Another blog I follow is the Wy’East Blog by Tom Kloster.

Wy’East is a name attributed to Mount Hood near Portland, Oregon, since the 1890s that some believe has indigenous roots but that may not be historically true*. Mount Hood is within the Mount Hood National Forest and covers 1.1 million acres of land. One third of its acres are designated wilderness area, the Pacific Crest Trail runs around the base, and you can find groomed ski runs and bike trails.

I have visited more than a few times, including completing the Timberline Trail in 2021 and writing up the hike guide description for Washington Trail Association.

However, if I want to know what has happened, is happening or might happen in the Wy’East (Mount Hood) area, I check out the Wy’East Blog. Tom Kloster has been documenting the mountain and surrounding area in detail and it is fascinating to see the changes as they unfold, especially after wildfires and storms that drastically alter its many landscapes.

Tom Kloster has been advocating for Mount Hood to become a national park (or monument?) for over 20 years and I can get behind this worthy goal. We are not the only ones to do so:

It was back in 2003 when I kicked off the “idea campaign” for a Mount Hood National Park that encompasses Mount Hood and the Gorge. It’s an idea that has made it as far as legislation in Congress on several occasions as early as the 1890s, but never made it as far as the president’s desk to become law – usually due to moneyed interests in exploiting the mountain. Thus, the purpose of the “idea campaign” is to simply keep the national park idea alive.

As I wrote about in my I Conquered The Sandy River And Why I Probably Won’t Hike The Timberline Trail Again post, Mount Hood could certainly use some extra attention or preservation. I know folks don’t always like to hear this but sometimes we (and nature) have to be saved from ourselves. I bought a calendar not only because the images are stunning and highlight how important a national park designation would be but because I support this cause, all proceeds go to the Trailkeepers of Oregon who work endlessly to keep trails accessible. Right now the calendar is 35% off!

Buy A 2025 Campaign Calendar

You can find more information about the Mount Hood National Park campaign on its namesake website also by Tom Kloster: Mount Hood National Park and you can hear about how he chose the photographs for the calendar here: 2025 Campaign Calendar. You can also read about why I think national parks are America’s best idea, even if the need for them is rooted in colonization, on this post: The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.