Blogging Mt Hood

Chaos at Shorty's Corner

2008-06-26T12:17:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I was on my way down the mountain towards the gateway town of Sandy. I planned on stopping into Shorty's Corner for an oh-so-yummy-but-so-unhealthy BBQ burrito - but after seeing the swarms of police and emergency vehicles in the parking lot, and officers gathered around a small reddish truck, I decided to press on, and get something in Sandy.

I stopped for gas at Arco, (their gasoline is not produced from products purchased in the middle east, and their prices are lowest on the mountain - still.) and then at Sparky's for a pizza. As I sat waiting for the pizza to bake, a few more emergency vehicles and police cars flew by, and I was imagining the worst.

On my way back up the mountain, I realized we had nothing to drink with the pizza, and pulled into Shorty's parking lot. I must have a severe short-term memory issue, because I seemed to have forgotten about the commotion on my way down. But it seemed to have calmed down a little, and I went in anyway.

While in line, the young man in front of me was talking with the clerk, and said "I'm not supposed to be around guns, so I went walking around a little, and when I got back he was hunched forward with blood all over him!"

That got my attention, and I knew the clerk well enough to get a little closer to the conversation. She asked, "Did you know them?"

"Yeah, we were all together, but I couldn't be around them because they had guns. I went up Wildcat with my friends, and my other friends showed up to go shooting, that's when I took off, because I can't be around guns. But when I came back, he was covered in blood." He was completely shaken by the event, understandably.

"What type of gun was it?"

"An old shotgun, like an old style one."

At that point, I figured that it was some sort of accident, and asked the young man, "Is he going to be okay?" He turned to me and started to look really worried, "I hope so, I'm pretty sure it was just flesh wounds, but his chest was covered and so was his face. It must have malfunctioned, it was pretty old. But thanks, yeah, I hope he's okay, he was just laying in my arms with blood all over him."

He explained that they were just beyond the rock quarry on Wildcat Mountain Road and that Shorty's Corner was the closest place to go for help. By that time, I was finished making my purchase, and he turned to the clerk again, and as they got more into detail about what happened, and we all exchanged glances one last time before I passed through the door, and took my pizza home, where I set it down to go look for the family. I should have bought the burrito, because a few minutes later (while no one was looking) our bulldog ate the entire pizza.

The Eruptive History of Mt Hood

2008-06-23T09:55:00.000-07:00

While historical accounts allow us to peek into the past to learn more about the past 1500 years of Mt Hood’s volcanic activity. But beyond that period, scientists have used geological surveys, core samples, and other scientific practices and theories to determine some of the details of previous eruptive periods.

During the middle of the 1800’s, Mt Hood went through a brief period of minor eruptions, producing little more than steam and ash from the small explosions.

Approximately 200 years ago, there was a more active period that produced pyroclastic flows, tephra falls, and lahars that flowed through the west and south valleys, and created the lava dome at Crater Rock.

About 1500 years ago, there was a much more substantial eruption, creating an avalanche of debris to flow from the upper-south flank, and created a lava dome near Crater Rock. The activity produced pyroclastic flows and lahars in the south and west valleys, as well as large tephra falls.

Prior to this, Mt Hood is said to have undergone the “growth period”, during which there were many explosions that produced the large lava dome, lava flows that created the lower flanks of the mountain, tephra falls and lahars that swept through the valleys below. The period is estimated to have been approximately 15,000 to 30,000 years ago, according to scientific studies.

Hiker Lost in Hunchback Mountain Area on Flanks of Mt Hood

2008-06-09T18:44:00.000-07:00

On Sunday afternoon, June 8, 2008, a man hiked into the Mt Hood National Forest, leaving from the Zig Zag Ranger Station for a short day hike on the Hunchback Mountain Trail. By around 7 o’clock that evening he was on his cell phone with Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office trying to find a way to explain where he was lost. He knew he had limited use of his cell phone battery, no flashlight, and that he was standing in the snow in a pair of shorts and a tee shirt. It was clear that Chad Tabler needed help.

