The scenery surrounding the Columbia River has born awesome forces. Huge eruptions, many times larger than St. Helens’ late inconsequential burp, have built not only the region’s iconic peaks, but also the far more voluminous range over which they tower. Great syrupy flows of molten rock inundated the region, burying it miles deep in successive layers of basalt. And these layers were carved into their present form by the greatest series of cataclysmic floods the world has ever known. Man’s work along the Columbia seems little less impressive. “The Great River of the West” has been domesticated by a series of dams that appear nearly geologic in scale.
Early this morning, we enjoyed the impressive scene of Mount Hood, basalt cliffs, and the guillotine gates of John Day lock and dam. We were looking westward at the Cascades. This orientation proved highly significant. Overnight we had passed through the mountains, and we were traveling deep in their rain shadow. Gone were the rich green forests emblematic of the Pacific Northwest. Instead, we saw hills scantily clad in dried grass and sagebrush. We spent the day in this unexpected landscape. Gradually the cliffs dropped away, leaving rolling hills pied with vineyards and onion fields. We ascended a couple of locks, experiencing their record-setting size from the inside out. We also had a good look at the other parts of the dams, seeing powerhouses, fish ladders, and juvenile fish bypass systems all at work. While underway, we took time to hear a couple of lectures. Tom spun for us historical threads that he wove into a complex web of social, political and economic interactions – the background for the Lewis and Clark Expedition. David used slides, artwork and artifacts to illustrate a program about Native art and culture. And finally, as reward for the day’s travails, we enjoyed the fruits of the region – wines and comestibles from Washington and Oregon.
The Columbia and Snake Rivers stitch together disparate regions of the Northwest, uniting them physically, biologically, and with interlocking themes of history. Today began our exploration of this rich and varied part of the world.
Early this morning, we enjoyed the impressive scene of Mount Hood, basalt cliffs, and the guillotine gates of John Day lock and dam. We were looking westward at the Cascades. This orientation proved highly significant. Overnight we had passed through the mountains, and we were traveling deep in their rain shadow. Gone were the rich green forests emblematic of the Pacific Northwest. Instead, we saw hills scantily clad in dried grass and sagebrush. We spent the day in this unexpected landscape. Gradually the cliffs dropped away, leaving rolling hills pied with vineyards and onion fields. We ascended a couple of locks, experiencing their record-setting size from the inside out. We also had a good look at the other parts of the dams, seeing powerhouses, fish ladders, and juvenile fish bypass systems all at work. While underway, we took time to hear a couple of lectures. Tom spun for us historical threads that he wove into a complex web of social, political and economic interactions – the background for the Lewis and Clark Expedition. David used slides, artwork and artifacts to illustrate a program about Native art and culture. And finally, as reward for the day’s travails, we enjoyed the fruits of the region – wines and comestibles from Washington and Oregon.
The Columbia and Snake Rivers stitch together disparate regions of the Northwest, uniting them physically, biologically, and with interlocking themes of history. Today began our exploration of this rich and varied part of the world.
