Most Oregonians live between the Cascade and Coastal mountain ranges from Portland to Eugene. To say you’re an Oregonian usually means you’re from this green, wet, and beautiful region which makes up perhaps 10% of the state. This leaves 90% of the state largely unknown to your average Oregonian who, except for an occasional trip to the north coast or to go skiing on Mt. Hood, never ventures beyond the valley. I was one of these typical Oregonians.
I was born in Portland. I went to high school and college in Oregon. Prior to marrying I’d never spent more time anywhere else. I consider myself an Oregonian. However as I’ve already admitted I knew nothing about most of the state. What was the southern coast like? Were there waterfalls at Klamath Falls? How dry and hot was it east of the Cascade mountains? How far did the beauty of the Columbia River gorge extend? Were the Blue Mountains really blue? These and many other questions were on my list to be answered.
My plan for getting to know Oregon was to hop in a rental car and pursue five themes. While I occasionally slipped into an adjoining state, it was always just over the border. The themes are listed below. Clicking on each will take you to a photo album with highlights of what I saw.
- Lighthouses and the Coast
- Crisscrossing the Cascades
- Caves and Canyons
- Crossing the Eastern Desert
- Columbia River Gorge and Falls
These albums provide visual insight into the Other Oregon but they don’t answer the specific questions I raised above. Lest you go away unsatisfied, I provide answers below:
- The southern coast is rocky and population greatly diminishes.
- The falls of Klamath Falls now lie under water from the reservoir.
- East of the Cascades is desert and quite warm most of the year.
- The gorge has distinct character all the way out to The Dalles.
- Believe it or not, the Blue Mountains do indeed appear to be blue.
No doubt you too have questions about Oregon. Send me yours!
What did I learn? Oregon is wondrous, wildly varied and a large state with much worth visiting. People think of it as always raining but 60% of the state is a high desert. People know there are mountains but not till you’ve visited the snow-capped peaks do you really appreciate their magnitude and majesty. People dismiss the coast for lacking warm beaches but have no idea of their beauty and character. By seeing what Oregon has to offer, wrong impressions can be righted and proper appreciation be attained.
Oregonians speak proudly of Oregon and they’re right to do so. The Willamette Valley is a gem, a paradise of green, there’s no denying it. However, as I’ve shown there’s so much more to the state. My wish would be that more Oregonians see more of Oregon so they could truly appreciate how right they are. Go see the Other Oregon!