Columbia River Gorge
As the sun rose giving Mount Hood just a touch of alpine glow, the Sea Lion continued west on the Columbia River, heading for her morning destination of the small river town of The Dalles. The first order of business was to lock through the Dalles dam. This dam raises the Columbia River about 90 feet to create Lake Celilo, which stretches 24 miles upstream. Nearby was the famous Celilo Falls which was one of the most important salmon fishing sites on the river and for countless generations was the meeting point and trading center for different Indian tribes from all over the Northwest. Today, these falls are under approximately 90 feet of water just behind the Dalles dam.
As soon as the Sea Lion was tied up at a boat launch and dock just east of town, we prepared to disembark and take two coaches a short distance for a morning visit to the Columbia River Discovery Center and Wasco County Museum. Inside we found displays that explained the geology, climate, biology, and human history of the gorge. After a short visit, we returned to our buses, continuing our tour, traveling along the Scenic highway moving west along the great river of the west, the Columbia, as it pierced through the Cascade Mountains making its way towards the Pacific Ocean.
A photo stop was made at Rowena Crest, an over look 800 feet above the river. Looking east and west along the Columbia River provided spectacular views and photos of the transition zone from Channeled Scab lands to the east and temperate rain forest to the west.
Back aboard our buses we headed for our last morning activity, a walk or bike ride from the east side of the Moser twin tunnels to the west side…..setting out, whether it be by pedal or by foot each of us had an opportunity to enjoy the refurbished section of the Columbia River Scenic Highway reserved for pedestrians or cyclists in peace and at our own pace under sunny skies, most likely one of the intentions of the designer and builder of this road, nearly 100 years ago.
All too soon, hikers, bikers and shoppers were all returned to the Sea Lion for our noon day meal. As we enjoyed our lunch, the Sea Lion continued her way west making her way to Cascade Locks where our coaches were awaiting our arrival, to continue our excursion along one of the most famous stretches of the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway.
The mountain, river, and waterfall landscape of the short distance between Troutdale and The Dalles is one of the most photographed sections of the Pacific Northwest…photographers come from all over the world to capture this tremendous combination of mists, mosses, and basalt! The preservation of this awe-inspiring landscape became so important that in 1986, Congress designated it protected under an act titled The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, which protected 295,000 acres. Our afternoon stop was Multnomah Falls; a small stream of water descending 620 feet through two plunge pools. This lacey waterfall was cloaked by many big leaf maple trees just taking on their respective colors of fall. The basalt cliffs on either side were covered in a variety of colored lichens from deep browns to bright chartreuse. An extraordinary visual feast, for each of us, whether we climbed a short distance to the base of the falls, or climbed the full mile to the top…..giving a view of falls, river, and forest.
As the sun rose giving Mount Hood just a touch of alpine glow, the Sea Lion continued west on the Columbia River, heading for her morning destination of the small river town of The Dalles. The first order of business was to lock through the Dalles dam. This dam raises the Columbia River about 90 feet to create Lake Celilo, which stretches 24 miles upstream. Nearby was the famous Celilo Falls which was one of the most important salmon fishing sites on the river and for countless generations was the meeting point and trading center for different Indian tribes from all over the Northwest. Today, these falls are under approximately 90 feet of water just behind the Dalles dam.
As soon as the Sea Lion was tied up at a boat launch and dock just east of town, we prepared to disembark and take two coaches a short distance for a morning visit to the Columbia River Discovery Center and Wasco County Museum. Inside we found displays that explained the geology, climate, biology, and human history of the gorge. After a short visit, we returned to our buses, continuing our tour, traveling along the Scenic highway moving west along the great river of the west, the Columbia, as it pierced through the Cascade Mountains making its way towards the Pacific Ocean.
A photo stop was made at Rowena Crest, an over look 800 feet above the river. Looking east and west along the Columbia River provided spectacular views and photos of the transition zone from Channeled Scab lands to the east and temperate rain forest to the west.
Back aboard our buses we headed for our last morning activity, a walk or bike ride from the east side of the Moser twin tunnels to the west side…..setting out, whether it be by pedal or by foot each of us had an opportunity to enjoy the refurbished section of the Columbia River Scenic Highway reserved for pedestrians or cyclists in peace and at our own pace under sunny skies, most likely one of the intentions of the designer and builder of this road, nearly 100 years ago.
All too soon, hikers, bikers and shoppers were all returned to the Sea Lion for our noon day meal. As we enjoyed our lunch, the Sea Lion continued her way west making her way to Cascade Locks where our coaches were awaiting our arrival, to continue our excursion along one of the most famous stretches of the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway.
The mountain, river, and waterfall landscape of the short distance between Troutdale and The Dalles is one of the most photographed sections of the Pacific Northwest…photographers come from all over the world to capture this tremendous combination of mists, mosses, and basalt! The preservation of this awe-inspiring landscape became so important that in 1986, Congress designated it protected under an act titled The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, which protected 295,000 acres. Our afternoon stop was Multnomah Falls; a small stream of water descending 620 feet through two plunge pools. This lacey waterfall was cloaked by many big leaf maple trees just taking on their respective colors of fall. The basalt cliffs on either side were covered in a variety of colored lichens from deep browns to bright chartreuse. An extraordinary visual feast, for each of us, whether we climbed a short distance to the base of the falls, or climbed the full mile to the top…..giving a view of falls, river, and forest.
