Mt Whitney Zone Forums The Chat Room Portland, Oregon

Wifey-pooh and I are a headin' north to Oregon for some R&R August 28 through September 4.

Any beta on the following would be great:

Hostels
Breweries
Eateries (organic)
Touron hot spots

We were going to take in a Portland Beavers baseball game but they are away.

I have pretty much seen all the websites my eyeballs could handle. Maybe cuz I am lazy. So if there are any Organic or Non-Organic Oregonians out there it would be appreciated.

Along the way north, we will stop and summit Lassen Peak. We went to the park two years ago, but due to time we didn't do the brutal Lassen Peak. We opted for Bumpass, which was awesome with the thermal pools!

We also plan to visit Mt. St. Helens. I haven't been there since 1989, so I know a lot has taken place then.

After MSH, we head back down to Oregon and west to Astoria, OR, and head down the coast. I have driven down the Oregonian Coast before in 1989, and I was amazed.

Oh, Wifey-pooh has never been to Portland, MSH, Astoria, Oregon coast.

Yes, we are gonna...

Have fun.

Gary, you gotta have a meal - or at least a hot chocolate - at the Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. It's where all the exterior hotel shots were filmed for "The Shining". Lots of flavor to the old place. You can also pick up the PCT right behind the lodge for a nice stroll. Hood is only about an hour east of Portland along the Columbia River Gorge scenic byway - just captivating, with lots of places to stop along the way. Multnomah Falls is worth a stop.

We hiked some at Mt. St. Helens a couple of years ago, but didn't try to get up to the caldera rim. Beautiful area, but be careful if you go up high into the snow - a hiker was killed this year when a snow cornice collapsed near the rim.

Are you going to Visit Crater Lake? That's one of the few national parks still left on our list 'cuz it's really isolated in southern Oregon. We were day-tripping from Sea-Tac, so it was just too far. If you're driving up I-5, you won't be that far away.

Have a great trip!

Ashland:
The good brewery was Standing Rock. I'll give you a growler if you wish. Also, there seems to be some thespian activities there. I could probably dig up my membership # so you could get a discount...

Columbia River:
Do drive as far as Hood. At the Bonneville Dam complex you can go into a place & see (through glass), the salmon swimming upstream.

Oregon State campgrounds are cheap and incredibly clean.

The Shasta Dam tour was cheap as in free and very informative.

Ditto for Ashland & Columbia River. My only addtion would be The Dalles and Celilo Falls along the Columbia river gorge.

Have you ever been over to the Nor Cal coast, along hwy 1? There is a state wilderness area, Sinkyone. The roads to get there can be pretty rough, but well worth it. Only spot I know to see miles and miles of coastline with no development. (AKA the Lost Coast) I was there in '94 and it was amazing.

And some more beta:

One of my clients prints all of the Widmer beer labels. So, of course we went to the restaurant and sampled all the goodies. My gf kind of hinted that she was a little tired of camping, so I borrowed a phone book & started calling B&Bs that were on the way home. I scored a cancellation at this place (I'm fairly sure). They even supplied us with a huge affectionate tabby, just like home.

Of course, this all happened near the end of the last millenium, and prices were a lot cheaper.

Many thanks to all for the info!

No Crater Lake...been there done that and whoa how beautiful it was.

The road less traveled...Oregon with stops at Lassen Peak...Hood...Mt. St. Helens...Portland...Astoria...Oregon Coast...

Gonna take those country roads...

Have fun...

In Portland, don't miss:

- Powell's BookStore (probably the best in the country)
- the rose garden, and take the narrow-gauge train to the
- Portland Zoo.

Before leaving the Portland area, drive east along the Columbia River on I84 toward the Dalles, and oogle the many falls, especially Multnomah Falls. Stop in Hood River for lunch, and then watch the wind surfer - best spot in the country for that sport.

Also - check on Lassen Peak to make sure it's hikeable. They're rebuilding the trail, and some days it's closed. I was there a week or so ago, and had no problems. Look on the NPS website and if necessary, call them.

