Columbia River Gorge - first week of September

We left Cape Disappointment and headed upriver, into the Columber River Gorge where we stayed at Memaloose State Park on the Oregon side - finally, in Oregon! The campsite was shaded and usually had a nice breeze. Here's our campsite in Memaloose and also view from the overlook of Memaloose Island with the campground in the foreground. There were a few things we did not like about this park: noise (lots of highway noise from I84 and the train which is between the campground and the river), it is difficult to access the river (hiking rocky outcroppings and crossing the railroad tracks, or a long drive to the boat launch at Mayer SP), also entering /leaving the park requires miles of backtracking (you have to pass the park, then make a uturn and come back on the highway).

We enjoyed a paddleboat trip from Cascade Locks to Mulnomah Falls, which included going through the lock at Bonneville Dam - that was a neat experience but the trip cost about twice what I think it should be (which is how I feel about most things these days, so I guess I just can't catch up with inflation).

Sue spent some time with us at Memaloose, and we had a nice day sightseeing at Multnomah Falls and at Bonneville Dam / Fish Hatchery (saw some huge salmon trying to make it up to spawn, plus Herman the 10 foot, 70-year-old Sturgeon).


Click here to see Herman!
http://www.ashcreekimages.com/Gorge/Fisheries/Herman-the-Sturgeon-01.html

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