Jul 11 - Aug 9 Glacier, Lk Roosevelt, Lk Chelan, Ross Lake, North Cascades, San Juan Islands, Ebeys Landing, Mt Ranier, Lewis & Clark, Olympic, Klondike, Ft Vancouver, Mt St. Helens, Manhatten, Whitman, Nez Pierce, John Day
WEATHER: 58 at 8 am Butte, MT
SUNRISE Butte, MT 0550 SUNSET Glacier NP
 |
| Glacier National Park is huge - where the areas are developed - plenty of people Going to the Sun Road - lot of trails - the back country is the place to be |
 |
| West Glacier KOA |
West Glacier KOA - WIFI Works
384 GLACIER National Park, MT
WEATHER: 41 at 5 am; 82 at 3 pm 95 in the trailer put the AC on
This is summer – mid-July - and as expected the parking areas fill early in the day. There
were
numerous spots where I was unable to park – The road is almost constantly under
construction (rehabilitation).
Unfortunately, for a road with such a ‘history’, I couldn’t find
anything in NPS literature or on
the website for Glacier regarding it’s
history.
The
two lane Going-to-the-Sun Road is quite narrow
and winding with hairpin turns, especially west of Logan Pass. Consequently, vehicle lengths over the highest
portions of the roadway are limited to no longer than 21 feet (6.4 m) and
no wider than 8 feet (2.4 m) between Avalanche
Creek
and Rising Sun picnic areas which are located many miles
below Logan Pass, on the west and east sides of the pass,
respectively. Vehicles over 10 feet (3.0 m) in height may not have
sufficient clearance due to rock overhangs when driving west between Logan Pass and the hairpin turn called the Loop.
The
road is named after Going-to-the-Sun Mountain which
dominates the eastbound view beyond Logan Pass. One Native
American legend
concerns the deity Sour Spirit who came down from the sun to teach the Blackfeet the basics of hunting. While returning
to the sun, an image of Sour Spirit was placed on the mountain as an
inspiration for the Blackfeet. Another story has suggested that a late-19th-century Euro-American explorer
provided the mountain's name and the legend.
CINEMATIC APPEAREANCES
MEANWHIILE BACK HOME
Glacier National Park was established in 1910, and immediately new visitor accommodations started springing up. Many were built by the Great Northern Railway (GNR). Visitors were able to journey through the park on trail, following established routes, with accommodations spaced about a day's horse ride apart. Some nights were spent at a chalet, others a charming tent camp, and others at one of the opulent lodges.
Glacier was deemed "America's Switzerland" so the
lodges were built in a Swiss-style. Besides stunning mountain locations, the
lodges share characteristics like gabled roofs, exposed beams, ornate
decorative moldings, balconies, and plenty of large windows.
Glacier Park Lodge
Built in 1912-13
Located outside the park boundary, but connected by trail, sits the first of the GNR lodges. Visitors can step off the train platform in East Glacier and immediately walk across the street to the lodge grounds. With unpeeled log pillars and open campfire-like fireplaces in the lobby, the lodge acted as a grand entry to the wilderness, as most visitors came by train from the east.
Two Medicine Chalet - Built in 1914. The log building that is now the Two Medicine Campstore was once the dining hall of Two Medicine Chalet complex.
RED BUS TOUR – WEST CROWN OF THE CONTINENT
Pick up
at West Glacier KOA was
convenient. The bus holds 17; 4 across
in 4 seats and I since I was a single, I was fortunate to ride “shotgun” next
to the driver with more leg room and of course my own window seat. I learned some things about plants, rocks and
the Blackfeet from the driver’s
commentary.
Lake McDonald Lodge
Built in 1913-14
Originally there was the Snyder Hotel, which John Lewis bought in 1896. During the winter of 1913-14, Lewis had a new 65-room hotel built on the site. Construction materials that could not be locally sourced had to be hauled from the depot in Belton then ferried nearly 10 miles up lake. The Lewis Hotel, decorated as a hunting lodge, was a community gathering point where artist Charlie Russell could sometimes be found telling stories in the lobby. In 1930, Lewis sold the property. New management changed the hotel's name to Lake McDonald Lodge. This property is owned by the NPS and run by a contracted concessionaire.
GEOLOGY
Geologic
formations in Glacier National Park
are recognizable by dramatic exposures of Precambrian
Age Belt Series sedimentary rock. These ancient rocks record a shallow Belt
sea environment that opened and closed intermittently over many millions of
years. The origin of Belt series
sedimentary rocks dates from about 1,600 to 800 million years ago.
Common
Belt series rocks found in Glacier include the Apikuni, Prichard, Grinnell, and Snowslip Formations. Reddish-brown and greenish-gray
in appearance, these rocks are comprised of
argillite and quartzite material
that was compressed under sea water to form mudstones. The chemical composition
of these rocks, in addition to their place of origin within the Belt Sea - near shore versus deeper
water environments, is largely responsible for the variation in color.
Argillite is a
fine-grained sedimentary
rock composed predominantly of clay particles. Outcrops of deep purple, wine red, red, blue, turquoise, and green argillites of the Belt series are seen in Glacier National Park The driver identified outcrops of Red (Grinnell) and Green (Apikuni) Argillite found along the Going to the Sun Road.
The mountains are primarily sedimentary rock of ancient ocean sea beds that were lifted and folded by the growth of the Rocky Mountains .
Logan Pass had reserved parking for the Red Buses. There appears to be enough here to do including the Highline Trail. The best way to this is catch an early NPS shuttle here and back. . Logan Pass has a Visitor Center.
The Red Bus exited Glacier NP at the St. Mary entrance and entered the Blackfeet Reservation for a drive up Highway 89 to the exit for the Many Glacier entrance. To me, the drive here by the Red Bus in itself was worth at least half of the cost of the tour.
We
stopped for lunch at the Many Glacier Hotel.
Many Glacier Hotel
Built in 1914-15Many Glacier was built by the Great Northern Railway as the showplace of their network of chalets and hotels. A hardy crew of craftsmen overcame the difficulties of building what was then Montana's largest hotel while withstanding winter temperatures below zero degrees in order to have the hotel completed for a July 4, 1915 opening. Most of the timber for the hotel was logged from nearby and milled at a sawmill on the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake. In the 1960s through 1980s, the hotel was known for its employee entertainment - an early version of “Dirty Dancing”?
We left the Many Glacier Hotel around 1425 and drove to the end of the road to view the trail heads – loaded with cars . . . Glacier is a hiking and camping park.
WEATHER: 57 at 5 am clear; began to
cloud-up around 8:30 – forecast calls for thunderstorms – down to 67 by the
time I reached Polebridge and 84 by 7 pm. Thunderstorms
around 2030 confirmed that I still do have a leak in my skylight. .
Polebridge, MT – not much here but a Polebridge Mercantile that sells some wonderful pastry – there is a bar next door. The huckleberry filled Bear Claw along with a cup of coffee was delicious.
5 pm MASS at St. Charles Borremeo
Catholic Church, 230 Baker St, Whitefish, MT.
A drive of 24 miles – the church was packed – about 250 people with some
standing – many visitors - 1 server – no deacon – a female choir of 8
voices. Interesting – all were greeted
by the priest or another parish member when you entered – no bells during the
consecration and the priest actually told people to sit back down when they
rose just at the end of the offertory – he said something like – ‘remain seated the rite does not call
for you to stand yet.’ I concur – we
used to sit through to the preface – not sure how some interpret this and I
admittedly have not read the ‘rite’.
385 LAKE ROOSEVELT National Recreation Area, Hunters, WA
Fort Spokane is one of the cultural jewels of Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area. For thousands
of years, the area was a gathering place for native tribes fishing the rapids
of the Spokane River. In 1880, the U.S. Army
established a fort above the confluence of the Spokane and Columbia Rivers. In 1898, the military fort was closed. The
buildings were then used as an Indian boarding school and tuberculosis
hospital. In many ways, the Indian experience at Fort
Spokane
is a microcosm of the Indian experience across the United States.
The
Visitor Center, located in the guardhouse, is
open mid-June through Labor Day. There
was a good video explaining the history of the fort and its transition to an Indian Boarding School. There is a small bookstore and some
exhibits.
Fort Spokane was established to act as a buffer between the Indian reservation and
the white settlers. The Army was there
to protect the rights of the Indians on the reservation. When Chief Joseph and the Nez
Perce were relocated to
the Colville Reservation the army came to their aid.
Built in 1880, Fort Spokane served as a frontier military post until the troops were transferred to Cuba to fight in the Spanish-American War in 1898. Government officials who ran the Colville and Spokane Indian Agencies then took over the fort and by 1900 became the Spokane Indian Boarding School. Teachers, clergy and Indian children came to live here. The last people to occupy the fort were doctors, nurses and patients of the Tuberculosis Hospital and Sanitarium that served the tribes of the area starting in 1920 until the fort’s final closure in 1929.
Grand Coulee Dam – excellent VC
The dam’s
blocking of the Columbia River created Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake, which extends 151 miles
upstream to the Canadian border. There reservoir has a
shoreline of 660 miles, a surface area of 82,000 acres, and a total capacity of
9,562.000 acre feet of water. Originally
named the Columbia Reservoir, it was renamed in honor of the 32nd
President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt on April 17, 1945, five days
after the President’s death.
I believe I have
solved the mystery of Lake Chelan NRA, Lake Ross NRA and North Cascades National Park – they are all part of NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
COMPLEX and to complicate
matters further, this is an inter-agency
affair to include the US Forest Service, the State of Washington and just about
anyone else to wants to get in the game like the Wilderness Center and the Learning
Center . . . .
As a result - - - - there is one NPS brochure for the 3 sites and really only two NPS Visitor Centers for the three sites: The Golden West VC at Stehekin on Lake Chelan and North Cascades VC in Newhalem (just west of Ross Lake and just off STH 20).
386 LAKE CHELAN National Recreation Area, Chelan, WA
A visit to Stehekin takes more than 1 hour - - - there is a NPS concessionaire bus ride to 312’ Rainbow Falls or a trip to the bakery; plenty of trails, even a lodge to accommodate an overnight stay without pitching a tent. I went directly to Golden West VC.
Golden West Visitor Center
A short walk from the passenger ferry landing at Stehekin Landing at the north end of 50-mile long Lake Chelan. Reached via passenger ferry, trail, or float plane. Like many sites in Alaska this is not accessible by road.. Exhibits: Relief map and natural and cultural history of the area. Arts & Humanities of Stehekin operates the Golden West Gallery, featuring local artists and crafts people. Facilities include an information desk, bookstore and video program.
STEHEKIN
Connected to the outside
world only by foot, boat or plane, the voyage to Stehekin is part of an experience and once you’ve arrived a variety
of historical, cultural, and outdoor activities can connect you with the
majestic surroundings.
Entrance to Glacier
NP through West
Glacier is about 4 miles
away. The Apgar Visitor
Center is near that
entrance, as is one end of the Going to the Sun Road.
IF YOU PLAN TO COME HERE MAKE RESERVATIONS – IT’S FULL OF
TOURISTS
WEDNESDAY July 12, 2017
 |
| St Mary Entrance sign I traveled Going to the Sun Road from West to East |
SUNRISE Essex, MT 0550 SUNSET Essex, MT 2135
TRAVEL: Glacier NP – “Going To
The Sun Road” from the St. Mary Entrance. I made a mistake in navigation . .
. . I didn’t use my Garmin or ONSTAR I probably lost an 45 minutes. Left at 0710 Arrived at St, Mary Entrance
0900
West Glacier KOA - warm but
WIFI works; showers and restrooms are a bit of a hike; able to send text but no
phone service
Got a text - apparently Burlington got a lot of rain and
flooding . . .
384 GLACIER National Park, MT
 |
| Not very clear - but the road is 50 miles long - There are at least 29 designated stops along the route. I entered the road from the East at St, Mary VC (29) arournd 9 am - there was little traffic - by the time I reached Sunrift Gorge (22) 11am - the lots were full - no room to park - until I got to Apgar Campground (2) |
GOING TO THE SUN ROAD
It is said that
traveling “Going To The Sun Road” ‘is the highlight of any visit.’ The road combines history and some pretty outstanding history. The road is not completely open all year.
 |
| Going to the Sun Road - Stop 19 Jackson Glacier Overlook |
This is summer – mid-July - and as expected the parking areas fill early in the day. There
 |
| Going to the Sun Road Stop 19 Jackson Glacier Overlook |
the following is from Wikipedia:
Going-to-the-Sun
Road is
a scenic mountain road in the Rocky Mountains of
the western United States, in Glacier National Park in Montana. The Sun Road, as it is
sometimes abbreviated in National
Park Service documents,
is the only road that traverses the park crossing the Continental Divide through Logan Pass at an
elevation of 6,646 feet (2,026 m), which is the highest point on the road. Construction began in 1921 and was completed
in 1932 with formal dedication in the following summer on July 15, 1933.
 |
| Going to the Sun Road Stop 17 East Tunnel road and tunnel located to the right |
NAME
 |
| Going to the Sun Road - Stop 26 Rising Sun view |
DESIGN
Going-to-the-Sun Road is notable as
one of the first National Park Service projects
specifically intended to accommodate the automobile-borne tourist. The road was
first conceived by superintendent George Goodwin in 1917, who
became the chief engineer of the Park Service the following
year. As chief engineer, the new road became Goodwin's primary project, and construction began in 1921.
As
the project proceeded, Goodwin lost influence with National Park Service
director Stephen
Mather,
who favored landscape architect Thomas
Chalmers Vint's alternative routing of the upper portion of
the road along the Garden Wall escarpment.
Vint's alignment reduced both switchbacks and the
road's visual impact, at increased cost. With Goodwin's resignation, Vint's proposal became
the preferred alignment. The entire project was finally opened from end to end
in 1933, at a cost of $2.5 million.
 |
| Going to the Sun Road Stop 24 Wild Goose Island |
CINEMATIC APPEAREANCES
Going-to-the-Sun Road is shown in the opening credits of the 1980 film The Shining, as aerial flybys of Wild Goose Island and the protagonist's
car traveling along the north shore of Saint Mary Lake, through the East Side tunnel and onward, going to a
mountain resort hotel for his job interview as a winter caretaker.
The road is also seen
briefly in the 1994 film Forrest Gump. As Forrest reminisces
with Jenny he remembers running across the U.S. and remarks, "Like that mountain lake. It was so
clear, Jenny. It looked like there were two skies, one on top of the
other." The shots in the background are Going-to-the-Sun Road and Saint
Mary Lake.]
MEANWHIILE BACK HOME
The
city of Burlington issued a curfew for Wednesday night as many of the roads
remain severely flooded following strong storms this week.
The city posted a notice on its Facebook page, informing
residents that the city-wide curfew will take effect at 10 p.m., and asked
motorists to stay off the road at that time.
Burlington issued a state of emergency earlier in the day due to
the flood waters.
Fox River above
14 ft – flood stage is 11 ft and it’s still rising, by evening the entire city
was without power . . . maxed at 16.5 ft
THURSDAY July 13, 2017
WEATHER: 41 at 5 am;; 93 by 3 pm
SUNRISE Essex, MT 0550 SUNSET Essex, MT 2135
TRAVEL: West Glacier KOA - Glacier NP – Two Medicine Lake - Apgar VC - West Glacier KOA
West Glacier KOA -
384 GLACIER National Park, MT
 |
| Two Medicine Lake boat tour |
 |
| Two Medicine Lake |
 |
| Vintage boat Sinopah Two Medicine Lake |
 |
| Paradise Point TrailTwo Medicine Lake |
 |
| Paradise Point Trail Two Medicine Lake |
 |
| Paradise Point Trail Two Medicine Lake |
 |
| Running Eagle Falls - Two Medicine Lake |
 |
| Running Eagle Falls Trail Two Medicine Lake |
 | |
|
 | |
|
Glacier National Park was established in 1910, and immediately new visitor accommodations started springing up. Many were built by the Great Northern Railway (GNR). Visitors were able to journey through the park on trail, following established routes, with accommodations spaced about a day's horse ride apart. Some nights were spent at a chalet, others a charming tent camp, and others at one of the opulent lodges.
 |
| Great Northern Railroad's Glacier Park Lodge 1940 |
 |
| Glacier Park Lodge today Each of these lodges has a vintage piano in the main hall |
Glacier Park Lodge
Built in 1912-13
Located outside the park boundary, but connected by trail, sits the first of the GNR lodges. Visitors can step off the train platform in East Glacier and immediately walk across the street to the lodge grounds. With unpeeled log pillars and open campfire-like fireplaces in the lobby, the lodge acted as a grand entry to the wilderness, as most visitors came by train from the east.
 |
| Vintage Two Medicine Chalet |
 |
| Two Medicine Chalet today is the Camp Store & Gift Shop |
Two Medicine Chalet - Built in 1914. The log building that is now the Two Medicine Campstore was once the dining hall of Two Medicine Chalet complex.
