as color categories — Skin Tones, Green, Blue/Purple, and Red/Yellow/Orange. A jar atop her desk contains words and phrases in all different sizes and fonts cut out from magazines. There are paintbrushes and scissors and glue. Kim is a paper collage artist, creating fun, meaningful, intricate works of art with “found” objects — things that most people toss in the recycle bin. “I love how collage lends itself to layers,” she says, “and all the ways you can play with it because of the depth you can put into it.”

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

Kim grew up in St. Louis, Mo., in a family of creative people. Her father was a naturally gifted musician and a brilliant problem solver who worked in computer programming. Her mother was good at crafts. “If we had an idea,” Kim said, “my mom would say, ‘let’s just make it.’” Everything from Halloween costumes to school projects were hand-made. “We didn’t have a lot of money, so that may have been part of it.” Even Kim’s extended family included artists; an aunt pursued a successful career as an artist, and Kim’s grandmother, a lifelong artist, began doing collage art in midlife. Kim was very drawn to her, and began doing collages under her influence. When it came time for Kim to go to college, despite the artistic influence of her family, the pragmatist in her prevailed. “My heart was in art, but my parents wanted me to choose a career where I wouldn’t be struggling,” she said. “I felt a responsibility to choose a responsible path.” Always passionate about ecology and the natural world, Kim pursued a degree in biology at the University of Missouri - Kansas City, with a

Jordan Kim, opposite inset, creates mixed media collages whose themes include children, family, community and the natural world.

She liked it so much that she applied to graduate school at Portland State University, where she pursued minor in art. To help pay her way through college, a master’s degree in environmental management, and met her husband, Won. she worked as a nanny for a family who wound She kept doing art in her spare time, and even started her business, Found & Rewound. A friend of up moving to Portland after she graduated. hers who started the SE Area ARTWalk, an annual art event in Southeast Portland, encouraged Kim to Kim had been intrigued by the West ever try selling her artwork in the show. “That’s how I sold my first piece,” she said. since a high school backpacking trip to Wyoming Kim and her husband had always spent a lot of time recreating in the Gorge, and Won eventually — the first time she’d ever been to the western suggested they move here.12:20 “I was U.S. — andHope had Frank alwaysAd_Gorge wanted Mag_FINAL_NEW_PRINT_R1.pdf to return. After 1 5/19/17 PM reluctant because I didn’t see how it could work,” Kim said. But in 2005, they found a house in Parkdale that they fell in love with. “We made a deal that one of us needed college, she went to visit the family in Portland.

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THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

to get a job out here within a year or we’d have to move back to Portland.” Kim was hired by the Hood River Soil & Water Conservation District. “We got to stay,” she said. Kim continued to pursue her collage art on the side, even as she worked her way from technician to assistant manager to manager at the district. She worked on her art in the evenings and spent weekends traveling to festivals and art fairs. Then she got pregnant with the couple’s son, Isaac, now 6. Working all week and trying to pursue her art career on the side felt too hectic.

“I started not making art for a while,” she said. “But it was bad for my soul.” After her son was born, she began researching how to license her artwork, and realized she could change how she made and sold her work. She talked to local shopkeepers, then had greeting cards and prints of her work made. Hood River Stationers started selling them. Three years ago, Kim got picked up by a rep group that started marketing her work — mostly cards, prints and calendars — around the Northwest. She soon got picked up by another rep group, and another. Her collage work ramped up around the time she became director at the district. Always an overachiever, she juggled both jobs, as well as her family life. But finally something had to give. “Won said, ‘You’d be really sad not to give this a try,’” Kim recalled. “I knew it in my heart.” But leaving her job, where she’d been for 10 years, felt like letting people down. “In the end, I knew I had to let go.” After that, everything fell into place. “My business has been growing like gangbusters,” she said. “It’s a good sign you’re where you’re meant to be.” Along with gaining traction in the gift market, the increased exposure led to, among other things, a commission for a series of Montana wildlife collages, and some other commissions. Kim now spends long, fulfilling days in her studio. To start a piece, she first makes a sketch, then does an underpainting. Only then does she start working on the paper collage. “For me, making it is a meditative experience,” she said. “It’s a way to tune in and connect. It’s that connection piece that’s really important.” As she nears the end of a piece, she often incorporates words or phrases into it. “I like tucking in little messages or thoughts,” she said. “I just wait for what needs to show up. If you try to force it, it doesn’t come.” Most of Kim’s work explores the theme of connection — with each other and the natural world. “That’s what inspires me,” she said. She hopes others feel those connections more deeply, too, when they see her collages. “I like that you don’t take in the whole thing at first glance,” she said. “You have to spend some time with it. You have to slow down. It’s a metaphor for how I want to live.” For more information, go to foundandrewound.com.

Hood River 541.386.1001

A division of TAL Holdings LLC

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

The Dalles

541.296.5414

Pendleton

541.276.6221

DISCOVER BEAUTIFUL Hood River Oregon

Photo by Uncage the Soul Productions marketplace hood river

HOOD RIVER COFFEE ROASTERS

APLAND JEWELERS

Hood River Coffee Roasters sells coffee to the public! Yes, the same flavorful and fresh coffees that we offer to fine restaurants, grocery stores, espresso bars and business offices is available to you, too. We are proud to be the Gorge’s premier roaster since 1990. Open MonThu, 9am-5pm and Fri, 9am-3pm.

Designers, goldsmiths, and craftsmen, we make and repair in our state-of-theart workshop. Ken Apland brings 38 years of experience as a goldsmith and gemologist, so whether you need to have old jewelry redesigned, an heirloom restored, or an entirely new design made we can create it using reclaimed metals and responsibly sourced gems.

1310 Tucker Rd • 541-386-3908 hoodrivercoffeeroasters.com

216 Oak Street • 541-386-3977 info@aplandjewelers.com

HOOD RIVER JEWELERS

WAAAM

We are artists and professional jewelers. If you are looking for something special, we can custom design it. We work with silver, gold, platinum and more. We can use your stone or work with you to find the perfect stone for your needs. Hood River Jewelers also carries colored gemstones, pearls, diamond jewelry and designer collections.

Visit the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum to see one of the largest collections of still-flying and still-driving antique vehicles in the USA. With over 3.5 acres of indoor display space, our collection is not just full of history, they are full of LIFE! Open daily from 9am-5pm. Special events on Second Saturdays.

415 Oak Street • 541-386-6440 hoodriverjewelers.com

1600 Air Museum Road • 541-308-1600 waaamuseum.org

OUR GORGE I EXPLORE

Carson Ridge Luxury Cabins Innkeepers offer beauty and romance at their unique bed-and-breakfast story & photos by VIKI EIERDAM

efore the short-term vacation rental craze, bed-and-breakfasts attracted a clientele interested as much in the experience of overnighting as they were curious travelers. Colorado transplants Richard Albert and Theresa Regnier are finding out that segment of sojourners is still alive and well and thrilled to discover Carson Ridge Luxury Cabins. Since taking over 10 separate cabins, spread out on a scenic piece of land just north of the Columbia River in Carson, Wash., Albert and Regnier have expanded their oasis to five welcoming acres. Extensive, year-round plantings welcome each season with bud break, bright pops of wildflowers in the meadow garden, the rustling of leaves in the soft blow of wind, birds announcing their arrival to a myriad of houses set up throughout the property and an ample supply of evergreens that promise color deep into winter. Although each cabin has been outfitted with an eye to detail, walking the trails that meander throughout Carson Ridge is where evidence of the expansive vision of Albert and Regnier is perhaps best seen. On a recent visit, I watched as Regnier leaned down to deadhead a flower, cup a blossom in her hand and delight in diminutive pinecones. She is both artist and explorer. It is the coupleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to approach Carson Ridge in a way that keeps it fresh for repeat guests that is their strongest asset. Some of this wonder stems from viewing life through the eyes of exchange students that they hosted while living in Colorado. With a background in construction, Albertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job loss in 2008 36

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

some of the romance-inducing amenities found in every cabin. There’s also a kitchenette nook with mini-fridge, microwave, coffee, tea and hot cocoa and a snack basket. To enhance the guest experience, Gorge microbrews and wines for purchase are stocked in all the rooms. On each covered porch, guests will find a porch swing and bistro table, perfect for savoring morning coffee as well as an afternoon refreshment. A walk around the grounds reveals two fire pits, ample Adirondack chairs, lawn games and hammocks that border the transition from the meadow to an evergreen grove. Just off the breakfast room, guests can purchase a s’mores kit and put one of those fire pits to good use.

