How Mount Mazama Became a Lake
Crater Lake wasn’t always a lake. Knute Berger tells the story of when a blast 50 times the size of Mt St. Helens' blanketed the PNW in ash. Crater Lake National Park in southern Oregon is known for…
The official podcast companion to the Cascade PBS video series Mossback’s Northwest, Mossback features stories and factoids that were left on the cutting room floor, along with critical analysis from co-host Knute Berger.
Knute Berger
Knute “Mossback” Berger is an editor-at-large and host of "Mossback’s Northwest" at Cascade PBS. He writes about politics and regional heritage.
Stephen Hegg
Stephen is formerly a senior video producer at Crosscut and KCTS 9. He specialized in arts and culture, and produced Mossback’s Northwest and Crosscut NOW. Stephen’s credits include documentaries, ser
Mossback’s Northwest: The eruption that carved Oregon’s Crater Lake
While Mount Mazama blew its top almost 8,000 years ago, it’s still remembered today by the descendants of its witnesses.
Preserving Asahel Curtis’ Legacy
Asahel Curtis shot thousands of images in the early 20th century. Knute Berger talks about the effort to share them with the public for the first time. Asahel Curtis, the renowned Pacific Northwest photographer, was amazingly prolific. He documented regional…
The Mother of the Pacific Crest Trail
Catherine Montgomery spearheaded a movement to preserve old growth in Washington forests. Knute Berger shares her story. In the early 1900s in Washington, women couldn’t yet vote, but many formed powerful civic groups to advocate for everything from prison…
The Explosion that Rocked Seattle
In 1915, Germany wanted to keep the United States from joining World War I. Knute Berger explains how the fight came to the Northwest. In the years leading up to World War I, Germany and its sympathizers tried to prevent…