Did you know that the Owyhee Canyonlands is home to a living cultural richness for the Paiute, Shoshone and Bannock Tribes, with a history dating back at least 13,000 years? This is just one of many amazing facts you’ll learn when you check out a new story map published by Conservation Lands Foundation, Friends of the Owyhee and Oregon Natural Desert Association. 

Beginning in present-day Oregon, the story map will take you on a journey through the region’s rich geological and cultural history, going back millions of years and across millions of acres. As you scroll, you’ll read about the Owyhee’s wide variety of geological features – from domes to hoodoos – as well as the fish and wildlife that have adapted to living in this unique landscape. 

To catch a glimpse into the region’s timeless wonders and meet the people working to protect it, check out “Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands: One-of-a-kind and millions of years in the making.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

December 15, 2020

Contact: Colin Cochran, 503-464-6011, ccochran@hilltoppublicsolutions.com

Over 30 breweries across Oregon are calling on Congress to use the final weeks of the year to pass the Malheur Community Empowerment for Owyhee Act (S. 2828). This bill, brought together through a collaborative, community-driven process that included ranchers, conservationists, recreationist, and businesses, would protect the most important ecological, cultural, and recreational public lands in Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands and provide economic development opportunities to Malheur County’s rural communities at a time when it is needed most.

“We live and brew in Oregon because of the beautiful landscapes here, our rivers and public lands that are here for all to enjoy,” said Alex Beard, co-owner of Sasquatch Brewing Co. “These special places like the Owyhee Canyonlands make Oregon the great state we know and love, and safeguarding these lands and waters is critical to our economy, health, and communities.” 

The effort to preserve the Owyhee Canyonlands has been going for decades. Due to conservation legislation stalling in Congress, local advocates urged the Obama administration to designate the region as a national monument. Now, in the final days of the 116^th Congress and the Trump administration, stakeholders believe there is a critical opportunity to preserve the area through legislation.

According to the Oregon Brewers Guild, the Oregon brewing industry supports more than 31,000 jobs directly and indirectly and contributes $4.49 billion to the state’s economy each year. In turn, Oregon craft brewing companies give back to their communities, donating millions of dollars to Oregon-based causes, and adding to the critical tourism industry that drives the economy of our state.

Mike Frederick, brew master at Chetco Brewing Company added, “Protecting public lands and rivers like the Owyhee Canyonlands is common sense – our customers and our employees come to Oregon for the great outdoors adventures, and they stay for the beer. We are proud to live and work in Oregon, and hope Congress will continue to protect special places like the Owyhee for future generations.”

The letter states, “We are at a crossroads. The wildness of the Owyhee has preserved it for generations, but its remoteness will no longer protect it: development pressure and impacts are coming. We respectfully ask you to have the foresight to permanently protect this special place for all Oregonians, now and into the future.

“We thank you for your strong effort in protecting Oregon’s most important public lands and waters, and we look forward to working with you to do the same in the Owyhee Canyonlands. We’re confident that together we can safeguard the Owyhee and keep Oregon healthy and thriving for our communities today and for future generations.”

Read on to see why breweries are urging our elected leaders to act quickly on this important legislation.

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Three hours into our drive in Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands, the AC quit working and I had a sinking feeling I’d forgotten my hiking boots – but there was no time to worry about any of that. Giant, ominous smoke clouds were growing ever-larger on the horizon. The Soda Fire – which would be one of 2015’s most devastating wildfires, ultimately burning 280,000 acres in southwest Idaho and southeast Oregon – was threatening to close the roads that would converge in the small town of Jordan Valley (pop. 175) and lead us on to the Three Forks region where we had work to do.

Exploring the North Fork Owyhee River. Photo: C. Harlan

On this hot August day thick with wildfire smoke, I was barreling down Highway 95 with my twin sister sitting shotgun. We had two short days and an audacious mission: meet the KEEN “Live Monumental” film crew in Oregon’s desert, guide them through a small but incredible sample of the Owyhee’s many wonders, capture footage, and shine a light on one of America’s wildest places – one in dire need of protection.

As we pulled into Jordan Valley’s only gas station, we were greeted with the sight of KEEN’s neon-yellow 1970s RV – and the news that the highway had closed behind them, just minutes after they puttered through. The fire was headed in the opposite direction of Three Forks. We could continue on with our mission, though a pervasive and relentless concern about the wildfire’s size and still-unknown impacts would infuse the rest of the trip.

