On a road trip weekend getaway to Medford, both the journey and the destination are the rewards.
Ready for a weekend getaway to a lush outdoor paradise full of adventure, with plenty of culinary, wine and cultural charms as well? Put Medford and the Rogue Valley at the top of your list. Plan your next summer escape to sunny Southern Oregon, where the all-day fun is only outpaced by the glorious scenery.
From Bend, Medford is a three hour and fifteen minute drive to the south and west. Drive south on Highway 97, taking in Lava Butte just a few miles south of Bend. This cinder cone is one of the first signs of the volcanism that will appear throughout the journey—there will be more! North of La Pine, note Paulina Peak rising to the east. The peak is the highest point in Newberry Crater, a collapsed volcano, and Oregon’s largest volcano by area. Save a trip to this crater for another time, as we have another even more impressive volcanic crater to visit on this journey, and continue south to the junction with Highway 138.
Traveling west on Highway 138, you’re surrounded by thick pine forest. The road steadily gains elevation as you approach the Cascade Range. Stop at the Mt. Theilsen viewpoint for incredible views of this stunning peak, which boasts a narrow pinnacle pointing towards the sky. Follow Highway 138 to Highway 230, which parallels the Rogue River, one of Oregon’s prettiest and most renowned rivers, which you’ll follow south all the way to Medford.
Halfway to Medford, turn off on Highway 62 to Oregon’s only National Park, Crater Lake. The 33-mile Rim Drive is not to be missed, circling this glimmering jewel of a turquoise blue lake. Here you’ll find your next lesson in volcanism. 7700 years ago, Mount Mazama exploded magnificently, in an eruption 42 times greater than that of Mount St. Helens in 1980. Rock and lava collapsed into the mountain’s center, creating a massive caldera in place of what had been a 12,000-foot peak. This caldera, or volcanic cauldron, filled with rain and snow over centuries to became Crater Lake. Have lunch at the historic Crater Lake Lodge, built in 1915, before continuing south on Highway 62.
The scenery just keeps on coming on this picturesque highway, which winds under a rich forest canopy. Stop in Union Creek to see the Rogue River Gorge and Natural Bridge, two scenic spots that are accessed by an easy walk on a good trail. Here the river courses through a narrow canyon, creating beautiful waterfalls and rapids. Also, nearby along this stretch of the river are Pearsony Falls, Mill Creek Falls and Barr Creek Falls. Back towards Bend is National Creek Falls, accessed by a half-mile hike through a lush forest—another worthy stop, perhaps on your return journey.
Before you leave Union Creek, visit Beckie’s Restaurant, tucked in a classic old log cabin and known for its pies. Next door is a little ice cream shop—if you aren’t full of pie, grab a cone and hit the road. This last stretch follows the Rogue River through the lower Rogue Valley, a lovely grassy plateau that supports agriculture and outdoor exploration.
You’ve arrived in Medford at last, and the fun is just beginning. This rich valley is home to dozens of farms and vineyards. Start with the Rogue Valley Farm Tour, a self-guided adventure to farms, restaurants and artisans around the entire valley. The purveyors on this route support sustainable practices and provide guests with amazing things to eat, drink and buy. You’ll have a tough time choosing your favorite destination on this route.
Along the way, you’ll also encounter many wineries and vineyards. RoxyAnn Winery, 2Hawks Vineyard and Winery and EdenVale Winery are just a few of Medford’s treasures, with tasting rooms open to the public in outstandingly scenic locales. Sip on a glass of sauvignon blanc or tempranillo with a view of rolling vineyards. Or make it a day and sign up for a wine tasting tour with your own designated driver.
Downtown Medford is a burgeoning urban center, with new restaurants, boutiques and shops opening all of the time. Make a stop at the Urban Cork to try a variety of local wines in a trendy modern space. Grab a farm to table meal at Common Block or Porter’s Depot. Breakfast at Over Easy is not to be missed—this popular downtown eatery does a most memorable brunch.
Ready for adventure? The Rogue River is legendary for water play. Take a jet boat tour, sign up for a whitewater rafting trip, try kayaking, stand up paddle boarding or just go for a swim. While you’re out exploring, catch a festival or some outdoor music. Or just take a Sunday drive and take in as much of this region as you can.
Have one more afternoon to fill with fun? Medford is home to many golf courses. Swing your clubs under incredible summer skies at Centennial Golf Club, Quail Point or Bear Creek courses. No matter your score, you’ll have fun in the sun. Then head back for Bend with the thrills and tastes of Southern Oregon lingering in your mind.
Please call or check online ahead of time for all intended destinations to learn the status of any COVID-19 limitations that might be in place at the time of your visit.
When it comes to skill, style and creating a niche in a genre, individuality is key for musicians.
Each artist, playing type, and creative ability resonates differently. And Butch Boswell has the ability to capture that individuality, creating one-of-a-kind masterpieces of instrumentation.
The Boswell Guitar workspace is tucked into a small shop near downtown Bend. The space reflects Boswell’s style of simplicity combined with historically rooted-techniques, and is vacant of tech and glamour you might find with the industry’s larger manufacturers. This is exactly how Boswell has intended it. “I build my guitars by hand, in small batches of two to three guitars at a time. I only use the finest materials I can find, and my search for those materials never stops. I take every possible unknown into consideration, and if it has the potential to make the guitar sound better, I’m going to use it,” Boswell said.
Boswell has been able to master his craft over the years, while sustaining his passion for the work. But working as a luthier, or guitar-maker, was not always his dream. In fact, Boswell recalls getting into guitars “almost accidentally.” When he first graduated high school, he immediately started his college career at Cal Poly University to pursue his then-passion of architectural engineering. But after college, he spent fifteen years repairing instruments with some of the nation’s best repair groups including Taylor Guitars and Rudy’s Music Soho, eventually turning from repair to building his first acoustic guitar. Boswell’s customers wanted a repairman who could also build guitars, so he got to work with his first design, and hasn’t looked back since. In 2015, he decided to move his operation to Bend, and local musicians have been benefitting ever since.
For Boswell, the guitar-build process starts with finding the best wood. “I am absolutely a wood junkie. I’m always thinking about wood, always looking for wood, always talking about wood,” Boswell said. “Old growth material is hands-down the best, and what I try to use exclusively, but it is getting harder and harder to come by.” Older woods like Brazilian Rosewood and Adirondack Spruce lend themselves well to Boswell’s work due to their stability, strength, lack of absorption-capacity, and in many cases, their beauty. After all of the measuring, cutting, sanding, staining and crafting of an instrument, his lofty goal of creating the, “absolute best guitar there is,” is finished with finite attention to the details that substantiate a true Boswell guitar.
Though he loves his current solo-act as guitar repairman and builder, Boswell has his sights set on future goals. Eventually, he wants to open a high-end repair and consignment shop, and grow a team of people to help accommodate the demand for his work. Often, he finds himself wanting to take on more work for his customers than time will allow, and having a trained team to expand his creative reach would bring value to his customer’s needs.
