"Pacific Northwest Lodges" is the final film in the series "Great Lodges of the National Parks"--a fine series shown on PBS a decade ago. This particular episode centers on parks located near Seattle and Portland, though not all the lodges featured are in national parks (a few are in national forests or national monuments) and a few big nearby parks aren't mentioned (like Olympic--which is near Seattle). Perhaps Olympic doesn't have a lodge--though it is one of the largest American national parks*.
The show begins at the Paradise Inn which is located at Mt. Rainier National Park. This lodge, on the outside, looks more modern and different from most of the lodges featured on previous episodes--though inside it is very similar. In addition to talking about the lodge, the narrator spends quite a bit of time discussing the park--such as their glaciers, the amount of ice, etc.
The rest of the show is about Oregon locales. Near Mt. Hood is the Timberline Lodge. Unlike all the other lodges in the series, this one was built with public money by the WPA during the Depression as a work program for unemployed workers. This national forest and the Oregon Caves National Monument (and its Oregon Caves Château) are briefly discussed. Then, the show finishes up at Crater Lake National Park and its Crater Lake Lodge--a place that was nearly torn down in the 1980s due to it falling into decay. Fortunately, the place was rehabbed and is once again a showplace.
Overall, this is the weakest show of the series. As I mentioned above, not all these places are actually park lodges. Another problem is that with so many parks, you assume a lot of good places were missed. Worth seeing in spite of a few shortcomings.
*In a follow up (called "Great Lodges of the National Parks Volume II"), Olympic Park's Lake Quinalt Lodge IS featured--though it seemed illogical not to put it in "Pacific Northwest Lodges".
The show begins at the Paradise Inn which is located at Mt. Rainier National Park. This lodge, on the outside, looks more modern and different from most of the lodges featured on previous episodes--though inside it is very similar. In addition to talking about the lodge, the narrator spends quite a bit of time discussing the park--such as their glaciers, the amount of ice, etc.
The rest of the show is about Oregon locales. Near Mt. Hood is the Timberline Lodge. Unlike all the other lodges in the series, this one was built with public money by the WPA during the Depression as a work program for unemployed workers. This national forest and the Oregon Caves National Monument (and its Oregon Caves Château) are briefly discussed. Then, the show finishes up at Crater Lake National Park and its Crater Lake Lodge--a place that was nearly torn down in the 1980s due to it falling into decay. Fortunately, the place was rehabbed and is once again a showplace.
Overall, this is the weakest show of the series. As I mentioned above, not all these places are actually park lodges. Another problem is that with so many parks, you assume a lot of good places were missed. Worth seeing in spite of a few shortcomings.
*In a follow up (called "Great Lodges of the National Parks Volume II"), Olympic Park's Lake Quinalt Lodge IS featured--though it seemed illogical not to put it in "Pacific Northwest Lodges".
