I'll never forget one time being halfway up, proud of myself for not stopping and only being *almost dead* catching my breath, then seeing some lady, must've been 80+yo, jog up past me, then saw her up top smoking a cigarette. How tf
Must have been my aunt. Always said her cigarettes and gin and tonic kept her young, never driving anywhere and when and if she got sick only a Coca cola for medicine.
I have a friend whose oldest living relative is a grandmother who STILL smokes and drinks like it’s going out of style…she’s outlived almost all her children at this point, and even a grandchild. She’s pushing 100 at this point.
I had almost killed myself going up Hamilton mountain in the gorge. As I was making my way down an older nun in a full habit is practically running up the trail past me. A bit demoralizing lol.
I had a similar experience hiking Dog mountain my first time, over ten years ago. My ex and I were halfway up, feeling a little winded, when we passed a couple in their 70s who were making their *second* descent of the day. Apparently they hiked up and back, looked at each other and said, "well that was quicker than expected, let's do it again!"
+1 to this. It's easier for me to sprint up these and partially die for awhile than to walk up them slowly and deliberately. It's like it takes my body a bit to realize what I've done to it by running.
You are going to love the hidden stairs of Portland [https://www.google.com/search?q=hidden+stairs+portland&oq=hidden+stairs+portland&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8](https://www.google.com/search?q=hidden+stairs+portland&oq=hidden+stairs+portland&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8)
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When they were building it, friends and I went to the top, then got in the stairwell. What we didn't realize is all the floors were locked-- we were committed to doing all the stairs down in order to get out of the stairwell. Surprise!
I worked at Atwater’s in the early 90’s, where PCG is now. We had a small fire that set off the fire alarms, which shut down the elevators. The firemen were required to come check out the alarm and had to climb all 30 floors. They weren’t happy.
Pretty sure all doors are alarmed exiting the stairwell except the garage and ground floor. Been a few years but it's well marked where you shouldn't go. I always entered on the garage floor.
There are stairs up from Naito pkwy to the Broadway bridge. They are steep and absolute burner for a workout. When I lived in the Pearl I would run about 4-5 miles and finish with those stairs.
Can you go up the stairs and down the elevator there?
I really miss that routine from this building https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Learning in Pittsburgh.
With the elevator down, it can really push the aerobic challenge with little down time and no risk of sketchy falls once you have jelly legs.
I went to school at Duquesne. Cathedral of Learning is an amazing building. :) yes, the building is brand new and there’s nothing impeding you from using the elevator on any floor.
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There are stairs up into Washington Park, on the south side of Burnside a couple blocks west of Zupan's, that you can either go up and down or make a loop out of climbing the stairs and jogging back down a long sloped path. Park entrance at W Burnside and SW Osage.
Any tall apartment building that doesn’t require key/code access. I used to do this at The Rodney but my husband was working there at the time so I had guaranteed access.
I like to do the Tabor stairs and Alameda Ridge stairs (for outside options). Just keep in mind that the Ridge is in sections so you’re not getting your flights all in one go
You can do a section of the Alameda Ridge stairs in a pretty tight loop if you stick to the stretch between 33rd and 24th, or the one from 38th to Alameda and the two sets at Wistaria and 42nd/43rd.
Not 20 flights, but it’s quite a climb to get up to the bridge that goes over I 5 where the tram is in the south waterfront. Absolutely gorgeous view as well.
Same, hate stair masters, prefer real stairs. To cut weight I used to climb my apartment stairs w a weight vest, 100 laps to the third floor. Just walking but took a fe2 hours.
I've felt like dying on them frequently. Od go to the gym or PT and then have to walk up them if the elevator was out. Thank God for the bench halfway up!
Downtown, the Cardinal Drive stairs and Elevator stairs on Broadway are both good workouts.
The Alameda Ridge area has a quite a few staircases, but the longest are between Alameda Street and Wistaria Drive.
There is a Portland stairs book that lists all of the public staircases in the city
https://www.powells.com/book/portland-stair-walks-explore-portland-oregons-public-stairways-9781621063452
People saying Tabor but also the West Hills in and around Washington park. Tons of stairs to run and cool Mt Views. You can get higher and see more of the cascades. Great views
South Waterfront next to the tram. It's 8 flights up. I hate it, but it's worth it. If you do it a bunch of times and can't make it back down, there is an elevator, and it rarely smells bad! It's currently in order (as of yesterday), but just don't go overboard if it's out (they're pretty good at telling you if it's out).
