The Gorge Magazine - Spring 2026

LIVING

Open Studios

Gorge artists welcome visitors during annual spring tour

MADE IN THE GORGE Artists’ co-op marks 25 years

BIG BRITCHES PRODUCTIONS

Community theater thrives in Bingen

Maui Meyer principal broker or/wa 541-490-3051 maui@copperwest.com

Bill Irving

principal broker, or/wa 503-816-9251 bill@copperwest.com

Erin V Pollard

or/wa 541-705-7798 erin@copperwest.com

Hunter Lowery

or/wa 541-490-5917 hunter@copperwest.com

Cody Cornett broker or/wa 219-916-0451 cody@copperwest.com

Melissa Alvarado broker, or 541-980-8977 melissa@copperwest.com

Phineas England broker or/wa 541-490-9666 phineas@copperwest.com

Paul Thompson principal broker, or/wa 541-490-1044 paul@copperwest.com

Anne McAllister broker or 541-705-7890 anne@copperwest.com

541-912-5999 candice@copperwest.com

Anne Medenbach

broker or/wa 541-645-0646 annem@copperwest.com

Sonya Rubio broker, or/wa 509-637-6445 sonya@copperwest.com

Sean Aiken

principal broker, or/wa 541-490-8277 seanaiken@copperwest.com

Heather Bremer broker or/wa 541-980-5182 heather@copperwest.com

avagale@copperwest.com Judy Dutcher

or/wa 541-490-6327 judy@copperwest.com Vicki

ARTS + CULTURE

Putting this magazine together is always a lively mix of challenge and delight, rigor and reward. It’s also fun when serendipitous connections arise between stories. In this issue, it happens more than once. Writer and long-time Hood River Crag Rats member Christopher Van Tilburg writes about the 100th anniversary of the mountain rescue organization — the oldest in North America — beginning on page 56. On page 64, you’ll find our piece on Brooke Baldwin and her Outbound Wellness collective. Baldwin hails from a multi-generation Hood River Valley family whose great-uncle was a founding member of the Crag Rats.

Two other stories share a connection through local photographer Linda Steider. She’s a member of the longest-running artists’ co-op in Hood River, Made in the Gorge, which we write about starting on page 16. As we were gathering photographs for a different story, about teacher-turned-author Ashley Erdely and her new wildflower book for kids, Ashley sent us some images from the book — taken by none other than Linda Steider.

The threads that weave through our community undoubtedly make it a vibrant collection of connections. It’s fun when they spill onto our pages, and I’m grateful to live among so many interesting people doing inspiring things. Speaking of inspiring, the Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour happens May 1-3. This year, five artists gave us early access to their studios for a glimpse into their creative spaces and the inner workings of their craft (page 32).

Creativity comes in many forms, as you’ll see by some of the other stories in this issue. Big Britches Productions takes it to the stage at the Bingen Theater where the company’s tenth year is in full swing. Joe and April Garoutte recently turned the company into a nonprofit entity, and they have a full slate of plays, comedy nights and special presentations on tap (page 60).

Creativity comes to the wine glass courtesy of Bethany Kimmel’s talents making Gamay wines under her Color Collector label. With her minimal intervention ethos and passion for making wines that tell a story of place, Kimmel (who also owns Soča Wine Shop in White Salmon) is a Gorge winemaker on the rise (page 20).

A creative approach to gathering and reporting local news is what Uplift Local is pursuing. A nonprofit launched in 2024, it works to augment local news coverage in the Gorge through participatory journalism — including training people to cover public meetings and exploring new ways for people to access information (page 12).

We hope you have as much fun perusing this issue as we had putting it together. Have a great spring!

— Janet Cook, Editor

About the Cover

RENATA KOSINA took our cover photo of artist Molly Holmlund for our preview story on the Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour. “It’s always a joy to visit and work with GAOS artists, and I hope my photographs offer a small glimpse into their spaces and process,” Kosina said. “Molly’s cozy studio was especially fascinating — from its warm, intimate atmosphere to the beautiful array of natural materials she sources for her paint pigments. Witnessing the care behind her work made me appreciate her paintings even more.” renatakosina.com

When you have read this issue please pass it on to a friend or recycle it. Together we can make a difference in preserving and conserving our resources.

SPRING 2026

EDITOR

Janet Cook

CREATIVE DIRECTOR & GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Renata Kosina

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Jody Thompson

ADVERTISING SALES

Kim Horton

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Ruth Berkowitz, Don Campbell, Kacie McMackin, Jana Shepherd, Christopher Van Tilburg

COVER PHOTOGRAPHER

Renata Kosina

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Renata Kosina, Jana Shepherd, Linda Steider, Taras Yasniy

TO ADVERTISE IN THE GORGE MAGAZINE

please contact Jody Thompson jthompson@thegorgemagazine.com

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GORGEOur

PERSON OF INTEREST 10 • PURSUITS 14 • CREATE 16 IMBIBE 20 • PARTAKE 70 • YOUR GORGE 74

OUR GORGE person of interest

Ashley Erdely

A TEACHER-TURNED-AUTHOR INVITES KIDS TO GET TO KNOW WILDFLOWERS

ASHLEY ERDELY HAD THE IDEA for her new wild ower book after chasing a buttery. e longtime teacher was on a camping trip on the John Day River with several families when she and some children on the trip — including her daughter — followed a colorful butter y uttering along the beach. Never without a eld guide or two, Erdely let the kids look through one of them, where they quickly identi ed the butter y they’d seen.

“ e kids were 4 or 5,” Erdely said. “None of them were readers yet.” ey handed the book to Erdely so she could read about the butter y out loud, which she did. ere were some vague facts about the butter y’s scienti c name, size and habitat, but little else. e kids wanted more.

“I remember sitting there on the beach and thinking, this is so sad,” Erdely recalled. Her next thought was that she was over it. “I felt like, I’m over lugging these books around in my own backpack. I’m over lugging them around in school curriculum crates and baskets for all these outdoor schools and we don’t even touch them because they don’t satisfy the craving.” She’d recently had a similar experience on a hike where a backpack full of wild ower guides

Drawing on her years in the classroom and her passion for the outdoors, Ashley Erdely, opposite inset, created a

left her struggling to know much about any of the owers she’d seen.

e butter y was a catalyst, and after she got home from the trip, she knew what she wanted to do: write a book for kids that would be fun and engaging, one that would teach them what they wanted to know and pique their curiosity to learn more. For a subject, she chose wild owers because they’re abundant and accessible in the Paci c Northwest.

She threw herself into learning wildowers of the region while also taking classes in non ction writing and learning how to write a book proposal. She eventually sent a proposal to 10 di erent publishers. In a lucky break, one of them asked if he could pass it on to Timber Press in Portland. “He said it wasn’t the best t for his company but thought Timber might be interested,” Erdely said.

It turned out he was right. Timber Press has long published guides written by experts in gardening, nature and science. Erdely’s proposal came along just as the company was making its rst foray into books aimed at kids. ey had an expert birder in Portland who they were courting to write a kids’ birding book, and Erdely’s proposal for a wild ower book t right in.

“At rst I felt really insecure about being a teacher trying to write a book,” Erdely said. “But when I heard back from Timber Press, they were ecstatic about that.” e

publishing company wanted to start a kids’ series and were speci cally looking for teachers as authors. “It’s funny the things we overlook in our own minds. It turns out that 20 years of teaching experience when you’re writing an educational book is quite helpful,” she said, laughing. Erdely spent 10 years teaching elementary and middle school in Hood River, then became a dyslexia reading specialist and had her own tutoring business. She also spent several years teaching and developing curriculum for home-schooling groups and private outdoor-oriented schools. For the past four years, as she was working on her book, she was a reading specialist and writing coach at Hood River New School.

With her book launch last fall, she stepped away from teaching to focus on promoting Wild owers of the Paci c Northwest for Kids. With more than 1,200 wild owers found in the region, Erdely worked with botanists to choose 50 of the most common species for the book. “I wanted to focus on owers that kids interact with on a regular basis,” she said.

ey’re owers that kids in the Paci c Northwest are likely to see in their own backyards, along hiking trails and paths — even growing alongside grocery store parking lots. e book, with its inviting and easy-to-use format, encourages readers to identify and get to know the owers a little better.

Each ower featured in the book includes two or three photographs from di erent angles, making identi cation easy. Fun facts and stories about each ower — including its natural and cultural history, how indigenous peoples or early settlers used it, the wildlife that like to dine on it, the origin of its name — are designed to make the wild owers interesting and memorable. Although it’s aimed at kids, Erdely often receives feedback from adults who also love the book.

Gorge readers will recognize photographs from the region, and a quick-reference section shows blooming wild owers by month and elevation for hike-planning purposes. ere’s also a “leave no trace” section with tips for respecting wild owers and their surroundings.

“ e book is sprinkled with invitations for stewardship and for long-lasting connection,” Erdely said. “May it be the book that gets someone out for the rst time, but may it be a book that continues to be opened again and again.” She envisions a child meeting a wild ower, falling in love with it, caring about it and wanting to protect it. “ roughout the book, there are invitations for that over and over again,” she said. “My hope is that it makes a di erence in that sense.”

OUR GORGE pursuits

Expanding the Story

UPLIFT LOCAL BRINGS MORE VOICES AND BROADER COVERAGE TO LOCAL NEWS

“WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR LOCAL NEWS?” Emily Harris, co-founder of Uplift Local, asked me. I paused. I used to rely on  e Hood River News, but when it shuttered in March 2020 — quickly reemerging as Columbia Gorge News — my connection to local news admittedly su ered. e local-news void is experienced by millions of Americans. Since 2000, Oregon newspapers have shaved more than 75 percent of their workforce. Nationally, half of all U.S. counties have little or no local news. While the Gorge is fortunate to have a newspaper, a handful of reporters can’t be expected to cover Hood River, e Dalles and White Salmon. Enter Uplift Local, a nonpro t with a unique approach to lling those gaps.

e seeds for Uplift Local were planted in 2018 when Harris — an award-winning journalist whose career includes reporting for NPR in Baghdad and Jerusalem and hosting  ink Out Loud on OPB — was investigating high school concussions for Reveal, a radio show and podcast. While reporting, Harris collaborated with two journalists from other outlets, Lee van der Voo of InvestigateWest and John Schrag, executive editor of Pamplin Media Group. ey shared data and sources to enrich their stories, and the experience left a lasting impression.

