Portland EcoFilm Festival

Kate McCarthy

by Barbara Weiss

Mark your calendars for March 19 at the Hollywood Theater for a unique evening of short films about wild places and the women who have loved and cared for them. The Portland EcoFilm Festival, Crag Law Center, and the Mazamas are presenting this evening of films that will include a post-film panel discussion about efforts to secure protection for wild forests and drinking water supplies on the historic north side of Mt. Hood at Cooper Spur.


Of special interest is the film Maiden of the Mountain which tells the inspirational story of the life and work of Kate McCarthy. Supported in part by a 2016 Mazamas conservation grant, the film is directed by filmmaker Trip Jennings and Ralph Bloemers, co-executive director and attorney for Crag Law Center.


It was Kate McCarthy’s boundless enthusiasm and her deep respect for the natural world that drove her involvement with many local conservation organizations including the Columbia Gorge Commission, Oregon Natural Resources Council (now Oregon Wild), and 1000 Friends of Oregon. Kate was a founding member of Friends of Mount Hood (FOMH); she served on the boards of the Oregon Environmental Council and Friends of the Columbia River Gorge.


Kate understood the value of wetlands, and with FOMH she fought valiantly for many years to restore and protect the wetlands within Mount Hood Meadows ski permit area. Due to Kate’s perseverance, a successful lawsuit provided protections for the wetlands.Among other achievements, Kate co-founded the Cooper Spur Wild and Free coalition which worked to oppose the proposal for an all-season resort and condominiums on the north side of the Mt. Hood.


A tireless and dedicated conservationist, Kate’s mantra was, “There is no right way to do the wrong thing.” This film is a testament to Kate McCarthy’s love of Mt. Hood and her unwavering dedication to protecting it for future generations.Other films shown include the portland premieres of:

Water Song—About a subsistence farmer in Peru’s northern highlands, who stood up to the giant mining corporation over the development of a gold and copper mine on her property. (Director: Will Parrniello/Mill Valley Film Group)

Operation Moffat—About Britain's first female climbing guide, Gwen Moffat. (Director: Jen Randall/Light Shed Pictures)

Think Like a Scientist: Boundaries—About conservation photographer Krista Schlyer, who spent seven years documenting the environmental effects of the U.S./Mexico border wall, and biologist Jon Beckmann, who studies how man-made barriers influence the movement of wildlife. (Director: Neil Losin/Howard Hughes Medical Institute).

Sage Brush Sisters—About three intrepid women, from ages 65 to 80, who followed a pronghorn migration path across Oregon’s high desert. (Director: Michelle Alvarado/Wahoo Films, Oregon Natural Desert Association)

Tickets are available now at: portlandecofilmfest.org/womenworking