Portland West Hills

The Tualatin Mountains dominate the western skyline of Portland, Oregon. The mountains form the high ridge running from southeast to northwest, separating Portland from Beaverton and other cities of the Tualatin Valley to the west.

The entire area is a fun place to hike in the wintertime when the weather cooperates. These photos were taken before a heavy polar freeze hit Portland for an entire week. In my next post I will have photos of the storm impacts.

One of my favorite hiking venues is nearby 205-acre Marquam Nature Park. Several miles of trails lead to 1,070-foot Council Crest, at the top of the Tualatin Mountains with jaw-dropping views of the snow-covered Casccade peaks.

As I hike the trails, I typically spot crows foraging for food or fresh water to drink, a few songbirds that hang around during the winter, and a squirrel or two attempting to find where they hid a delicious nut.