FRIDAY July 14, 2017
WEATHER: up to 89 by 6 pm
SUNRISE Essex, MT 0550 SUNSET Essex, MT 2135
TRAVEL: Glacier NP – “Going To
The Sun Road” on the Red Bus
Pick up at West Glacier KOA - nice
384 GLACIER National Park, MT
 |
| Red Bus Tour Stop - Lake McDonald Lodge Note: US Government plates |
RED BUS TOUR – WEST CROWN OF THE CONTINENT
LEAVE 0800 West Glacier KOA
ARRIVE 1740 West Glacier KOA
 |
| Red Bus - originally built by White Motor Company refurbished fleet by Ford Motor Co through a grant by the Ford Foundation |
This
tour begins in the cedar and hemlock forests of the Lake McDonald Valley. Traveling up the Going-to-the-Sun Road the top of the Crown of the Continent at Logan
Pass (the Red Bus has reserved parking) and then down through the St. Mary Valley and out to the prairies of the Blackfeet Reservation into the Swiftcurrent
Valley with a lunch stop at the Many Glacier Hotel. Encore visits on the
return with a stop at Rising Sun and
Red Rocks.
This was
an outstanding way to travel Going to
the Sun Road especially after driving it on Wednesday. Travel on Going to the Sun is best before 8am and after 4pm. This trip got me to Many Glacier and opportunities to view the scenery rather than
worrying about the traffic and a place to park.
It was well worth the cost.
 |
| Interior: Lake McDonald Lodge |
“Touring”
has been part of the parks for a long time . . . . the Red Buses are owned by the NPS (they have Government plates);
Xanterra is the current concessionaire who operates the buses. There are 38 of them with various schedules. Orginally built by the White Motor Company (Cleveland, OH) between 1935 – 1939) they were
rebuilt and refurbished by Ford Motor
Company through a grant from the Ford
Foundation and returned to the NPS.
Our
first stop was Lake McDonald Lodge – all stops from here
to Logan Pass are in red to indicate that I was
unable to find a parking space on my trip Wednesday.
 |
| Lake McDonald Lodge 1920 |
 |
| The DeSmet Lake McDonald's vintage boat |
Built in 1913-14
Originally there was the Snyder Hotel, which John Lewis bought in 1896. During the winter of 1913-14, Lewis had a new 65-room hotel built on the site. Construction materials that could not be locally sourced had to be hauled from the depot in Belton then ferried nearly 10 miles up lake. The Lewis Hotel, decorated as a hunting lodge, was a community gathering point where artist Charlie Russell could sometimes be found telling stories in the lobby. In 1930, Lewis sold the property. New management changed the hotel's name to Lake McDonald Lodge. This property is owned by the NPS and run by a contracted concessionaire.
GEOLOGY
 |
| Example of a Hanging Valley |
 |
| Bird Woman Falls |
Argillite is a
fine-grained sedimentaryrock composed predominantly of clay particles. Outcrops of deep purple, wine red, red, blue, turquoise, and green argillites of the Belt series are seen in Glacier National Park The driver identified outcrops of Red (Grinnell) and Green (Apikuni) Argillite found along the Going to the Sun Road.
The mountains are primarily sedimentary rock of ancient ocean sea beds that were lifted and folded by the growth of the Rocky Mountains .
A diorite sill is a magma intrusion seen throughout
the park as a dark band, notably along the Garden Wall
 |
| Red Bus Tour Waterfalllong Goint to the Sun Rd |
 |
| Red Bus Tour Bear Hat Mt |
 |
| Red Bus Tour - Triple Arch |
 |
| Red Bus Tour - Weeping Wall along Going to the Sun Rd - water flowing through the rock |
 |
| Logan Pass Visitor Center |
Logan Pass had reserved parking for the Red Buses. There appears to be enough here to do including the Highline Trail. The best way to this is catch an early NPS shuttle here and back. . Logan Pass has a Visitor Center.
The Red Bus exited Glacier NP at the St. Mary entrance and entered the Blackfeet Reservation for a drive up Highway 89 to the exit for the Many Glacier entrance. To me, the drive here by the Red Bus in itself was worth at least half of the cost of the tour.
The
driver pointed out 10 glaciers . .
. I had only seen 2 of the 10 prior to
his direction:
Blackfoot Glacier– I saw this on Going to the Sun Road Wednesday
Jackson Glacier – I saw this on Going to the Sun Road Wednesday
Old Sun Glacier – no picture seen
from US 89
Salamanam Glacier – unsure of spelling
Grinnell Glacial
JEB ???? Glacier - unsure how to spell or pronounce this one
Vulture Glacier – going west on Going to the Sun Rd
Rainbow Glacier– going west on Going to the Sun Rd
Two Ocean Glacier– going west on Going to the Sun Rd
Sperry Glacier – no picture seen only briefly going west on
Going to the Sun Rd
We
stopped for lunch at the Many Glacier Hotel.  |
| Vintage Many Glacier Hotel |
Many Glacier Hotel
Built in 1914-15Many Glacier was built by the Great Northern Railway as the showplace of their network of chalets and hotels. A hardy crew of craftsmen overcame the difficulties of building what was then Montana's largest hotel while withstanding winter temperatures below zero degrees in order to have the hotel completed for a July 4, 1915 opening. Most of the timber for the hotel was logged from nearby and milled at a sawmill on the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake. In the 1960s through 1980s, the hotel was known for its employee entertainment - an early version of “Dirty Dancing”?
 |
| Many Glacier Hotel lobby - each of these hotels has a piano |
 |
| Many Glacier Hotel Lobby |
We left the Many Glacier Hotel around 1425 and drove to the end of the road to view the trail heads – loaded with cars . . . Glacier is a hiking and camping park.
We stopped at Rising Sun and Red Rocks on the return trip.
 |
| Red Bus Tour Red Rocks |
 |
| Red Bus Tour Red Rocks |
 |
| Red Bus Tour Red Rocks |
SATURDAY July 15, 2017
SUNRISE Essex, MT 0550 SUNSET Essex, MT 2135
TRAVEL: West Glacier KOA to West Glacier
PO (closed Satrudays) to Glacier NP to Apgar VC
- Apgar Village – drive along Inside North Fork Road through Fish
Creek CG – to the Camas Creek Entrance (no ranger station) along the Outside Fork Road to Polebridge.
About half of the Outside Fork Road is improved dirt.
Entered GNP at the Polebridge
Ranger Station – all gravel
road here – and drove to Bowman
Lake and the end of
the road. I returned the same route in reverse. KOA to St.
Charles Borremeo Church in
Whitefish, Mt and return to KOA.
West Glacier KOA - attempted to do laundry
after mass all washer full, will do in the morning
 |
| Polebridge Mercantile outstanding pastry - especially the Huckleberry Bear Claws |
 |
| Polebridge Ranger Station and Entrance to Glacier National PArk |
Polebridge, MT – not much here but a Polebridge Mercantile that sells some wonderful pastry – there is a bar next door. The huckleberry filled Bear Claw along with a cup of coffee was delicious.
384 GLACIER National Park, MT
Once past Polebridge and over the North Fork of the Flathead River it was a 6 mile – 35 minute drive along winding dirt road to Bowman Lake. Bowman appears to be a favorite for kayakers and a jumping off point for wilderness camping/hiking. There are campground and picnic area here also.
 |
| After crossing the North Fork of the Flathead River and through the Polebridge entrance station - a left will take you to Bowman Lake or Kintla Lake |
 |
| A right would usually take you Quartz Creek CG Logging Creek CG along the Inside North Fork Road back to Apgar Villlage - however this is CLOSED |
 |
| Bowman Lake trail to beach |
 |
| Bowman Lake |
 |
| Bowman Lake Trailheads |
 |
| St. Charles Borremeo Whitefish, MT |
SUNDAY July 16, 2017
WEATHER: 57 at 4:30 am;
SUNRISE Essex, MT 0551
MDT SUNSET Davenport, WA 2047 PDT
TRAVEL: West Glacier KOA, West
Glacier, MT to Two Rivers
Casino & Marina Resort, Davenport, WA - a full day trip of 327 miles at 7 hours
West Glacier KOA - did laundry before I left – all 10 washers were in
use last night.
TWO RIVERS CASINO & MARINA – getting here was the adventure – I didn’t have an
address – so I called ONSTAR which directed
me to 6828 Hwy 25 South three times even after I gave them a number to call
and told them that the address is the location of a church out in the middle of
nowhere – trusting a sign, I continued to drive to the NPS Lake Roosevelt Visitor
Center at Fort
Spokane. A ranger there told me to take a right and
cross the bridge Two Rivers will be
immediately on my left – it was. There
was no record of my reservation – made over the phone 3/31 but I got a nice
site near the water – asphalt pad – large concrete pad for the picnic table - roomy
– some shade - WIFI works, but slow. I provided a copy of my VISA bill indicating
the charge on 4/3 – they’re checking. This is Spokane Reservation land – the address is 6828
D Hwy 25 South. On PDT – gained an hour.
The campground
and marina are in excellent condition.
 |
| Lake Roosevelt NRA |
In
1941 the Grand Coulee Dam was built on the Columbia River as part of the Columbia River Basin project,
creating a 130-mile long lake. Named for President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lake Roosevelt
National Recreation Area
provides opportunities for boating, fishing, swimming, camping, canoeing,
hunting and visiting historic Fort Spokane and St. Paul's Mission.
Lake Roosevelt NRA HQ: 1008 Crest
Drive, Coulee Dam, WA 99116
Fort Spokane VC: 44150 District Office Lane N,
Davenport, WA 99122
 |
| Entrance ot Fort Spokane This was the first NPS site I stopped at with my truck and trailer. |
The
Visitor Center, located in the guardhouse, is
open mid-June through Labor Day. There
was a good video explaining the history of the fort and its transition to an Indian Boarding School. There is a small bookstore and some
exhibits.
The Sentinel
Trail is a one mile walk
telling the story of the Fort Spokane and the controversial history of the United States Federal Indian
Policy. The trail guide tells two stories at each
stop: The Soldiers Story and the Students Story.
In June 1885, after
being exiled in Oklahoma, Chief Joseph and his followers were moved to the Colville
Reservation. They spent their first winter on the
reservation across the Spokane River from Fort Spokane (currently the Two Rivers RV Resort, Marina & Casino). The Nez
Perce arrived without
supplies or means to secure them until
spring. The salmon run was over and the Indian
Bureau in Washington had
reduced their food rations to only one days worth of food for every seven days.
In August the
military intervened by issuing Army rations to the Nez
Perce to prevent their
starvation. By November, the situation
became critical and LTC J. S. Fletcher wrote to both the Asst AG and Indian
Agent Moore complaining about
the situation. Fletcher then ordered the full ration to
the band, saving the Nez Perce from starvation that winter.
 |
| Map of the Area - 1) the Confluence of the Spokane & Columbia River, 2) Fort Spokane, 3) Grand Coulee Dam, 4) the Colville and Spokane Reservations and 5) the Chief Joseph Dam. I drove through Wilbur to get to Grand Coulee and past the Chief Joseph Dam to get to Wintrhop, WA |
Built in 1880, Fort Spokane served as a frontier military post until the troops were transferred to Cuba to fight in the Spanish-American War in 1898. Government officials who ran the Colville and Spokane Indian Agencies then took over the fort and by 1900 became the Spokane Indian Boarding School. Teachers, clergy and Indian children came to live here. The last people to occupy the fort were doctors, nurses and patients of the Tuberculosis Hospital and Sanitarium that served the tribes of the area starting in 1920 until the fort’s final closure in 1929.
MONDAY July 17, 2017
WEATHER: 48 at 5 am clear; forecast high
of 80 – clear all day
SUNRISE Davenport, WA 0512 PDT SUNSET 2046 PDT
TRAVEL: Two River Resort
& Casino along the Scenic
Drive through Creston
and Wilbur to Spring Canyon to the Grand Coulee Dam VC and a return to Two
Rivers and Fort
Spokane. Only one hitch – again I failed to use the
Garmin or OnStar and took a 1 ½ hour tour of Washington going the wrong way . .
. . . by the way out here in the land of little known addresses OnStar
advisors are all
but useless – haven’t taken me to the right place in the last 6 tries
TWO RIVERS CASINO & MARINA - my down payment
was found and I was given the appropriate credit – great service while updating
the blog WIFI SERVICE WAS
DROPPED - UNABLE TO UPDATE THE BLOG – LOST ABOUT AN HOURS WORTH OF WORK There’s hardly anybody here . . . some seasonal's . . . but not occupied . except for the WIFI
a great place to
stay – phone works – suppose I could try a “hot spot” - I may try in the
morning
385 LAKE ROOSEVELT National
Recreation Area, Hunters, WA
 |
| Lake Roosevelt NRA Spring Canyon |
Spring Canyon Campground – this campground, as well as, the CG by Fort
Spokane seem really
nice . . . .this one has a great beach
 |
| Spring Canyon beach - Lake Roosevelt NRA |
Grand Coulee Dam is managed by the Department of the
Interior’s –
Bureau of Reclamation.
It has a threefold purpose: 1) irrigation, 2) power
production and 3) flood control.
Electricity was not the primary reason the dam was built ;but today the production
of electricity is one of the dams main functions. Recreation is another important function
facilitated by the Lake
Roosevelt National Recreation Area.
 |
| Grand Coulee Dam flanked fby power plants left & right a third power plant was added and is in the background left. This power plant today provides most of the power generated by Grand Coulee |
There is a free
50 minute guided tour of the dam but I did not take it.
TUESDAY July 18, 2017
WEATHER: 57 at 5 am sunny but hazy; the
haze is smoke from fires . . .
SUNRISE Davenport WA 0513 PDT SUNSET
Winthrop, WA 2054 PDT
TRAVEL: Two Rivers Casino & Marina
Resort, Davenport, WA to Silver Line Resort &
Casino, Winthrop, WA - a of 153 miles at 2.5 hours to Lake Chelan NRA, Chelan, WA
TWO RIVERS RESORT & CASINO – WIFI able to update the words to the blog through 7/17
but then it just disconnected – unable
to post any pictures
153 miles 3 ½
hours – that haze is most likely smoke ; retraced the route to Grand
Coulee and
continued to cross the Columbia River below Chief Joseph Dam and on to Wintrhop,
WA and Silver
Line Resort on Perrygin
Lake. . . passed
through an area that was still smoldering a bit from a fire 3 days ago.
SILVER LINE RESORT & CASINO – site is on a hill, gravel but
next to the WIFI and the
restrooms – sites are very narrow and tight.
Rear of the trailer faces the lake and south. A guy with a diesel pickup and a 5th
wheel just pulled into the site next to me – I wonder is his slide-out will be
at my rear entrance door? Yes – I did say the sites are tight.
WIFI is painfully slow
. . . . .
WEDNESDAY July 19, 2017
WEATHER: 59 at 4 am; it got HOT again today – high of 93
SUNRISE Winthrop, WA 0519 PDT SUNSET
Winthrop, WA 2053 PDT
TRAVEL: Silver Line Resort & Casino, Winthrop,
WA – Lake
Chelan NRA, Chelan, WA (POP 4,108) Left at 0630 in order to get to Chelan for a 0830 boat – it was a 63
mile 1 ¾ hr trip
SILVER LINE RESORT & CASINO – WIFI works still slow early in the
morning - THEY CHARGE FOR SHOWERS HERE – HAVEN’T SEEN THAT SINCE I WAS In MICHIGAN AT
SLEEPING BEAR DUNES National Lakeshore
 |
| The "Narrow's" - Lake Chelan |
 |
| Fields's Point Lake Chelan |
As a result - - - - there is one NPS brochure for the 3 sites and really only two NPS Visitor Centers for the three sites: The Golden West VC at Stehekin on Lake Chelan and North Cascades VC in Newhalem (just west of Ross Lake and just off STH 20).
386 LAKE CHELAN National Recreation Area, Chelan, WA
 |
| Lady Express docked at Stehekin |
Lake Chelan National Recreation Area is at the north end of 50-mile
long Lake Chelan, a natural lake set in a glacier-carved trough. At 1,486 feet deep its is the nation’s third
deepest lake.
Like many parks in
Alaska there are no roads. You can
arrive by boat, float plane or walk in.
I took the Lady
Express leaving Chelan at 0830 with a 0920 stop at Field’s
Point (this is the end
of the road – some people chose to drive thelande 17 miles and get on here). The end of the line is Stehekin
with and arrival
time of 1100.
A visit to Stehekin takes more than 1 hour - - - there is a NPS concessionaire bus ride to 312’ Rainbow Falls or a trip to the bakery; plenty of trails, even a lodge to accommodate an overnight stay without pitching a tent. I went directly to Golden West VC.
 |
| Lake Chelan NRA Golden West VC |
Golden West Visitor Center
A short walk from the passenger ferry landing at Stehekin Landing at the north end of 50-mile long Lake Chelan. Reached via passenger ferry, trail, or float plane. Like many sites in Alaska this is not accessible by road.. Exhibits: Relief map and natural and cultural history of the area. Arts & Humanities of Stehekin operates the Golden West Gallery, featuring local artists and crafts people. Facilities include an information desk, bookstore and video program.
 |
| Lake Chelan NRA - Stehekin Golden West Lodge |
 |
| Lake Chelan NRA - Stehekin Golden West Lodge |
STEHEKIN
The name "Stehekin"
is based on a Salishan word meaning "the way through." The Stehekin Valley has long served as a
passageway for travelers, linking Washington’s interior wilderness to the
rugged Cascade Mountains. Today Stehekin offers visitors an escape from
the hustle of the modern day world. Nestled at the headwaters of Lake Chelan, the third deepest lake in America, the Stehekin community lives life a little slower.
 |
| Lake Chelan National Recreation Area |
Stehekin serves as a hub to explore the 61,949-acre Lake Chelan National Recreation Area and a gateway to the rest of
the North Cascades National Park Complex,
Stephen Mather Wilderness, and
adjacent National Forest Wilderness Areas.
