Forever on Our Mind: Ask Me Anything!
Answering your questions about great campsites in SW Oregon, my essential outdoor gear, upcoming travels, and more!
The AMA! It’s Here! Now!
Earlier this month, I mentioned that I’d be on the road—and unable to spend much time perfecting this week’s essay. I sent out an email and posted on Instagram to see if anyone had any questions for an Ask me Anything (AMA); learn about AMAs if you’re new to the format.
You all came through with some great questions! So in no particular order, here are your questions—and my answers.
What's a cool section of the Pacific Crest Trail to hike in Oregon?
I’ve only ever done day hikes along the Pacific Crest Trail, but I’d love to backpack the section between Timberline Lodge and Cascade Locks one day.
You start on the slopes of Oregon’s tallest peak, make a quick side trip to Ramona Falls, savor up-close views of Mount Hood, enjoy a second waterfall side trip (this time to Dry Creek Falls, which tumbles in an amphitheater of columnar basalt), and end on the Bridge of the Gods—which spans the Columbia River in the community of Cascade Locks.
Of course, the best thing about hiking is going for post-hike ice cream—and the massive soft-serve cones at the historic Eastwind Drive-In have never steered me wrong.
How did you get started, and were you always a writer?
I love answering this question—but I’ll try to keep it brief for now. (We have a lot of great questions to get through!)
Growing up, I loved writing and always did well in English class—but I never imagined I could make a living with words. I turned my attention to computers in high school and even briefly attended a tech school after graduating.
My first girlfriend broke up with me just a few weeks after high school ended—and just a few weeks after our relationship began. Ever the moody teen, I wrote a heartfelt essay about my feelings and shared that with a friend who read it and asked why I wasn’t a writer.
Right then and there, I decided to become a writer. Computers could go straight to hell. (This attitude lasted all of 10 minutes—or roughly as long as it took me to realize that I’d need computers to actually write.)
I took as many writing classes as I could in college and hopscotched around different companies and fields in the 12 years after graduating—copywriting, journalism, social media, and communications.
I started writing occasionally about the Portland outdoors for a now-defunct website in 2014, found travel writing the following year, quickly fell in love with the chance to write excitedly about the people I admired and the places I loved, left my last full-time job in April 2017, and am proud to say I make my living entirely as a Pacific Northwest travel writer today!
One day, I may come back to this and answer it more fully! But this newsletter is already at about 1,700 words—and I feel like I could write at least double that about my strange and winding path to this point!
Best camping in Southwest Oregon?
For the sake of this question, we're going to define the region as the Oregon Coast east to Ashland—and Roseburg south to the state line.
Mount Ashland Campground: It’s very primitive, but it sits on the south-facing slopes of its namesake peak and is surrounded by a forest of mountain hemlock, fir, and pine. It offers easy access to a stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail that I couldn’t adore more—with views of Mount Shasta to the south and meadows covered in wildflowers every spring.
Hyatt Lake Recreation Area: This campground sits on the shore of its namesake reservoir and within the bounds of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, where two mountain ranges come together. I love the forested setting and easy access to the gorgeous Soda Mountain hike.
Harris Beach State Park: I camped in a yurt in this campground just outside of Brookings, and I loved the experience—the close proximity to the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor and other fun hikes, the sea stacks just offshore from the park, and how quiet it all felt (even though Highway 101 was pretty close).
Do you have any suggestions for cat-friendly travels?
I’m going to be honest: This one stumped me! I know a lot of hotels welcome pets, but that always seems to be specifically for dogs!
I’m sorry, Otis and Pachinko! I wish I had better news! I guess my lap is a very cat-friendly place you can travel to when I come over to watch movies and play Mario Kart?
What are your travel plans? Where ya headed?
More like: Where am I not headed? Here’s a sampling of what’s coming up over the next few months:
I’m traveling to Eastern Oregon, Central Oregon, and Southern Oregon to research the updated edition of Moon Oregon!
I’m going to Dallas, Texas, to see a ton of professional wrestling—capped off by All Elite Wrestling’s All In PPV!