Boswell’s customers deliver many glowing reviews. “Butch is the epitome of a master luthier,” wrote Bend resident John Luce, in a Facebook review. “His guitars consistently possess that magic that only occasionally exists in other high-end instruments. His tireless attention to build quality, aesthetics, and most importantly the tonal properties of virtually every piece of wood result in what can only be described as the finest new flat top guitars attainable.”
A custom creation can inspire a musician to take their music further, according to Boswell. “Why would any two Boswell guitars be the same when every player is different?,” he said. “As a hand builder, that’s the luxury I have: to be able to craft each instrument specifically for each player. I want to provide a guitar that will inspire even the most discerning players, compliment their playing, and accompany them into new musical territory.”
Every good thriller series has an iconic lead. There’s James Patterson’s Alex Cross, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and Kathy Reichs’ Temperance Brennan. Closer to home, Bend author Dave Edlund has crafted a series of thrillers around Peter Savage, an ordinary guy who finds himself in extraordinary life-or-death situations.
“He’s not a Bond character. He’s not Jason Bourne. He’s an ordinary guy,” said Edlund over the phone. “He doesn’t have all of these special training and strengths that you would see in most thriller heroes.”
Instead, Savage is a character filled with self-doubt who constantly second-guesses his actions. It’s what makes him a real and relatable character, and what has propelled Edlund into a successful second career as a novelist, judging by the fact that the Peter Savage novels have landed on the USA Today Bestsellers list.
It was Clive Cussler’s books that got Edlund obsessed with the thriller genre in his mid-twenties and also inspired his dive into writing just over a decade ago. He wrote the first Peter Savage novel, Crossing Savage, as a gift for his 9-year-old son, who had started reading Cussler’s novels at the time. Edlund was familiar with nonfiction writing, but had always harbored a fantasy to try his hand at his own thriller. “It’s just because I have an active imagination, and that can be applied to science or fiction,” Edlund said.
The crime and mystery publishing genre made $782 million in 2018, according to Statista, second behind romance. But penning the next lucrative thriller series isn’t Edlund’s main goal.
Writing bestselling novels is actually just a side job for Edlund. After graduating from University of Oregon and getting his PhD in chemistry, Edlund moved to Bend in 1987. He worked for Bend Research for nine years before starting his own venture. Since then he’s co-founded two companies. His latest is Element One, which develops technology related to hydrogen generation, or clean energy. “It’s very exciting to be involved in something where you’re doing good,” Edlund said.
He’s also contributed writing to science and technical books and is an inventor on hundreds of patents in the United States and abroad. He travels often for his work, and finds time to write his novels in airports, airplanes and hotels.
His science and technology background is evident throughout his novels, which are deeply researched and plotted with real life scientific and ethical dilemmas. It’s a conscious decision to not only have an interesting plot point, but also to inspire curiosity in his readers about the technological and scientific advancements that are at the forefront of his novels. “I’m not just aiming for entertainment,” Edlund said. “I hope that readers will take away some knowledge, some interesting or useful information.”
Edlund’s writing talent is in his storytelling. The Savage novels, published by Light Messages in North Carolina, move at a quick pace and make even expository paragraphs on genetic engineering fly by. The latest two novels in the series, Lethal Savage and Hunting Savage, are set in Central Oregon, and readers will enjoy recognizing familiar businesses and landmarks in the story. Edlund raised his two kids in Bend, and still lives here with his wife and three dogs.
With five Peter Savage novels published, Edlund is ready to move on to a new central character. He’s currently working on a new thriller series with Danya Biton, a female character from the Savage novels, as the lead. Watch for the new series and find the Peter Savage books at independent bookstores in Central Oregon and online.
How does a teenager end up living on the street? It could be too dangerous for them to stay at home, so they run away. Their family might be homeless and can no longer take care of them. Their parents may have kicked them out because of their sexual orientation.
Whatever the reason, Cascade Youth and Family Center meets homeless youth where they are—without judgement—and is the only nonprofit in Deschutes County that provides comprehensive services for runaway and homeless youth. CYFC opened in 1989 and is one of the many at-risk youth programs offered by J Bar J Youth Services.
If there is a crisis at home, families and kids can first call the center’s 24-hour hotline. Staff members provide crisis intervention, and emergency shelter is available to help kids stay off the street if they are in danger of running away. CYFC then provides mediation to help resolve conflict, strengthen relationships and keep the family together.
If kids do end up on the street, the center’s street outreach team lets them know about the LOFT—a group home on Bend’s west side where teens are welcome to a hot shower, a warm meal and access to services. The LOFT offers drop-in hours weekly for homeless youth in Central Oregon—no questions asked.
Teens can also move into the LOFT permanently for two years while they finish high school, are working or are looking for a job. It’s a stable home with a caring staff that helps kids get back on track.
When residents are ready to move out, they continue to be supported by their case manager as they transition to independent living.
Last year, CYFC provided emergency shelter for sixty-five homeless or runaway youth, 150 hours of family mediation, and the LOFT provided a home for forty-nine teens. Finally, 94 percent of the LOFT’s kids transitioned to a safe and stable living situation after the residency.
How you can help
Donate now. Go to cascadeyouthandfamilycenter.org for more information.
Follow CYFC on Facebook and Instagram. You’ll see the most pressing needs posted there.
Gift cards. The residents need everything from work boots to school supplies to winter coats.
While many entrepreneurs dream of one day opening a brick and mortar storefront to showcase their business and reach customers, the risks and cost of doing so can be a barrier for many.
Finding the right location can be a challenge, expensive, and a storefront is a commitment that typically comes with a long-term lease or mortgage. This leaves some local entrepreneurs thinking outside the box, beyond the typical storefront, instead hitting the streets in their trucks and trailers and setting up shop wherever makes sense. Their rents are low (sometimes free), they can make house calls for customers, and they’re nimble enough to adapt in the face of economic uncertainty. A mobile business may not work for every company, but these Central Oregon business owners are cruising along.
Head Over Wheels
Hair stylist Jyliana Renstrom was looking for something with a little more independence than renting a chair in a barbershop, but with a little less overhead than operating her own Main Street salon. And flipping through photos online one day, she came across a converted Airstream trailer that sparked an idea. “I wanted to take a leap of faith, and so I did this,” said Renstrom, a Bend native.
After a client connected her with someone selling an empty 1947 trailer made of World War II airplane parts, she set out to make her dream a reality. Renstrom opened Head Over Wheels in April 2017, and within eighteen months she was booked solid. After testing out a few locations, including at Spoken Moto and Podski’s, Head Over Wheels found its current home at The Camp, 305 NE Burnside Avenue in Bend.
Inside the salon are two styling chairs and one washing station, as well as a seating area, shelves for products and ample sunshine from the trailers wide front windows. “Everything inside is really thought out,” Renstrom said.
She said her costs for rent and to operate the shop add up to a little more than renting a station at a salon, but are much less than if Renstrom wanted to open a typical brick and mortar business herself. Going mobile means Renstrom gets to focus on being a stylist rather than being bogged down by the responsibilities of operating the business. Overall, it’s a decision Renstrom is happy with. “It’s cool how my community and my clients have come together in different ways and supported me in this journey,” Renstrom said.
