24 Year Old Skis Off 250 ft Cliff at Mississippi Head on Mt Hood

Would you purposely jump off the steep 250 ft. drop of Mt Hood's Mississippi Head? Well, Matthias Giraud did - and he's got the video to show off his perfect landing!

Giraud has been skiing for quite a few years, but more recently decided to go for base jumping. Several months later, he combined the two sports, and began planning jumps. He recently took his passion to Mt Hood, and shot down the slope at around 40 mph as he headed over the jump from the Mississippi Head. But my second-hand commentary would only diminish the moment, so I highly suggest watching the video below - it's truly awesome! The video is from Frontside Productions, and includes footage from the ground, as well as shots from Giraud's point of view. The helmet-cam views were just beautiful - it's almost as if you were there - but not.

Also check out the interview with Matthias Giraud on YouTube.

The Road to Trillium Lake

I've wanted to go up to Trillium Lake while there is snow on the ground and take a few pictures, but I lack the proper gear to go trodding through the snow at this point. That's the problem with living up here, some people (such as myself) sometimes take the beautiful area that surrounds us for granted. For instance, we had about 7 pairs of skis two years ago, and now - not one. We just tend to get involved in daily activities, rather than parttake in all of the fun we once imagined having.

The picture to the right is the road to Trillium Lake in February of 2007, the last trip I attempted to get to the lake with snow on the ground. There was only a few feet on the ground on that day, and the weather was beautiful. It was warm enough to wear only a tee shirt and shorts and be comfortable. But, after about 1/3 of a mile of walking in mushy-up-to-our-ankles snow, we realized that we were in over our heads if we expected to make the minimum 4-1/2 mile round trip we planned. If we made it to our destination, we would have a picture from the same location as the main 3-pane picture that appears at the top of the page (which was taked during the summer season). I would imagine that there is a beautiful picture waiting to be taken now, with all of the recent snow fall. After last February's experience, we will wait until we are better prepared for the trek.

Perhaps we would have made it with ease if we had snowshoes or cross-country skis. Or even a dog sled would have kept us above the slushy under-crust - like the well prepared people we saw coming from one of the side paths with their small pack of dogs. But somehow I don't picture our bulldog pulling us on a sled . . . pulling us by the pant-legs - that I can see. But a sled - not so much.

Life Goes On

There are some days that just seem to move really slow, and yet it seems only a moment has gone by. The passing of a month or two - in reality, just zips past us at times. But that's no excuse, it's been about two months since I last posted. The weather was great, life changed a little, and I logged on - only to realize that it had been September since the last post.

Since the weather was good, I recently realized I should have taken a few pictures while I could. But that has all changed with the recent clouds and rain. So I share with you a picture taken over the summer, which was taken from Multnomah Falls - looking north-east from the trail up to the bridge.

Multnomah Falls is accessible from Hwy 30 off I-84 between Portland and Hood River. There are several beautiful waterfalls to see, and although I have many waterfall pictures, I thought it would be nice to see the view opposite the waterfall. You can just make out the Columbia River that separates Oregon and Washington. The hills in the background of the picture are in Washington.

What is Your Favorite Mt Hood Spot?

Of all the great places around Mt Hood that there are to visit, most locals or frequent visitors have their favorite place to relax, enjoy the views, take pictures, or just soak in some of the pristine waters near the mountain. It's hard for me to pinpoint my abosulte favorite place, between the Hood River Valley spread out over miles of orchards and vinyards with the majestic mountain backdrop, and the dense semi-rain forests of the south-west flanks of Wy-east. I love sitting on the shores of the serene lakeside at Trillium, and wandering along the Zig Zag and Sandy rivers.

Perhaps one my favorite would be the beautiful views along Lolo Pass, just beyond the old Barlow Trail road, with so many gorgeous low-lying mountain tops visible from the windy road, Mt Hood standing it all its glory, rising above the thickly treed foothills. So, what's your favorite place among the vast expanse of the Mt Hood area?

How the Village of Zig Zag Got the Name

The early pioneers of the Oregon Trail named many of the places we know today. The land around Mt. Hood was known only to the Native Americans, and until then, had no official names. The area was largely untraveled, and as the early immigrants passed through, giving way to some of the well known areas we call home in the beautiful Mt. Hood Corridor.