Over beers, the trio lamented the demise of fact-based news, the rise of misinformation and the decay of civic engagement. ey interviewed journalists, newsroom managers and community leaders across Oregon for a deeper look at the problem. In 2021, with a grant from the Oregon Community Foundation, they conducted a statewide survey regarding news habits: Where did people get their news? Did they trust their news? What was lacking? eir research pinpointed the news gaps. “Rural communities that had lost local newspapers wanted more news,” Schrag said, “and cultural communities desired news that didn’t

harm them and also news that represented an accurate portrayal of their complex lives.” ey applied for the American Journalism Project’s incubator program and were one of four applicants out of 218 selected to launch a nonpro t newsroom. “ ey gave us $400,000 which at the time felt like a million dollars,” Schrag said.

In the summer of 2023, Schrag left his job at Pamplin to work on the project full

DREAM BIG, LAND SMART.

time, with help from van der Voo and Harris. rough surveys, interviews and focus groups in Oregon and southern Washington, they identi ed three distinct groups that su ered from shrinking newsrooms: rural communities, distinct cultural communities, and non-English speakers.

Coaches at the American Journalism Project urged them to focus on one community in an area that wasn’t yet a news desert. ey chose the Gorge because of its proximity to Portland and its diverse population of non-English speakers. And, while the region had lost several newspapers, it was not yet a news desert.

To pave their path, the team met with a number of Gorge organizations, including the Columbia Gorge News and its owner Chelsea Marr. Schrag wanted to assure Marr they would be collaborators, not competitors.  ey also worked with Janet Hamada and her team from The Next Door who helped with focus groups.

THE DOCUMENTERS PROGRAM

e statewide surveys revealed that people in rural communities trusted their news when they saw a reporter as a community member, not an outsider. To provide trusted, fact-based news and empower community members to help, the Uplift Local team joined the Documenters Network, an organization launched in Chicago in 2018. It trains and pays local residents

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to attend, record and take notes at public meetings. e notes are cleaned up by editors, fact-checked and published.

Currently, the Documenters Network is active in 30 U.S. counties, mostly in bigger cities like Philadelphia, Dallas and Minneapolis. Serving four Gorge counties — Wasco, Hood River, Klickitat and Skamania — Uplift Local is one of the few news outlets in a rural area to join the network.

Since launching the program in March 2025, Uplift Local has trained more than 70 documenters, covered over 160 public meetings and published 36 newsletters. Sometimes the information gathered develops into news stories, but regardless, the meeting notes are always published.

“ e documenters program is the backbone of Uplift Local,” Harris said. Trainings cover how to sign up for meetings, record proceedings and identify key discussions during public sessions.

e Documenters Network helped the organization get o the ground, Harris said, giving them access to technical infrastructure, standardized forms and training materials. She also learns from “the brain trust” of what other documenter organizations are doing.

Amy Spring, a Goldendale resident and former sailmaker, was among Uplift Local’s rst documenters. She covered her rst assignment in April 2025, a Goldendale City Council meeting, and said it took time to develop e ective listening and note-taking skills. Government o cials often rely on acronyms and background knowledge that many attendees do not have, she said. “Hopefully, as more people attend public meetings, council members will be clearer and more thoughtful about their audience.”

Questions have been raised about whether arti cial intelligence could replace human documenters, but Spring said the technology falls short. “AI doesn’t know what’s important at a meeting,” she said, adding that not all public meetings are recorded. She also emphasized the value of being physically present. When o cials see her in attendance, they know their remarks will be shared and may result in a news story. at dynamic played out during a Goldendale City Council meeting when Police Chief Mike Smith mentioned plans to install Flock safety cameras, an item not on the agenda. Spring followed up by interviewing Smith and writing a story for the Uplift Local website.

“We need more documenters,” said Spring, who now serves as an editor for Uplift Local. With more than 120 public meetings held

each month across the Gorge, she said, much of what happens in local government still goes unseen.

Another documenter, Viviana Hernandez, came to the Gorge to kayak and work on a wind farm and fell in love with the area. Seeking to become an active community member, she saw a post on Facebook about the documenters’ training and signed up.

“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve harbored this romantic notion of writing, and it seems like such a grounded opportunity to do something signi cant without the pressure of having to show up with a huge skill set,” she said.

Having never attended a public meeting, Hernandez went to the Wasco County Board of Commissioners meeting in April 2025. In a room full of uniformed o cers there to advocate for additional funding for the sheri ’s department, she felt empowered taking notes and recording them for Uplift Local.

WHAT’S NEXT

After a few months as a documenter, Hernandez stepped up when Harris sought a Spanish speaker for a bilingual community journalist role. For her, being mentored by Harris and other professional journalists felt like “an opportunity of a lifetime — like going to journalism school without having the costs or a university degree.”

Hernandez is currently helping to launch an Uplift Local Spanish language news service. Since many Spanish speakers use WhatsApp to communicate, the news will appear on the app. is out-of-thebox solution to a newsroom conundrum is new but not unique.  Uplift Local will follow the lead of pioneers like the WhatsApp channels Documented in New York and Connecta Arizona.

As the media landscape continues to shift, Uplift Localis inviting the community to hold the pen. By turning documenters into journalists and WhatsApp into a newsroom, local news is blooming.

To learn more, go to upliftlocal.news

Ruth Berkowitz is a mediator and writer

Made in the Gorge

HOOD RIVER’S LONGEST-RUNNING ARTISTS’ CO-OP CELEBRATES A QUARTER CENTURY OF CREATIVITY

TUCKED INTO A WELCOMING SPACE ON OAK STREET in downtown Hood River is the longest-running artists’ co-op in the Gorge. Made in the Gorge has been in its current location for two decades, long enough to have seen businesses come and go on its block. Before that, it was located up the street in what was formerly an eclectic corner gas station and community hub known as Dell Mart. is spring, Made in the Gorge celebrates its 25th anniversary. e artists’ co-op has survived and thrived through a quarter century — through slow winters and frenetic summers, shoulder seasons that used to be much more “shoulder” than they are now, downtown construction projects and the Covid-19 pandemic. It has, over 25 years, become one of the area’s most enduring creative spaces.

Made in the Gorge has seven memberartists who work in a range of mediums: photographer Linda Steider; watercolorist Ashley Nelson; jeweler Kyla Rae; metal artist Nick Miles; ber artist Nancy Skakel; potter Courtney Hart; and artisan woodworkers Wayne and Katie Cordrey.

e Cordreys were among the early founders of the gallery, showing their work up the street at Dell Mart before the co-op moved to its current location in 2005. ey left for a time before returning in 2021. Along with their unique, functional furniture, they also make soap that’s for sale in the gallery. ough they each contribute, they’re counted as one of the seven artists in the co-op.

Other members have joined over the years, as former members left. “Artists have rotated in and out as situations arise and circumstances change,” said gallery chairperson Linda Steider. Metal artist Nick Miles also left the co-op for a few years, but returned last year.

“Because of our anniversary coming up, we’ve been scouring the records we have to nd names of people who have rotated in and out,” Steider said. e gallery will host an anniversary party on March 27, and the current members have tried to nd all former members and invite them to the celebration. “Over 25 years, it’s not just the seven of us that are here now. It’s all those people over time who have helped to make Made in the Gorge what it is today.”

Steider joined the gallery 10 years ago, on the cusp of her third wave of artistic pursuits.

Her rst was as a ber artist, making quilts and soft sculptures. en she learned how to make her own glass beads to incorporate into her wall hangings, and segued into glass art — both creating it and teaching classes and workshops across the country. Just as she was retiring from that, she was o ered a place at Made in the Gorge.

Photography has been a constant in her life since she was a kid. “I got my rst camera when I was 10 years old,” she said. “Later, I used photography as reference material

through all of my di erent artistic endeavors.” She would take photos on her hikes and outdoor explorations, then use them when creating composition, color and texture for her other artwork. “Photography was always the backbone to everything.”

Steider began taking wildlife photos after seeing an eagle on the beach near the Hood River Marina one day. Frustrated that she couldn’t get the bird’s eyes to be as sharp as she wanted, she sought out classes, online videos — anything to help hone her skills. “I just kept practicing. Like anything, the more you do of it, the better you get.” By the time she joined Made in the Gorge, Steider had already been showing her photography, and she was dedicated to the medium.

“I do landscapes and wildlife, but wildlife is my passion,” she said. “I photograph landscapes while I’m waiting for animals.” Steider has partnered with Cascade Pika Watch for the past decade, photographing the small alpine mammals which are typically found at high elevations but have a rare low-elevation population in the Gorge. She’s also worked with the Global Owl Project, the Columbia Land Trust and Friends of the Columbia Gorge.

the views of the Columbia Gorge from our backdoor Slow down and enjoy •Waterfall

Being out on local trails gives her a chance to plug the gallery to fellow hikers. “When I’m out there photographing pikas, I make a point of saying, ‘You can see my pika pictures and other artwork at Made in the Gorge,’” she said. “I love talking to people and having a place to show my work. When people buy something here, I know they love it. When they buy something on my website, I just hope they love it when it arrives.”

Steider and her fellow artists at Made in the Gorge each sta the gallery one day a week. “We’re really geared toward customer service,” she said. “We want everyone who comes in here to have a wonderful experience.” e gallery’s diverse mix of work means there’s usually something that appeals to everyone. “And because we’re our own middleman, we try to keep our prices reasonable. We believe everyone should be able to a ord art, and to have art in their lives.”

e steady presence of Made in the Gorge over the past quarter century stands as proof that the artists' commitment to this ethos continues to resonate. e anniversary party is a way to not only celebrate their long presence in downtown Hood River but to give back to everyone who has supported the gallery.

“It’s a way to bring the community in,” Steider said, “and to give a big thanks to everyone for supporting us all these years.” And perhaps make a toast to the next quarter century.

To learn more, go to madeinthegorge.com

The Color Collector

BETHANY KIMMEL CHANNELS SIMPLICITY AND CREATIVITY INTO WINES THAT TELL A STORY OF PLACE

JUST OUTSIDE OF WHITE SALMON, BETHANY KIMMEL lives a life shaped by intention. She is a winemaker, an artist and small business owner, residing in a remote tiny house amid towering trees and grape vines. The home sits on her land where she grows food, paints, thinks and dreams — a perfect complement to her ethos of minimalism.