And then we left the pavement, knowing that anything that happened from here was a gift – an adventure unfolding through a modicum of planning and a lot of pure luck that tipped a razor-thin margin of success in our favor.

Trying to capture some Owyhee magic. Photo: C. Harlan

Every moment was sweeter because we all knew it was so close to not happening at all. We reveled in the Owyhee’s wild magic. We splashed up the North Fork Owyhee River, scrambling, picnicking and snoozing on sun-warmed rocks. We roamed across the vast, rolling uplands and drank in the spicy, sage-scented air. All while tackling the formidable challenge of capturing the indelible nature of this wild, remote place in words and on film.

As evening rolled around, we’d decided that a visit to Three Forks Warm Spring would be the perfect finale. Of course, I could take us there. Though I’d been there just once before, a year prior, in broad daylight, I was undeterred. We mashed eight people into my rig and set out on a typical, god-awful horrible Owyhee “road.” The hard-to-find and harder-to-see path clung to side of a steep cliff as we crawled along. Everything seemed to take twice as long as it should have and looked only vaguely familiar. I could feel the groups’ dubiousness building. I could feel my own self-doubt trying to wheedle its way in. Where, exactly, was I taking them? What if I couldn’t find this place? Should we turn around?

Starry night skies in Oregon’s Owyhee. Photo: T. Fisher

At last we reached a place to stop. We descended the steep bank to the river, then waded through thigh-high waters and reached…the rope. Yes, we all ascended to the hot spring, most of us in flip flops, via rope. Precarious? Yes. Glorious? Absolutely. Unbeknownst to any of us, it happened to be a peak night for viewing the Perseid meteor shower. As we all stared up at that vast, dark night sky, one of the largest shooting stars I’d ever seen streaked directly above our heads. In unison we cried, “Whhhhoooooooaaaaaa!!!!” After this shared, impromptu primal call, a deep, comfortable silence settled in as we all contemplated the moment, this place, our journey, our world. Eventually, we toweled off and headed back.

High on the Owyhee, we set our sights on home. Because it was almost our birthday and we’re goofy Leos who love to karaoke, my sister and I belted out the lyrics to the Lumineers ‘Stubborn Love’ on repeat on the long drive back.

“When we were young
Oh oh, we did enough
When it got cold
Ooh ooh, we bundled up
I can’t be told
Ah ah it can’t be done”

Indeed.  This trip taught me how to find a hot spring in the dark: Visit first during daylight hours, bring good shoes, a headlamp and a towel, and for god’s sake, leave no trace. But, of course, this dark-of-night hot spring seeking escapade taught me so much more.

If you ever doubt yourself or feel out of your depth, out of your comfort zone, or not well equipped to tackle the formidable challenges ahead, remember: Sometimes, against all odds and by the thinnest of margins, things work out. Even in the dark we can forge a path ahead.

This piece originally appeared on Oregon Natural Desert Association’s blog: onda.org/about-us/blog 

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By engaging U.S veterans as mentors for inner city youth through fishing and camping, all experience the healing power of nature. And together, they form an enduring love for our public lands, waters and wildlife. McKenna Erickson, Sofina Gilbert and Andre Tharp were part of a group that recently journeyed to the Owyhee with Soul River Inc. Here, in their own words, they share what their Owyhee adventure meant to them.

Chad Brown in Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands. Photo: C. Brown

“This year, Soul River Inc. deployed youth and veterans to Oregon’s pristine and surreal Owyhee Canyonlands, a treasure that is still unknown to many. It’s remote, wild, deep dark night skies, red rock canyons, blue-ribbon brown trout streams and untouched land boasts natural conditions that have prevailed for generations. Soul River Inc. considers it our role to honor this land’s past, experience this land in the present, and protect it for the future. We brought together the young, curious minds of inner-city youth and the wise, spirited minds of veterans to experience this vast landscape together and forge mentorships that can last a lifetime. Participants explored and came to know this uncharted desert ecosystem through fly fishing, camping and hiking, while also building leadership skills, learning how to advocate for places and issues we care about, and the importance of protecting our shared public lands.”
~Chad Brown, Founder and President, Soul River Inc.

“It is so tranquil and healing to experience nature like the Owyhee Canyonlands. I am so grateful to be able to be here right now. Everyone could find something to do here. This is a great area for bird watching, photography, fishing, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, camping, hiking, climbing, boating, relaxing…the list goes on and on. The more people who spend time here, the more people there are who care. I encourage you to experience this place in all its glory, too.”
~ McKenna Erickson, 19, Portland, Ore.