Richard Albert and Theresa Regnier, opposite bottom, have turned their five acres in Carson into a landscaped oasis. The 10 luxury cabins on the property all come with amenities like fireplaces, luxury linens, board games and snack baskets. Guests also get a three-course breakfast.

set him on a path that became more hospitalityfocused via a home concierge service. It took Regnier a good year to de-stress from her position as a production manager for a design firm. Today, they not only revel in greeting each of their guests, they do it in an intimate and intentional way. “Last year we hosted guests from 17 different countries,” Albert said. “When we hosted exchange students in Colorado, we took their flag and flew it next to the U.S. flag. We do that here and we’ll put that guest’s flag next to the U.S. flag. Those are little details they wouldn’t expect to see.” In total, Carson Ridge has 60 different international flags on hand and Albert and Regnier have even started a collection of flags for their stateside guests. Decompressing begins the moment the car is parked. An adults-only property, Carson Ridge focuses on helping couples connect. Each cabin is positioned to provide maximum privacy. The three “mountain” cabins each feature a hydrotherapy spa tub with a river rock surround while the other cabins offer jetted tubs. Luxury linens, cozy fireplaces, aromatherapy bath salts and inroom board games and movie rentals are just

Breakfast is another arena where Albert and Regnier complement one another’s strengths. With Albert at the skillet and Regnier at the mixer, they turn out three-course, request-worthy cuisine every morning and “can accommodate 99 percent of dietary restrictions,” they say. Past menus have included ginger bread vegan waffles; a tofu scramble with a medley of vegetables and vegan sausage on the side; eggs benedict; and blueberry crème brûlée French toast. Considering the luxury cabin collection to be 10 bedroom extensions of their own home, the innkeepers partner with local artisans on many of the unique details. Eighty percent of the wall art is contributed photos from guests, family and friends. All tables on the premises are custom made by local woodworkers and many of the tops are poured concrete by another local business. Much of the ironwork, either in the form of handrails or detail work on tables or the kitchenettes, is sourced from a female forger in the Carson/Stevenson area. Other furnishings were procured from Salvage Works in Portland. With all this attention to romance, Carson Ridge takes it a step further by offering elopement packages and in-room spa services such as massage and body scrubs. They plan to add raindrop therapy massage — elevated with seven different essential oils — to their repertoire soon. Babymoon packages are also available for the parents-to-be to enjoy a bit of pampering before the little blessing arrives. Albert and Regnier relocated from Colorado only in 2015 but, in that brief time, they have embraced the natural beauty and outdoor lifestyle of the Gorge. An avid bicyclist, Regnier is already attuned to an ideal biking day and enjoys the opportunity to curate visitor itineraries based on the weather and each traveler’s interests and fitness level. With all that abounds on the grounds and behind the walls of Carson Ridge Luxury Cabins, it truly is a destination within a destination. For more information, including seasonal specials, go to carsonridgecabins.com.

Viki Eierdam is a writer, wife and dog mom. She lives in Battle Ground, Wash., and is a frequent contributor to The Gorge Magazine. THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

OUR GORGE I WINE SPOTLIGHT

Marchesi Vineyards An Italian winemaker creates a taste of home in the Gorge

story by DON CAMPBELL | photos by PALOMA AYALA

iemonte — Piedmont, in English — is a particularly picturesque Italian region that butts up against France and Switzerland, surrounded on three sides by the jaw-dropping Alps. It is known for hosting several events in the 2006 Winter Olympics, its sapphire-blue lakes, and for its wine. Hood River and the greater Gorge may know of Piedmont thanks to winemaker Franco Marchesi. A Piedmont native, Marchesi has created, or perhaps re-created, the feel of his homeland at his eight-acre vineyard, winery and tasting room on Belmont Drive on Hood River’s Westside. The two places have much in common. For starters, both sit at roughly the same latitude, enjoy much the same climate, and have soil that soulfully nurtures Italian varietal wine grapes that include Barbera, Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo and others. Marchesi, freshly returned from the late spring Vinitaly trade show in Verona — his 27th trip to the major wine event — relaxes on his patio as two frisky cats, Pompeo and Ischia, both of whom apparently

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

understand Italian, roam nearby. He is a man who fulfilled a dream. Leaving Italy in his early 20s, he signed aboard a cruise ship out of San Francisco as a sommelier, traveling the world and experiencing fine wine. “It was my natural element,” he says. After nine years he found his land legs and started a California import company in 1991, which he sold in 2002 before making his way to the burgeoning wine country of the Columbia River Gorge. He fell in love with Hood River, and found an overgrown and essentially abandoned eightacre orchard on Belmond Drive. If you stand just right, you can catch glimpses of Mount Adams to the north and Mount Hood to the south, bounded on all sides by fruit trees and grapevines. It was verdant, lush with opportunity, and Marchesi had his epiphany. “It was not a pretty site,” he says of the parcel and its condition. “But I could change it around. There were favorable conditions for wine.”

S uperb summer sipping finely crafted wines, mountain & vineyard views

Mt. Hood Winery

Franco Marchesi, opposite top with his wife, Sandy, has created a taste of his Italian homeland of Piedmont at his Hood River winery and tasting room.

In May of 2004, after doing some research, soil tests and clearing (“The grass was taller than I was,” he recalls), he planted his first Barbera vines. He never truly intended to start a vineyard and winery. Though he came from a line of winemakers, and was influenced by his grandfather, Achille, winemaking was a hobby, at best. But by 2006, he produced his first vintage with purchased grapes, and opened his tasting room on July 4, 2008. Over time the operation grew, with a tasting room expansion, a spacious, Mediterranean-style patio, and equipment. “It’s so very similar to Italy,” he says, recalling his boyhood days roaming his grandfather’s vineyards. “I play opera music in the tasting room.” He has settled in here, building an expanded family after remarrying in 2011. Wife Sandy runs the tasting room. Marchesi’s stepson, Quinn, serves as general manager, with extra help from Sandy’s daughter, Brenn, in the tasting room.

Wine tasting daily from 11 am to 5 pm

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THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

Marchesi’s stepson, Quinn McNab, above left, is general manager of the tasting room. Marchesi grows Italian varietals, including Barbera, Pinot Grigio and Nebbiolo, on his adjacent vineyard, which has similar growing conditions to his homeland in northern Italy.

Marchesi’s son, Alex, works the distribution channel in Portland for his brand, Monte Cappuccio (Mount Hood in Italian). “They are a big help,” he says. “I couldn’t do this alone.” He likens the Columbia Gorge AVA to the Napa and Sonoma regions during the 1960s. There is vitality here, a variety of grapes that grow well, a camaraderie among growers and makers. “Here is a good alternative to the pinot noir of the Willamette Valley,” Marchesi says. Marchesi’s wine skills are largely self-taught, though he sought advice from many. “I picked the brains of friends in Italy,” he says with a smile. His patience and labors have paid off. His 5,000-case yearly production includes estate-bottled wines, deft blends, and other supple offerings. With the aim of living a vineyard life in comfort, construction is well underway on a stunning and expansive two-story Mediterranean-style stucco home next to the tasting room. Marchesi is anxious for its completion. He and Sandy currently live in The Dalles. “I’m tired of the commute,” he says.

It’s quiet on this Sunday morning, but one can easily hear wisps of Verdi’s “La Traviata” wafting from the tasting room, sun glinting through a wine glass filled with a 2017 Achille Barbera. They may not be the Alps as a backdrop, but mounts Hood and Adams will do nicely. For Franco Marchesi, it is good to be home. For more information, go to marchesivineyards.com

Don Campbell is a writer and musician. He lives in Mosier and Portland and is a frequent contributor to The Gorge Magazine.

Visit our

Tasting Room

TASTE SHOP ENJOY! OPEN DAILY 12 - 6 304 Oak St., Suite 3, Hood River, OR TastingRoomHRD@hrdspirits.com 541-716-5276

2019 Hood River Distillers, Inc. Hood River, Oregon USA, www.hrdspirits.com Stay in control.®

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

WA Tasting Room Magazine

Wine Tasting Tips

Bigstock.com

CONFIRM HOURS

Gorge wineries and tasting rooms vary in their hours and days of operation. Call ahead if you’re planning to visit with a large group. DRESS FOR THE WEATHER

Dress appropriately, especially if you plan a vineyard picnic or tour. Finely crafted, award-winning wines made in limited quantities for the highest quality.

Lasting memories await at our vista tasting room, overlooking the Columbia River & Mt. Hood.

DON’T WEAR FRAGRANCES

Perfume and cologne can interfere with the subtle aromas in wine. ASK ABOUT FEES

Some wineries charge a fee for tastings. Some will waive fees with a purchase. TASTING TIPS

Generally, white wines are tasted first, followed by red wines and then dessert wines. It’s okay to skip any of the wines on a tasting list by politely declining. If you’re genuinely interested in purchasing a particular wine, it’s okay to ask for a second taste. WHAT TO DO

Swirling the wine in your glass helps aerate the wine’s many aromas. When tasting, hold the glass by the stem rather than the bowl as holding it by the bowl can disturb the temperature of the wine. Inhale before taking a sip to appreciate the wine’s aromas. Likewise, swirl the wine around in your mouth once you sip to coat all the surfaces. HIP TO SPIT

You don’t have to drink all the wine in your glass. Toss the unwanted wine into the dump bucket provided for this purpose. PACE YOURSELF

Don’t try to visit too many wineries in one day. Know your limit and stop when you reach it. HAVE A DESIGNATED DRIVER

jacobwilliamswinery.com 42

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

•

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This will ensure your wine tasting adventure is fun and safe for you and others.