Kimmel’s relationship with the land began long before the wine, while growing up in a small town in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. She and her siblings ran free in the woods, inventing games outdoors, wandering, exploring and learning the quiet intelligence of place. That instinct never left her.

Her early interests leaned toward storytelling. Drawn to language, culture and meaning, she studied English literature and anthropology, then taught English in Malaysia after graduation, a formative chapter marked by uncertainty and discovery. When she expressed feeling lost to her father, he offered reassurance drawn from a childhood book she loved: “It’s

okay,” he told her. “Right now, you’re just collecting colors.” The phrase stayed with her, quietly gathering significance. “I still consider myself a storyteller more than anything,” Kimmel says. “Wine is my medium — the growing season writes the history of time and place, and my work only brings shape to the narrative.”

After Southeast Asia, Kimmel moved to Jackson, Wyoming, where she took an unpaid internship at Alpinist magazine and worked at a local wine shop to pay the bills. What began as a practical choice turned into fascination. After four years in wine retail, absorbing everything she could, she moved west to attend winemaking school in Oregon.

It was during this period that Kimmel first encountered Gamay. Living and breathing Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley, her first sip of Gamay felt like “a bolt of ecstatic lightning,” she recalls. It had the elegance and depth she loved, but with more playfulness and energy. “Gamay doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not,” she

says with a smile. “It’s joyful. It’s honest.” Around the same time, a mentor offered advice that would shape her future: if you’re starting a small wine label, focus on one thing and get very good at it. Gamay became her mission.

Her path to the Columbia Gorge was not immediate, but inevitable. While moving from Jackson to Salem, she stopped briefly in the Gorge. That short visit lodged itself firmly in her imagination. Seven years later, she returned, eventually working at Analemma Wines in Mosier. There, the owners generously allowed her to make two tons of

wine per year in their cellar. “Without that early support, e Color Collector would not exist,” Kimmel says.

She founded e Color Collector as a boutique wine project centered on minimalintervention winemaking, seasonal creativi-

Bethany Kimmel makes wine using a single grape, Gamay, with minimal intervention. She uses grapes from higher-altitude vineyards, which produce wines she describes as having an “alpine” delicacy and may be more resilient to climate change. Opposite, Kimmel prunes estate Gamay vines she grows on her property outside White Salmon.

ty, and one grape above all others. During her rst vintage, she began the practice of removing the grapes from their stems by hand, an endeavor that would begin after her formal winery work was nished, and last through the night into the early morning hours, lovingly calling it “made in moonlight.”

Today, Kimmel works with a basket press, moves wine using only gravity, ferments with native yeasts, and bottles un ltered Gamay that is juicy, oral and alive. Her wines are

bright and expressive, mirroring both the landscape and the life she has built. She affectionately calls her Gamay “color,” a word that captures its vibrancy in the glass and its role as her chosen medium.

e Gorge proved to be the place she had been searching for. “ ere’s something spacious about the Gorge AVA,” Kimmel says. Rather than chasing a single, marketdriven identity, the region embraces wines that genuinely re ect the land and the people who make them. e result is a kaleidoscope of grape varieties, styles and experiences, with a consistent throughline of authenticity and quality.

“As a winemaker in this community, it feels like a place where e ort and heart are of equal value to getting it right,” she says, “and where I am free to approach my craft as a uid work in progress rather than a xed recipe to be replicated year after year.”

Reaching back to her English major, Kimmel often thinks about Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own, and what it means for a woman to have the space, autonomy and means to create. “My humble winery space is the room of my own that Virginia Woolf dreamt about,” she says. In the Gorge, she has found not just physical space, but the freedom to build a life where creativity is central rather than peripheral.

When asked what makes Gorge Gamay unique, Kimmel points to elevation and climate. e Columbia Gorge o ers cooler temperatures and dramatic diurnal shifts

that preserve acidity while developing phenolic ripeness. Both vineyards she works with sit above 1,000 feet, producing wines she describes as having an “alpine” delicacy and generosity. These conditions may also offer resilience in the face of climate change, further anchoring her commitment to the region.

Kimmel’s artistic practice extends beyond the cellar. She handpaints every wine label herself, translating each vintage into beautiful watercolor. What began as a practical solution quickly became one of her favorite parts of the process — the label her only opportunity to tell the story of what’s inside the bottle. Each year, she remakes her classic label with three distinct designs, altering words and imagery to reflect her lived experience of that vintage. You are not just tasting her wine, but glimpsing the Gorge through her eyes.

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In 2020, that relationship with place was tested. Wildfires brought smoke taint to her cellar, threatening an entire vintage. Rather than discard the fruit, Kimmel responded creatively, crafting just 30 cases of vermouth. She aromatized the wine with botanicals foraged from her land, sweetened it with honey from her beehives, and fortified it with brandy distilled from the vintage’s smokiest wines. The release sold out instantly. She is now on her third vintage of vermouth.

As a woman building a business in a historically male-dominated industry, Kimmel has navigated her share of challenges. While the Gorge offers a powerful counterpoint with many accomplished female winemakers, the broader industry still requires resilience and self-definition.

“I was asked recently what the most challenging part of being a female winemaker is,” she says. “I said something about having to learn to fix things like tractors and forklifts, not a part of my southerngirl upbringing. But a truer answer would be learning to find ease in risk.” This life path, she says, is not straightfor ward or always comfortable, but it builds physical, mental and spiritual fortitude.

Beyond the bottle, Kimmel is also the owner of Soča, a small wine shop and bar in White Salmon. The project began as a collaboration with Jure Poberaj and Nina Jimenez, formerly of White

WINERY & VINEYARD

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Salmon Baking Company, who invited her to help reimagine an abandoned building on Main Street. After a year of shared ownership, Kimmel became the sole owner and continues to shape Soča into a gathering place rooted in community. Through offerings like the Soča Salon wine club, she highlights wine’s role as a companion to human connection, creating personalized selections and salon-style gatherings inspired by 17th and 18th century Europe.

Outside of wine, Kimmel finds inspiration in movement and exploration. Hiking, river days, skiing on Mount Hood and long hours with audiobooks all feed her creative life. “I often discover inspiration playing in our natural spaces,” she says.

“There have not been many generations of women who have been permitted to live lives dedicated to a creative act,” Kimmel reflects. “Finding myself in the lucky position to be able to do so, I intend to explore it fully and relish it completely.”

The name The Color Collector now holds many meanings, but at its heart it reflects what is intricate, surprising and alive. Her footprint may be small, but Bethany Kimmel’s impact ripples throughout the region, offering an inspiring model for what it looks like to live close to your values and fearlessly create what you love most.

To learn more, go to tccollector.com

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

WALLED GARDEN

OPEN EVERY DAY

416 Cascade Ave., Hood River

OPEN EVERY DAY

OPEN EVERY DAY

416 Cascade Ave., Hood River

416 Cascade Ave., Hood River

Unique, high quality, thoughtfully crafted beer and food by Kings & Daughters Brewery, local wine, classic cocktails, and more in a fresh and inviting pub.

Unique, high quality, thoughtfully crafted beer and food by Kings & Daughters Brewery, local wine, classic cocktails, and more in a fresh and inviting pub.

Unique, high quality, thoughtfully crafted beer and food by Kings & Daughters Brewery, local wine, classic cocktails, and more in a fresh and inviting pub.

WASHINGTON’S

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Maryhill Winery is

and those

a philosophy of passion, patience, and balance. Across four scenic tasting room locations, guests are invited to enjoy curated wine flights and thoughtfully prepared culinary offerings that celebrate the wines and the region we proudly call home. We invite you to join us and experience the story behind every bottle.

more than 35 grape varieties, guided by a philosophy of passion, patience, and balance. Across four scenic tasting room locations, guests are invited to enjoy curated wine flights and thoughtfully prepared culinary offerings that celebrate the wines and the region we proudly call home. We invite you to join us and experience the story behind every bottle.

balance. Across four scenic tasting room locations, guests are invited to enjoy curated wine flights and thoughtfully prepared culinary offerings that celebrate the wines and the region we proudly call home. We invite you to join us and experience the story behind every bottle.

Maryhill Winery is a celebrated Washington destination for both seasoned wine enthusiasts and those exploring wine for the first time. Drawing from vineyards across the state, Maryhill crafts an expansive collection of award winning wines from more than 35 grape varieties, guided by a philosophy of passion, patience, and balance. Across four scenic tasting room locations, guests are invited to enjoy curated wine flights and thoughtfully prepared culinary offerings that celebrate the wines and the region we proudly call home. We invite you to join us and experience the story behind every bottle.

&Home Garden

SPRING CARRIES A SPIRIT OF RENEWAL. Here in the Gorge, you can see it in the hillsides washed in fresh green and sprinkled with wildflowers, in orchards bursting with pink and white blossoms, and on tree-lined streets beginning to leaf out once again. It’s a season that invites us to refresh our surroundings, too. Whether you’re building from the ground up, remodeling a wellloved space, upgrading your outdoor living area or expanding your garden, local professionals and retailers can help shape your vision. Peruse our resource guide to connect with experts ready to bring your ideas to life, then take advantage of longer days and milder weather to get your project o the ground. With spring on your side, it’s the perfect time to begin.

RE SOUR CE GUIDE TO THE GORGE

PLANTER BOXES

14” high, 2” thick cedar wood 4x8’, 2x8’, 4x4’ and 2x4’

Exploring the Roots of

CREATIVITY CREATIVITY

STORY BY DON CAMPBELL

ARTIST PORTRAITS

BY RENATA KOSINA

Gorge artists welcome visitors for the 20th annual Open Studios Tour

Like the quiet yet riotous miracle that is a Gorge spring — the thrust and arrival of grass widows, glacier lilies and Indian paintbrush — comes the annual Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour. It’s the yearly self-guided event in the quest to discover what makes ne artists tick and the studios where they make it happen. is, the 20th celebration of the weekend-long event to be held May 1-3 this year, provides a rich opportunity to amble through some 41 professional art studios representing 50 artists along both sides of the Columbia River in an artistic terroir that stretches through Oregon’s Hood River and Wasco counties and Washington’s Skamania and Klickitat.