“What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word “desert”? Possibly something along the lines of scorching, desolate, nothingness. However, I can tell you first hand that the Owyhee Canyonlands are nothing of the sort. In the spot I’m currently sitting, there is a marriage of different sounds. Running water trickling down the stream, wind blowing gracefully though the leaves, all kinds of birds singing their songs, and the occasional buzzing of wings in your ear. You’re able to view a vast section of the sky all at once. And not only can you see a ton of stars, shooting stars, planets, and roaming satellites, but it even gets dark enough to see the clouds of the milky way, our galaxy. The Owyhee – the grand, high-rising rock formations that surround you – needs to be protected. Because once it’s gone, we can never get it back.”
~Sofina Gilbert, Portland, Ore.

“The Owyhee – where you can hear birds, the leaves rustling in the wind, and the river flowing. Imagine looking around and seeing only the vast rock structures along with the trees surrounding you. Imagine falling asleep looking at the star-filled sky and waking up to butterflies floating over a family of wild turkey crossing the road next to you. This place is the Owyhee.”
~Andre Tharp, Portland, Ore.

All blog photos: Chad Brown

The post Oregon’s Owyhee touches hearts, minds of veterans and urban youth appeared first on Owyhee Canyonlands.

Owyhee petroglyphs. Photo: G. Burke

Cutting through benches of the Owyhee Canyonlands formed by volcanic activity and erosion in the remote and primitive environment of southeastern Oregon, the Owyhee river has served as an oasis for visitors and wildlife since prehistoric times. Tribes have inhabited and used the Owyhee for millennia and archaeologists have recorded hundreds of sites with cultural importance in the region.

Golden eagle. Photo: D. Holloway

Today, the Owyhee Canyonlands are home to over 200 species of wildlife, including a variety of raptors. Swainson’s, ferruginous, red-tailed and sharp-shinned hawks, as well as American kestrels, northern harriers, prairie falcon and golden eagles are abundant year-round while bald eagles generally spend winter months in the canyons. Songbirds, mourning doves, chukar partridge, California quail and even the greater sage-grouse are drawn to the mixed sagebrush along the upland banks of the river.

Mammals range in size from California bighorn sheep, mule deer, prong horn antelopes, bobcats and cougars to smaller coyotes, badgers, otters, raccoons, porcupines, and jack and cotton-tail rabbits. The presence of these species and others keep the Owyhee River wild and scenic and now draw in visitors who want to behold them and their majestic home.

The wild and scenic Owyhee River. Photo: D. Stone

Visiting the Owyhee River offers outstanding recreation all around. Photography, rafting, kayaking, hiking, nature study, fishing and camping are just some of your options. The area is scenic, wild and remote, offering white waters and serene calmer pools, mysterious side canyons and towering spires.

Some more of the nitty-gritty details: 120 miles of the Owyhee River were designated under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act on October 19, 1984, followed by designations for 57.6 miles of the West Little Owyhee and 9.6 miles of the North Fork Owyhee on October 28, 1988. The headwaters of the Owyhee River are found in Elko County in northeastern Nevada. The Owyhee flows north along the east side of the Independence Mountains before it proceeds through southwestern Idaho where it is joined by the South Fork of the Owyhee River before reaching Oregon. The West Little Owyhee River is a tributary of the Owyhee River. The source of the river is at an elevation of 6,508 feet near the Nevada-Oregon border by the community of McDermitt, Nevada. Approximately 57 miles in length, the river flows east by Deer Flat and into Louse Canyon. Near a prominent feature known as Twin Buttes, it turns sharply north as it cuts through the Owyhee Desert, making its way to the Owyhee River. The North Fork of the Owyhee River is a tributary of the Owyhee River and is located in Malheur County, Oregon, and Owyhee County, Idaho. Its source is on the east flank of the Owyhee Mountains in Idaho, and it flows southwest to meet the main stem Owyhee at Three Forks, Oregon. The North Fork flows through a deep canyon rimmed with basalt.

Rafting the Owyhee River. Photo: C. Case

Watch for more Wild and Scenic River facts as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of this important act throughout 2018. And, come out to experience, discover and help protect our wild and scenic Owyhee River this year and every year!

The post Get to know our Owyhee River appeared first on Owyhee Canyonlands.

