Columbia River Gorge
A jaunt through the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center this morning gave us a refresher course on the cultural, pioneer and natural history of Wasco County and the Columbia River Gorge. Inside the museum was a beautiful walnut wood carving of a sturgeon. Earlier in our voyage we had witnessed some fishermen catching and then releasing about a four-foot sturgeon on the Columbia River. The artwork at the museum represented a mature specimen and was large enough for several people to sit upon. It seemed to be a fish that couldn’t decide whether it wanted to wear the scales of a fish or the armor of an alligator. Its image was repeated in sculptures gracing the overpass of the highway.
We wound our way up along the precipitous basaltic edge of Sam Hill’s scenic highway and found an eagle’s eye view of the Columbia River at Rowena Crest. This was better than we expected as we sighted bald eagles, red tailed hawks and a couple of ravens riding the lift created by updrafts along the cliffs.
Leaves painted in autumn colors swirled above our heads and circled around our ankles as we shuffled along the pathway to Mosier Tunnels. Flecks of golden-leaved maples highlighted the Oregon hillside interspersed with the rich greens of pines and fir. While the famous winds of the gorge blew eastward, this did not thwart the hardy travelers from the Sea Bird. Some chose to mount bicycles and took off to revel in the crisp air, blue skies and scenic wonders before them.
In the late afternoon we bathed ourselves in the mists of Multnomah Falls. Leaping with exuberance over the edge of Oregon, the water makes a freefall of 620 feet before it continues winding its way as a gentle creek to the Columbia River. Some chose to take the zigzagging vertical walk up to this edge and were rewarded for their efforts with an expansive landscape and river view before them.
We filled our day in celebration of fall with an intensity of color, a variety of explorations, and the satisfaction of having spent another day to its fullest potential.
A jaunt through the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center this morning gave us a refresher course on the cultural, pioneer and natural history of Wasco County and the Columbia River Gorge. Inside the museum was a beautiful walnut wood carving of a sturgeon. Earlier in our voyage we had witnessed some fishermen catching and then releasing about a four-foot sturgeon on the Columbia River. The artwork at the museum represented a mature specimen and was large enough for several people to sit upon. It seemed to be a fish that couldn’t decide whether it wanted to wear the scales of a fish or the armor of an alligator. Its image was repeated in sculptures gracing the overpass of the highway.
We wound our way up along the precipitous basaltic edge of Sam Hill’s scenic highway and found an eagle’s eye view of the Columbia River at Rowena Crest. This was better than we expected as we sighted bald eagles, red tailed hawks and a couple of ravens riding the lift created by updrafts along the cliffs.
Leaves painted in autumn colors swirled above our heads and circled around our ankles as we shuffled along the pathway to Mosier Tunnels. Flecks of golden-leaved maples highlighted the Oregon hillside interspersed with the rich greens of pines and fir. While the famous winds of the gorge blew eastward, this did not thwart the hardy travelers from the Sea Bird. Some chose to mount bicycles and took off to revel in the crisp air, blue skies and scenic wonders before them.
In the late afternoon we bathed ourselves in the mists of Multnomah Falls. Leaping with exuberance over the edge of Oregon, the water makes a freefall of 620 feet before it continues winding its way as a gentle creek to the Columbia River. Some chose to take the zigzagging vertical walk up to this edge and were rewarded for their efforts with an expansive landscape and river view before them.
We filled our day in celebration of fall with an intensity of color, a variety of explorations, and the satisfaction of having spent another day to its fullest potential.
