Fall 2022
The Huckleberry Fest sign went up a few weeks ago. By the time you read this, the sign will likely be gone, the festival over. But the season that sign ushers in, to me at least, will be in full swing. Let me explain. When I first moved to the Gorge in the early ‘90s, I spent every spare minute windsurfing at the Hatchery. One day in August of my first Gorge summer, something appeared on my Hatchery commute that was not there the day before: a sign for Bingen’s long-running Huckleberry Fest, planted on Highway 14 at the intersection with the bridge. I’d been trying to ignore the lengthening shadows and the river feeling a bit cold for my shorty wetsuit. It seemed like those two smiling huckleberries on the sign were laughing at me as I wished for summer to last longer. That day, the sign and the changing season melded in my mind.
As the years went by, the sign went up with maddening regularity every August. It became a thing with my husband and me. “The huckleberry sign is up,” one of us would proclaim if the other hadn’t yet seen it. It was like saying, “Summer is over, in case you didn’t know.” We grudgingly came to accept the smiling huckleberries at the end of the bridge, and now I seem not to mind spotting the sign for the first time as summer winds down. This year, I noticed a new one on this side of the bridge. The huckleberries are coming for me. But it’s ok. I’m looking forward to autumn with its cooler weather and vibrant colors. I have some favorite fall hikes I’m itching to do, and a date with my mountain bike, which the hot, dry days have kept me from lately.
There are also some things on my fall must-do list drawn from the pages of this issue, including a visit to the Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Located at the mouth of the Gorge in Washington, the refuge has undergone a years-long restoration that has reconnected its wetlands with the Columbia River for the first time in decades. The project has enhanced recreation opportunities at the refuge, and vastly improved wildlife habitat. The upcoming migratory bird season should be especially prolific. Read about the refuge and the restoration starting on page 32.
I also plan to check out the fall color and easygoing trails at Hamilton Island (page 14). Writer/photographer Ben Mitchell ended up there last year by default and found much to like. Its central Gorge location offers great views, and the numerous stands of black cottonwoods put on a golden show in autumn.
Other stories in this issue include our cover piece about the Trailblockers, a women’s mountain biking group (page 40); a profile of renowned musician Jeff Minnick (page 44); and a look at the legacy of David Logsdon, whose impact on the craft brewing world is widely recognized (page 20). Happy huckleberry season!
— Janet Cook, Editor