The best part of getting your hair done in a shiny “hairstream?” Checking out your reflection in the chrome after you step out the front door.
Visit the trailer
Sneak a peak of Head Over Wheels at The Camp, 305 NE Burnside Ave.
Find the latest info and book an appointment by visiting headoverwheelshairco.com.
Central Oregon Knife Sharpening
When Arlan Mendell got his first knife and sharpener from his grandfather at age 12, he could never have imagined decades later he’d be running his own mobile knife sharpening business in Central Oregon. While he carried the knife and used it throughout his life, and taught his own sons to sharpen their knives, it was nothing more than a hobby until 2016, when the previous owners of Central Oregon Knife Sharpening were selling their business.
Five years later, Arlan Mendell runs the mobile shop with his son, Peter, traveling to businesses throughout the week for sharpenings and setting up in front of grocery stores to pick up business from the public. Though he can sharpen too, Peter Mendell mostly handles administrative tasks and interacts with customers, while his dad does the majority of the knife work. “I’m the horsepower and he takes care of the finer details,” Arlan Mendell said. Shop dog Lily, a very fluffy Corgi, handles the summer sunbathing and occupying children who tag along to drop off or pick up knives.
The Mendells get a lot of their work from restaurants, school districts and other businesses using knives and scissors, like dog groomers and hair stylists. Being mobile means limiting the time their customers spend away from their equipment, and the mobile sharpening shop has all the tools a permanent location would. “Just because we’re mobile doesn’t mean we lack in quality,” Arlan Mendell said.
The remainder of the company’s business comes from Central Oregon residents with regular kitchen knives. They can be dropped off and sharpened in as little as twenty to forty minutes, which works out to a shopping trip or a couple errands.
The Mendells said there are pros and cons to being on the go, but they like the freedom to travel around, including making visits to Madras, Prineville, Sunriver and La Pine, in addition to Redmond and Bend. Because they’re constantly mobile, there’s no rent to pay, keeping overhead costs low. “It’s a double-edged sword,” Peter Mendell said with a laugh. “Having a brick and mortar store, people know where you are…but on the flipside, we have flexibility.”
Find the truck
Check cosharpening.com for updates about the truck’s location.
Central Oregon Knife Sharpening’s regular stops: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays at Newport Market in Bend | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays at Whole Foods Market in Bend |Occasional Saturdays at Taco Salsa in Bend | Second Friday of each month at Ace Hardware in Sisters
Tumblewood Beverage Bar
The Tumbleweed isn’t your typical bar, and not just because it’s on wheels. Owner Kindra Hayward set out to create a mobile saloon that is classy and sophisticated, while also maintaining its western charm. The result is a converted horse trailer, with four beer taps, an espresso machine and everything needed to serve up signature cocktails for a wedding or special event.
“I knew I wanted the western flair, while staying classy and true to who I am,” said Hayward, who lives in Prineville with her husband and three children, ages 7, 4 and 1. The idea first came to Hayward about four years ago, but as a busy stay-at-home mom and with the family’s new house under construction, opening the mobile bar kept getting put off. With some help from friends with skills in carpentry and metal fabrication, the Tumbleweed was finally completed last summer. “I wanted to prove to myself that I could do this,” Hayward said.
In August, Hayward worked her first wedding, dishing out specialty cocktails along with another server. She said the Tumbleweed’s niche is that it serves two to three specific cocktails for each event, not a full bar, meaning the bride and groom can choose some signature drinks for the night. This can include wine, beer, kombucha, coffee or cocktails.
Hayward said the low overhead of starting a mobile business means it’s accessible to more people, as long as they’re willing to work hard. Growing primarily by word of mouth and some social media, Hayward said the business is slowly gaining popularity and she’s booked numerous weddings for the upcoming season. “I’m super grateful, and in disbelief that I had this vision and I’ve seen it through,” Hayward said. “I’m so blessed with all the support.”
Book the bar
Visit tumbleweedbeveragebar.com to schedule the Tumbleweed for a future event
Fancy Pups
When Taylor Prichard started Fancy Pups Mobile Grooming in California three years ago, she transitioned from working at a grooming shop with a storefront location, and some of her furry customers came with her. “Because of the fact that I started my mobile business in kind of the same area, I was able to see an immediate difference in the dogs,” Prichard said. Dogs that were overwhelmed in a busy grooming office with other dogs, blow dryers, clippers and ringing phones were suddenly more at ease.
A year later, her family moved to Redmond, and she worked to restart the mobile grooming shop here. For new customers, Prichard meets with dog and owner inside their home to fill out paperwork and discuss grooming needs before heading out to the trailer, which has warm running water heated by propane and a generator for power. Typical appointments last an hour, but could be more or less depending on the dog’s size and type of grooming. “The dogs will run out and meet me and jump right in the trailer,” she said. Prichard said the one-on-one attention the dogs receive is less stressful for dogs and faster overall.
While Prichard loves the flexibility of being mobile, traveling mostly between Bend, Redmond and Prineville, one challenge is the weather. She starts later in the mornings in the winter to avoid icy roads and sometimes tells clients she will be late if its snowy. She’s also aware of the temperature to make sure her trailer’s pipes don’t freeze.
Two years into running the business in Central Oregon, Prichard said that despite being one of many groomers in town, including other mobile groomers, she’s found a strong customer base.
“This is a super dog friendly area, so it really took off here,” she said. “There are plenty of dogs to go around.”
Schedule a grooming
Visit fancypupsmobilegrooming.com to schedule an appointment
Wildflower Mobile Boutique
After a life-altering concussion from a car accident in 2019, Tara Parsons was looking to take her career in a new direction, away from computers and the hustle and bustle of her previous jobs.
Parsons was a customer of Bend’s first mobile women’s fashion boutique, and thought maybe a small mobile business would work as her next career. When she stopped into Wildflower Mobile Boutique to chat with then-owner Mariah Young about her idea, fate stepped in. Young had decided two days prior she was going to sell the shop and Parsons, of course, was interested. Three weeks later it was a done deal. “She had done an amazing job with such a great vision,” Parsons said of Young. “The truck has such a good reputation in town.” Parsons has since taken the helm at Wildflower, and continues to stock boho-style women’s clothing, as well as locally made jewelry and beanies. “I try to have a huge variety,” she said.
The typical home base for the boutique is at Spoken Moto, though Parsons will scoot over to downtown during First Friday, set up in front of the new Kevista Coffee on Century Drive and hit the road for occasional events and fundraisers. The truck can also be booked at no charge for a ladies night or other events, by request. “Being mobile is so great, I can just pick up and go,” Parsons said. “I can plug in with an extension cord and be ready.”
With minimal costs to operate, Parsons said she feels the business is flexible and “recession proof.” Are there any downsides? Parsons said it took a little trial and error to get the converted Frito-Lay truck to stay level, a necessity to keep the doors closed and the shop warm in the winter. And, Parsons said, “She is a bit of beast to drive.”
