Mount Hood.
11 minutes. 25 minutes total.
Mount Hood, called Wy'east, by the Multnomah tribe, is a stratovolcano, in the Cascade Volcanic Arc of northern Oregon. The volcanic arc was formed by a subduction zone.
The exact height assigned to Mount Hood's snow-covered peak has varied over its history, but is currently believed to be 11,240 feet (3,426 meters) based on a 1993 scientific expedition. The peak is home to twelve glaciers. It is the highest mountain in Oregon and the fourth-highest in the Cascade Range. Mount Hood is considered the Oregon volcano most likely to erupt, though based on its history, an explosive eruption is unlikely. Still, the odds of an eruption in the next 30 years are estimated at between 3 and 7 percent, so the USGS characterizes it as "potentially active", but the mountain is informally considered dormant.
The odds of an eruption, happening today, is estimated, by us, at .00047%.
Mount Hood is part of the Mount Hood National Forest, which has about 1 million acres, four designated wilderness areas and more than 1,200 miles of hiking trails.
Eruption history.
The glacially eroded volcano has had at least four major eruptive periods, during the past 15,000 years.
The last three at Mount Hood occurred within the past 1,800 years, from vents that were distributed primarily to the south and west, along the Sandy and Zigzag Rivers.
The last eruptive period took place around 170 to 220 years ago, when dacitic lava domes, pyroclastic flows and mudflows were produced without major explosive eruptions. The prominent Crater Rock just below the summit is hypothesized to be the remains of one of these now-eroded domes. This period includes the last major eruption of 1781–82, with a slightly more recent episode ending shortly before the arrival of Lewis and Clark in 1805. The latest minor eruptive event occurred in August 1907.
The glaciers on the mountain's upper slopes may be a source of potentially dangerous lahars, when the mountain next erupts. There are vents near the summit that are known for emitting noxious gases such as carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Prior to the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, the only known fatality related to volcanic activity in the Cascades occurred in 1934, when a climber suffocated in oxygen-poor air, while exploring ice caves melted by fumaroles, in Coalman Glacier.
Elevation.
Two persons in Thomas Jefferson Dryer's eighteen fifty four, expedition calculated the elevation to be 18,361 feet, and that the tree line was at about 11,250 feet. Two months later, a Mr. Belden claimed to have climbed the mountain during a hunting trip and determined it to be 19,400 feet upon which, "our pores oozed blood, our eyes bled, and our blood rushed from their ears."
Modern height surveys also vary but not by the huge margins seen in the past. A 1993 survey by a scientific party who arrived at the peaks summit carrying 16 pounds of electronic equipment, reported a height of 11,240 feet (or 3,425 meters).
Mount Hood's tree line varies from about 5,500 feet, on the western faces, to about 7,000 feet, on the eastern side.
Mount Hood glaciers.
Mount Hood is host to twelve named glaciers or snow fields, the most visited of which is Palmer Glacier, partially within the Timberline Lodge ski area and on the most popular climbing route.
The glacial surface area totals about 5.2 square miles, and contains a volume of about 12 billion cubic feet. Eliot Glacier has the thickest depth measured by ice radar at 361 feet.
Glaciers and snowfields cover about 80 percent of the mountain above the 6,900-foot level. The glaciers have lost an average of 34% over the twentieth century (1907–2004). Glaciers on Mount Hood retreated through the first half of the 1900s, advanced or at least slowed their retreat in the 1960s and 1970s, and have since returned to a pattern of retreat.
During the last major glacial event between 10 thousand and 29 thousand years ago, glaciers reached down to the 2,300-foot level: a distance of 9.3 miles from the summit.
The mountain was given its present name on October 29, 1792 by Lieutenant William Broughton, a member of Captain George Vancouver's discovery expedition. He observed its peak while at Sauvie Island during his travels up the Columbia River, writing, "A very high, snowy mountain, now appeared rising beautifully conspicuous, in the midst of an extensive tract of low or moderately elevated land, (location of today's Vancouver, Washington) lying South 67 East, and seemed to announce a termination to the river."
Lieutenant Broughton named the mountain after a British admiral, Samuel Hood.
Lewis and Clark were the first Americans to see the mountain, on October 18, 1805. A few days later at what would become The Dalles, Clark wrote, "The pinnacle of the round topped mountain, which we saw a short distance below the banks of the river, is South 43-degrees West of us and about 37 miles. It is at this time topped with snow. We called this the Falls Mountain, or Timm Mountain."
Timm was the native name for Celilo Falls. Clark later noted that it was also Vancouver's Mount Hood.
