exploration

Part 16 – Leaving Skagway

/ Terry / Leave a comment

Hard to believe it is only 52 miles (83 km) from Skagway to the Customs house and a return to the Yukon and Canada and only 65 miles (105 km) from Skagway to the turn at Jakes Corner, to head west for the Alaskan Highway and continue the trek home.

It was a long lovely drive along Highway 2 (The Lower Klondike Highway),

Turning northwest at Carcross, Yukon on Highway 8 takes you to Jakes Corner, then it was a turn west along Highway 1 (The Alaskan Highway),

Reaching Highway 37 (The Stewart / Cassiar Highway) it was a southern turn,

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And finally to the campsite for the night at Boya Lake Provincial Park, 361 miles from Skagway. The campsites were very small so we had to find 2 campsites for the night. Luckily there were 2 that shared a driveway and they were located right across the drive from the lake.

It was a peaceful evening to rest for the next push to Stewart, British Columbia, Canada / Hyder, Alaska in the morning.

 

Day 14 – Day hike on the Chilkoot Trail

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Chilkoot Trail

A 33 mile (53 k) hike along the historic Chilkoot Trail is one of North America’s most fabled treks. The trail crosses the international boundary between the United States and Canada and is co-operatively managed by Parks Canada and the US National Park Service.

When news of a gold strike in the Klondike reached the ears of the world, tens of thousands of hopeful gold seekers arrived where they encountered their first obstacle, the Coast Mountain Range. Following old First Nations trails they found a route through the mountains that is now known as the Chilkoot Trail.

The Golden Staircase on the Chilkoot Trail
Klondike Supply List

150 lb. bacon, 400 lb. flour, 25 lb. rolled oats, 125 lb. beans, 10 lb. tea, 10 lb. coffee, 25 lb. sugar, 25 lb. dried potatoes, 2 lb. dried onions, 15 lb. salt, 1 lb. pepper, 75 lb. dried fruits, 8 lb. baking powder, 2 lb. soda, 1/2 lb. evaporated milk, 12 oz. compressed soup, 1 can mustard, 1 tin of matches, stove, 1 gold pan, 1 set granite buckets, 1 knife, 1 fork, 1 spoon and 1 plate, 1 frying pan, 1 coffee and teapot, 1 scythe stone, 2 picks, 1 shovel, 1 whipsaw, pack strap, 2 axes, 1 spare axe handle, 6 – 8″ files, 2 taper files, 1 draw knife, 1 brace with bits, 1 jack plane, 1 hammer, 8 lb. of pitch, 200 feet 3/8″ rope, 10’x12′ tent, canvas, 2 oil blankets, 5 yards mosquito netting, 3 heavy underwear, 2 pairs heavy mackinaw trousers, 1 heavy rubber-lined coat, 1 doz. heavy wool socks, 2 heavy overskirts, 2 pairs heavy snag proof rubber boots, 2 pairs shoes, 4 heavy blankets, 4 towels, 2 pairs overalls, 1 suit oil clothing, several changes of summer clothing, and small assortment of medicines.

The list above shows the required equipment and supplies needed by prospectors before they were allowed entry into Canada at the summit of the Chilkoot Pass, 1897–1899. Total weight: 1 ton. This was to provide them with the supplies needed for 1 year of survival in the Yukon. Many round trips were needed to haul this over the trail and past Canadian Customs.

Today, hikers can retrace the rugged trail from Dyea, near Skagway, to the shore of Lake Bennett. The beautiful route  along alpine lakes and century-old gold rush artifacts takes three to five days to complete.

What a wonderful day, the weather was perfect and the trail was in great condition. Starting early from camp the start of the trail was only about a 1/4 mile (0.4 k) jaunt from the campground. The trail starts off with a pretty healthy climb up from the river then just as quickly back down to the river.

This first section really got my lungs working hard even though it was at sea level. The rough ground of rocks and tree limbs made a great workout. I thought if the trail was going to be this rough the rest of the way I’m not going to make it very far.

Beginning of the trail
Now it gets harder
One difficult section at the beginning of the trail
Well as soon as you pass this short section the trail becomes a nice stroll through the forest. I can not imagine the prospectors back in the day carrying all the equipment noted above with many trips back and forth. I had a small backpack that carried my food and water for the day, camera, and rain jacket. Not all that heavy.