WINE TASTING LOVERS CHOOSE FROM 26 AWARD-WINNING WINES 4200 Post Canyon Drive, Hood River

OPEN year round • Daily11am big, bold reds • limited-edition reserves Barrel Tastings • library tastings

cathedralridgewinery.com / 541.386.2882

Organically Grown Estate Wines from the Columbia Gorge AVA

• idiotsgrace.com •

THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

WATERMoves

Bob Stawicki 44

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

For photographer BOB STAWICKI, taking pictures of people doing watersports is all about movement. From his Zodiac inflatable boat, with his signature IWASPHOTOGRAPHED.COM on the side, he trains his lens on windsurfers, kiteboarders and paddlers all summer long. He can be found at sites up and down the Columbia River, from Stevenson, Wash., all the way to Arlington. He’s out there five days a week (sometimes more), but favors the biggest, windiest days. Stawicki started taking pictures as a kid with his dad’s Instamatic camera. Later, he used cheap, disposable cameras. “I never realized what I had going on,” he said. “I was just the guy that liked doing this stuff.” He took pictures of his friends doing all the active sports they did together — windsurfing, skiing, mountain biking, riding motorcycles. When he began coaching skiing more than 10 years ago, he started taking sequence photos of ski racers so they could analyze their form. Now, he does the same thing on the river. Along with capturing fun, thrilling images of people doing what they love, he also takes sequential images on request. “I’ll shoot like a coach, doing movement analysis,” he said. “I love that I get to work with people on how to improve their movements.” He also takes photos for teams and events, and shoots pros who use his images for their sponsors. “It’s creating photos just for you while you’re having fun out there in that wild, windy environment that the Gorge provides,” he said. “I love movements. That’s what this is all about.” iwasphotographed.com

THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

WATERMoves

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

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HOOD RIVER $445,000 Excellent location â&#x20AC;&#x201C; easy access to everything yet quiet & private, hidden away at the end of the street. Rancher w/ basement on .4 acre, 4BRs (2 on main, 2 in basement), 2BAs, 2275 sqft. Original hardwood floors. Large paved & fenced parking area, 2 car attached garage (c/b tandem 4), large front yard, view of ball field & East Hills. RMLS 19636878

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HOOD RIVER $1,275,000: Stunning home with spectacular River & Bridge views! Everything you need is on the main level in this 3 bed/3.5, 4886 sq ft. custom home. Formal Granite entry, freshly refinished Maple floors, vaulted fir ceiling, new garage doors, 2 sided gas fireplace and security system. Master has 2 closets and ensuite bath. Bonus room upstairs could be bedroom. Lower level has bedroom with full bath, huge area family room + 2 large storage rooms. RMLS 18488196

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THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

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THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

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Riding the Story and photos by DAVID HANSON

CAT

verybody seems to know Junior. He’s dapper for Hood River with his well-aged wool-polyester blend suit, a maroon tie and dress shoes. He doesn’t say exactly, but I’d guess he’s a few years past retirement age. He’s on his way to the Hood River library from his home in Odell. It’s a Tuesday in April. I just caught the CAT bus (Columbia Area Transit) in the Rosauers parking lot, hoping to learn more about this core piece of the Columbia Gorge’s burgeoning public transportation services. “I ride the CAT every now and then,” Junior says. The driver, Stan Montgomery, a veteran truck driver who “logged a couple million miles” in his career hauling logs, cuts his eyes sideways in the giant rearview mirror and waves him off. “Nah, he’s a regular,” Stan says.

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

Passenger Othon Vela Vela from Odell

Heading south to Parkdale

Junior flashes his toothy grin and lets out a rippling laugh. “That laugh’s the first thing I heard when I got on this bus,” says Tom Gordon, seated behind me. He and his wife, Shawna, live in Parkdale. It’s their first time on the CAT. When they discovered a dead battery in their vehicle this morning, they thought about calling a buddy for a ride to Walmart, but then Tom remembered the CAT. “We’ve seen the shuttle around town and I did a little research,” Tom says. “You can track the route on the website and see where it is and where it’s going. We’ll take it to Walmart, get our battery and then catch the next one to Parkdale.” As we pull up to the library stop, Junior turns his wide smile on me and says, “Don’t write down everything. I’m well known in the town!” His big laugh follows him onto the sidewalk and Stan, chuckling, drives on.

COME EXPLORE THE SENSATIONAL CIDERS OF THE GORGE

Photo by Silvia Flores

gorgecidersociety.com

Photos by LarvickMedia

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

Passenger Richard Robinson from The Dalles

Public transportation in rural communities is a vital, often overlooked service. For obvious reasons, rural residents rely more on their cars, with longer distances to reach grocery stores, health care, jobs and social programs. More than 1,400 rural public transport services operate in the U.S. and, despite declining rural populations, ridership increased almost 8 percent per capita from 2007 to 2015, while urban ridership has increased only 2 percent in that same period. CAT is just one of the many transit services in the Columbia Gorge. On any given weekday, for less than $15, you could ride from Portland to Cascade Locks to Hood River, up to Parkdale, over to The Dalles and across the bridge to Bingen, making it all the way to Trout Lake or Goldendale for dinner using Hood River’s CAT, Wasco County’s LINK, and Klickitat County’s MATS transit services. Patty Fink became executive director of CAT in 2017. She sees broad impacts for a robust public transit system. “We’re planning for the future,” she tells me at the CAT headquarters and transfer station located east of Hood River’s Walmart. “We see transit being an important solution for climate change mitigation, affordable housing, parking, and traffic concerns. We see it as being both a short-term and long-term solution for issues facing the Gorge. High housing costs are creating more bedroom communities around Hood River. We need to connect those. We have large employers like Insitu and Cardinal Glass with high-tech staffing needs and they’re not finding who they need here so the work force is coming from Portland. Transit can offset that traffic. And we’re also here to serve low-income, disabled and seniors.” Back on the shuttle, we pick up Martel Verduzco, age 46, by Walmart. He’s limping but enthusiastic. “This is my second time riding CAT today,” he says. “I took it to court this morning — got a ticket so I can’t drive for a while. Then I went home, changed, and now I’m going to physical

Driver Jessica Saunders

On the Odell Highway

therapy for an ACL tear in my knee. Eight months ago you had to make appointments for rides, now I hop on this route.” Hood River recently switched from a dial-a-ride service (a $2 door-todoor service requiring reservations placed on the prior day) to a fixed route connecting major points in Hood River. For the first month, rides were free and they were only getting about one rider per hour, but now, at $1 a ride, CAT averages about five riders per hour. Word is slowly spreading and CAT has hired the local agency Blue Collar to revamp its marketing and public awareness, including new designs on the shuttles themselves. Martel gets off at Rosauers and a fit woman in gym clothes ascends the stairs. Rossy León, 42, moved to Hood River from San Francisco two years ago. She has a car and a license, but she was accustomed to public transportation in San Francisco and, on cold days, she prefers to take the shuttle into downtown where she teaches fitness classes a few times a week. “My favorite thing is the Pink Trolley,” she says of the summer season open-air trolley that runs from the Heights to the waterfront. “I love taking that to the waterfront with my kids in the summer.” When Rossy hops off, it’s just Stan and me. “You can tell when people get on the bus if they’re quiet or want to yap,” Stan says. “I like talking to the passengers — it’s kind of a public service. They want to know about schedules and timing and all that.” He’s not worried about the low ridership. He sees the value in the service. CAT and the Gorge’s other public transit services rely on federal and state grants rather than ridership fees. A recent payroll tax contributes to the funding as do, to a smaller extent, revenues from Hood River property taxes. Patty hopes to reach more Portland-based tourists in order to curtail traffic and parking concerns as Portland’s growing population continues to look eastward for recreation. But for now, the service seems most tailored to the critical daily needs of Hood River County residents. On my last ride I hop on board with Jeff Acciaioli, a 34-year-old driver who likes to rock climb in his free time. He usually has the Portland commuter bus, but today he’s driving The Dalles connection. Jeff, like Stan, knows most of the riders and recognizes the two men waiting at the transfer station behind Home Depot. One is a 30-something man with a roller bag, a tiny kid’s backpack and a toddler’s pink folding chair. Branor (no last name) tells me he’s on his way to the DHS office in Hood River, where he goes for an hour every Tuesday and Thursday to visit with his three children, ages 2 and up. They’ve been in foster care in Hood River for more than a year. Branor brings toys in the luggage and the folding chair is for his youngest since he says the office lacks enough small chairs. I’ll never know Branor’s full story, how he got himself into his situation, or how he’d see his kids if there wasn’t a public transportation service.

Driver Dan Devers

Back in Hood River, I switch buses one more time at the transfer station, catching the next one up the hill to Rosauers where I parked. Standing by the CAT sign is Junior in a different suit and tie, with the same big grin, waiting for his ride home. For more information, including routes and schedules, go to catransit.org.

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

summer time

GREENERY

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ORGANICS • PRODUCE DELI & BAKERY • MEAT & SEAFOOD WINE & BEER • FLORAL

HUCKLEBERRY’S NATURAL MARKET

ROSAUERS SUPERMARKETS

1867 12th Street, Hood River // rosauers.com // 541.386.1119

THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

Experience Skamania County, Washington! MARTIN’S GORGE TOURS 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.

ELK RIDGE GOLF COURSE

AT CARSON HOT SPRINGS RESORT Golf the driest course in the Northwest! According to reviews, “a must play course” with amazing views from almost every hole. Only a short 45 min drive from the Portland/Vancouver.

503-349-1323 martinsgorgetours.com

509-427-0127 carsonhotspringresort.com 372 St. Martin Springs Rd. • Carson

GORGE-TO-TABLE COOKING CLASS

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Prepare a farm-fresh meal in our 1911

Enjoy the benefits of our mineral rich water by soaking in our public pool or private tub, get a massage, golf, dine, or stay the night for the ultimate spa experience.

541-351-5247 • RootsFarmacy.com Stevenson

509-427-8296 carsonhotspringresort.com 372 St. Martin Springs Rd. • Carson

COLUMBIA RIVER AFFORDABLE PORTABLES

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A family owned portable restroom and septic service based in The Dalles, OR, we service the entire Columbia River Gorge and beyond. Available 24/7. We provide the best products and units the industry has to offer!