Two French explorers from Hudson's Bay Company may have traveled into the Dog River area east of Mount Hood in 1818. They reported climbing to a glacier on "Montagne de Neige" (Mountain of Snow), probably Eliot Glacier.
Climbing.
Mount Hood, 2nd most climbed mountain in the world, after Mount Fugi, is Oregon's highest point, and a prominent landmark visible up to a hundred miles away. It has convenient access and minimum of technical climbing challenges. About 10,000 people attempt to climb Mount Hood each year.
The most popular route, dubbed the south route, begins at Timberline Lodge and proceeds up Palmer glacier to Crater Rock, the large prominence at the head of the glacier. Climbers then proceed around Crater Rock and cross Coalman glacier on the Hogsback, a ridge spanning from Crater Rock to the approach to the summit. The Hogsback terminates at a bergschrund, where Coalman glacier separates from the summit rock headwall, and then to the Pearly Gates, a gap in the summit rock formation. Once through the Pearly Gates, climbers proceed to the right onto the summit plateau and then to the summit proper.
Technical ice axes, fall protection, and experience are now recommended in order to attempt the left chute variation or Pearly Gates ice chute.
Climbing accidents.
As of February 2018, at least 176 people had died in climbing related accidents since records have been kept on Mount Hood, the first in 1896.
Incidents in April 1986, December 2006, and December 2009 attracted intense national and international media interest. The incident in 1986, was one of the worst, when 7 teenagers and 2 school teachers froze to death while attempting to retreat from a storm.
Though avalanches are a common hazard on other glaciated mountains, most Mount Hood climbing deaths are the result of falls and hypothermia.
Despite a quadrupling of forest visitors since 1990, fewer than 50 people require rescue per year.
Only 3.4 percent of search and rescue missions in 2006, were for mountain climbers.
Hiking.
The Timberline Trail, which circumnavigates the entire mountain, was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Typically, the 41 mile hike is snow-free from late July until the autumn snows begin. A portion of the Pacific Crest Trail is coincident with the Timberline Trail on the west side of Mount Hood.
Ship names.
There have been two US Navy ammunition ships named for the mountain. USS Mount Hood (AE-11) was commissioned in July 1944 and was destroyed in November 1944 while at anchor in Manus Naval Base, Admiralty Islands.
Her explosive cargo ignited resulting in 45 confirmed dead, 327 missing and 371 injured.
Hear the stories about Mount Hood.
All audio is 7-12 minutes, unless otherwise noted.
Included are:
Mount Hood, called Wy'east, by the Multnomah tribe, is a stratovolcano, in the Cascade Volcanic Arc of northern Oregon. The volcanic arc was formed by a subduction zone.
The exact height assigned to Mount Hood's snow-covered peak has varied over its history, but is currently believed to be 11,240 feet (3,426 meters) based on a 1993 scientific expedition. The peak is home to twelve glaciers. It is the highest mountain in Oregon and the fourth-highest in the Cascade Range. Mount Hood is considered the Oregon volcano most likely to erupt, though based on its history, an explosive eruption is unlikely. Still, the odds of an eruption in the next 30 years are estimated at between 3 and 7 percent, so the USGS characterizes it as "potentially active", but the mountain is informally considered dormant.
The odds of an eruption, happening today, is estimated, by us, at .00047%.
Mount Hood is part of the Mount Hood National Forest, which has about 1 million acres, four designated wilderness areas and more than 1,200 miles of hiking trails.
Eruption history.
The glacially eroded volcano has had at least four major eruptive periods, during the past 15,000 years.
The last three at Mount Hood occurred within the past 1,800 years, from vents that were distributed primarily to the south and west, along the Sandy and Zigzag Rivers.
The last eruptive period took place around 170 to 220 years ago, when dacitic lava domes, pyroclastic flows and mudflows were produced without major explosive eruptions. The prominent Crater Rock just below the summit is hypothesized to be the remains of one of these now-eroded domes. This period includes the last major eruption of 1781–82, with a slightly more recent episode ending shortly before the arrival of Lewis and Clark in 1805. The latest minor eruptive event occurred in August 1907.
The glaciers on the mountain's upper slopes may be a source of potentially dangerous lahars, when the mountain next erupts. There are vents near the summit that are known for emitting noxious gases such as carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Prior to the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, the only known fatality related to volcanic activity in the Cascades occurred in 1934, when a climber suffocated in oxygen-poor air, while exploring ice caves melted by fumaroles, in Coalman Glacier.
Elevation.
