Wednesday, July 1, 2026  |  Oregon's Outdoor Journal
Soda Mountain Wilderness: Backpacking Oregon's Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

Soda Mountain Wilderness: Backpacking Oregon's Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

The Soda Mountain Wilderness sits at the crossroads of the Cascades, Siskiyous, and Great Basin — 24,100 acres of roadless Oregon backcountry with no permit required, extraordinary biodiversity, and almost nobody else on the trail.

By HFR Staff  ·  July 1, 2026
AR-15 Maintenance for Pacific Northwest Conditions: Keeping Your Rifle Running in Rain, Mud, and High Desert Dust
Shooting

AR-15 Maintenance for Pacific Northwest Conditions: Keeping Your Rifle Running in Rain, Mud, and High Desert Dust

Oregon splits into two worlds at the Cascades — persistent coastal moisture west, and fine alkali dust east. Both environments punish a poorly maintained AR-15. Here's a region-specific maintenance guide that keeps your rifle running in both.

July 1, 2026
Reloading the .303 British: Accurate Loads for Lee-Enfields and Modern Bolt Actions
Reloading

Reloading the .303 British: Accurate Loads for Lee-Enfields and Modern Bolt Actions

The .303 British rewards the handloader with consistent, affordable performance that scarce factory ammo can't match. Here's how to reload it accurately for classic Lee-Enfields and modern bolt-action rifles.

July 1, 2026
Oregon's Chesnimnus Unit Archery Elk: DIY Hunting in the Wallowa Backcountry
Hunting

Oregon's Chesnimnus Unit Archery Elk: DIY Hunting in the Wallowa Backcountry

The Chesnimnus Unit covers dramatic canyon country north of the Wallowa Mountains, offering DIY archery hunters some of the best elk country in Oregon — and bulls that have never seen serious pressure.

July 1, 2026
Beulah Reservoir: Eastern Oregon's Forgotten High-Desert Rainbow Trout Fishery
Fishing

Beulah Reservoir: Eastern Oregon's Forgotten High-Desert Rainbow Trout Fishery

Tucked into the rimrock canyons of Malheur County, Beulah Reservoir offers some of Eastern Oregon's best early-summer rainbow trout fishing — on a remote high-desert impoundment that most Willamette Valley anglers have never heard of.

July 1, 2026
Siskiyou Crest Trail: Backpacking Southern Oregon's Sky Island Wilderness from Pilot Rock to Grizzly Peak
Backpacking

Siskiyou Crest Trail: Backpacking Southern Oregon's Sky Island Wilderness from Pilot Rock to Grizzly Peak

Southern Oregon's Siskiyou Mountains offer one of the state's most botanically diverse and geologically wild backpacking routes—and almost nobody is out there.

June 30, 2026
Lever Action Carbines for Pacific Northwest Hunters: Why the Old Platform Still Wins in Timber Country
Shooting

Lever Action Carbines for Pacific Northwest Hunters: Why the Old Platform Still Wins in Timber Country

In Oregon's dense Coast Range and Cascade timber, a lever action carbine isn't nostalgia—it's a practical choice. Here's why experienced hunters keep reaching for them.

June 30, 2026
Reloading the .358 Winchester: Oregon's Big-Bore Brush Cartridge for Timber Elk and Coastal Black Bear
Reloading

Reloading the .358 Winchester: Oregon's Big-Bore Brush Cartridge for Timber Elk and Coastal Black Bear

The .358 Winchester never got the fame it deserved, but hunters who run it in Oregon's dense Cascades and Coast Range know exactly why this overlooked cartridge earns its keep.

June 30, 2026
Packing Out Solo Elk: Quartering, Meat Care, and Pack Systems for DIY Oregon Backcountry Hunters
Hunting

Packing Out Solo Elk: Quartering, Meat Care, and Pack Systems for DIY Oregon Backcountry Hunters

Killing a bull elk alone is one thing. Getting that meat off the mountain by yourself is another. Here's everything you need to know before you pull the trigger.

June 30, 2026
Emigrant Lake Summer Fishing: Southern Oregon's Warm-Water Bass and Crappie Hot Spot
Fishing

Emigrant Lake Summer Fishing: Southern Oregon's Warm-Water Bass and Crappie Hot Spot

Just minutes from Ashland, Emigrant Lake delivers summer bass, crappie, and catfish action that most Oregon anglers overlook. Here's how to make the most of it.

June 30, 2026