Damaged bridge – stay to the left please
Salmon were still running
Passing along one section of the trail were some old buildings and equipment with an informational sign. This section of the trail was an old logging road built during the 1940’s. This homestead is the sawmill of Edward A. Hosford who began operation of this mill in 1948 and continued operation until 1956.

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Edward A. Hosford Sawmill

Finnegan’s Point Campground was the turn around point for me. I enjoyed a nice rest and lunch while a group of 3 female through hikers stopped for a snack /rest and we chatted.

Returning to the trail head was wonderful until I hit the dreaded hike over the hill for the final push. I again rested and snacked at the trail head catching my breath as I contemplated what I should do. From the campsite to Finnegan’s Point campground and back to the trail head was 11.9 miles (19.1 k) and my walking average speed was 3.1 MPH (5 km/hr).

It was only 4 PM and the sun was still to be up for many hours. I had caught my breath and decided to hike the 2 miles (3.2 k) or so to the original abandoned townsite of Dyea.

Dyea waterfront 1898
The town of Dyea 1898
Arriving at the townsite I walked along paths in the forest that were once the streets of the town. Long abandoned there are not many structures left, only 3 cemeteries and the remains of the wharf remain. Most structures were taken down and moved to the nearby deep water port of Skagway once the Gold Rush had subsided. Interesting fact is that one of the cemeteries holds almost every person that died in an avalanche on the trail and the grave markers all have the same date of death.

An interesting walk but on the road back I noticed my legs were getting a bit heavy. Upon arriving at camp about 7PM I looked at my satellite tracker and noticed I had walked 15.8 miles (25.4 k) that day. Resting for a bit, I then made dinner, had a hot sponge bath at camp and then just put my legs up resting until an early bed time and a very sound nights sleep.

 

Day 12 – Steamboat graveyard and south on the Klondike Highway toward Whitehorse.

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It was agreed that we should again reroute due to incoming harsh weather and the ferry strike going on The Marine Highway. The original route was to go across the ferry at Dawson City and follow the Top of the World Highway and the Taylor Highway to Tok, Alaska. Go south along the Alaska Highway along the Haines Highway to Haines, Alaska and take the ferry to Skagway. With the ferry strike it was decided to go south to Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada and directly to Skagway, Alaska via the South Klondike Highway.

Waking up early we drove into town and ate breakfast at Belinda’s Restaurant for some good ole pancakes and eggs.

After breakfast we parked along Front Street and walked to the ferry crossing of the Yukon River and crossed to walk to the Sternwheeler Graveyard located past the campground on the west side of the river. Tucked into the trees you will find the wooden remains of seven paddlewheelers. Once the primary mode of transportation in the region, these were abandoned when other transportation options became more popular.

 

Scuttled off the side of the river this graveyard hulking remains of wooden paddlewheel ships are broken and damage hulks that looks as though they were crashed onto shore. Most of the wrecks have collapsed but a few of the ships are still intact enough to explore, and many of the paddlewheels remain thanks to their metal skeletons.

After this interesting exploration of the ships it was time to walk back and head south toward Whitehorse. An interesting trip we are now doing in reverse from a few days ago on the way to The Dempster Highway.

 

Arriving back in Carmaks it was time to stop for gas and pickup a few things at the adjacent store. After shopping it was time for a quick lunch in the parking lot before continuing on to the destination for the night, Lake Leberge.

 

Lake Laberge is a widening of the Yukon River north of Whitrehorse. At 31 miles (50 k) long and from 1.25 to 3 miles (2 to 5 k) wide its water is always very cold, and its weather often harsh and variable. Its English name comes from 1870 commemorating the first French-Canadian to explore the Yukon in 1866, Michel LaBerge. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries winter sternwheelers carrying goods early in the shipping season on Lake Laberge regarded the lake as trouble, as it was one of the last areas of the river to thaw of ice.