Two persons in Thomas Jefferson Dryer's eighteen fifty four, expedition calculated the elevation to be 18,361 feet, and that the tree line was at about 11,250 feet. Two months later, a Mr. Belden claimed to have climbed the mountain during a hunting trip and determined it to be 19,400 feet upon which, "our pores oozed blood, our eyes bled, and our blood rushed from their ears."
Modern height surveys also vary but not by the huge margins seen in the past. A 1993 survey by a scientific party who arrived at the peaks summit carrying 16 pounds of electronic equipment, reported a height of 11,240 feet (or 3,425 meters).
Mount Hood's tree line varies from about 5,500 feet, on the western faces, to about 7,000 feet, on the eastern side.
Mount Hood glaciers.
Mount Hood is host to twelve named glaciers or snow fields, the most visited of which is Palmer Glacier, partially within the Timberline Lodge ski area and on the most popular climbing route.
The glacial surface area totals about 5.2 square miles, and contains a volume of about 12 billion cubic feet. Eliot Glacier has the thickest depth measured by ice radar at 361 feet.
Glaciers and snowfields cover about 80 percent of the mountain above the 6,900-foot level. The glaciers have lost an average of 34% over the twentieth century (1907–2004). Glaciers on Mount Hood retreated through the first half of the 1900s, advanced or at least slowed their retreat in the 1960s and 1970s, and have since returned to a pattern of retreat.
During the last major glacial event between 10 thousand and 29 thousand years ago, glaciers reached down to the 2,300-foot level: a distance of 9.3 miles from the summit.
The mountain was given its present name on October 29, 1792 by Lieutenant William Broughton, a member of Captain George Vancouver's discovery expedition. He observed its peak while at Sauvie Island during his travels up the Columbia River, writing, "A very high, snowy mountain, now appeared rising beautifully conspicuous, in the midst of an extensive tract of low or moderately elevated land, (location of today's Vancouver, Washington) lying South 67 East, and seemed to announce a termination to the river."
Lieutenant Broughton named the mountain after a British admiral, Samuel Hood.
Lewis and Clark were the first Americans to see the mountain, on October 18, 1805. A few days later at what would become The Dalles, Clark wrote, "The pinnacle of the round topped mountain, which we saw a short distance below the banks of the river, is South 43-degrees West of us and about 37 miles. It is at this time topped with snow. We called this the Falls Mountain, or Timm Mountain."
Timm was the native name for Celilo Falls. Clark later noted that it was also Vancouver's Mount Hood.
Two French explorers from Hudson's Bay Company may have traveled into the Dog River area east of Mount Hood in 1818. They reported climbing to a glacier on "Montagne de Neige" (Mountain of Snow), probably Eliot Glacier.
Climbing.
Mount Hood, 2nd most climbed mountain in the world, after Mount Fugi, is Oregon's highest point, and a prominent landmark visible up to a hundred miles away. It has convenient access and minimum of technical climbing challenges. About 10,000 people attempt to climb Mount Hood each year.
The most popular route, dubbed the south route, begins at Timberline Lodge and proceeds up Palmer glacier to Crater Rock, the large prominence at the head of the glacier. Climbers then proceed around Crater Rock and cross Coalman glacier on the Hogsback, a ridge spanning from Crater Rock to the approach to the summit. The Hogsback terminates at a bergschrund, where Coalman glacier separates from the summit rock headwall, and then to the Pearly Gates, a gap in the summit rock formation. Once through the Pearly Gates, climbers proceed to the right onto the summit plateau and then to the summit proper.
Technical ice axes, fall protection, and experience are now recommended in order to attempt the left chute variation or Pearly Gates ice chute.
Climbing accidents.
As of February 2018, at least 176 people had died in climbing related accidents since records have been kept on Mount Hood, the first in 1896.
Incidents in April 1986, December 2006, and December 2009 attracted intense national and international media interest. The incident in 1986, was one of the worst, when 7 teenagers and 2 school teachers froze to death while attempting to retreat from a storm.
Though avalanches are a common hazard on other glaciated mountains, most Mount Hood climbing deaths are the result of falls and hypothermia.
Despite a quadrupling of forest visitors since 1990, fewer than 50 people require rescue per year.
Only 3.4 percent of search and rescue missions in 2006, were for mountain climbers.
Hiking.
The Timberline Trail, which circumnavigates the entire mountain, was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Typically, the 41 mile hike is snow-free from late July until the autumn snows begin. A portion of the Pacific Crest Trail is coincident with the Timberline Trail on the west side of Mount Hood.
Ship names.
There have been two US Navy ammunition ships named for the mountain. USS Mount Hood (AE-11) was commissioned in July 1944 and was destroyed in November 1944 while at anchor in Manus Naval Base, Admiralty Islands.
