Columbia Hills State Park, Washington, August 18 2010

A friend of Laura's was visiting from overseas, and he was interested in seeing the dry side of the Columbia River Gorge.  I took them to a Washington State Park that I'd visited before, but we went to a different part of the park than the part I'd already seen.  This turned into a really beautiful trip.

First off, we started at the Dalles Mountain Ranch.  The preserve is basically all of the land of this once private ranch.  There's also a nice house, in addition to these farm buildings.  We had a picnic in the shade of the house.

We drove a couple of miles up the hills to the trailhead, and set out.  Immediately we noticed large areas of dark clouds on the horizon.  It became clearer as we walked up the hill that these were brush fires, and we saw at least two separate ones.  This fire is burning the Fall Canyon area of the Deschutes River canyon.  I go backpacking here several times a year, and I'll be very interested to see how it looks next time I'm there.  Since there aren't really any trees to burn down, the main character of the place wouldn't be that different (I've actually seen before and after effects of fires in that canyon before, but I've never seen the fire itself).

Once we got to the top of the Columbia Hills (their highest peak is called The Dalles Mountain, and that's what we climbed) we could see over into the Klickitat Valley below.  In the foreground is Swale Canyon, which I've ridden and walked in, and in the distance are the Horse Heaven Hills.  On the other side of that long ridge is the Yakama Nation.

Here's Mt Adams.  This face of the mountain is also part of the Yakama Nation.  The large canyon in the middle ground is the Klickitat River canyon.

Here's a radar or radio installation, part of a complex of buildings at the summit.  Some are commercial radio and cellphone towers, and other are part of the FAA air traffic control system.

We walked back down the hill in a real strong wind.  I had read the map and noticed "Oak Springs" was just around a corner from the main trail (which was a gated road).  We walked down toward the springs on an old roadbed.  Just as I was about to say "let's turn around and head back down," I saw a flash of water down the hillside.  I stopped and saw the spring.  I then noticed a buck drinking water from the spring.  Laura and her friend caught up to me, and we all stared at the deer for minutes, while he stared right back at us.  It was a magical moment, and I was glad that my somewhat obsessive little detour to examine a spring for its backpack-camping potential turned into such pleasant experience.

We reflected.  It was quiet and very isolated up there- perfect.

The red dirt and brown grass of deep summer, with a large forest of Oregon White Oak on the left:

Heading back down to the car:

There's the Columbia and Oregon across it.  At this distance, I-84 isn't as big and ugly as it is up close.  Also, you can see all the haze from the range fires.  

Here's the park, the river, the Dalles Dam, and the city called The Dalles, and of course Mt Hood, always stealing the show.  

Walking down in awe of the colors and quietude.  

Stretching out back at the car.

We saw several herds of deer on the way down.  Also, this is a closer view of The Dalles and the Dalles Dam.  

Interesting basalt formations, with moonrise.  This region is geologically characterized as "channeled scablands."  Cataclysmic prehistoric floods (calculated to be 500 cubic miles of water [!]) that washed down here all the way from Montana and Canada carved out huge channels in the layers of volcanic basalt laid down millenia prior.  

More rock formations

Mt Hood at its best.

On the drive home, we stopped by a park in Hood River called Panorama Point.  This is a 15 second exposure.  None of the foreground was visible to the naked eye, and only showed up after this long exposure on the camera.  

Hope you enjoyed reading this.  I'm done posting for a day or two!