It’s a ripe chance to wade deep into the creative minds of the region’s ne artists who cover a gamut of styles, techniques and expertise, as well as explore the portals of where art actually gets made before nding its way to private collectors, public buildings, gallery walls or into the consciousness of the merely curious and interested.

According to Open Studios spokesperson and board member Daiva Bergman Harris, “Art is meant to be experienced.” An abstract textile artist who splits time between Southern California and the Gorge, she has been involved for years with many levels of art and its creation and education. She raised her children here and established her own sense of style, drawing from her interest at an early age in her father’s upholstery business, and later interior design, before nding her own niche in various textile and felt creations.

In 2025, the region saw t to inject some serious pathos into her creativity. She and her husband experienced rsthand the raging wild re season of 2025. ey lost everything in the Burdoin Fire,

including her studio and complete body of work. “I honestly haven’t fully processed it all,” she admits, but in addition to the rigors of property loss, insurance and regulatory compliance, she’s had to nd her own peace.

“At this point in my career,” she says, “to lose the work you can never recreate could have been utterly unfathomable. But I’ve grown and had to be philosophical. You just move on, and deal with the realities.” Harris, with new works and renewed artistic spirit, will display her singular textile creations at Steven Kowats’ Carson Art Garage in Carson, Washington.

She and her cohort of fellow creatives and Open Studios mates exist under the nonpro t umbrella of the group founded in 2006 by John Maher, Pat Bozanich and Marian Dyche, among many Gorge artists, with sponsorship help from e Dalles Art Center, a Wasco County PUD grant, and the tireless e orts of volunteer organizers and founders.

e group’s goal is broad in sharing the creative insights the tour exposes, and its active board and membership continue to build momentum with each year’s event. “It has evolved over time,” Harris says. “ e board brings new ideas with a push toward wanting to expand. Why do artists participate? Certainly, to get exposure.” But for many, especially edgling artists, “ is is a comfortable way for them to get seen.” In fact, this year will introduce nine new artists opening their studios for the rst time.

“It’s all about storytelling,” Harris says. “All artists want to be seen but it’s not necessarily about the sale. It’s more about the interaction and bonding for the artistic community.”

For attendees, it’s the key to the artistic kingdom. As well, the Gorge itself o ers a natural draw. at combination has helped the professionally juried Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour grow over its two decades, drawing the piqued and interested — at whatever level –—from far and wide.

“It serves a need,” Harris says. “Going from studio to studio, you get to know the artists and the kind of art that’s out there. And you learn about the Gorge, and about new things. People just come and browse for the experience.”

Like those little buds of May, art too sprouts in fun and unusual places.

For more information, including a tour map, go to gorgeartists.org

In the following pages, we highlight five of this year’s artists who offered us early access to their studios and a glimpse into their creative worlds. Get a flavor of what’s to come, then mark your calendars!

Gorge Artists Open Studios:

This year, the Open Studios Tour hosts a special PREVIEW EVENT AT THE COLUMBIA GORGE MUSEUM in Stevenson, where people can see work from every artist on the tour.

The opening reception is Friday, April 17, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Artists’ work will be on exhibit through April 26 during regular museum hours.

LINDA REICHENBACH fiber

lindareichenbachartquilts.com

Describe your artistic path

It began at a young age through hands-on crafts such as cross-stitch and knitting. I was drawn to working with my hands and expressing myself through texture, pattern and color. ese early experiences built a strong foundation in patience, craftsmanship and attention to detail. After I was married, my mother-in-law introduced me to sewing and I quickly fell in love with it. Sewing opened a new creative door for me, allowing me to combine function with artistic expression and it led me to explore fabric as a medium rather than simply a material. Over time, I began expanding beyond traditional sewing into other ber disciplines, experimenting with how di erent techniques could coexist within a single piece.

What does a typical day in your studio look like?

No two are the same, which is part of what I love about the creative process. I usually have several projects going at once, each at a di erent stage. Some days are spent experimenting, while other are focused on re ning details or bringing a piece to completion. Often, I’m working within a speci c theme or timeline for an upcoming show which helps guide my direction. On other days, I allow myself to follow what feels inspiring in the moment, choosing materials, colors or techniques intuitively. Balancing structure with creative freedom keeps my energy owing, and the enjoyment I nd in the process is re ected in the nished work.

What sparks new ideas?

Inspiration can come from almost anywhere, but nature is my greatest source of ideas. Something as simple as looking at a tree can spark a whole range of possibilities — from imagined backgrounds and cloud shapes in the sky to the textures and colors surrounding it. I’m often inspired by small details: the way light moves, or the patterns found in leaves or water. Many of my best ideas begin outdoors and evolve as I translate those observations into my work.

What’s most challenging about your work?

Balancing the creative process with the business side of being an artist. Keeping my website up to date, managing timelines

and preparing for shows all require time and organization. I’ve also faced some health challenges that have occasionally slowed my ability to produce as much work as I’d like. Even so, the studio remains a place I return to consistently, and I continue to show up, create, and move forward with my work.

How is your work influenced by the Gorge?

Living near Mount Hood has had a strong in uence on my work. Being able to see it every day is something I never take for granted and the view continues to inspire me. I’ve created

several pieces using my own photographs of Mount Hood, as well as work inspired by the waterfalls, trees and wildlife that surround us. e Gorge landscape provides constant visual inspiration and a deep connection to the place that naturally nds its way into my art.

Share what you enjoy about opening your studio to visitors

It’s always a wonderfully exciting experience. I enjoy meeting people from all over and being able to connect, share stories and discuss the creative process. It’s rewarding to see visitors engage with my work and respond to it in their own personal ways.

Over the years, I’ve built lasting relationships with customers who return year after year, which makes the Open Studios Tour feel less like an event and more like a community gathering.

What’s something creative you want to try?

I’m exploring printing and drawing as ways to expand my ber work in new directions. I’m interested in how drawn marks and printed imagery can interact with fabric — adding another layer of texture, movement and narrative to a piece. is process allows me to be more spontaneous and expressive while still honoring the tactile qualities that draw me to ber as a medium.

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CUSTOM-BUILT IN 2008, this distinctive home exudes warmth, character, and high-end design. Tucked into the oneof-a-kind Willow Ponds neighborhood — where community gardens, pocket parks, and playgrounds create a sense of connection rooted in nature — this home offers something genuinely special. Inside, enjoy rich hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, solid fir doors/trim, and custom wood cabinetry – creating a vibe that feels more boutique hotel than suburban living. For those craving something different, a little elevated, and a lot more you – this one delivers.

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Candice Richards, Principal Broker, OR and Managing Broker, WA 541-912-5999 · candice@copperwest.com · candice-richards.com

Describe your artistic path

In one word it would be “chance.” It began during Covid after I’d been laid o from my marketing job. I was looking for something to put energy into, and I decided to teach myself metalsmithing. I spent eight hours on my rst day crafting two rings, and quickly realized I had a passion and a natural understanding of this medium. Much like my metalsmithing journey, many of my pieces come to life by chance. Often, I don’t have any design in mind and will let pieces come to life intuitively as I build them, or as a result of errors and needing to pivot from my original idea. Over the years I’ve tried not to hold on too tightly to ideas so there is always room for ow to occur. Now, just over ve years in, I’ve opened a workshop space in Bingen where I sell my work, teach both metalsmithing and lapidary, and host other artists for classes.

What does a typical day in your studio look like?

It varies greatly, as right now it’s just me wearing all of the hats for this small business.

Some days I’ll spend 10 hours deep in creativity, while others I’m focused on administrative tasks. My favorite days are when I can lock the door, turn the lights o , crank up the music and cut cabochons or do saw work — both of which I nd incredibly meditative.

What sparks new ideas?

Nature and being outside. I’m so inspired and in awe of this planet — the plants and animals, the waterways, the sky and dirt and trees and all the living things that inhabit the earth. I especially love to watch the coyotes and hawks working the elds where I live, or to observe the herons and the eagles on the rivers. If ever I’m feeling stuck, I know it’s time to be out observing nature.

What’s most challenging about your work?

ere are parts of metalsmithing that come intuitively for me and others that I struggle with, but I rarely think of any of it as challenging. Creativity isn’t supposed to be perfect, and it’s not supposed to work exactly like you plan each time. Creativity is a living energy, and the best work, I believe, is a result of working with that energy and allowing it to guide as it comes through you.

How is your work influenced by the Gorge?

Living and working in the Gorge has been a wonderful experience, both personally

and professionally. Having traveled to some of the world’s most beautiful places, I can attest that the Gorge is world class in its beauty and landscapes. As an artist who is deeply inspired by nature, there’s no limit here. e community is equally inspiring. ere are so many artists, entrepreneurs, adventurers and folks just living life by their own terms. You can’t beat this place.

Share what you enjoy about opening your studio to visitors

I look forward to inviting tour-goers into this space to share both my metalsmith work and my passion for pursuing creativity. I believe all humans are creative and I hope this workshop space inspires guests to lean into their own. Years of planning and countless hours of work went into bringing this space to life, and I can’t wait to welcome everyone in to experience it.

What’s something creative you want to try?

I want to try it all! In terms of metalsmithing, I plan to learn stone setting, wax carving and sand casting, and I hope to start working more with gold. In terms of other creativity, I’m working on my sewing skills, I’d love to write more, I’m always trying to improve my photography, and I will de nitely be trying my hand at pottery this year.

Explore More... on the northshore of the Columbia River Gorge in sunny Klickitat County

MARTIN’S GORGE TOURS

Guided tours for individuals, groups, families, or couples. Including waterfalls, wild owers, 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

ANTIQUES & ODDITIES

Visit the largest antique store and mall in the Columbia Gorge with 10,000 square feet of vintage, antique and collectible items. Open 7 days a week 10am to 4pm.

509-493-4242

211 W. Steuben St. • Bingen Find us on Facebook

BELL DESIGN C o.

Providing civil engineering & land surveying services throughout the Columbia River Gorge and beyond.

Water • Sewer • Wastewater Structural • Geotechnical • Roads Boundaries • Construction • Short Plats

509-493-3886 • belldesigncompany.com

900 W Steuben • Bingen

FORT VANCOUVER REGIONAL LIBRARIES

Four Gorge locations in Goldendale, White Salmon, Stevenson and North Bonneville. Two bookmobiles cruise around Klickitat and Skamania Counties all year. Find a library or bookmobile stop near you - plus eBooks and other online resources at fvrl.org.