 

Entering the campground it was signed as full but we continued around to see if there might be an empty campsite and to see the lake. Luckily a husband and wife were packing up to leave and asked if we wanted the campsite. We said thank you yes and waited 20 minutes as they packed up. What a wonderful camping spot, very close to the lake with a beautiful view from the site. Now for a nice dinner and to sit by the lakeshore and enjoy the scenery with peace and quiet.

 

View from the campsite

Sa far this trip has just been outstanding and I suspected it would continue on this way.

 

Day 11 – Dawson City

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Close to 100,000 prospectors set off over the Chilkoot Trail in Dyea/Skagway, Alaska on foot then sailed up the Yukon River to find their wealth in the gold fields surrounding Dawson City, Yukon. With a population of only about 1,900 residents this National Historic Site and UNESCO nominated town has many restored buildings and sites to explore. A few of the places to explore and enjoy a trip back in time are a walking Tour of town, the Palace Grand Theater, the Jack London Museum, Diamond Tooth Gertie’s to join the Sourtoe Cocktail Club by having a shot with an actual toe in it at the Sourdough Saloon in the Downtown Hotel (the toe must touch your lips), see the SS Keno the last steamer to run the Yukon River, discover the areas history at the Dawson City Museum and just outside of town explore the grand old Dredge #4, Discovery Claim National Historic Site and the steamship graveyard.

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First up for a bit of vehicle maintenance, the vehicles needed a complete cleaning with all the mud buildup from the drive yesterday. It took about 30 minutes each to get most of the dirt removed from the outside.

After the cleanup it was over to Dredge #4 to investigate. A guided tour is available to explore the inside of the dredge. An interesting informative tour is provided but it is not inexpensive, although I felt well worth the cost.

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Dredge No. 4 mined gold from 1913 to 1959. This wooden-hulled bucketline sluce dredge  is now located along Bonanza Creek Road about 8 miles (13 k) south of Dawson City along Upper Bonanza Creek road. This the largest wooden-hulled dredge in North America was designated a National Historic Site on 22 September 1997.

Designed by the Marion Steam Shovel Company it was hauled in pieces to Dawson City at a cost of $134,800 for shipping which was then built by the Canadian Klondike Mining Company on site at Claim 112 near Ogilvie Bridge, the current location of the bridge over the river along the Klondike Highway to Dawson City. It moved to its current location along Bonanza Creek by digging a path and filling in the area behind itself in its own pond.

Excavating gravel at 22 buckets per minute with 72 large buckets that processed 18,000 cubic yards (14,000 m3) of material per day. In use from late April or early May until late November each year, and sometimes throughout winter, it captured nine tons of gold during its operation.

Continuing along the dirt road we made a stop at the Discovery Claim National Historic Site where gold was first discovered in the area for a short walk around the displays explaining the mining operations of the area.

Stopping by a small tourist stop with a souvenir shop, old buildings and quite a lot of old mining equipment I explored the old buildings and equipment having a fun time with my camera.

Back in town I dropped the car off at the hotel and wandered the rest of the afternoon and evening around the streets, shops and museums of Dawson City. First up was the Dawson City Visitors Center to look around the exhibits and get an idea for a much needed very late lunch. Leaving there with several ideas I strolled across the street to the NWT Dempster Highway Visitor Center to see what was missed during the previous few days. This would be a good stop if you are going up the Highway after your visit here in Dawson City.

After talking to the very nice informative person working there I continue my wandering to the Triple J Hotel and restaurant for my late lunch. I had the tasty Wild Salmon Burger with a caper aioli and an iced tea. Sitting on the outside porch I enjoyed my meal watching the activity happening on the street it was a very good relaxing meal.

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I sat on the porch on the left for lunch. What a wonderful place to have lunch.

After lunch I continue on to the Dawson City Museum where I explore the exhibits on 2 floors of the old Territorial Administration Building discovering the natural history of the Klondike Gold Fields through exhibits, displays, dioramas and informative shows. You explore the history of Yukon’s First Peoples and early explorers. Experience the Gold Rush through the stampeders and entrepreneurs, and the visionaries. I was fortunate enough to see a live demonstration of a sluce shaker box in action and how gold was recovered from the river and stream beds.