So where's the TR?

Yeah Gary, what up? How'd it go? What'd you and Pam do?

Too bad I found your post after your trip or I would have suggested the Trinity Alps (Big Foot Country). Absolutely gorgeous territory. At Mt. Lassen it's difficult for me but you might have liked hiking a cinder cone...you take one step forward and slide back two steps...goodness, the top seems like it will never be reached. I recall hiking a cinder cone very close to Juniper Lake. Hey, I've been lost two times in Mt. Lassen National Park...I must have some karma to pay...both times I was lost for no less than 8 hours and both times my water supply was nil...I learn everything the hard way. Oh yeah, where's your TR?

All righteee then!

Down and dirty TR. Lot of driving, not much time hiking.

August 27: From Fuggowhee to Lee Vining to Reno to Susanville. Spent night at Apple Inn for $45.00. Best kept secret in Susanville. Kind of like a hostel but more upscale. They allow you to pick 2 free snacks. Rooms had a microwave. Showers were 3 X 3.

August 28: Rain. Rain. Rain. Lassen Peak trail closed due to maintenance. What? Oh well. There goes Lassen. Drive up past Goose Lake (what lake?). Drove through Oregon Outback. Camped in La Pine. Oregon has the best state parks! Site 107 had electric hook up and spigot as well as the other amenities.

August 29: Timberline Lodge. Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's Johnny! What a place. Windy and a bit brisk. Drove to Portland. Stopped in Clackamas. Dined at Claim Jumper. There is an REI in the same center. Heaven!

August 30: Mt. St. Helens. Johnston Observatory. Low clouds prevented full view. Much different drive than in 1989 since last visit. 1989 could drive past Spirit Lake. Camped at Ecopark. Nice large sites. Showers. Love roughing it.

August 31: Drove to Kelso headed west along the Columbia. Stopped at Dismal Nitch. Over the bridge to Astoria. Purchased salmon at Johansens. Drove down the Oregon coast to Newport. Toured Tillamook Cheese Factory. Stayed at hotel. Dinner at Rogue's on the waterfront. Killer IPA's.

September 1: Drove as far as Brookings to camp another night. Met relatives who is a distant relative. Watched the sunset on the beach. Beautiful.

September 2: Camped in Ft. Bragg, CA. No, not NC. Racoon(s) open up our ice chest and eat all the meat products including OUR SALMON!

September 3: Drove east through Clear Lake and to Sacramento. Spent night. Had to go to IKEA next day to pick up bed for stepdaughter. Note to self: Do not ever do that again. No mixing of vacation, IKEA and camping gear. Wouldn't be prudent.

September 4: IKEA. But first breakfast at Whole Foods. Omelet yummy. Wish they served Portal Pancake and Fries. Yes, for breakfast!

That's it. My wife had never been to Portland or Mt. St. Helens. We had never been through the Oregon Outback.

Down and dirty.

Yes, we had fun.

Damn racoons!

It's a shame the weather sucked at times, but that's the PNW for ya. One day we hiked Mt. Rainier without a cloud in the sky, the next day we spent on Mt. Hood and never even saw the mountain due to fog and mist. Got some fantastic hot choc at the Timberline Lodge, though. During the same week a hike at St. Helens was the most beautiful, clear day I think I've ever seen, and the next day we damn near got hypothermia back at Rainier from the cold rain and mist. PNW is a special place - you just have to have Mother Nature on your side!

Next time up that way, try to visit the REI flagship store in downtown Seattle. Amusement park for hikers.

When you visited the observatory at St. Helen's, did they stop you at the door and demand a seperate fee for basically entering a gift shop? That really ticked me off - the only reason we went in was for our daughter to go to the restroom.

The weather didn't really suck. Coming from 113 degrees just a few days ago, the rain, cool temps and overcast was a blessing. Used to live in Spanaway, WA -- 44 miles from Mt. Rainier. The PNW will always have a special place in my heart. My wife lived in Federal when she was a young un like me too. Strange how our lives are similar.

