Based on a photo by Ted Timmons.
A controversial plan to build a county owned wind farm near Hood River is dead.
County officials came up with the idea as way to make up for falling revenues from timber sales. But many people in the area were opposed, saying it would ruin scenic views, lower property values, and cause problems for wildlife.
Friends of the Columbia River Gorge kicks off the 2010 hiking season next week with a visit to the Lyle Cherry Orchard on March 13th.
And in keeping with the spirit of eco-friendly recreation, you won’t need your own car to get there. Friends is organizing carpools that depart from Portland. “Our hikes educate the public on the unique and fragile beauty of the Gorge,” says Executive Director Kevin Gorman. “By encouraging carpooling, we can enjoy these amazing landscapes while protecting the Gorge.”
The group is organizing about five dozen hikes and bikes rides in the Gorge over the next few months. Many of them include talks with local authors and naturalists. Some are members only events. For a full list go here. Registration is required for all of them.
If you’d like more information about carpooling, call the Friends of the Gorge office at 503-241-3762.
A view from Cape Horn. Photo by Aubrey Russell.
Just in time for Christmas, a gift from the Forest Service to hikers.
On Friday, the Forest Service gave its blessing to the Cape Horn Trail, an eight-mile loop in Skamania County with some of the most stunning views of the Columbia River Gorge.
Considered one of the Gorge’s “best kept secrets”, the Forest Service decision means big changes are coming, ones will improve safety, allow more access, and maybe even make it one of the most popular hikes in area.
The view from Cape Horn. Photo by Darwin Durek, Bonneville Power Administration.
Unless you’re an avid hiker, there’s a decent chance you’ve never heard of the Cape Horn Trail.
This may be one of the Gorge’s best kept secrets. Ryan Ojerio of the Washington Trails Association compares it to a great restaurant that only foodies know about. Those who frequent this trail rave about the stunning views of the gorge, the beautiful wildflowers and wildlife, and the rare opportunity to hike behind a waterfall.
Well… the secret is about to come out.
The U.S. Forest Service is thinking about adding the Cape Horn Trail to the official system of trails in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. At a public meeting tonight in Stevenson, Wash., it will present three options. Two of them mean large sections of the trail would be closed permanently. The other alternative keeps most of the trail as it is now, but closes part of it for six months every year.
Which presents a problem of sorts for the group, Friends Of The Columbia Gorge. Friends has been working for years to purchase some 1,000 acres of land around Cape Horn. That’s allowed them, and others, to lovingly create this eight mile loop that takes hikers from the crest of Cape Horn and down along the river’s edge.
The trailhead is only about a half hour drive from the Portland-Vancouver metro area, which makes it one of the few recreational spots in the Western end of the Gorge. But since it’s on the Washington side, it’s not well known as other trails.
Friends Executive Director Kevin Gorman seems pleased that the Forest Service is ready to take stewardship of the trail. But even the best of the Forest Service options means moving the trail away from many of the stunning viewpoints that make it so outstanding. Gorman calls it the “Wow factor”. “With some hard work they could preserve the wow factor,” says Gorman. “But the way it stands now they’ll lose it.”
To be fair, the Forest Service has other things to consider besides scenery. The current trail goes through habitat for protected species such as the Peregrine Falcon, the Larch Mountain Salamander and the Pika. The six month closure is meant to help keep people away during nesting season.
That’s a compromise Gorman is willing to accept. So while the group is tentatively supporting the “best” option. It still wants to see some changes made to keep the “Wow factor” on the Cape Horn Trail.
About Tonight’s Meeting
Gorge Friends are supporting Alternative Two, but asking for modifications. For more information see their Shaping The Future Of The Cape Horn Trail webpage.