The Zig Zag river, which was runs along part of the Barlow Road route. As they followed the river along part of the trail, they were increasingly frustrated by all of the "zigs and zags" as the winding river took them back and forth through the thick forest. They coined the river's name as Zig Zag, and through the years the name seemed to stick. The town later adopted the name, and is now home to one of the best pizza on the mountain, found at the Zig Zag Inn. There is also a Subway sandwhich shop, a few local businesses, and a soon-to-be-open Zig Zag Mountain Store, which was a local favorite for years before a temporary closure. Don't forget to take the beautiful Lolo Pass for some magnificent photo ops along the west side of Mt. Hood.

Update on Five Mt Hood Hikers Reported Missing

According to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office this evening, the five climbers have reported that they were caught in a snow storm, with whiteout contitions, while returning from a one day climb on Mt. Hood. But on a positive note, they have proven to have a cell phone, and a global positioning system, as well as an activated mountain locator unit. Search and rescue teams have been in contact with the group, and instructed them to dig a snow cave to shield them from the harsh elements. It sounds so far as if they might be forced to spend the night on the mountain.

Clackamas County Sheriff's Office also reports that the rescue teams could depart as early as tonight, hopeful to arrive back at Timberline Lodge around 3:00 a.m. Sunday, with five un-injured climbers.

Mt Hood Highway 26 Scenic Byway

If you want to take a great day trip, the Mt Hood Scenic Byway is a beautiful drive, and just a few hours to make the trip around. Just head east on Hwy 26 from Gresham, and on out to Mt Hood you go! Slow down in Sandy, the speed limit is 25 mph - and they're strict about it around there. Once you pass Sandy, you'll be on your way, through the areas of Brightwood, Welches, Rhododendron, and then Government Camp.

On your way past Government Camp, you'll see a turn on the right hand side for Trillium Lake, which is about two miles from the highway. It's a beautiful place, and worth seeing if you've got the time. (Right - Picture we took last summer with a relatively cheap digital camera.) Head back out, turning right onto the highway from the road to Trillium Lake, and continue east towards Highway 35, where you will catch it heading north.

This is a great drive on a clear day, because on the way to this point, you see the southwest side of the mountain, and once you are on Hwy 35 you can see the east and north sides of the majestic mounain, especially if you head towards Lost Lake (west from Hwy 35). If you take this route, it's got some pretty steep uphill driving, so make sure your car is in good condition for the drive. Otherwise, stay on Hwy 35 heading north and take in the beauty of the fruit tree orchards along the way to Hood River.

From Hood River, you would take Hwy 84 west towards Portland. This is another very scenic part of the journey around Mt Hood. You can visit many places along this stretch of the Columbia Gorge, such Cascade Locks, the bridge of the gods, Multnomah Falls (which is the largest of a series of waterfalls in this area. Taking Bypass 30 west will take you through an area where you can park and view each one. Both Hwy 30 and Hwy 84 will take you west, and you can then travel through Troutdale, and either continue on back to Portland area on Hwy 84 towards downtown, or exit 238th/Hogan Drive from Hwy 84, then travel south to Hwy 26, and go either left or right on Burnside. Left will take you back towards the mountain, right will take you through Gresham towards downtown Portland. Have fun, and be safe!

Northern Alliance Releases "Hood Rich" Teaser Video

Ready to get amped with an awesome Norther Alliance video from Premonition Films? The video was shot on Mt. Hood and put on YouTube as a teaser for the up-and-coming film "Hood Rich" coming out in fall.

Catch more of the Northern Alliance team, and find out what they're doing now by reading their blog. The posts are short, simple, and to the point, but jam packed with links to pics showcasing fine snowboarding skills.