You can try to get
lost in the mountains out here. If I
would have known . . . I would have left
my trailer in Chelan and probably stayed a night or two in Stehekin – plenty to do – if your
adventurous, camping for a night or two and/or hiking in is also an option.
The Lady
Express left Stehekin at 1200; stopped at Lucerne 1220; at Field’s
Point 1345; and arrived
in Chelan at 1445.
Some HISTORY along the THE
NORTH CASCADE HIGHWAY on the return
trip to Silver Line Resort (not a great place to stay but its location - - -
makes sense as I continue along STH 20 The North Cascade Highway west)
Nestled in the
foothills of the Cascade Mountains, the Methow Valley makes for a beautiful and
stunning backdrop for whatever you may want to do. This is part of the Cascade
Loop. A pretty drive – not too steep – at least to Winthrop.
Methow POP 262
Carlton POP 345
Twisp POP 952 – known
for its art and culture, it even boast live theater. Located at the confluence of the Twisp and Methow
Rivers the downtown
has specialty shops, restaurants, cafes, brewpubs and bakeries.
 |
| Winthrop, WA - only it's missing horses |
Winthrop POP 430 – Looks more like a western town than most western towns –
definitely touristy. Winthrop
keeps the
frontier west alive with its Old West theme reflecting the town’s 1890’s mining boom.
THURSDAY July 20, 2017
1030 60F rain - Ross Lake Overlooks
North Cascades Environmental Learning Center – located in Ross Lake NRA, I did not take the road off the highway to visit
Newhalem - I may visit here another day
North Cascades National Park contains some beautiful mountain scenery – high jagged peaks, ridges,
slopes and many cascading waterfalls.
Glaciers, permanent snow fields, sheer-walled cliffs, spires and
pinnacles provide a challenge to mountaineers.
Skagit Infromation Center: Locatied on SR 20 in the town of Newhalem.
There is an Information counter. The center is jointly operated by Seattle City Light, North Cascades Institute, and North Cascades National Park. Exhibits on hydroelectric power and Skagit Project dams and communities. The photos here are from my return on Saturday..
North Cascades NP Wilderness Information Center - located in Ross Lake NRA; The Wilderness Information Center is the main back country permit office for North Cascades National Park and the adjacent Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas. Back country permits are required for overnights in the park year-round and are available at an outdoor self-issue station when the center is closed during the winter season. Information desk. Sales area with books, maps, videos, and other items related to the national park and adjacent national forests.
This was a
wonderful opportunity to scout out what I may want to do for the next 2 days.
Although
there are no fees to enter the Reserve, visits to the three state parks (Fort Ebey, Fort Casey, and Ebey's
Landing - all located within the Reserve boundaries) do require the Discover Pass. I didn’t bother.
The historic Jacob & Sarah Ebey House and the Ebey Blockhouse are open to the public during the summer months, Memorial Day through Labor Day Weekends, Thursdays through Sundays, from 10am to 4pm
Ebey Family History
Colonel Isaac Neff Ebey was among the first of the permanent settlers to the island. Upon the advice of his friend Samuel Crockett, Ebey came west from his home in Missouri in search of land. Both men had filed donation claims on central Whidbey by the spring of 1851. Ebey wrote home, enthusiastically urging his family to join him.
388 NORTH CASCADES National Park, North Cascades, WA
Today was a day of hiking trails . . . .
River Loop Trail – 1.8 miles leading through a variety of forest growth to a peaceful gravel bar with sweeping river views.
To Know A Tree Trail – 5 miles Mostly level, with packed gravel surface. Skirts the campground, follows the river, wanders among large trees, and lush understory growth. Find plaques interpreting common trees and plants along the way.
Ladder Creek Falls Trail - .4 miles Located behind the Gorge Powerhouse, this 0.4 mile (0.6 km) loop trail showcases the power of nature. It leads to Ladder Creek Falls and through gardens that have delighted visitors to the Skagit Hydroelectric Project for over 75 years. There is a foot suspension bridge to the powerhouse. Some steep steps with handrails. This trail is past its prime.
Gorge Overlook - .5 miles stared out paved - then dirt
Thunder Knob – 3.6 miles Thunder Knob is a well-constructed trail with a moderate grade, and lots of views of surrounding peaks and Diablo Lake. With an elevation gain of only 425 feet, it's advertised a perfect hike for children and those who seek mountain scenery without the physical demands of high-country hiking - but it is a steep climb and a 4 mile walk - two miles uphill.
SUNDAY July 23, 2017
Immaculate Conception Church is 1 of the 5 Skagit Valley Churches Regional Ministry. The region is served by 3
priests, a regional school, and a
pastoral administrator. Two of the five churches
have masses in Spanish – even the bulletin is in English Spanish. Today was the first day for a new Filipino
priest – he is older- not too heavy of an accent but a different approach to
mass – a mix of Latin/English – he sang
most of the prayers – the closest thing to a ‘high mass’ that I can
remember. He did not correct the
congregation for standing at the end of the Offertory Prayer as the priest in
Montana did . . . . his homily was long
– but somehow it encouraged me to listen – in fact his message from the gospel
was to “hear with heart.” Three servers
– Black, White, Asian – a choir but all you could hear was the ‘miced’ cantor –
about 275 in attendance.
TRAVEL: Mt. Vernon RV Park, Mt. Vernon, WA – San Juan Islands NHP - getting here is confusing – NPS websites are not very clear and they say to use the Washington State Ferry System.
Washington's San Juan Island Historical Park is known for its vistas, saltwater shore, quiet woodlands, and orca whales.
American
Camp Visitor Center
Open daily, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.The American Camp visitor center entrance road is located off Cattle Point Road on the southern end of San Juan Island. Drive west on Spring Street to Mullis Street and turn left. The road will wind a bit and change its name twice until it becomes Cattle Point Road.
When Great Britain and the United States in 1859 agreed to a joint occupation of San Juan Island until the water boundary between the two nations could be settled, it was decided that camps would be located on opposite ends of the island.
American Camp really began on a grassy slope about 200 yards from the shoreline of Griffin Bay. That’s where Capt. George E. Pickett and Company D, 9th Infantry landed on July 27, 1859. With the first tent stake, Pickett established an American military presence on San Juan Island that lasted 14 years.
The
veteran colonel also ordered Corps of Engineers 2nd Lt.Henry Martyn Robert —
later to achieve fame for his Rules of Order — to start work on a earthen
fortification on the ridgetop east of the new camp with a commanding view of
both strait and bay. Meanwhile, the British riding at anchor in Griffin Bay
were nothing short of impressed with the colonel’s enterprise.
English Camp Visitor Center
Open daily, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. English Camp is located about nine miles northwest of Friday Harbor on West Valley Road. Take Spring Street to Second Street and turn right. Go straight. At the first stop sign you encounter, Second becomes Guard. Go to the next stop sign and continue to go straight. The street runs past the library, bends right and left and becomes Beaverton Valley Road. Follow Beaverton Valley Road over Cady Mountain (it’s a small mountain). The road becomes West Valley Road. About 500 feet past the park entrance sign, on the left, is the entrance road to the parade ground.
The Royal Marine Barracks, built as a privates' mess in 1860 and converted to a barracks in 1867, serves as a visitor contact station during the summer season.
When Great Britain and the United States in 1859 agreed to a joint occupation of San Juan Island until the water boundary between the two nations could be settled, it was decided that camps would be located on opposite ends of the island.
Shortly after the British and American governments affirmed Lieutenant General Winfield Scott’s proposal to jointly occupy San Juan Island, the Royal Navy started looking for a home for its British Royal Marine Light Infantry contingent.
Capt. James Prevost, commander of H.M.S. Satellite, selected the site on Garrison Bay — 15 miles northwest of American Camp — from among seven finalists. He’d remembered the bay shore from explorations two years earlier as a part of the water boundary commission survey of the island. At that time, one of his officers, Lieutenant Richard Roche, had commented on seeing abandoned Indian plank houses nestled among a vast shell midden.
Roche described the ground as "well-sheltered, has a good supply of water and grass, and is capable of affording maneuvering ground for any number of men that are likely to be required in that locality..." He added that a trail, 11 miles long, led from this area to the Hudson’s Bay farm at Bellevue.
With
the arrival of a new commander, Captain William Delacombe, in 1867, the camp
received a major face lift. New officers' quarters were built to house the
captain and his family as well as the camp's second in command. Delacombe also
directed that a formal garden be constructed at the base of the hill leading to
the officers' quarters.
The marines departed in November 1872, following the final boundary decision of Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany. They left behind a facility so solidly built that the Crook family (who purchased the site from the U.S. government) occupied several of the structures for more than 30 years.
HOLIDAY FAMCAMP – it appears difficult to get someone to answer the
phone here but eventually, the one man shop, did respond to my messages in a
courteous manner . . . more than I expected - However, after weeks/months of trying, I
did get through (last week Thursday) and made a reservation for the 10 days I’m
staying here but I have to move 5 times -‘ oh well - at $25/day it’s a deal
390 KLONDIKE GOLD RUSH National Historical Park, Seattle, WA
The
Seattle unit of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park preserves the
story of the stampede to the Yukon gold fields and Seattle's crucial role in
this event. The headlines of a Seattle newspaper on July 17, 1897, Gold! Gold!
Gold! Gold! ignited dreams of easy riches in the minds of thousands as word of
a rich gold strike in northwestern Canada. A dream, that would prove all but a dream. The exhibits highlight the dream and the real
people that lived the dream . . . .
Hielscher’s journey is unique, but he was still one of the thousands of people who gave up everything in the hopes that they would find gold in the Klondike. Reading his letters and going through the collections for this project opened my eyes to the different ways that the gold rush influenced the lives of people in the 1890s and beyond. Learning about Hielscher’s experience made me realize the reach of the gold rush for people from all walks of life.
Seattle Mariners vs Boston
Red Sox - SAFECO PARK, Seattle, WA 12:40 PM.
I bought a ticket and parking online –
Monday – expensive – a downtown park with parking at $40 per car my right filed
ticket was considered an obstructed view at a cost of $56. Of course, by the time I sat down the first
hit was right at me – but short – caught by the Red Sox right fielder. SAFECO
Park, on the inside, reminded me of an ‘old’ baseball park – perhaps County
Stadium without the bleachers. I left at
the 7th Inning stretch – the park was pretty full for a Wednesday
afternoon . . . who was working? ? ? ? I
can only imagine the traffic to get out of there was horrendous – the drive
back was slow and tedious - - - never a downtown park .
TRAVEL: Holiday FAMCAMP, Joint
Base McChord, WA to Mt.
Rainer NP to Holiday FAMCAMP
Joint Base McChord
391 MT. RAINER National Park, WA
Ascending to 14,410 feet above sea level, Mount Rainier stands as an icon in the Washington landscape. An active volcano, Mount Rainier is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S.A., spawning six major rivers. Subalpine wildflower meadows ring the icy volcano while ancient forest cloaks Mount Rainier’s lower slopes. Wildlife abounds in the park’s ecosystems. .
Basalt
columns and other remnants of early eruptions and lava flows reveal Mt.
Rainer’s geologic history. An active
volcano – just a matter of time until it erupts again – not so sure I would
want to live here . . . .
Best mountain scenery I’ve seen yet this year . . . . yes better than Alaska or Glacier NP and a lot better than North Cascades NP . . . . . ,
Mount Rainier National Park maintains
active relations with six Indian tribes located in its vicinity: the Nisqually, Puyallup, Squaxin Island, Muckleshoot, Yakama,
and Cowlitz.. All but the Cowlitz trace their
modern tribal identity to one or more of three treaties signed in 1854 and
1855. The Upper Cowlitz, or Taidnapam, did not sign a treaty with the United States, but
like the treaty tribes, maintained traditional ties to landscapes that later
became part of Mount Rainier National Park. Tribal people
journeyed to the park in the summer and early fall to hunt and to gather
berries, medicinal plants and other resources of use to them throughout the
year. They continued to pursue these activities even after the park was created
in 1899, and the mountain remains important to them to this day.
It
was once widely believed that Indian people seldom used Mount Rainier’s imposing mountain landscapes. That view
began to change in 1963 with the discovery of the park’s first archaeological
site –a rock-shelter later found to be about 1,200 years old and containing
charred goat, mountain beaver, deer, elderberry and wild hazelnut remains in
association with pit features, fire cracked rock, broken projectile points, and
profuse stone tool re-sharpening flakes and debris. Archaeological studies at Mount Rainier began in earnest in the late 1990s with completion
of the park’s first systematic survey and archaeological overview, and
development of a permanent position to oversee protection of the park’s prehistoric
and more recent historical cultural resources. In addition, an archaeological
field school conducted by Central Washington University (CWU) between 1997 and
2001 provided valuable insight into the use of the northeastern portion of the
park.
There are 4 Visitor
Centers in Mt. Rainier – seeing them all in one day is difficult. Today I did visit three. Longmire, Paradise and Ohanapecosh.
Ohanapocsesh was a joy to visit – it was the end of the day and the staff there was the hppiest most friendly, eager and just a joy . . . a nice camping spot – seems quiet – its out of the way..
FRIDAY July 28, 2017
WEATHER: 58 at 4:45 am; clear and sunny all day
The drive from Sunrise VC to Ohanapecosh VC was also a delight. However, arrival at noon caused a problem with parking. I eventually found a space for 30 minutes and walked the Nature Trail.
The drive from Paradise
VC was also tortuous
following a truck that apparently couldn’t got over 25 mph - lots of traffic backups – and speaking of
backups. Yesterday, there was no construction
on the road, hence no trucks and no flaggers – to top the slow truck there was
a 15 minute wait for a lane to open up on a bridge – almost fell asleep waiting.
There was a good
video that presented the Corps of Discovery’s journey.
10:30 am mass at St. Mary’s Traditional Catholic Church, Tacoma, WA
(guess I missed the
“traditional” when I looked up the mass time on line). Traditional it was – been a long time since I
attended a mass said in Latin, altar facing the front, all the girls and women
wearing chapel veils, kneeling for so long that I thought I was in a corner
again kneeling on a wood floor ‘cause I smarted off to my grandma . . . .
.actually – reminiscent – nostalgic - but not in tune with today – I guess I’ve
been converted by Vatican II - yes there was even an altar rail with a cloth
for communion . . .. a 2nd priest gave the homily – a small church -
about 50 in attendance. The homily had
to do with living by your own rules
- not God’s
. . . . . the choice is yours –
he was good to listen to
393 OLYMPIC National Park, Port Angeles, WA
The Park has a Visitor
Center in Port Angeles . .
. I stopped here before going to Crescent
Lake Lodge. I watched a video and walked the short Living
Forest Trail (.4 mile) which is
just behind the VC. Lots of people here
. . . . .
Olympic has several
Visitor Centers/Information Stations/Ranger Stations – not all are manned. Additionally, Olympic can be divided into several areas:
TEMPERATE RAIN FORESTS MOUNTAINS
I spent 3 nights here, which could be just about right, but there are enough trails to walk to take weeks . . .
TEMPERATE RAIN FOREST - HOH Visitor Center
COAST
TEMPERATE RAIN FOREST
The following two trails are located at the Quinnault River Ranger Station which was not open:
TUESDAY August 1, 2017
393 OLYMPIC National Park, Port Angeles, WA
West Elwha Trail – this was another drive to the end of Whisky Bend Road - a steep dirt road. I only walked an hour on this trail – probably more than 2 but less than 3 miles – fairly level – above the Elwha River.- early morning quiet and serene. The surprise prior to coming to the trailhead was coming across a dam that was removed . . . . A great walk – didn’t see another person for the entire hour.
Madison Falls Trail – this was a .1 mile walk along a steep but paved walkway
Though
Native Americans had been long acquainted with the interior of the peninsula,
Euro-American exploration of the mysterious and seemingly unknown occurred
later. Several expeditions took place during the 19th century, however, it was
not until the summer of 1885 that the first well documented exploration of the
interior took place. Lieutenant Joseph P. O'Neil led a party of enlisted men and civilian
engineers from Port Angeles
into the Olympic Mountains. O'Neil chose Port Angeles--at the time a town of about
forty inhabitants, a hotel, a sawmill, and two stores--as his starting point
because of its nearness to the mountains.
On
July 17, the party headed south into the foothills following a route similar to
the present-day Hurricane Ridge Road, making slow progress cutting a trail through dense forest
and windfalls. It took them about a month to climb to Hurricane Ridge. From there part of the
group began to explore the Elwha Valley while O'Neil and the others headed
southeast. O'Neil explored
almost as far south as Mount Anderson
before a messenger reached him with orders to report to Fort Leavenworth,
Kansas, and the expedition was cut short.
Christie had planned to follow the Elwha River into the heart of the mountains, transporting supplies on a large flat-bottomed boat, Gertie, which the men built. The boat leaked and after twelve frigid, exhausting days, it was abandoned.
The party spent January - April 1890, exploring the Elwha Valley. In early May, the Press Party, their clothes in tatters and running dangerously low on supplies, crossed Low Divide and headed down the Quinault Valley, reaching the coast on May 20, 1890 after nearly six months in the mountains. Press Party blazes can still be found along the Elwha River trail in the park.
