Summer 2016
Last summer, in anticipation of this year’s centennial celebration of the Historic Columbia River Highway, I took a drive on the old road with my daughter, Tate. As a long-time Hood River resident, I’ve been on different segments of the highway over the years — some of them many times over. But I’d never traveled all 73 miles from Troutdale to The Dalles (or, as much of it as you can in a car) in a single road trip.
It was pretty fantastic. We took in the first breathtaking views up the Gorge from Chanticleer Point near Corbett. We toured Vista House at Crown Point (where, by the way, there is an informative gallery devoted to the history of the highway) and ambled along the “waterfall corridor,” just as the road’s first travelers did a century ago in their Ford Model T’s. We stopped for side treks along the way, including a wade through the slot canyon of Oneonta Gorge, a hike to Elowah Falls and a walk to the Mosier Twin Tunnels. (I never tire of seeing the graffiti on the tunnel wall left by motorists stranded there during a snowstorm in 1921.) At Rowena Crest, we gazed down at the famous Rowena Loops and imagined all the journeys made on this old road in the past hundred years.
Thanks to the foresight, perseverance and hard work of many individuals and entities, most of the Historic Columbia River Highway has been restored and reconnected over the past 20 years—no small feat as many sections had been abandoned and purposely obliterated after I-84 was built in the 1950s. Now, all but a few miles are open to either cars (the Historic Columbia River Highway) or bicyclists and hikers (the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail). And what a treasure it is! Take in as much of it as you can this summer, by car or bike or your own two feet. Beginning on page 56 we profile the historic highway and some of the commemorative events happening to celebrate its 100th year.
From a journey through the past, we turn to the future by taking a look at what’s in store for the Gorge in the years ahead (page 46). Unique in so many ways, the Gorge faces myriad challenges as more people come here to live, and to visit. Writer Don Campbell delves into the work that some disparate entities—both public and private—are doing to map a positive, sustainable future for the Gorge and its communities.
Thirty years ago, La Clínica del Cariño was launched in Hood River to provide healthcare for migrant farmworkers. Now known as One Community Health, the clinic serves more than 10,000 patients in its two locations (Hood River and The Dalles) providing medical, dental and behavioral health services to people from four Gorge counties. It’s a remarkable story of dedicated people fulfilling a vital need and doing it right. We feature the evolution of the health center beginning on page 40.
Other stories in this issue include a look at Kiteboarding for Cancer (KB4C) as it marks its 10th year (page 72), and a story on Moonshine MFG skateboards made in the Slingshot Sports factory in North Bonneville (page 28). And to help you partake of the bounty of beverages around here, we’ve compiled the Gorge Sipping Guide, with useful information on wineries, breweries, distilleries and cideries. With that, here’s to summer in the Gorge!
—Janet Cook, editor
