: Katie Falkenberg

Travel Oregon with Anika Morkowski and Adventures Without Limits

Fans of the outdoors can find guided accessible adventures in Oregon.
July 18, 2023

At Adventures Without Limits, fans of the outdoors can seek out guided adventures in Oregon, regardless of ability level, socioeconomic status, gender, ethnicity or age. Guide Anika Morkowski (she/they) grew up spending time outdoors with her family in Northern California and enjoying whitewater rafting, snow sports, sledding and ice skating. Along with fellow guide Cedar Yelvington, Morkowski has been a trip leader with the nonprofit organization since 2017. We chatted with Morkowski about some of the cool ways she connects people with the outdoors. 

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two smiling people wear winter gear in the snow
Cedar Yelvington (right) and Anika Morkowski love to share their passion for helping everyone access Oregon's outdoors as guides for Adventures Without Limits. Photo by Katie Falkenberg

Do you have any tips for people who are new to adaptive skiing or snowshoeing?

We encourage anyone who’s interested to come try it out. We’ll supply gear and give you a guided experience that can help boost your confidence to go out and do it yourself. When you’re trying a new activity on your own or with friends, especially during winter, it’s important to take it slow. I recommend trying to find a good weather window for your first experience. I also suggest trying different activities to see what you like before investing. 

If you’re even curious, reach out and give us a call, visit the website or follow the Instagram page, where postings appear about open-enrollment trips and how to sign up.

Man holds onto adaptive ski with person in it on snowy mountain against blue sky
Anyone can go adaptive skiing at Mt. Hood with Oregon Adaptive Sports. Courtesy Oregon Adaptive Sports

What is your favorite thing about wintertime recreation near Mt. Hood?

Mt. Hood is unique because you can see it from Portland and then go up and experience the mountain in a variety of ways. There are so many ways to have fun in the snow around Mt. Hood. With cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, there are out-and-back trail options at White River West Sno-Park and Bennett Pass Sno-Park that let us choose how far we want to go. You don’t even have to go that far to engage with nature and have fun.

What’s something cool about adaptive skiing and snowshoeing near Mt. Hood?

While snow can be a barrier to outdoor access, it also provides a lot of freedom. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are unique ways to experience the outdoors in the wintertime, and adaptive sports can look so many different ways. It can mean using different sizes of snowshoes or trekking poles, or different styles of skis, like sleds or sit-skis. 

Out-and-back trails help us redefine success because we’re not committed to a loop and don’t have pressure to cover a certain number of miles. Then it’s just about getting out there and connecting with each other, enjoying nature, learning and having fun.

mountain with trees in front and blue sky and clouds in background
Mt. Hood is a stunner from all directions, all year-round. Photo by Joni Kabana

What are some of your other favorite places to enjoy wintertime in Oregon?

I like recreating in Central Oregon, particularly around Mt. Bachelor and the Three Sisters Wilderness. There are lots of trails at Virginia Meissner Sno-Park near Bend and at Ray Benson Sno-Park on the Santiam Pass. Central Oregon-based Oregon Adaptive Sports offers year-round adaptive sports, including downhill skiing and snowboarding at the Mt. Bachelor and Hoodoo ski areas during winter. This is a great resource for residents of (and visitors to) Central Oregon. 

What other tours do you lead?

During the summer, we have programs to take people whitewater rafting, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding and climbing. I especially love taking people whitewater rafting for their first time. One of my favorite programs is our partnership with the Hull Foundation and Learning Center, which serves blind and visually impaired people. We go pick them up and take them snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the same week. Since some of the participants come back year after year, we’re able to build deeper relationships with each of them.

About The
Author

Allison Hartz
Allison Hartz feels at home with dirt between her toes, snowflakes in her eyes and sweat dripping off her chin. She tests her limits while exploring Oregon's wild and beautiful secrets, taking on crumbly volcanic peaks, remote trails and less-traveled ski lines.

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