LOWLAND FORESTS
Sol Duc (Sole Duke) Lodge
Sol Duc Falls Trail – a 1.6 mile round trip walk at the end of the Sol Duc Road – crowded – uphill
to get there – downhill coming back
WEDNESDAY August 2, 2017
393 OLYMPIC National Park, Port Angeles, WA
LOWLAND FORESTS - Lake Crescent
Merrymere Falls Trail – here again a trail that begins near a closed Storm King Ranger Station – a 1.8 mile round trip
THURSDAY August 3, 2017
394 FORT VANCOUVER National Historical Site, Vancouver, WA
Located on the north bank of the Columbia River, in sight of snowy mountain peaks and a vibrant urban landscape, this park has a rich cultural past. From a frontier fur trading post, to a powerful military legacy, the magic of flight, and the origin of the American Pacific Northwest, history is shared at four unique sites.
A Fur Trade Fort
McLoughlin House
Vancouver Barracks
As the first U.S. Army
post in the Pacific Northwest, Vancouver
Barracks served as a major headquarters and supply depot during the Civil
War and Indian War eras. Some seventy officers who attained the rank of general
were stationed here, including Ulysses S. Grant,
Philip H. Sheridan, George B. McClellan, George Pickett, George Crook,
Oliver O. Howard, and Nelson Miles. Later, it served as a
recruitment, mobilization and training facility for the Spanish-American War,
the Philippine War, and other foreign engagements.
After World War II, the
Army reduced its presence at Vancouver
Barracks. In 1948, portions of barracks acreage transferred to the National Park Service for the creation
of Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.
By 1949, the post included the headquarters of the Sixth Army's Northern
Military District and served as home of the 104th Division (Reserves).
Today, Vancouver Barracks remains one of the
nation's most historic military posts, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Although the boundaries and surrounding scenery have changed significantly, the
central core of the original Vancouver
Barracks remains. Thanks, in part, to more than 160 years of Army presence
and stewardship, this significant place in our nation's history is well
prepared for transfer to the National
Park Service, where it will be preserved in perpetuity for the enjoyment,
education, and inspiration of future generations.
PEARSON FIELD
Among the more notable
aviation achievements tied to Pearson
Field is landing of the Douglas World Cruisers, on their way to achieving
the first aerial circumnavigation of the globe, at the field in 1924.
MT. ST. HELENS
On the morning of May
18, 1980, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake triggered the collapse of the summit and
north flank of Mount St. Helens and
formed the largest landslide in recorded history.
A plume of volcanic ash and pumice billowed out of the volcano reaching a height of 15 miles and transformed day into night across Eastern Washington. Avalanches of super-heated gas and pumice, called pyroclastic flows, swept down the flanks of the volcano.
While the landslide and lateral blast were over within minutes, the eruption column, mudflows and pyroclastic flows continued throughout the day and following night.
FRIDAY August 4, 2017
GOLF – Whispering Firs GC – McChord AFB, WA A fairly level course with as the name
implies tall trees lining the fairways. The course was
in good shape – I golfed with a young FA CPT, HIMARS, West Point graduate who will be getting out of
the Army soon . . . he was pretty good –
but not great - he had played golf in college.
I shot a 53 with 5 balls in the sand, 1 lost ball, and 20 putts.
PASCO SANDY HEIGHTS KOA, Pasco, WA – WIFI worked fairly well when I
arrived around 1:30 pm and when I
returned from church around 6 then people started arriving and WIFI
just bogged down – would not connect – typical of RV Parks
. . . . . . . This KOA is typical
– close to the freeway – packed in like sardines – except I got some shade –
and that is unusual . . . . KOA Presidential Award – not impressed
5 pm Mass at Christ
the King Church in Richland,
WA. A fairly large, newer church – with a school - probably 280 in
attendance and there was still room – Transfiguration – ‘half empty or half
full’
SUNDAY August 6, 2017
SPALDING SITE
In the last 170 years, this place witnessed a relentless
pace of change. In the nineteenth century, this site was the center of
activities that would have a profound effect on the Nez
Perce people. The Nez Perce Indian
Agency moved to this location in 1861 and remained until 1904.
When the Agency moved, the town shrank with its last business, Watson's
General Merchandise Store, closing in 1964. In 1935, the site of the mission was
preserved by the State of Idaho. Thirty years later, in 1965, Nez
Perce National Historical Park was
created by an act of Congress and what was known as Spalding
Park became the headquarters and visitor center for Nez
Perce National Historical Park.
The
completion of a report for the Tribe in 1963 raised further interest in the
Idaho Congressional delegation, Department of Interior, and National Park
Service
for the creation of a park unit focused around the Nez Perce. This interest led
to the drafting of legislation that was passed into law on May 15, 1965. The park's legislation
reflected the many interests of the groups that lobbied for a unit that would
include, "the early Nez Perce
culture, the Lewis and Clark Expedition through the area, the fur trade,
missionaries, gold mining and logging, the Nez Perce war of 1877, and such
other sites as he finds will depict the role of the Nez Perce country in the
westward expansion of the Nation."
The treaty era for the Nez Perce begins in 1846, when Great
Britain and the United States settled a long running disagreement over
settlement and control of what was known then as Oregon country. With the
settlement of this dispute, settlers going overland on the Oregon Trail began to pour into the region. The creation of the
Oregon Territory in 1848 and Washington in 1853 triggered the treaty process.
In 1860, gold was discovered within the boundaries of the reservation. Rather than stop the squatters and trespassers onto reservation land, the U.S. government initiated another treaty council that would shrink the 1855 reservation by 90%, claiming over five million acres. The bands that lived outside of the proposed reservation boundaries walked out of the proceedings and refused to endorse this land grab. Nevertheless, 51 headmen, who lived inside of proposed reservation, affixed their marks to the treaty. The US Senate ratified the document in 1867. The 1863 Treaty became known as the 'steal treaty' and created the conditions that would eventually lead to the armed clash between the Nez Perce and the US Army in 1877.
Oh, oh – its 6:05 pm
and a big rig just pulled in to my left – there goes the neighborhood and there
goes WIFI . . . no line of sight and it just shuts down
396 MANHATTEN PROJECT National Historic Site, Hanford, WA
The Hanford Engineer Works was built to create large quantities of plutonium at a roughly 600-square-mile site along the Columbia River in Washington State. More than 51,000 workers at Hanford constructed and operated a massive industrial complex to fabricate, test, and irradiate uranium fuel and chemically separate out plutonium.
At Hanford the park includes:
TOUR HANFORD B –REACTOR
The B Reactor National Historic Landmark, part of the Hanford Unit of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, is the world's first full-scale plutonium production reactor. Created as part of the top secret Manhattan Project during World War II, B Reactor produced the plutonium used in the Trinity Test (the world's first nuclear detonation) in July 1945, and the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan in August 1945 that contributed to the Japanese surrender and end of World War II. The reactor was designed and built by the DuPont company based on experimental designs tested by Dr. Enrico Fermi at the University of Chicago and tests from the pilot-scale X-10 Graphite Reactor at Oak Ridge, TN. Construction of B Reactor began in October 1943, and fuel was loaded into B Reactor on Sept. 13, 1944 - just 11 months later.
The B Reactor was named a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1976, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992, was designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1994, and became a National Historic Landmark in 2008. B Reactor has been open for annual public tours since 2009,
The 1847 attack on the Whitmans horrified Americans and impacted the lives of the peoples of the Columbia Plateau for decades afterwards. Was killing the Whitmans justified legal retribution, an act of revenge, or some combination of both? The circumstances that surround this tragic event resonate with modern issues of cultural interaction and differing perspectives.
Whitman Mission National
Historic Site was established to focus on the continuing relevance of the
history and impacts of Marcus and Narcissa Whitman's religious mission to
the Cayuse Nation in the early
nineteenth century. This Cayuse
mission was sponsored by the American
Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM), a Boston group responsible for Protestant mission
operations around the world. The ABCFM has
historically been involved in leading the nation in recognition of Native
American sovereignty, the repeal of slavery, and restoration of indigenous
rights in South Africa. Today the society is fighting for Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual and Transgender rights.
Despite
honorable intentions, ABCFM missions in Old Oregon ended in disaster. Measles and other epidemics resulted in widespread death
among Native Americans. Each year brought more immigrants on the Oregon Trail who would want native
land. The Whitman's mission was at
the center of these tragic changes. In 1847, a group of Cayuse attacked the mission, hoping to remove the source of their
devastation. Fourteen people died including Marcus and Narcissa. As
a result of the Cayuse attack, the United States government had an excuse
to set up reservations and restrict the movement of Native Americans.
This is a great site but its spread out and in the middle of nowhere If your visit - give it a chance.
Not many people in the area – few towns and gas stations are few and far between – they all close at 5 pm. Sparsely populated – there must have been Native Americans that lived here but it doesn’t appear that any tribes lay claim to the area. Settlers originally raised sheep and grew grain with irrigation, after WW I demand for wool dropped, the sheep ranchers turned to cattle.
John Day Fossil Beds preserve a world class record of plant and animal evolution, changing climate, and past ecosystems that span over 40 million years. Exhibits and a working lab at the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center as well as scenic drives and hikes at all three units allow you to explore the prehistoric past of Oregon.
The
Visitor Center (Thomas
Condon Paleontology Center) was outstanding.
An excellent exhibit on the mammal fossils found in the area. Several videos, I watched one and listened to
a ranger give a 20 minute presentation on fossils.. The country is semi-arid –desert – volcanic
and had some colorful rock formation if you could see them through the smoky/hazy air. I spent 2 ½ hours
in the VC alone. I also walked the Cant Ranch and learned something about
sheep. The house is only open on
weekends. I did not walk any trails or
visit the other two units. My visit here
exceeded expectations – I wish I had more time
. . . ..
There
are 3 units of John Day Fossil Bed. Each has hiking trails.
JAMES CANT RANCH – the dry hills of eastern Oregon provided ideal grazing land for livestock – sheep and cattle. James and Elizabeth Cant, Scottish immigrants, bought this land in the early 1900’s. The Cant family operated the ranch until the National Park Service purchased it in the 1970’s.
The geology in the area is interesting. . . .
MASCALL FORMATION OVERLOOK – the view from this point take in the upper John Day Valley, Strawberry Mountain Range, Picture Gorge and the Mascall and Rattlesnake formation.
CLARO UNIT – There are several short trails that looked promising but I just didn’t have the time. .
WEDNESDAY August 9, 2017
THURSDAY July 20, 2017
WEATHER: 62 at 5 am; 72 at 8:45; down to 52 in the mountains-windy and some
rain with a pleasant 73 and sunny when I arrived in Mt. Vernon
SUNRISE Wintrhop, WA 0520 PDT SUNSET
Mt. Vernon, WA 2121 PDT sunny then clouded up around 7 pm
TRAVEL: Silver Line Resort & Casino, Winthrop,
WA to Mt. Vernon
RV Park, Mt. Vernon,
WA – 141 mile
drive that will take 4 hours .
However, the drive is along STH 20 The North Cascades Highway
It will go through or pass the sites below; I will try to stop at each
of them for a photo op.
Mazama - did not leave
STH 20 to visit
0945 54F Washington
Pass – on STH 20 almost
missed the turnoff – no pictures of the pass I didn’t walk the trail to the Overlook
(I presume)
0955 Rainy
Pass – did not leave
STH 20 to reach this area
387 ROSS LAKE National Recreation Area,Rockport, WA
The
Ross Lake National Recreation Area includes three
reservoirs: Ross Lake, Diablo Lake, and Gorge Lake -- water gateways to more remote areas. Ringed by
mountains, it offers many outdoor recreation opportunities along the upper
reaches of the Skagit River.
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| Ross Lake Dam |
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| Ross Lake |
1040 58F - Diablo Lake Overlook
Diablo Dam
Diablo Dam
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| This is important. The rivers in Grand Teton & Denali were muddy brown 'full of glacial silt' - yet when flying above the Acrtic Circle the 'bush pilots' could not explain the blue color of the streams or rivers. Finally, in Glacier NP a 'geologist' on a film at the VC explained that it was because the mountains were sedimentary rock, formed from ancient seabeds, then 'lifted' to create the mountains. As the glaciers grind the 'rock' mostly limestone - the sediments in the glacial runoff absorb all the colors of the spectrum - but reflect the blue - green - which we see. |
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| Diablo Lake |
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| Diablo Lake |
North Cascades Environmental Learning Center – located in Ross Lake NRA, I did not take the road off the highway to visit
Gorge Dam - located in Ross Lake NRA,
Gorge Creek Falls - located in Ross Lake NRA,
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| Gorge Falls |
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| Gorge Dam - in the background this is a view of the lake created by the dam |
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| Truck & Trailer in Gorge pull off |
1135 65F - North Cascades NP VC – amazingly – located in Ross
Lake NRA
388 NORTH CASCADES National Park, North Cascades, WA
North Cascades National Park contains some beautiful mountain scenery – high jagged peaks, ridges,
slopes and many cascading waterfalls.
Glaciers, permanent snow fields, sheer-walled cliffs, spires and
pinnacles provide a challenge to mountaineers.
There are few roads
into the park but on clear days from the VC and the overlooks along the North
Cascades Highway provide some great
views. Even today the view were fine
with clouds, wind, and threat of rain Most hikers enter the park from
trailheads along Cascade River Road and Stehekin Valley or via Forest Service trails next to the park. There are plenty of trailheads.
North Cascades Visitor Center
Located across the Skagit River from the North Cascades Highway (State Route 20)
near milepost 120 and just past the town of Newhalem. The VC has some exhibits
about the many forest types in the Cascades, a relief map of the park and
surrounding area, and a 8 minute video on grizzly bears – enough on bears. There is a small bookstore. Somehow – I expected more.
There are several short,
accessible interpretive trails – which I weighed walking but decided not today – plenty to do when and if I
return..
The North Cascades National Park Service Complex Headquarters and
Public Information Center is five miles east
of I-5 in Burlington and 46 miles west of the North Cascades National Park Service Complex boundary. It is operated jointly
with the Mt. Baker District of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and
North Cascades Institute. Exhibits: Relief map of the park and adjacent
national forests. Looks like a palace
compared to the VC. There is an information
desk and a sales area with books, maps, videos, and other items.
:
 |
| Newhalem, WA |
Skagit Infromation Center: Locatied on SR 20 in the town of Newhalem.
There is an Information counter. The center is jointly operated by Seattle City Light, North Cascades Institute, and North Cascades National Park. Exhibits on hydroelectric power and Skagit Project dams and communities. The photos here are from my return on Saturday..
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| Newhalem - Gorge Dam one of three built by Seattle City Light located on the Skagit River |
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| The three dams |
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| These dams are located on the Skagit River in Ross Lake National Recreation Area - North Cascades Area Complex |
North Cascades NP Wilderness Information Center - located in Ross Lake NRA; The Wilderness Information Center is the main back country permit office for North Cascades National Park and the adjacent Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas. Back country permits are required for overnights in the park year-round and are available at an outdoor self-issue station when the center is closed during the winter season. Information desk. Sales area with books, maps, videos, and other items related to the national park and adjacent national forests.
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| Trailer at Mt. Vernon RV Park a good place to stay - quiet |
MT. VERNON RV PARK – WIFI works – but the restrooms and shower
close at 2030’ not sure when they open – they are in the same building as the
office. Very quiet - no facilities for kids i.e. playground or pool.
Met an
interesting couple next to me in a Class A motor home – retired – probably in their late 70’s –
maybe early 80’s
FRIDAY July 21, 2017
WEATHER: 56 at 5:30 am mostly cloudy
–calm; never really sunny – cloudy by 5
pm and occasional showers – not rain more of a steady drizzle for a short time
SUNRISE Mt. Vernon, WA 0530 PDT SUNSET Mt. Vernon, WA 2100 PDT
Today NPR reports that “there are more than
400 fires burning on the Yakima National Training Center.”
48 years ago
today (1969) – Neil
Armstrong & Buzz Aldren headed back to earth after taking off from the moon
TRAVEL: Mt. Vernon RV Park, Mt.
Vernon, WA – Ebey’s
Landing, NHR, Coupeville, WA
I had really
thought that you needed a ferry to get to Ebey’s Landing, it is on Whidby’s Island, and the NPS website references a ferry, but
the couple next to me at Mt. Vernon RV Park provided info yesterday,
that said I could drive there. – just about an hour’s drive.
389 EBEY’S LANDING National Historical Reserve, Coupeville, WA
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| Ebey's Landing National Historic Reserve |
The
Reserve is over 80% privately owned, contains three Washington State Parks, and the historic town of Coupeville. There are no hours or fees for visiting the
Reserve, but individual business and parks within the Reserve set their own
hours.
The very title of National
Historical Reserve makes this place
unique. This
stunning landscape at the gateway to Puget Sound, with its rich
farmland and promising seaport, lured the earliest American pioneers north of
the Columbia River to Ebey’s Landing.
Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve preserves the
historical, agricultural and cultural traditions of both native and
Euro-American – while offering some opportunities for recreation
 |
| Ebey's Landing - the prairie below the cabin the 'landing' is on the coast top right |
Whidbey Island was named by explorer Captain George Vancouver in honor of Lieutenant Joseph Whidbey, who explored the island in 1792.
Vancouver's well-publicized exploration of Puget
Sound helped prepare the way for settlers to the area. A more important
inducement was the Donation Land Law of
1850, which offered free land in Oregon
Territory to any citizen who would homestead the land for four years.
Newcomers flocked to the fertile prairies of central Whidbey Island and, within three short years, had carved out
irregularly-shaped claims that followed the lay of the best land. Today, this
early settlement pattern can still be seen by the fence lines, roads, and
ridges of the Reserve.