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Walking to the outskirts of town I visit the Robert Service Cabin. Service was a British born poet referred to as the “the Bard of the Yukon”. He was one of the most successful poets of the Twentieth Century. who arrived in the Yukon as a bank clerk turning vivid tales, told to him by veterans of the great gold rush, into classic poems. Robert Service arrived in Dawson City in 1908 continuing  to write about his northern adventures until his departure from Dawson, and the Yukon, in 1912. Sadly the cabin was closed for the day so I couldn’t get a glimpse inside to see how this gentleman lived.

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Just down the street was Jack London Museum and Cabin. This museum and cabin shows the time Jack London spent a year in the Klondike. Trying his hand at mining he still spent most of his time writing stories that would make him a well known author. It again was closed due to the late time I had passed there.

Just west is a pedestrian-bicycle trail along the Klondike and Yukon rivers that I followed back to my tent cabin  for the evening. Stopping at the store for a few items I continue to the cabin to shower, due some laundry and relax for the evening. Another travel day in the morning so must rest up.

It was amazing that just before the grocery store I noticed a large European based adventure RV turning into a parking lot. I had to get a closer look and hopefully talk to its drivers. I met a wonderful couple, he from Luxembourg, a small European country surrounded by Belgium, France and Germany and his wife from France. I talked with them for about an hour listening to their adventure so far and where they are going on their long trip.

As a side note, they stopped by my house when I returned from the adventure for dinner and the stayed the night on their trek to Mexico and Central America. I wish them well on their journey.

Days 10 – Returning to Dawson City

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Returning south along the Dempster it is decided to continue all the way from Inuvik to Dawson City in one day. The weather has turned bad this day and under a constant sometimes heavy rain it was decided to push on.

Reaching Eagle Plains for the required fuel stop we head over to the small restaurant to pick up a quick bite to eat. A group of travelers from Australia are enjoying their meal and we talk to the for about a half hour before leaving them as they head north.

The closer we got to the Klondike Hwy the weather was changing for the better. We continued on as it was not that far to Dawson City at that point.

Upon reaching the Klondike Hwy, Canada 2, it is time to head west for Dawson City, Yukon Territories.

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It was 7:30 by the time we arrived in Dawson City and being very hungry, stopped at Sourdough Joe’s for a bite to eat. I had a burger with bacon, cheese, chili, an egg and a small salad. DELICIOUS.

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Sourdough Joes Burger

We start the search for a place to spend 2 nights here and decide to splurge on a room. All the places we checked were fully booked but luckily one manager called around to other locations for available rooms. It was discovered an establishment named The White House had 2 tent cabins available for the 2 nights we planned on staying. Driving the short 1/2 mile there we look at the rooms and decide this is the perfect place to wind down after the adventure north we just had. Renting the 2 tent cabins with mine having a queen bed, a single bed, lounge sofa, small dining table and kitchen utensils for heating water for tea/coffee.. This was no ordinary canvas tent accommodation, it was provided with a wooden floor and door, covered porch and a hard translucent roof covering, shared bathroom and shower and a small outdoor kitchen/dining area to prepare food, this was a perfect place to enjoy 2 nights of glamping comfort.

White House Tent Cabin
White House Tent Cabin Interior
White House Tent Cabin Interior
White House Tent Cabin View from Porch
White House Tent Cabin Restroom and Shower area
White House Tent Cabin Kitchen area
White House Tent Cabin View to Picnic Table and Rooms.

Day 9 – The final push north to Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories and the Arctic Ocean.

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Named the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway (ITH) the road begins at the end of the Dempster Highway in Inuvik, Northwest Territories and continues for 138 kilometres (86 mi) north towards Tuktoyaktuk, a coastal community on the Arctic Ocean. With its eight bridges this two-lane gravel road was opened on April 29, 2017. The Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk ice road closed for the last time and now all vehicle traffic is via the new all-weather road.

Map 4

The idea of an all-season highway from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk was first brought up in the 1960s. In 1974 the Public Works of Canada completed a survey and technical study of a 140 km (87 mi) route between the towns. The local First Nations people completed their environmental review of the highway in January 2013 and granted their approval. In March 2013 the territorial legislature approved funds for construction of the all-weather highway.

Construction began in January 2014, and was completed with one crew working from Inuvik and a second working from Tuktoyaktuk.  The highway opened on November 15, 2017 and includes eight bridges and 359 culverts.

