Portland Spoke – The Official Blog of Travel Portland

A couple of weeks ago, I had a perfect day. I joined an all-day snowshoe tour with Pedal Bike Tours, which took us from downtown Portland up to Timberline for about an hour of downhill snowshoeing through some gorgeous and varied terrain, followed by a ski-lift ride up the mountain (what a view!), and a lavish lunch in the Cascade Dining Room at Timberline Lodge (freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and caramel ice cream!). The sky was bright blue and the air was about 40 degrees. It was amazing and the best part: I didn’t have to worry about, or pack, a thing — the tour took care of the drive, the snowshoes and lunch. It was fabulous.

The group with Todd from Pedal Bike Tours and Timberline Lodge in the background

Timberline Lodge is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, which makes it an excellent time to visit this national landmark. If you want to stay over (highly recommended), Timberline’s offering a lodging deal for $75 for a second night’s stay in a queen room.

With a new year upon us, most people take stock of what they’d like to accomplish in the next year – everything from exercising more, losing weight and breaking bad habits. However, I’m focusing on my Portland New Years’ resolutions – to explore more of the city, and its surrounding adventure, in the next year. Here are a few items on my annual “bucket list”:

Fertile Ground Festival: This 10-day festival of new works features plays, including “(I Am Still) The Duchess of Malfi” at Artists Repertory Theatre, as well as dance performances, staged readings and a compilation of short films.

Belly dance classes: Yes, I’m joining thousands of other Portlanders who take continuing education classes through Portland Community College. I’ll be learning new things and trying to NOT trip over my two left feet!

Spend a night (or two) at Timberline Lodge. Who knows, I may even add “skiing lessons” to my list!

All year down in Portland we look up at Mount Hood’s beautiful snowy peak. In the wintertime it’s at its brightest, covered in a blanket of powder. Of course there’s skiing and snowboarding for all of you speed demons, but snowshoeing is such a peaceful way to spend time with friends on the mountain with minimal gear, and not very much cost. You can rent snowshoes in Portland at the Mountain Shop for $10 for two days, if you’re an adventurer who wants to explore on your own. Pedal Bike Tours has recently started to up the ante with their snowshoe tours that leave from downtown Portland for a day on the mountain, including a decadent lunch at Timberline Lodge.

Whether you visit Mount Hood on your own or with a group, stopping at Timberline for a warm beverage is a must. The historic landmark is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2012. In celebration, they’re offering a deal of $75 for a second night’s stay in a queen room from January to May.