BEST WESTERN PLUS HOOD RIVER INN

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

800-828-7873 • hoodriverinn.com

1108 E. Marina Way • Hood River

MARYHILL WINERY

WinePressNorthwest’s “2015 Paci c Northwest Winery of the Year”, 50+ award-winning wines, tasting room, Tuscan-style terrace with views of Mt. Hood and Columbia River, Bocce, and gi s.

877-627-9445

maryhillwinery.com

9774 Hwy 14

Goldendale

HAMPTON INN & SUITES HOOD RIVER

Pet-friendly hotel, walking distance from downtown Hood River, featuring free hot breakfast, indoor pool, tness center, meeting space, and easy access to dining, rail tours, and outdoor adventure.

541-436-1600 • hilton.com/en/hotels/ pdxhrhx-hampton-suites-hood-river/ 1 Nichols Parkway • Hood River

HOOD RIVER HOBBIES, LLC

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

541-386-1223 • hoodriverhobbies.com

110 - 4th St. • Downtown Hood River

TODD BIERNACKI sculpture, land art nobodyswatching.us

Describe your artistic path

I didn’t realize I was on an artistic path until late in life. For over 30 years my journey wound through chemical engineering, home construction, dance instruction, bread baking and woodworking — along with raising kids with my wife Krissy.  rough all of this I knew I was a builder and craftsman, but never an artist. While still baking full-time I built a full-sized bike mobile in my son’s room out of whiskey barrels, and installed a forest of vine maples in my daughter’s room.  ose were unexpectedly rewarding experiences, and I couldn’t wait to make another work. And then another. Soon, it was all I wanted to do and I’m now a full-time artist.

What does a typical day in your studio look like?

It begins with a cup of tea and a casual appraisal of the current work-in-progress. I then focus on the task at hand. I might spend hours making or refurbishing a frame, suspending objects in precise positions, assembling a custom hanging system, stacking rewood as ne art, sketching the idea that

woke me up at 3 a.m., or experimenting with photochromatic pigments. e day is punctuated by breaks to step outside, go for a walk or work in the woods.

What sparks new ideas?

Some ideas come abruptly into my consciousness from another realm.  is includes the 3 a.m. wake-ups. Some are sparked by a conversation, a walk in nature or an unexpected object at an antique store. Still others come from active mental pursuit. Whenever I’ve needed ideas, I trust they will come if I focus on a theme and be patient. In fact, sometimes I struggle to stop them. When a good idea comes, it typically sticks in my mind for days (or weeks) to be pried, prodded, stretched, thrown and reshaped into a mature vision.  en it’s on to how the heck I’m going to build it.

What’s most challenging about your work?

Often, it’s re ning the idea into a minimalist vision. Telling a story with only two or three objects while maintaining an agreeable composition can be a tricky puzzle. Sometimes the vision is clear,

1116 12th St.

and the execution is challenging.  ere are times when getting an object to suspend just right can take days. Another challenge I face is perfectionism. I don’t feel the need to make my art perfect, but at times I go too far in that direction and must pull myself back. Finding the balance can be tough.

How is your work influenced by the Gorge?

Living in the Gorge, with its dramatic scenery, open spaces and vibrant community has had a profound impact on my art. Among other in uences it has a orded me space. Our acreage is su cient to house my studio and o er a forested area for contemplation, inspiration and materials. Taking care of the forest has introduced an unexpected appreciation for nature and the cyclical rhythm of the seasons.  is connection has been an essential component of my land art.

Share what you enjoy about opening your studio to visitors

is will be my rst time on the tour, but I anticipate a great event. It will transform what is typically a solitary activity into a shared experience, with visitors bringing fresh energy and points of view. Other perspectives on my art are like new stories that change and enrich the art for me. Plus, the studio feels more alive when it’s lled with laughter, conversation and discovery.

What’s something creative you want to try?

I’m excited to explore more with land art, using natural materials from wherever I’m working.  e essential connection of branches, soil, leaves and rocks with their surroundings is impossible to recreate in a gallery or home setting. Adding a human artistic perspective to this natural connection can bring a surreal element to play in the scene. I also want to delve more into alternative materials like papier-mache. Ultimately, I’m eager to push boundaries.

MOLLY HOLMLUND painting, inkmaking foragedink.art

Describe your artistic path

It began in childhood, in a very art forward household with two artistic parents. Art materials were always abundant. I was drawn to describing the world around me through drawing, watercolor and paper cutting. I would sit in the overgrown English garden of a kind elderly neighbor and cut paper shapes I saw, draw or simply study the owers. I studied art in high school and went on to University of Cincinnati to study ne art. I have painted murals with and for communities, taught art in schools and camps, and have been painting with handmade ink since 2018.

What does a typical day in your studio look like?

A studio day is always the best day, and I don’t take studio time for granted. I begin by taking inventory of my inks and let them lead the way in my painting process. For my inks, once I have the materials I dry them, or put them in a pot right away to gently simmer in water. e minerals require soaking, and I usually steep the fresh materials in water. I reduce it down, much like making a balsamic reduction, until I get

a satisfactory color. I add gum for better adhesion to the paper, and then it’s ready to paint with. Each color holds its own properties and interacts di erently with others, making it a fascinating game of what will happen next. Sometimes the focus is a fresh new ink on several papers to experiment, and other times I use what’s available. I’ve found that using limited materials and a limited palette pushes my creative limits.

What sparks new ideas?

New ideas and inspiration can come from anywhere. I love patterns, natural shapes and color. It’s the simple things that are the most inspiring for me — the ever-changing light and shapes of the hillsides, the diversity of plants layering the forest oor. I’m always on the lookout for new materials and new places to nd them. I research plants that are good for dyes, and then try to nd them out in the world. On the way, I often nd other interesting plants to experiment with. I love being in the forest color hunting, but most commonly I spot things while I’m driving or on my daily dog walks. Always ready with snips and a basket, I will make a U-turn without hesitation for materials.

What’s most challenging about your work?

e most challenging part of my practice is balancing time and energy between creating my own work, teaching art and family life. Also balancing the business side of art and navigating the ever-evolving world of art.

How is your work influenced by the Gorge?

I’m inspired every day by the beauty of the Gorge. Living within such a diverse and monumental landscape makes me feel small, in the best way, reminding me to let go of the little worries. I hold a deep love for plants and mushrooms, and gathering from my surroundings drives my purpose and connects me with the landscape.

Share what you enjoy about opening your studio to visitors

It is a reminder to me what a privilege it is to make art, so much so that people want to visit and see a place of making. It reminds me that making and creating are so special and beautiful and that others love and relate to my work, so I am honored to share my practice.

What’s something creative you want to try?

So many things, but what rst comes to mind is creating an installation that involves the wind in the Gorge, a movable, ever-changing sculpture that utilizes the mighty wind in a new way.

Describe your artistic path

I doodled from a young age and while I never intended to become a full-time artist, I attended the University of Oregon and declared art as my major. I started out drawing and painting but in my junior year I discovered ceramics and never looked back. After nishing school, I worked as a technical illustrator for 12 years. In 2019 I was in a mountain biking accident and ended up with a traumatic brain injury. I had to quit my job, and I took up ceramics again as a form of occupational therapy. I discovered that I could combine my doodles with ceramics and was hooked again. It took about two and a half years to fully recover. By then I was doing ceramics full time.

What does a typical day in your studio look like?

Every day is a little di erent because the work ow from clay to nished art has many steps spanning multiple days. Typically, I’ll throw many di erent objects on the rst day of the cycle. Over the next several days, I throw another round of objects or clean the studio while I wait for the rst batch to dry. en I spend a few days painting the

surfaces, prepping and then carving them. e carved objects then go through the rst of two kiln res. After they cool, I glaze each piece and prepare them for the second kiln re. Once the second re is cooled, they’re done and the cycle starts over again.

What sparks new ideas?

I like spending time in nature, gardening, hiking and biking. It gives me time to think and process. I also give myself time to just play — to make things that may not look like my normal style or to try new patterns. I also let myself make new things on the wheel or hand build without the pressure of getting them perfect or worrying about whether they will

sell. is allows me to just be a crazy mad scientist artist. Some of my best and worst pieces have come from this time.

What’s most challenging about your work?

Balancing the fun parts of being an artist and the practical parts of running a business. I need to let myself get lost in the creative process, but at the same time I need to recycle my clay and answer e-mails, order materials before they run out and do my laundry. I laugh at myself because I feel like two di erent people at di erent times depending on what part of my work ow I’m focused on.

How is your work influenced by the Gorge?

I like to think of my art as light and joyfully exuberant and highly in uenced by my living and working in the Gorge. It’s hard to live in a place so beautiful and not experience feelings of joy and peace. I often take a walk in the woods if I’m having a stressful day just to recenter and feel that joy again. I wish to convey that through my art and pass some of that joy and peace on to others.

Share what you enjoy about opening your studio to visitors

I love to talk about my process. I also have a very small studio that I’ve carved out in our one-car garage; I share my studio with bikes, camping equipment and tools. I love to show people that you don’t need a fairytale cottage (although that would be amazing!) to be able to create your art. My studio is cozy and functional and has

Give where

Give where you live, love and learn

you live, love and learn

become my favorite place in my home. It’s not a fairytale cottage, but it is my fairytale.

What’s something creative you want to try?

So many things! I would love to create giant forms and carve them with as much detail as I’m carving now on smaller objects. I’ve recently started to make lamps, and I’d like to play more with those. ere are many art forms I’ve always wanted to try like wood working and glass blowing.

Create a Donor-Advised Fund, Endowment, Scholarship, or Gift Fund with the Gorge Community Foundation and help strengthen the region for generations to come. Your fund provides lasting support to the causes you care about, while taking advantage of tax benefits and the long-term growth that compound interest can deliver.

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$4.7 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.

Join the many Gorge families, businesses, and individuals who are choosing to give with intention, invest in community resilience, and leave a legacy rooted right here at home. Plant your fund today. Grow impact for years to come.

