The Great Western Tour: Part 2

Idaho   Columbia River Gorge   Mt. Rainier NP 

   From the Tetons, we followed the Snake River to Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho, then up to the resort communities of Ketchum and Sun Valley at the edge of Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The mountain scenery is, as you would expect, quite satisfactory and the trout fishing in the upper Salmon River was much better than satisfactory. The Salmon is called the River of No Return because the current is so strong that once you float down you are not going back up. This was demonstrated in the 1954 movie The River of No Return with Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe. Our experience was limited to the area between the headwaters and Challis.

 

Southeastern Idaho is not just for potatoes. This is canola.

Craters of the Moon National Monument is where
astronauts trained for the moon landing. Caves were
created by molten lava cutting its way through rock.

Notice how the roof of the cave has collapsed on the right.

Proceeding with caution seemed justified.

You can see all the way through this lava tube called Indian Cave.

Astronauts didn't have the convenience of paved trails.

The Salmon River flows through the small town of Stanley in

the Sawtooth Mountains. It is still a wadable trout stream here.

Pioneer, way up a gravel road, became a ghost town when the

gold petered out. 

A ranger taught us how to pan for gold.

There is actual gold there--but you wouldn't notice if it got in your eye.

Most national forests have places where you are allowed to

boondock--camp without a campground.

In this case, it was right beside a trout stream.

This otter was a better fisher.

I walked carefully to avoid stepping on this cow pie. Closer up,

it turned out to be hundreds of baby frogs.

Next stop was at the head of the Columbia River Gorge. On the 

Washington side are numerous wineries, such as Columbia Crest

that are open for tours and tastings.

They have 21 acres of cellars. Acres! 

Had to visit the Mercer family winery, named Washington Winery of the Year.

Liz Mercer Elliot was not buying my family connection

discount claim but did give us a tour and explained the use of this egg 

for aging white wine--Viognier in this case.

The cliffs on the Oregon side, are higher and steeper. Washington

is more suitable for wineries in this stretch. Oregon has all the

dramatic waterfalls that are easy to reach along the historic road

that runs along the cliff face.

Traffic down below is on I-84, the railroad that parallels it and

barges and boats.

Multnomah Falls is the most visited and photographed destination in Oregon.

Two cascades and joined by a short channel under the bridge

that is reached by a steep climb up the cliff.

Oregon's notoriously wet climate and the palisades

along the Columbia create numerous waterfalls.

Mt. Hood is near the Columbia just east of Portland.

A popular stop on the historic road along the cliff is at Vista House.

Displays explain the history of the area and the upper level deck

provides extensive views of the Columbia River Gorge. My journal

says, "It would have been nicer in clear weather but this is Oregon

after all."

At Portland we turned north for Mt. Rainier NP. Waited patiently

three days for this to clear.

Ample moisture and relatively mild temperatures at lower elevations help

trees to attain impressive size.

Eventually, Shirley convinced me to drive around to the other side

of the mountain. 

We took a loop trail that climbed through meadows full of wild flowers 

into the tundra above tree line.

From Rainier we continued west to Olympic NP. The road to our

campground was washed out so it was on to the far northwestern 

corner of the Lower 48 and down the Pacific coast. We'll pick up 

with that in the next installment. My usual logic would have called

for Northern Cascades as our next stop but that park was visited

on our return from Alaska via Bellingham, Washington.