Day 47: from Washington to Oregon through the Columbia River Valley

 We take our time this morning. After breakfast, we walk to the Columbia River, finding ourselves on a little beach, with a long heavy bridge connecting Washington and Oregon. This is the same Columbia River that we first discovered on our way to Radium Hot Springs, BC. We slept right on its left bank in Golden, BC and saw it blocked by a huge dam in Revelstoke, BC. And today, we’re gonna explore that massive river, that has been carving a massive gorge – the only East-West valley in the Cascade Range – in order to get to the Pacific Ocean, so we can get to Portland, OR.

We leave at 11am, and drive east on road WA-14. East? But Portland is west! Yes, it is. But today we want to explore the whole Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, so we start by going east. We leave White Salmon, WA, surrounded by thick forests, and stop at Lake Chamberlain rest area. Somehow, that river gorge looks more like a succession of lakes, as the whole gorge has been dammed. We’re apparently at the middle point between the dry side and the humid side of the gorge. But the haziness of the air doesn’t help us to see too much of a difference. On both sidse of the river, railroad tracks have been built right on the shore, and on the Oregon side, they have I-84 as a neighbor. We wait for awhile for a train to pass, but it’s not very busy at Sunday lunch time. Too bad.

 

We continue our drive east to US-97. And the change of landscape is dramatic. We find ourselves surrounded by arid lands, very rocky with some dry bushes. Some basaltic cliffs make their appearance. The only way to make the land greener is irrigation, and that area is very rich in wineries and fruit orchards, especially close to Maryhill, WA. We stop there at a fruit stand for some juicy peaches and local vegetables. Then we cross the Columbia River, and drive west, finally.

We drive across The Dalles, OR, which has a nice vintage atmosphere. The visitor center is closed, but we can still take advantage of the free wifi. From there, we take US-30, the Columbia River Valley Historic Highway, to drive west. The route is very pleasant, going through the cute Oregon countryside. We stop at Rowena Crest for the best views on the gorge, and for eating some of those ripe peaches that we just got. Delicious.

 

 

We slowly get back to the more humid side of the gorge. Before being altered by the construction of dams, the Columbia River was one of the world’s most important salmon runs. Some Native Americans are still fishing salmon as they used to do it centuries ago, but it’s just not the same anymore.

 

Multnomah Falls is another stop on our way to the west. One of the most famous spots of the gorge, it features the second highest year-long waterfall of the country. We’re definitely not alone on this one, but it is worth it.

 

Finally, in the beginning of the evening, we reach Portland and the house our host Jeanne and her roommate Marie. Jeanne has lived several years in Africa and in Asia. Marie is from Kinshasa, RDC, so we can speak some French with her. We get settled while they go to a choir concert for the evening. Red studies while Yellow prepares some dinner. And when Jeanne comes back, we spend the rest of the evening talking with her.