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| Ebey's blockhouse - a reconstruction One of four that were on the property |
The historic Jacob & Sarah Ebey House and the Ebey Blockhouse are open to the public during the summer months, Memorial Day through Labor Day Weekends, Thursdays through Sundays, from 10am to 4pm
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| Ebey House restored by the National Park Service |
Colonel Isaac Neff Ebey was among the first of the permanent settlers to the island. Upon the advice of his friend Samuel Crockett, Ebey came west from his home in Missouri in search of land. Both men had filed donation claims on central Whidbey by the spring of 1851. Ebey wrote home, enthusiastically urging his family to join him.
Ebey's family soon emigrated
to the island. The simple home of Isaac's father Jacob, and a blockhouse he
erected to defend his claim against Indians, still stand today overlooking the
prairie that bears the family name. As for Isaac, he became a leading figure in
public affairs, but his life was cut short in 1857, when he was slain by
northern coastal Indians seeking revenge for the killing of one of their own
chieftains.
Today
some farmers of Central Whidbey
still plow donation land claims established by their families in the 1850s.
Their stewardship of the rich alluvial soil preserves a historic pattern of
land use centuries old.
Fertile
farmland was not the only incentive to settlement. Sea captains and merchants
from New England were drawn to the protected harbor of Penn Cove and the stands of tall timber valued for shipbuilding.
Many brought their families and took up donation claims along the shoreline.
One colorful seafaring man was Captain
Thomas Coupe, who startled his peers by sailing a full-rigged ship through
treacherous Deception Pass on the
north end of the island. In 1852, Coupe claimed
320 acres which later became the town of Coupeville
on the south shore of the cove.
The
early success of central Whidbey's
farming and maritime trade transformed Coupeville
into a dominant seaport. The past remains apparent in Coupeville today, with its many 19th-century false-fronted
commercial buildings on Front Street, its historic wharf and blockhouse, and
its rich collection of Victorian residential architecture.
SATURDAY July 22, 2017
101st BIRTHDAY OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
WEATHER: 61 at 4:30 am; cloudy most of the
morning with a hint of rain, up to 80 in the afternoon with sun
SUNRISE Mt. Vernon, WA 0531 PDT SUNSET Mt. Vernon, WA 2058 PDT
TRAVEL: Mt. Vernon RV Park, Mt.
Vernon, WA – North
Cascades NP
Based on
yesterday’s visits, today is not a good day to try to get the San
Juan Islands and the local Chevy dealer could
not change the oil on my car until Wednesday so - back to North Cascades. . . .
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| North Cascades NP - west entrance |
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| Sterling Munro Boardwalk it was cloudy all morning with some drizzle |
Today was a day of hiking trails . . . .
Sterling Munro Boardwalk - .1 miles this was very short - on a clear day it would have a good view of the mountains
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| River Loop Trail Skagit River |
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| River Loop Trailhead |
River Loop Trail – 1.8 miles leading through a variety of forest growth to a peaceful gravel bar with sweeping river views.
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| River Loop Trail - Skagit River |
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| This trail was not exciting - most of it was access to tent campsites along the Skagit River - The signs were dirty in need of cleaning or replacement |
To Know A Tree Trail – 5 miles Mostly level, with packed gravel surface. Skirts the campground, follows the river, wanders among large trees, and lush understory growth. Find plaques interpreting common trees and plants along the way.
Ladder Creek Falls Trail - .4 miles Located behind the Gorge Powerhouse, this 0.4 mile (0.6 km) loop trail showcases the power of nature. It leads to Ladder Creek Falls and through gardens that have delighted visitors to the Skagit Hydroelectric Project for over 75 years. There is a foot suspension bridge to the powerhouse. Some steep steps with handrails. This trail is past its prime.
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| Gorge Overlook Trail |
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| Gorge Overlook Trail |
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| Gorge Overlook Trail |
Gorge Overlook - .5 miles stared out paved - then dirt
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| Thunder Knob Trail occasional great views |
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| Thunder Knob Trail |
Thunder Knob – 3.6 miles Thunder Knob is a well-constructed trail with a moderate grade, and lots of views of surrounding peaks and Diablo Lake. With an elevation gain of only 425 feet, it's advertised a perfect hike for children and those who seek mountain scenery without the physical demands of high-country hiking - but it is a steep climb and a 4 mile walk - two miles uphill.
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| Thunder Knob Trail |
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| Thunder Knob Trail |
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| Thunder Knob Trail |
SUNDAY July 23, 2017
WEATHER: 58 at 5 am; cool in the morning –
cleared around 2 pm for awhile - high of 73 – but when the sun was out I put on
the AC in the trailer.
SUNRISE Mt. Vernon, WA 0533 PDT SUNSET Mt. Vernon, WA 2057 PDT
TRAVEL: Mt. Vernon RV Park to Immaculate
Conception Church, Mt. Vernon, WA
tp Mt. Vernon RV Park
Maintenance of
the trailer, labeled photos and updated the blog.
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| Immaculate Conception Mt. Vernon, WA |
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| Stained glass above the altar Reminiscent of the painting above the altar in Durand |
Not looking
forward to an early rise tomorrow with an unknown outcome of whether I will get
to San Juan Islands on the ferry
Had a delightful
evening of conversation with the couple next door – interesting – the
commonality is military service – yet we do not talk about it much – the folks
are form Arizona – same as the folks I met some years ago when I was camping at
West Point’s Round Pond.
MONDAY July 24, 2017
WEATHER: xx at 5 am;
SUNRISE Mt. Vernon, WA 05xx PDT SUNSET Mt. Vernon, WA 21xx PDT
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| Ferry loading |
TRAVEL: Mt. Vernon RV Park, Mt. Vernon, WA – San Juan Islands NHP - getting here is confusing – NPS websites are not very clear and they say to use the Washington State Ferry System.
I stopped by the
ferry terminal on Friday – not much help – no reservations – different schedule
– operating with one ferry ILO two - “get
here early.” Monday travel is probably a better bet than the weekend –
couldn’t make an oil change date at the Chevy dealer for today – so I will make
the attempt
390 SAN JUAN ISLANDS National Historical Park, WA
WHEN THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE APOLOGIZES IN ADVANCE FOR A STATE
RUN TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM YOU SHOULD PREPARE FOR THE WORST.
“The ferry system is complex, governed by law and the employees work under high
stress during the summer months. They do not make the rules, so if you're
frustrated by a botched reservation, placement of your vehicle on board, or
cancelled or delayed runs, please don't take it out on them.” https://www.nps.gov/sajh/planyourvisit/trafficandtraveltips.htm
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| Well, it can be frustrating especially when your basement carpeting has been waterlogged and needed to be removed |
GETTING THERE IS THE ADVENTURE!
It can be frustrating.
I really couldn’t figure out ferry system prior to arrival –
most helpful was the couple in the trailer next to me at Mt. Vernon RV Park . .
. . and to complicate matters there is no phone service where I am staying and
one of the ferries is down for repairs, therefore the schedule has changed - -
- - and I still can’t read the schedule on line and I can’t call to
clarify. I did stop by the terminal on
Friday 7/21 – the only advice I got was get there early – they are not taking
reservations – but are honoring all previous reservations . . . . I think it’s a mess.
LESSON LEARNED: MAKE YOUR RESERVATION IN ADVANCE – EVEN IF ITS
WRONG – MAKE A RESERVATION
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| San Juan Island - Friday Harbor - American Camp lower right hand corner of map (Item 4) English Camp upper left (Item 3) |
After all the worry – it was no bother – I arrived at 0505
for a 0625 ferry and got on no problem – same with the return trip at 1100
except the ferry was about ½ hour late.
Washington's San Juan Island Historical Park is known for its vistas, saltwater shore, quiet woodlands, and orca whales.
The park was created based upon an idea that individuals and nations can solve their problems peacefully without resorting to violence. It was here in 1859 that the United States and Great Britain nearly went to war over a pig shot by an American farmer. Pressures had been building between the two nations over possession of the San Juan Island group since 1846 when the Treaty of Oregon left ownership unclear. Thus came the "Pig War" crisis, at the height of which more than 500 U.S. Army soldiers and three British warships were nose to nose on the island's southern shore, not 10 miles from Victoria, British Columbia.
Fortunately, officials on both sides quickly restored calm and the nations agreed to a joint military occupation of the island until the boundary could be decided. The American soldiers and British Royal Marines remained for 12 years until Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany, as arbitrator, awarded the islands to the United States.
Open daily, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.The American Camp visitor center entrance road is located off Cattle Point Road on the southern end of San Juan Island. Drive west on Spring Street to Mullis Street and turn left. The road will wind a bit and change its name twice until it becomes Cattle Point Road.
Camp San Juan Island, today known as American Camp, was
occupied by the U.S. Army from July 1859 through November 1874. The only
structures in the above artist's depiction that remain today are the two
officers' quarters at far center right. It is believed George E.Pickett of
American Civil War fame lived in the quarters on the left.
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| Short version of how "war" between Great Britain & the US may have evolved in 1859 |
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| Artist depiction of American Camp on San Juan Island |
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| San Juan Island - American Camp |
When Great Britain and the United States in 1859 agreed to a joint occupation of San Juan Island until the water boundary between the two nations could be settled, it was decided that camps would be located on opposite ends of the island.
American Camp really began on a grassy slope about 200 yards from the shoreline of Griffin Bay. That’s where Capt. George E. Pickett and Company D, 9th Infantry landed on July 27, 1859. With the first tent stake, Pickett established an American military presence on San Juan Island that lasted 14 years.
Pickett
changed locations five days later perhaps in a quest for level ground but more
likely because of the British naval guns looking down his throat. It wasn’t
until the August 10 arrival of reinforcements under command of Lt. Col. Silas
Casey that the post found its permanent home. Casey had decided to move after
spending two stormy nights at Pickett’s second camp.
"We
are encamped in rather exposed situation with regard to the wind, being at the
entrance of the Straits of Fuca," Casey wrote. "The weather at times
is already quite inclement."
On August 22, Casey ordered his growing force (now 450 men) to pull up stakes and relocate to the north slope of the ridge just north of the Hudson’s Bay Company barns — once home to the pig that strayed and started the whole mess two months before. Casey ordered large, conical Sibley tents shipped from Fort Steilacoom to the new site which Casey deemed, "a very good position for an entrenched camp." The tents would supplement the clapboard buildings Pickett had already shipped over from Fort Bellingham, among these the hospital, barracks, laundress and officers quarters.
On August 22, Casey ordered his growing force (now 450 men) to pull up stakes and relocate to the north slope of the ridge just north of the Hudson’s Bay Company barns — once home to the pig that strayed and started the whole mess two months before. Casey ordered large, conical Sibley tents shipped from Fort Steilacoom to the new site which Casey deemed, "a very good position for an entrenched camp." The tents would supplement the clapboard buildings Pickett had already shipped over from Fort Bellingham, among these the hospital, barracks, laundress and officers quarters.
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| Robert's Redoubt - American Camp - San Juan Island |
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| Remains of Roberts Redoubt San Juan Island - American Camp |
"(Casey's
camp) is very strongly placed in the most commanding position at this end of
the island, well sheltered in the rear and one side by the Forest and on the
other side by a Commanding eminence," wrote Captain James Prevost,
commander of the H.M.S. Satellite. As a deterrent, the post served its purpose
until November when Lt. Gen. Winfield Scott and British Columbia Gov. James
Douglas finally agreed to a peaceful joint occupation by a company from each
nation until the boundary dispute could be resolved. Casey and the bulk of the
troops departed, along with the artillery from the redoubt. One company
remained.
And thus would the post continue through July 17, 1874. Eight companies from four regiments - all regular army and under command of 15 different officers - would man the post through some of the most tumultuous years of American history. They endured isolation, bad food, worse quarters and crushing boredom. Some soldiers were willing to risk company punishment - such as carrying a 40-pound log around the post all day - to numb themselves with the rotgut whisky of old San Juan Town. Some committed suicide. Some took "French leave" (deserted). But most endured and by so doing contributed to the legacy of peace we celebrate today.
And thus would the post continue through July 17, 1874. Eight companies from four regiments - all regular army and under command of 15 different officers - would man the post through some of the most tumultuous years of American history. They endured isolation, bad food, worse quarters and crushing boredom. Some soldiers were willing to risk company punishment - such as carrying a 40-pound log around the post all day - to numb themselves with the rotgut whisky of old San Juan Town. Some committed suicide. Some took "French leave" (deserted). But most endured and by so doing contributed to the legacy of peace we celebrate today.
Open daily, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. English Camp is located about nine miles northwest of Friday Harbor on West Valley Road. Take Spring Street to Second Street and turn right. Go straight. At the first stop sign you encounter, Second becomes Guard. Go to the next stop sign and continue to go straight. The street runs past the library, bends right and left and becomes Beaverton Valley Road. Follow Beaverton Valley Road over Cady Mountain (it’s a small mountain). The road becomes West Valley Road. About 500 feet past the park entrance sign, on the left, is the entrance road to the parade ground.
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| San Juan Island British Camp - Originally Dining Hall, then Barracks now the Visitor Center |
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| San Juan Island - English Camp Royal Marine Barracks |
The Royal Marine Barracks, built as a privates' mess in 1860 and converted to a barracks in 1867, serves as a visitor contact station during the summer season.
When Great Britain and the United States in 1859 agreed to a joint occupation of San Juan Island until the water boundary between the two nations could be settled, it was decided that camps would be located on opposite ends of the island.
 |
| San Juan Island British Camp - view from Officer's hill |
Shortly after the British and American governments affirmed Lieutenant General Winfield Scott’s proposal to jointly occupy San Juan Island, the Royal Navy started looking for a home for its British Royal Marine Light Infantry contingent.
Capt. James Prevost, commander of H.M.S. Satellite, selected the site on Garrison Bay — 15 miles northwest of American Camp — from among seven finalists. He’d remembered the bay shore from explorations two years earlier as a part of the water boundary commission survey of the island. At that time, one of his officers, Lieutenant Richard Roche, had commented on seeing abandoned Indian plank houses nestled among a vast shell midden.
Roche described the ground as "well-sheltered, has a good supply of water and grass, and is capable of affording maneuvering ground for any number of men that are likely to be required in that locality..." He added that a trail, 11 miles long, led from this area to the Hudson’s Bay farm at Bellevue.
The
marines landed on March 23, 1860. They brought along the necessary materials to
erect the first building, a commissary (or storehouse) about 40 by 20 feet
(which still stands). The camp commander, Captain George Bazalgette, RM, then
placed a requisition for "84 tin pannikins, 36 tin plates, 3 'dishes', 10
camp kettles, 18 lanterns, 1 measures set, and a small quantity of
stationery."
The
command consisted of two subalterns (junior officers), an assistant surgeon and
83 non commissioned officers and men. After clearing the shore of its thick
growth of trees, they erected the commissary and planted a small garden where
the formal garden lies today.
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| San Juan Island - English Camp - Officer's Homes |
Barracks,
cooking houses and other vital structures quickly followed, especially after
Rear
Admiral R. Lambert Baynes visited in June and pronounced the need for
extra pay for the men to prepare the camp for winter. By 1866 the camp was at
its peak for the enlisted men. One visitor commented: "We may remark here
that the neatness, cleanliness and good order observable throughout the entire
camp were the subject of general observation."
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| San Juan Island English Camp - marker on Officer's Hill |
 |
| Goodbye to Sand Juan Island |
The marines departed in November 1872, following the final boundary decision of Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany. They left behind a facility so solidly built that the Crook family (who purchased the site from the U.S. government) occupied several of the structures for more than 30 years.
TUESDAY July 25, 2017
WEATHER: 53 at 5 am -clear and sunny; stayed
sunny all day with temps in mid 7-‘s when I reached McChord. Driving through downtown Seattle is a pain –
still nothing compared to Chicago . . . . . . .
SUNRISE Mt. Vernon, WA 0535 PDT SUNSET McChord AFB 2051 PDT
TRAVEL: Mt. Vernon RV Park, Mt.
Vernon, WA – Holiday FAMCAMP,
Joint Base Lewis McChord, WA
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| Holiday Park FamCamp Joint Base Lewis-McCHord |
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| Holiday Park lots of trees wide open |
However there
does appear to be a mean streak in at least one employee here like the one at the Base Express that acted like I was imposing
on her personal time for even asking directions to the FamCamp - oh well -
The site is
asphalt – nestled in the tall pines – a pretty site. Of course there is no
WIFI and even my
phone still does not work – that is sad for Verizon – they have offices
here I can’t understand why there is no service
WEDNESDAY July 26, 2017
WEATHER: 58 at 4:45 am;
SUNRISE McChord AFB 0542 PDT SUNSET
McChord AFB 2052 PDT
TRAVEL: Holiday FAMCAMP, Joint
Base McChord, WA –Skagway
NHP, downtown
Seattle and SAFECO Park, downtown
Seattle Travel to SAFECO was another
adventure – downtown stadiums – as far as I’m concerned – you
can keep ‘em and you can
keep driving in Seattle/Tacoma – it took me 2 ¼ hours to travel 53 miles most
of it freeway to SAFECO – the traffic
is on par with Chicago . . . . . of course, the football stadium is right next
door
HOLIDAY FAMCAMP – a pleasant place
- Somehow I miss the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner at the beginning and end of the
day and the sound of the freedom – jet aircraft . . . . . WIFI
is available in
the Club House (when its open) here at Holiday Park and at the Starbucks in the
BX
After a 2¼ hour wait my oil was changed and tires rotated
at the Titus-Will Chevrolet Dealership – Quick Lube was not
so quick – However, the WIFI
was faster than at home – uploaded
pictures to the blog through July 24th.
