The Columbia Discovery Museum, Rowena Crest & the Mosier Tunnel, Hood River & Multnomah Falls, Oregon
Halloween brought us our fifth consecutive day of beautiful weather, a much appreciated and rare phenomenon for this time of year in the Pacific Northwest. These pleasant conditions were especially appreciated on a busy day where most of our activities were outdoors.
Our first stop, however, was indoors at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center museum. Home to an impressive exhibit on the thirty tons of cargo Lewis and Clark carried, the museum overlooks the “narrows” section of the Columbia, a then treacherous segment of the river the Corps had to navigate in October, 1805.
After leaving the museum we drove on the old Columbia Gorge highway to a fine vista of the river and gorge from Rowena Crest overlook. Glimpses of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams, both rare from this vantage point, added to the beauty of the view. Post-Rowena Crest morning activities continued with the great diaspora of our group.
Some chose to bicycle a four and one half mile recently restored portion of the old highway, including the engineering marvel of the Mosier Tunnel, a section now restricted to foot and bicycle traffic. Another hearty bunch chose to walk the same route while a third group opted for a shorter stroll. Others chose to walk and shop in the quaint town of Hood River and a final group toured some of the apple and pear orchards for which this area is famous.
Lunch back on board was followed by a trip to Multnomah Falls, the most visited site in the state of Oregon. In addition to the always lovely view of the 620’ Falls we had a special bonus in witnessing salmon spawning in the Multnomah River below the Falls.
The cocktail hour, recap time, and dinner brought forth much Halloween frivolity and another fine day on the Sea Lion was brought to a close.
Halloween brought us our fifth consecutive day of beautiful weather, a much appreciated and rare phenomenon for this time of year in the Pacific Northwest. These pleasant conditions were especially appreciated on a busy day where most of our activities were outdoors.
Our first stop, however, was indoors at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center museum. Home to an impressive exhibit on the thirty tons of cargo Lewis and Clark carried, the museum overlooks the “narrows” section of the Columbia, a then treacherous segment of the river the Corps had to navigate in October, 1805.
After leaving the museum we drove on the old Columbia Gorge highway to a fine vista of the river and gorge from Rowena Crest overlook. Glimpses of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams, both rare from this vantage point, added to the beauty of the view. Post-Rowena Crest morning activities continued with the great diaspora of our group.
Some chose to bicycle a four and one half mile recently restored portion of the old highway, including the engineering marvel of the Mosier Tunnel, a section now restricted to foot and bicycle traffic. Another hearty bunch chose to walk the same route while a third group opted for a shorter stroll. Others chose to walk and shop in the quaint town of Hood River and a final group toured some of the apple and pear orchards for which this area is famous.
Lunch back on board was followed by a trip to Multnomah Falls, the most visited site in the state of Oregon. In addition to the always lovely view of the 620’ Falls we had a special bonus in witnessing salmon spawning in the Multnomah River below the Falls.
The cocktail hour, recap time, and dinner brought forth much Halloween frivolity and another fine day on the Sea Lion was brought to a close.