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Mt Hood, Oregon, snow, snowboard

What a Trip! Fun From Mt Hood to Portland and Back Again

As we found out the hard way! The radio news said that all roads to the lakes from the Columbia River to Bend area were open, but we found out differently as we tried to take a short day trip. The weather was great, so we thought it would be fun to take a trip from Mt. Hood area (home) to Portland. Our first stop was the Portland Saturday Market, where we ate, shopped, then sat back and enjoyed a blues band. then to the Columbia Gorge and Hood River, through the orchards and forest to Lost Lake, back down to Lolo Pass, then through the pass to Zig Zag, Oregon. When you live in the area, the mountain's flanks and foothills naturally becomes part of your backyard. This trip should have been easy and quick, but we ran into a few snags.

From the time we left the Portland Saturday Market, (take 84/30 east toward The Dalles from Portland) we followed the Columbia River via Hwy 84 east, (you can also take the smaller, more scenic Hwy 30 which follows the same route in order to visit the beautiful waterfalls, but that was not our mission for the day.)

We took the first exit in Hood River from Hwy 84, and went through the beautiful downtown area of Hood River, then onto Hwy 35, then exit west and pass through Odell and Dee, where we were followed by the Sheriff for about 10 miles through various sudden speed limit changes. We eventually found our way out to Lost Lake Rd. and followed it up towards Lost Lake. However, while we were on the last 6-mile stretch uphill, we found snow. I couldn't tell you how close we actually got to the lake, there was another car parked there and no people in sight. We chose to turn around and go back to Lolo Pass.

We took Lolo Pass, knowing it came out on the west side of Mt Hood, just a few miles from home. Lolo Pass offered some great scenery, there were a few trees down, but the big logs had been cut to open the road. We saw a sign letting us know that Hwy 26 was now just 17 miles away from us - great! We're almost home! Not so much...

About 15 miles from Hwy 26 on Lolo Pass, we came across two huge piles of rubble and trees (seemingly intentional) blocking the road. Yeah, by then we were bummed out. We even got out of the car to stare at the untouchable road on the other side of the monsterous blockage. Once again feeling elated, we followed our own dirt trails and headed back down to Dee and Parkdale. We even saw our friendly Sheriff again as we passed through an intersection. We headed out to Hwy 35 again, travelled south towards Government Camp to Hwy 26 west, and went back home. I did happen to notice that the road to Trillium Lake was closed as well, which was part of our original unrevised plan.

What a day - beautiful and sunny, high gas prices, closed roads, and gorgeous views. Typical of the end of April in the Mt. Hood area. Our digital camera wasn't cooperating much after the Saturday Market, so we were only able to snap a few awkward shots of the mountain and orchards with the camera-phone. So much for beautiful pictures of the lakes. Next time I'll remember to bring snow-worthy shoes, just in case.

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entertainment, mountain life, mountains, Mt Hood, Oregon, outdoors, snow, trip planning, vacation

Pictures of Mt Hood and the Smoking Hills

On one of those recent sunny days, I decided that a few pictures of Mt. Hood on a clear day would be beautiful. I had some errands to run, and would be passing through the town of Sandy, and thought I'd take my camera. The pictures didn't turn out as well as I thought they would, it seems that there was a lot of trash that had built up over the past few weeks of rain, and was just waiting to be burned. It was like the hills were on fire, smoke rising from the foothills of Mt. Hood, hazing the air just enough to glaze my photos a blurry sensation. (The pictures were taken from John's Rud Viewpoint on Bluff Road in Sandy, just a short distance from Highway 26.

I'll get over it, there will be many more photogenic days ahead. Spring will bring rain, and summer will bring sunny skies, and throughout each, there will be plenty of opportunities to capture the essence of the mountain area. They're still nice images, although next time I'll try to go east for my pictures, instead of west. Lolo Pass has quite a few really nice viewpoints of Mt. Hood, and a mysterious waterfall that can only be seen in certain light. It's all right around here, I just need to find the time to get out there, and get a few great shots of the mountain.

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mountain life, mountains, Mt Hood, Oregon, outdoors

The Beautiful Four Seasons

Summer has passed, and though many days are bright and sunny, they often have the crisp coolness foretelling the winters near arrival. A few episodes of rain prepare us for what's to come, though they were much needed to help extinguish the recent forest fires. Streets are lined with rich shades of emerald, pumpkin, and crimson, backed by the deep blue autumn sky. Speckles of flowers show themselves between the ferns and grasses as the remnants of summer fade.