. . .
Service with VERIZON is still very spotty – mostly
non-existent – I’m going to have to stop at a store and see what gives . . . .
. without service I can’t even set up a ”hotspot”
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| This is the corner entrance almost impossible to read from across the street |
You can check my
attempted trip to Skagway when I was in Haines,
AK on July 5th
– just breathe . . . . .
I parked in my $40
parking space on the 5th level of a parking structure that is between
the baseball park and football stadium then walked about 6 blocks to Klondike
Gold Rush
National Historical Park – just north of
the football stadium - it is not that easy to find, there are no signs, not
even a US flag, and the ‘kiddy-corner’ coffee shop folks only knew it as the “gold
museum’. However, it is a reasonably sized 2 story
museum.
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| Most of the exhibits cover the personal stories of the 'stampeders' |
The Hielscher collection contains 1,237
objects, letters and documents, all connected to one individual. Because
everything is tied together and linked to a single person, they give you a rich
picture of the life that he lived.
John Hielscher lived in Seattle when news
of the gold rush broke and headed to the Klondike on the Signal steamship
at the end of 1897. He left his wife, Leah, and young son in Seattle and,
although he didn’t strike it rich mining for gold, made a living in the Klondike and Alaska for 15 years
before returning to Seattle for good. Hielscher worked as a prospector at
first, but also ran hoists along the trail to the Klondike and ran markets in Alaska, making short trips back
to Seattle to see his family when he could
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| Klondike Timeline - a bit hard to read |
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| Water & Land Routes of the Stampeders |
Although
the gold rush only lasted a few years, Hielscher didn’t return
to Seattle for good until 1912. He kept a continuous correspondence with his
family while they were apart, updating Leah about his businesses and sending
drawings to his children about life in Canada and Alaska.
The Hielscher collection contains 294 letters that Hielscher wrote to Leah, Ernest and Herbert during their 15
years apart. A major theme running through the letters is one of homesickness
and missing his family.
Although
he didn’t strike it rich prospecting, Hielscher did manage to
make a living thanks to the gold rush. Even as his time in Alaska was drawing
to a close, Hielscher remained unsure if the time away from his wife and
children was really worth the sacrifice.
"it is 12 years this month that I first left home for alaska
did it pay would it have been better
that we never would have heard from this country…"
did it pay would it have been better
that we never would have heard from this country…"
- John
Hielscher, January 15, 1910
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| I found this interesting- - I had never considered that they were mining ancient river beds |
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| Mining the ancient river bed |
Hielscher’s journey is unique, but he was still one of the thousands of people who gave up everything in the hopes that they would find gold in the Klondike. Reading his letters and going through the collections for this project opened my eyes to the different ways that the gold rush influenced the lives of people in the 1890s and beyond. Learning about Hielscher’s experience made me realize the reach of the gold rush for people from all walks of life.
“There are stories between each line
and when Leah, the boys and I come this winter
and if anyone cares to hear them, I will tell them,
so goodby, will see you this winter”.
and when Leah, the boys and I come this winter
and if anyone cares to hear them, I will tell them,
so goodby, will see you this winter”.
- John Hielscher,
September 1, 1912
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| This was a Wednesday afternoon - who was working? |
OF COURSE THE SEATTLE POLITICIANS PASSED A $15/HOUR MINIMUM
WAGE
THAT’S IN ORDER TO ‘BE FAIR’ FOR ALL THOSE WHO HAVE TO PAY
THE 14.1% SALES TAX - MY GOODNESS THAT’S
HIGHER THAN AUSTRALIA’S 12% - THE WEATHER IS NICE BUT WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO
LIVE HERE?
THURSDAY July 27, 2017
WEATHER: 57 at 5 am cloudy, clouds should burn off by afternoon;
SUNRISE McChord AFB 0543 PDT SUNSET
McChord AFB 2250 PDT
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| This is Site #30 my second site They are big enough and pleasant |
HOLIDAY FAMCAMP – had to move the trailer from Site #12 to Site #30. In the time it took for site #30 to become
vacant, I had the tires rotated and an alignment done on my truck at the base Firestone Dealer. While waiting, I went next door to the Starbucks in the BX –
just like the Burger
King, WIFI
didn’t work here
either.
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| My 1st day in Mt Rainier NP and yes, a backup to get into the park |
Ascending to 14,410 feet above sea level, Mount Rainier stands as an icon in the Washington landscape. An active volcano, Mount Rainier is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S.A., spawning six major rivers. Subalpine wildflower meadows ring the icy volcano while ancient forest cloaks Mount Rainier’s lower slopes. Wildlife abounds in the park’s ecosystems. .
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| It was cloudy most of the day this is Mt. Rainier fromthe porch of the National Park Inn Longmire VC |
Best mountain scenery I’ve seen yet this year . . . . yes better than Alaska or Glacier NP and a lot better than North Cascades NP . . . . . ,
Mount Rainier National Park offers over 260
miles of maintained trails. Trails lead
through the peacefulness of the old-growth forest of the river valleys and the
high subalpine meadows on the flanks of Mount Rainier. From the
trails you can explore and experience the forests, lakes, and streams and view
the fields of wildflowers and network of glaciers.
Below
is some background on the Native Americans in the area –
however – the park VCs do not have
many/any exhibits on the people who lived in the park . . .
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| Glaciers on Mt. Rainer |
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| Longmire VC the trees here are big |
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| Longmire VC Born On Date 1293 |
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| Longmire VC Trail of the Shadows |
There are 4 Visitor
Centers in Mt. Rainier – seeing them all in one day is difficult. Today I did visit three. Longmire, Paradise and Ohanapecosh.
History and nature
meet at Longmire VC. At the lowest level, Longmire is
accessible year round. Originally a
resort there is rustic park architecture and several trails to walk.
Paradise VC is the beginning of the hiker’s paradise . . . . . a lot of trails start and met here. The VC is newer - - - - along the road - - - - below an old lodge
that is still used by visitors today.
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| Box Canyon Trail - an short easy walk |
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| Box Canyon Trail view of Mt. Rainier |
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| Ohanapecosh VC |
Since I was
southeast entrance to the park I decided to go around the mountain rather than take all the switchbacks again on
a return through the park. It still took
2 hours to travel 87 miles – bikers on the mountain roads – traffic jams on the
highways , . .
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| Grove of the Patriarchs Trail |
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| Grove of the Patriarchs Trail |
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| Grove of the Patriarchs Trail |
FRIDAY July 28, 2017
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| Sign outside turnoff for Paradise VC |
SUNRISE McChord AFB 0545 PDT SUNSET
McChord AFB 2049 PDT
TRAVEL: Holiday FAMCAMP, Joint
Base McChord, WA to Mt.
Rainier NP, to Holiday FAMACAP
Joint Base McChord Took yesterday’s route in reverse with a first stop
at Sunrise VC.
HOLIDAY FAMCAMP – site #30
was challenge to get into yesterday – something about a tree in front of the
site not friendly to a truck backing in a trailer . . . . it took several tries
until I got it right
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| Most of the Mather Memorail Parkway is through USFS or State Forest Lands |
69 was a year to
remember, John & Yoko get married, they have their ‘bed-ins’, John composes
“Give Peace A Chance”, Ike dies, Judy Garland dies, Brian Jones drowns, Ted
Kennedy has an incident at Chappaquiddick, the Cuyahoga
River starts on fire, Stonewall has a riot, Sesame
Street is born, My Lai,
Altamont . . . . . ’68 was
the summer of love’ but ’69 was the summer I ‘aced’ 2 morning courses at UWM,
never skipped a class, took the exams - but wasn’t enrolled for credit, the
summer of the House of the Rising Sun, the astronauts landing on the moon, the
beer strike, Jilli’s apartment, the summer I had a chance to go to Woodstock,
the summer of the traveling
troubadour - the summer of 69 was a special remembrance
391 MT. RAINER National Park, WA
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| Mt Rainier - eruptions can cause glaciers to melt causing 'lahars' giant mudflows of debris |
Although I thought it
difficult, I did visit all 4 Visitor Centers and walked short trails at 3.
But remember you
cannot really see this park in a day- you need several – and get on on the
trails to see the park. If I had only
time for one place to go – I’d travel to Sunrise VC – highest elevation – best views
of the glaciers – get there early and walk trails.
The trip to Sunrise
VC was outstanding. It was mostly the same route I took yesterday
but with – little traffic – NO BICYCLES – no trailers it a joyful drive. The key is to leave early. On the way down there were bicyclists peddling
their way up – macho men in spandex – ‘guess what I did yesterday – I biked up
to Sunrise’
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| Sunrise VC EL 6400 |
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| Sunrise VC entrance |
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| Sunrise VC - inspiraton for Lincoln Logs or did Lincoln Logs insprie this design |
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| Sunrise Silver Forest Trail Mt. Rainier |
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| Sunrise Silver Forest Trail Mt. Rainier valley |
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| Sunrise Silver Forest Trail wildflowers |
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| Sunrise VC- Mt. Rainier Silver Forest Trail note the blue of the glaciers |
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| Sunrise - Silver Forest Trail valley lake |
The drive from Sunrise VC to Ohanapecosh VC was also a delight. However, arrival at noon caused a problem with parking. I eventually found a space for 30 minutes and walked the Nature Trail.
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| Like Longmire, Ohanacopesh appears to also have once been a hot springs resort |
However, the drive
from Stevens Canyon Entrance to Paradise VC was not so delightful. Following
2 dump trucks with 2nd carriers was a slow process up the grades on
the roads.
Arrival at Paradise
VC was an arrival to
a full parking lot – way too many people and cars –
I couldn’t find a place to
park - full of tourists – reminiscent of Zion – lots of Asians - well it was a
Friday and the end of July and it was around 1:30 pm in the afternoon. I
eventually found a space in the picnic area and walked the steep uphill ½
mile to the VC. – walked the Skyline
Trail to Myrtle
Falls – the whole walk
there was uphill but downhill all the back to the truck.
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| Paradise VC the is the rear of the building actually more impressive than the front |
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| Paradise VC trails map |
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| Paradise Myrtle Falls Trail |
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| There are 3D models like this in each Visitor Center the mountain is dominating - the surroundings are a sightto behold |
I did stop at Longmire
VC – I was tired –
got an ice cream drumstick and left the park with little traffic . . . .
EXCEPT - I had a very long
wait on the highway back to McChord . . . . I shut the truck off - another flagger – one lane traffic - there was a backup of 400
cars . . . I stopped
counting as I was going through at 200 but the cars just went on and on –
“there oughta be a law” . . .
I love the sound
of jets taking off in the evening . . .
SATURDAY July 29, 2017
WEATHER: 55 at 5:30 am – a clear day with a high in the low 70’s;
SUNRISE McChord AFB 0545 PDT SUNSET
Port Angeles, WA 2048 PDT
TRAVEL: Holiday FAMCAMP, Joint
Base McChord, WA to Lewis
& Clark NHP, to Holiday FAMACAP
Joint Base McChord
HOLIDAY FAMCAMP – this is quiet and plenty of room compared to other
RV parks – and for $25 a day I guess I can live without the convenience o f
WIFI in the trailer
392 LEWIS & CLARK National Historical
Park, Astoria, WA
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| Lewis & Clark National Historical Pak |
This was a 5 hour
round trip drive that went through a construction zone on I-5 each ways and
consumed 16.3 gallons of gas – I don’t
think it was worth it.
The VC was crowded
– it was Saturday and there were plenty of families and groups of kids going
after their Junior Ranger activities . . . . NPS had plenty going on but after visiting The Gateway
Arch in St Louis and
the Mandan Villages in North Dakota and literally traveling much of the Lewis
& Clark route getting here
– it was anti-climatic.
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| Reconstructed Fort Clatsop - something tells me the original was not surrounded by trees |
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| Fort Clatsop interior |
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| copy of the original sketch for Fort Clatsop |
Fort Clatsop was the winter encampment for the Corps of Discovery from December 1805 to March 1806. The
visitor center includes a replica of Fort Clatsop similar to the
one built by the explorers, an interpretive center offering an exhibit hall,
gift shop and two films. The center features ranger-led programs, costumed
rangers in the fort and trailheads for the Fort To Sea
Trail and Netul
River Trail .
Lewis and Clark National Historical Park offers 14.5
miles of trails that follow similar routes to those taken by the Corps of Discovery. I walked some short trails around the
VC but did not walk the longer trails.
SUNDAY July 30, 2017
WEATHER: 56 at 4:30 am; cloudy – more
humid than yesterday
SUNRISE Port Angeles, WA 0548 PDT SUNSET Port
Angeles, WA 2054 PDT
TRAVEL: Holiday FAMCAMP MCChord
AFB to Crescent
Lodge, Olympic NP
HOLIDAY FAMCAMP – 10:30 am
mass at St. Mary’s Church, put trailer in storage for 3 days Sunday, Monday,
Tuesday will be staying at Crescent Lake Lodge in Olympic
National Park – washed truck
before church – used coupon from Chevy Dealer – updated blog for an hour at McDonald’s. The laundry room here has a weird lock - -
- it needs to be replaced - the combination only works when you jiggle
the door know a certain way – and I’m supposed to know that – I woke up the
camp host at 7 am.
10:30 am mass at St. Mary’s Traditional Catholic Church, Tacoma, WA
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| St. Mary's Traditional Catholic Chruch |
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| Lake Crescent without smoke |
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| Room - Lake Crescent Lodge |
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| Olympic - Park VC Entrance sign |
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| Olympic Living Forest Trail |
TEMPERATE RAIN FORESTS MOUNTAINS
Hoh Hurricane
Ridge
Queets Deer
PArk
Quinnault
LOWLAND FORESTS COAST
Sol Duc Ozette
Lake Crescent Dosewallips
Heart O’ the Hills Kalaloch
Park Visitor Center
Elwha
Staricase
Dosewallips
Areas in BLUE I visited,& walked trails; Areas in RED I did not
I spent 3 nights here, which could be just about right, but there are enough trails to walk to take weeks . . .
With its incredible range of precipitation and
elevation, DIVERSITY is
the hallmark of Olympic
National Park. Encompassing nearly a million acres, the
park protects a vast wilderness, thousands of years of human history, and several distinctly
different ecosystems,
including glacier-capped mountains,
old-growth temperate rain
forests, and over 70 miles of wild coastline.
Possibly
the first European to sight the Olympic Peninsula was Juan de Fuca, a Greek pilot sailing for
Spain.
In 1592 he claimed discovery of the strait that now bears his name. The late
18th century saw the first well-documented voyages. In search of the Northwest
Passage, the waters of the Olympic Peninsula were visited by people from various
countries including Mexico, Spain, France, Russia, England, and the United
States. Spanish explorer Juan Perez Hernandez sailed the coast in 1774. Four years later, English
navigator Captain James Cook unsuccessfully searched for Juan de Fuca's elusive strait. His
countryman Captain William Barkley sailed into the strait in 1787, and named it after its
discoverer. The next year another English explorer, Captain John Meares, named Mount Olympus––it seemed to him a
veritable home of the gods. In 1792 the region's waters were thoroughly
explored by Captain George Vancouver, who named many features
including Puget Sound
and Mount Rainier.
Events
elsewhere in North America began affecting the Olympic Peninsula in the late 1800s. Gold
rushes and depressions led to movement of many young men across North America.
After the California gold rush, people came to prospect the peninsula as part
of the British Columbia
and Klondike gold
rushes. Development was limited as there were no roads at that time. Where the
waters were more tranquil, canoes and small boats provided a ready means of
transportation. People and commerce traveled on pack animals and across crude
bridges.
MONDAY July 31, 2017
WEATHER: 53 at 4:30 am – clear – high of
82 –
SUNRISE Port Angeles, WA 0548 PDT SUNSET Port
Angeles, WA 2053 PDT
TRAVEL: Lake Crescent Lodge – Hoh Rain Forest VC – Ruby Beach – Lake
Quinault – Lake Crescent Lodge.
This route took
me from the north side of Olympic NP around the east end to the ocean then to the south
and back.
Lake Crescent Lodge -
literature indicates “Limited internet access in the lobby” –
I think I know why I have such good service in the room – the room is right
above the lobby – and few people come the lobby for WIFI – few ‘streaming’
393 OLYMPIC National Park, Port Angeles, WA
Today was a day of
hiking . . . pictures cannot do the views of the forest justice – there are feelings
that go along with being here in the forests
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| Olympic - Hoh Rain Forest along the Hoh River |
The three trails
below all run together – I arrived about 0830 – still not too many people – it was
quiet and cool. There is a VC here it
did not open until 0900.