Clackamas County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue (SAR) coordinators and 20 volunteers quickly set up a post at the Zig Zag Ranger Station and continued their search throughout the night. They knew by the fact that Tabler was standing in snow that he was at or near the 3500 ft level. They had possible coordinates of his location through the cell phone he used, but were also aware that those are not always accurate, and that he was not exactly dressed appropriately or well equipped to set up camp for the night, and the temperature was in the 30’s.

Along with the Clackamas County SAR coordinators, the search team included the U.S. Coast Guard, American Medical Response, North Star Canine, Mountain Wave Communications, Pacific Northwest Search & Rescue, and the Four-by-Four Club (Jeep Vehicles). They were well equipped for the search, with heat sensing helicopters, air patrol, and a ground search team.

By 5 a.m. word came from the SAR command post that they had located Tabler, and that he was being medically evaluated, and may need to be airlifted to safety. The hike out of the mountainous area was around three hours.

Around 7 a.m., Chad Tabler, along with Pacific Northwest Mountain Rescue’s Tom Batty, Tony Hobkirk, Scott Schwab and Brian Hankins, were airlifted to safety and brought to the Welches Grade School parking lot. Search and Rescue Coordinator Sgt Napoli said, "This operation could have very easily gone bad and had a different outcome. The weather was turning nasty just as we were loading the subjects into the USCG helicopter. ALL of the resources are to be commended for their teamwork and professionalism! Great job!"

Photo courtesy of Sgt Napoli of Clackamas County Sheriff's Office

Three Mount Hood Hikers Caught in Avalanche

2008-05-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

The three hikers were seen climbing near the Pearly Gates area approximately 2200 ft from the summit of Mount Hood. The climbers were reportedly on their way down the mountain when a 60 to 80 ft wall of snow broke and crashed down toward the climbers.

About 500 yards away, a man witnessed the avalanche sweep the three climbers about 350 feet before landing 18-yr old Ian Metcalf up to his waist. He was upright and able to breath, suffering minor injuries to his face, arms and abdomen.

He had been climbins with two others, one of them an experienced climber from Eugene, and the other climber had no experience climbing prior to ascending Mt Hood. Luckily, all three escaped the potentially deadly avalanche that day, and even Ian is excitedly planning his next mountaineering adventure.

Search and Rescue personnel wish to remind the public of the extreme dangers that exist on the mountain at this time with the intense sun and potential for avalanche activity.
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Photo provided by Clackamas County Sheriff's Office

Mt Hood Ski Resorts Still Open with Base over 15 Feet

2008-04-12T09:30:00.000-07:00

While Timberline Lodge boasts year round skiing in Oregon, most other resorts close down a few months shy of summer. But this year may compare with the late skiing season of two years ago, when Mt Hood Meadows was able to keep lifts going until June.

“So long as our skier visits tally 4,000 or more on a weekend, we’ll commit to open the following weekend,” Matthew Drake, chairman and CEO of Mt. Hood Meadows, wrote on his blog. This is good news for skiers and snowboarders that wish to take advantage of cheaper spring season lift tickets and season passes.

This week, the weather has been that of a more typical Mt Hood spring season, with bright blue skies, warm air, and blooming wildflowers. But just last week, as order to remove snow-tires were issues, there was still a layer of snow on the roads as far west as Welches area. So far, no plans have been made to plow and open roads to snow-covered campgrounds, lakes, viewpoints, or hiking trails. But the good news is, you can rent a pair of snow-shoes and head into the snowy back-country of the Mt Hood wilderness area.

VEGETATE THIS WEEKEND!

2008-04-03T23:20:00.000-07:00

Mt Hood Meadows - April 5th and 6th for Vegetate '08!