Find the boutique
The Wildflower Mobile Boutique’s most recent home was parked at Spoken Moto, 310 SW Industrial Way, Bend
Use the Track the Truck page at wildflowerfashiontruck.com to confirm its location | Email wildflowerfashiontruck@gmail.com to arrange a visit from the truck for events
So you wanna rock climb? Easy. First, you identify a problem, send it, and boom—problem solved! Uh, what!? Ok, let’s back up… For the uninitiated, climbing can be a pretty intimidating sport. It’s filled with specific terminology and slang, specialized gear, multiple disciplines, and let’s be frank—in a town like Bend, Oregon, a mere stone’s throw from Smith Rock State Park—it’s also filled with a lot of bad ass climbers. Yup, intimidating indeed.
Photo by Adam McKibben
However, once you make that leap (or Dyno: a leaping move in which the climber lunges to the next hold, momentarily leaving the rock), climbing can be a truly rewarding sport for both the body and the mind.
Photo courtesy of Smith Rock Climbing School
A Zen Workout with Friends
Climbing is an incredible workout—both physical and mental. There’s strategy involved in determining the best route, figuring out the right handholds, manipulating your body and keeping your mind sharp while exerting energy up a rock wall. You develop strength in the core, legs and arms, dexterity, and muscles in places you never knew you had muscles (finger muscles, people!)
It’s a sport that’s best done with friends, and in a town like Bend, a great way to make new ones. Chris Wright, longtime Bend resident and accomplished climber and certified guide, said the climbing community here is warm and welcoming. “Central Oregon is filled with a lot of highly talented climbers yet it’s a very supportive environment,” he said. “People just want to help people, and it’s never a contest. Whether it’s a 5.5 [beginner route] or a 5.14 [expert], people are supportive, inclusive and encouraging. It really bucks the trend of how climbing can be sometimes.”
Sounds Great, Now Where do I Begin?
You’ve got the motivation, the gusto and are determined to make a go of climbing. So where to begin? The indoors is a great spot to start. Learning at a climbing gym immediately eliminates the weather factor and provides a safe environment in which to learn. In Central Oregon, the Bend Rock Gym (BRG as the locals call it) offers programs and classes for both youth and adults, and you’re guaranteed to have a knowledgeable climber or friendly staff member nearby to answer any questions and help get you started.
“Our goal is to support the Central Oregon climbing community, from beginners to elite,” said Rich Breuner, Director of Operations at the Bend Rock Gym. “We do everything in our power to ensure that people leave with the best possible experience and go away loving the sport as much as all of us that work here.”
Depending on the individual, Breuner said there are many ways into climbing. Two of the most popular are bouldering (a style of climbing closer to the ground without the use of rope) and top roping using auto-belay systems (which allow you to climb vertical walls securely without a partner). “Bouldering lets you feel the more dynamic movements and has more athletic moves while top roping and auto-belays let you feel more sequential moves and get you higher off the ground. We typically start people on auto-belays as it’s a great way to get to know the movements of climbing in a comprehensive way.”
At press time, BRG was closed per COVID-19 precautions. See the website for details before you visit.
Into the Great Outdoors
You’re feeling comfortable at the gym, the staff knows you by name, you have the lingo down, and you’ve even sent that boulder problem you’ve been working on for weeks. You think you’re ready to venture outside. But where? And more importantly, how?
First things first, grab a buddy. Or better yet, two. Climbing can be a very safe sport, but unless you’re Alex Honnold of free-solo-climbing fame, it’s not one that can easily—or safely—be done solo.
With a friend nearby to spot you, and a crashpad below in case of a fall, try your hand again at bouldering—this time on real rocks. Central Oregon Bouldering, a 2017 guidebook by Jason Chinchen, is a great resource to bouldering in the area and includes all the hot spots right outside of town that locals have been hitting for years. Bend is fortunate to have a number of options within a few minutes’ drive, including one beginner friendly spot just off the Deschutes River near the Meadow Camp trailhead.
“Smith remains a mecca for climbers the world over,” said Wright, who’s been guiding at the park for years. “It has something for everyone and often all within a stone’s throw of each other. You can go out with someone who can barely belay and someone who’s trying to crush and have two great routes for both, all within a thirty second walk.”
According to Watts’ 2010 guidebook, Rock Climbing Smith Rock State Park, there are over 1,800 routes at the park and surrounding areas—many set by Watts himself. With so many routes, however, it’s best to start at Smith with knowledgeable guiding services. Smith Rock Climbing School, Chockstone Climbing Guides and Now! Climbing Guides are among the most well-known, and She Moves Mountains is a great option for women looking for female guides and mentors. (Oregon State parks were closed at press time per COVID-19 precautions; check online for current access information.)
Lizzy VanPatten, owner and founder of She Moves Mountains, said guiding services help climbers navigate to the best places for their abilities. “It’s tough to find the best routes if you’re unfamiliar with an area, and especially if you’re new to the sport,” she said. “Guiding companies not only find the appropriate routes for your abilities, but also provide details like where the shade will be during a hot summer day, or the sun on a cold winter day.”
Additionally, VanPatten commented that guiding services help meet climbers where they’re at with their skill level. “Our goal is to cultivate an experience that leaves the client feeling empowered,” she said. “No matter gender, body type or experience, we believe that all people belong in climbing.”
photo adam mckibben
Gear Up
Wow, gear overload! Yes, climbing has a lot of gear, and yes, it can be expensive, but fear not, you can start small. In fact, it’s recommended. Chris Wright recommends starting with rentals at the gym until you’re both knowledge about the gear, and comfortable using it. “Start small with climbing shoes and a chalkbag,” he said. “You can always rely on quality gear through guides, and then start to accumulate your own over time as you get more into the sport.”
The Essentials
CLIMBING SHOES for a beginner, climbing shoes can feel a little strange (and tight—yikes!) so it’s a good idea to rent them to start, try a few different ones to get a feel for them, and then consider purchasing at a local retail shop like Mountain Supply or REI once you’re comfortable and confident in what you like.
CHALK & CHALKBAG
GUIDEBOOKS
Level up
HELMET a must once you start venturing outside
HARNESS a great item to rent before purchasing your own
CRASHPAD for bouldering
ROPE, QUICKDRAWS and a BELAY DEVICE for longer routes
Breaking Down the Discliplines
AID CLIMBING using gear to ascend a section of rock; often used to bypass difficult sections of a route that cannot be free climbed.
BOULDERING a form of climbing typically close to the ground and without the use of a rope; minimal in nature.
FREE CLIMBING using your hands and feet to ascend natural features on a rock.
FREE SOLOINGa form of free climbing without using protection. In short, mega consequences if you fall so best not be a hero (or statistic).
LEAD CLIMBING a more advanced style of climbing that requires the climber to protect themselves on the way up with a rope secured from below.
SPORT CLIMBING rock climbing using pre-placed protection such as bolts along the route, usually involving difficult or dynamic moves that allow you to push your free climbing skills.
TRADITIONAL CLIMBING rock climbing where removable protection is placed by the lead climber and removed by the second (or last) climber. Also called “trad” climbing.
