Chehalem Mountains

{{Infobox mountain range

| name= Chehalem Range

| other_name=

| country= United States

| state= Oregon

| state1=

| parent =

| border= Oregon Coast Range

| border1=

| geology=

| geology1=

| period=

| period1=

| orogeny=

| length_mi=

| length_orientation=Northwest-Southeast

| highest=Bald Peak

| elevation_ft=1629

| coordinates = {{coord|45|23|46|N|123|03|18|W|type:mountain_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| photo=Bald Peak looking southeast.JPG

| photo_size=250

| photo_caption=Southeast from Bald Peak.

| map=

| map_size=

| map_caption=

}}

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.{{cite book

|last=McArthur

|first=Lewis A.

|author-link=Lewis_A._McArthur

|year=1952

|orig-year=1928

|edition=3rd

|title=Oregon geographic names

|title-link=Oregon_Geographic_Names

|publisher=Binsfords & Mort for the Oregon Historical Society

|page=123

|isbn=1111097747

|id=Hardcover Enlarged

}} The range extends from the Willamette River east of Newberg northwest to the foothills of the Oregon Coast Range south of Forest Grove.

Toponymy

The word "Chehalem" is a corruption of the Atfalati Indian word "Chahelim," a name given in 1877 to one of the bands of Atfalati.

Geography

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.[http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2006/12/25/daily8.html Chehalem Mountains now official wine area.] Portland Business Journal, December 27, 2006.

The highest peak in the Chehalem Mountain Range is Bald Peak, rising to {{convert|1629|ft|m}},{{cite book

| last = McArthur

| first = Lewis A.

|author2=Lewis L. McArthur

| title = Oregon Geographic Names

| orig-year = 1928

| edition = Seventh

| year = 2003

| publisher = Oregon Historical Society Press

| location = Portland, Oregon

| isbn = 0-87595-277-1

| id = (trade paperback), (hardcover)

}} which is also the highest peak point within the Willamette Valley.