Serving fresh, delicious, made-toorder sandwiches and salads.

craftsman kitchen and experience the real-food story of the Gorge’s small family farms and food artisans. No experience necessary.

541-298-2727 • 541-993-8668 craffordableportables.com

TACOS PEPE CATERING The best Mexican food in town. Made from scratch. Come visit us! 509-637-6338 91NW 2nd St. • Stevenson Facebook/tacos-Pepe/pages Tacos Pepe on YELP Tacos.pepe@yahoo.com

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Fast, friendly service and healthy fresh-fit choices. 509-427-0035 • subway.com 220 SW Second St. • Stevenson

GORGEGRASS BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL July 25-28,2019

Featuring incredible national talents Seldom Scene and I Draw Slow on stage with outstanding regional and local bands, workshops, electric and dry camping, and much more. Skamania Co. Fairgrounds • Stevenson new.columbiagorgebluegrass.net

SKAMANIA COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: 167 NW Second Avenue, Stevenson, WA 98648 • 800-989-9178 • skamania.org

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CARSON RIDGE LUXURY CABINS

Stunning views, spacious guestrooms on the Columbia River at the Bridge of the Gods. Close to waterfalls and outdoor activities. Complimentary hot breakfast, pool, spa, fitness room.

Rejuvenate at our romantic getaway cabins. Soak in a spa tub with lavender bath salts. Enjoy a relaxing in-cabin massage. Dream it and we’ll work to deliver it.

541-374-8777 • 800-595-7108 bwcolumbiariverinn.com 735 WaNaPa St. • Cascade Locks

509-427-7777 • CarsonRidgeCabins.com 1261 Wind River Rd. • Carson

BRIDGESIDE

WALKING MAN BREWING

Fast, friendly family dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus spectacular views of the Gorge and Bridge of the Gods.

Just minutes from the Bridge of the Gods, we have become a destination for beer enthusiasts and Gorge travelers. Experience our small community craft brewery. Enjoy our dog-friendly beer garden or cozy up with a pint and a bite in the brewpub.

Burgers • Sandwiches • Salads • Soups Baskets • After 5 menu • Desserts Gift shop • Historic artifacts 541-374-8477 • bridgesidedining.com 745 NW Wa Na Pa St. • Cascade Locks

509-427-5520 • walkingmanbeer.com 240 SW 1st Street • Stevenson

CAPE HORN ESTATE VENUE AND EVENT CENTER

COLUMBIA GORGE INTERPRETIVE CENTER

Book your next event at Cape Horn Estate! 4+ beautiful acres and indoor spaces including a kitchen available for weddings, corporate events, family reunions and private parties. Catering and bar service available.

The first human imprints in the Gorge were left by the Indian cultures that flourished here for thousands of years. Explore the natural and cultural history of this beautiful region. Open daily 9-5.

503-307-0333 • capehornestate.com 81 Woodard Creek Rd. • Stevenson

800-991-2338 509-427-8211 990 SW Rock Creek Dr. • Stevenson

BRIDGE OF THE GODS SHUTTLE

SKAMANIA LODGE ADVENTURES

Private comfortable transportation for up to 7 passengers to the airport, wineries, breweries, white water rafting, and more. Destination and daily private driver services. Advanced booking appreciated: call, text or email.

Fly with us on a fully guided Zip Line tour through the beautiful Douglas Fir trees along side the mighty Columbia River. Or for the braver souls be a tree ninja and test your skills while traversing a variety of challenging elements in our new Aerial Park.

360-213-4188 • bogshuttlellc@gmail.com bogshuttle.com • Stevenson

509-427-0202 • zipnskamania.com

SKAMANIA COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: 167 NW Second Avenue, Stevenson, WA 98648 • 800-989-9178 • skamania.org

Story and photos by LINDA STEIDER

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

e e

t t a he k

Volunteers from Cascades Pika Watch monitor the furry mammal in one of its most unique habitats: the Columbia River Gorge What was that? A furry little brown critter ran across the trail at lightning speed as I hiked near Hellroaring Canyon on Mount Adams. In my brief glimpse, it appeared about the size of a squirrel, but rounder, grayer and with no tail. I hung back from my friends, hoping the critter would show itself again. Luckily, it did. I managed to capture a few pictures before it disappeared back into the boulder field. That night I searched the internet to find out what I had seen.Â My research led me to the American Pika, and then to Cascades Pika Watch (CPW ), a citizen science organization supported by the Oregon Zoo and devoted to monitoring pika populations in Oregon. I immediately signed up as a volunteer, hoping to learn more about my new favorite creature.

Volunteers from Cascades Pika Watch climb a talus slope during training to do surveys for pika in the aftermath of the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire, above. Pika expert Johanna Varner, above right, came from Colorado to conduct the training.

The Gorge is the only place this species of pika is found near sea level, which makes them special. They are typically found in higher elevations, like Mount Hood and Mount Adams. Because they are highly sensitive to heat, pikas live in tunnels under rockslides and boulder fields (collectively called talus), where temperatures stay consistently cool year-round along many of our Gorge trails. For this reason, pikas are easiest to find in the morning and early evening during summer, when it’s cooler. To see a pika in the Gorge, look for talus with boulders about the size of basketballs and listen for their call — an “eep” commonly described as sounding like a squeaky toy. Find a spot to sit quietly and scan the area for movement on both sides of the trail. A pika could come out of a rocky opening near you. You might see them gathering food, sunning themselves on boulders, or watching for predators. That’s when you’ll hear them call, to warn their neighbors. They are prey for coyotes, bobcats, raptors, foxes and weasels. Pikas (Ochotona princeps) are members of the rabbit family. When you see a pika, look closely at how well its brown and gray fur blends into the rocks. You’ll also see a cream-colored undercoat that matches its paws and the rim around its ears. Pikas’ ears are large and round like Mickey Mouse, and they have no tail. About the size of a potato, pikas weigh only 4 to 6 ounces.

EEP!

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Juvenile pikas have a higher-pitched call and softer, smoother, lighter fur. Pikas are herbivores. They eat ferns, mosses, wildflowers, grasses, and fir needles. They also eat their own nutrient-filled poop to get the most out of their meals. Pikas don’t hibernate, but at higher elevations they collect and store food in caches called “haypiles” for winter meals. Our local population doesn’t need to store food for winter since there is rarely too much snow, so finding a haypile in the Gorge isn’t likely. As a CPW volunteer, I conduct “sitting surveys” where I watch for pikas and listen for their calls. These surveys determine if pikas live in a given rock slide. Over the last few years, I have signed up for as many sites as I could to immerse myself in the world of pikas. These surveys have led me to search for and photograph pikas from Beacon Rock to the Little White Salmon River, and from Wyeth to Angels Rest. To stay involved in the off-season, I have helped collect sensors placed in talus to monitor temperatures. Last summer, I was trained to conduct intensive “abundance” surveys in the aftermath of the Eagle Creek Fire. The fire consumed much of our pika habitat on the Oregon side of the Gorge. We all mourned the loss of animals, habitat, and plants but held hope for survival. Working with the U.S Forest Service, volunteers from CPW were able to access a few sites before the trails were open to conduct these extensive surveys. Led by pika expert, Dr. Johanna Varner (a.k.a. ‘Pika Jo’), an assistant professor of biology at Colorado Mesa University, we learned how to safely traverse the burned rocky hillsides and carefully climbed our way over fallen

A Peek at the Pika

Find a spot to sit quietly and scan the area for movement on both sides of the trail. A pika could come out of a rocky opening near you.

burned trees, looking in every crevice for evidence of pikas. Hardhats, leather gloves and sturdy boots were required attire, and GPS units or apps on our smartphones were in hand at all times. We searched for pikas and for evidence of their presence, like fresh plant clippings and scat that looks like peppercorns. This data was used to estimate their abundance at each site. We also tried to estimate the impact of the fire on the surrounding trees, grasses, flowers, and mosses. After training, I accompanied Varner to retrieve temperature sensors that she had placed in 2016. The tiny recorders placed above the rocks were obliterated by the fire; nothing was left but plastic blobs. However, those she retrieved from 20 to 30 inches beneath the surface were intact. Varner told me that she had also studied the impacts of the Dollar Fire on Mount Hood’s pikas, and that the population there was surprisingly resilient. This made me feel optimistic for our local pikas.

In October, when all was said and done, we found pikas at 16 out of 36 sites. It will be interesting to watch when and how pikas re-populate the burned areas of our beloved Columbia Gorge. This year marks my fifth season stalking pikas as an official CPW volunteer. If you see me or another volunteer on the trail, please stop to ask us about the cutest mammal on the planet. For more information, go to oregonzoo.org/cascades-pika-watch.

Linda Steider’s photographs and writings can be found at steiderstudios.wordpress.com.

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THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

OUTSIDE

Klickitat Trail Built on an old railroad bed, the multi-use trail offers solitude and scenery story and photos by BEN MITCHELL

nyone who has spent time in the Columbia River Gorge knows the topography is something to behold. Steep mountains. Deep valleys. Rugged terrain. And that same landscape draws millions of hikers and mountain bikers willing to work for those jaw-dropping views, climbing up huge inclines in low gears, looking to challenge themselves and get in a strenuous workout. But what if you’re not looking for a hike with a ton of elevation gain, or don’t want a technical single track trail that’s only suitable for a full-suspension mountain bike that costs as much as a used Subaru? Or even more challenging these days: finding a trail that isn’t overrun with your fellow recreation enthusiasts.