The longest running independently produced competitive freestyle ski and snowboard events in the Northwest is going on this weekend at Mt Hood Meadows. This awesome annual event is being presented by Salomon and Full Sail Brewing, and will feature the SuperPipe and the RailJam competitions, and almost $14,000 cash prizes as well as merchandise giveaways!

Originally, the concept of Vegetate grew out of a "native wildflower revegetation program" that helps raise money and awareness for the program, which collects and cultivates native grasses and wildflowers. Today, the event draws talent from near and far to compete in one of the biggest cash and prize pool this side of the Rockies!

You can register in advance on Friday, April 4th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Find more information online by visiting their website.

2nd Annual Full Sail Bank Slalom at Mt Hood Meadows on March 15th and 16th

2008-03-13T15:44:00.000-07:00

Mt Hood Meadows has created a roller coaster of a course, designed for any level of skill. Complete with a large number of bank turns and surprise features, this event is for all ages of skiers and snowboarders. Winners will be chosen by division, and single best recorded time, and competitors will have two runs each.

All categories will include separate men's and women's divisions, and are: Junior Skiers, Junior Snowboarders, (Juniors are 17 years and under), Master's Skiing, Master's Snowboarding, (Masters are 40+ years), Open Skiing, and Open Snowboarding. There is a total prize pool of $4800 in cash and gift certificates, and online pre-registration offers GUARANTEED entry. Check out their website for more details.

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

2008-03-11T11:40:00.002-07:00

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.

Local Mt Hood Entertainment Hot Spots

2008-02-14T16:21:00.000-08:00

All around the Mt Hood area, there are cool places to go, bands to check out, and local entertainment - you just have to know where to look. Head in to the wrong place and you could end up with a room full of eyes - all on you! But some places are just cool in general, some more trendy than others, but most have the good old mountain feel to 'em.

Here are just a few, some I'be been to, others I've only heard the stories, but wherever you go, just be sure to drive safely. We locals have to share the road with some pretty out of control people, and many have paid the price. So whether you're a local or a fun and friendly visitor - have a designated driver. But on again to the fun, check out some of these favorite local Mt Hood hang-outs, and let's hear your comments on the places you most like to go on the mountain!

Charlie's Mountain View Restaurant and Bar is one of Government Camp's local entertainment hubs. While it's definitely a great place to go anytime of year, the summer months are definitely filled with some awesome local entertainers. Their website has a calendar that shows which musical artists are scheduled, but you never know what spontaneous thing may happen over at Charlie's! (Check out the webcam on their site, too!)

Mt Hood Roasters Restaurant has some fun weekend entertainment as well, with loca favorites like Bob Voll, (who we locals also know as the UPS guy!) Check out their Events Calendar for more of their scheduled events. When the weather is nice, you can sit on the patio and watch live bands play, while you sip a cold beer next to the warm table heaters! The original owners still produce the awesome locally roasted coffee, which you can find online to enjoy some of that tasty brew at home! Roasters was once well known as Welches Living Room, and under the ownership - they are now branding themselves as home of the 4-egg omlet!

Hood River County Chamber of Commerce has the scoop on local entertainment in the Hood River area. I happen to live on the other side of the mountain from Hood River - so hopefully you locals out there will chime in on the comments and let us know where the fun is!

I'd love to send you to the website for the Skyway Bar & Grill in Zig Zag (just east of Welches), but they don't seem to have one. They have recently re-opened, but where once the talk of the town! I did however stumble upon this neat list of local restaurants, though! Take a look and check a few of them out. Or if you've already been to some of them, share your experience in the comments area!

High Winds Forced Timberline Lodge to Close Lifts Yesterday

2008-01-22T08:55:00.000-08:00

It was an extremely windy day yesterday, so much so - that Timberline made the decision to close down the lift. It was a small price to pay for safety, though!

