Title:
Winter tour of the Cascades
REEL ID:
L018R012
RUN TIME:
0:14:56
FORMAT:
16mm motion picture film
FILM TYPE:
Color reversal film (home movie stock)
SOUND:
Silent (no synchronized sound)
COLLECTION:
Carl Damaske Family Collection
PRODUCTION:
Amateur / personal home movie footage
Description:
This reel documents winter camping, family recreation, and travel across the Cascade Mountain Range, blending playful domestic moments with dramatic volcanic landscapes. Shot on color 16mm film without synchronized sound, the footage captures both the intimacy of family life and the scale of the Pacific Northwest’s mountain environment.
The film opens with family activity in the snow—throwing snowballs and gathering water from a creek, followed by meals prepared on a camp stove. Camping scenes show the family living out of the back of an Oldsmobile station wagon, emphasizing self-sufficient winter travel. These moments ground the reel in hands-on outdoor living during colder months.
The journey moves through the broader Cascade Mountains, with extended driving sequences through snow-covered roads. Volcanic landmarks appear throughout, including Mount Lassen, Mount Shasta, and Crater Lake. Snowbound rest stops—including a makeshift “snow bathroom”—add candid detail to winter travel conditions.
Additional peaks and high-country locations include Mount Scott and Mount Thielsen, followed by winter scenes on Mount Hood. At a Mount Hood resort, skiers move across slopes and ride ski lifts, capturing midcentury ski culture in the Cascades.
One of the reel’s most distinctive sequences shows a hot spring pool near Mount Hood, where swimmers relax in warm water surrounded by snow—contrasting geothermal heat with winter conditions. As the season begins to shift, snowmelt feeds creeks and small waterfalls, signaling the gradual transition from winter to spring.
Together, these scenes preserve a rich midcentury record of family travel in the Cascades—where camping, skiing, volcanic landscapes, and seasonal change are experienced directly through hands-on exploration.
Tags:
Carl Damaske Family, Cascade Mountains, Pacific Northwest, 16mm film, Color home movies, Silent film, Winter camping, Snowball fight, Camp stove cooking, Station wagon camping, Oldsmobile, Snow travel, Mount Lassen, Mount Shasta, Crater Lake Oregon, Mount Scott, Mount Thielsen, Mount Hood, Skiing, Ski lifts, Mount Hood resort, Hot springs, Swimming in snow, Snowmelt, Creeks, Waterfall, Volcanic landscape, Midcentury travel, Outdoor recreation, Americana, Analog film, Nostalgic footage, Archival home movie
