13
Oregon’s Alpine Highway
(Cover Picture)
By Ernest A. Rostel
A modern highway drapes itself
around the verdant shoulders of Ore
gon’s highest mountain, 11,245 feet,
to provide Beaver State motorists and
out of state vacationists with a scenic
route unsurpassed in the world.
The Mt. Hood loop highway, which
actually begins at Portland, heads east
through the spectacular Columbia riv
er gorge, around much- of the moun
tain and then back to Portland. The
one-day trip is a source for uncounted
“Ohs and Ahs” and at once an in
spiration for out-of-state visitors to
linger longer in vacation lands which
to so many have no peer.
Summertime comes late, to Mt.
Hood’s alpine heights, heralded by
squaw grass in the foreground which
seems to appear in the very footsteps
of King Winter, as snows are driven
upward by the warming sun.
In its comparatively brief reign,
summer offers many vacation oppor
tunities in Mt. Hood National Forest,
a travel magnet for many thousands of
visitors from afar and from Oregon,
itself. Against a volcanic background
intermingled with remnants of the
ice age, vacationists have many miles
of trails to explore, miles of streams
to fish, many lakes to boat and quiet
summer afternoons for relaxing when
Mother Nature seems to show special
interest in the uplands.
Yet many Oregonians have not
availed themselves of recreational
treasures held in store for them by
the Mt. Hood area and other Oregon
regions. Some of them have seen the
Taj Mahal in far-off India. They have
thrilled to the changing of the guard
at Buckingham Palace; they have en
joyed the languor of the South Seas,
South America and tropical climes;
they may recall glamour of the Rivi
era, and, of course, the /sights within
the U.S.A. coast to coast.
No, they have not yet had time to
see all of Oregon, or even a substantial
part. This they can do next year, next
summer or during the fall, they de
clare, but somehow they seem never
to have the time when opportunity, is
right.
This spring then, Oregon’s great
scenic areas extend special invitation
to Oregonians who not yet have taken
advantage of treasure troves of vaca
tion joys which may be theirs for the
driving of a few miles over fine high
ways, and letting exotic invitations to
faraway places wait until another day
— but only after they have fuller ap
preciation of Oregon’s own attractions.
Veterans’ Activities
By Larry Quinlin
Dept. of Veterans’ Affairs
Eighteen states and two territories
— Alaska and Hawaii— have approved
World War II veterans’ bonus pay
ments to date. Many veterans have
come to Oregon from other states since
their discharge. Those who’ “entered
service from the “bonus states” would
be wise to check the following list
to make sure they apply for their
benefits before deadlines expire, as
has happened already in two states.
Application forms are available lo
cally for most of the state bonuses,
through county veterans’ service of
ficers, the major veterans’ organiza
tions, and the Oregon Department of
Veterans’ Affairs, 305 State Library
Bldg., Salem, and 415 S. W. 11th ave
nue, Portland. States paying bonuses,
and .application deadlines, follow (ad
dress listed where application blanks
not available locally):
CONNECTICUT— Deadline June 30,
1051. Apply to office of Treasurer,
Veterans’ Bonus Division, Hartford 15,
Conn.
DELAWARE— Deadline Jan. 1, 1951.
ILLINOIS— Deadline June 30, 1951.
INDIANA— Deadline Jan. 1, 1951.
IOWA— Deadline Dec. 31, 1951. Ap
ply to World War II Service Compen
sation Board, Des Moines, Iowa.
LOUISIANA — Deadline expired
Nov. 30, 1949.
MASSACHUSETTS— No
deadline.
Apply to Commissioner of Veterans’
Services, State House, Boston, Mass.
MICHIGAN— Deadline March 20,
1951.
MINNESOTA— Deadline Dec. 31,
1950.