Fires, Fear, and Fighting Back: The Week the Forest Burned Near Mt. Hood

Late in the season, around midnight on October 13, 1952, trouble began in the dry forests surrounding Mt. Hood. Flames appeared south of the Mt. Hood Highway, just east of Rhododendron, near Yocum Falls. As the fire moved down through Laurel Canyon, it stretched toward Flag Mountain. Initially, officials suspected a tree had fallen on a power line, sparking the blaze. However, the Sandy Electric Company suggested that men violating the hunting ban may have started the fire instead of the 33,000-volt power line.

In the early 1900s, Portland’s Montavilla neighborhood was home to one of its most fascinating figures: Dr. William DeVeny. Known as the “Buffalo Bill of Portland,” William DeVeny was a community leader, civic advocate, and larger-than-life character. His influence stretched beyond Montavilla and into the Mount Hood region, where he worked to improve access to the wilderness.

Have you ever driven along Barlow Trail Road or Lolo Pass Road and wondered about their origins? These quiet, winding roads are more than just modern routes—they are living pieces of history.

Warm Springs Indians Mrs. Flora Boice left and Mrs. Della LeClaire

For generations the native people would come each season from all directions between Spring and Autumn to stay and live their lives here on Mount Hood.

On September 13, 1914, motorcyclist Axel Kildahl of Lents, Oregon, made history on Mount Hood. Riding his Dayton motorcycle, he pushed his machine to an astounding 7,600 feet above Government Camp, setting a new altitude record for motor-driven vehicles on the mountain.

Mount Hood History

Fires, Fear, and Fighting Back: The Week the Forest Burned Near Mt. Hood

Zigzag Cabin Owner: A Local Legend

The Modern Barlow Trail Road

Mount Hood’s Native Trails

Motorcycle 8000′ Up On Mt. Hood