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The Klickitat Trail is a rarity that offers all three, and is one of my favorite places to bike ride in the Gorge, although it is also a multiuser trail that allows hikers and horseback riders. Beginning at the Lyle Trailhead just off of Washington State Route 14, the Klickitat Trail runs for 31 miles, connecting the small towns of Lyle and Klickitat, and ending just a few miles from the community of Centerville, winding through river and creek valleys, dry grasslands, and craggy basalt cliffs. The trail is great in any season. Spring and autumn feature an abundance of wildflowers and fall colors, respectively. Winter brings bald eagles, and if there’s enough snowfall, some prime cross country skiing. In the summer, the trail is great early in the day when it’s cooler. Note that in late summer, the upper portion of the trail, Swale Canyon, closes temporarily due to fire danger. What is now a trail for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders was once the site of a rail line. According to the Klickitat Trail Conservancy (the nonprofit that promotes and preserves the trail), in 1903 the Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railroad

built a rail line in the current footprint of the Klickitat Trail in order to link the towns of Lyle and Goldendale and help lumber mills in Klickitat and Goldendale transport their products. Like elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest, the lumber mills declined in the 1980s and ‘90s, and the rail line from Lyle to Goldendale went with it. The Rails-to-Trails-Conservancy, a national organization that works to turn unused rail corridors into public trails, bought the railroad’s right-ofway in 1993 and transferred it to Washington State Parks in 1994. The trail was embroiled in controversy for years due to legal challenges and opposition from some adjacent property owners,

The Klickitat Trail offers beautiful and diverse scenery, including a marshy section of Swale Creek traversed by a footbridge, opposite top, and a view into the Klickitat canyon from Fisher Hill Bridge, above. The former railroad bed makes for a flat, wide trail, above inset.

but trail proponents eventually won out. The KTC formed in 2003, and has been managing the trail cooperatively with Washington State Parks and the U.S. Forest Service for the past 15 years. Like the Deschutes River Trail on the Oregon side of the Gorge, the Klickitat Trail’s former life as a railroad makes it a particularly accessible trail, as the railroad grade ensures there’s not many times you’ll need to stand on your pedals and crank. According to OregonHikers.org, there is roughly just 1,300 feet of elevation gain on the trail (if you travel from Lyle northeast to Warwick) in 31 miles, for a very manageable gain of 42 feet per mile. And as you might imagine, because it had to be wide enough for a train to pass through, it’s plenty wide for hikers and bikers to pass by each other without having to step aside.

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Although the trail surface varies depending on the section you’re on, the vast majority of it is gravel and packed earth, with some wooden trestle bridges traversing some of the trickier sections. You certainly can ride the trail with a full suspension bike, but you don’t need to. Hard-tail mountain bikes with front suspension work just fine. I’ve biked the trail with a hybrid with front suspension and had no trouble, although the trail does pass through a few talus slopes that can be challenging, where you may want to walk your bike. If you’re feeling ambitious, the KTC estimates you can bike the entire trail in 3-5 hours (make sure you shuttle and have another car at the other trailhead), although because of a trestle bridge that is out, it is not a contiguous trail, and requires some biking on Highway 142 between Klickitat and the Wahkiacus trailhead. For this reason, and due to the length of the trail — and because they’re two different experiences — I recommend doing only one section of the trail at a time. The bottom section runs 13 miles from Lyle to Klickitat, although you can exit early at Pitt at Mile 10. This section follows right along the Klickitat River and is often in view of

Hikers near the Harms Road Trailhead section of the Klickitat Trail are dwarfed by the Columbia Hills in the distance.

Highway 142, as well as houses. Especially if you’re closer to the Lyle or Klickitat ends of the trail, you’ll likely run into other trail users. The upper section, which runs along Swale Creek from Wahkiacus (Mile 16) to Warwick (Mile 31), is far more remote, particularly the middle section of trail that is deep in the bottom of Swale Canyon. There’s little, if any, cell service here, and the KTC recommends that you don’t do this section alone. Once you start on the trail, the next closest access point is at Harms Road (Mile 28), where the canyon gives way to sprawling farm and ranch land. Despite the warnings (like other places in the eastern Gorge, keep an eye out for ticks, rattlesnakes, and poison oak), the Swale Canyon section is an accessible bike ride. And though the lower section of the Klickitat Trail does have more people, you’ll have the trail to yourself far more often than not, mostly thanks to its length and the number of trailheads it has. With its unique blend of accessibility and tranquility, beauty and ridaebility, the Klickitat Trail beckons to all. For more information, go to Klickitat-trail.org.

Ben Mitchell is a writer and filmmaker who lives in Hood River. He is a frequent contributor to The Gorge Magazine.

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ARTS + CULTURE

Banking on Art The 301 Gallery is a perfect fit for a historic Hood River building story by PEGGY DILLS KELTER | photos by BRIAN CHAMBERS and HENRY SCHIFTER

he historic Butler Bank Building in downtown Hood River has, in a way, come full circle from its origins as the town’s first bank. The building was constructed in the early 1920s in what was a very ambitious construction project for a small town. But the timing was unfortunate; the bank operated for only a few years before the Great Depression hit and it failed. The building went on to house a variety of tenants over the decades, many of whom made changes that detracted from the grandeur of the landmark building.

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Today, the building’s huge east-facing windows illuminate not only the restored interior of the Butler Bank Building, as it is still known, but also a wide variety of art by more than a dozen local artists. The 301 Gallery, which opened in 2018, is the building’s newest tenant, and is the vision of a group of artists who dreamed for many years about opening a cooperative gallery in Hood River. They could not have found a more perfect home. Truman Butler, along with his father, Leslie, opened the Butler and Company Bank in 1900, incorporating it as the Butler Banking Company a few years later. It was originally located a block east, at 2nd and Oak. In the early 1920s, the Butlers commissioned renowned Portland architect A.E. Doyle to design the Butler Bank Building at the corner of 3rd and Oak. Doyle, who was one of the most famous architects in the region during the early 20th century, is credited with other iconic Oregon architecture, including the design of Portland’s famous bronzed public drinking fountains, known as the Benson Bubblers. Hood River’s Butler

The historic Butler Bank Building, built in 1924 for Hood River’s first bank, is now home to the 301 Gallery, a collective of more than a dozen artists.

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Bank Building, considered a fine example of the Egyptian Revival style, opened in 1924. After the bank failed in 1932 it sat empty for a time, then housed many other businesses over the decades. The cycle of tenants included U.S. Bank, the Hood River County Courthouse, and the City of Hood River’s administrative offices. The building was periodically “remodeled” to accommodate their needs. A suspended ceiling was installed at some point, covering the original elegant plaster work with two-foot-square ceiling tiles and fluorescent lighting. Holes in the original ceiling, some several feet in diameter, were made to accommodate updated mechanical systems in the building. With the false ceiling, only the bottom two panels of the huge windows let in light. The building, though functional, had lost its artistry. A.E. Doyle would have been sorely disappointed. Enter Steffen Lunding, a retired carpenter and renovator from San Francisco, who purchased the building in December 2011 and immediately began renovating it. The project could have seemed overwhelming, but Lunding says he had no fear. As for a crew to help with the work? “I was fortunate,” Lunding says. “It was winter and the job was indoors. I was able to cultivate a great group of craftsmen who were able to do the work.” In addition to hiring local workers, he found a group of plasterers from Portland who could restore the ceiling; the job required making seven new plaster knives to match the building’s original mouldings. With the lowered ceiling gone, the height of the walls extended back to their original 21 feet. As they worked, Lunding and his crew uncovered other details of the original building. With the windows partially hidden by the dropped ceiling, and much of the glass painted over, there was little natural light coming in. The space resembled a cave more than a bank lobby — or an art gallery.

THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

The building underwent extensive restoration and remodeling in 2011, including removing a false ceiling and restoring original mouldings. An apartment on the second floor of the building, right, also showcases original art.

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Although Lunding planned to replace the glass in the windows, he couldn’t wait to uncover them. “I got up there one day and I just scraped the paint off one of the pieces of glass to see what it would look like,” he says. “Knowing I was going to replace all the glass, it was a wasted effort. But I couldn’t stop until all the paint was scraped off. The snow would fall and you could watch the snowflakes float down. I just had to do that.” The 301 Gallery artists all agree that the elegant interior has contributed to the gallery’s success. “We’re actually inside somebody’s piece of art,” says artist Ann Fleming. Lunding told founding artist Carolyn Crystal that it was always his dream that the building would be filled with beautiful art. “The building,” he told Crystal, “hasn’t been as happy as it is now.” Visitors to 301 Gallery will find an eclectic mix of media displayed throughout the space — oils, watercolors, pastels, acrylics, photography, ceramics, bronze sculpture, woodworking, jewelry, and glass. Collectors from near and far can find high quality art by well-known Gorge artists. Everything is for sale, except the remaining safe deposit boxes and the immense vault door, vestiges of the building’s origins. Each member artist of 301 Gallery helps with the daily operations of the business. They all work in the gallery two days a month, and are on various committees, from cleaning and maintenance to public relations. Member Michelle Yamamoto, who has worked in retail for many years, helps teach fellow members the nuances of being good salespeople. Knowing it can be more difficult to sell their own work, the artists enjoy selling each other’s creations. “We had an evening when we talked about our own work—how we made it, what had worked in terms of selling it, and what we might say about each other’s work,” Crystal says. Both Gorge locals and visitors from afar are customers of the 301 Gallery. The artists have become adept at wrapping art for carry-out or to be shipped. One customer, an avid admirer of all things fowl, bought two glass chickens and stuck them in his suitcase. Visitors traveling by boat up the Columbia River are more likely to request shipping; the gallery works with local shipping businesses to ensure safe delivery of the art. A 1907 annual report from the directors of the Butler Bank professed similar claims. “Our facilities for handling banking business of any kind are the very best and are in keeping with the wide-awake and modern community in which we live. We make a specialty of fruit and lumber shipments to any part of the world…we can handle both domestic and foreign shipments with promptness and safety.” A second story apartment located inside the Butler Bank Building offers yet another place to be surrounded by history and local art. The vacation rental boasts beds made from the original railings of the Butler Bank, and art adorns every wall in the apartment. Like the gallery space below, the apartment has large windows that let in light and a view of Hood River’s bustling Oak Street. A.E. Doyle and the Butlers would no doubt be proud of their legacy. For more information, go to 301gallery.com.

