Snow in July

Jill's Journal: I almost hate to admit it, but while the East Coast and Midwest are sweltering in record-breaking heat, we had to don our winter jackets today for a visit to the magnificent Mt. Hood.

Are there many sights more majestic?

Almost there! The snow level started at around 5,200 feet.

Mt. Hood is a snow-capped volcano which is considered dormant for all intents and purposes. It’s estimated there’s only a three- to seven-percent chance of it erupting in the next three decades. It’s a staggering 11,249 feet high and has 12 glaciers. This means there is snow all year long.

It also means Mt. Hood is the only place in North America that has a year-round ski season served by a ski lift. The skiing happens on a massive glacier, or permanent snow field, called Palmer Glacier. Several international ski teams train here during the summer. We watched dozens upon dozens of skiers and snowboarders do their thing today. I’ve never seen skiers or snowboarders up close before, so I was riveted, but the girls were far more interested in actually playing in the snow.

Madelyn with her mini snowman

At the 6,000-foot mark on the south side of Mt. Hood is Timberline Lodge. If this National Historical Landmark and Oregon icon looks familiar to you, you've likely seen the Stephen King/Stanley Kubrick film The Shining. The exterior scenes of that sinister hotel were actually of Timberline. One of my favorite moments of the day involved a man in a wheelchair repeatedly answering his phone (while doing his best Jack Nicholson impersonation), “Heeeeeere’s Johnny!” It’s been years since I’ve seen that movie, but now I’ll probably have nightmares tonight. Thanks, buddy.

However, it's not the movie, but the Lodge's history that makes it unique. In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave hundreds of craftsmen a job building Timberline Lodge during the Great Depression. It was part of his Works Progress Administration and New Deal policies. Roosevelt himself came to the Lodge to dedicate it in 1937. The intricate craftsmanship and rustic artwork in this ski lodge remain a tribute to the hard work ethic and skill of the time.



Unique features are found all over the Lodge...



We got some fantastic views of the north side of Mt. Hood as well and also made a little stop in the adorable town of Hood River. No pictures to speak of, but goodness, Oregon has some awfully cute little towns away from the hubbub of the larger cities.