Today is a gorgeous day, very clear - but it's cold! Gear up for cold weather if you're headed up to the mountain, as the clear skies make for an extra nippy day. The wind has slowed down a bit, and Timberline has reopened the lift, which runs today from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. The temperature is a chilly 24 degrees, and be prepared for snow-covered roads, there is 11" of new snow on the mountain in the past three days!

The Road to Trillium Lake

2008-01-15T14:45:00.000-08:00

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. 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.

A Rare Shooting in Zig Zag near Lolo Pass

2007-12-11T14:56:00.001-08:00

Car accidents, hiking tragedies, weather related injuries and accidents: all things that I thought about when I heard the tens of sirens rushing through the Mt Hood Corridor last night. But I have to admit - even after living in Los Angeles for 25 years with gangs and gun violence - I didn't even imagine that there could have been a shooting.

Late Monday evening, two men and two nine-year old children were coming back from Government Camp, where they had earlier been snowboarding and enjoying life. They reportedly were being followed too closely by another vehicle somewhere near Rhododendron. After a short time, the men decided to pull over to the side of the road, hoping that the aggressive driver would pass. But that didn't happen, the other vehicle actually pulled over as well. The men got out of the car and walked over to the other vehicle, reportedly spoke for a moment, and then both men were shot. They ran back to their car, and drove west towards Zig Zag, where they pulled over again at the Lolo Pass intersection of Zig Zag. At that point, both men were rushed to the hospital in Portland. Both men are recovering, one is still in the hospital with serious injuries.

I am making a quick assumption that the shooter is not from this area, but the police have no information, and are actively investigating the details of the shooting. At this point, it is being called a case of road rage, but there doesn't seem to be anything to indicate that the two men did anything to anger the other driver, but in fact - the opposite could be considered true. It sounds more like a set up - the driver behind the two men was seemingly instigating a confrontation.

Many people who are not from the area assume that this is a sleepy little mountain area. Most locals are aware that there is not enough policing of the illegal activities on the mountain, and that there is never anyone around when needed, at least on the west side of the mountain. It would be great if more local residents would become involved, speaking up about the things that are happening in our own backyards. If you have something to say - you can even say it annonymously here, just leave your opinions in the comments area.

Tons of Snow on Mt Hood and the Ski Season Kicks Off

2007-11-30T16:02:00.000-08:00

Well, after a few days of the weather forecasters giving wishy-washy reports, we can finally see for ourselves that the ski season has finally kicked off! I have heard the saying "I wish it would just snow already" from just about everyone in "the Hood". It was a strange start this year, with frost on the ground in late October, and then sunny warm days to follow. For those who wanted to enjoy a late fall hike - it was perfect weather. But as the rain crept in and tempuratures dropped, most of us just wanted to snow to fall - and it finally has . . . is. Yep - it's snowing now, and has been nearly all day. There's even snow at the base of the mountain, all the way down to Sandy on the west side along Highway 26. If you're on the east side - we'd love to hear about the snowfall on your side!

So while the forecasters wait until Saturday for their snowfall in the valleys and possibly even downtown Portland - we've got a beautiful blanket of fluffy, white, sticky snow - and all of the Mt Hood ski resorts will be open. For all of you who've been waiting - either we'll see you there - or tell you all about it. Either way, enjoy!

Life Goes On

2007-11-12T17:40:00.000-08:00

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.

Spirit on the Mountain in Welches Tomorrow!

2007-09-14T13:16:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for one of the best concerts and festivals on the mountain? Come out to Welches for Spirit on the Mountain. With three stages, a huge line-up of musicians and musical artists, you're in for some great entertainment, and something for everyone in the family to enjoy.

There is even a youth stage with an awesome show, featuring XILE, OverKast, We as Human, Soul P, and Holding Out. For the adults, there's the awesome entertainment of Stage 1, featuring The Young & The Beautiful, Wright Family Band, Kate White & Table Rock Road, RESCUE, and Tray Michaels. If that's not enough for you, check out the Indoor Accoustic Stage, the line-up includes Matina Hunnell, Emily Crawford, Andrea Wellard, and Mike Logan.

