Timberline Lodge in Oregon

​Unexpected Lunch Stop

Don and I made an unplanned stop at Timberline Lodge last August. We were on our way to Portland, when road issues took us on a different route. We saw signs for the lodge and suddenly decided it must be time for lunch... even though it was 10 am.

Mount Hood
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It was pretty exciting to see Mount Hood as we approached the lodge. As we got closer, we could see skiers on those snowy patches. It was August first!

Not So Eerie

​On a sunny, blue day, it was hard to imagine the creepy snow scenes from Stephen King's thriller movie,The Shining.

Evidently, Timberline Lodge has been a film location for numerous movies. 
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Breezy Terrace
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It was early for lunch, so Don and I did some wandering first. We thought about eating on the sunny terrace... but, the wind was whipping those flags like crazy! Too bad I didn't get a video of the 750-pound "Snow Goose" weathervane, right above us!

Fireplace Column
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The exterior of the hotel may get a lot of film focus, but the interior is where the lodge really shines. During the Great Depression, local workers and artisans spent a couple years, building and furnishing the lodge.  The 6-sided, fireplace column in the head house, is the most impressive of all.

Fireplaces Below

​We went down a level and found the area where I'm guessing many skiers have prepped for the slopes. I loved the photo of the injured men, lounging in front of the giant fireplace with crutches and cigarettes. 

The fireplace was enormous. I could have used it as a stage. The fireplace screens were made of old tire chains and the andirons were made from old railroad rails.

Artists
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Don and I explored the 4-story main building, while we worked up an appetite. We ran across numerous murals and mosaics. Some of the murals were made with pieces of glass.

​Sweet Critters

In the stairwell, we found some perfect examples of how repurposed materials were used throughout the lodge.

We climbed the stairs using the sturdy, steel railings and discovered numerous carved critters. I learned later that there are 19 newel posts, made from discarded utility poles. Each had a unique little animal, native to the area.  

Ram's Head Bar
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We could have dined "lodge-style" in the Cascade Dining Room, but we were drawn to the view at the Ram's Head Bar.

Ram's Head
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We were wandering up on the second floor's circular balcony at 10:30, when we spotted the cozy bar opening up for the day. That's a little early for a bar and kind of early for lunch.  

View of Mount Hood
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But when you can get a table with a view of the mountain, the time hardly matters. We took a seat!

Love it All
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I loved the rustic little table set. I loved the leather menu. I loved the original patchwork curtains. I loved the Black Forest Ham Steak Sandwich with Pimento Cheese on a Cornmeal Bun AND the Carrot, Cranberry, Walnut Slaw! 

More Wandering
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After our tiny "brunch" we continued to explore. I wanted to stay for days. I could have hiked in the day and played pingpong on a handcrafted table, at night! 

WPA Work

If I'd had a couple days, I could have studied every nook and cranny, created by the rotating workers, 80 years ago. There were about 100 working at a time.

It was amazing to see the craftsmanship of so many kinds of WPA workers. Who made the cozy writing desk and what stonecutter helped to create the wonderful arched windows?

 
Doors

I'm always delighted when I spot an unusual door and the Timberline had so many! 

Don at 6'2", helped me show just how large and small, some of these doors were.

Next Time
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We had a just enough time to hike up the trail a bit, before heading off to Portland.  We'll have to return and give some time to those great wooden chairs. Better yet, we'll make sure to have time to book a room and see what the lodge is like at night. When it gets late and scenes from The Shining play in my head, I'll just have to keep reminding myself. "No scenes were filmed inside the lodge!"