Her explosive cargo ignited resulting in 45 confirmed dead, 327 missing and 371 injured.
Hear the stories about Mount Hood.
All audio is 7-12 minutes, unless otherwise noted.
Included are:
- “Graveyard of Oregon Trail” still said to be haunted - Laurel Hill (Rhododendron Village) was the most dangerous part of the Barlow Road, the over land route for Oregon Trail emigrants; casualties were many in the 1840s, and ghost stories are plentiful today. The old village (on of the 5 chutes in the area) is easy to find and well worth a visit; from Highway 26 after passing through Welches, turn north on Lolo Pass Road and go straight onto Autumn Lane. Coming from Portland, stop off at one of the other chutes in the area, with an interpretive trail, between mileposts 50 and 51. (Laurel Hill Chute).
- Oregon Trail. Is legendary Blue Bucket Mine still out there in Oregon mountains? According to the legend, a group of kids from a lost wagon train found some strange yellow rocks in 1845, three years before the Gold Rush hit. Miners have been looking for the kids' play spot ever since. Note: the ill-fated Donner Party took this same side trail.
- Oregon Trail Road trip. Thought the Oregon Trail was all covered wagons and pioneers? Think again! Join us as we take a road trip down the very last leg of the Oregon Trail. We’ll get to know the trail in ways you never expected – and maybe even see an elephant or two! (30 minutes)
- Crag Rats Rescue. Listen to the Crag Rats podcast about the oldest mountain search & rescue team in the country. In the summer of 2013 a father and son set out on their first camping trip together. They did what millions of people do every year and headed to Mount Hood. For the 10-year old boy, it was a dream come true and he was prepared, but then the trip took a turn they never saw coming. In this episode we hear from two Crag Rats and the father of the boy, to learn just what happens when things go wrong in the wilderness. (30 minutes)
- Territory Tales - Timberline Lodge - The "owner's" son talks about the lodge.
- Mt Hood's Deadliest Disaster (1986)
Our next stop is Timberline Lodge. I will introduce Timberline Lodge to you shortly.
Does anyone have any questions?
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Does anyone have any questions?
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Timberline Lodge.
5 minutes.
Timberline Lodge, is a Timeless Treasure.
There's a reason Stanley Kubrick chose to open his classic 1980 horror film, The Shining, with a sweeping shot of Timberline Lodge, and Mount Hood. The dense, dark woods--full of evergreens, and punctuated by the craggy peak of Oregon's tallest Mountain--are decidedly ominous.
With the view from beneath the medieval vaulted beams, of Timberline Lodge, a trip to Hood feels like retreating, or stopping time altogether, and choosing to live inside the slow drip of mountain hours--where time is marked by moments, and the sweet scent of pine, is sure to follow you home."
Set more than a mile high, on the flanks of Oregon's tallest mountain, 11,239 foot Mount Hood, Timberline Lodge was never meant to stand out.
It was our hope not to detract from the great natural beauty of the area, explained Forest Service architect Linn Forest, "the entire exterior was made to blend as nearly as possible with the mountainside.
Not everyone thought it could be done. Build a ski lodge near the top of Oregon's tallest mountain, at the brutal height of the Great Depression?
But build it they did--entirely by hand, inside and out--from massive Ponderosa Pine timbers, and basalt boulders, they gathered onsite in the wilderness, and hewn into a structure that tucks into the slopes as naturally as a stand of fir trees.
They, were unemployed craftspeople, hired by the Federal Works Progress Administration.
Timberline Lodge is a tribute to their skills, and a monument to a government, that responded to the needs of its people in a desperate time.
Lauded by national publications, the Lodge is one of the country's most romantic hotels.
The initial survey was made on the site in 14 feet of snow during the spring of 1936. The conditions were extraordinarily difficult, but the workers were paid well, the food was good, and morale was high. Survivors of the project, and written records, indicate that those who participated felt that they were involved in something unusual and important, and so gave it extra best efforts. The spring of 1936 was long and mild, and the workers were able to get the building enclosed before the worst of the cold weather.
Some exterior stonework remained however, and in the late fall and early winter, stone masons warmed their stiffened fingers at portable stoves hauled to the site.
Most of the stone workers were skilled masons, many of them Italian immigrants, whose beautiful work can be seen along the old Columbia River Highway.
The work was done in an amazingly short time - the intensity of the project being due not only to the weather, but also to the uncertainty of the WPA's future. From the first drawings, made in early 1936, to the dedication of the completed Lodge by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1937, only 15 months elapsed. Despite the extreme conditions, fast-paced construction and the inexperience of some of the workers, there were no major accidents during the entire period.
