Fire flyers—Elite smokejumpers of the Forest Service

When blue skies turn hazy with smoke and the forest floor starts to crackle, Redmond’s fire jumpers are often already in the sky parachuting into the problem.

For Chris Hinnenkamp, squad leader at the Redmond Air Center (RAC), containing fires isn’t the most dangerous part of his job. It’s getting to the blazes that presents the greater risk… Click to read more

Q&A With Matthias “Super Frenchie” Giraud

We were at the ski area [in Durango, Colorado] in the car with some friends, and we’re looking at this cliff in the distance, and I was telling them, ‘This is it. We have to go ski this.’ They said, ‘Are you out of your mind? The cliff is 300 feet—you can’t survive that.’ I thought that there had to be a way to do it.’ I thought, ‘What if I put a parachute on my back?’… Click to read more

Summer hiking in Central Oregon

Whether you’re a burly backpacker mapping your next multi-day trek, or a weekend wanderer looking for an easy, accessible trail with a view, you’ll find this list handy for exploring the best hikes for every level. Near waterfalls, around lakes and over lava beds, these trails offer an alluring combination of elements in Central Oregon. Lace up your hiking boots, load your pack and hit the trails… Click to view full article at bendmagazine.com