Trillium Lake, located at the foot of Mt. Hood, is indeed as beautiful as locals say. The water shimmers at dusk, and the view of the majestic peak is hard to beat. Shortly after arriving to the campground, our crew of three adults and four kids headed out onto a two mile hike. Along the lake's edge is a picturesque trail that leads you through meadow, marsh, and forest. It was like a Disney film as we were greeted by a host of dragonflies, butterflies, and little creatures along the way.
Our stay at the lake was short but magical. The girls and their friends swam in the frigid water. We fished for trout (no luck this time around). And we indulged in the latest campfire fad- S'moreos! Very rich, but oh so tasty. Good thing a 6.5 mile trek was planned for the next day.
Near Trillium Lake is Laurel Hill, considered the most treacherous stretch of the Oregon Trail. Early settlers who traveled 2000 miles to Oregon discovered that traversing the wilderness to the south of Mt. Hood was faster than traveling through the Gorge to the north.
Part of this historical route is still accessible by foot, so we thought it would be a fun adventure for the kids to hike it. The first part of the trail heads up a very steep hill- hard to imagine how wagons navigated such a narrow and sloped path. The trail eventually connects to the original Mt. Hood Highway built in 1923. In the photo above, there is an arrow that points to the stone bridge wall that still stands today.
After the hike, we had time to spare for some huckleberry milkshakes in Government Camp and a quick visit to the infamous Timberline Lodge. Many of you movie buffs may recall that Timberline Lodge was in the 1980 classic, The Shining. Only the outside of the building was actually filmed, but the interior of the 1930's lodge is just as impressive. All of the original features and furnishings were handcrafted, and some of the decor was even made from recycled materials. The hooked rugs, for example, were made from recycled uniforms and blankets.
Timberline Lodge is an amazing building, but Mt. Hood steals the show. The views of the mountain and from the mountain are spectacular. Although Mt. Hood is not the tallest peak in the Cascade Range, it is the most popular summit. I just recently learned that it is the second most climbed mountain in the world (Mt. Fuji being number one).
I'm not itching to climb to the top of Mt. Hood anytime soon, but the mountain does constantly draw me in. Even when I paint a mountain from my imagination, it ends up looking like Mt. Hood. There's something about it that keeps me intrigued and inspired, and I'm always looking forward to coming back.
No comments:
Post a Comment