Portland City Trail Walking Group

From “Portland Stair Walks” by Laura Foster: 4.5 miles with 11 staircases. 650’ elevation changes. Begin at the NW corner of SE 61st & Stark St

About 5 miles out-and-back from the Holman Lane trailhead next to 3509 NW Raleigh St up to the Pittock Mansion on a lovely forested path.

There is a good amount of elevation gain (833 feet), but we take a moderate pace, and we usually stop for 15 to 20 minutes at the top to take in the views and chit chat.

Come hang out with us!

Warning. The hike is not "easy" for first time hikers. It is a moderate and strenuous hike and there are many uneven surfaces where people do trip and fall.

DESCRIPTION: Let's meet at George Rogers Park in Oswego for a paved out-and-back walk, mostly along the Willamette, connecting Old River Road to Mary S. Young Park. Restrooms available in both Geo Rogers Park and Mary S. Young Park.

Note: Thank you in advance for changing your RSVP from "Going" to "Not Going" (or put a note in the chat) if your plans change.

DISTANCE: About 5.5 miles

PARKING: George Rogers Park 611 S. State Street, Lake Oswego, or surrounding streets.

MEET: George Rogers Park, Lake Oswego, lower parking lot near the trellis leading to a grassy area.

Historical Notes: You'll see the Oswego Iron Furnace, a massive stone and brick blast furnace listed on the National Register of Historic Places, built in 1866.

The brick and concrete structure located along the riverside path connecting Old River Road with George Rogers Park is the abandoned Crown-Willamette Paper Company Log Loading Station aka Oswego Log Hoist).

• Built Around 1900–1914: The facility was constructed to lift harvested timber out of the Willamette River.
• Log Hoist Operation: Logs floated downriver in booms from areas like Astoria via sternwheelers to Oswego. Workers used a motor-powered hoist to lift the logs up the steep embankment and load them onto Southern Pacific Railroad flatbed cars.
• Paper Mill Supply: The rail cars transported the timber above the Willamette Falls to paper mills, including the Crown Willamette Paper Company operations.
• Abandonment: The station operated until 1933, when the Southern Pacific Railroad abandoned the line and trucking methods replaced river-to-rail logging transport.
• Later Attempt: There was a brief, unsuccessful effort in the late 1970s to convert the industrial shell into a residential structure, which left behind partial window and interior changes.

LAUNCH TIME: 10:00 AM

FITNESS LEVEL: Expect a moderate pace for this flat-as-a-pancake walk.

ATTIRE: Bring layers and your adventurous spirit.

GUESTS: Welcome! Register by name in the website. Dogs on leash ok.

AFTER WALK REPAST OPTION: Group preference.

We will meet at the Safeway parking lot at 14300 SW Barrows Rd, Tigard. We will meet at the front of Safeway. The entire route will be about 5.7 miles and have about 600 ft of elevation gain. There is mostly an urban hike, but will have a bit of woods. On a clear day, at the tip top (and yes we will get to the very top), there will be views of Mt hood, Mt St Helens, and also views across Beaverton to the West Hills. There are also some expansive views on the south side towards Wilsonville. We will go from the bottom of the North side to the top, and then to the bottom of the south side, and then return.

For those who want lunch, there are several nice restaurants in nearby Progress Town Square, with views of the lake.