The Faces of Oregon: Mt. Hood, Columbia River Gorge & the Coast

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m.

Afternoon: Program Registration: 4:30 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table outside of the meeting room to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing the up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in. Remember to bring your name-tag (sent previously). Orientation: 5:00 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Unless noted otherwise, travel for program-related activities will be via private motorcoach. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: At the hotel, we’ll have a buffet meal featuring a variety of foods and dessert plus coffee, tea, water.

Evening: At the hotel, our Study Leader will share some fun facts and unique stories about Oregon. The remainder of the evening is at leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow participants, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; driving about 118 miles, approximately 3 hours with stops. Elevation changes from 50' in Portland to 6,000' at Timberline Lodge. Walking up to 1 mile; paved trail.

Breakfast: At the hotel, the breakfast buffet offers a variety of hot and cold items plus milk, juice, coffee, tea, water.

Morning: With our Study Leader, we will board our motorcoach and head to Mt. Hood. Along the way, we will stop at Philip Foster Farm to learn about early pioneer life and the Oregon Trail. Philip Foster was one of Oregon's first pioneers and was a leader in the establishment of Oregon. His farm and home in Eagle Creek played an important role in the creation of Barlow Road. This road followed the south side of Mt. Hood and allowed travelers to avoid the dangerous Columbia River route. We’ll learn about the history of Oregon and its geological features.

Lunch: At Philip Foster Farm, we’ll have a boxed lunch including a sandwich, wrap, or salad with a bag of chips, a cookie, and a bottle of water.

Afternoon: We will continue on to Wildwood Recreation Site. Wildwood Recreation Site is nestled in the forested foothills of the Cascade Mountains. A local expert will lead us along a paved trail in this temperate old growth rainforest. As we walk, we’ll learn about the local ecology. Next, we will ride to historic Timberline Lodge. On arrival, we’ll set out on a docent-led field trip to explore the lodge and learn what makes it unique. The lodge is a WPA project dedicated in 1937. It is filled with artwork and furnishings created for the lodge in the 1930s under the Federal Art Project. It is the only 20th century public building of its size constructed and furnished entirely by hand with original carved and inlaid craftwork in wood, wrought iron, weaving, appliqué, painting, mosaic, carved linoleum, and stained glass. Many famous films, including The Shining, were shot at this lodge.

Dinner: At Timberline Lodge, we’ll have a plated entrée served with baked rolls, Tillamook creamery butter, dessert, plus coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: Returning to the hotel via motorcoach, the remainder of the evening is at leisure.

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; driving about 30 miles, up to 1.5 hours over the course of the day. Standing up to 1 hour at a time. Walking up to 1.5 miles; varied terrain.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We will ride via motorcoach to the downtown area. On arrival, we’ll set out on a walking field trip with a local expert to explore the city and learn about its history, art, and architecture. Our local expert will share what makes this city unique. As we explore, our local expert will point out fascinating outdoor public artworks. These artworks were commissioned through Oregon's Percent for Art legislation, which was passed in 1975. Next, we’ll travel to the International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park. We’ll set out on a docent-led exploration to observe and learn about this beautiful garden. Known simply as the Rose Garden, it covers 4.5 acres in Washington Park and features more than 650 varieties of roses, producing more than 10,000 flowers each year. The Portland Rose Society was established in 1888. In 1915 as World War I raged in Europe, newspaper editor Jesse Currey persuaded city officials to establish a “test garden” to protect and preserve European hybrid roses in danger of being destroyed. Fortunately, the roses outlasted the war. Portland today is known as the City of Roses. The primary purpose of the garden today is to serve as a testing ground for new rose varieties. The City of Portland Gold Medal Awards are issued annually to the best introductions. We will then return downtown to our lunch spot via our motorcoach.

Lunch: At a downtown restaurant, we’ll order a plated entrée from a select menu with a side, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage included.

