Portland and the Pacific Northwest

It is understandable that many students want to stay in the region after completing their studies. Within the state boundaries lies an unparalleled diversity of geological and ecological systems, including forests and snow-capped mountain ranges, the Pacific coastline with 300 miles of publicly owned beaches, high desert plateaus, and lush valleys. The northwest is a mecca for those wishing to experience the natural environment and engage in outdoor activities such as skiing, windsurfing, hiking, mountain climbing, rock climbing, camping, mountain biking, fishing, surfing, and kayaking (whitewater and ocean). Oregon boasts the only year-round skiing in North America at Timberline ski area on Mt Hood, and in the summer one can enjoy a morning of skiing on Mt.Hood, an afternoon of mountain biking or windsurfing in the Columbia Gorge, and an evening of music in one or more of the many outstanding clubs in Portland.

Portland is situated in the Willamette Valley at the northern boundary of the state and the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. The Willamette valley is formed by the Coast Range to the west and the Cascade Range to the east. Mountains and ocean are within easy drives from the city. The diverse geological features of Oregon lead to a variety of climates in the state. Temperatures in Portland and the Willamette Valley seldom fall below freezing. Snowfall is rare in the city, but frequent and heavy in the mountains from November to April. The average rainfall of 35 inches (less than for most of the country east of the Mississippi River) falls primarily during the winter months. Summers are dry and sunny, the humidity is very low, and typical temperature are in the 70s and 80s.

The city's population is about 470,000, part of 1.6 million in the metropolitan area. Portland prides itself on being "The City That Works". From its incorporation in 1851, city officials with foresight prepared for a city on a human scale. In recent times, great effort has gone into planning and successfully developing an attractive,

The variety of outdoor activities convenient to the city is unsurpassed. Hiking, mountain biking, windsurfing and kayaking are popular outdoor activities accessible within minutes of downtown. The rugged Cascade and Coast mountain ranges provide hundreds of miles of trails for enthusiasts. In addition to Mount Hood and Mount St. Helens, which loom large over the city, Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, Mount Jefferson and the Three Sisters are all within an easy drive of Portland. On the slopes of the Cascade mountains (one to three hours by car from Portland) are eight ski areas (seven in Oregon and one in Washington), and more for those willing to dr ive a little further.