TOP-ROPING a low-consequence form of climbing where the climber is secured using a rope attached to the top of the pitch, ensuring falls (if they happen) are short distances.
Making the Grades
Climbing routes are graded on a system ranging from 5.0 to 5.15c, easiest to hardest. Typically, beginner routes range from 5.0 to 5.9, while intermediate routes range from 5.10a to 5.11d, advanced 5.12a to 5.13d, and pro 5.14a to 5.15c. Central Oregon offers opportunities for all skill levels from beginner to a 5.14d at Smith Rock State Park.
When students in a new outdoor products class at Oregon State University-Cascades were asked last fall to brainstorm a new product to design, Daniel Rogers suggested heated flyrod grips. An outdoor enthusiast who enjoys flyfishing on Central Oregon rivers and lakes, Rogers, 20, explained that while you can’t wear gloves fishing because of the technical maneuvering required, chilly temps can still make your hands cold.
The class liked Rogers’ idea, and began studying each phase of product development to learn what it would take to make the concept a reality. “We worked on sketches, a materials list, costs, suppliers and charted it out on Excel,” Rogers said. “Now I’m thinking start to finish about things.”
The students weren’t actually manufacturing the flyrod grips, but instead were learning the steps involved in product development as part of the first introductory class for the university’s new outdoor products degree program. The degree, which students can officially declare beginning this fall, is a project four years in the making, launched with a $250,000 gift from Bend-based insulated water bottle company HydroFlask in 2016. More than thirty outdoor products companies from Central Oregon and elsewhere, including Black Diamond, Patagonia, SmartWool and others, offered input as the program was developed.
HydroFlask’s donation helped the school hire outdoor products expert Geoff Raynak to lead the program. “When this position came up, it was just sort of perfect,” said Raynak, who spent twenty years in the industry, including engineering bicycles and more recently at Bend-based Ruffwear, which creates outdoor products for dogs.
Students attend outdoor sports expo Outdoor Retailer in Denver
Raynak said the unique degree program was developed because there is a need among outdoor products businesses for employees with a broad understanding of the industry, including its history, the design and manufacturing of products, engineering and marketing, all factors that come into play for a business. “This program didn’t come out of thin air,” Raynak said. “It came out of the industry looking for well-rounded future employees. They want students who have an idea of the scope and history of the industry, an understanding of the entire process, a respect and understanding of what it means to be stewards of the land and the experiential sense.”
For student Will Kramer, 21, switching from majoring in engineering to instead pursuing outdoor products has given him a sense of how he might turn his engineering skills into a career. “I can more clearly see my future,” said Kramer, who took Raynak’s fall outdoor products class, which focused on water products, and the winter term class, focused on winter products.
In January, the class headed to Outdoor Retailer in Denver, Colorado, where students were able to meet up with outdoor clothing and equipment manufacturer DaKine, as well as browse the hundreds of other booths showcasing companies within the outdoor products industry, collecting business cards and leaving their heads spinning with ideas for the future.
While the program is still in its infancy, it has the potential to grow quickly. Raynak said he’s responding to a three to five inquiries a week from prospective students. Part of the appeal for students is the fact that it’s located in Bend, a place where more than 100 outdoor brands call home, and where outdoor adventure is close by. “Employees or students can do cone runs at Mount Bachelor before work, or go run the river at lunch,” Raynak said.
Raynak said he’s talking with many of those local outdoor product companies about ideas to integrate with the program, through things like internships and projects, as well as bringing in outdoor experts to speak to classes. The hope is that once students graduate, they consider working for some of the same companies or developing a new product here in Central Oregon. Raynak said, “A poster child of success would indeed be someone who graduates from the program and is an entrepreneur here in Central Oregon, in the outdoor industry.”
Today, the Deschutes National Forest’s natural landscape is known for awesome beauty and plenty of recreational opportunity. But once upon a time, the forest was home to a few select families. Seasonal forest guards spent their summers in guard stations, helping rangers protect the district’s resources, often in remote locations down unpaved roads and miles from ranger stations in Bend, Sisters and Crescent. Forest guards’ families often lived there with them. Some kids grew up at guard stations, and came away from those years with great stories to tell.
Dick and Dave Robins at Paulina Lake Guard Station
In the summer of 1942, John P. Robins, his wife Helen and their young sons Dick and Dave arrived at the Paulina Lake Guard Station, just as the Civilian Conservation Corps, finished building it. District Ranger Henry Tonseth had hired Robins, a former Sisters High School principal then teaching algebra in California, as his summer forest guard in the Newberry Caldera. Robins had previous experience as a Deschutes National Forest guard and fire lookout. He’d be at Paulina Lake Guard Station for seventeen summers, and Dick and Dave would grow up there, tagging along with their parents and eventually helping their father with his work.
Dave recalled helping pack supplies to Paulina Peak Lookout on burros when just a little guy. “My job with the burros was to apply an electric shock from a battery operated [livestock prod] whenever the burros stopped walking to get them going again,” he said.
Once, when Robins and his sons were working at the start of the trail up Paulina Peak, the boys spotted a mother bear and cub. When the bear began moving toward them, the boys jumped in the truck and—taking normal precautions—locked the doors. This left their dad outside the truck. He yelled to the boys, they unlocked a door, he jumped in, and all were safe.
Dick and Dave grew up and eventually left Paulina Lake Guard Station for college and careers. But they always returned for visits to Deschutes National Forest—specifically to a cabin their mom and dad had built on a Metolius River summer home tract.
The refurbished Paulina Lake Guard Station now serves as a Newberry National Volcanic Monument summer visitor information station. Stop in on your next visit to this national monument within the Deschutes National Forest to see where Dick and Dave grew up.
Paulina Lake Guard Station
Frances Wynkoop at Elk Lake Guard Station
Dick and Dave were “old hands” at Paulina Lake Guard Station when, 30 miles to the northwest, 6-year-old Frances Wynkoop arrived at Elk Lake Guard Station in June, 1947 for the first of two summers there. Her dad, Clifford Wynkoop, a teacher in Sherwood, Oregon, was assigned as forest guard there.
Fran recalls that her mother, Marjorie, who’d grown up in New York City, cried all the last 35-mile dirt road stretch from Bend to Elk Lake, wondering where her husband was taking her and their child. But when she looked out the cabin’s window the next morning, she exclaimed “I never want to leave!”
On the northwest side of the lake, just north of Elk Lake Resort and surrounded by summer homes and campgrounds, the 1929 Elk Lake Guard Station was then the hub of a major recreation area. There, both Forest Guard Wynkoop and his wife greeted forest visitors, issued campfire permits and provided information and assistance.
Young Fran pitched right in around the station—where she helped with chores and trained a chipmunk she named Whiskey—and in the field when her dad collected campground garbage in his own 1930 Model A Ford pickup.
Fran had a lot in common with the Robins boys. Her parents also built a summer home on the Metolius River not far from the Robins’ summer home. Fran spent her teenage summers there and remembers fondly the accordion duets she and Black Butte fire lookout Paul Strebel played at the Camp Sherman dances.
