Splendor of the Mountain

There's a spot as you head east out of McMinnville on Highway 18 where the treeline dips just enough to catch a glimpse of majestic Mt. Jefferson on the horizon. The glacier-blanketed peak seems to be permanently bathed in a sunset-pink hue that beckons to distant travelers.

Mt. Hood may be the symbol of Oregon, but its 10,497-tall brother has become the symbol of my freedom. When the clouds part and I see the mountain, I am filled with an overwhelming sense of peace. It's like nature is reminding me of my ability to find space, room to breathe. It may have taken me 38 years to get to this point, but I am incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to experience it.

Photos taken of Mt. Jefferson as I was driving out of McMinnville:


Highway 18 is in the foreground. Mt. Jefferson is in the distance.


A better picture of the mountain. It's a little crooked, but I was driving when I took it. :)

When you see this picture, consider that the mountain is more than 120 miles from the eastern edge of McMinnville. If I was to drive to the mountain, I would log about 154 miles on my car.

Other facts:

-- Mount Jefferson was named for Pres. Thomas Jefferson by the Lewis and Clark Expedition
-- The expedition first saw the peak in March 1806 from the mouth of the Willamette River
-- Because of its remoteness, few geology studies have been completed on the mountain
-- It is a stratovolcano -- a tall, conical volcano with many layers of hardened lava, tephra and ash
-- Researchers speculate that the mountain may be extinct, but it has awoken after long periods of inactivity at least twice before