The Rustic and Famous Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood

As we drove into higher elevations towards Mt. Hood, the rain was trying to turn into snow but the milder temperature just wouldn't allow. Mt. Hood is located about 60 miles east of Portland. The mountain is one of the tallest active volcanoes in North America. It's been a pretty long and wet winter, so we were very hopeful for some snow and/or sunshine to change up the scenery. It was drizzling most of the way there but Oregon is known for its many changing environments. When we passed the small trendy ski town of Government Camp, it finally cleared up and the sky was mostly blue. We continued up the forested highway that wound up and around the mountain. The snowy summit of Mt. Hood dominated our view as we rounded a large curve. It's elevation is 11,245ft and it is the most breathtaking site to see when it comes into full view almost immediately.

We were headed to our favorite mountain retreat to celebrate our anniversary, Timberline Lodge. Known as a Northwest icon, it was built and furnished by local artisans during the Great Depression, and dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937. This National Historic Landmark sits at an elevation of 5,960 feet (1,817 m) on the south side of the mountain. It's located within the Mt. Hood National Forest and is accessible by the Mt. Hood Scenic Byway. Timberline Lodge is a very popular tourist destination drawing two million visitors every year. The winding road and the outside of the lodge also have a claim to fame, as it was featured as the exterior for the Overlook Hotel in the legendary movie The Shining.

Above the snowline, the winding road to the lodge carved through the deep snow. We passed snowshoers walking along the side of the highway on the tall walls of snow. Boasting the longest ski season in the U.S., Timberline offers year-round snow sports for enthusiasts of all kinds to come navigate it's Alpine slopes. There are several snow parks on the mountain. Some of the more popular ones are Meadows, Ski Bowl, and Timberline. On the way up, there were some snowboarders hitchhiking to the top. We decided that since we had room, we'd offer them a ride, it was cold and raining. They gladly accepted and put the snow boards in the back of the SUV and got in. We wound back and forth ascending to the ski lodge as they told us about themselves and talked about snowboarding. We arrived and dropped them off at the Timberline Alpine Trail and went on to the lodge.

We found the snow! The lodge was buried by eleven feet of snow with towering walls surrounding the parking lot where it had been pushed out of the way with heavy machinery. It was definitely a foggy and snowy day up in the clouds!

Timberline Lodge

Timberline Lodge

Walking up to the front door, there's snowboards, skis, and accessories lining the walls. The entrance to the Timberline Lodge showcases a beautiful, fully hand carved Native American in regalia on the wooden front door.

Everywhere you look you can see handcrafted detail, such as the tile compass rose on the floor as you walk in, and the intricate mosaic wildlife scene spanning the wall.

Walking inside, you can see individual seating areas with their own fireplace as you walk the large hexagonal stone hearth. After a long day of skiing or snowboarding, you can come in and dry your clothes while you warm yourself by the fire.

Stone Hearth

Genuine raw hide woven chairs surround the hearth at the main entry.

We love exploring the lodge and taking in all the iron craftsmanship and massive hand hewn wooden beam construction. Since the beginning of Timberline, there has always been a male and female St. Bernard roaming the halls named Bruno and Heidi. The current Bruno just celebrated his one year birthday recently and he is so adorable!

Blue Ox Bar, another hidden corner to spend some time if you choose.

We found a little nook at the Ram's Head to sit and reminisce over the years we've had together. We had a dark beer and we shared a drink called Bruno's Brownie to celebrate the occasion. Topped with whipped cream, nutmeg, and hazelnuts, it tasted similar to a hot chocolate and was amazing. We talked for hours and then went strolling around the building again to get a closer look at the vintage architecture. It's such a unique place, I don't know that there is any place like it and if there is, I would love to know about it!

Hogsback Oatmeal Stout and Multorporter Smoked Porter

Bruno's Brownie

A couple plays a card game after spending a day on the slopes.

Rams Head Bar

The rooms feature down filled, soft, plush beds covered in authentic wool Pendleton blankets, cozy wood burning fireplaces, and a large glass bottle of mountain spring water for purchase.

There are plenty of books to choose from in the lending library.

The Cascade Dining Room features large windows for prime viewing of the Mt. Hood National Forest and the valleys below. In the morning, you can come in and have a hot, delicious buffet style breakfast while you listen to the crackling of the fire.

The Cascade Dining Room

There's a plethora of comfy places to curl up and read a good book while you sip some hot Spanish coffee and look out at the snowy landscape.

A sizable hand carved cougar casting a golden hue hangs above an entry way making a nice decorative piece to go with the mountain theme of the lodge.

Fine craftsmanship is shown throughout the building, like these hand woven draperies.

Learn about the history of the lodge and see some relic ski gear.

A couple plays a fun game of ping pong in the Barlow Room. There's also shuffleboard and a large selection of family board games available at the front desk.

Our favorite thing to do is to read, play cards, or board games by the fire while sipping some hot cocoa. The staff will actually come light your own personal fire for you.

Some other amenities include an outdoor heated pool, a hot tub that easily seats 12 guests, a sauna to relax your sore and tired muscles, a fitness center so you can stay in shape while you travel, DVD players and movie rentals are available at the front desk.

I hope you enjoyed this story. I put a lot of heart into it and I hope you'll stay tuned for what's to come. I'll be doing a followup post to this one about our Mt. Hood cabin stay on this trip. I think you'll really love the story I have to tell about our cabin in the woods! Thank you for reading my Steemian friends!

Title image: Photo courtesy of Timberline Lodge, Mt. Hood, Oregon. All other photos are my own, all rights reserved 2018.