Another beautiful day and we decided to take a drive up to Mount Hood. Such a beautiful place! Mount Hood, called Wy'east by the Multnomah tribe, is a strato-volcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc of northern Oregon. It is located about 50 miles east-southeast of Portland. In addition to being Oregon's highest mountains, it is one of the loftiest mountains in the nation based on its prominence.The height assigned to Mount Hood's snow-covered peak has varied over its history. Modern sources point to three different heights: 11,249 feet, a 1991 measurement by the U.S. National
Geodetic Survey, 11,240 feet based on a 1993 scientific expedition, and 11,239 feet of slightly older origin. The peak is home to 12 named glaciers and snowfields. It is the highest point in Oregon and the fourth highest in the Cascade Range. Mount Hood is considered the Oregon volcano most likely to erupt, though based on history, an explosive eruption is unlikely. The mountain is informally considered dormant.Mount Hood is host to 12 named glaciers or snow fields, the most visited of which is Palmer Glacier, partially within the Timberline Lodge ski area and on the most popular climbing route. Eliot Glacier is the largest glacier by volume at 73,000 acre feet.
and has the thickest depth measured by ice radar at 361 feet.Glaciers and snowfields cover about 80 percent of the mountain above the 6,900 foot level. The glaciers declined by an average of 34 percent from 1907 - 2004. Glaciers on Mount Hood retreated through the first half of the 20th century, advanced or at least slowed their retreat in the 1960's and 1970's, and have since returned to a pattern of
retreat.Mount Hood is Oregon's highest point and a prominent landmark visible up to 100 miles away. It has convenient access and a minimum of technical climbing challenges. About 10,000 people attempt to climb Mount Hood each year. As of May 2002 more than 130 people had died in climbing related accidents since records have been kept on Mount Hood, the first in 1896.
We had lunch at the Timberline Lodge and from our vantage point we could see the snowboarders and skiers up on the glacier. How fun to say you were skiing on Mount Hood in August!!!
More later from along the road,Love, Candy and Johnny
