The many faces of Mt Hood

There’s a mountain that always calls me home. It’s there when I get close and always makes me giddy to see it. Mt Hood is like the beacon that brings be back.

There are many faces of Mt Hood. The seasons change. The surrounding areas morph with the seasons. Sometimes there is a lot of snow and sometimes only a little. Sometimes there are flowers and sometimes it’s only surrounded by dense green forest.

The lakes that are next to this glorious mountain provide some good reflecting options assuming there isn’t a cloudy sky. The rivers that flow from the mountain are so crisp and clean. That flowing water runoff also provides some of the most spectacular waterfalls in all the land. You might have seen one or two on social media.

Most of the waterfalls that flow from the mountain are in the Columbia River Gorge which might as well be called Waterfall Way. There are so many gorgeous flowing waterfalls year round it’s hard to go a mile without seeing one. Ok, well in late summer there are much fewer flowing off the hills but there are plenty that go year round in all their glory.

If you are lucky enough to be here during our short spring blossom period I would suggest seeing the mountain with the orchard blossoms in Hood River or the Tulip Fields in Woodburn. If you can’t make it for either of those events, summer brings fields of lavender followed by dahlias. You can’t go wrong with flowers and mountains. At least I don’t think you can.

If you’re “stuck” in the city of Portland on your visit to Oregon, fear not, you can still see the majestic Mt Hood by looking East. I would highly recommend a sunrise viewing with the mountain at Pittock Mansion or Rocky Butte. There are other great spots around town to view the mountain but those are some of the most well known and picturesque with the city in the foreground.

Don’t want to get up early you can also catch alpenglow at sunset like this photo from Pittock.

I can’t forget to mention the excellent skiing that Mt Hood provides in the winter as well as hiking trails in the summer. When you’re tired from your adventures you might even want to take a rest in the historic lodge. Those timbers and stone are sure to impress.

Is there something like Mt Hood that drawn you back to your hood? That makes you excited to see whenever you return home from roaming?

For me, home is where the mountain is.