I’m getting my first tattoo in Astoria!
Some friends and I are putting on a book fair inside a shipping container in Bellingham!
I’m sampling some outstanding craft beer in British Columbia!
I’m going to visit four national parks in California—and maybe two in Colorado???
In October, I will fly wherever I must to see the Seattle Mariners win the World Series. This is our year!
I’d love to take a short “hike” around Bend that wouldn’t aggravate my hip tendon issue (so limited slanted paths and not a lot of fallen trees or rocks to climb over). Any ideas?
Might I suggest stitching together a hike through the Oregon Badlands Wilderness Area?
You’re hiking atop an 80,000-year-old shield volcano, and the “sand” you’re walking through was actually deposited by the eruption of Mount Mazama roughly 7,700 years ago. The paths are all wide, sandy, and mostly flat—and you won’t have any downed trees, angular roots, or real rocks to contend with. Keep an eye out for raptors soaring overhead, and take time to appreciate the old-growth juniper trees (some of which are more than 1,000 years old).
I’d suggest the Ancient Juniper Loop hike, which is about three miles round-trip with roughly 120 feet of mellow and only occasional elevation gain. Watch for rattlesnakes, bring plenty of water, and wear sunscreen! There’s very little shade!
I'd love to read about (and see pics of) your favorite outdoor gear.
I’m afraid I don’t have many great photos of my favorite outdoor gear, but I’m happy to share some of what I love!
Shoes: I have long sworn by the Merrell Moab 3 Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots (also available in women’s sizes). I can’t recommend this for everyone—we all have different feet and different needs—but I love the Moab 3’s durability, support, relative water resistance, and all-around comfort!
Day pack: I love my REI Co-op Trail 25 Pack! It has plenty of pockets, is super durable, and offers enough storage for my needs.
Anything from Columbia Sportswear: I may one day devote an entire essay to Columbia Sportswear. I’m a big and tall outdoor enthusiast, and Columbia helps me feel so comfortable with its big-and-tall gear: snow pants, Dry-Fit shirts, rain jackets, fleece jackets, comfortable hoodies, flannel shirts, you name it. As long as I can get outdoors, I will wear Columbia Sportswear.
My phone: It’s not cool to get excited about a cell phone! But my iPhone’s mapping software keeps me from getting lost, apps help me understand what I’m seeing while stargazing or gazing at nearby mountain peaks, the Voice Memos app lets me record quick notes to myself while conducting research, the camera is invaluable—I could go on. I love my iPhone 16 Pro Max, and it comes in handy on almost every outdoor adventure.
Please rank your five favorite family hikes in Portland, the near Gorge and the Willamette Valley.
I have such a hard time ranking “favorite” anythings, so how about five memorable hikes? In no particular order …
Choose among a variety of hikes and loops at Tryon Creek State Natural Area, which heads through a verdant forest and springtime wildflower displays in Portland.
The Lower Macleay Trail is about two miles round-trip and is pretty close to downtown Portland. Elevation gain is only occasional and gradual, native trout live in Balch Creek along the trail, and the Witches House—an old stone restroom covered in graffiti—is a hit with kids of all ages.
The trails at Oxbow Regional Park can be done without a ton of elevation gain and offer a lot to love—lush forests, gentle grades, views of the Sandy River, and tons of wildlife (including foxes and beavers).
Hiking Eagle Creek to Punch Bowl Falls is always a treat—with a regrowing forest along the way and a fascinating waterfall at the four-mile mark. The 500-foot elevation gain is always gentle, but there are some relatively tight spots and narrow stretches of trail where you’re hanging onto a cable that’s fastened to the side of the cliff.
Roughly two miles of trails at McDowell Creek Falls County Park head past two waterfalls and some smaller cascades that are impressive in late winter and early spring. In autumn, big-leaf and vine maple turn brilliant hues of red, orange, and yellow.
Thanks for all the great questions! I’ll see you next week with a brand-new essay!
Take care,
Matt
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