Tillamook Forest Center - Oregon

In my youthful trips to the beach, we would often pass through the “Tillamook Burn” area, but other than something about a big fire, I didn't know much about it. The actual event occurred before I was born, but was certainly part of community legend as I was growing up. This new interpretive center taught me quite a bit about the Tillamook Burn—actually, the Tillamook Burns—and the “six year curse.”

The first thing you'll notice as you approach the door is the forty foot lookout tower. Go ahead, climb up and take a look. In addition to the view (which, being surrounded by trees, is not that spectacular), you can catch a glimpse of fire lookout life.

Back at ground level, we lingered to look at the collecting pond, which supplies water to flush the toilets in the Center! As we got closer to the door, we were ushered in to see a 15 minute film about the Tillamook Burn; interesting and hopeful for rehabilitation of decimated forests. The Center is comparatively small and does not cover any subject extensively, but gives just a touch of the human and natural history of the area. The hands-on exhibits should keep the kids interested long enough to actually make it through the entire Center.

Another attraction of this museum, at least for us, was the access to several other activities. For a short stroll, take the gravel trail west of the center--a half mile loop through the forest with views of the Wilson River. If that wasn't enough for you, cross the 250 foot suspension bridge over the Wilson River to hike the Wilson River trail or walk to the Smith Homestead day use area. The day use area itself offers several short trail options and interpretive signs about the Smiths. We saw one of the pair of bald eagles from the Meadow Trail, perched in the bare top of a distant evergreen tree.

To enjoy this area for yourself, drive Highway 6 to milepost 22. Admission is free. Summer hours for the TFC (Memorial Day to Labor Day): daily, 10 am to 6 pm. Winter hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm. To learn more about the TFC and the surrounding areas, visit the well-done TFC website. If you intend to be outside for any length of time, be prepared for rain. This area gets a lot of it, as is amply demonstrated by a display inside the Center (look for the blue tubes).

Mt Hood Railroad, Hood River Oregon

For Christmas one year, because we have every THING we need, we received the gift of an adventure: two tickets for the Mt Hood Railroad. We didn't plan it this way but our trip coincided almost exactly to the day, 200 years earlier, when Lewis and Clark traveled the same area.

Beginning from Hood River, Oregon, the train departs from a station in the sunset shadow of the historic Hood River Hotel.  We were assigned to the Katherine car, an ancient conveyance with a domed ceiling and bench seats that reverse for the return trip.  When  we started moving, we quickly realized that old train travel is not a quiet, peaceful experience, amid the creaking of the car and the bumping on the rails.

A short distance from the Hood River station, the train switchbacks up the side of a hill, then passes through farms, fields and woods.  I felt like I was on a fast, noisy hike.  The end of the line is Parkdale, Oregon where we got off the train and wandered for about an hour-- through a small museum, a funky antique store and down the street for a great view of Mt Hood. On the return trip, we visited a fruit packing company. The tour included a (brief) stop in a 32 degree cold storage area and a stroll through a small museum in the plant. 

Because this continues to be a working train, it hauls more than passengers on occasion. We stopped to pick up cars loaded with lumber for transport to Hood River. We then creaked and clacked our way back to the Hood River station with the smell of fresh lumber trailing behind.

To get to there, take exit 63 from Interstate 84 in the Columbia Gorge. The station is on Railroad Avenue, just south of the freeway. Paid parking is available at the depot.

Independence Pass Trail-Mt. St. Helens

I ran across my 2004 field notes and couldn't help but reflect on our experience near Mount St Helens. For about 20 minutes, this was one of our most exciting hikes!

It started out routinely enough--a beautiful October day and just a thought for a hike on the Independence Pass Trail. The drive to the trail takes you through dramatic evidence of the force of the big blast, where skeleton trees still guard the edge of the blast zone, overlooking the millions of board feet of timber felled in the blast. Debris dammed Spirit Lake and caused it to rise some 200 feet above its previous level.

As we drove in to the trailhead and started down the trail, we could see that the mountain was steaming, but this was not a particularly unusual event at the time. We began following the trail through the blast zone where vegetation is slowly recovering. A few birds flitted about in the diminutive greenery: a chestnut-backed chickadee, a northern flicker and a varied thrush. In the sky, we noticed an immature bald eagle and later on, a rough-legged hawk. The gamey odor of elk hung in the air, and tracks in the soft dirt confirmed the recent passing of the herd.

The trail dips down into a small draw where a muddy area showed even more tracks. The mountain disappears briefly from view. As we climbed up out of the draw and I glanced back at the mountain, I have the distinct impression of myself as a cartoon character doing a double-take as my eye bugged right out of my head seeing the mountain beginning to erupt. Inside the crater, black and white ash plumes pulsed upward into the air. Steam soon soared above the crater edge and began to spread.

After about 20 minutes the show was over. We were amazed, but continued on with our hike, enjoying the views, additional bird sightings and the sunny fall day. We completed our hike, returning to our vehicle some five hours later. The area seemed strangely quiet, and I noticed a bright orange tag attached to our truck. We were surprised to learn that the area had been closed because of the eruption. We headed for home, only to find a police barricade blocking the road. The police officer who came to let us out expressed relief that the area was now cleared, as we were the last to evacuate!

Although we can't promise an eruption, you can enjoy the Independence Pass Trail in any event by taking the Woodland exit from I-5, turning east toward Cougar. Follow the signs for Windy Ridge onto Hwy 503, Road 90, Road 25, finally turning left on Road 99 to the Harmony Viewpoint, only 2.7 miles from the road's end at Windy Ridge. A Northwest Forest pass is required.