Mt. Hood

If you were to look out towards the east of the Portland landscape, one could witness Oregon’s most majestic mountain. Mt. Hood is located about an hour and a half from Portland. Mt. Hood is a beautiful snow-capped mountain that rises to about 11,249 feet. It also boasts twelve glaciers and snow fields that cover about eighty percent of the mountain.

Mt. Hood was given its name by Lt. William Broughton in 1792 after an expedition in the region. Lt. Broughton called the mountain Hood after a British Admiral named Samuel Hood, which was interestingly ironic since Samuel Hood was a commanding admiral for the British in the Revolutionary War against the Americans. The mountain was later seen by the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1805 but never lost its original name.

Mt. Hood has many different recreation options for visitors. Activities on and around the mountain include skiing or snowboarding, sledding, mountain climbing, hiking, camping, fishing, snowshoeing, boating, or a stay at Mt. Hood’s most famous lodging, Timberline Lodge.

Timberline Lodge sits at an elevation of about 5,960 feet. The Lodge is located at the bottom of an expansive ski area that is open most of the year. The Lodge was built during the Great Depression and dedicated by Franklin D. Roosevelt in September of 1937. Timberline Lodge gained national notoriety when the lodge’s exterior was featured in the 1980 movie, The Shining. Since then the lodge has been host to many reenactment events of the movie, including a reenactment event that was hosted by the Beaverton, Oregon based Nike Corporation. Timberline Lodge also hosts, business events, regular guest lodging, and weddings.

Mt Hood Meadows is the other ski area on the mountain. This ski resort is larger than Timberline and it provides night skiing as well. Mt. Hood Meadows has 11 chairlifts and 87 different runs with varying levels of difficulty.

Mt. Hood has one of the most beautiful sights that may be seen in Oregon. The Cascade Mountain Range provides viewers with a rolling snow white and forest green landscape that will rival any in the world. The natural beauty that is seen in this region will make any trip to the area worth it.