The adventure begins. Photo: C. McEnry

The gray dust around my GMC Safari settles to the ground as I step out into the August heat of Southeastern Oregon. The smell of warm sagebrush fills the air. 20 seconds ago, I was driving down a desert dirt road in a van filled with five fellow adventure seekers, road-trippin’ jams and cold AC. Now, I’m changing a very flat tire. As we swap out the shredded piece of rubber, we decide that the best course of action is to begin our Owyhee adventure immediately. And so our packrafting trip starts with an unexpected seven-mile cross country hike in the soft glow of the desert evening.

We’re traveling in the Owyhee Canyonlands—a two million acre tract of land that lives up to its reputation as the “largest unprotected wilderness in the United States”. Even in 2018, with public lands visitation rapidly growing, parts of the Owyhee region are still largely unexplored and untouched.

Taking in the Owyhee Canyon. Photo: A. Owens-Baird

Over the next 12 days, we’ll paddle 130 miles via packraft from the confluence of the West Little Owyhee and Main stem Owyhee rivers to Leslie Gulch on the banks of Lake Owyhee. Our first night we sleep next to the North Fork of the Owyhee river, surrounded by dramatic rock spires and the vast, wild sagebrush sea. The following day we trek ten miles and 1,000 feet up and over a sagebrush plateau. Our map shows an old trail leading to the river – but when we reach the so-called ‘trail’, we’re met with a steep, loose cattle path. Our enthusiasm for taking off our heavy packs and floating down the river grows as the sun glares overhead. We inflate our packrafts and launch that very afternoon.

Hotsprings and laughs along the way. Photo: C. McEnry

We made our way down river with a steady flow of 150 cfs. We stop and soak in the warm springs near Three Forks complete with cascading waterfalls of clear water into deep pools. We spend our evenings underneath the clearest night skies in America and pass our afternoons staring in awe at the towering canyon walls. We portage Half Mile rapid and most of Widowmaker rapid before arriving at Rome Station for giant milkshakes and conversations with friendly locals.

Rome marks the halfway point of our trip. With no portages on the Lower Section of the Owyhee, we just relax and take it all in. The next week on the water is filled with fun Class II rapids scattered between calm sections of flatwater. A few windstorms keep things interesting. With nobody else paddling, we have our pick of sandy beaches and tranquil hot springs.

We reach Leslie Gulch on day thirteen, exchange hugs and high fives, and take a long celebratory swim. As we drive home, our heads are left spinning, dreaming, and planning our next Owyhee adventure. With over 1 million acres of Wilderness quality lands, the inspiration and recreation options are endless.

Falling in love with the Owyhee. Photo: C. McEnry

The good fortune of remoteness has preserved the Owyhee thus far, but development pressure – particularly the potential for mining and natural gas exploration – continues to close in on this place. As an advocate for wild places and public lands, I view untrammeled lands and waterways like the Owyhee as a necessary resource for our minds, bodies, and souls. I feel grateful and privileged for the opportunity to visit the wild Owyhee and I hope it is protected so future generations can have the same experiences here that I cherish.

What can you to do help ensure this wild place stays the way it is? See it for yourself and discover how amazing and unique it is. But don’t stop there. Support organizations like the Oregon Natural Desert Association who are working to protect this landscape. Or sign this petition calling on Oregon’s Senators to protect Oregon’s Owyhee. Let’s all do our part to safeguard this high desert treasure that belongs to all of us.

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Julie rides her horse in Owyhee. Photo: Dan Holz

The Owyhee began calling me from an early age. Growing up in the northern Nevada town of Winnemucca, a part of my heritage was an oft told tale about the bank robbery of Sept 1900 in which The Sundance Kid, with a couple of pals, made off with $32,640, not an insignificant sum in those days. But, for me, the intriguing part was how the posse pursuing them turned back when their trail left the Humboldt River and turned north into the Owyhee. What was this place that guaranteed escape? Forty five years of intermittent forays into that vast landscape has only served to broaden that question.

“The Owyhee” as I mean the phrase is not just the Oregon part but the entire Oregon/Idaho/Nevada drainage. It’s big country, some ten million acres of forbidding lands drained by a mystical system of desert gouges. It’s country that invites horseback scale investigation. My granddad said, “A horse is not worth having if it can’t trot from sunup to sundown.” I would add, “There’s no point in having such a horse if you don’t have a place where it can do that.” The Owyhee is just such a place.

Owyhee view from horseback. Photo: Julie Weikel

And the Owyhee tests a horse even more than a rider. Lava tears up the toughest of hooves, and it takes a lot of “bottom” to face headwind hailstones and searing heat, usually both in the same day. I’ve been blessed with knowing a couple of horses with that kind of “bottom,” and we’ve shared parts of the Owyhee. Over a couple of three day stretches I rode from just south of Juntura, Oregon along the west side of the main Owyhee River canyon to the Nevada border. It’s a distance of well over a hundred miles as the crow flies, but I’ve no idea how many miles it takes to navigate the lava chasms that obstruct the paths down on the ground.

