The Columbia River Gorge
Under crystal clear skies, we began what would develop into a truly remarkable day. Just before breakfast, the Sea Lion transited the lock of The Dalles dam and was soon tied up at a small floating pier on the Oregon side. We were now at the eastern-most end of "The Gorge," a river cut passage through the North Cascade Mountain Range. Imagine the joy members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition must have felt when they found they could get past this last set of mountains by canoeing through them with the current and not having to portage over any more mountains. Even with the modern system of dams, which have tamed the waterway, this has to be one of the most scenic and dramatic stretches of river anywhere in the world.
We opted to explore the Gorge on land this morning and set off with coaches to visit the amazing Columbia Discovery Center and Museum, where we learned all about the Lewis and Clark Expedition, as well as the local human history and natural history. Next, we ventured up to the Rowena Crest Overlook for a breathtaking view of the Columbia River from more than 800 feet above river level and could also see much of the surrounding gorge and mountains, including the snow-capped peaks of Mount Adams and Mount Hood far off in the distances. Most of us decided to do some walking and hiking on part or all of a five-mile stretch of the old scenic Cascades Highway, which has now been set aside as a pedestrian and bicycling trail. At the same time, others of us went on down to the historic town of Hood River. A few of us stumbled onto the annual Hood River Hops Festival, which was in full swing, and partook in the samples of locally brewed beer. Meanwhile, the Sea Lion had sailed down the river during our morning trek and was patiently waiting for us here at Hood River.
Everyone was back aboard in time for lunch, and we soon set off downstream on a wonderful afternoon cruise through the rest of the Gorge. It was amazing to observe the astonishing change in flora as we sailed westward from the eastern desert to the western rain forest, all within a distance of less than 40 miles! We transited the Bonneville Dam lock in the middle afternoon (our last of the voyage) and dropped 70 feet down to reach the free-run level of the Columbia River. This area is rich with historic landmarks and points of interest, including Lewis and Clark's Beacon Rock (see photo), as well as Phoca Rock and Rooster Rock, numerous waterfalls (Horsetail, Multnomah, Wakeena, and Mist falls), and Cape Horn (named for the famous cape at the southern tip of South America). It was fun being out on deck, in the warm sunshine, pointing out the sites and waving to fishermen anchored in small boats enjoying this delightful Saturday afternoon. As the sun set, we could just make out a small ash cloud far off in the distance from an unruly Mount St. Helens, which had been actively puffing smoke for the past couple days.
Under crystal clear skies, we began what would develop into a truly remarkable day. Just before breakfast, the Sea Lion transited the lock of The Dalles dam and was soon tied up at a small floating pier on the Oregon side. We were now at the eastern-most end of "The Gorge," a river cut passage through the North Cascade Mountain Range. Imagine the joy members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition must have felt when they found they could get past this last set of mountains by canoeing through them with the current and not having to portage over any more mountains. Even with the modern system of dams, which have tamed the waterway, this has to be one of the most scenic and dramatic stretches of river anywhere in the world.
We opted to explore the Gorge on land this morning and set off with coaches to visit the amazing Columbia Discovery Center and Museum, where we learned all about the Lewis and Clark Expedition, as well as the local human history and natural history. Next, we ventured up to the Rowena Crest Overlook for a breathtaking view of the Columbia River from more than 800 feet above river level and could also see much of the surrounding gorge and mountains, including the snow-capped peaks of Mount Adams and Mount Hood far off in the distances. Most of us decided to do some walking and hiking on part or all of a five-mile stretch of the old scenic Cascades Highway, which has now been set aside as a pedestrian and bicycling trail. At the same time, others of us went on down to the historic town of Hood River. A few of us stumbled onto the annual Hood River Hops Festival, which was in full swing, and partook in the samples of locally brewed beer. Meanwhile, the Sea Lion had sailed down the river during our morning trek and was patiently waiting for us here at Hood River.
Everyone was back aboard in time for lunch, and we soon set off downstream on a wonderful afternoon cruise through the rest of the Gorge. It was amazing to observe the astonishing change in flora as we sailed westward from the eastern desert to the western rain forest, all within a distance of less than 40 miles! We transited the Bonneville Dam lock in the middle afternoon (our last of the voyage) and dropped 70 feet down to reach the free-run level of the Columbia River. This area is rich with historic landmarks and points of interest, including Lewis and Clark's Beacon Rock (see photo), as well as Phoca Rock and Rooster Rock, numerous waterfalls (Horsetail, Multnomah, Wakeena, and Mist falls), and Cape Horn (named for the famous cape at the southern tip of South America). It was fun being out on deck, in the warm sunshine, pointing out the sites and waving to fishermen anchored in small boats enjoying this delightful Saturday afternoon. As the sun set, we could just make out a small ash cloud far off in the distance from an unruly Mount St. Helens, which had been actively puffing smoke for the past couple days.
