Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Central Oregon & the Oregon Cascades Highlights
Hiking and camping in the wonderfully forested foothills around Mt Hood ( Click
here ) .
Carving powder in winter (and summer!) above Timberline Lodge ( Click here ) .
Photographing summer wildflowers in the Three Sisters Wilderness ( Click here ) .
Sampling the finest cuisine in Bend ( Click here ), after golfing, rafting, skiing or
mountain biking nearby.
Setting up a multipitch climb at spectacular Smith Rock ( Click here ).
Peeking through a lava tube at Newberry National Volcanic Monument ( Click
here ) .
White-water rafting or fly-fishing on the famous Deschutes River ( Click here ).
TOP OF CHAPTER
Mt Hood
The state's highest peak, Mt Hood (11,240ft), pops into view over much of northern Ore-
gon whenever there's a sunny day, exerting an almost magnetic tug on skiers, hikers and
sightseers. In summer, wildflowers bloom on the mountainsides and hidden ponds shim-
mer in blue, making for some unforgettable hikes; in winter, downhill and cross-country
skiing dominates people's minds and bodies. Timberline Lodge, a handsome wood gem
from the 1930s, offers glorious shelter and refreshments to both guests and nonguests all
year round - and shouldn't be missed.
Mt Hood rises above the Western Cascades, a ridge of older volcanoes stretching
between Mt Rainier and Mt Shasta. These volcanoes erupted between 20 and 40 million
years ago, and their peaks have long since eroded. Mt Hood began to burp toward the
end of the last ice age, and geologists believe that the mountain's last major eruption was
about 1000 years ago.
Mt Hood is accessible year-round on US 26 from Portland (56 miles), and from Hood
River (44 miles) on Hwy 35. Together with the Columbia River Hwy, these routes com-
prise the Mt Hood Loop, a popular scenic drive. Government Camp, at the pass over Mt
Hood, is the center of business on the mountain.
Activities
 
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