There’s plenty to see out there, hidden from those who fly by at 80 miles per hour. There are a lot of antelope, sneaky coyotes, grandiose birds of prey, and plenty of “tweeties” flitting around in the brush. Ah, the brush, the pungent assault. Sometimes more dust than aroma, but always discernible. There is no commercial perfume or seductive bloom that comes close to the powerful combination of horse sweat, sagebrush, and saddle leather. Feral horses sometimes provide a good horizon vista or a big cloud of dust. Occasionally, they will even approach and challenge. That’s good for an adrenaline rush and provides the opportunity to respect how competent these critters are in such a harsh environment, even if they are an invasive species.

Julie walks her horse near Three Forks. Photo: Dan Holz

Of course, there are lots of domestic cattle to watch. If one is so inclined, one can even choose to observe how they are using and changing the landscape, whether the rangeland standards and guidelines are being met, and speculate on the culture and values of a society that has deemed this a good use of this natural resource. There are occasional livestock carcasses, and, depending on the state of decay, one can speculate on just how the desert won that battle.

Always, when my gaze returns to the horizon, while the horse’s gait eats up the miles, my soul drinks long and deep. There are few places left for this kind of drinking, but, for now, the Owyhee is big enough.

The post Owyhee Beckoning appeared first on Owyhee Canyonlands.

As an Oregonian, our public lands represent our Northwest way of life. As a brewer, these lands and waters form the bedrock of our industry. The waterways in the Northwest are vital to quality beer. Water is essentially the soul of our product. As brewers, we find it important to safeguard our waterways to protect the life source of our beer.

As a team, we took a trip to the Owyhee Canyonlands, and still years later we are moved by our experience. While remote and rugged, we would recommend to anyone seeking adventure to go and experience the Owyhee Canyonlands—especially our fellow Oregonians. There’s something very majestic about it that you don’t really get it until you go and be a part of it. The environment is quite humbling, the expansiveness of it, and it seems desolate and never ending, but there’s really a lot of life to it. After our visit, we strongly feel that the Owyhee deserves to remain as it is—pristine and accessible to all of us.

The most important thing about protecting the Owyhee and Oregon’s public lands is that future generations get to be a part of it. If our kids and grandkids get to experience even a glimpse of what we experienced during our trip, we’ve done our job.

We believe that it’s important to preserve the Owyhee Canyonlands for all to enjoy, rather than putting that landscape in jeopardy for a few to profit. Losing access to the Owyhee and other public lands in Oregon would be a travesty. These places belong to all of us—and fuel our way of life.

As brewery professionals and people who have experienced these lands first-hand, we support Senators Wyden and Merkley in continuing their strong work to protect the Owyhee.

Mike Barnes, Co-Owner, & the Migration Brewing Company team

All images: Migration Brewing Co.

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Base Camp Brewing crew visits the Owyhee. Photo: G. Klco

Over two dozen Oregon craft beer brewers from around the state have joined together to call for the permanent protection of the Owyhee Canyonlands. Ross Putnam, cofounder of Base Camp Brewing Company, shares why his brewery got involved and why it’s important to protect the Owyhee, now.

In the fall of 2015, we packed up our trucks and make the trip to the remote and rugged Owyhee Canyonlands. Thanks to our friends at ONDA and Northwest Rafting Company, this trip sparked not only our spirit of adventure, but a special location series beer, the Owyhee Canyonlands Wild Ale — and a passion to protect this landscape for all of us.

Simply put: It’d be a tragedy if we weren’t able to pass down this pristine and wild place to our future generations. Having now traveled back to Eastern Oregon and the Owyhee several times, I can vouch that there is no place in Oregon where you can find the solitude that you find in these canyonlands.

My passion for the Owyhee is not just as an adventurer, but as a member of a brewery and business. One of the reasons we have so many great breweries here in Oregon is because of our unfettered access to public lands and pristine water. Clean, fresh water is the most vital ingredient to our beer — and it’s the same for all other breweries. As brewers and business leaders, our success is inextricably linked to the health of our environment and protecting our public lands and waters is a part of the job.