Last occupied by a Forest Service recreation technician in the mid-1990s, the historic Elk Lake Guard Station was restored by Forest Service personnel and Passport in Time program volunteers between 1998 and 2001. The historic station was reopened as a visitor information center and historic site in 2001, welcoming thousands of Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway visitors every summer since.
Forest Guard Frances Wynkoop and visitors at the Elk Lake Guard Station in the late 1940s.
Each stationtells a story
Other historic guard stations along Deschutes National Forest roads have similar stories and offer enjoyable visitor experiences. Built by the CCC in the mid-1930s at the headwaters of the river for which it is named, Fall River Guard Station has been restored and available as a recreation rental cabin for more than a decade.
Historic Deschutes Bridge Guard Station, along the Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway on the Deschutes River about three miles south of its Little Lava Lake headwaters, was recentlyrestored and is scheduled to be available as a recreation rental soon. Behind this CCC-built cabin, an old log structure of the first Deschutes Bridge Guard Station compound remains.
Further south, in the Crescent Ranger District, historic Crescent Lake Guard Station has been a recreation rental for several years. And, to the north in the Sisters Ranger District, the restored Suttle Lake Guard Station is a rental property of The Lodge at Suttle Lake.
The drive down the soft, red dirt road toward the House on Metolius property is quiet and still, and your regular GPS might struggle to bring you there. But following the step-by-step directions from the general manager, it was easy to find the Tamarack Cabin, a two-bedroom cottage overlooking the Metolius River and one of a handful of lodging options on the property.
A friend and I arrived within about ten minutes of each other on a Friday afternoon, her after a two-hour drive from Eugene and myself after a 45-minute drive north from Bend. We settled into our rooms inside a newly finished rental, the smell of fresh-cut lumber still lingering when we opened the front door.
The family-owned House on Metolius property is rich with history, used as a fishing retreat from the early 1900s, and popular with visitors from Seattle, Portland and San Francisco. One such visitor was John Zehntbauer, a founder of Jantzen, the swimwear company known for its iconic diving girl logo. Zehntbauer purchased a portion of the property in 1929 as a summer retreat for his family. Meanwhile, another corner of the property was developed into a lodge, called House on Metolius, operated by Eleanor Bechen, a co-founder of downtown Bend’s Pine Tavern. By the 1970s, Eleanor’s House on Metolius was merged with the rest of the property, and today it all remains with the Lundgren family, descendants of Zehntbauer.
Kept in the family for decades, the Lundgrens opened up the estate to public gatherings and rentals in 2010, offering up their 10,000-square-foot, eight-bedroom, eight-bath “Main House” and four other cabins on the property as rentals, including “Eleanor’s Cabin,” the original House on Metolius structure. The cabins are spread out on a hillside overlooking the winding Metolius River, a big open meadow and groves of willow trees. From most areas of the 200-acre property, the focal point is a snow-capped Mount Jefferson perched above the crystal blue Metolius.
“People will come out here for their peace and quiet all year-round,” said Rachel Gonzalez, general manager for House on Metolius. “It’s a very private experience and it feels like a world away.”
In 2019, the family finished construction on two additional two-bedroom cabins, Tamarack and Manzanita, expanding the lodging portfolio to seven rentals across the estate. The newer cabins offer a modern but traditional feel, with stainless steel counters and open shelving paired with wood-trimmed walls and black and white photos of people enjoying the property over the years. Two window seats are the perfect nooks to cozy up with Pendleton blankets for reading or sipping coffee and looking out at the river.
Together with the main house, the cabins provide ample lodging for a company retreat, family reunion or wedding. They’re also available for nightly bookings via Airbnb or the House on Metolius website. “It’s a place where everybody can be together,” Gonzalez said.
After settling into our space, we headed out for a walk around the property, blazing our own trail across the meadow, toward the west. There are over 100 natural springs on the property, Gonzalez said, with many trickling into the Metolius River. We found the smallest cabin on the land, Power House, a studio apartment above a riverside hydro-electric plant, used to power the property from the 1930s until 1950, when Central Oregon Co-Op brought power to rural parts of the state. The studio, once occupied by the plant operator, was renovated as a guest cabin in the 1990s.
Each cabin on the property has its own kitchen and dining area, and small outdoor grill, ready for guests to cook up whatever they desire. If cooking doesn’t sound relaxing, guests can venture to nearby Black Butte Ranch, Suttle Lodge or Lake Creek Lodge for dining, or pick up a deli sandwich or Mexican food a few miles down the road in Camp Sherman. The Camp Sherman Store is also full of fly-fishing gear, souvenir trinkets and a good selection of snacks and drinks.
After packing up from our one-night getaway at House on Metolius, my friend and I stopped by Camp Sherman, which was buzzing with visitors on an unseasonably warm early spring day. We parked near the store and set out for a quick stroll along the river trail. It turned into a two-mile walk along the shady, flat, path, winding past campsites and family cabins and offering views of ducks, geese and fish flopping in and out of the babbling river—the perfect end to a peaceful weekend getaway on the Metolius River.
Staying home saved lives, so that’s what we did. We stayed six feet apart. We sewed masks. We created things. We cared for one another. We made the best of it, and kept hope alive in our hearts. Bend Magazine reached out to the community to submit photos of life during #stayhome. Here are some of our favorites of the many photos we received from you, the greater Bend community. Together, we are Central Oregon Strong.
Tiles might be one of the most fun home design surfaces to consider. Tiles come in all shapes and sizes, as many colors as you could ever imagine, and textures to add depth and visual accents to even the smallest, most simple room. In fact, when it comes to tile style, your biggest challenge might be deciding which of so many choices you want to make your own. Here, we consider a few options for your next remodel or new build.
Accenttiles
Add a random pop of color or texture to an otherwise clean, white tile surface for a bright, playful look in your kitchen.
Mix it up
Can’t decide if you want circles, rectangles, squares or octagons? Take a few different geometric shapes and textures and go wild with your home decor project.
Metal accents
Adding brass, stainless and even mirrored acccents to natural tiles is a hot trend this season. Match your fixtures or not—now is the time to play with design.
Monochromatic patterns
This tile pattern from Walker Zanger is on trend with 70s-inspired patterns and distinct colorways. Each tile is adorned in kaleidoscopic shapes, sharp lines and rounded corners, in a trio of earth tones.
Long shot lefty and Sisters local Seth Brown got his call up to the majors late last August. Not long after, he made his first play for the Oakland A’s, dropping a base hit down the left field line and picking up his first career RBI (run batted in) as part of a 19-4 win against the Kansas City Royals. You could say that things were off to a great start. “Congratulations, Seth Brown!” hollered the announcer to the nation. “Triple-A’s or big leagues—it doesn’t matter, bat still works!’’
NBC Sports’ Ben Ross calls Brown’s 2019 batting stats a historic start—Brown was the first player in Oakland A’s history to collect ten hits in the first five games of his career.
Brown, a first baseman and outfielder, hails from Klamath Falls and Medford. He graduated from Medford High School, went on to play college ball for Linn-Benton Community College in Albany, Oregon, and later for Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho, where he earned a degree in law enforcement.
