Author Archives: Norther

Welcome back to TOPOPHILIA! This month, we spoke with Franziksa Weinheimer of Hike Oregon. Franziska and I discuss her love of hiking and backpacking, the places in Oregon that are most dear to her heart, how she overcame her fear of wildfire, and all about her online brand as Hike Oregon. Franziska is such aContinue reading “TOPOPHILIA: Overcoming Fears, Writing Guidebooks & Finding Friendly Forests with Hike Oregon’s Franziska Weinheimer”

Welcome back to TOPOPHILIA! This month, we are talking with hunting guide Tyler Houck. Tyler leads guided elk hunts on the Zumwalt Prairie in Northeast Oregon, and has a long personal history of intimacy with the land. In this interview, we discuss the practices that allow us to learn a place intimately, lessons we’ve learnedContinue reading “TOPOPHILIA: Relationship With Place and the Humbling Unpredictability of Elk with Hunting Guide Tyler Houck”

NORTHER: To start, why don’t you tell us a little about your background and upbringing in the context of the outdoors? BRAD: I grew up doing regular kind of stuff; just sports and playing outside, nothing too outside of the ordinary. I was in the navy as a helicopter rescue swimmer for six and aContinue reading “TOPOPHILIA: Risk Management, Fear, and the Love of Climbing with Climber & Mountain Athlete Brad Farra”

NORTHER EMILY: So let’s dive in and talk about the crowding issue. You and I have both lived here for long time. Matt: I moved out here to Oregon from Illinois when I was seven. One of the major reasons we moved out here was that my stepfather really loved the outdoors- as soon asContinue reading “TOPOPHILIA: Intimacy With Place Interview Series with Guide Book Author Matt Reeder”

Welcome back, everyone! Today, we are so excited to share our recent conversation with Pacific Northwest canyoneer, Mike Peterson. Mike shares with us his perspective around time spent outdoors, places that feel like home, self improvement, and having no chill. We dive into a canyoneering mishap he recently experienced that could have been fatal, theContinue reading “TOPOPHILIA: Intimacy With Place Interview Series: Canyoneering with Mike Peterson”

Welcome to our new Intimacy With Place interview series, TOPOPHILIA! In this series, we explore relationships with place through a variety of different perspectives, as well as issues surrounding outdoor recreation. Our first guest is canyoning athlete Ryan Ernst. You would be hard pressed to find anyone in the outdoor community more invested or knowledgeableContinue reading “TOPOPHILIA: Intimacy With Place Series: Canyons, Access Issues, Permit Systems and Wildfire with Ryan Ernst”

Pardon my French, but fuck the holidays. Whatever holiday configuration you have found yourself shackled to, there is absolutely nothing worse than being stuck in the rainy, boring, depressing city. Skip Christmas, this sucks, let’s go camping. If you don’t want to freeze your butt off in the mountains, may I suggest spending some timeContinue reading “ADVICE YOU DIDN’T ASK FOR: Three Places I’d Rather Be in December- A Southern Oregon Coast Guide”

Just my opinion, but there is nothing worse than sweating in a rain shell. When the weather turns to rain, clouds block in the valley, and it’s not yet cold enough to snow, I love to take a long, slow, casual walk somewhere in the woods. I suggest you bring a thermos full of teaContinue reading “ADVICE YOU DIDN’T ASK FOR: RAINY DAY WALKS FOR NOVEMBER NEAR PORTLAND, OREGON”

I know I said September is the best time of year in Oregon, but October is just as perfect in its own way. The weather is cooler, the leaves begin to drop, the rains return. Almost anywhere you go is lovely, and most of the fires are out by now, so you can count onContinue reading “ADVICE YOU DIDN’T ASK FOR: LOCAL TRAVEL SUGGESTIONS FOR OCTOBER NEAR PORTLAND, OREGON”

A MINI GUIDE TO THE OREGON DESERT September is the best time of year in Oregon. It’s the perfect time to visit the alpine, there’s so much great foraging at every elevation, the leaves start to turn but generally we are blessed with lovely weather and it’s enjoyable to be outdoors anywhere. My personal favorite,Continue reading “ADVICE YOU DIDN’T ASK FOR: FIVE DESTINATIONS FOR SEPTEMBER”