Having grown up in this small farming town in the Pacific Northwest, I often take for granted all the natural beauty that is just outside my doorstep. Located on the I-5 Corridor, Woodland sits between Seattle, WA and Portland, OR. As the location of ITI’s Corporate Headquarters and the company's longest tenured training center - this little town draws students from all over the World for crane and rigging training. That's right, students travel from other countries to Woodland. It's kind of amazing when put in that perspective!
As the training center coordinator in Woodland, one of the most frequent questions I get from students who visit ITI is some variation of, “What is there to do in this town?” Well - the answer depends on the person asking, because there are countless possibilities! This little pocket of the Northwest is perfectly situated; an hour or two in any direction can lead you to the mountains, the ocean, the beach, the big city, or the famous Columbia River Gorge!
Located 30 minutes south of Woodland on I-5, students who enjoy the city scene can travel to Portland, OR for numerous activities. Portland boasts some of the best Microbreweries in the Northwest, and the world. Sport fans can appreciate the short trip down the freeway that leads to an NBA team (the Trailblazers), an MLS team (the Timbers), and an NWSL (the Thorns). For all the "foodies" out there, Portland is a great place to explore. From the world famous food carts, to the notorious Voodoo Donuts, there is something in Portland for every palate.
For the outdoor types, Woodland has something for you in spades. Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Hood are within hours to the Northeast and Southeast respectively, and offer lots of hiking, fishing, and general sightseeing. The Ape Caves and Lava Canyon are two especially interesting sites created by Mt. St. Helens eruption in 1980. Recently the Woodland Training Center hosted a group of students who had never seen snow (they were from Hawaii), and it was fun to hear that they could enjoy some time getting to ski and snowboard on Mt Hood. For those who enjoy the ocean (or maybe have never seen it), Woodland is close enough for a day trip to Long Beach on the Washington coast or Seaside on the Oregon coast.
| Mt. St. Helens in the summer. The mountain and its numerous activities is less than an hour from the ITI Woodland Training Center. |
So much of the natural beauty and many of the activities that are so common to us Northwest natives may be things that students visiting us have never experienced. To see students enjoy their FULL ITI experience then return home with improved crane, rigging, and load handling skills from and knowledge from training, and also some make some lasting memories from this little town and the region is an added cherry on top!
View upcoming courses at the Woodland Training Center here. If you have questions feel free to send them to registrations@iti.com, or call 800.727.6355.