The Migration Weekly Ep.02: Is Oregon Really This Amazing?
This past week on The Migration has been a BLAST! We hiked one of the most beautiful waterfall hikes I have ever seen, conquered new bouldering sets we found, and got back on one of the local’s favorite mountain bike trails! And, of course, we had to do another cold plunge for redemption! With Spring weather arriving and snow melting, adventures that have been hidden beneath the snow are returning. Check out the video below for the adventure and hopefully you find some fresh inspiration for planning your summer adventures out!
Hiking and Photography:
We explored the beautiful McKenzie River just outside of Sisters, Oregon. Not only is the trail stunning, but the drive in boasts some incredible views of the surrounding mountains and lakes. This hike is a must see if you are visiting. Bathrooms in the parking lot, trail is well maintained and easy to hike, and the first waterfall is just feet away from the parking lot! As a photographer, you will quickly discover the common but stunning shots of the various falls and also easily spot epic shots of your own. The opportunity here is plentiful! Here are some of the photos I captured during the adventure! *Pro tip: ND filter, polarizer, and tripod are pieces of equipment you won’t want to forget for this! Check the links at the end of this article for the equipment I actively use and recommend!
As the hike closed out, we found a crystal clear pool of water just above the falls that seemed perfect for a cold plunge. This was Claire’s first and my shot at redemption. Claire enjoyed it and I feel better about my performance in this one! The water was FREEZING! According to a quick google search the water temp was about 40 degrees Fahrenheit!
To wrap the day off, we got SO LUCKY to spot a herd of Elk grazing in the most picturesque field! We quickly pulled over (fortunate to have a very wide shoulder) and captured some stunning shots under golden light of these majestic creatures. Enjoy!
Rock Climbing (Bouldering):
Bouldering is a rather new hobby for us. But it has been a blast to get into and is rapidly becoming a favorite activity! Make sure to pick up your copy of “Central Oregon Bouldering Second Edition” if you plan to be bouldering here. It really is a massive help!
We are currently only climbing in the V0 to V2 realm when it comes to outdoor bouldering. If you are familiar with indoor bouldering let me help put that into perspective. I have recently started climbing the V5 level indoors fairly consistently. A V2 outdoors feels like the same level of difficulty as a V5 indoors to me at the moment. Of course, there are many factors that play into that such as the type of rock. I do think the mental aspect of climbing outdoors plays a significant role into how difficult a climb feels. Outdoors, there is less padding o fall on, risk of the rock physically breaking, and perceptively the climbs feel taller. BUT, this is what makes it so fun, challenging, and unique. It’s addicting! Widgi Creek has become one of our favorite destinations to climb at in Bend. there are so many climbs and types of climbs in the area, especially for beginners.
Mountain Biking:
I have made a few videos on this trail, but it just continues to be fun! Lower Whoops is a local favorite trail. It has a very easy and mildly graded climb up a dirt road access followed by a descent that is as fun and difficult as you make it. It’s the type of trail that a person who's never biked before and a person who has been biking for 15 years will enjoy. It’s perfect for progression. In fact, I have built quite a bit of jumping confidence because of this trail! As a trail dog owner, it is likely to run into other trail dog owners, which is always a blast!
In Closing:
It was a great week! There is so much to explore in Oregon, and I hope you are gaining inspiration for your own adventures here! Make sure to hit the Instagram and YouTube links to be following along for our upcoming cross country road trip and Claire’s Birthday Bash ride! There are some incredible experiences coming to The Migration you won’t want to miss!
Be sure to drop some comments on the video if you enjoyed it, thoughts on all the photos, or if you have any adventure ideas you want to see me do!
Be Sure to Like and Subscribe to my YouTube Channel and be sure to hit the bell icon to get alerts of new posts!
See you next week!
Cheers!
GEAR IN THIS EPISODE!
Photography Equipment:
Camera- Sony a7rii
Action Camera- GoPro Hero 9 Black
Action Camera- Insta360 X4
Lens- Tamron 17-28 f/2.8 Di III RXD
Lens- Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Zoom Lens
Lens Accesory- Breakthrough Photography X2 CPL Circular Polarizer- 67mm for Tamron Lenses mentioned above
Camera Bag- Shimoda Action X30
Tripod- Leofoto LS-324CEX Carbon Fiber CF 4(my exact model does not appear to be for sale but this is the newer model)
Tripod Head- Leofoto VH-30R (Tripod Head)(my exact model does not appear to be for sale but this is the newer model)
Mountain Biking Equipment:
Bike- 2018 YT Jeffsy CF
Helmet- IXS Trigger Full Face Helmet
POC Kneepads (my current)
HANDUP Gloves (I love their gloves and shirts)
Good Day Optics Steph Polychromic Sunglasses
OneUp Components V2 Dropper 170mm
If you want to stay up to date with the BEST information to build your next adventure or you just want to see more of my adventures and photography, follow along on Instagram @martins_migration or subscribe to the newsletter below, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!
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This past week on The Migration has been a BLAST! We hiked one of the most beautiful waterfall hikes I have ever seen, conquered new bouldering sets we found, and got back on one of the local’s favorite mountain bike trails! And, of course, we had to do another cold plunge for redemption! With Spring weather arriving and snow melting, adventures that have been hidden beneath the snow are returning.