Gorge Culture

More Than Skinnies & Singletrack: A History of Mountain Biking in Post Canyon
2025-01-15 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Columbia Center for the Arts, 215 Cascade Ave., Hood River, OR, 97031, United States
Sense of Place presents Doug Thiesies -Hood River County Forester, Gary Paasch – mountain biker & trail-builder, and Arthur Babitz – County Commissioner and mountain biker

Gary Paasch, a native of the Hood River Valley, is deeply rooted in a love for the outdoors and anything on wheels. From constructing bike jumps in his backyard as a kid to evolving into a dedicated trail builder in Post Canyon, Gary’s passion for biking and trail-building has only grown stronger over the last 25 years. Through his work as founder and head coach of School of Send mountain bike camps, Gary is committed to sharing his expertise and enthusiasm with fellow biking enthusiasts of all levels. Gary also serves on the Hood River Area Trail Stewards (HRATS) Board. And in his role as a Trail Adopter and Builder, Gary has worked extensively on ten trails in Post Canyon, including the Extended Play trail and Family Man skills complex. Gary is committed to enhancing the biking experience for others, preserving and expanding current biking trails, and spreading the joy and camaraderie that biking has brought him throughout his life.
Arthur Babitz is a Commissioner with Hood River County as well as a commissioner on the new Bridge Authority. Professionally, Arthur worked as an electrical engineer and now consults in that field. Arthur is a regular volunteer at the History Museum of Hood River County, as a photo archivist, and manages the Historic Hood River blog. Arthur is a longtime mountain biker and has been involved with various mountain biking organizations including the Hood River Area Trail Stewards (HRATS), and 44 Trails.
Doug Thiesies is a certified Forester. Doug was primarily raised in the Northwest and obtained his Bachelor of Science Degree in Forest Management at Washington State University. His forestry experience began in 1988 with the US Forest Service working in Idaho and Washington. After 5 ½ years with the US Forest Service Doug began working for the Hood River County Forestry Department as a Forest Technician. In 1998 Doug began a 13 year stint with Oregon Department of Forestry as Stewardship Forester covering Hood River, Wasco and Sherman Counties where he gained a broad perspective of area land management across many ownerships. Since 2011 Doug has applied this experience as the Hood River County Forestry Director where he manages a 34,500 acre Tree Farm to provide sustainable revenue to fund County Public Services, a very popular multi-use trail system and Kingsley Campground. Doug lives with his wife Dixie in White Salmon, WA where they raised their two children. His interests include competitive sports, hunting and fishing.

Date: January 15, 2025 at 7 pm
Location: Columbia Center for the Arts, 215 Cascade Ave, Hood River, OR 97031

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The Wolf Next Door: A Community Perspective on the Return of Wolves
2024-12-11 19:00 - 20:30
Sense of Place presents Lara Volski, PhD Student of Human-Wildlife Interactions, University of Washington
Last summer, Lara Volski began her research on wolves, by first talking to people. She lived and worked on a farm in the Gorge and conducted interviews with locals about the return of wolves and the establishment of the Big Muddy Pack. The range of perspectives was broad and while these conversations were centered on wolves, they soon evolved to encompass much more. Family histories and stories passed down through generations, childhoods spent trading at Celilo Falls or wayfinding through volcanic craters in the foothills of Mount Adams, stories of living and working on the land and the ecological and cultural connections that come as a result – it was research that can often be missed by empirical science. The goal of each conversation was simple – listen to people’s perspectives towards wolves and learn if they feel their voices have been validated, upheld, and shared. Every interview was confidential, but together, they point to broad themes concerning the perceived risks and benefits of wolves, change in the Gorge, and the deeper desires of a community.
Date: December 11, 2024, 7 pm
Location: Columbia Center for the Arts, 215 Cascade Ave, Hood River, OR 97031

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