Mini Trail – a paved .1 mile loop near the VC
Hall of Mosses Trail – this .8 mile loop was a climb early for the early
morning, it kind of
reminded me of Endora – it was a good
walk
Spruce Nature Trail - this 1.2 mile loop is also a
good walk; I saw an elk calf and a bull elk on this walk
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| Hoh - Hall of Mosses Trail |
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| Hoh - Spruce Trail |
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| Look closely there's an elk there |
COAST
Ruby Beach Trail – along the Pacific Ocean – I think the tide was going out – about a ¾ mile
walk to the beach through a log jam at the end of the river to view seastacks
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| Log Jam |
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| Seastacks |
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| Quinnault River |
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| Dirt Road south of Quinnault River |
Irely Lake Trail – 2.4 miles round trip to an alpine lake; the dirt road is an interesting
trip in
itself – this trail is almost at the end of the road
itself – this trail is almost at the end of the road
 |
| Irely Lake Trail not much of a trail at first I almost turned around |
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| Irely Lake it was worth the steep walk up to look at this Alpine Lake |
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| Irely Lake Trail on of several log bridges |
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| Kestner Homestead |
The following two trails are located at the Quinnault River Ranger Station which was not open:
Maple Glade Trail – a .5 mile loop
Kestner Homestead Trail – a 1.3 mile loop – interesting that there are no interpretive signs indicating who the Kestner’s were
TUESDAY August 1, 2017
 |
| Crescent Lake sunset with Bristih Columbia wild fire smoke |
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| Crescent Lodge Lobby - early in the morning |
WEATHER: 57 at 5:30 am; it began to get
hazy around noon – I could see it drifting in when I was at Hurricane
VC the haze was
actually smoke from fires in British Columbia
SUNRISE Port Angels, WA 0549 PDT SUNSET Port
Angeles. WA 2051 PDT
TRAVEL: Crescent Lodge, Olympic
NP
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| Olympic NP - Elwha Valley |
Another
early morning start to Elwha in the
Lowland Forests
LOWLAND FORESTS – Elwha Ranger Station (closed)
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| Whisky Bend Road looking at the dam site from the parking area |
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| Whiskey Bend Road Looking down from the former dam site |
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| Whisky Bend Road Looking upriver from the former top of the dam this is the former resevoir |
West Elwha Trail – this was another drive to the end of Whisky Bend Road - a steep dirt road. I only walked an hour on this trail – probably more than 2 but less than 3 miles – fairly level – above the Elwha River.- early morning quiet and serene. The surprise prior to coming to the trailhead was coming across a dam that was removed . . . . A great walk – didn’t see another person for the entire hour.
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| West Elwha Trail |
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| West Elwha Trail |
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| West Elwha Trail |
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| Elwha - Madison Falls |
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| Olympic - map of the Elwha Area The steep drive on the dirt Whisky Bend Road was a great way to start the morning - somehow I lost all photos of the West Elwha Trail - again a great way to start the day |
Madison Falls Trail – this was a .1 mile walk along a steep but paved walkway
After
walking this trail I had somehow turned the brightness on my phone all the way
down – I couldn’t remember how to turn it back up without seeing the screen so
I drove to a nearby Verizon
store in Port Angeles –
the guy there showed me how to turn it up.
MOUNTAINS – Hurricane Ridge VC
Finally,
views of the mountains – I noticed a haze drifting in from the north – the haze
is smoke
from wild fires in British Columbia – I
think yesterday may have been a better day to view mountains – the haze became
worse the longer I stayed here
Meadow Loop Trails – several trails here after a visit to the VC
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| Olympic Cirque Rim Trail |
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| Olympic Cirque Rim Trail |
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| Olympic Cirque Rim Trail |
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| Olympic - Mt Olympus is out there somewhere You can see the smoke haze coming on I'll call this the 'backbone' of Olympic NP There are no roads here - hard to get here view from Hurricane Ridge VC |
 |
| Olympic Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center |
Another assault on the Olympic interior was made in the
winter of 1889-1890. During the fall of 1889, the year Washington became a
state, the Seattle Press newspaper called for "hardy citizens . . . to
acquire fame by unveiling the mystery which wraps the land encircled by the
snow capped Olympic range."
This call was answered by James Christie,
who volunteered to organize an expedition if the Press would finance it. The
Press Party consisted of six men (one of them left the expedition early; five
completed the trip) whom the Press described as having "an abundance of
grit and manly vim," four dogs, two mules, and 1500 pounds of supplies.
This group entered the Olympics in
December 1889, one of the harshest and snowiest winters in the Peninsula's
history.
 |
| Olympic - Ancient Groves Trail This picture does not do the view justice This was a peaceful walk |
Christie had planned to follow the Elwha River into the heart of the mountains, transporting supplies on a large flat-bottomed boat, Gertie, which the men built. The boat leaked and after twelve frigid, exhausting days, it was abandoned.
The party spent January - April 1890, exploring the Elwha Valley. In early May, the Press Party, their clothes in tatters and running dangerously low on supplies, crossed Low Divide and headed down the Quinault Valley, reaching the coast on May 20, 1890 after nearly six months in the mountains. Press Party blazes can still be found along the Elwha River trail in the park.
LOWLAND FORESTS
Ancient Groves Nature Trial – written up as a .6 mile loop this is not well marked – no interpretive
markers but a wonderful walk about 9 miles up the Sol Duc Road.
Sol Duc (Sole Duke) Lodge
 |
| This was literally an 'hot spot' to visit in the past - if able to read the print the hotel burned down |
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| Sol Duc Hot Springs Legend |
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| Hot Springs formation |
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| Sol Duc Falls Trail |
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| Sol Duc Falls Trail |
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| Sol Duc Falls Trail |
WEDNESDAY August 2, 2017
WEATHER: 60 at 5 am; smoky haze
SUNRISE Port Angeles,WA 0550 PDT SUNSET McChord
AFB 2042 PDT
TRAVEL: Crescent Lodge, Olympic
NP to Holiday FAMCAMP,
McChord AFB
Holiday FAMCAMP McChord AFB, WA – took the trailer out of storage
set up in Site #37
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| Olympic - Moments In Time Trail view of Lake Crescent shrouded in a smoky haze |
My last day in
Olympic so I walked 2 nearby trials
 |
| Olympic Moments in Time Trail |
Nature Trail – a very level walk – a little confusing because
there are several entrances to the trail – but there were a good number of fairly
new interpretive signs along the trail
Merrymere Falls Trail – here again a trail that begins near a closed Storm King Ranger Station – a 1.8 mile round trip
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| Olympic Merrymere Falls upper view |
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| Olympic Merrymere Falls Bridge on Trail |
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| Olympic Merrymere Falls lower view |
THURSDAY August 3, 2017
WEATHER: 63 at 4:30 am; still hazy – smoky
due to Canadian British Columbia wild fires, ban on burning – to include Bar-B-Qs –
really - just try to enforce that – forecast calls for high in 90’s maybe 100 –
but the haze is keeping it cool? – could be warmer – the solution to global warming –
more wildfires – oh that interferes with air quality – well maybe that’s what
makes it a perfect world . . . . do we really affect the earth or does the
earth adjust . . . . .
SUNRISE MCChord AFB 0551 PDT SUNSET
McChord AFB 2041 PDT
It was 101 by 5 pm - - - - 93 in the shade of Holiday Park
FamCamp
TRAVEL: Holiday FAMCAMP McChord
AFB, WA to Fort
Vancourver, NHS to Mt.
St. Helens to Holiday FAMCAMP McChord
AFB, WA
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| Fort Vancouver National Historic Park |
This was an
unexpectedly nice place for a walk. Officer’s
Row is shaded with a
sidewalk – many of the of homes are open for tours, some house businesses – all
are well kept. The walk continues
through an old section of Vancouver Barracks – very familiar . . . the ‘fort’ is a reconstruction of the Hudson
Bay Company’s outpost – much
larger but similar to Fort Union. Finally, I stopped at Pearson
Air Field and a museum in a
hanger there.
A lot of firsts . . . 1st European settlement in the
Northwest, 1st European trading post in the Northwest, 1st
US Army post in the Northwest, 1st airfield in the Northwest . . .
. .
Located on the north bank of the Columbia River, in sight of snowy mountain peaks and a vibrant urban landscape, this park has a rich cultural past. From a frontier fur trading post, to a powerful military legacy, the magic of flight, and the origin of the American Pacific Northwest, history is shared at four unique sites.
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| Entrance ot Foirt Vancouver This fort was primarily for storage of product |
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| Hudson Bay Company HBC initials on flag |
The London-based Hudson's Bay
Company
established Fort Vancouver in
1825 to serve as the headquarters of the Company's interior fur trade. The
first Fort Vancouver
was located on the bluff to the northeast of the fort's current location, where
it was relocated in 1829. The fort served as the core of the HBC's western operations,
controlling the fur business from Russian Alaska to Mexican California, and
from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Vancouver was the principal colonial
settlement in the Pacific Northwest, and a major center of industry, trade, and
law.
The Village to the west of the fort was Vancouver's first neighborhood. The
employees of the Hudson's Bay Company lived there with their families in simple one or two room
cabins. The Village was incredibly diverse, a community of people whose
homelands spanned half the globe.
In 1866, the fort burned to the ground. What
can be visited today is a reconstruction built on the archaeological footprint
of the original fort.
 |
| Fort Vancouver - the Big House - the McLoughlin House |
 |
| The McLoughlin House |
He was known in Oregon City as the "Doctor" - a trained physician who once presided over British fur trade interests in a vast area stretching from California to Alaska.
John McLoughlin, former Chief Factor at Fort Vancouver in the Oregon Country from 1825-1845, possessed both business acumen and compassion.
He made money for the Hudson's Bay Company, but also assisted exhausted, starving American emigrants arriving into the region via the Oregon Trail.
All his actions were set against the international stage of American and British politics and
determination of national boundaries.
 |
| McLaughlin House Dining Room |
Forced into retirement, he and his family settled into this home by the Willamette Falls in Oregon City in 1846.
McLoughlin built himself a new career promoting the economic prosperity of the Oregon Territory.
He became an American citizen in 1851, and served as the mayor of Oregon City. He and his wife Marguerite were known for their hospitality and generous support of those in the community.
McLoughlin loaned money to emigrants to help them establish commercial ventures and he owned sawmills, a gristmill, a granary, a general store, and a shipping concern. He also donated land for schools and churches.
McLoughlin's home, saved from demolition by the McLoughlin Memorial Association and moved to its present location in 1909, was added to the National Park System in 2003 as a unit of Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.
 |
| Vancouver Barracks |
Known by a variety of
names, including Camp Vancouver
(1849-1850), Columbia Barracks (1850-1853), Fort Vancouver (1853-1879), and finally
Vancouver Barracks (1879 to
present), the United States Army established this post in 1849 on a low ridge
above the Hudson's Bay Company's Fort Vancouver to provide for peaceful
American settlement of the Oregon Country.
 |
| Vancouver Barracks - a familiar style |
During World War I, Vancouver Barracks was the principal
district for the U.S. Army Signal Corps' Spruce Production Division and the
site of the world's largest lumber mill. In 1925, the Army established Pearson Field at the post, initiating a
sustained role in aviation history. In the 1930s, the post became the district
headquarters for the Ninth Corps of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and,
under the command of General George C.
Marshall, played an important role in the enrollment, training, and supply
of the Pacific Northwest's network of CCC camps. During World War II, Vancouver Barracks served as a training center and staging area for the
Portland Subport of Embarkation.
 |
| Officers Row Marshal House |
 |
| Officers Row Grant House |
 |
| Officers Row Otis O Howard House |
 |
| Map of Fort Vancouver National Historic Park |
 |
| Pearson Field |
In the early years of
the 20th century, Vancouver Barracks,
and its polo field, was a central place for aviation enthusiasts to gather and
try out their aircraft. During these early years at the Vancouver Barracks polo
field, civilian aviators like Silas Christofferson, Charles Walsh, Walker
Edwards, and Louis Barin wowed crowds with aerial acrobatics and feats.
When the United States
entered World War I in 1917, the polo field became the site of the Spruce Production Division's Spruce
Cut-Up Mill, where spruce logged from the forests of the Pacific Northwest was
manufactured into aviation-grade lumber.
The lumber produced by the Spruce Mill
was used to construct Curtiss JN-4 aircraft for pilots in training, and De
Havilland DH-4 aircraft for combat overseas.
In the early 1920s, the
Spruce Mill was demolished, and the field once again became an air field, first
known as the "Vancouver Barracks Aerodrome," and christened "Pearson Air Field," after Lt. Alexander Pearson, in 1925.
Beginning in 1923, the field was home to the 321st Observation Squadron, 96th
Division, commanded by Lt. Oakley Kelly from 1924-1929, and by Lt. Carlton Bond
from 1929-1933 and 1938-1940.
 |
| This Hanger is home to a free Museum |
Another highlight in the
history of Pearson Field occurred in
June 1937, when the Soviet Union launched the first trans-polar flight from
Moscow with a three man crew, piloted by Valery
Chkalov. After over three days of flying, and while en route to San
Francisco, the ANT-25 aircraft piloted by Chkalov
touched down at Pearson Field due to
an engine oil leak. The event put Pearson
Field, and Vancouver, Washington, on the front page of newspapers around
the world.
Pearson Field was decommissioned by the Army Air Corps at the end of World
War II, but it remains in service as a municipal airfield.
Even with the
smoky air I had to make the visit – knowing visibility would be poor. I’m glad
I visited the Cascades, Mt. Ranier, and Olympic when I did or my visits would
have not been very rewarding.
There are two VCs here
one is run by the State of Washington,
it’s closest to the Highway with no views of Mt. St. Helens. There is an
admission charge of $5 for a film and a small museum.
The other VC is run by
the US Forest Service; it is about
two miles from the base Mt. St. Helens. About an hour drive off of I-5. There is a
admission charge, film and exhibits but this is the one you want to visit.
There is a 3rd
in between run by Weyerhauser (free)
but it was closed.
The USFS film is very good . .
. building on my thought yesterday . . .
. the film’s message is “where humans see
catastrophe, nature sees opportunity” – the area is more diverse now than
ever and will gradually become less diverse as the forest returns over time .
. . .
 |
| Mount St. Helens - May 18, 1980 - an active volcano |
 |
| Mount St. Helens - May 18, 1980 - note eruption at top vent it was described by an observer 3 miles away that the mountain side was sliding away the observer did not live |
 |
| Mount St. Helens - May 18, 1980 - people watching this event at first did not feel fear there was no immediate sound it took several seconds fro the sound to accompany the sights |
 |
| Mount St. Helens - Before and After |
Gas rich magma and
super-heated groundwater trapped inside the volcano were suddenly released in a
powerful lateral blast. In less than three minutes, 230 square miles of forest
lay flattened. The hot gas and magma melted the snow and ice that covered the
volcano. The resulting floodwater mixed with the rock and debris to create
concrete-like mudflows that scoured river valleys surrounding the mountain.
A plume of volcanic ash and pumice billowed out of the volcano reaching a height of 15 miles and transformed day into night across Eastern Washington. Avalanches of super-heated gas and pumice, called pyroclastic flows, swept down the flanks of the volcano.
 |
| This is Mt. St Helens Aug 3, 2017 Smoke from wild fires in British Columbia obscured views |
While the landslide and lateral blast were over within minutes, the eruption column, mudflows and pyroclastic flows continued throughout the day and following night.
By the following morning
major eruptive activity had ceased and the landscape appeared to be a gray
wasteland.
From this wasteland, new
life soon emerged and thrived. The last three-plus decades has offered a lot of
knowledge and insight into the recovery of devastated landscapes.
FRIDAY August 4, 2017
WEATHER: 62 at 5:30 am; still a smoky haze
due to fires in British Columbia
SUNRISE McChord AFB 0553 PDT SUNSET
McChord AFB 2040 PDT
TRAVEL: Holiday FAMCAMP McChord
AFB, WA
Holiday FAMCAMP McChord AFB, WA
Washed the truck
– did laundry – updated the words for the blog and edited/labeled pictures.-
even made a BX and Commissary run- a full day
 |
| Whispering Firs Clubhouse McChord Air Froce Base |
 |
| Whispsering Firs 1st Hole |
SATURDAY August 5, 2017
WEATHER: 58 at 5:30 am at McChord AFB ; it
was 62 when I left at 0830; 97 in Pasco, WA 4-6 pm, then it starts to cool; 88
at 7:30 on
Western
Washington has set a record of 48 days without rain and more to come
SUNRISE McChord AFB 0554 PDT SUNSET
Pasco, WA 2921 PDT
TRAVEL: Holiday FAMCAMP McChord
AFB, WA to Pasco Sandy
Heights KOA, Pasco, WA
 |
| KOA Pasco WAS - actually really nice until a rig pulls in next to you and blocks the WIFI |
 |
| Christ the King Church - Richland, WA |
SUNDAY August 6, 2017
WEATHER: 66 at 4:30 am; reached a high of
93 ; SMOKY
SUNRISE Pasco, WA 0544 PDT SUNSET
Pasco, WA 2019 PDT
TRAVEL: Pasco Sandy Heights KOA, Pasco,
WA to Nez Perce NHP – a 147 mile 2 ¾
hour one way drive. I left at 0630 and
returned around 1450
PASCO SANDY HEIGHTS KOA, Pasco, WA WIFI unbearably slow – of hardly any use even early
in the morning; unfortunate - this is not acceptable for all of the
‘connections’ this KOA has . . . . . they are next to useless. I chose KOA because I thought their WIFI was
usually good – and it is – when there are no people in the park. Unable to use G-mail - Connectivity to KOA is
wasting my time I decided to try the phone’s HOTSPOT – but again even that
option does not work here - McDonald’s may
be my best bet. This KOA is not a 4 of 5 – just barely
a 3.
