Download a copy of the US Forest Services Mt Hood Loop Map by clicking here (PDF).
Several
small communities have sprung up on the west slopes of majestic Mount Hood.
Once waystations for pioneers traveling the Barlow Road from The Dalles into
the Willamette Valley, these communities now thrive from their close proximity
to the ski slopes of Mount Hood and the Mount Hood National Forest. They are
located along Highway 26, south of the community of Sandy.
Local ski areas include:
Timberline Lodge
Timberline Lodge, Oregon 97028
503-622-7979
information@timberlinelodge.com
Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort
Highway 35
Mt. Hood, Oregon 97041
Info: 503-337-2222
Hood River Snowphone: 541-386-SKIS
Portland Snowphone: (503) 227-SNOW.
Vancouver Snowphone: (360) 571-3919.
Lodging:(800) SKI-HOOD or (800) 754-4663.
Skiiers must purchase Sno-Park permits, which are are required Nov. 15 – Apr. 1. On-street parking is prohibited in some areas.
Area Info: http://www.hoodlandfire.org/comminfo.htm
Business and service numbers
Emergency (Clackamas County) 911
Ambulance service (non-emergency): 503-228-7601
Animal control: 503-655-8268
Burning info: 503-622-3463
Fire Dist. office: 503-622 3256
Mental health hotline: 503-655-8724
Mt. Hood Info Center: (503) 622-4822
Road conditions: (541) 889-3999
Sheriff (non-emergency): 503-655-8211
Sheriff (business office): 503-655-8218
Wood stove inspections & info: 503-650-3225
Mt Hood Corridor Chamber of Commerce
65000 E Hwy 26
Welches, Oregon 97067
503-622-3017
History about the area
The Barlow Trail - After Oregon Trail pioneers arrived in The Dalles, Oregon,
they had to make some tough decisions. They had to decide whether or not to
press on and cross the Cascade Mountains to the fertile Willamette Valley, and
if so, how best to make that trip. Travel on the Columbia was trecherous, and
loss of life was high due to the rapids at The Dalles and Cascade Locks. They
knew that if only they could somehow carve a shortcut across Mt. Hood, they
might shorten the journey and bypass the Columbia River passage all together.
The Barlow Trail was carved in the slopes of Mt. Hood. Traces of the original trail can still be seen today. A commemorative rock is located in Government Camp, and an Interpretive Center is available to shed some light on this important route. Click on the plaques in the photo to the left to see an enlarged copy.
Brightwood - Brightwood is said to have been named by a Mr. Alcorn, a property owner, because of the pleasing effect of the sun shining on the cottonwood trees in the spring. The first local post office was called Salmon, because it was very close to Salmon River, a stream named in pioneer days. Salmon post office was established in Apr. 1891, with Winnie McIntyre first postmaster. The name of this office was changed to Brightwood on May 6, 1910. Brightwood is about a quarter of a mile east of Salmon River on the old Mount Hood Loop Highway. The compiler does not know if the post office was moved this distance when the name was changed in 1910, or at some other time.
Government Camp - The first U.S. Mounted Rifles crossed the plains in 1849, and reached The Dalles in the fall of that year. Most of the soldiers were taken down the river to Vancouver by boat, but a small command was left behind with the wagons and animals. Before the horses and mules could recuperate from the overland journey, the command was ordered to Oregon City by way of the Barlow Road. Nearly two-thirds of the animals were lost on the trip, and 45 of the wagons were abandoned. There was much controversy both before and after the trip about the advisability of attempting it with the stock in such poor condition. The name Government Camp came from the fact that some of the wagons were abandoned nearby and remained as evidence of military activity. Government Camp is on US-26 and the Mount Hood Loop Highway and has an elevation of 3888 feet. Official reports about the First U.S. Mounted Rifles are to be found in 31st Congress, 2nd Session, Senate Executive Document 1, part II, p. 126, et seq. There are many interesting illustrations. The journals have been edited by Raymond W. Settle with the title March of the Mounted Riflemen, Clark Company, Glendale, 1940. See also Bancroft's History of Oregon, v. 2, p. 82, and Portland Telegram, editorial page, Mar. 1, 1926. Government Camp post office was established June 24, 1931, with Margaret Villegar first postmaster.
Rhododendron - Rhododendron is on the Mount Hood Loop Highway. It was once a popular summer colony but with the increased popularity of skiing it has become a year-round community. The place was originally called Rowe for Henry S. Rowe, who was one time mayor of Portland and interested in the development of Oregon's scenic attractions. Later the post office was known as Zigzag. Still later the name was changed to Rhododendron because of the large number of rhododendron shrubs growing in the neighborhood.
Welches - Welches was named for Samuel Welch, who took up a homestead nearby in 1882. The post office was established in 1905.
Zigzag - On Oct. 11, 1845, Joel Palmer crossed the deep ravine of Zigzag Canyon near timberline on Mount Hood. In his journal for that day he uses the following description: "The manner of descending is to turn directly to the right, go zigzag for about one hundred yards, then turn short round, and go zigzag until you come under the place where you started from; then to the right, and so on, until you reach the base." The members of the Barlow party, who crossed south of Mount Hood without wagons in Oct. 1845 used a trail that ascended White River nearly to timberline and then traversed west not far from the 1989 alignment of the Timberline Trail. After crossing Zigzag Canyon they descended one of the ridges of Zigzag Mountain. It is obvious that the principal stream was identified by the crossing. The river is no more crooked than adjoining streams and there is no reason to believe it was named for an especially irregular alignment. For a detailed account of the investigation of the south side of Mount Hood and the discovery of Barlow Pass, see the entries for Oct. 1845 in Joel Palmer's Journal of Travels over the Rocky Mountains, a photographic reproduction of which was made in 1966. The name Zigzag has also come to be applied to Zigzag Glacier on Mount Hood as well as to a community two miles west of Rhododendron. Zigzag post office was established in 1917 and operated intermittently until 1974. The form Zig Zag is wrong. See decision of USBGN. For discussion of the name Zigzag, see OHQ, v. 19, p. 75, where it is held that the use of the name for a stream east of Mount Hood is not likely.
-- Source: Oregon Geographic Names, Sixth Edition, 1992, Lewis L. McArthur, Oregon Historical Society Press, ISBN O-87595-237-2.
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