In 1978, Timberline Lodge was declared a National Historic Landmark.
It has always been a beacon for skiers, hikers and anyone else that passes these parts.
Considered an architectural wonder, it's still being used for its original intent--a magnificent ski lodge, and mountain retreat for all to enjoy. Mount Hood is more than a mountain. It's a mammoth playground. An adventurer's paradise. A dream for thrill seekers and sightseers.
Where to eat?
You'll find one-of-a-kind dining experiences like the breakfast buffet, the hearty fireside lunch buffet ($$$) or gourmet dinner in the Cascade Dining Room or the Blue Ox Bar (pizza etc.; $$), the Ram's Head Bar ($$$) or finally there is the exclusive Winemaker's Dinner Series (pair a six-course meal with Oregon wines high above the main lodge in the rustic Silcox Hut).
Heidi.
In 2010, Timberline welcomed Heidi, the latest in a long line of Saint Bernard's who have served as official mascots for the lodge.
No longer rescuing skiers and climbers high up the flanks of Mount Hood, with the friendly hounds have greeted millions of visitors, and have become as much beloved, as the lodge itself.
Now, let's learn what we can do, once we get there.
Does anyone have any questions?
PAUSE.
PAUSE.
PAUSE.
PAUSE.
PAUSE.
PAUSE.
Timberline Lodge, is a Timeless Treasure.
There's a reason Stanley Kubrick chose to open his classic 1980 horror film, The Shining, with a sweeping shot of Timberline Lodge, and Mount Hood. The dense, dark woods--full of evergreens, and punctuated by the craggy peak of Oregon's tallest Mountain--are decidedly ominous.
With the view from beneath the medieval vaulted beams, of Timberline Lodge, a trip to Hood feels like retreating, or stopping time altogether, and choosing to live inside the slow drip of mountain hours--where time is marked by moments, and the sweet scent of pine, is sure to follow you home."
Set more than a mile high, on the flanks of Oregon's tallest mountain, 11,239 foot Mount Hood, Timberline Lodge was never meant to stand out.
It was our hope not to detract from the great natural beauty of the area, explained Forest Service architect Linn Forest, "the entire exterior was made to blend as nearly as possible with the mountainside.
Not everyone thought it could be done. Build a ski lodge near the top of Oregon's tallest mountain, at the brutal height of the Great Depression?
But build it they did--entirely by hand, inside and out--from massive Ponderosa Pine timbers, and basalt boulders, they gathered onsite in the wilderness, and hewn into a structure that tucks into the slopes as naturally as a stand of fir trees.
They, were unemployed craftspeople, hired by the Federal Works Progress Administration.
Timberline Lodge is a tribute to their skills, and a monument to a government, that responded to the needs of its people in a desperate time.
Lauded by national publications, the Lodge is one of the country's most romantic hotels.
The initial survey was made on the site in 14 feet of snow during the spring of 1936. The conditions were extraordinarily difficult, but the workers were paid well, the food was good, and morale was high. Survivors of the project, and written records, indicate that those who participated felt that they were involved in something unusual and important, and so gave it extra best efforts. The spring of 1936 was long and mild, and the workers were able to get the building enclosed before the worst of the cold weather.
Some exterior stonework remained however, and in the late fall and early winter, stone masons warmed their stiffened fingers at portable stoves hauled to the site.
Most of the stone workers were skilled masons, many of them Italian immigrants, whose beautiful work can be seen along the old Columbia River Highway.
The work was done in an amazingly short time - the intensity of the project being due not only to the weather, but also to the uncertainty of the WPA's future. From the first drawings, made in early 1936, to the dedication of the completed Lodge by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1937, only 15 months elapsed. Despite the extreme conditions, fast-paced construction and the inexperience of some of the workers, there were no major accidents during the entire period.
In 1978, Timberline Lodge was declared a National Historic Landmark.
It has always been a beacon for skiers, hikers and anyone else that passes these parts.
Considered an architectural wonder, it's still being used for its original intent--a magnificent ski lodge, and mountain retreat for all to enjoy. Mount Hood is more than a mountain. It's a mammoth playground. An adventurer's paradise. A dream for thrill seekers and sightseers.
Where to eat?
You'll find one-of-a-kind dining experiences like the breakfast buffet, the hearty fireside lunch buffet ($$$) or gourmet dinner in the Cascade Dining Room or the Blue Ox Bar (pizza etc.; $$), the Ram's Head Bar ($$$) or finally there is the exclusive Winemaker's Dinner Series (pair a six-course meal with Oregon wines high above the main lodge in the rustic Silcox Hut).
Heidi.
