LEARN ABOUT CENTRAL OREGON’S Night Sky & TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE BELOW FOR THE CHANCE TO SCORE A HALF-DAY TOUR!

Moonlight-Starlight-Canoe+Cascade+Lakes+Tours+-+Wanderlust+Tours+%281%29.jpg

Launching canoes under the setting sun, I challenge my guests "The first to see a bat this evening wins."

Watching the transition from swooping Nighthawks to feasting Bats is one of my favorite sights as the bow of the boat slices through the reflection of the mountains on our way across the lake. Knowing that the bugs that may annoy us during the day, become life sustaining fuel for the birds and bats makes us appreciate the little critters a bit more. It also increases appreciation for the birds and the bats' voracious appetites as they skim across the water in front of your boat, clearing your path of upwards of ~1,000 mosquito sized bugs per hour.

Starlight and Moonlight Canoe trips are the perfect way to continue the outdoor adventure post dinner. A days exploration after the sun sets is beyond what most people have gotten to experience, and these trips give the opportunity to see things that only nighttime can reveal. With the lack of light pollution up in our Cascade Lakes, the stargazing can be the chance of a lifetime.

Mid August brings a celestial occurrence that is a favorite of mine. Knowing my lack of patience to wait and wait for that perfect shooting star, the peak of the Perseids Meteor shower for me is akin to the finale of the fourth of July fireworks show! With upwards of 40-50 meteors per hour, you don’t have to wait a long time to see the bits and pieces of the comet Swift-Tuttle slamming into the Earth’s upper atmosphere at 130,000 mph!! With the Perseids peaking 8/12, the night sky will continue to yield shooting stars and solar systems easily viewable throughout the waning moon.

Bend Oregon Caves - Wanderlust Tours - Open Lava Tube - Christian Heeb.jpg

If you have been contemplating an evening on the water, the Perseids should be your reason to make it happen! The beauty of central Oregon lies in our geographical diversity. While we head West into the mountains for an evening of stars up on our Cascade Lakes, we can also head East into the high desert to spend a few hours exploring underneath the earth - discovering where the lava headed when it flowed from the Newberry Volcano 80,000 years ago.

While the cave looks the same day or night, emerging from the cave at night is an entirely different and unique experience. The summer triangle frames the milky way this time of year and the blanket of stars over the sea of sagebrush allows us the opportunity to stargaze in an area of expansive views.

My excitement increases while I picture what is in store for us guides and our guests for the next few weeks of evening tours. Oh and...BAT! I win! =)

- Courtney | Naturalist Guide

WANDERLUST TRIVIA

Congrats to Olivia C. for correctly answering the questions below!
See below for a link to the answers.

Name

First Name

Last Name

August starts the mating season for Myotis (little brown bats). During this month look for swarms of bats whose mating is random and promiscuous! During this season, pregnant bats will increase their eating. What percentage of their body weight do pregnant bats eat each night?

37%

66%

85%

100%

Which comet path does the earth pass through in August to produce the perseids meteor shower?

August often brings the word drought to the forefront of our thoughts. In central Oregon, what was the last year that we ran out of water in our reservoirs thus causing the Arnold Irrigation district to shut down entirely?

2012

2003

1994

1988

Answers: Meteors & Myotis Answers

Related Tours

MOONLIGHT & STARLIGHT
CANOE TOUR

LAVA TUBE
CAVE TOUR

From mid-May until late August, depending on your elevation, humans are graced with nature's unfurling array of color and aroma via delicate and sometimes ornate blossoms.

But, we humans are the least of earth's creatures who benefit from these flowers- of greater importance are insects, those which receive food from and provide cross-pollination for these gems. The fundamental foundation of life on earth is, in part, generated from these visually pleasing wildflowers.

This might tell you to do everything you can to protect them while you enjoy them. Stay on trails, enjoy them close-up from a camera lens, not in your palm after picking them. And, see if you can spot insects hovering around flowers, they too are fascinating. Enjoy!

Bitterbrush is a common groundcover for many dry areas in central Oregon that adopt the ecosystem similar to sagebrush steppe. The small shrub is deciduous with yellow flowers. Although the tiny berries are technically edible, the name makes it clear that they are very unpalatable to humans. For mule deer on the other hand, not only do they love munching on these berries, but it is actually a staple for their diet for parts of the year. A short walk with a Naturalist Guide before going down into a Cave is usually a great opportunity to spot Bitterbrush blossoming this time of year.

Almost everyone is familiar with Dandelion, as it is one of the most widespread vascular plants in the world. The common name stems from the French, “dent de lion” or jagged tooth referring to the jagged shape of the leaves. Most refer to this as an obnoxious weed in their yard and would be surprised to find out that there are many medicinal uses for it. The root can descend longer than 3ft in the ground, and this is commonly harvested and made into tea. Native Americans often boiled this root to heal kidney problems. We have adopted this useful information and now this tea is found in most grocery stores. A canoe or kayaking tour on Paulina Lake would be a great place to paddle on the water next to the dandelions on shore.

The middle of summer means it’s a perfect time to see Penstemon. Oregon is home to over 45 different species of this native plant, with many different varieties of colors just within Central Oregon. These wildflowers grow in rocky areas, in higher elevations, which means that a Volcano Tour might offer opportunities to spot them near the big obsidian flow, even a paddle at Sparks Lake.

The lines on the inside of the flower are guidelines for pollinators, as many bees and butterflies are enticed by the vibrant colors. Insects are the only ones benefiting from these flowers. The roots were harvested by Native Americans for hundreds of years as a medicinal plant. The anti-inflammatory properties were used to heal toothaches and speed up the healing process of any wounds.

Beargrass providing refuge to Lepturobosca chrysocoma

Although I’ve guided in other areas of the world, I love getting outside in Bend during early summer. Botany has always been a passion of mine but there’s nothing like it when the wildflowers are out blooming. They can be found in cracks and crevasses in the alpine or in meadows near lakes. Almost every other week the variety changes with which wildflowers are in bloom, so even if you do the same hike multiple times in one month, it can be drastically different.