Learn more at gorgecf.org or call 509- 637-7997

GORGE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Carolyn Crystal Glass carolyncrystal.com

Ted Olson Painting tedolsonpaintings.com

Melanie Thompson Ceramics melaniethompsonartware.com Jen Smith Drawing jensmithart.com

Jan Byrkit Textiles byrkitwear.com

Kathryn Watne Jewelry kathrynwatnejewelry.com

Steve Kowats Metalwork kovachmetalsmith.com

Polly Wood Ceramics pollywood47@gmail.com

Nancy Houfek Brown Painting nhb-artwork.com

Molly Holmlund Ink Painting foragedink.art

Daiva Bergman Harris Fiber & Textile Fine Art StudioDBH.com

Kim Thompson Handmade Jewelry + Workshops wildheartwares.com

Blaine Franger Landscape & Nature Photography BlaineBethanyGallery.com

Jodi Elain Wright Painting jodi.wright99@gmail.com

Myrna Anderson Acrylic Painting myrnafanderson@gmail.com

Avery Hoyt Mixed Media averyhoyt@gmail.com

Peny Wallace Ceramics, Acrylic Painting asherart98@gorge.net

Jo Dean Sarins Jewelry arrayofelegance.com

Robyn Johnsen Painting + Metalsmithing johnsenrm@gmail.com

Christine Knowles Pastel christineknowles.com

Hood River Crag Rats

THE OLDEST MOUNTAIN RESCUE TEAM IN THE COUNTRY TURNS 100

CRAG RATS RESCUE THE LOST: Like the Monks of St. Bernard Pass, ey are Always Ready to Endure Hardships in the Mountains

Like no other group they are leaving their occupations at a moment’s notice, without pay or expenses of any kind, they have fought blizzards, traversed glaciers, and have been lowered by ropes into the great crevasses of the Cascades. Many applied, few were accepted.

e New York Times, August 23, 1931

If you get lost, injured or stranded in the backcountry of Hood River County, there’s a good chance the all-volunteer Hood River Crag Rats will be called to help. Skilled in glacier, cli and trail rescues, we also happen to be the oldest mountain rescue team in North America, celebrating a century of service this year.

ORIGINS

On July 31, 1926, Hood River mountain guide Andy Anderson sent out a cryptic note to the general mountaineering community: A meeting of the Mountain Goats will be held

in the o ces of Tum-A-Lum Aug. 3, at 8. At this meeting will be discussed the need of an organization of this kind, “Crag rats.” Bring your ideas and suggestions.

At the time, local mountaineers were organized as the Hood River Guides and led clients up the north slope of Mount Hood. e guides began impromptu rescues in July 1924 when they saved climber E.C. Loveland, who fell on the Coe Glacier and was impaled in the groin with an ice axe. e climbers ran up the mountain in alpine gear of the era: long waxed-canvas parkas with fur collars and orchard boots with hobnails pounded into the soles.

Less than two weeks after forming on August 3, 1926, the team was called for a mission after a 10-year-old boy went missing near Government Camp. After 600 people searched for two days, the Hood River mountaineers were summoned. ey drove around the mountain, climbed into the alpine and spent the night. In the morning, they found the boy in the Lost Creek headwaters, at present day Paradise Park. ey red two rounds from a ri e, the signaling method of the time, and carried him back to Government Camp.

A reporter asked mountaineer Jack Baldwin, “Who are you?” Baldwin recalled one of the mountaineers’ wives scolding the group as “rats” for spending every weekend scrambling up crags while shirking household duties. He blurted out, “We’re Crag Rats.” e name stuck.

EARLY DAYS

e Crag Rats formed a bond as they climbed, skied and regularly rescued climbers. On New Year’s Day 1927, they deployed to search for a missing climber near present day Timberline Lodge. Five Crag Rats spent the night on the mountain with one blanket and a measly re on the snow. News reports described the night as “harrowing,” but the Crag Rats called it “interesting” in the meeting minutes. Crag Rats found the missing man two days later and brought him down to the Battle Axe Inn in Government Camp. ey immediately deployed on a second mission for two missing climbers caught in a whiteout; one survived but the other was never found.

In the early days, requirements to join the edgling team were strict, as a 1934 story in American Forests explained: To be a Crag Rat one must have climbed to the tops of Mount Hood and Adams to one’s credit; must be t physically; must be at home on snowshoes and skis; must know how to use an ice ax; and, most important of all, to be on call at all times for the neve, glaciers, and the deep crevasses of the peaks.

e Crag Rats established traditions early on that are still honored today, including the climbing requirements and wearing blackand-white bu alo plaid shirts once sold at Montgomery Ward for $2.35. Meetings were held twice monthly, led by o cers nicknamed “Pip Squeak,” “Little Squeak” and “Big Squeak.” e fall ice-climbing training was dubbed the “Ice Follies.”

MID-CENTURY SERVICE

When rescues were slow, Crag Rats volunteered elsewhere in the community including as wildland re ghters. After WWII, they were deputized by the sheri for potential Cold War civil unrest. In the 1940s, they began providing snow surveys for the Soil and Water Conservation

District by skiing up the mountain with aluminum poles to measure snow depth and water content for spring irrigation forecasting. is continued through 1988 when electronic telemetry was implemented.

As part of the snow surveys on Red Hill, Green Point and Cloud Cap-Tilly Jane, the Crag Rats bunked in forest service cabins. e rst two long ago disintegrated, but at the third location, Crag Rats used the Cloud Cap Inn, built in 1889 and operated with little success as a bed and breakfast. e dilapidated cabin wound up in Forest Service possession in 1940 and was eventually slated for demolition. e Crag Rats took it over in the 1950s as a base for snow surveys, rescues and trainings, and have been its caretakers ever since.

During the mid-20th century, rescues slowed in part because the hub of climbing moved to the south side at Timberline Lodge, and because other mountain rescue teams formed in Oregon. In 1955, a halfdozen crews gathered at Cloud Cap Inn to create the Mountain Rescue and Safety Council of Oregon (MORESCO). In 1959, eight teams from western states and the U.S. military formed the national Mountain Rescue Association (MRA). Crag Rat Dick Pooley was the rst president. e MRA today has more than 100 teams from North America and is the main certifying body for Crag Rats, who are accredited in cli , crevasse and avalanche rescue.

e north side of Mount Hood then became Crag Rats’ primary coverage area. In June 1961, 25 climbers from Portland’s Mazamas club were descending Cooper Spur when two of them, Colin Chisolm and his 21-year-old son, fell near a rocky outcrop called the Chimney. ey tumbled 2,000 feet to the Eliot Glacier and miraculously survived by landing in soft snow. e next year, ve Reed College students fell in the same area and were airlifted by Portland’s Air Force Reserve 304th Rescue Squadron. Dozens of accidents have occurred since on what became known as the Chisolm Trail — not an ascent route, but one climbers fall down.

During the 1950s, rescues also started occurring in the blossoming recreation area between Hood River and Portland that would become the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in 1986, and is now where a quarter of Crag Rats’ annual missions occur.

MODERN TRANSITIONS

In the early 2000s, the Crag Rats were called for 8 to10 missions annually. en in 2013 rescues dramatically increased, surging to 30 that year, a pace that hasn’t slowed. e Crag Rats needed to balance traditions — essential to team culture in high-stakes missions — with modernization.

We kept the bu alo plaid shirts and the climbing requirements. But we changed some things, including welcoming women to join starting in 1994 and out-of-county residents to be full members beginning in 2018. We modernized our equipment with carbon ber litters and high-strength, small-diameter ropes, and upgraded technology with radios and cell phone apps.

Today, Crag Rats deploy on scores of missions annually and have another three-dozen training days. In 2022 we had 60 rescues, and ended 2025 with 54. Calls to aid the missing, lost, stranded and injured come at all times in any conditions. We provide mutual aid to ve neighboring counties and occasionally assist on missions to Mount Je erson, Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens, as well as Olympic and Mount Rainier national parks. We also lean on colleagues for help, including Hood River-based Paci c Northwest Search and Rescue and Portland Mountain Rescue.

Crag Rats will continue to evolve. In the future, we may rely on satellites more than cell service and utilize drones more frequently. But in many situations — high wind, thick cloud cover, heavy rain, deep snow, steep terrain — we will rely on old-school travel: boots on the trail, skis on the snow, crampons on the glacier. Although our centennial is a milestone, every rescue call represents just another day for the oldest mountain rescue team in the nation.

Christopher Van Tilburg is a medical doctor, 25-year veteran of Hood River Crag Rats, and author of Crisis on Mount Hood: Stories from 100 Years of Mountain Rescue.

This is of me in a rare moment on stage in “Moon Over Buffalo” last year, but I love the faces in it.

story by DON CAMPBELL • photos by ED PRICE

The Show Goes On

BINGEN’S BIG BRITCHES PRODUCTIONS PROVES COMMUNITY THEATER IS ALIVE AND WELL

A BARE THEATER STAGE is such a thing of beauty. Its elevation commands attention, with its raw black floor, bare walls, dim and lonely ghost light. The house around it is dark, blind and an uneasy place to navigate, hiding aisles and theater seats and lord knows what else.

But one knows that just on the other side of that darkness lies big magic.

Joe and April Garoutte, who run Big Britches Productions and the Bingen Theater, lead me into this holiest of places. A theater, you know, is sacred ground. Good things happen here. If you listen closely, the spirit voices that delivered a litany of dialogue lines reverberate off the walls. You swear you can feel pathos, the laugh, a well-shed tear, nervous sweat. Your gut tells you that viscerally at any moment, house lights will die, and a play, a performance, a suspension of time and reality will spring to life.

That may be laying it on a tad theater-thick, but the Garouttes have built, over the last few years, a veritable paean to community theater and all things theatric here in the small highway town of Bingen. They have doggedly walked this building down a path of improvement, upgrade and sheer performing grit into a professionally run theater company and performance palace that lights up this little burg.

Driven largely by their dedication and fueled by an enthusiastic army of volunteers and supporters, the enterprise this year will deliver a full slate of six theatrical productions, a steady run of live comedy and music, film and photography events, and whatever else tickles their creative fancy. They have navigated the company through the risky for-profit arts waters into a new nonprofit venture that holds big — and sustainable — promise.

SHOWTIME!

Rightfully, April and Joe met, fell in love and were married because of and within the theater. And these days they practically live there full time. Seated center stage in dim lighting (with your trusty scribe parked front row in that dark house), the duo recounts the tale of finding their way here, where a fresh opening night and new season is just days away.

