Chehalem Mountains
Encyclopedia
The Chehalem Mountains are a mountain range located in the Willamette Valley
in the U.S.
state of Oregon
. Forming the southern boundary of the Tualatin Valley
, the Chehalems are the highest mountains in the Willamette Valley. Composed of a single land mass that was uplifted by tectonic forces, the mountain range includes several spurs and ridges such as Parrett Mountain, Ribbon Ridge, and Bald Peak
. The range extends from the Willamette River
east of Newberg
northwest to the foothills of the Oregon Coast Range
south of Forest Grove
. The highest peak in the Chehalem Mountain Range is Bald Peak, rising to 1629 feet (496.5 m), which is also the highest peak point within the Willamette Valley.
The word "Chehalem" is a corruption of the Atfalati Indian
word "Chahelim," a name given in 1877 to one of the bands of Atfalati.
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. Forming the southern boundary of the Tualatin Valley
Tualatin Valley
The Tualatin Valley is a farming and suburban region southwest of Portland, Oregon in the United States. The valley is formed by the meandering Tualatin River, a tributary of the Willamette River at the northwest corner of the Willamette Valley, east of the Northern Oregon Coast Range...
, the Chehalems are the highest mountains in the Willamette Valley. Composed of a single land mass that was uplifted by tectonic forces, the mountain range includes several spurs and ridges such as Parrett Mountain, Ribbon Ridge, and Bald Peak
Bald Peak
Bald Peak is a mountain top and highest point in the Chehalem Mountains in the Northwest area of the U.S. state of Oregon. Located in Yamhill County near the county line with Washington County, the tall point is the highest point within the Willamette Valley...
. The range extends from the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
east of Newberg
Newberg, Oregon
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 18,064 people, 6,099 households, and 4,348 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,599.4 people per square mile . There were 6,435 housing units at an average density of 1,282.2 per square mile...
northwest to the foothills of the Oregon Coast Range
Oregon Coast Range
The Oregon Coast Range, often called simply the Coast Range and sometimes the Pacific Coast Range, is a mountain range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region, in the U.S. state of Oregon along the Pacific Ocean...
south of Forest Grove
Forest Grove, Oregon
Forest Grove is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States, west of Portland. Originally a small farm town, it is now primarily a bedroom suburb of Portland. Settled in the 1840s, the town was platted in 1850 and then incorporated in 1872 and was the first city in Washington County...
. The highest peak in the Chehalem Mountain Range is Bald Peak, rising to 1629 feet (496.5 m), which is also the highest peak point within the Willamette Valley.
The word "Chehalem" is a corruption of the Atfalati Indian
Atfalati
The Atfalati, also known as the Tualatin were a tribe or band of the Kalapuya Native Americans who originally inhabited the Tualatin Valley in the northwest part of the U.S. state of Oregon...
word "Chahelim," a name given in 1877 to one of the bands of Atfalati.
See also
- Picture of southern flank of the range
- Bald Peak State Scenic ViewpointBald Peak State Scenic ViewpointBald Peak State Scenic Viewpoint is a state park located atop Bald Peak located in Yamhill County, in the United States. The day use only park offers picnic tables and a hiking trail for views of the Willamette Valley and the Cascade Range...
- Ribbon Ridge AVARibbon Ridge AVAThe Ribbon Ridge AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Yamhill County, Oregon. It is the smallest AVA in Oregon and is entirely contained within the Chehalem Mountains AVA, which in turn is entirely contained within the larger Willamette Valley AVA. Ribbon Ridge stretches between the towns of...
- Chehalem Mountains AVAChehalem Mountains AVAThe Chehalem Mountains AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Clackamas, Yamhill, and Washington counties of northwestern Oregon. It is entirely contained within the Willamette Valley AVA. The region stretches from Wilsonville in the southeast to Forest Grove in the northwest. The...