Columbia River Gorge
Alpine glow turned Mt. Hood a soft pink just after sunrise this morning. The Sea Lion was on approach to the Dalles Marina just below the Dalles lock and dam. As soon as our vessel was tied up we would disembark and make our way to the head of the dock where two luxury coaches awaited our arrival. We were on our way to the Columbia River Discovery Center and Wasco County Museum. Our entire morning would be spent exploring this double feature; one side of the museum is devoted to the natural and cultural history of the Columbia River Gorge, while the other half of the museum concentrates on the history of the settlement of Wasco County, Oregon.
Our hour and a half at the Discovery Center went much to fast, and all too soon we were called to board our luxury motor coaches and return to the Columbia River Scenic Highway and continue our tour. Our coaches began a slow and steady climb up to a well-known lookout at Rowena Crest. There, we had an opportunity to look both east and west along the Columbia River. Once our photos were taken, we boarded the buses for one last ride to the final morning activities of biking, and hiking! The weather was glorious, and each of us took off to enjoy a small stretch of the restored section of the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway. Here, between the east and west side of the Mosier tunnels our intrepid travelers wandered—some on a long four and one half mile walk, others a shorter walk and a small group of bikers—each group heading up hill, to a flat section of road, followed by a much appreciated downhill finish to our waiting bus.
Back on board the Sea Lion a good lunch awaited our hungry group! As lunch was being served the crew of our ship dropped lines and prepared to return to her voyage down stream along the Columbia River. Oddly enough, this very warm day was not bringing the usual high winds, the customary companion to high temperatures within the Columbia River Gorge, which functions as an enormous wind tunnel. Slowly, many of us made our way out onto the deck to enjoy ideal conditions for cruising.
The walls of the Columbia River Gorge narrowed, and we found ourselves in the heart of an area of the gorge rich in geologic history. Nearly 800 years ago, fourteen square miles of material from Table Mountain and Fallen Leaf Peak came down the ramp of the Eagle Creek formation. An earthquake that dislodged a sandstone layer caused this event and an enormous amount of debris damned the Columbia River from six to ten years, creating a reservoir approximately three hundred feet deep, which backed up well into Eastern Washington. The landslide was called the Bridge of the Gods, and is located where the bridge bearing that name is built today, about one hour west of the town of Hood River.
Slowly we made our way towards our last lock and dam on the Columbia River. This was the first dam built on the Columbia, and has the distinction of also having the newest lock chamber. As we waited on the upriver side of the dam, our natural history staff discussed much of the human history of the area—most obvious on both sides of the river were the fishing platforms. These sights are considered the “usual and accustomed sights” honored by the original fishing treaties created by the first settlers to follow just behind the Corps of Discovery.
We continued down river after passing through the Bonneville lock and dam, and entered the free flowing part of the Columbia. The rest of our afternoon was spent enjoying the warm temperatures, waterfalls, and many Oregonians and Washingtonians, also taking a rare Sunday of sun in the Pacific Northwest.
Alpine glow turned Mt. Hood a soft pink just after sunrise this morning. The Sea Lion was on approach to the Dalles Marina just below the Dalles lock and dam. As soon as our vessel was tied up we would disembark and make our way to the head of the dock where two luxury coaches awaited our arrival. We were on our way to the Columbia River Discovery Center and Wasco County Museum. Our entire morning would be spent exploring this double feature; one side of the museum is devoted to the natural and cultural history of the Columbia River Gorge, while the other half of the museum concentrates on the history of the settlement of Wasco County, Oregon.
Our hour and a half at the Discovery Center went much to fast, and all too soon we were called to board our luxury motor coaches and return to the Columbia River Scenic Highway and continue our tour. Our coaches began a slow and steady climb up to a well-known lookout at Rowena Crest. There, we had an opportunity to look both east and west along the Columbia River. Once our photos were taken, we boarded the buses for one last ride to the final morning activities of biking, and hiking! The weather was glorious, and each of us took off to enjoy a small stretch of the restored section of the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway. Here, between the east and west side of the Mosier tunnels our intrepid travelers wandered—some on a long four and one half mile walk, others a shorter walk and a small group of bikers—each group heading up hill, to a flat section of road, followed by a much appreciated downhill finish to our waiting bus.
Back on board the Sea Lion a good lunch awaited our hungry group! As lunch was being served the crew of our ship dropped lines and prepared to return to her voyage down stream along the Columbia River. Oddly enough, this very warm day was not bringing the usual high winds, the customary companion to high temperatures within the Columbia River Gorge, which functions as an enormous wind tunnel. Slowly, many of us made our way out onto the deck to enjoy ideal conditions for cruising.
The walls of the Columbia River Gorge narrowed, and we found ourselves in the heart of an area of the gorge rich in geologic history. Nearly 800 years ago, fourteen square miles of material from Table Mountain and Fallen Leaf Peak came down the ramp of the Eagle Creek formation. An earthquake that dislodged a sandstone layer caused this event and an enormous amount of debris damned the Columbia River from six to ten years, creating a reservoir approximately three hundred feet deep, which backed up well into Eastern Washington. The landslide was called the Bridge of the Gods, and is located where the bridge bearing that name is built today, about one hour west of the town of Hood River.
Slowly we made our way towards our last lock and dam on the Columbia River. This was the first dam built on the Columbia, and has the distinction of also having the newest lock chamber. As we waited on the upriver side of the dam, our natural history staff discussed much of the human history of the area—most obvious on both sides of the river were the fishing platforms. These sights are considered the “usual and accustomed sights” honored by the original fishing treaties created by the first settlers to follow just behind the Corps of Discovery.
We continued down river after passing through the Bonneville lock and dam, and entered the free flowing part of the Columbia. The rest of our afternoon was spent enjoying the warm temperatures, waterfalls, and many Oregonians and Washingtonians, also taking a rare Sunday of sun in the Pacific Northwest.
