Here & There: Government Camp truly ‘magical’

David Camp, man of ideas, has struck again.

You may remember some months back Camp suggested that I call your attention to Fernie, “a magical little place in southeastern British Columbia, where the powder is so deep you have to ski with a snorkel.”

Given the lyricism of that description, it won’t surprise you to learn that, in his day job, He is a writer at miller.whiterunkle, advertising agency extraordinaire.

But during his off hours, Camp has taken to scouring the region for travel treasures, just for you.

His most recent recommendation is a “little known hamlet” just off U.S. Highway 26, “targeted for upgrades to real resort status.”

So with no further ado, here’s the tip of the day: Government Camp (no relation), Ore.

Resident Susan Mikolasy describes the alpine village on Mount Hood this way: “It’s just a little jewel that has skiing within 10 to 15 minutes, and four seasons of fun.”

Portland is only an hour away to the west. To get there from the east, you’ll take I-84 to Hood River, then head south on Oregon Highway 35.

“Highway 35 is beautiful,” Spokane’s Camp says. “It ascends from Hood River Valley, which is apple country. It’s a lovely drive.”

Then it’s just a short hop on Highway 26 toward Mount Hood.

And when Mikolasy says there’s skiing within 10 to 15 minutes, she means right now.

With the exception of just a few weeks, Mount Hood welcomes skiers all year around. According to Camp, that explains the growing activity in Government Camp.

“It’s become such a hot spot because it’s the summertime skiing destination for the entire Western Hemisphere,” he says. “It’s the training ground for all of North America’s ski teams and snowboard teams.”

If snow down your shorts in the dog days doesn’t tickle your fancy, Government Camp oozes good, old-timey Western heritage. You can steep yourself all up in it at the Government Camp Cultural Center and Museum ( www.mthoodmuseum.org).

The town, which goes back to the days of the Oregon Trail, got its name after an army regiment came through and abandoned about 45 wagons in the area.

Camp’s family has been going there for years. In fact, his grandfather was a guide on Mount Hood.

“In Grandad’s day, it was climbing without crampons or ice axes,” he says. “I remember my great aunt telling me about whole parties sliding down the mountain and perishing.”

You probably won’t have to worry much about that, if you stick with any number of perfectly good designated hiking trails. You’ll find information on a bazillion of them at www.mthoodinfo.com, but Camp particularly recommends Barlow Trail #601A, Little Crater Trail #500, Lost Lake Loop and Mirror Lake Trail.

While classified as “more difficult,” Barlow only runs .7 mile along one of the last legs of the Oregon Trail. An even shorter trip at .3 mile, Little Crater takes you through a meadow to the 45-foot-deep, bottom spring-fed lake.

For more lake scenery, take the three-mile loop around Lost Lake, with noteworthy views of Mount Hood. Or, if you’re a people person, try a 3.3-mile trek to Mirror Lake, one of Mount Hood National Forest’s most heavily visited.

Prefer your scenery out the window of a car? Point your wheels down the Mount Hood Scenic Byway, 105 miles around the mountain, past Multnomah Falls, family farms, old-growth fir and more. See www.byways.org/explore/ byways/61400 for more information.

If you wait a while to make your pilgrimage, you might get there when Mikolasy and her husband, Carl Gatzke, throw wide the doors of their mixed-use development, set to break ground in the spring.

“We decided to develop because we wanted to create something beautiful in our community,” she says.

Klahowya, named for a greeting in Chinook jargon and modeled on the area’s historic lodges, will include its own lodge, condos and 10,000 square feet of retail space.

Mikolasy and Gatzke are employing sustainable building practices in an effort to achieve LEED (leadership in energy and environmental design) from the U.S. Green Building Council.

They’ve started early, with a plan to cut down only 16 of the 600 trees on their three-acre site and mill them for use inside the main building.

Klahowya’s phase one should be completed next year.

While they’re working on that, you can check out the Arts Cabins Project, an opportunity for instruction in such pursuits as blacksmithing, painting and jewelry and glass making. According to its Web site, the project “offers a comfortable atmosphere for creativity on Mt. Hood, without worries of changing weather.”

I do hate when it rains while I’m trying to forge horseshoes.

Learn more at www.artscabins.org or (503) 272-3301.

Regional events

“Living History Weekend, Sept. 1-3, Sidney, Mont. Join local muzzleloaders at Fort Union while they complete a building project and mark the end of the day with Last Bell Tours. ( www.visitmt.com/ 406-433-1916)

“Great Canadian Beer Festival, Sept. 7-8, Victoria, B.C. More than 40 breweries will be on hand to answer your beer questions and fulfill your drinking needs. ( www.gcbf.com, 250-383-2332)