Photos by Kate McCarthy

Numerous photographs of the region within the Mount Hood Meadows ski area have been taken by Kate McCarthy during the past thirty years. Some of these pictures are of beautiful meadows with wildfowers in bloom, clear flowing streams, or undisturbed wetlands; however, other pictures dramatically illustrate the damage done to the mountain by the ski area.

Five of Kate's photos follow.

This picture shows the destruction of white bark pine on what was formerly a high altitude forested ridge. Communities of white bark pine at high altitudes are rare on the mountain.
During the summer, hikers are awarded with beautiful views of meadows with wildflowers in bloom.
This picture was taken during the construction of the Cascade Express chairlift.
The construction of ski lifts and trails has contributed to siltation occurring in streams. Since these mountain streams flow through wetlands at lower elevations on the mountain, there is inevitably irreparable damage to wetlands from construction projects at the ski area.
This photo is of a riparian area in an undisturbed state. The east fork of Hood River is fed by several streams that flow through the ski area.

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