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
