Mt. Hood reflection on Tram, with Mt. St. Helens

Portland Aerial Tram: Portland's Aerial Tram opened in January 2007. It connects the Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) campus on Marquam Hill with the new South Waterfront development, taking two tram cars over Portland's Lair Hill neighborhood and the I-5 freeway. The Aerial Tram has been controverial due to its repeated cost overruns.

For more information about the Aerial Tram, see OHSU's website about the tram and the City of Portland's tram page.

Mt. Saint Helens: This active volcano had its last serious eruption in May, 1980, but had a minor but attention-getting eruption of ash in March 2005 (see photos in this gallery). Mt. Saint Helens was named by British explorers in 1792, after Baron St. Helens. It is only 50 miles from Portland, Oregon.

See the WikiPedia entry on Mt. Saint Helens.

Mt. Hood: Mt. Hood, in the Cascade Mountain range, was named after British Admiral Samuel Hood in 1792. Aside from being a popular skiing destination an hour from Portland and an eye-catching backdrop in the Portland skyline, Mt. Hood is in fact an active volcano, as all of the major peaks of the Cascades are. Of course, Hood's sister to the north, Mt. St. Helens, had its most recent major eruption in 1980. Geologists monitor all the cascades including Mt. Hood for volcanic activity. Someday, maybe not in our lifetimes, Mt. Hood will erupt again, but who knows when?