In 2010, Timberline welcomed Heidi, the latest in a long line of Saint Bernard's who have served as official mascots for the lodge.
No longer rescuing skiers and climbers high up the flanks of Mount Hood, with the friendly hounds have greeted millions of visitors, and have become as much beloved, as the lodge itself.
Now, let's learn what we can do, once we get there.
Does anyone have any questions?
PAUSE.
PAUSE.
PAUSE.
PAUSE.
PAUSE.
PAUSE.
Things you can do, once at Timberline Lodge.
8 minutes
Cascadian architecture - NATIVE MATERIALS AND OLD WORLD QUALITY, create a unique and truly regional style, known as Cascadian. Three decorative themes including wildlife, Native American, and pioneer, appear throughout the lodge.
Activities.
1. Visit the Exhibition Center - Once inside the lodge, the once-damp, black hole of the Lodge's lower level, is now the airy Exhibition Center.
Blue Gentian guest room - Here a visitor can stop the clock as one of the Center's highlights, is the life size replica of the popular Blue Gentian guest room.
The viewer looks into this room through an outside window, where you enjoy the sight of the handcrafted furnishings, while watching the soft flicker of the fire. And see an occupied hotel room in 1937, with period music, and the voice of FDR, coming from the 1930s radio on the bedside table.
2. View a video.
The Builders of Timberline Video - The Center in the Barlow Room describes, via a 30 minute continuous loop video, the creation of Timberline Lodge, depicting the 1930s WPA worker's, erecting the lodge by hand. And using modern audio, and visual technology, re-creates the Great Depression, and the architecture, engineering, and art, created in the Northwest during the 1930s.
Topics that will be discussed include: WPA history, Lodge History, Ski History and a general overview of the building of Timberline Lodge.
3. Walk with Heidi and Bruno - Visit with Heidi and Bruno, Timberline's resident Saint Bernards.
4. Take a USFS Ranger Walk or smartphone audio tour - Join a U.S. Forest Service Ranger, if available, for a 30 minute tour of historic Timberline Lodge. Explore the rich history, and art of the Lodge, and all it has to offer. Potentially taking place daily at 11, 1, and 2pm.
This elegant rustic hotel has become a grand expression of Northwest art. Meet at the U.S. Forest Service desk inside Timberline Lodge. When: Friday through Sunday, at 11:00, 1:00, and 2:00.
Monday through Wednesday when Forest Service staff are present. Call the ranger station at 503-622-3191 to confirm hours & for more info. The cost is free.
5. Visit the Gallery Gift Shop - Regional artists are featured along with books, fine gifts and collectable souvenirs.
6. Visit the Wy'East Day Lodge - This lodge was opened in 1981 to provide modern skier services. In the summer, it's a great place to stop before or after your visit to Timberline lodge for food services, gift shops and rest rooms.
7. Dine at Timberline Lodge - (Vittles, can cost you—roughly $130 for a Cordon Bleu test-kitchen-level dinner for two, in the Cascade Dining Room. Consider heading to Timberline’s semi-secret, closet-size Blue Ox for topping-heavy pizza.)
Cascade Dining Room - Spend the day in historic Timberline Lodge, marvel at the 96 ft. stone chimney while you read by the light of it's gigantic fireplace, soaking up the scenic history and enjoying a hearty breakfast buffet, or "Taste of Oregon" lunch buffet, or fine-dining dinner, in the Cascade Dining Room (reservations required for dinner), where you may want to sit at a window table, so you can look south across the tops of the Cascade Mountains, to Mount Jefferson, and Broken Top...The Cascade dining room is casual by day, romantic by night--fine dining always. Enjoy the award winning wine list. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, 7 days a week.
Another dining options are the.
Blue Ox or Ram's Head Bars - In the Blue Ox Bar next door to the Exhibition Center, the visitor drops back 70 years in time viewing the glass murals of legendary Paul Bunyan, and Babe the blue ox, while enjoying hand-tossed pizza, or deli sandwich, and a pint from Mount Hood Brewing Company.
Or enjoy family-friendly casual food, and drinks, with stunning views of Mount Hood, and Mount Jefferson, at the Ram's Head Bar, uniquely located on the mezzanine, (Timberline's living room). Relax and enjoy the heart of the lodge--gaze at the magnificence of this unique timber frame structure.
Then consider one last activity, before you head back to Portland or to your next destination,
Finally, #8.
Take the Magic Mile Chairlift Ride all the way, to the 'Top'! - Best View of Mount Hood-No Skis Required.
