Perfect Portland Weekend - Day Four

Day Four of our Perfect Portland Weekend started early.

The only child we could talk into joining us was Cali - the other two stayed home in bed.

We got up early and joined friends Marsha and Larry and headed out to the gorge. We spent the day hiking Dog Mountain. Dog Mountain is on the Washington side of the river just across the Bridge of the Gods. The guide book says it is called Dog Mountain because as the settlers came over the mountain they had run out of food and had to eat their dogs. Hood River was originally called Dog River but was changed when people didn't like the name!




This hike is listed as "strenuous" in the guide book. I had never done a "strenuous" hike before. I have done plenty of moderate but this was my first strenuous. It is rated strenuous for a reason - it is hard!

You go up 2,700 feet in elevation in under 4 miles - that makes for a steep hike. Despite some major huffing and puffing and frequent water breaks - thank goodness for the Camelback...we made it to the top. One of the main reasons to endure the torture of climbing Dog Mountain is the wildflowers - they are amazing this time of year.

Most of the hike is in covered, forest area where there are some pretty flowers but as you near the top you break out into the open and hike through hills covered in amazing yellow and purple wildflowers. The picture does not do it justice.

Once we reached the top we sat in the meadow area and enjoyed our lunch and the view - you could see both Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens.

I am kind of standing right in front of the view of Mt. St. Helens but you can see a bit of it to the right of my head. The wind was blowing pretty hard at the top!

The downhill trip was a bit of adventure because of the steep terrain. Fortunately only one of us fell (Cali) just a nice slide onto her bottom and a minor twisted ankle.

The last half mile my knees were feeling it and I am sure we will all be feeling it tomorrow. We popped some advil on the ride home!

Once home and cleaned up Jim and I went out to pick up the 22 rocket stoves our ward had ordered and we delivered them.

When we stopped at our neighbors, the Atacks, to drop theirs off they invited us in to join their family BBQ. Since I had nothing planned at home for dinner we gladly accepted - we had some amazing BBQ ribs - thank you Atacks!!

It was an amazing Four day Weekend here in Portland. We enjoyed ever minute of it and packed as much fun as we could into it!!

Hope the weather lasts so we can do it again next weekend when Logan is home!!