Instagram story viewer> @itsmarkbrennan> Posts

Mark Brennan

@itsmarkbrennan

104

followers

803

following

📍Bend, Oregon
⛺️Central Oregon life
☕️People, a bit of adventure, real estate & design

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

4:30 on a Wednesday and realized we hadn’t made it into the mountains in over a week.

Grabbed trail shoes and headed up to Moraine Lake for a last-minute run.

Roughly 6 miles, a solid dose of uphill, and a pretty ridiculous payoff: an alpine lake sitting at the base of South Sister and Broken Top, just in time for the last light. This route never disappoints.

Moraine Lake’s basin is carved by an ancient glacier and sits between two volcanoes. Pretty wild to think about while running through all that glacial sentiment and volcanic rock.

Hustled back before the headlamp had to come out.

📍 Moraine Lake | Three Sisters Wilderness, Oregon

#bendoregonlife #visitbend #bendoregon #centraloregon #optoutside taken in Bend, Oregon by @itsmarkbrennan

18

0

7 days ago

Cold water. Giant rocks. Moody skies. Usually a little windier than you planned for.

A little wild, a little rough around the edges, and never trying too hard to impress you.

Just the Pacific being the Pacific.

Exactly how we like it.

Preferably with a @hydroflask full of @backporchcoffeeroasters Peloton.

📍Hidden Beach, Southern Oregon Coast

#oregoncoast #pacificnorthwest #oregonoutdoors #oregonexplored #optoutside taken in Oregon Coast by @itsmarkbrennan

25

1

14 days ago

Almost drove right past this.

There’s a tiny wooden sign for Panther Creek Falls, a small pull-off, and not much else.

No crowds. No big entrance. Just a completely ridiculous waterfall tucked into the forest.

Maybe that’s what I love most about the Pacific Northwest — there are still places like this hiding behind tiny signs and gravel pull-offs.

#panthercreekfalls #pacificnorthwest #pnw #pnwoutdoors #pnwadventures taken in Panther Creek Falls by @itsmarkbrennan

19

0

19 days ago

The best roads are dirt roads.

Especially the ones with no cell service, a bit of dust, and absolutely no where in particular to be.

@onXmaps came in clutch for this one — we used it to navigate the backroads and find a dispersed camping spot for the night.

One of the perks of living in Central Oregon: it doesn’t take long to find the long way around.

Where are you headed this weekend?

#pnwlife #centraloregon #centraloregonlife #oregonoutdoors #exploreoregon by @itsmarkbrennan

84

2

20 days ago

Thought these were monarchs. Turns out we accidentally walked into one of the coolest natural phenomena I’ve ever seen.

Thousands of California tortoiseshell butterflies were moving through the high Cascades, including the summit of South Sister — 10,000+ feet up, flying over volcanic rock, snow and the Lewis Glacier.

Apparently 2025 was a very good year to be a butterfly in Central Oregon.

Easily one of the wildest things I’ve stumbled into on a hike.

Anyone else catch this last summer?

#southsister #bendoregon #centraloregon #bendlife #visitbend taken in South Sister Summit by @itsmarkbrennan

220

15

20 days ago

A few miles in, somewhere between the river, old-growth trees, and absolutely no chance of answering an email, the rest of the world gets pretty quiet.

This one is across the border in Washington. But the PNW doesn't really care about state lines.

More days like this, please.

Where do you go when you want to disappear for a bit?

#pnwlife #explorepnw #pacificnorthwest #pnw #optoutside by @itsmarkbrennan

11

1

23 days ago

The 9–5 hits a little different when this is your lunch break.

One of my favorite things about working in Bend is being able to shut the laptop, get a real ride in, and be back at my desk an hour later like nothing happened.

No half-day off. No elaborate plan. Just dirt, a few questionable line choices, and a Spindrift before the 1:00.

Comment “RIDE” and I’ll send you 3 of my favorite lunch break worthy rides around Bend.

#BendOregon #BendOregonLife #CentralOregon #BendMountainBiking #MountainBikeOregon taken in Bend, Oregon by @itsmarkbrennan

14

2

a month ago

High desert living, elevated by the view. Set along the southern hillside of Brasada Ranch, this Kolbe Construction home pairs sweeping Cascade vistas with a refined interior and a floor plan designed to make the most of its setting.

🗻 Sweeping 180° Cascade + high desert views ✨ Vaulted living spaces filled with natural light 🍽 Chef’s kitchen with Thermador appliances + walk-in pantry 🔥 Covered front patio designed for sunset views 🛏 Main-level primary + second en-suite bedroom 💻 Dedicated office with built-ins + mountain views 🚗 Finished 3-car garage with epoxy floors + extensive storage

Built in 2023, the home adds thoughtful details throughout, including heated primary bath floors, electric blinds, three-zone HVAC, full-height kitchen cabinetry, and multiple outdoor living spaces.

Offered at $1,525,000 16536 SW Pinnacle Court, Powell Butte, OR 4 Beds | 3.5 Baths | 3,106 SqFt | .66 Acres

For more details or a private showing, contact Kacey Taylor 503.201.7803 | Kacey@TeamMcGlone.com

#BrasadaRanch #CentralOregonRealEstate #PowellButte #teammcglone #exprealty taken in Brasada Resort Ranch by @itsmarkbrennan

25

0

a month ago

OOO for the day.

Today’s plans were unexpectedly interrupted by sunshine, perfect water, and Mt. Bachelor being a terrible influence.

We regret nothing.

Emails and meetings will resume tomorrow.

#bendoregon #optoutside #mtbachelor #bendlife #visitbend taken in Elk Lake, Oregon by @itsmarkbrennan

9

0

2 months ago

Cold plunge: Oregon edition.

Step 1: Hike up a volcano.
Step 2: Find water being fed by an actual glacier.
Step 3: Convince your friends to get in with you.

Lose your breath for 30 seconds.
Come out cold and very much alive.

Honestly, this is exactly what I live for — a good hike, ridiculously cold water, and friends who don’t need much convincing.

One of my absolute favorite places to swim near Bend, even if “swim” is a generous description of what happens once you hit the water.

What’s your favorite cold plunge spot?

DM me for trail details.

#visitbend #bendoregonlife #coldplunge #optoutside #centraloregon taken in Bend, Oregon by @itsmarkbrennan

37

4

2 months ago

Turns out you don’t need the weekend to get out of town and into the forest.

One of my favorite things about living in Bend is how quickly you can go from a normal workday to swimming in a mountain lake, riding a few miles, getting a trail run in, and sleeping under the stars — without taking a day off or planning weeks ahead.

This spot is about 30 minutes from Bend, has first-come-first-serve camp sites, and makes a Monday night feel considerably less like a Monday.

Comment “OUTSIDE” and I’ll send you a few of my favorite easy mid-week camp spots near Bend.

#BendOregon #CentralOregon #BendOregonLife #VisitBend #CentralOregonLife taken in Elk Lake, Oregon by @itsmarkbrennan

9

1

2 months ago