Peggy Dills Kelter is an artist and writer who lives in Hood River. She’s a frequent contributor to The Gorge Magazine.

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THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

WELLNESS

The Doctor Is In

Heritage Family Medicine aims to fix healthcare, one patient at a time story by JANET COOK | photos by JENNIFER GULIZIA

hen you go to an appointment with Dr. Neal Douglas, you just may be greeted by the doctor’s two dogs, Benson and Stella, after you park in the gravel driveway and make your way to the door of the office, which you’d be forgiven for thinking is an extension of his house. Because it is. But a sign on the door says, “The Doctor Is In.” And he is. Welcome to the practice of the only direct primary care physician in Hood River.

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

Douglas is a family medicine doctor who, like an increasing number of them, grew tired of the health insurance game and decided to figure out a better way to care for his patients. He landed on direct primary care (DPC), which is a model of membership-based healthcare. For a regular monthly fee, patients get unlimited access to Douglas, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Everything you would normally go to your regular doctor for is covered — from stitches and casting broken bones to check-ups and chronic disease management. No co-pays, no unexpected bills. An individual membership for an adult costs $80 per month; a family membership for four, $180 a month. In addition, outside labs, imaging and prescription medications are available at a discounted rate because Douglas has pre-negotiated for these services with outside vendors. “It’s taking it back to the way it was 100 years ago before there was an insurance company sitting in the middle of it,” he said. Douglas grew up in Boring, Ore., and developed an interest in medicine during high school

when he accompanied his father, a doctor, on medical missions to Africa. After graduating from Oregon State University, he went to medical school at Oregon Health and Science University. After completing his residency with Providence Oregon Family Medicine, he joined a private clinic in Portland where he had 2,500 patients. “I call it my second residency,” Douglas said. “It was an amazing confidence-building experience.” He loved everything about family medicine. Except how family medicine is increasingly forced to operate. During the four and a half years he was there, he went from seeing 12 to 15 patients a day, to twice that. The reason? Insurance. “You’re doing two things at the same time,” Douglas said. “You’re trying to document to get as much money as possible from insurance. And you’re trying to care for patients and give them the care they deserve. When you see 20 to 25 patients a day, you cannot win.” After increasingly hectic days in the clinic, he then spent hours every night charting at home. “Your family suffers and your patients suffer,” he said. “It started to really get to a place where I was struggling to find the joy in my job — except for seeing my patients,” he said.

Dr. Neal Douglas, opposite, converted an apartment in his house into his medical clinic. His exam room, above, features a restored exam table from 1935. His direct primary care model is based on monthly memberships instead of insurance billings.

Douglas was commuting to his Portland clinic from Hood River, where he and his family had moved in 2014 after falling in love with the area during Douglas’s rural rotation while in residency. In 2017, he and his wife had their fourth child. They knew they wanted to put down roots in the community, and, along with Douglas’s growing discontent with the status quo in family medicine, his commute was making him feel disconnected from home. “I had the opportunity to take over a retiring doctor’s practice,” he said. “But it would have been the same problem.” He started doing research about DPC and it felt like an epiphany. “I realized the Gorge needed this, and it became my passion.”

THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

He converted an apartment on the bottom floor of his farmhouse on Hood River’s east side into his medical clinic, and Heritage Family Medicine was born. He started pounding the pavement, handing out business cards to drum up business. “I would ask the question, ‘What do you do for urgent care here?’” he said. “It really organically started growing.” After a little more than a year, Douglas has more than 200 patients — individuals, families and a few small businesses. He can grow to more than double that, but doesn’t want to go too far beyond. He’s stopped actively marketing. “My patients are my marketing team,” he said. In contrast to his former practice, Douglas sees four to six patients on a busy day. He sees new patients for an hour on their first visit. If someone calls and wants to come in to establish care, he can usually see them that day. “We always have openings in the schedule,” he said. “It’s designed that way.”

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Another difference in the way his practice works is that patients don’t always have to actually come in to the office. Patients can call him with questions or to follow up on something they might have been seen for previously. “’Hey, how is that ear infection doing?’ or ‘Just wanted to call to make sure your blood pressure is still in the normal range,’ are examples of conversations I have regularly that save patients a clinic visit,” Douglas said. He also has the ability — the flexibility — to make home visits or see someone multiple days in a row if need be. “For patients that get really sick, this is very important,” he said. “However, the majority of the time we are dealing with issues that don’t need an in-person visit. With direct primary care, the patient and I get to decide if the issue needs a visit or if we can design a plan with a call, email or text.” This would have been impossible in his former clinic setting. “In the current fee-for-service system, you only get paid for having patients come in for a visit,” he said. “This results in needing to see 20 patients a day to keep the business afloat. If you start giving really good phone advice and thereby preventing people from needing a visit, the business suffers.” One of his goals is to help educate patients about the “real price of healthcare,” he said. “What’s happening in our country is that insurance companies have ensured that medical prices remain inflated so people feel they cannot survive without it.” He and a collective of DPC practitioners have negotiated rates for things like lab work; a full blood panel, for example — including drawing the blood, shipping to the lab and Douglas going through the results with the patient — costs $48. “People’s jaws are constantly dropping open,” he said. “They say, ‘How is it so inexpensive?’ Well, that’s the real cost.”

Douglas is involved with a grassroots organization, the DPC Alliance, that advocates for direct primary care. One of his passions is educating family doctors about the model. “Doctors in primary care, we’re the gatekeepers,” he said. “We make up 7 to 8 percent of the national healthcare budget, but we provide a massive amount of the actual care — over 50 percent.” Primary care is “very undervalued” in this country, he added, which leads to a high burnout rate among family doctors. “The landscape of DPC now is how do we remove barriers so more doctors can access this model,” he said. He looks back on his time at the clinic in Portland, when he was spending hours a day charting. “I thought I was doing a good job of keeping the business out of the exam room, but I realize you can’t do it.” Now, he “jots notes” when he sees patients, but spends a lot more time listening to his patients and focusing on their needs — which is what drew him to family medicine to begin with. “I’m not married to my computer screen 50 percent of the day,” he said. Adopting the DPC model has allowed Douglas to get back to the fundamentals of why he became a doctor. “There are other ways to get rich as a doctor,” he said. “This is not it. This is serving my community. And I love what I do.” Douglas thinks DPC will begin to alter the healthcare paradigm in the next few years. “It’s going to change the entire landscape when people can get affordable healthcare again,” he said. Douglas is happy to be part of the change. “It’s more exciting than I ever thought. I’m helping to fix our nation’s healthcare, one patient at a time.” For more information, go to heritagedpc.com.

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413 Oak St. • 541 308 0770 • Mon-Sat 10-6, Sun 11-5

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Mid-Columbia Medical Center’s Sports Medicine Department is hosting its 8TH ANNUAL SUMMER STRENGTH & CONDITIONING CAMPS. The free five-week camps are designed to enhance athletic performance, reduce the risk of common athletic injuries, and prepare athletes for the upcoming sports season. The focus is on fun, camaraderie, and positive encouragement, while providing safe and professional coaching from a team of credentialed and experienced fitness and healthcare providers. The camps are open to all middle school and high school students. Participants don’t have to be participating in a current sport.

Stawicki | Photography

The camps are devoted to teaching proper technique, form and safety in: • Running technique, speed development, agility and cutting • Plyometrics, explosiveness and jump training • Basic and advanced weight training • Prevention of common sports injuries • Basic nutrition and hydration education Camps are held in several Gorge communities.

Dufur (starts June 10) • All Sports Summer Strength Camp

White Salmon (starts June 18) • High School Sports Strength Camp • Middle School Strength Camp

The Dalles (starts June 24)

he summer wind season is here! Sign up for an on-demand photo membership, a private shoot, or team and event photos.

iwasphotographed.com

• Novice High School Strength Camp • Advanced High School Strength Camp • Middle School Strength Camp

Hood River (starts June 25) • All Sports Strength Camp

For more information, and to register, go to mcmc.net/summer-strength-camp 74

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

Nichols Landing Gorge Mag 8.75x11.25 AUG NEW.qxp_Layout 1 8/1/18 12:15 PM Page 1

MCMC Specialty Clinics Now Accepting New Patients! MCMC OUTPATIENT THERAPY AT NICHOLS LANDING, formerly Hood River Therapy, has

MCMC ORTHOPEDICS AND SPORTS MEDICINE offering comprehensive orthopedic

GORGE UROLOGY has relocated to Nichols

MCMC DERMATOLOGY has relocated its

relocated to Nichols Landing. Their highly skilled therapists will be providing physical, occupational, and speech therapies, in a large open gym space with upgraded exercise equipment. Call 541.386.2441 to make an appointment. Landing from their previous Hood River location, and look forward to continuing to provide the highest quality of urology care for the western Gorge community. Call 541.386.6988 to make an appointment.