In 2015, the Oakland A’s brought Brown into the minors fold late in the nineteenth round of the draft. Brown said he got the call up while having a normal day around the house with his family. “I remember Jim Coffman, the scout, said, hey, you’re going to be an Oakland A, we gotta get you a pair of white cleats!”
Seth and his wife Brittaney Brown
Slow and steady, Brown worked his way up the minors ladder, starting at the AZL Athletics, and moving through seasons with the Vermont Lake Monster, Stockton Ports, Midland RockHounds, Toros Del Este (Dominican Winter League) and finally, the Las Vegas Aviators, from which he was ultimately called up to the big leagues.
Alex Hall of the A’s Prospect Watch calls 2016 Brown’s breakout year, likely due to the thirty homers he hit, compared to single digits the year prior. Brown said the key was to quiet his mind. “Minors is a long road and you’re grinding and it’s not for everyone. Long days, bus travel, standing in lines at fast food restaurants late night after games. It wears on the body and mind. Eventually I learned how to work as hard as I could every day but also have fun.”
Finding that balance helped Brown finally achieve what he’d long dreamed of. “When I got the call to the big league,” he said, “I was hitting in the cages that day, it was pretty unexpected. It was my manager’s birthday and he had gotten the best present that day, he got to tell me I was going to the big leagues. I tried to hold it together. I called my dad first. All I could say was, ‘I did it.’ It’s a moment that I will never forget—I had accomplished my dream.”
Some have called Brown a late bloomer, as he didn’t make the minors until 23 and is a major’s rookie at 27. However, his 2019 stats speak for themselves. In 112 games, he boasted a .297 batting average with thirty-seven home runs and 104 RBIs. ‘Sleeper agent’ or ‘ace up the sleeve’ seem better suited metaphors.
Don’t be surprised to see Brown and his wife Brittaney, a Sisters schoolteacher and baseball coach, giving pointers to local kids, sandlot-style, this off-season. “For kids looking to set high goals, don’t ever let someone tell you you can’t do something,” Brown said. “Any goal can be yours if you’re willing to put in the work…and say thank you to everybody who supports and roots for you.”
2020 Major League Baseball & COVID-19
In response to ongoing pandemic precautions, Major League Baseball has suspended all operations to include the remainder of Spring Training games and to delay the start of the 2020 regular season. The decision came in accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the thirty clubs and the MLB Players Association. “The clubs remain committed to playing as many games as possible when the season begins. We will continue to monitor ongoing events and undertake the precautions and best practices recommended by public health experts, and urge all baseball fans to follow suit,” said the MLB in a news release.
Art by Dominique Kongsli on display at Wild Oregon Foods
From the wave sets where she surfed in Southern California to the high desert of Central Oregon where she moved to three years ago, painter Dominique Kongsli draws inspiration from the world around her. As a newbie in the desert, at first, she didn’t know how to approach the landscape which was “so vastly different than my former coastal domain.” But a collection of her recent work at Wild Oregon Foods (in the Bend Factory Outlet Stores) reveals the transition to aspen trees and manzanita, mountains, high lakes and owls.
The exhibit, “Forest Feast,” presents abstract paintings that fuse human and animal elements, such as eyes and antlers, with tree bark in strong patterns and colors. “My work tells stories of walks in the forest, of how the forests are alive, and have character,” she said. “They are sacred and that’s why I infuse gold leaf in my paintings—gold leaf was traditionally used to show the presence of God and the divine.”
The show also contains abstractions of familiar Central Oregon places, such as Mount Bachelor or Crescent Lake. “They contain an essence which points to the connections between spirit and earth, and are a joyful celebration of beauty,” she said.
The paintings are both whimsical and graphic, the latter pulling from her background as a freelance graphic designer. She has a fine art degree from Pepperdine University and a master’s in fine art from Claremont Graduate University and teaches graphic design at Central Oregon Community College.
“My message is that the world around us is alive, and that we need to take better care of it so that its beauty and resources last for future generations,” she said. “I want to create a consciousness of our footprint on the earth.”
The “Forest Feast” show will be on display through August or go to domkofineart.com to see more of her work.
Rhythm In Unison, Ginny Harding
Rimrock Gallery
April, May & June
Rimrock Gallery has begun a “2nd Saturday Event” from 1 to 4 p.m. in Prineville which kicks off each month’s lineup of artists and activities.
From April 11 to May 6, the gallery will feature two award-winning landscape artists from California—Willo Balfrey and Jim McVicker—as well as Colorado sculptor Mark Lundeen, who will unveil a bronze golfer, the last one available from a 100-edition casting.
From May 9 to June 10, see the paintings of Steven Homsher of Colorado and Craig Zuger of Oregon. Homsher portrays farm and animal scenes, while Zuger focuses on the natural beauty of places such as the Owyhee River Canyon and Steens Mountain. Sculptures by George and Cammie Lundeen from Colorado round out the show.
From June 13 to July 8, a Western-themed show of rodeo, horse and wildlife art will be displayed. Artists include Ginny Harding of Washington, Meagan Blessing of Montana and J. Broderick of Oregon. Harding’s pencil renderings are based on thirty years of traveling the national rodeo and race circuits.
Peterson/Roth Gallery
May
Revelation Mountain, Scott Switzer
The spring exhibition that opens May 1 features paintings by Glenn Ness and Scott Switzer. Ness captures everyday scenes with sharp realistic images and contrasting light and shadow. He paints both rural and cityscapes, often telling the story of inhabited places, sometimes invoking the presence of people without incorporating them in the paintings.
Switzer’s work is full of abstraction and symbolism of nature, people and the animals. He has written that his paintings “capture the essence of nature and how I identify with my subjects. I fall into the land dreaming rather than wanting to conquer it.” The works are colorful and expressive of everything from animals to ski slopes to humans holding things.
Peterson/Roth Gallery represents a wide array of contemporary artists and is open seven days a week.
At Liberty
Chief Bundle, Ka’ila Farrell-Smith
May & June
Paintings by Ka’ila Farrell-Smith, a contemporary Klamath Modoc artist from Modoc Point, Oregon, convey themes of Western colonization on indigenous cultures. Her show, “A Lie Nation, Alienation,” will be at At Liberty in downtown Bend in May and June. The recent work was influenced by the music of A Tribe Called Red and the poetry and lyrics of the late John Trudell in the track, “A Lie Nation.”
Using indigenous art practices, she harvests wild pigments like charcoal from burned forest floors or clay from the landscape and mixes them with acrylic gel medium to create earth pigments. But she also takes found objects and uses them as stencils with aerosol paint to reflect street art and graffiti.
Her work is widely collected and exhibited in such places as the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, the Portland Art Museum, the Tacoma Art Museum, the Missoula Art Museum and the Medici Fortress in Cortona, Italy. She received an MFA in painting from the Pacific Northwest College of Art and an MFA in contemporary art practices at Portland State University. At Liberty is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday.
Spending time with Eric Close is like hanging out with a friend. You can swap hiking stories, share intel on restaurant openings, discuss your favorite movies from last year’s BendFilm Festival and talk about the pros and cons of keeping junipers as part of your landscape. He lives modestly on acreage just outside of Bend with his wife, Keri, two dogs and three horses.