It’s been a journey.

“Shows started to happen gradually over here,” Joe says, beginning with a live version of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" in 2016. “The building was barely being used. Once we started to volunteer for shows over here, it just perpetuated that commitment to being in whatever we could. We were just actors auditioning and helping out.”

That led a de facto volunteer group down “a path of improving the theater,” says Joe, to help out not only their theater efforts but the building’s owners — Dr. Rod Krehbiel, a Hood River family medicine physician (and current bandmember of Funkship which stills performs at the theater), and beloved local musical legend Rick Hulett, a multi-instrumentalist who played in nearly every band in this region (who tragically passed in 2014).

The building was constructed as a movie theater in 1949 by the SDS Lumber Company and later anointed by a church group that begat some minor improvements like the stairstep seating arrangement and something of a balcony.

“For the first show, the seats weren’t even bolted down,” says Joe. He was part of a crew charged with adding actual seating platforms and other projects including painting. “The walls used to be this macaroni yellow color,” April adds, among other fluorescent and wild oranges and Pepto-pink hues.

Christmas Story.”

A KINGDOM FOR A STAGE

Evolution would continue. Joe, schooled and trained at La Grande’s Eastern Oregon University, has bled theater since earning his BA in theater/theater education in 1996 and doing every facet of theater in the Gorge. By 2016, he says, “We just became more and more in love with the building.” At that point, Bruce Ludwig, a Hood River actor and director, and Julie Hatfield started Big Britches Productions. In a conversation with Ludwig, Joe suggested that, since many of them had invested so much sweat equity in the place, it might be nice to earn a small stipend — “a hundred bucks, just as an acknowledgement.”

Big Britches was eventually able to pull that off, whereby those who acted in the productions would be paid. Ludwig subsequently hired Joe and others to design and build sets, and April to do graphic design. Joe, in short order, also found himself hired as a theater director. Ludwig eventually moved to Portland and ran the company from afar, then hired Joe to run it, even as he was spending time working as an audiovisual tech at Columbia Center for the Arts across the river. He found himself doing theater work full time. “I have made it! I have finally arrived!” Joe thought at the time. But no good deed goes unpunished. “Two weeks later,” he says, “Covid arrived and I lost it all.”

As luck would have it, as Covid’s second year began, Ludwig decided to step out of the limelight and handed over Big Britches’ reins to Joe.

PUTTING THE COMMUNITY IN THEATER

The Garouttes have gripped those reins tightly. As the theater and its resident company prep for the 2026 season, launching under its new nonprofit status, Joe especially applauds the continuing support of Dr. Krehbiel. “If not for him, no way this is even possible. Rod’s always been in it to be a community theater.”

And community theater is a fair bellwether of an at-large community’s vitality. The Garouttes pride themselves in offering a welcoming stage to seasoned actors, untested newbies and the volunteers who make every production happen. “It’s community first,” says April. “We support our volunteers.”

Adds Joe, “We provide a place for people who need community. It’s a loving group. We give hugs to whoever needs one. It’s a beautiful thing and so rewarding.”

The couple spends what little off time they have between seasons doing the critical work of keeping the doors open. They recently concluded a fundraising campaign to install HVAC equipment for the hall’s comfort. They’ve lined up sponsors, including AniChe

Cellars and Syncline Winery, among others. They’ve successfully navigated their conversion to nonprofit status, alleviating some cathedral-sized business headaches and affording the potential to obtain grants — those play royalties don’t come cheap. But, says Joe, “It’s a whole new business.”

And they’ve read every line of every play considered for production. No easy feat. “We read them all,” Joe says, to find the ones that resonate, that are produceable, that hold a certain lyric rhythm for the actors and audience, and that perhaps challenge the company to push its art and craft a little harder. And there are casting calls and auditions to hold in order to find the actors to breathe life into the show. “We have no idea who’s going to show up,” he says, but they generally include hardy regulars as well as people he and April have never seen before but want to give this business of show a shot, and always with a few surprises.

The set of “Charlotte’s Web,” a 2024 production, came to life with the help of software that creates 3D images.

Long days, long nights, headaches and glitches, endless rehearsals, learned lines and light cues, stage design, promotion, and the hope that seats will hold warm and waiting bodies.

And then it’s showtime. That venerable stage — heretofore bare of all but promise — will fill with light and laughter and emotion, characters will deliver with conviction and passion, and a moving, visceral stor y will unfold.

A crazy life?

“It’s chaos of our own choosing,” Joe says. “It fuels us, and we remember why we do this.”

To learn more, go to bigbritches.org

Don Campbell is a writer and musician. He hides out at a secret fortress on a hilltop in Mosier and is a frequent contributor to The Gorge Magazine.

MARTIN’S GORGE TOURS

Guided tours for individuals, groups, families, or couples. Including waterfalls, wild owers, 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

BEST WESTERN PLUS COLUMBIA RIVER INN

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, tness room.

541-374-8777 • 800-595-7108

bwcolumbiariverinn.com

735 WaNaPa St. • Cascade Locks

STROIKA STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

Your structural experts for e Gorge! From new construction to remodels, we do it all. Contact us today for drawings to be used for permitting and construction!

541-716-1381 • stroikaengineering.com North Bonneville

FORT VANCOUVER REGIONAL LIBRARIES

Four Gorge locations in Goldendale, White Salmon, Stevenson and North Bonneville. Two bookmobiles cruise around Klickitat and Skamania Counties all year. Find a library or bookmobile stop near you - plus eBooks and other online resources at fvrl.org.

Experience Skamania County, Washington!

CEDAR DESIGNS

Custom Home Kits: Conventional, Post & Beam, Timber or Log hybrids. Over 600+ plans and designs on website. Free dra ing and no charge for modi cations or custom plans. Panelized exterior walls. Price guarantees. Model home by appointment. 800-728-4474 • cedardesigns.com info@cedardesigns.com • Carson

GATOR CREEK GARDENS

Wander along the pathways of our retail garden nursery and nd majestic trees, unique shrubs, and an abundance of owers. Our gi shop is lled with handmade treasures and a variety of pottery. We also carry barks, composts and rock.

509-427-0010 • gatorcreekgardens.com

81 Hot Springs Avenue • Carson

BRIDGESIDE

Fast, friendly family dining for breakfast and lunch, plus spectacular views of the Gorge and Bridge of the Gods. Burgers • Sandwiches • Salads • Soups Baskets • Specials • Desserts Gi Shop • Historic Artifacts 541-374-8477 • bridgesidedining.com

Cascade Locks

HOTEL STEVENSON

Newest 10-room boutique hotel in the Gorge. Centrally located, walking distance to shops, restaurants, brewpubs and the Columbia River. Each room uniquely designed with charm and theme with a touch of past and modern amenities. Let’s unwind!

509-219-5009 • hotelstevenson.com

77 SW Russell Ave. • Stevenson

Outbound Wellness

UNITING PRACTITIONERS TO HELP PEOPLE FEEL THEIR BEST — INSIDE AND OUT

IT WAS A WINDING ROAD with detours along the way, but Brooke Baldwin always knew she’d end up right where she is. The fact that it happens to be in a building that her great-grandfather built feels like just another part of her destiny.

Baldwin is the founder of Outbound Wellness, a collective that brings together functional and holistic health practitioners, along with aesthetics professionals, with the goal of providing restor-

ative care in an accessible, welcoming setting. It’s where Baldwin, a nurse, along with more than a dozen practitioners offer a range of services aimed at preventive rather than reactive care.

It’s a dream that was percolating in Baldwin’s brain for years. After completing nursing school, she worked as an emergency room nurse for eight years, where she gained invaluable experience and thrived in the fast-paced environment. “It was a good fit for

my personality,” she said. But as time went on, she began to feel that she wanted to help care for people before they end up in the hospital. at conviction, a desire to serve the Hood River and Gorge community borne of being a fth-generation local, and a vision for what health care in the truest sense could look like, led her to launch Outbound Wellness in 2024.

“ is is my passion,” Baldwin said. “My love language is making people feel good — and keeping them out of the hospital.”

Baldwin’s years as an emergency room nurse took her far and wide. She commuted from the Gorge to Palo Alto, California, where she worked in the emergency department at Stanford Health Care. During her years there, she also picked up gigs as a travel nurse, working in the emergency rooms of more than 20 hospitals around the country. As a side pursuit, she learned how to administer Botox injections and do IV therapy for everyday wellness and speci c health conditions.

A self-described “restless kid” who loved to travel and lived overseas for a time, Baldwin thrived when she was on the go and juggling multiple commitments. But by 2023, with her deep roots in Hood River, she was ready to focus her work closer to home and returned to the Gorge full time. Initially, she hired a medical director and began doing mobile infusions and Botox injections in locations around the Gorge, including Stevenson, White Salmon and e Dalles.

“One day, I woke up and had this vision,” she said. “I needed brick, tall ceilings, big windows.” She’d been honing her plan for a wellness collective for years, and suddenly, she could see it in her mind’s eye. “I knew I wanted it to be in Hood River. My hometown. is is where everything is — this is the hub.” Baldwin’s roots go back to Hood River’s pioneering days, where the Baldwins were early settlers and active in the mountaineering community; her great-uncle was one of the founding members of the Crag Rats and her grandfather established the Alpinees mountaineering club.

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

Best ER experience I’ve ever had! We will drive an extra hour to get to Skyline for faster, professional and excellent treatment.

— Grateful Patient

Vertebral Compression Fracture

Clients relax in comfortable chairs while receiving IV infusions. IV therapy at Outbound is aimed at supporting a wide variety of needs, from everyday wellness and recovery to immune support and athletic performance. It can also be tailored to specific health conditions. Infusions typically take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half.

Once she set her sights on opening a wellness collective in Hood River, she began looking for the right location. One day, she walked into a space in the Union Building that an engineering firm was vacating. It had brick walls, tall ceilings and big windows — just like she’d envisioned. The building, which has been undergoing renovation in stages over the past two decades, was built in the early 1900s as a cold storage and shipping facility, playing a vital role in the Hood River Valley’s fruit industry for more than half a century. For Baldwin, the space she walked into held more than just the contours of her vision. It felt something like coming home; the Union Building was built by her great-grandfather and his L.C. Baldwin Construction Company.