Afternoon: We will walk a very short distance to the Portland Art Museum, the oldest art museum on the West Coast. It features Native American, Northwest, modern, contemporary and Asian art as well as an outdoor public sculpture garden. On arrival, a docent will provide a brief introduction to the site. Then, we’ll set out on a self-directed field trip to explore the exhibits. The rest of the evening will be on your own. You may choose to spend additional time at The Portland Art Museum, visit Powell's City of Books, or relax at one of Portland's many cozy cafés.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like in Portland. Known as a food-trendy city, there are many appealing restaurants to choose from. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; driving about 220 miles, up to 4 hours total. Walking up to 1 mile; varied surfaces, including sand.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We'll hop on our motorcoach and ride to the Columbia River Maritime Museum. On arrival, we’ll set out on a docent-led field trip to explore the exhibits. We’ll learn more about the history of the surrounding area. We’ll then have independent time to explore to museum. Founded in 1962, the Columbia River Maritime Museum has become one of the top maritime museums in the country, with the mission of preserving the maritime heritage of the Columbia River region and the Pacific Northwest. Visitors can explore the Lightship Columbia, a National Historic Landmark. It was the final lightship to be moored at the mouth of the Columbia River. Visitors can also roam the museum’s collection of more than 30,000 items, experience what it was like to pilot a tugboat in the tugboat simulator, and hear stories of Coast Guard rescues on the Columbia River Bar.

Lunch: At a local restaurant in Astoria, we’ll have a plated meal with choice of entrée, a side salad, and dessert lemonade, soda, coffee, iced tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We'll board our motorcoach and head to Fort Clatsop, where the Lewis & Clark expedition spent the harsh winter of 1805-1806 after realizing no ship was coming to pick them up and take them east. The fort site was a safe haven from the stormy shores of the Columbia River Estuary. The fort was named in honor of the local Clatsop Indians. The 33-member party spent the winter of 1805-06 learning from the Clatsop people, making moccasins and buckskin clothing, storing food and reworking their maps and journals in preparation for their long journey back to St. Louis. We’ll set out on a docent-led exploration to observe the structures and learn more about the significance of the site.

Dinner: At a restaurant in Astoria, we will have a plated meal with lemonade, soda, coffee, iced tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: Returning to the hotel via motorcoach, the remainder of the evening is at leisure.

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; driving about 170 miles, up to 3 hours over the course of the day with frequent stops. Walking up to 1/2 a mile; paved trail; standing in museum. Elective hike less than 1/2 mile; steep, paved path. NOTE: Due to spray from the falls, walkways may be slick.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: Our field trip this morning is to the Columbia River Gorge, a spectacular river canyon cutting the only sea-level route through the Cascade Mountain Range. It's 80 miles long and up to 4,000 feet deep, with the north canyon walls in Washington State and the south canyon walls in Oregon State. Millennia of geologic events have produced breathtaking waterfalls. Along the way, we’ll stop at key sites to explore. We’ll learn from our on board instructor about the area’s fascinating geology.

Lunch: At the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, we’ll have a hot buffet lunch including coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: On arrival, a docent will provide an introduction to the museum. Then, we’ll set out on a self-directed field trip to explore the exhibits. We will learn more about the volcanic activity, floods, and other natural phenomena that helped form the gorge as we explore the 26,100 square foot exhibit wing of the Discovery Center. You might like to explore the live birds of prey exhibit. We’ll continue via motorcoach through the gorge. Along the way, we will stop at a winery in Hood River where we will have a chance to taste some of Oregon's award-winning wines. In the past 40 years, Oregon has grown to world-class wine making status. With a local expert, we'll hear the story of how that came to be and learn about a few of the more well-known varieties. Next, we will reboard our motorcoach and travel to the Columbia Gorge's most famous landmark, Multnomah Falls. The falls plummet 620 feet from its origins on Larch Mountain, and is the second highest year-round waterfall in the nation. As we observe the falls from below, our Study Leader will provide expert commentary. Those who would like to may hike to the scenic footbridge for a closer look.

Dinner: At a restaurant in the gorge, we will have a plated meal with coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during this farewell dinner.

Evening: Returning to the hotel via motorcoach, the remainder of the evening is at leisure. Prepare for check out and departure in the morning.

Activity note: Hotel check-out 11:00 a.m.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: In the hotel meeting room, a local expert will join us to share video and stories of the state’s scenic wonders. The Group Leader will lead a wrap-up session to review program highlights and say farewell to new Road Scholar friends. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!