MCMC CARDIOLOGY delivers compassionate

heart care. Cardiology patients can expect open, honest communication with specialists who work alongside patients to educate them about their condition and treatment options. Currently offering echocardiograms (echo) and treadmill stress tests. Call 541.506.6530 to make an appointment. Nichols Landing overlooks the Columbia River and is right off of I-84 (exit 63) next to the Hampton Inn in Hood River

NiCHoLs LANdiNG

care, sports injury treatment and prevention. The department offers a vast array of resources to patients suffering from sports, bone or musclerelated health issues. Call 541.506.6500 to make an appointment.

Hood River clinic to Nichols Landing. The expanded office will mean more Hood River patients will have access to specialized expert care. Call 541.506.6930 to make an appointment.

MCMC PODIATRY for personalized treatment of bunions, plantar fasciitis, ankle sprains, fractures, ingrown toenails, foot and ankle injuries. Call 541.506.6500 to make an appointment.

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ichols anding

3 3 N i C H o L s PA R k wAy, H o o d R i v e R

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PARTAKE I COOK WITH US

Classic Cheeseburger Recipe and photos by KACIE MCMACKIN

Is there anything better in the summer than a simple, classic cheeseburger? Over the years, this has become our family’s favorite burger, but it became even more special while we were living in England and craving the simplicity of a good old American cheeseburger … the kind you’d get at a good drive-up like Dick’s Drive-In or Burgermaster (both in Seattle and worth a stop). While these simple burgers with their oddly melted American “cheese,” cheap buns, and special sauce (very slightly adapted from the cookbook, Date Night In) might not win any beauty contests, they are, without a doubt, my favorite. Burger Ingredients

Sauce ingredients

• 1 3/4 lb. ground beef (10-15 percent fat is ideal)

• 1 cup mayonnaise

• 1 tsp soy sauce

• 1/2 Tbsp sea salt

• 1 small garlic clove, very finely minced

• 2 tsp honey

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 Tbsp ketchup

• 1/3 cup minced dill pickles

• 1/3 cup minced red onion

• 1 1/2 tsp French’s yellow mustard

• 1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard  • Butter lettuce leaves • Tomatoes, thinly sliced  • Dill pickles, shaved into thin slices with a peeler  • 10-12 slices of American cheese  • 10-12 burger buns

Directions In a small bowl combine all of the ingredients for the sauce. Cover and let rest in the refrigerator. In a large bowl, season the beef with the salt and a good amount of pepper. Add in the red onion and Worcestershire sauce. Combine, being careful not to overwork the meat. To form the burgers, take a small amount of meat — a little larger than a golf ball — and flatten it as thin as you can until your patty is about 4 inches in diameter.  Toast the buns under the broiler until golden. Slather both sides with the sauce. On the bottom bun place several thin slices of pickle. Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook the burgers for a few minutes on each side, adding about half a piece of American cheese after it’s been flipped. Once the burger is cooked and the cheese is melted, transfer two patties on top of each bottom bun. Top with lettuce and tomatoes. Enjoy immediately. Serves 6-8.

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

e t i r o v a f r e summ

Kacie McMackin is a food blogger, writer and photographer at gorgeinthegorge.com. She is a frequent contributor to The Gorge Magazine.

THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

PARTAKE I EAT & DRINK

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

541-386-1880 • bettesplace.com 416 Oak Street • Hood River

Pizzeria • drafthouse theater • arcade It’s the pizza -over 25 years of authentic East Coast thin-crust pizza

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.

The “Friendliest Restaurant in Town” and a Hood River landmark since 1975. From French toast and omelets to specialty burgers and homemade soups, we’ve got you covered. Satisfy your sweet tooth with our legendary cinnamon rolls or prize-winning pies. We also offer special menus for children. Take-out menus available.

541-386-1448 • AndrewsPizza.com 107 Oak Street • Hood River

On-line ordering • Eat in • Take out • Delivery

Open daily: 11:30am-9pm

BRIDGESIDE

BRODER ØST

541-374-8477 • bridgesidedining.com Exit 44 off I-84, Cascade Locks

541-436-3444 • brodereast.com 102 Oak St. Suite 100 • Hood River

Stunning views next to the Bridge of the Gods – Bridgeside (formerly Charburger) still serves tasty char-broiled burgers plus an extensive menu of breakfast items, chowders, fish & chips, fresh salad bar, sandwiches, and desserts. New name, new management, but historic charm and western artifacts remain. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Offering Nordic inspired breakfast and lunch to the gorge. Something new and exciting for the whole family to enjoy. Come try traditional recipes such as aebleskiver (danish pancakes), swedish meatballs, norwegian lefse (potato crepes) and lots more!

Gift shop • Special event room & terrace

#broderost

We look forward to serving you!

Open Daily 5:30am to 3pm

CASA EL MIRADOR FAMILY MEXICAN RESTAURANT 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 4-7pm, Mon-Fri. Full service bar, take-out menu, gift certificates and catering services. Open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week.

DOG RIVER COFFEE

CELILO RESTAURANT & BAR

CROOKED TREE TAVERN & GRILL 541-352-6692 • cooperspur.com 10755 Cooper Spur Road • Mt Hood/Parkdale

541-386-4502 • dogrivercoffee.net 411 Oak Street • Downtown Hood River

Celilo began with a desire to honor the bounty of this region and a commitment to a healthy and sustainable future. 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 daily from 5-6pm.

A scratch-made Northwest kitchen hidden up in the woods at the historic Cooper Spur Mountain Resort. Sourcing local and bringing freshness to the table, from the handmade burgers with house baked buns to the hand-cut steaks. Open for lunch & dinner 7 days a week with daily specials. Happy Hour Monday thru Friday 3-6pm.

Named one of ‘America’s top 10 coffeehouses’ by USA Today

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

Dinner daily from 5pm • Lunch Fri-Sun 11:30-3pm

BETTE’S PLACE

THE ANDREW’S EXPERIENCE

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

Full service espresso bar featuring Stumptown coffee Breakfast burritos, pastries and more Caffeinating your adventures since 2004 Open: Mon-Fri, 6am-6pm & Sat-Sun, 7am-6pm

PARTAKE I EAT & DRINK

EL PUERTO DE ANGELES III

EVERYBODY’S BREWING

FERMENT BREWING COMPANY

Authentic Jalisco Cuisine. We provide a great dining experience and freshly prepared platters delivered to your table with Mexican hospitality by our friendly staff. Enjoy good food, good folks and good times. Offering daily lunch and dinner specials served all day. Happy Hour Mon-Fri 2-5pm. Enjoy our outdoor patio (open weather permitting).

See for yourself why Everybody’s Brewing is a locals’ favorite for the past 10 years! We brew 15 different styles of beer plus seasonal selections onsite. The menu is filled with affordable food choices made with high-quality local ingredients. The atmosphere is warm and family-friendly with a beautiful view of Mt. Hood. Live acoustic music most Friday evenings. Open 11:30am to close 7 days a week.

Ferment is a modern brewery that fuses traditional farmhouse techniques with a forward-thinking scientific approach. Born out of an appreciation for the art of fermentation, Ferment offers a unique family of beers and kombuchas that tap the wild terrain of the Columbia River Gorge for inspiration and foraged ingredients.

GROUND ESPRESSO BAR & CAFE

INDIAN CREEK GOLF COURSE & DIVOTS CLUBHOUSE RESTAURANT

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

Sun-Thu 10am-9pm, Fri & Sat 10am-10pm

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

541-436-3499 • fermentbrewing.com 403 Portway Avenue • Hood River Waterfront

Family friendly food•Growler fills•Open 11am daily

Photos by Michael Peterson

GRACE SU’S CHINA GORGE RESTAURANT & TIGER LOUNGE 541-386-5331 • chinagorge.com 2680 Old Columbia River Drive • Hood River (Located off I-84 and the base of Hwy 35)

While visiting the Gorge…take a trip to China. Great Szechuan-Hunan taste. No airfare. Free Parking. Very happy family. Great plates for more than 40 years.

IXTAPA FAMILY MEXICAN RESTAURANT

810 Cherry Heights • The Dalles 2920 W. Cascade Avenue Suite 104 • Hood River 541-386-1168 Authentic, fresh, Mexican food and full bar. Proudly serving the Gorge for over 18 years! Daily lunch and dinner specials. Mexican specialties including fresh seafood and vegetarian entries. Take out and catering available. Open daily. Coming Soon! New Restaurant. New Location.

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

541-308-0304 • indiancreekgolf.com 3605 Brookside Drive • Hood River

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.

Located in the heart of the Hood River Valley just minutes from downtown. Breathtaking views of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams from our covered patio. Full service bar and fabulous northwest cuisine at a reasonable price. Your everyday vacation spot! Open to the public.

KICKSTAND COFFEE & KITCHEN

McMENAMINS EDGEFIELD

Open Daily for Lunch & Dinner. Happy Hour 3-6pm.

