I was under no false pretences when I booked a February trip to Portland, Oregon. I used to live on a coast and I get that winter weather can be grey and dreary. I was looking for somewhere warmer than Saskatoon, even if I’d be dealing with damp winter days. Imagine my pleasant surprise waking on my first day in Portland to crystal clear blue skies and unseasonably warm temperatures (no jacket needed!). I couldn’t let the opportunity pass me by – I had a rare February opportunity to view the mountains off in the distance from Portland.

After a short train ride south of downtown, I took the Portland Aerial Tram to the top of Marquam Hill and feasted my eyes on this – a stunningly clear view of Mount St. Helens:

Even clearer and closer, by looking directly ahead from the look off point just below the hospital on the hill – there was Mount Hood. Spectacular.

I was pinching myself on this morning. I had the look-off completely to myself. And I couldn’t have asked for better weather for a vacation day in the Pacific northwest.

Blue skies and mountains everywhere I looked. Can a morning get better?

Sometimes you get really lucky when you travel. This made for a great start to a short winter get away.