A mobile home is shown in the middle of a mud slide over a highway just west of Clatskanie, Ore.,

PORTLAND, Ore. - The state Department of Geology spent thousands of dollars making maps of slide-prone neighborhoods in the Portland metro area.

But that information was never publicized despite countless slide-prone hillsides across the Northwest - apparently because there was no money to do so.

A huge landslide in December ripped through several homes in the tiny community of Woodson west of Clatskanie.

State geology officials had maps that listed Woodson as sitting in a very high landslide hazard zone, but that information was never made public.

Instead all that data eventually ended up on the Internet. Technically they are not maps - they are map overlays that show areas that are susceptible to landslides.

Though we are showing you where to find it, the program is not easy to use.

But if you get the hang of it, you can find very specific detail about areas that are in landslide danger zones.

Some of those areas include neighborhoods in Portland's West Hills.

While most homeowners in the West Hills know if they are in danger many haven't seen maps this detailed.

Here are instructions for using the interactive map:

• Click here to get a map of Oregon. Note: The site is slow to load, so you will have to be patient.
• Below the map, put a check next to the following selections: RML Downslope Hazard Zones, Landmarks, Hydrography, City Limits, County Lines and Transportation. 
• Next find the zoom tool in the area just below the map. Scroll back up to the map. Click in the circle next to the icon of a magnifying glass with a plus.
• Find the area you are interested in on the map and click on it. You will have to wait for the map to reload and then click in the same place again in order to get closer. Repeat this several times in order to zoom in close.
• Once you are as close as you want to be, scroll down the page to the section entitled "Output your map to PDF." Enter a title and click the button "create PDF." This will create a printable map with a legend that explains the hazard markings. WARNING: You must have a working version of Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to view or print a PDF.