By Robert Matsumura The Mountain Times During the Great Depression, when America’s economy was at its lowest, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) emerged as a New Deal program that not only provided jobs for young, unemployed men, but also helped restore and enhance America’s natural landscapes. In Oregon, the CCC’s contributions were extensive, from reforestation efforts to the construction of critical infrastructure, leaving a legacy still evident in our state’s parks, f

By Amber Ford The Mountain Times While art is known for its ability to move others emotionally and mentally, tapping into feelings and experiences with just a glance into color and shape, physical art draws on something deeper and, at times, more physically impactful. This most powerful effect has been the foundation and inspiration for local yoga instructor Elle Mesa. A resident of The Mt. Hood Villages for over a year, Mesa has found peace, harmony and creativity when it co

Free Programs atHoodland Library By Amber FordThe Mountain Times While many bookworms live in and around The Mt. Hood Villages and tend to congregate in coffee shops, shady river spots or the comfort of their homes, others can be found sharing their common love of literature at The Hoodland Library in Welches. A historic and important part of The Mt. Hood Villages, The Hoodland Library has been a dedicated community landmark since the early 1950s. The foundation was in part

By Amber Ford The Mountain Times As summer creeps into season and people begin to plan out their vacations, the thrill of camping in The Mt. Hood National Forest is an activity many will experience this summer. With 65 open campgrounds to choose from in the vast wilderness of evergreens, rivers and lakes, visitors in these designated locations can experience a camping community based on a shared passion for the great outdoors. With amenities such as toilets, boat access in so

By Marie Kennedy The Mountain Times If you’ve ever grabbed a latte at Coffee House 26 in Welches, you’ve probably met Amber Ford, owner, barista, community cheerleader, and proud ally. But on Friday, June 6, she’s not just serving up caffeine. She’s serving up PRIDE. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Coffee House 26 will host the 5th annual Mt. Hood Pride celebration, a joyful, family-friendly event packed with music, art, local vendors, and a whole lot of love. It’s the café’s biggest

By Lisa Kilders For the Mountain Times Summer is almost here, and with dry weather, many people are worried about wildfires. Now is the perfect time to turn that worry into action by making your home safer and creating a plan to keep your family, pets, and animals safe. Wildfire safety can seem like a big job, but you don’t have to do it all at once. The Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District suggests breaking the work into smaller steps. Each week, you can focus on o

By MHCC For the Mountain Times Mt. Hood Community College is celebrating a major milestone after voters approved Measure 26-258, the college’s $136 million bond measure, in the May 2025 election. This historic win marks the first successful bond measure for MHCC in 50 years and will fund vital updates to aging facilities, safety improvements, and modernized learning environments across its campuses. “We are profoundly grateful to our community for this vote of confidence,” sa

By Jeff Helfrich For the Mountain Times We are in the waning weeks of the legislative session, and things are moving fast. While I will have a more comprehensive review in my end of session newsletter, I wanted to take a moment and highlight some of the bills that have passed that were not highlighted in last month’s column – ones I am particularly proud of. I also want to take a moment and address the revenue forecast that came out a couple of weeks ago, and what it means fo

By Justin Andress The Mountain Times On May 5, Christian country rock outfit Mark209 visited the legendary 1937 Steiner Log Church to soak up some history and enjoy the incredible acoustics. Few bands in the world of country music can claim the same level of success as Mark209. The group is a five-time Christian Country Group of the Year award winner consisting of five virtuoso musicians. They spend their days traveling the country playing shows and cultivating their inviting

From the publisher’s desk View from the mountain From the publisher’s desk By Benjamin SimpsonThe Mountain Times Summer is nearly here, and with it comes some exciting happenings on the mountain! On June 7th, we’ll be hosting our annual Women in Business photoshoot—a special feature that shines a light on the incredible women who lead, manage, and operate businesses in our community. If that sounds like you, reach out to Kaity at Kaity@mountaintimesoregon.com to reserve your

By Ty Walker The Mountain Times No summertime trip to the mountain is complete without topping it off with a savory treat from Canary Ice Cream shop. Customers will be clamoring for cones this season at the popular parlor tucked away inside the Hoodland Bazaar at the Plaza Shopping Center. Brothers and Canary Ice Cream co-owners Khalid and AJ Kamahwee, who opened almost a year and a half ago, are gearing up for their busy season by adding four new savory flavors to its menu.

By Marie Kennedy The Mountain Times On a cold, rainy April morning, the forest along Barlow Trail Road was buzzing with activity. Portland General Electric (PGE) forestry crews teamed up with AntFarm, a local youth workforce development organization, to tackle an important job: wildfire prevention. Their mission? Remove three large cottonwood trees growing too close to high-voltage power lines – posing a serious fire risk – and give young workers a front-row view of what it t

By Danella Demary For the Mountain Times Little Zigzag Falls is an easy-to-find and even easier-to-walk trail that leads to one of our favorite underrated spots in Mount Hood National Forest. When thinking of the more popular trails on Mt. Hood, Ramona Falls, Mirror Lake and Timberline Trail all come to mind. These options offer a big payoff with some of the area’s breathtaking features, but they aren’t without the accompanying hike to match. What we have found after living i

By Ty Walker The Mountain Times Benjamin Hill credits a friend for sparking his interest in firefighting. During their snowboarding trips together to Mount Hood, his friend would regale him with stories about his firefighting days in Utah. His friend, now retired, would say how exciting and rewarding the job was. His friend’s colorful adventures got Hill to think about pursuing a career as a firefighter himself. So on one of his trips to Mount Hood last fall, he made a stop a

By Marie Kennedy The Mountain Times In a welcome win for both nature and neighbors, the Rhododendron Water Association (RWA) has received a $155,460 grant to reimburse the costs of a critical watershed protection project completed in 2021. The award, announced by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) in April, will help the small community water system pay off loans and return focus to other needed improvements. “This is a huge moment for us,” said Steve Graeper, pres

By Marie Kennedy, The Mountain Times For many of us who live in this area, Mount Hood Highway 26 is more than just a scenic route. It’s the path to work, to school, and is often the only way to get from here to anywhere. In 1996 this stretch of highway was designated as an Oregon Safety Corridor, but that ended in 2020. Recent calls from community members for the state of Oregon to re-commission the highway as a Safety Corridor have been discussed, but according to Mindy McCa

AntFarm Executive Director Two Foxes Singing (Nunpa) will step down in June 2025 after 15 years of transformative leadership, passing the role to longtime team member Kim Wheeler. The transition marks a new chapter for the organization as it continues its mission of youth empowerment and community connection with a strong and experienced leadership team.

By Angie Helvy, The Mountain Times Timberline Lodge was built in 1937 and sits on the shoulder of Oregon’s tallest peak as a Pacific Northwest icon we’re lucky to have in our Mt. Hood backyard. Last month, the nonprofit Friends of Timberline celebrated 50 years at the Tumwater Ballroom in Oregon City. The event came just days after State Representative Jeff Helfrich passed Bill OR HCR30, recognizing and honoring Friends of Timberline for five decades of exceptional service to

By Marie Kennedy, The Mountain Times The proposed $19.145 million General Obligation Bond to fund a new fire station for the Hoodland Fire District has been approved by voters. In the May 20 special district election, 58.10% of voters – 886 in favor and 639 opposed – voted to pass the measure. The election results are scheduled to be officially certified on June 13, 2025. The bond will allow the District to replace its aging 1966 fire station with a safe, modern, and fully eq