If you skipped town for Winter Break, you missed one of Portland's rare
winter storms. Snow fell, temperatures dropped below freezing, and the
"City that Works" shut down for three days.
Down in the canyon, the water froze over and a few branches broke under the weight of the snow, but the most noticeable effect was the sprinkler that appeared halfway across the "Big Pipe." Freezing temperatures apparently cracked a valve in the city water main that runs across the canyon, and treated tap water is now spraying out in a small fountain. Crews from the Water Bureau won't be able to fix the leak for at least a week, but the water flow isn't thought to be large enough to do any harm.
Even without the fountain, the views in the canyon make it worth a visit right now. Just a few years ago, the enormous growth of evergreen English Ivy made it impossible to see for more than a few hundred feet at any time of year. But now, with the leaves down and the bulk of the ivy removed, visitors are treated to expansive views that haven't been available for more than fifty years.
Take a break. Go for a winter walk. You'll enjoy it.
- posted by Niels
Down in the canyon, the water froze over and a few branches broke under the weight of the snow, but the most noticeable effect was the sprinkler that appeared halfway across the "Big Pipe." Freezing temperatures apparently cracked a valve in the city water main that runs across the canyon, and treated tap water is now spraying out in a small fountain. Crews from the Water Bureau won't be able to fix the leak for at least a week, but the water flow isn't thought to be large enough to do any harm.
Even without the fountain, the views in the canyon make it worth a visit right now. Just a few years ago, the enormous growth of evergreen English Ivy made it impossible to see for more than a few hundred feet at any time of year. But now, with the leaves down and the bulk of the ivy removed, visitors are treated to expansive views that haven't been available for more than fifty years.
Take a break. Go for a winter walk. You'll enjoy it.
- posted by Niels
