When I was a kid, a trip to the Blues with my parents for fall elk hunting, was my first experience of seeing steep grassy hills with yellow Tamarack trees. My mom explained that that the Tamarack trees loose their needles after they turn yellow.
That was impressive to a kid coming from big evergreen fir country.
I also had an Appaloosa horse and my dad told me that this was the country the Nez Perce Indians had developed the breed.
After that, I was in love with the Blue Mountain country.

L.E on 20th November 2017 @ 7:46am

Love spending a week in the Blues every fall. Definitely one of my favorite places in the state.

RHD on 20th November 2017 @ 8:18am

A frequent trip I always enjoyed from Portland, the gorge, the wheat country, the Blues, Grande Rhonde valley, the Wallowas and paid all the way in a company vehicle. Actually some of the mid winter trips were not entirely enjoyable but still beautiful.

Kenn on 20th November 2017 @ 8:35am

I hope they remain undiscovered.
The Undiscovered Blue Mountains of Washington and Oregon
http://nwtravelmag.com/undiscovered-blue-mountains-washington-oregon/

I have a question for you Oregonians.
Are the Ochocos, part of the Blue Mountains?

L.E on 20th November 2017 @ 8:36am

@LE, one of my secret pleasures in the early ski season is to sneak up on an unsuspecting larch and poke it with my ski pole so I can watch all the yellow needles fall to the ground.

Arthur on 20th November 2017 @ 8:43am

We are slipping. We saw this photo back in October 2014.
http://historichoodriver.com/index.php?showimage=371
Oh well, it was just as much fun the second time.

L.E on 20th November 2017 @ 10:23pm

Arthur will know best, but I suspect that could be Alva Day on the right. I saw a photo of him when he was a young man and he had thick black hair.

L.E on 21st November 2017 @ 7:50am