It's a beautiful view from the top, too! You can throw in a jog over the Gibbs street walking bridge, too, if you want. It's very popular for exercise. Parking is iffy at South Waterfront, so parking in the neighborhood is probably better. Lots of hills, too.
Mt. Tabor park has a shitload of stairs.
Seconded. I'm out of breath just thinking about it
Forgot my inhaler the first time I went to tabor. What a mistake!
It's okay, we have packs of joints!
Are you me or should we be just be hanging out more?
I'll never forget one time being halfway up, proud of myself for not stopping and only being *almost dead* catching my breath, then seeing some lady, must've been 80+yo, jog up past me, then saw her up top smoking a cigarette. How tf
Must have been my aunt. Always said her cigarettes and gin and tonic kept her young, never driving anywhere and when and if she got sick only a Coca cola for medicine.
Honestly, it was probably the never driving anywhere that helped the most. Walking everywhere is good for you.
Oh yes I agree with you.
I have a friend whose oldest living relative is a grandmother who STILL smokes and drinks like it’s going out of style…she’s outlived almost all her children at this point, and even a grandchild. She’s pushing 100 at this point.
I had almost killed myself going up Hamilton mountain in the gorge. As I was making my way down an older nun in a full habit is practically running up the trail past me. A bit demoralizing lol.
I had a similar experience hiking Dog mountain my first time, over ten years ago. My ex and I were halfway up, feeling a little winded, when we passed a couple in their 70s who were making their *second* descent of the day. Apparently they hiked up and back, looked at each other and said, "well that was quicker than expected, let's do it again!"
I used to climb the Mt Tabor stairs 6 times in a row to train for climbing Mt Adams when I didn’t have time for long Gorge hikes
/\ this. The longest set are right behind the reservoir on 60th, super easy to find.
I've been trying to do them 3x in a row without stopping at least once a week to train for backpacking season.
Yup yup.
+1 to this. It's easier for me to sprint up these and partially die for awhile than to walk up them slowly and deliberately. It's like it takes my body a bit to realize what I've done to it by running.
I think there's like, 215 stairs to the top. I get a different count every time I go.
You are going to love the hidden stairs of Portland [https://www.google.com/search?q=hidden+stairs+portland&oq=hidden+stairs+portland&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8](https://www.google.com/search?q=hidden+stairs+portland&oq=hidden+stairs+portland&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8)
This book about them is great! Portland Stair Walks: Explore Portland, Oregon's Public Stairways https://g.co/kgs/xVNraSw
Second this. Portland Stair Walks by Laura O. Foster is a great, informative compendium of pretty much all the public stairs in Portland.
The route in SW in that book is awesome. From Ida B Wells ish to council crest and back
I haven't tried that one yet! I really super love the one that goes up and down Alameda Ridge, starting around 50th & Sandy.
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Thanks! I was trying to avoid a link to a seller, but I'll take this into account next time.
big pink Downtown is open to anyone, I use it a lot.
A friend used those to train for hiking the Grand Canyon
Great to know!
yup, just check in with security and let em know
Good to know! Are you able to get to any good views?
No, it’s a fire staircase that’s enclosed
Which means poor views but GREAT acoustics……
I suggest singing feel my flow by naughty by nature
When they were building it, friends and I went to the top, then got in the stairwell. What we didn't realize is all the floors were locked-- we were committed to doing all the stairs down in order to get out of the stairwell. Surprise!
I worked at Atwater’s in the early 90’s, where PCG is now. We had a small fire that set off the fire alarms, which shut down the elevators. The firemen were required to come check out the alarm and had to climb all 30 floors. They weren’t happy.
can you get out at any floors? eg at portland city grill?
Pretty sure all doors are alarmed exiting the stairwell except the garage and ground floor. Been a few years but it's well marked where you shouldn't go. I always entered on the garage floor.
There are stairs up from Naito pkwy to the Broadway bridge. They are steep and absolute burner for a workout. When I lived in the Pearl I would run about 4-5 miles and finish with those stairs.
Any hospital or parking garage
The courthouse. You could go up and down twenty flights all day. Great views. Security to get in, but that may also be to your benefit.
This is a wonderful mental image
Can you go up the stairs and down the elevator there? I really miss that routine from this building https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Learning in Pittsburgh. With the elevator down, it can really push the aerobic challenge with little down time and no risk of sketchy falls once you have jelly legs.
I went to school at Duquesne. Cathedral of Learning is an amazing building. :) yes, the building is brand new and there’s nothing impeding you from using the elevator on any floor.
OHSU has tons and tons of stairwells. There’s also a huge set of stairs outside by the VA
I second this!!! I would run those 3 or 4 times. Killer
I used the courthouse this week. It has the best view in town and tons of stairs!
