The Photography of Kurt F Fink (kfink.portfolio.com)

  On October 29, 1792, Lt. William Broughton, under the command of George Vancouver, identified and named the peak after Lord Samuel Hood, a respected admiral of the British Royal Navy. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Mt. Hood is 3,426 Meters (11,239 Feet) tall.  Mount Hood  is a potentially active  stratovolcano  in the  Cascade Volcanic Arc . It was formed by a  subduction  zone on the  Pacific coast  and rests in the  Pacific Northwest  region of the  United States . It is located about 50 miles (80 km) east-southeast of  Portland , on the border between  Clackamas  and  Hood River  counties. In addition to being Oregon's highest mountain, it is one of the loftiest mountains in the nation based on its  prominence , and it offers the only year-round lift-served skiing in North America. The height assigned to Mount Hood's snow-covered peak has varied over its history. Modern sou...

  Welcome To The Columbia River Gorge All this and much more is explained in detail at the region's interpretive centers in The Dalles and Stevenson, as well as historical museums in communities throughout the Columbia Gorge. This is the Columbia River Gorge, largest national scenic area in the United States: a land of natural contrasts between rain forest and desert, sea-level passage and alpine meadows. A network of hiking trails climbs from lowland forests to windy ridges on both sides of the Gorge.  The river itself hosts the best boardsailing conditions this side of Hawaii, and the nearby snowcaps of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams offer downhill and cross-country skiing well into spring.  Yet the Columbia Gorge is also home to more than 70,000 people, and they've created a rich culture. There are historical museums and art centers, fine dining, theatres, wineries, a wealth of recreational opportunities and much more.  When Congress established the Columbia River Gorge N...

Perched on rugged sandstone cliffs high above the ocean, Shore Acres State Park is an exciting and unexpected combination of beautiful natural and constructed features. Once the grand estate of pioneer timber baron Louis Simpson, Shore Acres features lushly planted gardens with plants and flowers from all over the world. Something is in bloom almost every day of the year. In the landscaped area you'll discover a formal garden, a Japanese-style garden with a lily pond, and two rose gardens which include All American Rose Selections. From Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve, the gardens are ablaze with thousands of colored lights and holiday decorations put up by community volunteers and The Friends of Shore Acres in cooperation with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. After seeing the garden, you can stroll down a trail to a secluded ocean cove at Simpson Beach or skirt the cliff's edge to see spectacular ocean vistas which often include towering waves crashing again...