After arriving and checking out Timberline Lodge, you may choose to ride the Magic Mile Chairlift Ride (open Memorial Day through Labor Day), up near Silcox Hut. The views don't get any better than this! While inhaling the cool, clear non-smells, of mountain air, you'll go to an altitude of 7000 feet, only about 4000 feet from the summit! The Silcox Hut served as the upper terminus for Timberline's original Magic Mile ski lift from 1939 to 1962. Reopened as a chalet in 1992, it now offers overnight bunks for groups and a limited cafe in the European alpine tradition.
The lift was the 1st to use steel towers, the 2nd lift in the U.S., and the longest in the world, when it opened in 1939. The day pass then, was $2. Today, that same pass, is $90.
Have a picnic lunch or just take in the scenery by looking right to the coast range, left to the Great American Desert, and straight ahead, beyond Mount Jefferson and the Cascade mountain range.
Sturdy boots & heavy jacket suggested in winter and Spring. Skis are not necessary. Allow 30 minutes to ride up and down or 2 hours if you choose to ride up and walk down, plus time to look around up top. If you would like to take the Magic Mile Ride, please notify My Chauffeur. All participant's must sign the Trailhead Release Agreement.
THE MAGIC MILE SKY RIDE is open Monday through Thursday, 8am-2pm, and Friday through Sunday, 8am-3pm.
$20 per person.
Or $69 per family of four.
Kids 6 and under are FREE.
The Bottom Line.
A ride up the Magic Mile Skyride is a lot of fun, and hiking around on the rocks at the upper end of the chair lift is great, too.
It’s worth the ride, just for the views on the way up and the way down.
If you take some time hiking at the top, you’ll find even more great places to take pictures, or just sit and relax, including Silcox Hut.
Few visitors venture very far into the scenic alpine landscape, that lured hotel builders here in the first place. The landscape here is entirely the product of recent volcanism. The silvery snags below the chairlift and along the trail to the Silcox Hut, are trees killed by the hot blast of a small eruption in the 1790s. The ground itself on this side of the mountain is a debris field from a much larger, Mount Saint Helens style blast, two thousand years ago. In that eruption, a gigantic avalanche wiped the mountain's slope clean, as far as Government Camp. Afterwards, a lava dome slowly rose to plug the vent. The dome remains as Crater Rock, the monolith looming in front of the actual summit.
Again, if you would like to take the Magic Mile Ride, please notify us ASAP, because we would have to arrange the tour to arrive at the lodge before the chairlift closes. All chairlift participant's must sign the Trailhead Release Agreement.
Also, ask Phil, what time we should all meet back up, in order to head to our next destination, in a timely manner.
Does anyone have any questions?
Cascadian architecture - NATIVE MATERIALS AND OLD WORLD QUALITY, create a unique and truly regional style, known as Cascadian. Three decorative themes including wildlife, Native American, and pioneer, appear throughout the lodge.
Activities.
1. Visit the Exhibition Center - Once inside the lodge, the once-damp, black hole of the Lodge's lower level, is now the airy Exhibition Center.
Blue Gentian guest room - Here a visitor can stop the clock as one of the Center's highlights, is the life size replica of the popular Blue Gentian guest room.
The viewer looks into this room through an outside window, where you enjoy the sight of the handcrafted furnishings, while watching the soft flicker of the fire. And see an occupied hotel room in 1937, with period music, and the voice of FDR, coming from the 1930s radio on the bedside table.
2. View a video.
The Builders of Timberline Video - The Center in the Barlow Room describes, via a 30 minute continuous loop video, the creation of Timberline Lodge, depicting the 1930s WPA worker's, erecting the lodge by hand. And using modern audio, and visual technology, re-creates the Great Depression, and the architecture, engineering, and art, created in the Northwest during the 1930s.
Topics that will be discussed include: WPA history, Lodge History, Ski History and a general overview of the building of Timberline Lodge.
3. Walk with Heidi and Bruno - Visit with Heidi and Bruno, Timberline's resident Saint Bernards.
4. Take a USFS Ranger Walk or smartphone audio tour - Join a U.S. Forest Service Ranger, if available, for a 30 minute tour of historic Timberline Lodge. Explore the rich history, and art of the Lodge, and all it has to offer. Potentially taking place daily at 11, 1, and 2pm.
This elegant rustic hotel has become a grand expression of Northwest art. Meet at the U.S. Forest Service desk inside Timberline Lodge. When: Friday through Sunday, at 11:00, 1:00, and 2:00.
Monday through Wednesday when Forest Service staff are present. Call the ranger station at 503-622-3191 to confirm hours & for more info. The cost is free.