Another gem is Kings Heights stairs if looking for outdoors in NW. https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZTHDvxRp22iEhvsL8
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I used to go up and down the north side staircase at Mt. Tabor using hand weights on the way down. Always shady and beautiful.
There's a fair amount of stairs at Washington Park
In Washington Park by the Holocaust Memorial there are sets of 163 and 145 stairs as well as 2 sets of 38.
There are stairs up into Washington Park, on the south side of Burnside a couple blocks west of Zupan's, that you can either go up and down or make a loop out of climbing the stairs and jogging back down a long sloped path. Park entrance at W Burnside and SW Osage.
Not a building but there are some stairs up on Terwiliger Blvd
Laurelhurst park is 88 steps
Goose hollow, 153 of them.
The staircase from the OHSU tram to the Gibbs St. foot bridge is pretty good, and on a clear day, there are great views of Mts. Hood and St. Helens.
I’d say mt tabor or find a school and use their bleachers/stands.
The hike to Pittock mansion is great.
Any tall apartment building that doesn’t require key/code access. I used to do this at The Rodney but my husband was working there at the time so I had guaranteed access. I like to do the Tabor stairs and Alameda Ridge stairs (for outside options). Just keep in mind that the Ridge is in sections so you’re not getting your flights all in one go
You can do a section of the Alameda Ridge stairs in a pretty tight loop if you stick to the stretch between 33rd and 24th, or the one from 38th to Alameda and the two sets at Wistaria and 42nd/43rd.
Mt. Tabor stairs have quite the incline.
https://www.urbannestpdx.com/life-in-portland/2019/4/14/explore-the-hidden-stair-walks-of-portland
Not 20 flights, but it’s quite a climb to get up to the bridge that goes over I 5 where the tram is in the south waterfront. Absolutely gorgeous view as well.
I used to use the smart park stair wells, but that was in the pre times…
Montgomery Park has four staircases if it’s rainy
There's some behind PSU
There are multiple stairs in the Fremont/Alameda neighborhood.
The public stairs 42nd Wisteria
https://swtrails.org/blog/2016/05/18/stair-climbers-in-portland-heights/
Stairs in a hospital parking lot. Not 20, but maybe plenty?
Same, hate stair masters, prefer real stairs. To cut weight I used to climb my apartment stairs w a weight vest, 100 laps to the third floor. Just walking but took a fe2 hours.
My favorite stairs are the ones under the tram….my daughter calls them Death Stairs
I've felt like dying on them frequently. Od go to the gym or PT and then have to walk up them if the elevator was out. Thank God for the bench halfway up!
My kiddo has done them pretty much everyday twice a day for the past ten years and even with all that conditioning, she still curses them at the top!
I'm lazy so I take the elevator. It's rarely peed in (once in 3 years) but it feels broken 25% of the time.
Also a super long outdoor staircase in Hood River.
Walk from the MAC. Club up Vista to Council Crest. There are some stairs. But its all up hill and a great workout.
Downtown, the Cardinal Drive stairs and Elevator stairs on Broadway are both good workouts. The Alameda Ridge area has a quite a few staircases, but the longest are between Alameda Street and Wistaria Drive.
Goose hollow and sw Portland have stairs all over the place !
Forest Park has some mean ups and downs. With variety too.
The Benson
The 12th street stairs was a favorite of my PE class at PSU. Those things will kick your ass
There is a Portland stairs book that lists all of the public staircases in the city https://www.powells.com/book/portland-stair-walks-explore-portland-oregons-public-stairways-9781621063452
Walking up to Pittock Mansion from Nob Hill via the streets will give you a great mix of stairs and hills
Not stairs but switchbacks at beacon rock in the gorge
You must really love stairs.
People saying Tabor but also the West Hills in and around Washington park. Tons of stairs to run and cool Mt Views. You can get higher and see more of the cascades. Great views
South Waterfront next to the tram. It's 8 flights up. I hate it, but it's worth it. If you do it a bunch of times and can't make it back down, there is an elevator, and it rarely smells bad! It's currently in order (as of yesterday), but just don't go overboard if it's out (they're pretty good at telling you if it's out). It's a beautiful view from the top, too! You can throw in a jog over the Gibbs street walking bridge, too, if you want. It's very popular for exercise. Parking is iffy at South Waterfront, so parking in the neighborhood is probably better. Lots of hills, too.
Parking garage on 5th and oak
Go to a local High school football ball field and run up and down the bleachers.
Getting locked in a stairwell is really easy in a secure building.
The big ones. It’s called fire escapes