WIFI was adequate at
3 pm but by 4:30 WIFI
is again all but useless . . . . ,
unable to send email or post updates to the blog – and as soon as a rig pulled
in next to me it blocked the signal – NO WIFI – bad design – when I can
see an antenna I connect – when I cannot see it – NO
WIFI
I suppose if I
set a table up in the middle of the road I’d get a good signal. I could put up with “blocked WIFI’ but VERIZON
has to have a
signal - breathe
395 NEZ PERCE National Historic Park,
Spalding, ID
 |
| Nez Perce Historical Park entrance sign |
This park
emphasizes the culture of the Nez Perce. There are
several short trails and some history . . . A 20 minute video created in 2014
tells the story of the Nez Perce as they live today
passing down tradition and language.
I spent about 2 ½
hours here but I think there is a lot more going on in the surrounding area
that could take a day or two to explore.
I walked about 2 ½ miles of short trails in the park.
SPALDING SITE
The
Spalding site is
rich in history. Long before the arrival of explorers or missionaries, this was
a place where the Nez Perce
lived and fished. Beginning in 1838, the Rev. Henry Spalding established his mission
here, but this is just one short chapter in the story of a site that has seen
continuous habitation for generations.
 |
| Nez Perce - Spalding/Village Site |
 |
| Old Church across from Watson's Store |
 |
| Watson's Store |
Nez Perce National
Historical Park
The
impetus to create a new National Historical Park came from a variety of different sources.
Local groups, such as the Daughters of the American Revolution and the
Presbyterian Board of Missions wanted to commemorate the establishment of
Spalding's mission. These efforts began in the 1920s and continued through the
1960s. Another participant was the Nez Perce Tribe. They requested assistance
from the National Park Service in the early 1960s to develop alternatives for attracting
tourists to the reservation.
 |
| Nez Perce - the US tried to change culture |
In
1992, the park's legislation was amended, adding thirteen additional sites to
the park in Oregon, Washington, and Montana, encompassing sites associated with
the Nez Perce in
Wallowa, Oregon and the 1877 war. As I
said earlier, there is a lot more to the park than just this one site.
TREATY ERA
 |
| Nez Perce Treaty Map |
In 1855, territorial
governor Isaac I. Stevens met with representatives from the Umatilla, Yakama, Nez Perce, Cayuse and Palouse. After more than a week of tense negotiations, The Nez
Perce agreed to cede 7.5 million acres of tribal land while still retaining the
right to hunt and fish in their "usual and accustomed places".
The Treaty of 1855 was ratified by
the US Senate in 1859.
 |
| The VC did not cover the Nez Perce War & Chief Joseph Exhibits emphazized Nex Perce Culture and Art |
In 1860, gold was discovered within the boundaries of the reservation. Rather than stop the squatters and trespassers onto reservation land, the U.S. government initiated another treaty council that would shrink the 1855 reservation by 90%, claiming over five million acres. The bands that lived outside of the proposed reservation boundaries walked out of the proceedings and refused to endorse this land grab. Nevertheless, 51 headmen, who lived inside of proposed reservation, affixed their marks to the treaty. The US Senate ratified the document in 1867. The 1863 Treaty became known as the 'steal treaty' and created the conditions that would eventually lead to the armed clash between the Nez Perce and the US Army in 1877.
1877
"You white people measure the Earth and
divide it. The Earth is part of my body, and I never gave up the Earth. I
belong to the land out of which I came. The Earth is my mother."
Chief Tulhuulhulsuit
"We do not wish to interfere with your religion, but you must talk about practical things. Twenty times over you have repeated the Earth is your mother. and that chieftenship is from the Earth. Let us hear it no more, but come to business at once."
General Oliver O. Howard
"We do not wish to interfere with your religion, but you must talk about practical things. Twenty times over you have repeated the Earth is your mother. and that chieftenship is from the Earth. Let us hear it no more, but come to business at once."
General Oliver O. Howard
The
events of 1877, as one Nez Perce elder suggests, can be remembered as
"our people's painful and tragic encounter with 'Manifest Destiny'".
The series of engagements between certain bands of Nez Perce, their allies and the U.S. Army, in the summer of
1877 are events that still resonate in the hearts and minds of the Nez Perce. Many of the sites of conflict are protected and
preserved by the park and serve as reminders of the sacrifices of those who died.
LEWIS & CLARK
Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark crossed Nez Perce country in the
fall of 1805 and again in the spring of 1806. With the exception of their
winter encampments, the Corps of Discovery spent more time
among the Nez Perce than any other group they encountered in their journey.
After some initial apprehension, the Nez Perce embraced the
expedition, providing aid during a very trying time and reminded friendly to Lewis and Clark when they returned in 1806. In the aftermath
of the expedition's departure, the promises of a productive relationship with
the United States government proved to ring hollow. In a generation, the flight
of 1877 would tear asunder any notions of lasting peace and friendship.
MONDAY August 7, 2017
WEATHER: 69 at 4:30 am still smoky; I returned at 4 pm its 97
SUNRISE Pasco, WA 0546 PDT SUNSET
Pasco, WA 2018 PDT
TRAVEL: Pasco Sandy Heights KOA, Pasco,
WA to Whitman Mission, Walla Walla, WA
PASCO SANDY HEIGHTS KOA, Pasco, WA – same issue with WIFI as last night – no connectivity
due to line of sight until the big rigs move out – really not acceptable. The answer is in the ‘blocking’ there are no
trailers in the 2 sites to my right or next to me on the left and WIFI works . . .
I also reset my
phone and data appears to work again it wasn’t VERIZON
 |
| Manhatten Project - Hanford Visitor Center |
I wouldn’t give this place a Presidential Award
I found a
work-around – a connection to the Clubhouse until a big rig pulled in to my
left – I’m back in WIFI limbo – still no vote from me for
a Presidential Award
 |
| Manhatten Project - a recent addition to the NPS - this is a historical gem I only visited Hanford's B Reactor There is so much more to see |
 |
| Manhatten Project - Hanford, WA |
 |
| Manhatten Project - Oak Ridge, TN |
 |
| Manhatten Project - Los Alamos, NM |
396 MANHATTEN PROJECT National Historic Site, Hanford, WA
This tour is highly
recommended – even though the park is only 2-3 years old this was probably the
most informative NPS tour I’ve ever
taken. I’m not an engineer or a physicist but this is the only nuclear plant
open to tours for the general public. I think I have a good understanding of
the process. Make your reservations on
line..
 |
| The Area was vertically divided alphabetically. B Reactor was built in B Area therefore it was named B, you can see there was a D and F |
The Hanford Engineer Works was built to create large quantities of plutonium at a roughly 600-square-mile site along the Columbia River in Washington State. More than 51,000 workers at Hanford constructed and operated a massive industrial complex to fabricate, test, and irradiate uranium fuel and chemically separate out plutonium.
The
Hanford landscape
is also representative of one of the first acts of the Manhattan Project, the condemnation of
private property and eviction of homeowners and Native American tribes to clear
the way for the top-secret work.
 |
| Hanford - B Reactor Site - there is a lot more to Hanford than this site - some of it is still "hot" |
At Hanford the park includes:
- the B-Reactor National Historic
Landmark, which
produced the material for the Trinity test and plutonium bomb
- the Hanford High School in the Town of Hanford and Hanford Construction Camp Historic District
- Bruggemann's
Agricultural Warehouse Complex
- White
Bluffs Bank and Hanford Irrigation District
Pump House, which
together provide a glimpse into the history of the Hanford area before the
arrival of the Manhattan Project.
The
T-Plant, a
chemical separations canyon, will not be in the park initially, but visitors
will learn about its vital role at other locations in the park.
 |
| You don' walk away from this tour a nuclear engineer but this diagram together with the tour helped me gain an understanding of what was going on. This reactor was built to produce plutonium for bombs - there was no peaceful adaptation of nuclear energy yet |
The
Hanford B-Reactor National Historic Landmark
Tours
are offered regularly, from April through September. I registered on line for a tour several weeks
ago. The free, guided tours last approximately 4 hours, including travel to and
from the B-Reactor on a Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored bus.
 |
| Simplified Reactor Operation |
 |
| Graphite Blocks Graphite slowed down the reaction for control |
 |
| B Reactor front |
 |
| B Reactor diagram the graphite core surrounded by shielding |
The B Reactor National Historic Landmark, part of the Hanford Unit of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, is the world's first full-scale plutonium production reactor. Created as part of the top secret Manhattan Project during World War II, B Reactor produced the plutonium used in the Trinity Test (the world's first nuclear detonation) in July 1945, and the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan in August 1945 that contributed to the Japanese surrender and end of World War II. The reactor was designed and built by the DuPont company based on experimental designs tested by Dr. Enrico Fermi at the University of Chicago and tests from the pilot-scale X-10 Graphite Reactor at Oak Ridge, TN. Construction of B Reactor began in October 1943, and fuel was loaded into B Reactor on Sept. 13, 1944 - just 11 months later.
 |
| Original Control Room for the B Reactor - this was one of the docents Built in the 1940's all the controls were mechanical |
 |
| 10:49 - All the original clocks in B Reactor are set to this time - the time B Reactor went critical - September 13, 1944 |
 |
| There was a room filled with nostalgia like this old cigar box - someone had placed a Bell & Howell 16mm sound projector in here Times have changed |
The B Reactor was named a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1976, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992, was designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1994, and became a National Historic Landmark in 2008. B Reactor has been open for annual public tours since 2009,
397 WHITMAN MISSION National Historic
Site, Walla Walla, WA
 |
| Whitmas Mission NHS the Whitman Memorial is on the hill in the rear |
I wasn’t sure what
to expect here . . . but the site is
worth a 2 hour visit. The video produced
in 2012 stresses the Cayuse culture . . . . and its struggle to exist. There is a museum and several walking
trails. None of the original buildings
exist or have been reconstructed.
The
park film tells the story of the Whitmans among the Cayuse
from 1836 to 1847.
It
was a joint effort between the NPS using local
college academics telling the story and the Native Americans who have had the
story handed down by their ancestors. The killing of the Whitman’s by 5 Cayuse warriors cannot be condoned but it
served as an excuse for a US land grab.
 |
| Layout of the Mission - the park film suggests that Whitman's preaching was not benevolent or understood by the Cayuse. His 'fire & brimstone' promised damnation if they did not convert and not long after measles killed half the Cayuse tribe. Whitman, a doctor, appeared to save white immigrants on the Oregon Trail but Cayuse under his care died. He and his family were attacked by a small group of Cayuse men who tomahawked Whitman then shot him and his wife. |
The 1847 attack on the Whitmans horrified Americans and impacted the lives of the peoples of the Columbia Plateau for decades afterwards. Was killing the Whitmans justified legal retribution, an act of revenge, or some combination of both? The circumstances that surround this tragic event resonate with modern issues of cultural interaction and differing perspectives.
 |
| The Whitman-Spalding Route. Both were missionaries. They had to succeed. Failure was not an option. |
 |
| Rev Spalding, the same, who founded Spalding, ID now site of the Nez Perce NHS |
Whitman Mission National
Historic Site was established to focus on the continuing relevance of the
history and impacts of Marcus and Narcissa Whitman's religious mission to
the Cayuse Nation in the early
nineteenth century. This Cayuse
mission was sponsored by the American
Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM), a Boston group responsible for Protestant mission
operations around the world. The ABCFM has
historically been involved in leading the nation in recognition of Native
American sovereignty, the repeal of slavery, and restoration of indigenous
rights in South Africa. Today the society is fighting for Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual and Transgender rights. |
| Waitilapu - the mission site from the hill of the Whitman Memorial |
This
history of the Whitman Mission in
the early 1800's marks a turning point for Native Americans living on the Columbia Plateau. Through partnering
with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the National Park Service seeks to present
the continuing story of the Cayuse
Nation and the impact of this early interaction with foreign immigrants.
TUESDAY August 8, 2017
WEATHER: 68 at 5 am; 103 at 4 pm still
smoky;
SUNRISE Pasco, WA 0547 PDT SUNSET
Pasco, WA 2016 PDT
TRAVEL: Pasco Sandy Heights KOA, Pasco,
to John Day Fossil Beds, Kimberly, OR. This was a
190 mile 3 ½ hourtrip to get there and 210 mildx 3 ½ hour return. Going there was on a lot of back roads –no
towns – more than 2 hours over 120 miles without a town or a gas station - - -
- only saw 5 cars on the road until I
reached the monument.
PASCO SANDY HEIGHTS KOA, Pasco, WA - NO WIFI blocked in all directions in the
morning and new rigs moved in the afternoon to again BLOCK
WIFI
398 JOHN DAY FOSSIL BEDS National Monument, Kimberly, OR
This is a great site but its spread out and in the middle of nowhere If your visit - give it a chance.
 |
| Who Was John Day? |
Not many people in the area – few towns and gas stations are few and far between – they all close at 5 pm. Sparsely populated – there must have been Native Americans that lived here but it doesn’t appear that any tribes lay claim to the area. Settlers originally raised sheep and grew grain with irrigation, after WW I demand for wool dropped, the sheep ranchers turned to cattle.
 |
| The units of John Day Fossil Beds - an hour's drive plus apart |
John Day Fossil Beds preserve a world class record of plant and animal evolution, changing climate, and past ecosystems that span over 40 million years. Exhibits and a working lab at the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center as well as scenic drives and hikes at all three units allow you to explore the prehistoric past of Oregon.
 |
| John Day Fossil Beds Thomas Condaon Paleontology Center - Visitor Center |
 |
| John Day Fossil Beds Sheep Rook Unit map |
These three locations are dispersed through east-central
Oregon. Because of the winding roads, visiting all three units is
difficult to do in a single day, but is possible with an early start. The
amount of time available and the route of travel taken are often the
determining factors on which units you can visit.
Distances & Drive Time Between Units
Sheep Rock to Painted Hills - 45 mi. (1 hr.)
Painted Hills Unit to Clarno Unit - 75 mi. (1.5 hrs.)
Clarno Unit to Sheep Rock Unit - 81 mi. (2 hrs.
Painted Hills Unit to Clarno Unit - 75 mi. (1.5 hrs.)
Clarno Unit to Sheep Rock Unit - 81 mi. (2 hrs.
SHEEP ROCK UNIT – The Historic Cant Ranch and Thomas Condon Paleontology Center (VC) are located here. I drove through
the entire unit . There are several short trails near the ranch and
center. Additionally, there are a 1.3
mile Island in Time
Trail and 3.25 mile Blue
Basin Overlook Trail. If I didn’t have to drive so far I would have
walked these trails. There are also two
short trails in Foree. .
 |
| Cant Ranch - shearing pens |
JAMES CANT RANCH – the dry hills of eastern Oregon provided ideal grazing land for livestock – sheep and cattle. James and Elizabeth Cant, Scottish immigrants, bought this land in the early 1900’s. The Cant family operated the ranch until the National Park Service purchased it in the 1970’s.
The 1917 ranch
house has been renovated to host Park HQ and a museum telling the human story
of the area from the first native inhabitants through to the sheep and cattle
ranchers of the 20th century.
 |
| John Day Fossil Beds - The Age of Mammals Cenozoic Period the VC was a place to learn - a great museum of the period in spaces of time |
 |
| John Day Fossil Beds The VC has several murals each representing what the area may have looked like during each of the fossil bed time periods A really good museum and VC |
 |
| John Day Fossil Beds - Fossil |
The geology in the area is interesting. . . .
PICTURE GORGE – the lava layers are part of the Picture Gorge Basalt, a subgroup of the
Columbia River flood basalt group spread over the Pacific Northwest.
 |
| John Day Fossil Beds - this is one of the exhibits explaining one of the John Day formations in a period of time. Each formation had one of these. Very informative. |
 |
| John Day Fossil Beds - Picture Gorge is the break right center View from the Mascall Overlook |
MASCALL FORMATION OVERLOOK – the view from this point take in the upper John Day Valley, Strawberry Mountain Range, Picture Gorge and the Mascall and Rattlesnake formation.
 |
| John Day Fossil Beds Picture Gorge |
CLARO UNIT – There are several short trails that looked promising but I just didn’t have the time. .
The unit has two
significant fossil sites not open to the public:
Clarno Nut Beds
Hancock Mammal Quarry
PAINTED HILLS UNIT – this unit also offered several short and promising trails but time . .
.
WEDNESDAY August 9, 2017
WEATHER: 66 at 5 am; 52 consecutive dry
days without measurable rain the state of Washington . . . it is very dry here and warm, still a smoky haze from fires burning in British Columbia - reached 100 at 4 pm
SUNRISE Pasco, WA 0548 PDT SUNSET
Pasco, WA 2015 PDT
TRAVEL: Pasco Sandy Heights KOA, Pasco,
WA
PASCO SANDY HEIGHTS, Pasco, WA - WIFI works most of the time - same issue blocking from big rigs?????
This was a
recovery day . . . . did laundry, visited the post office, when
WIFI was available I had hoped to plan for the trip home and get tickets to the Oakland and San
Francisco games . . . well only got to plan for Oakland.
Labeled pictures
and wrote text for the blog . . . prepared for the last post of 2017 and
conclusion of the trip. After the big
rigs moved I connected to WIFI and made the appropriate posts to this blog.- of
course this was only while the sties were vacant they filled in again around 3
pm - even with that I lost some of my updates - no pictures posted as of today from Olympic - I've got a lot to catch up on. Finally caught up at Travis AFB on the morning of August 17th.
LOOK FOR THE NEXT POST STARTING AUGUST 10th . . . .
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