Close’s regular-guy attitude masks a career that has brought him fame and recognition. He’s worked with the likes of Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper and even the former Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, who Close hired for one of her first acting jobs. His best friend of twenty-eight years, Dr. Robert Lum, a radiation oncologist in Ventura, California, said, “Eric’s a celebrity but he does not view himself as more than anybody else. He’s a regular person.”
That perception is echoed among those who know him. When he’s out in Central Oregon, people may approach him and say things like, “You look familiar,” or “Sorry to bother you but aren’t you the guy on ‘Nashville?’” “It doesn’t bother me at all,” he said. “Everybody is really friendly and genuinely excited to meet an actor from one of their favorite shows. I try never to ignore anybody or miss an opportunity to engage with my fans.”
An actor’s life
The Close family’s migration to Central Oregon started with the ABC drama, “McKenna,” filmed in Bend in 1994. Close rode the train from Los Angeles to Chemult and rented a home in Tumalo to be on location with costars Chad Everett and Jennifer Love Hewitt. “The show was kind of like “Fantasy Island” set in the mountains,” he said. “We filmed all over Central Oregon featuring many of its stunning locations.” The show conveyed upbeat stories about a family of wilderness outfitters helping people overcome life’s difficulties through challenging adventures in the outdoors.
Despite being cancelled after six months, “McKenna” proved pivotal to Close’s life, career and future connection to Bend. During filming, Close proposed to Keri in the scenic meadow at Todd Lake. He told his future bride that “if we ever have two nickels to rub together, I’d love to have a little cabin in Bend.” Next to San Diego where he was raised, he added, there was no place he loved more than Bend.
After “McKenna,” Close returned to Los Angeles where his career took off, landing roles on TV series like “Sisters,” “Dark Skies,” “The Magnificent Seven,” “Now and Again,” and Steven Spielberg’s miniseries, “Taken,” for which he was nominated for two Saturn Awards for best actor.
But it was the crime drama “Without a Trace,” in which he played FBI agent Martin Fitzgerald, that put Close in front of millions of viewers. The CBS program aired on prime time from 2002 to 2009 and was nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series award by the Screen Actors Guild. After the series ended, Close landed memorable guest appearances on long-running TV shows, such as “Criminal Minds,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and the hit legal drama, “Suits.”
And then came ABC’s “Nashville,” a musical drama which ran for six seasons. Close starred as Mayor Teddy Conrad, husband to country music superstar Rayna Jaymes, played by Connie Britton. The series was filmed in Nashville, requiring Close to be there for three years while his wife remained in Los Angeles with their two daughters. He jokes that because he traveled frequently between the two cities, the Southwest Airline crews would greet him with, “It’s the mayor of Southwest!”
Close has also acted in movies, most notably American Sniper released in 2014 in which he played DIA Agent Snead opposite Bradley Cooper.
Coming home to Central Oregon
In 2004, Eric and Keri began looking for property in Bend. Their friend, Troy Meeder, cofounder of Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch (for which Close serves on the board), connected them with a neighbor who was thinking of selling.
“Troy put together a fishing trip on the Deschutes River, and while we were on the river, the neighbor and I struck up a conversation about the house. He told me what he wanted. I told him what I could pay,” Close recalled. Before the trip was over, they’d agreed on a price and sealed it with a handshake. Thirty days later, Eric and Keri were owners of a home on five acres in Tumalo.
For the next twelve years, the Closes continued to reside in Southern California where Eric could be near Hollywood and work. But they returned to Bend and their property as often as possible. Preparing to become empty nesters, the couple began to wonder where they wanted to spend the next phase of their lives. Could they make Bend their permanent home and still allow Eric to maintain a successful career in entertainment? “There were always tears when we’d leave Bend. We loved it so much,” Keri recalled.
Around 2010, Eric began to work everywhere but in Los Angeles. So, in 2017, the Closes decided to make the move. Their daughters were about to head to college. It seemed like a good time to be where they loved the healthy lifestyle, could spend more time outdoors and support the community.
Vacation-turned-family home
In the early years of property ownership, the Closes made a few changes to what they fondly refer to as “Getaway Ranch.”
“Friends and extended family have come here over the years to get some much-needed R&R from their busy lives,” said Keri. “But it needed a little TLC. Once we made it our permanent home, we updated it and made it our own.”
For the past two-and-a-half years, the couple has been remodeling and expanding the original footprint. They added a detached three-bay garage, incorporated a front entry and completely renovated the kitchen and media room. Keri designed the kitchen around her love of cooking and entertaining, “with a little help from Pinterest,” she joked.
They purposely retained the home’s rustic nature. “We want people to kick back, relax and enjoy the view,” Eric said. One of his favorite spots is the jacuzzi on the cedar deck with views of the Cascades spanning from Mount Bachelor to Mount Jefferson and their horses grazing in the paddock below. “It’s a wonderful place to be, very peaceful and calming,” he said.
One thing they discovered about the property was the existence of a few buried trash heaps left by a family who lived in the area in the 19th century. “I bought a metal detector and would go treasure hunting with our kids,” Eric said. “We started finding things like skeleton keys and children’s toys. The girls called it the treasure museum.”
The next episode
The couple is producing a film based on Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch cofounder Kim Meeder’s best-selling novel, Hope Rising: Stories from the Ranch. Keri wrote the script, and Eric will direct the movie in and around Bend. “One of my goals is to make movies and TV content right here in Oregon. It’s so beautiful and diverse,” he said. Both Closes look forward to the annual BendFilm Festival for which Eric has served as a juror in past years.
In addition to serving on the board of Crystal Peaks, Eric’s career has allowed the couple to become more involved in local and global charities. While filming a public service announcement for CBS Cares in South Africa, the couple learned about the Africa Foundation which helps people in rural communities by providing health clinics, schools and clean water. Since getting involved with the foundation, Keri joined the board and the couple has raised enough funds to build two preschools and an Orphans and Vulnerable Children Center in South Africa. Part of the support comes from net profits on the sale of Keri’s handmade jewelry sold online (prescreative.com).
For fun and exercise, the Closes take full advantage of Central Oregon’s trails, rivers, mountains and golf courses as often as possible. They like to take their horses for long rides in nearby federal lands or go camping at Big Lake.
Eric pursues his passion for golf on numerous courses around the area and had the rare privilege, even among celebrities, of playing in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament. “My best friend Robert was my caddy for eight of the ten years I played,” he recalled. “In 2015, I finally made the cut to play in the final round on Sunday. Making the cut is the coveted prize for the amateurs and you get an umbrella that says, ‘I Made the Cut,’” he laughed. “It was awesome standing on the 18th green with friends Jim Nantz, Nick Faldo and Clint Eastwood.”
So, if you see someone who looks familiar fly fishing on the Deschutes or Metolius Rivers, sipping a microbrew at The Bite in Tumalo or drinking coffee at Loony Bean of Bend, it might just be the celebrity among us. Feel free to say hello.
