Читать книгу One Night Wilderness: Portland - Douglas Lorain - Страница 7

Preface

Fortune has smiled on outdoor lovers in the Portland metropolitan area. Within a short drive from their homes, hikers face an almost unbelievable array of options. They can choose to walk through massive old-growth forests or to visit any of several hundred waterfalls. They can climb across massive glaciers or traipse through wildflower-covered mountain meadows. They can beachcomb on surf-pounded sand or explore semi-desert canyonlands filled with the aroma of sagebrush. Only one or two other cities in the country can boast such a wide assortment of opportunities so close at hand.

Many, even most, of these wonders are accessible to dayhikers. But as thousands of pedestrians have discovered over the years, to appreciate fully the charms and wonders of the wilderness, nothing compares to packing in your gear and spending the night. The outdoor experience is infinitely richer, more exhilarating, and certainly more memorable if you extend your stay, enjoying a place where the stars outshine the streetlights, where the hooting of owls and the howling of coyotes replaces the honking of horns and the shriek of sirens, and where crowded cityscapes, although closer than you’d think, seem to be a million miles away.

This book is designed for two groups of people: those who already know the pleasures and rejuvenating qualities of spending a night in the wilderness; and those who hope to soon join that club. The goal is to provide the first guide to all the best one- (and a few two-) night hikes within a three-hour drive of Portland. There are trips here for all ability levels, from short and easy strolls suitable for backpackers of any age, to extended trips of 20 miles or more that will test even the fittest hiker. What they all have in common is a close proximity to Portland, terrific scenery, and inviting campsites that make them suitable for weekend trips.

While researching this guide, I hiked every trip in this book at least once and most of them numerous times. However, roads and trails constantly change as new routes are built, old trails are abandoned, and floods and landslides obliterate existing routes. Your comments on recent developments or changes for future editions are always welcome. Please write to me in care of Wilderness Press at info@wildernesspress.com.