Doors open at 9 a.m., and entertainment begins at 10:00 a.m. For more information on the local area lodging, food, camping information, and contact information, visit the Spirit on the Mountain website.

A Brief Lesson in Avalanche Safety

2007-09-04T04:07:00.000-07:00

Test for the possibility of avalanche by digging a straight horizontal line across the snow about two feet wide, and at least 6 to 10 inches deep. Then dig downward at a right angle from each end of your initial line, then complete a square by digging another line paralell to the first, leaving a raised square in the center. Lock your hands around the top of the square you have built in the snow, and pull downward, in order to determine the strength of the snowpack. If the snow seems solid, it is probably okay to climb on it. However, if you are able to slide the square of snow downward relatively easily, you may be in danger of causing an avalanche by climbing on the surface of the snow.

Caught in an avalanch, a person buried may have only 15 minutes to live before suffocating. If you are caught in an avalanch, you could be disorientated, and not know which way is up or down. One way of finding out which way to dig yourself out would be to spit. Due to natural gravitational pull, your spit will always fall downward, telling you which way is up. Once you have determined the upward direction, you can begin to dig upward,

Nationwide Bomb Scare Begins at the Sandy Safeway

2007-08-30T17:27:00.000-07:00

For nearly a week now, the Safeway in the small city of Sandy, Oregon has drawn quite a bit of attention. A string of national bomb scares aimed towards obtaining a wire transfer began with a phone call to the Sandy Safeway. The caller seems to be aware of the movements inside the businesses, leading officials to believe that the people behind the threats could have hacked into the video surveillance systems. There have been 15 stores in 11 states that have received similar threats, sparking an ongoing federal investigation.

Sandy is less than 10 miles north-west of the comfortable place that this blog calls home, nestled on the flanks of majestic Mt Hood. Sure there are common small town issues in the growing, yet friendly and family oriented town, but the recent events raise many questions about how safe it is in any city of town in the United States. Although most people don't put too much worry into the overall safety of each individual community, the fact remains that none of us are a small speck on the map anymore. The beautiful and serene landscapes of the scenic Mt Hood area are not immune to the troubles of modern day terrorism. In these times, no city has such immunity.

Mt Hood Jazz Festival Kicks Off Today

2007-08-03T10:20:00.000-07:00

The Center for the Arts in downtown Gresham is hosting the annual Mt. Hood Jazz Festival this year, starting at 6:30 p.m. on Friday evening, and 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. With great sounds from both national and local favorites, the festival boasts an awesome lineup. Saturday's line-up lasts until around 10:30 at night for a full day of family fun, music and shopping.

Admission prices: $15 for Friday night, and $30 for Saturday, children under 12 are free. You can get the full artist line-up and information on venders by calling 503-661-2700, or visit their website at www.mthoodjazz.org. They also have a MySpace page, for those of you who are interested, www.myspace.com/mthoodjazfestival.com.

What is Your Favorite Mt Hood Spot?

2007-07-21T11:59:00.000-07:00

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

2007-07-20T11:15:00.000-07:00

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.

Mt Hood Railroad Still in Recovery

2007-07-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

Last week, we rode the Mt. Hood Railroad, but were disappointed to find that last year's storm washed the ground out from under the tracks between Odell and Parkdale. Their website doesn't reflect the fact that you can't ride the excursion train to Parkdale, but if you take a trip out to their depot in Hood River, you can find some interesting facts about the damage that the track sustained.

Even though the trip was cut short, the day was beautiful, and the views were gorgeous. There was a 1/2 hour stop in Odell, which is a small community nestled in the Hood River Valley. Most of the people on the train enjoyed ice cream at the local espresso shop, and took a break from the heat by relaxing in their "living room" style atmosphere, complete with couches, and two computers with high-speed internet.