She signed the lease in May 2024 and after reconfiguring the space — with help from her dad, the fourth generation of Baldwins to work in construction — opened Outbound Wellness two months later.

“I’ve been collecting people and collecting rooms ever since,” she said. Along with the main space at Outbound — with its sturdy wooden beams and windows looking out over the Gorge — an adjacent hallway is lined with rooms where the collective’s practitioners work. Modalities include chiropractic, somatic bodywork and acupuncture. There are a nutritionist and a massage therapist. Aesthetic procedures include Botox, fillers, microneedling and Hydrafacials. Other services include hormone replacement therapy and custom IV infusions.

There’s even a salon chair where longtime hairstylist Kalyn Benaroya can be booked for services.

“People come in and say, ‘Why do you have a hair salon in here?’” Baldwin said. Benaroya, a longtime friend of Baldwin’s, was with her when she first walked into the Union Building. As they looked around at the brick-walled space, Benaroya asked Baldwin where she was going to put her salon. “I said, ‘You’re not. It’s a wellness center,’” Baldwin recalled. Benaroya told her that when you feel good on the outside, it helps you feel good on the inside. “I said, ‘Okay, that actually makes sense.’”

Baldwin marked a year and a half in business this winter, and is gung-ho about continuing to grow. “Eventually I would like to make this building one full wellness collective,” she said. But she’s also trying to embrace the process.

“I’m 46 and I realize I need to relax just a little bit,” she said with a laugh. “I’m enjoying this time with these beautiful people. I call them my tribe — people who want to help others and are genuine about it.” Baldwin hopes to add more practitioners who fit with her vision of helping people live their best life and thrive in whatever they’re doing.

Dr. TJ Vanidestine, DC, one of the collective's chiropractors, performs Shockwave Therapy on a client, left. At right, Erin Solveig of Origins Embodied Therapeutics, specializing in somatic bodywork and structural integration, works with a client during a treatment session.

“Look at what we do here,” she said. “We ski, we hike, we kayak, we bike, we windsurf, we run. This is what we do in the Gorge. We need to keep people healthy so they can do what they love.”

For Baldwin, that means doing everything she can to help people feel good on the inside and the outside.

To learn more, go to outboundwellness.com

WELCOME DR. BRENNAN

Hood River welcomes Julia Brennan, MD, a fellowship trained facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon and ENT joining Dr. Mendy Maccabee in practice.

Dr. Brennan earned her M.D. with honors from the University of Michigan Medical School before completing residency training in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Afterwards, she completed a fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Northwestern University in Chicago. This advanced training allowed her to refine her skills in both reconstructive and cosmetic procedures under global leaders in the field. She brings expertise in broad spectrum ENT and subspecialty facial plastic surgery. She is particularly excited to join the Columbia River Gorge medical community in providing residents improved access to specialized care here locally.

In addition to general ENT, specific areas of interest include:

• Advanced skin cancer reconstruction techniques

• Inspire surgery for sleep apnea

• Rhinoplasty and other functional breathing surgeries

• Cosmetic and aging face surgeries

• In-office procedures including injectables and resurfacing

Outside of the office, she can be found exploring the local all-season fun–be it hiking, biking, or cross-country/downhill–with her husband, Patrick, and their Australian Shephard, Goose.

Chicken Pot Hand Pies

Recipe & photos by KACIE MCMACKIN

For this recipe, I made cozy, classic chicken pot pie into hand pies using simple store-bought puff pastry — though you could also use a homemade pie crust with less sugar. These are savory, rich, comforting and very adaptable. You could easily adjust with early pr o duce from your garden or the farmers market, like spring onions or baby kale. You could also leave out the chicken, increase the veggies and use vegetable stock to make a vegetarian version.

INGREDIENTS

• Frozen puff pastry

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 cups shre dded chicken)

• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

• 2 cups finely chopped shallots

• 2 cups finely chopped celery

• 2 cups finely chopped carrots

• 12 cremini mushrooms, stems removed, roughly chopped

• 2 cups frozen or fresh peas

• 5 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

• 4 cups chicken stock

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp. dried oregano and thyme

• Pinch of nutmeg

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground pepper

• 1 egg, beaten with a dash of water

• Flake salt

• Fresh parsley, minced

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven 375ºF. Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper and lemon zest. Place on a baking sheet and roast until internal temperature is 185ºF — about 30 minutes. Allow to cool before removing the bones and skin and chopping the meat. (You can also chop up some of the crispy skin and add for extra flavor.) Save the bones for making chicken stock. Heat a large skillet on medium, sauté the onions and shallots until they’re just starting to brown on the edges. Add the garlic, mushrooms, oregano, thyme and nutmeg. Sauté for 7 minutes. Add the carrots and celery. Cook for 12 minutes. Add in the chicken. Season with a bit of salt and freshly ground pepper with each addition.

Stir in the Dijon and butter; once melted sprinkle in the flour and stir for 2 minutes. Add in the chicken stock, stirring to create a gravy, and cook down until it’s quite thick. Add the peas. Taste for seasoning. Turn off the heat and allow to cool a bit while you prepare the pastry. Follow the directions to thaw the puff pastry, roll each sheet out to about 24 x 20 inches and cut into 3 x5 inch rectangles.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.

Scoop a half cup of the filling into the center of one rectangle of pastry, top it with a second rectangle. Use a fork to crimp the edges together. Brush pastry with egg wash. Sprinkle with flake salt. Cut slits into the top of the pie. Repeat with the remaining filling and dough.

Bake for 25 minutes, remove from the oven and transfer the pies to a cooling rack. To serve, sprinkle with a touch more flake salt and fresh parsley.

BACKWOODS BREWING COMPANY

509-427-3412

• backwoodsbrewingcompany.com 1162 Wind River Hwy • Carson

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

Open daily: 11:30am-9pm

DOPPIO COFFEE

541-386-3000 • doppiohoodriver.com

310 Oak Street • Downtown Hood River

Relax on our beautiful patio in the heart of Hood River. Enjoy a hand crafted, in-house roasted espresso drink. Serving breakfast and lunch all day: panini sandwiches, fresh salads, smoothies and fresh baked pastries and goodies. Gluten free options available. Free Wi-Fi and our patio is dog friendly.

GROUND ESPRESSO BAR & CAFE

541-386-4442 • groundhoodriver.com

12 Oak Street • Downtown 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.

BETTER TOGETHER MOBILE TAP TRUCK

bettertogethertaptruck@gmail.com bettertogethertaptruck.com

Dakota and Greg Wilkins serve the Gorge bringing the bar to you with 6 beverage taps on a classic GMC pickup. They are ready to serve your favorite beverage at your event!

Reserving now for 2026

EL PUERTO DE ANGELES III

541-308-0005

1306 12th Street • Hood River, on the Heights We are open and happy to serve you. Authentic Jalisco Cuisine. We provide a safe dining experience. Enjoy good food and good times. Offering daily lunch and dinner specials, served all day. Happy Hour Mon-Fri. Outdoor dining available (weather permitting).

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

IXTAPA FAMILY MEXICAN RESTAURANT

2827 W Cascade Avenue • Hood River • 541-386-1168 810 Cherry Heights • The Dalles • 541-298-1265 299 NW Portage Road • Cascade Locks • 541-392-6872

Authentic, fresh, Mexican food and full bar. Proudly serving the Gorge for over 25 years! Daily lunch and dinner specials. Mexican specialties including fresh seafood and vegetarian entries. Catering available. Open daily. Takeout available. Visit us on Facebook.

BRIDGESIDE

541-374-8477 • bridgesidedining.com

Exit 44 off I-84, Cascade Locks

Stunning views next to the Bridge of the Gods – Bridgeside serves tasty char-broiled burgers plus an extensive menu of breakfast items, sandwiches, chowders, baskets, salads & desserts. Dine-in or takeout. Serving breakfast and lunch with friendly service.

Gift shop • Special event room & terrace

EVERYBODY’S BREWING

509.637.2774 • everybodysbrewing.com

177 E. Jewett Boulevard • Downtown White Salmon

Experience the heart of the Columbia River Gorge! We o er handcrafted beers, diverse dishes, and a welcoming atmosphere. Join us for live music, community events, and a taste of the Pacific Northwest. Cheers to beer for everybody!

Open 7 days a week, 11:30 to close!

THE LITTLE SEVEN SEVEN RANCH HIGHLAND BEEF

509-767-7130 • L77Ranch.com • Lyle, WA

Grass-Fed Highland Beef from our ranch to your home. Known for flavor and tenderness, Highland Beef is higher in protein and iron, lower in fat and cholesterol than conventional beef. The L77 Ranch Shop stocks a full variety of USDA packaged steaks, roasts, ground beef and more. Email for a Local Price List. By appointment only.

PFRIEM FAMILY BREWERS

541-321-0490 • pfriembeer.com

707 Portway Avenue, Suite 101 • Hood River Waterfront

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.

Open Daily | 11am-9pm

RIVERSIDE RESTAURANT & BAR

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

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

SUSHI OKALANI

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

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

"Gorge Sunset" features artist Mark Nilsson’s signature vibrant colors and impressionistic brush strokes. But it represents much more to him because it’s one of the first larger pieces he created after a lengthy recovery from a brain tumor. “It’s artistic interpretation of looking west down the Gorge,” he said. He sometimes paints from photos, but often just from memory — occasionally adding elements that feel right in the scene. “For this one, it’s mostly about the sky so I kept the wildflowers kind of muted,” he said. “I didn’t want anything to compete with the sunset.”

the artist

MARK NILSSON, an artist since childhood, has been living and painting in Hood River for 30 years. As a high school student in Sherman County, he had his first art show in The Dalles when he was 16. He moved out of the area, living overseas and in California before landing in Hood River in 1996. It was supposed to be temporary, but commissioned artwork at Full Sail Brewing and elsewhere led to more work, and he stayed. His colorful acrylic paintings of Gorge scenes have graced public and private spaces ever since. Last spring, odd symptoms sent him to the hospital where doctors discovered a large brain tumor. It was benign, but after surgery and two weeks in the hospital, recovery was slow. Early attempts at painting left him exhausted. Finally last fall, he completed some small paintings, then turned to larger works. “They really started flowing,” he said. He still gets tired sometimes, but continues to feel better. “I’m just glad to be painting again.” @artistmarknilsson on Instagram

– Jake W.