5. Visit the Gallery Gift Shop - Regional artists are featured along with books, fine gifts and collectable souvenirs.
6. Visit the Wy'East Day Lodge - This lodge was opened in 1981 to provide modern skier services. In the summer, it's a great place to stop before or after your visit to Timberline lodge for food services, gift shops and rest rooms.
7. Dine at Timberline Lodge - (Vittles, can cost you—roughly $130 for a Cordon Bleu test-kitchen-level dinner for two, in the Cascade Dining Room. Consider heading to Timberline’s semi-secret, closet-size Blue Ox for topping-heavy pizza.)
Cascade Dining Room - Spend the day in historic Timberline Lodge, marvel at the 96 ft. stone chimney while you read by the light of it's gigantic fireplace, soaking up the scenic history and enjoying a hearty breakfast buffet, or "Taste of Oregon" lunch buffet, or fine-dining dinner, in the Cascade Dining Room (reservations required for dinner), where you may want to sit at a window table, so you can look south across the tops of the Cascade Mountains, to Mount Jefferson, and Broken Top...The Cascade dining room is casual by day, romantic by night--fine dining always. Enjoy the award winning wine list. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, 7 days a week.
Another dining options are the.
Blue Ox or Ram's Head Bars - In the Blue Ox Bar next door to the Exhibition Center, the visitor drops back 70 years in time viewing the glass murals of legendary Paul Bunyan, and Babe the blue ox, while enjoying hand-tossed pizza, or deli sandwich, and a pint from Mount Hood Brewing Company.
Or enjoy family-friendly casual food, and drinks, with stunning views of Mount Hood, and Mount Jefferson, at the Ram's Head Bar, uniquely located on the mezzanine, (Timberline's living room). Relax and enjoy the heart of the lodge--gaze at the magnificence of this unique timber frame structure.
Then consider one last activity, before you head back to Portland or to your next destination,
Finally, #8.
Take the Magic Mile Chairlift Ride all the way, to the 'Top'! - Best View of Mount Hood-No Skis Required.
After arriving and checking out Timberline Lodge, you may choose to ride the Magic Mile Chairlift Ride (open Memorial Day through Labor Day), up near Silcox Hut. The views don't get any better than this! While inhaling the cool, clear non-smells, of mountain air, you'll go to an altitude of 7000 feet, only about 4000 feet from the summit! The Silcox Hut served as the upper terminus for Timberline's original Magic Mile ski lift from 1939 to 1962. Reopened as a chalet in 1992, it now offers overnight bunks for groups and a limited cafe in the European alpine tradition.
The lift was the 1st to use steel towers, the 2nd lift in the U.S., and the longest in the world, when it opened in 1939. The day pass then, was $2. Today, that same pass, is $90.
Have a picnic lunch or just take in the scenery by looking right to the coast range, left to the Great American Desert, and straight ahead, beyond Mount Jefferson and the Cascade mountain range.
Sturdy boots & heavy jacket suggested in winter and Spring. Skis are not necessary. Allow 30 minutes to ride up and down or 2 hours if you choose to ride up and walk down, plus time to look around up top. If you would like to take the Magic Mile Ride, please notify My Chauffeur. All participant's must sign the Trailhead Release Agreement.
THE MAGIC MILE SKY RIDE is open Monday through Thursday, 8am-2pm, and Friday through Sunday, 8am-3pm.
$20 per person.
Or $69 per family of four.
Kids 6 and under are FREE.
The Bottom Line.
A ride up the Magic Mile Skyride is a lot of fun, and hiking around on the rocks at the upper end of the chair lift is great, too.
It’s worth the ride, just for the views on the way up and the way down.
If you take some time hiking at the top, you’ll find even more great places to take pictures, or just sit and relax, including Silcox Hut.
Few visitors venture very far into the scenic alpine landscape, that lured hotel builders here in the first place. The landscape here is entirely the product of recent volcanism. The silvery snags below the chairlift and along the trail to the Silcox Hut, are trees killed by the hot blast of a small eruption in the 1790s. The ground itself on this side of the mountain is a debris field from a much larger, Mount Saint Helens style blast, two thousand years ago. In that eruption, a gigantic avalanche wiped the mountain's slope clean, as far as Government Camp. Afterwards, a lava dome slowly rose to plug the vent. The dome remains as Crater Rock, the monolith looming in front of the actual summit.
Again, if you would like to take the Magic Mile Ride, please notify us ASAP, because we would have to arrange the tour to arrive at the lodge before the chairlift closes. All chairlift participant's must sign the Trailhead Release Agreement.
Also, ask Phil, what time we should all meet back up, in order to head to our next destination, in a timely manner.
Does anyone have any questions?
