Howdy ya’ll, it has been a while since I have written here on 4 Seasons of Winter. I have been super busy starting a new job with lots of travel. I got to spend about 6 weeks on the Portland Oregon area, and the best part was Winter got to tag along with me. While I had to work a majority of the time, Winter and I got to explore on the weekends, two of which were spent in the Columbia River Gorge. The first weekend in Oregon we explored Dog Mountain. My last weekend in Oregon we took a roadtrip to view Multnomah Falls and Rowena Crest.
Hiking Dog Mountain
My first free weekend in Oregon I couldn’t help but get out on the trails. My trail of choice was Dog Mountain, located on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge about an hour from Portland. This was Winter first peek ever, so the name of the hike was very fitting.
Let me preface by saying this particular hike is not joke. It is a 6.3 mile r/t out and back trail with 2,800 feet of elevation gain. Get all the details on All Trails. You start out going up hill and just keep going for the entire 3 miles up to the top. About a mile into the hike you get the choice of taking the Difficult or the More Difficult route to the top… can you guess which way we went?
Winter chose the difficult route. This saved both of us because the day we hiked was record heat in the area with the temperature reaching 100 degrees. Once we cleared the tree line the heat and sun were brutal. All the hard work to get to the top is rewarded with amazing views of the Columbia River, Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Saint Helens.
After the hike we stopped at a local park to take a quick dip in the freezing cold (by Texan standards) Columbia River. Then we went for a quick lunch and beer at Thunder Island Brewing Co. before heading back to our hotel for the day. Showers and naps were in order after this hike.
Multnomah Falls and Rowena Crest
My last few weekends in Portland were fairly restricted. The wildfires along the Pacific Coast resulted in closing of all of the national forests and hiking trails in Oregon. However, Winter and I made one final trip out in the Columbia River Gorge to view Multnomah Falls and Rowena Crest.
Multnomah Falls Viewing Area
I got lucky with timing to even be able to see Multnomah Falls. Throughout a majority of 2020 the viewing platform had been closed. During my time there it was opened on a limited basis with advanced purchased tickets from the national recreation website. The thick smoke from the wildfires across the pacific north west gave us some unique views at Multnomah Falls. The best part? We had the entire viewing area are to ourselves.
Unfortunately, the famous bridge across the falls and all the hiking trails were closed because of COVID. But we still had a great time and got some amazing photos. All the credit goes to my water bottle and the time delay photo feature on my phone. I will say, photos do not do the second tallest waterfall in the US justice. This is a must see stop if you travel to the Portland area.
Rowena Crest
A little farther down the Columbia River Gorge is another must see and must drive spot, Rowena Crest. Again the smoke made for some very unique views of the area. However, it was still a really great stop for my last weekend in the area.
A must do here is to drive down the winding road, a drive that you definitely want to take slowly. I set up my camera and got a really cool video of the drive as well. Check it out below!
Leave no Trace
The environmental activist in me comes out at the end of every post. If we want to keep being able to enjoy the great outdoors, we have to take care of it! I have a bag to put all my trash in that I carry in my day pack. Using a refillable and reusable water bottle or camelbak instead of using a plastic bottle from the convenience store is a must.
When I hike with dogs, who are lucky enough to have nature as their restroom, I always carry plenty of baggies to clean up after them. Most parks don’t have trash bins along trails, so be prepared to carry it out.
Like what you are reading? Check out more on our Archives page, or browse specific place or topic using the menus! Also be sure to follow us on social media using the links on the right.
That video was like watching a rollercoaster and getting a queasy… fun stuff