There is one gas station, a grocery store, and a few other small shops in Odell. Along the way, the train picked up two cars of lumber and brought them back to Hood River, as we made our way back towards the Columbia River to the depot. It was a wonderful trip, highly recommended for those who wish to see parts of the valley that you can only view from the train. They are also working on getting the steam engine up and running, an extra special treat for train enthusiasts.

Timberline Reached 95 Degrees

2007-07-08T15:47:00.000-07:00

It was an amazingly hot day at Timberline today. We went up to the lodge with family who had never seen the beautiful mountain, and thought it would be a cool retreat from the sweltering heat below, but it wasn't. We were so hot, we bought clothing that was cooler than what we wore, hoping to cool off a bit. As a local, I withstood the comments about being a tourist as I sported my new Timberline tank top. But the real mystery was how the skiers and snowboarders could stand being dressed in full winter gear as they descended the glaciers, landing in the parking lot below. A group of them left the mountain donned in snow hats and sweatshirts, ski jackets, and other winter clothing as I fought to stay cool in the near 95 degree weather!

Deadly Crash on Hwy 26 Near Milepost 32

2007-07-08T13:16:00.000-07:00

Photo was provided by Oregon State Police.

July 7th was a tragic day for four people who died in a head on collision near milepost 32 on Hwy 26. A mother and two of her children and a family friend were traveling eastbound in their Chevrolet Astro van to Welches for a baseball tournament early Saturday morning when an oncoming car traveling westbound crossed over the center dividing line, striking the family's vehicle.

The man who struck them, Lewis Delmar Lambert, was driving a Dodge Caravan and was not wearing a seatbelt. He was pronounced dead at the scene. It is not known why he crossed over the center line into oncoming traffic, but the result was horrifying. As his vehicle struck the eastbound family, they spun into the eastbound right lane, where they were again struck by another vehicle, sending them tumbling into the ditch, where their vehicle landed upside down. The second vehicle to hit them was a group of six Washington residents driving a Toyota Sequoia, and all six of those passengers were treated for injuries at OHSU.

The driver of the Astro van was Janene Brundege, who was pronounced dead at the scene, along with her 23-month old daughter, Abigail Kay Brundege, and their family friend, Tyler Williams, age 11. Her son, Quinton Brundege, also 11, was transported to Legacy Emanuel Hospital with serious injuries, but not life-threatening.

Looking for a Gym in the Mountain Area?

2007-05-27T23:03:00.000-07:00

There are a few places to work out here and there, most of them in Gresham - until now. The Mt Hood Athletic Club opened recently, and is turning out nice. It's a high quality and standards gym, with a lot of square footage, and pretty posh for a small town gym! There's a new outdoor pool, and their ad in the paper suggests that new members before May 31st don't pay any dues until July, so it's a good time to check it out. It sure beats the extra 15 miles or so into Gresham, especially if you're trying to work-in a workout early in the morning! The special for this week is on National Senior Health & Fitness Day, which is this week on Wednesday, May 30 - seniors visit for free, which is a great way for seniors in the area to check it out without paying a dime!

Lost Hikers Found on Mt Hood in Good Condition

2007-05-13T07:11:00.000-07:00

Wonderful news that the five people who were lost were located last night around 11:30, and were brought back by a snow cat to Timberline Lodge early this morning. There were no injuries, thankfully, to either the search and rescue teams or the hikers.

There just can't be enough emphasis on the good that a mountain locator unit and GPS coordinates can provide, making these rescues quick and precise. The climbing party consisted of Portland residents Brian Anderson, 24, Ben Elkind, 22, and Jeremiah West, 28, as well as Hillsboro resident Brian Weihs, 39, and Lake Oswego resident Bryce Benge, 29. The hikers were faced with whiteout conditions, wind gusts were around 20 to 30 mph and tempuratures hovering around 20 degrees. If not for the preparation these hikers took when they equipped themselves with a cell phone and a mountain locator unit, things certainly could have turned out quite different.