Yes, I contemplated a Seattle visit to the REI flagship and to see Mt. Rainier again. Talk about HEAVEN!

Raccoons. Visualize this. Fat and happy raccoon on his back picking his teeth burping. "Man, was that good! Thank you dumb California campers!"

Now I know to strap the cooler from now on. ATTENTION EVERYONE: Now you know why they have bear lockers! Use them if you know what I mean!

Oh well, another reason to drive up to Astoria!

Yes, the Observatory. Went in. Cashier yells from across the room, "Do you have your wristband?!"

"No." I approach cashier with my National Park Pass.

She holds it up and waves it and exlcaims, "It's expired."

"Oh, thank you for tellling us. May we purchase a new one?" I had not realized our pass had expired in July. No problem.

$80.00 later, I thanked the cashier and said, "Thank you for the embarrassment! Have a nice day! Have fun!"

Before saying that, I looked at the card and noticed she had notched out September and not August. Such a nice girl!

My wife had a few expletives to say, but I will not mention them here.

The salmon story made me laugh out loud. Doggone varmints!

I think on your next trip, you need to return to Ft Bragg and bag yourself a coonskin cap!

Yeah, that "observatory" is a rip-off of epic proprtions, and not managed the way the NPS does most parks/monuments. There's no fee to enter the national monument proper (or a minimal one - I can't recall precisely), but to walk in to the observatory - which is really a gift shop and restrooms - they pop you with a $6 or $8 per person charge. Do they have a system for making you aware before you enter? No - they just yell at you when you walk through the door.

The ranger finally relented when we explained that we just wanted our daughter to be able to use the restroom and then we'd leave. I walked out to the plaza to wait, and in 5 minutes' time I was approached twice by other rangers pointing out that I didn't have a wristband and that I couldn't stand there and admire St. Helen's without it. I was boiling by the time we left and headed for our trailhead (no charge, thank you very much).

Had I only heard the doggone galoot and been awake and had my .270!

The raccoon should be easy to spot in Ft. Bragg...he's the plump one that smells like salmon! Thank goodness I am not living in Tennessee where the raccoon is the state animal.

Move over, Daniel Boone, and look out Ted Nugent!

My trip was a helluva lot more pleasant in 1989. I was in awe of all of the fallen trees. Wow.

Yes, I agree, the observatory isn't exactly an observatory if they run it like that.

"Pay paradise...put up a parking lot...er I mean observatory."

Well, aside from the racoon, IKEA, and the 'observatory' cashier, did you have FUN??

Actually wazzu, check out the last line of his "TR". I almost missed it since Gary's FUN is always capitalized. I'm guessing he potentially could have had more fun, so it was a matter of degrees . . .

Doggone right we HAD FUN!

The raccoon, IKEA and cashier didn't ruin our days.

The raccoon is a happy one. Now, could have been more that happened to find their way into our cooler. Oh well.

IKEA (West Sacramento) is a great store. In the children's department, they have these little stainless steel pots and pans. Great for car camping! Not recommended for backpacking excursions. Just wish they had an IKEA in Fresno. Fifth largest city in California, home of Fresno State, and dab smack in the middle of CA and no IKEA. Yes, an REI and a Claim Jumper, but no IKEA. Go figure. And no Bass Pro Shops (B-field and Manteca) or Cabela's. Wut up with dat? Okay I am off my dais now.

The cashier is human. We can't change her. She can only change herself.

We wish we could have hiked more, but with driving and wanting to do and see things, it didn't happen. But look out for next time!

We took in all we saw. We love this part of America.

Someday, we hope to go to the NE and see the fall colors. I have been in every state except for the NE. Heck, it doesn't matter what time of year really.

My wife has her sights set on one thing: LOBSTAH!

Alright there you have it, y'all!

HAVE FUN!