Cover shot
I really like how On Mount Hood turned out in terms of its cover and design. (Hats off to Anna Goldstein for the latter aspect.) It’s clean and arresting, bold and inviting. The shot of Mount Hood is a classic one from Lost Lake on the mountain’s northern side that shows some of Hood’s most notable features: Illumination Rock, Yocum and Cathederal ridges, the Sandy Glacier.
Back when we were brainstorming titles and cover designs, however, I came across another photo that really caught my eye.
I’d been looking for a unique shot of the mountain. One that highlighted its classic symmetrical spire but maybe from a different vantage point than usual. Something that was dramatic but not too foreboding, unique but at the same time familiar.
After countless hours of searching, I found it.
Photo courtesy of Robert Brownscombe
Entitled “Morning Mist,” this shot of Oregon’s most recognizable mountain is like no others I’ve ever seen. It frames Hood’s classic, pyramidal peak, but it does it in a different way. Yes, this is the mountain’s western profile, which hundreds of thousands of people see from Portland every clear day. But this is that signature view from an entirely different perspective. Closer. Bigger. Bolder.
I tracked down the photographer through Flickr and found that one Robert Brownscombe was behind this incredible image of Mount Hood. Turns out, he’s an amazing amateur photographer who lives up by the mountain — and who has lots of stunning photos on display in his Flickr account. Cordial and responsive to my inquiries, he was amenable to having his photo considered for the cover of my book.
In the end, Sasquatch went with another photo, and the book looks fantastic.
But there will always be something about “Morning Mist” that helps me see Mount Hood in an entirely different way.
We’re off . . .
With the official launch of On Mount Hood now behind us, the book is out and about and kind of on its own. It’s been a pretty whirlwind run over the past couple days, but a great one, and one that has included a lot of generous media coverage.
- Radio interview with KPOJ
- TV spot on “More Good Day Oregon” with Andy Carson
- A fantastic episode of OPB’s Think Out Loud all about Mount Hood and live from Timberline Lodge
- A great piece by The Oregonian’s Jeff Baker
- A radio interview with KPAM (no archive to this one.)
I’m pretty sure the Lake Oswego Review will also be doing a story in this Thursday’s paper, and there will be another presentation at 7:30 p.m. this Friday, June 17, at Wy’East Book Shoppe and Art Gallery in Welches, 67195 E. Highway 26.
It’s all been great and I’ve appreciated everything. That includes everyone who came out to the event at Powell’s and anyone who’s picked up their own copies of the book. (I know these things can be skewed, but it’s still pretty exciting that, today anyway, On Mount Hood has been Amazon’s number one mountain book.) Thanks to everyone for the support. I hope you enjoy the book and the mountain.
When I was up at Timberline the other day for OPB, I was also reminded of why I set out to write this book in the first place. It was drizzly and gray at home and on the drive up to the lodge. But when I got to Government Camp, the mountain flashed through the thinning clouds. Halfway up Timberline Highway, the gray gave way to blue and Hood simply shined in the morning sunlight.
After the show, I stepped into my hiking boots, donned a small pack, and trudged up the hillside for lunch at about 7,500 feet. It was as beautiful as always.
Hood from just above Silcox Hut.
A reminder
The first of probably a few reminders this week about the official launch of On Mount Hood at the Hawthorne Powell’s this Thursday night at 7:30 p.m.! (Not the Burnside Powell’s!)
Sun’s out
After an insufferable amount of gray sky this spring, including an impenetrable bit last weekend that kept my Atlanta friend and his wife from seeing Mount Hood during a three-day visit, the sun has finally won out. It’s beautiful in Portland today, it looks bluebird up at the mountain, and at least as of today, the forecast looks like more of the same for the next few days.
Time to go for a hike.
But because this year has been such a precipitation-filled one, many of the best hikes around the mountain are still buried under feet of snow. According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which monitors snow levels among other meteorological statistics, there’s still more than 12 feet of snow at 5,400 feet on Mount Hood, more than 7 feet at 4,400 feet on the north side, and still close to 3 feet south of the mountain at 3,800 feet.
Not to fear. There are still plenty of low-elevation walks close to the mountain that can scratch the hiking itch. And if you don’t mind a little snow (or a lot) and are confident and capable on snowshoes, there shouldn’t be much to keep anyone off the trails now that some good weather is at least temporarily here. (Disclaimer: This blog is for information only. Hike at your own risk and only within your own abilities and comfort levels.)
A few of my springtime favorites:
Silcox Hut at about 7,000 feet on the south side of Mount Hood.
Palmer Snowfield: Nothing like a slog up the lower end of Hood’s South Side climbing route to take in the mountain on a clear day and wake up the climbing legs. It’s a mile and about 1,000 feet in elevation up fromTimberline Lodge to Silcox Hut, and another mile-plus and about 1,500 more feet up to the top of the Palmer ski lift. Start from Timberline and walk up along the east edge of the ski area.
Salmon River: An easy stroll along the pristine Salmon River, one of five major rivers that call Mount Hood as their source, the Salmon River trail cuts through a massive old growth forest with cedars of unfathomable girth. The entire trail runs about 7 miles, but you can hike in just as far as you’re up for and still get the wilderness gist. More information.
Hood River Mountain: This one’s a little ways away from the mountain, just outside Hood River, but its view of the peak and the entire Hood River Valley is simply jaw-dropping. Just three miles roundtrip and 600 feet up, Hood River mountain affords you a view that usually takes a lot more effort to attain. More information.
Summit of Hood River Mountain, September 2006.
On MOUNT HOOD 