Our first outing of 2012 was to Mt Hood this week. We had been admiring it from our back window ever since we arrived here in October and saw it getting whiter every week after each storm that hit us! 

We borrowed Doug’s 4x4 Jeep with the chains, just to be prepared, and took of on a beautiful clear morning. We didn't want to hit any ugly weather while we were up there!
It took us about 2 hours to get to Government Camp at an elevation of 3950 feet where we had a cup of coffee at the ’high mountain café’. Sadie got to stretch her legs and roll in the snow which she loves!

I’m always nervous when things get anywhere close to slippery, whether it be water, snow or heaven forbid, ice, so I started to feel a little uncomfortable during the last half an hour or so when snow started to build up in the side berms.

On our way to our ‘highest’ destination (5960 feet), Timberline Lodge, the road was covered with snow but also graveled and fairly easy to drive if you took it slow.

Timberline Lodge is a National Historic Landmark constructed between 1936 and 1938 as a ‘Works Progress Administration’ project during the Great Depression.

It was built completely by hand from large timbers and local stone, and workers placed intricately carved decorative elements throughout the building.It is a popular tourist attraction, drawing more than a million visitors annually. It is noted in film for serving as the exterior of the Overlook Hotel in ‘The Shining’.                                                            

I remember that movie; utterly scary!

In the height of winter, the ground floor of the lodge is typically fully buried in snow, with entry through a snow tunnel, or directly into the second floor.

 

We had a delicious lunch at the lodge; cheese fondue accompanied by some good beer!
We had a great view of the ski slope and for most of the time the sun was out. It was absolutely beautiful!

Mount Hood, I learned, is considered the Oregon volcano most likely to erupt, though based on its history, an explosive eruption is unlikely. It is Oregon's highest mountain at 11,249 feet and the peak is home to twelve glaciers.

We descended via the North slope ending up in the  Hood River Valley below which is one the largest fruit-growing regions in Oregon with apricots, apples, blueberries, pears—even wine grapes.

We took a left at the Columbia River and followed the ‘Gorge’ towards Portland and home.

After a couple of nice and dry days the rest of the week was pretty nasty again, just dreary, wet and cold.

James managed to stay dry enough under some plastic sheets he hang over the side walk of Dougs house so he could weld some custom made frames for the BBQ and kitchen area together.

The guy is pretty handy, don't you think?