541-436-0016 • kickstandcoffee.net 1235 State Street • Hood River

503-669-8610 • mcmenamins.com 2126 SW Halsey Street • Troutdale (off Exit 16)

Fusion cuisine made from locally sourced ingredients. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Donuts made fresh daily. House-roasted coffee. Local beer, wine & house-infused cocktails at “The Handlebar”.

With fall comes the fall harvest. The Black Rabbit Restaurant kitchen uses seasonal ingredients from Edgefield’s own gardens, grown using organic methods – herbs, vegetables, fruits and flowers that flourish throughout the property’s 74 acres. Stop by for a fresh taste.

Open daily 7am-10pm. Outdoor Patio. Fire Pit. SMORES. Kid Friendly. Fundraisers & Special events.

Ales, wines and spirits are crafted onsite.

THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

PARTAKE I EAT & DRINK

PFRIEM FAMILY BREWERS

REMEDY CAFÉ

541-386-1606 • pietrosrestaurants.com 107 2nd Street • Hood River

541-716-4020 • remedyjuice-cafe.com 112 Third Street • Downtown Hood River

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.

Pietro’s is proud to serve the same famous original thin pizza crust and pizza sauce that has made us a Northwest favorite over the years. We use only the freshest and finest cheese and toppings. Proud to be locally owned and operated with four locations: Hood River, Milwaukie, Beaverton and Salem. Dine in, take out, online or delivery.

Open Daily: 11am-10pm

Open Daily 11am-10pm

Recharge at Remedy Café with organic and satisfying breakfast or lunch bowls, burritos, curry, smoothies, juices, or hot drinks. Vegan and paleo options, created from scratch from the best quality organic and local ingredients. Kombucha on tap. Locally roasted, organic espresso. Free WiFi. Open Mon-Fri 7am-5pm Sat & Sun 8am-5pm. Dine-in or take out. Call in to order ahead!

RIVERSIDE & CEBU LOUNGE

RIVERTAP PUB & RESTAURANT

SOLSTICE WOOD FIRE PIZZA

Happy Hour daily, 3-6pm

Family-owned & loved by locals! One of a kind specialty pizzas, housemade fresh pastas, seasonal small plates & salads, & sublime s’mores. Inspired cocktails, craft beers, wine, & ciders on tap. Family dining & kids play area. Vegan & gluten-free options.

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

Diners seek out newly remodeled Riverside for some of the best food and views in the Gorge, and Cebu for great bar food and drinks. Fresh menus change seasonally—plus an award-winning wine list. Enjoy indoors, on the deck, or in our popular Cebu Lounge. Cebu Lounge Happy Hours: Mon-Fri 4-6pm

gorge in the gorge

A local guide to the best food, drinks, farms, and markets! gorgeinthegorge.com

PIETRO’S PIZZA

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

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

541-296-7870 • rivertap.com 703 East 2nd Street • Downtown The Dalles (I-84, Exit 85) Late Night Happy Hour Friday & Saturday, 10-close Live Music every Friday, Saturday and Sunday

541-436-0800 • solsticewoodfirecafe.com 501 Portway Avenue • Hood River Waterfront

Heated patio seating & riverfront views! Wood-fired & Gorge-inspired!

PARTAKE I EAT & DRINK

541-386-3940 • stonehedgeweddings.com 3405 West Cascade Avenue • Hood River

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

SUSHI OKALANI

TAD’S CHICKEN ‘N DUMPLINS

“The best outdoor dining in the Gorge.” –NW Best Places We are a favorite among locals and visitors. Our cuisine is a classic, European blend that utilizes fresh, local ingredients and pairs well with our select wines. Our gardens are the perfect setting for weddings. Full-service catering available. “Romantic setting and the best meal I had in town.” –The Los Angeles Times

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 nightly at 5:00, closing hours change seasonally.

We are nestled on the banks of the Sandy River in Troutdale, OR–the gateway to the Columbia River Gorge. We are located halfway between Portland and Multnomah Falls. Serving exquisite American cuisine since the 1930s. The menu includes: Seafood specialties as well as traditional steak, chicken, and pasta dishes; a full bar, and our famous home-style chicken ‘n dumplins. Open every night for dinner.

STONEHEDGE GARDENS

503-666-5337 • tadschicdump.com 1325 East Historic Columbia River Hwy • Troutdale

CAFÉ & GRILL THUNDER ISLAND BREWING CO

WET PLANET CAFÉ & GRILL

Thunder Island Brewing Co is an adventure-based brewery that is handcrafting creative and innovative beers in the Pacific Northwest since 2013. Thunder Island Brewing makes crushable beers inspired by a love of outdoor adventures, with a nod to local history and with a respect for all that the scenic Columbia River Gorge has to offer.

Off the beaten track, outside and delicious. From a perfect espresso in the morning with a fresh pastry, to one of the best burgers in the Gorge! Farm-to-Table menu, including freshly caught Salmon. Enjoy great food paired with local brews, cider and wines on our outdoor patio, while watching the rafters and kayakers have fun on the White Salmon River.

The Gorge is a mecca for great food and drink: restaurants, cafés, wineries, breweries, food carts & more. Help visitors and locals decide where to dine and drink. They’ll see your ad in print and in the online digital edition of the magazine…for one affordable price!

Open daily 11:30am-6:30pm, May through September

RESERVE A PARTAKE LISTING SPACE TODAY

971-231-4599 • thunderislandbrewing.com 515 NW Portage Road • Cascade Locks

509-493-8989 • wetplanetwhitewater.com 860 Highway 141 • White Salmon (Husum)

The area’s premier lifestyle publication

YOUR PARTAKE LISTING HERE

Contact Jody Thompson for more information: 425-308-9582 • jthompson@thegorgemagazine.com 541-399-6333 • thegorgemagazine.com

Reserve Ad Space Now for Fall 2019!

On Stands September 6th

For advertising, contact Jody Thompson: 425-308-9582

jthompson@thegorgemagazine.com Jenna Hallett: 503-341-3671 jhallett@thegorgemagazine.com For more information, contact Janet Cook jcook@thegorgemagazine.com or 541-399-6333

Be a part of the Gorge community! Support The Gorge Magazine by advertising and subscribing.

SUBSCRIBE $19.99 FOR ONE YEAR $29.99 FOR TWO YEARS (4 issues per year mailed to your home)

Order online at thegorgemagazine.com or call 541-399-6333

THE GORGE MAGAZINE II SUMMER 2019

OUR GORGE I YOUR GORGE

Colleen Wright and her husband were hiking on the Nick Eaton Ridge Trail early one morning when the fog started to lift. “The sun was just starting to peek through, burning off that mist,” she said. “It looked like a hobbit scene.” The trail, in the Herman Creek area, was hit hard by the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire. The photo was taken soon after the trail was reopened a year after the fire. She submitted it to the annual Friends of the Columbia Gorge 2018 Photo Contest, whose theme was “Capturing Resilience.” Judges loved the lighting and how well the image captured the theme. “The photo just sums up the resilience of nature in general and the Gorge in particular,” one judge wrote.

The Photographer Colleen Wright lives in Portland but she and her husband spend as much of their free time as possible in the Gorge. “I would say the Gorge is my temple,” she said. “I probably know it better than the back of my own hand.” She and her husband hike in the Gorge most weekends, arriving at trailheads early to avoid the crowds. Herman Creek is one of her favorite places to hike. After the Eagle Creek Fire, Wright was worried about the devastation to the area. “We thought we were going to be really sad and — it sounds weird — we thought we were going to feel sadness from the forest,” she said. “But it wasn’t like that. The energy wasn’t like that at all. There was a different kind of beauty there.” She’s an amateur photographer, but says she has a good eye. “And every now and then, I get lucky,” she said. To see all the photos from the contest, go to gorgefriends.org.

SUMMER 2019 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE

CUSTOM ARCHITECTURAL STEEL

Architectural Steel components are an important structural and aesthetic element of any project. Too often, the details are left to be figured out in the field. With over 20 years of experience designing and building structures, we offer more than just fabrication and welding. Let us help you, your architect, engineer, or builder pre-plan every detail using professional, detailed 2d and 3d CAD drawings. CNC plasma cutting equipment and fixturing tables ensure accuracy, consistency, efficiency, and reliable layouts. Architectural steel is our specialty, let us help you perfect your building process. Fast – Efficient – Accurate – Quick Quotes Stock and Custom Architectural Steel Connections . . . also ask about custom CNC Plasma cutting and Furniture/Desks

PO BOX 34 | GLENWOOD, WA 98619 | 509.364.0031 | WWW.GOAT-ROCK.COM

DESIGN / BUILD REMODELING HOME IMPROVEMENT SOLAR ENERGY

A kitchen that’s free to party. Inspired by its existing Mid-Century character, Neil Kelly’s design/build remodeling team unlocked the potential of this gorgeous home, delivering a kitchen with ample prep and serving space, a cozy dining area, a bar for evening conversations, and more. With a stronger connection to the rest of the house, the new kitchen is an entertainer’s delight. No matter what your style — from Traditional to Contemporary — talk to us. We can make your home the toast of the town.

WE TAKE PRIDE IN BEING A CERTIFIED B CORPORATION

541.386.2600 www.neilkelly.com

Providing Service in: Hood River | Portland | Bend Eugene | Seattle OR CCB#1663 | WA L&I #NEILKCI 18702