Ross Putnam, Base Camp Brewing Company. Photo: G. Klco

I’m proud to join with dozens of other Oregon brewers in urging Senators Wyden and Merkley to continue their strong work in protecting the Owyhee Canyonlands. Now more than ever, we have to protect our special wild places — and that starts in our own backyard. The Owyhee is one of the largest conservation opportunities left in the lower 48, and it’s ours to protect.

Moving forward, it is incredibly important for us to keep these connections between what we do here at the brewery and these incredible places, like the Owyhee. It is time to permanently protect the Owyhee, not only for us, but also our future generations.

Read the full brewery letter below.

Ross Putnam is the co-founder of Base Camp Brewing Company.

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Richard Brandt works at his wheel.

As the hot desert wind raced by me in a steep, unnamed draw in the Owyhee, my mind ached for shade, my throat demanded more water and my brain just kept kicking around the same tired, annoying thought: It. Is. So. Damn. Hot.

And then like the cool balm of aloe on a sunburn, I heard it. A musical, descending cascade of liquid notes. The Canyon Wren.And my mind and body exhaled. As an artist and teacher, I’ve spent a lifetime exploring eastern Oregon and the Owyhee Canyonlands. Experiences like the one with the Canyon Wren are always unexpected – and continually inspire my work and renew my spirit. One of the things that draws me here is the amazing depth of the silence. The silence is so complete sometimes that it’s like a presence that surrounds you. Then when the Canyon Wren calls it almost appears in the air giving a new  dimension to the space. Like a color that’s swallowed back up by the silence before it becomes visible.

Owyhee colors & shapes are highlighted in Richard Brandt’s work.

This is a place where creative musing and inventive opportunity abound. From its otherworldly color palette of oranges, pinks, greens and browns to the unique flora and fauna (over 28 species are found nowhere else on Earth!), hidden canyons and precious rivers, to its rich cultural history and mysterious petroglyphs, to the profound solitude and enduring quiet in which you can truly observe and connect with the wonders of the world around you…this place is truly an artist’s dream.

Indeed, fellow professional and aspiring artists have used a variety of mediums in an effort to capture the essence of this place: silk screening, painting, sketching, poetry, photography and videography to name a few. For me, it’s been ceramics, photography, and video.

As a ceramicist I work to understand the forces of my body and of heat on clay and the raw materials of the Earth. I push, slice, cut and fold the clay in a way that, perhaps, mirrors geologic forces forming our planet. Sometimes I am so inspired by an arrangement of giant boulders or the wind worn caves pocking a cliff face that I try to replicate them in my work. Not just the textures and design of them but also the powerful line and kinetic energy which created them. My best work is done when I feel I have lived the forces of the place while making my pieces. This is absolutely experiential. Without this specific place to interact with my work would be nothing…could not be made…because it comes through my interaction with the place not my imagination. What I do is not mine. It is co-created. The Owyhee is my collaborator. With it’s rare living spectrum of colors, aromas, sounds, and vibrations it is an essential being in my creative process.

The Owyhee light is often the main feature in my work. Sometimes the sunlight crashes down like a solid block vanquishing all shadow. But sometimes it skiffs pastel glances down the canyon walls while the last rays of sunset catch in the yellow tips of rabbitbrush – in this video it is a kaleidoscopic dance of water, rock and wind.

This piece highlights deep, earthen colors.

My students have also found this same powerful quality of silent beauty here. They’ve also found quite individualized “lessons” for themselves reflected in their experiences of this place. Each recognizing an aspect to their own unique creative process that they needed and value. I tell them, “The limitless vastness of the desert sky is like the true nature of your mind. To be in the desert is to taste, in reality, the fertile ground for truly original ideas.”

Places like the Owyhee are rare. They’re spiritual. They’re sacred. They speak to our souls in ways that can’t be fully expressed in words, paint or film. And yet, we try. Because we can’t afford to lose places like this. Because by attempting to capture and share some small part of the wonder of this place, we may get one more person to fall in love with it, cherish it and ultimately, want to ensure it stays just the way that is: Free, wild and awe-inspiring.

Yes, we need the Owyhee. But the Owyhee also needs us. Its wild lands, waters and wildlife need voices to speak up and protect them from mining and oil and gas development; from pollution, noise and fragmentation; from destruction. So as an artist indelibly touched by the Owyhee and a teacher of future generations, I urge my fellow community members and Oregonians to join me in the effort to get this place the protection it has so long deserved. The Owyhee’s inspiration is abundant, timeless, endless – so long as it is protected by the people who care for and are inspired by this special part of Oregon. People like me.

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