Tuktoyaktuk-A

Tuktoyaktuk is a hamlet of about 898 people settled in 1928. This natural harbor has been used for centuries by the Inuvialuit as a place to harvest caribou and beluga whales. There are not many tourist facilities in Tuktoyaktuk, a few rooms, a small camping area, grocery store, gas station, visitor center, and food establishments. There are numerous individuals giving tours and lectures on the local culture and landscape. Still finding it’s own with the new influx of visitors due to the new all season highway it is a remote outpost that is a destination you should not miss.

Such a magnificent Highway. The views are stunning that go on forever.

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Video by H. Berge

Entering the town of Tuktoyaktuk it was such a small hamlet.

Finally I dip my feet into the Arctic Ocean, the furthest point north I have been in my life. A life long goal of mine has been to dip my feet into the Arctic Ocean. A goal finally achieved.

An example of the native building is available for viewing and has scheduled tours available from the visitor center. There are 2 structures at the site, one a house without its finish showing how it was constructed and the other a finished structure. To get into the finished structure you must take a scheduled tour.

Tuktoyaktuk is a special place for it has one of the highest concentrations of pingos, with some 1,350 examples.

What is a Pingo? it is a mound of earth covered ice located only in Arctic regions formed by hydrostatic pressure in a permafrost environment.

After eating a great lunch at Grandma’s Kitchen we started our way back to Inuvik and our campsite for the night.

 

 

 

 

Postponement of the adventure to the Great White North

/ Terry / 2 Comments

Well plans have totally changed, during the last part of July right before I was to leave on my Northern Adventure. My daughter, my grandson, 13 and granddaughter, 10 were going to move out of the house so I decided to sell my home of 27 years and move north. She really wanted and loved the family home so it was agreed she would buy the home and the transaction was a go without the house ever going on the market.

That changed my plans drastically.

I reviewed my future and decided to move up the relocation to the Pacific Northwest to be by my son, daughter-in-law, 3 YO grandson and the new addition that was due in a couple of weeks. Well, going on this travel adventure and relocating 1,000 miles (1,610 k) away within a couple of months was too much for me to handle. So the Adventure would have to wait a year.

Leaving the beginning of August I traveled north to stay with my son and family while waiting on the new little one to be born. I started looking for homes and exploring the area the day after I arrived.

My daughter-in-laws family wanted to go out with kayaks on Lacamas Lake the next day, so off we went. It was a wonderful morning paddling around on this 3-mile (4.8k) long lake.

 

Kayaking Lacamas Lake, WA
Kayaking Lacamas Lake, WA
Kayaking Lacamas Lake, WA
Kayaking Lacamas Lake, WA

Next up was a loop walk down to the Columbia River then exploring Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. I will cover this walk in my next post as it deserves it’s own post.

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BarraParade Grounds, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site

Later in the week I went for a pleasant morning 4-mile (6.4k) walk around Round Lake, a wonderful area with many hiking trails, trees, waterfalls and streams. I went home to relax and in the afternoon started looking at homes in the area.

 

Walking around Round Lake, WA
Round Lake, WA
Dam machinery at Round Lake, WA

One day out of the blue we visited this wonderful home located in a pocket of pines, I really loved this place and it reminded me of a cabin that I had once owned in Lake Arrowhead, CA. My son and daughter-in-law basically said I should put an offer in right away or they might buy it, LOL. The next day I put my offer in and after a little negotiating it was to be mine.

house

A few days later a beautiful baby boy was born.

 

New addition
Three generations

What an exciting and unexpected time I had in those few weeks. Instead of  heading into the great white north after the birth of my grandson, the plans suddenly changed with the selling my home, exploring some beautiful areas, buying a new home and being there for my forth grandchild’s birth.

Well now to make the drive back south and start packing up for the move. That’s going to be a massive amount of work.

January 27,2018 Bickel Camp Fundraiser

/ Terry / 7 Comments

 

IMG_3425

Good Morning, 6:30 AM 28F degrees

Well I am heading back out to Bickel Camp, Burro Schmidt Tunnel and a ranger led hike into Nightmare Gulch in Red Rock Canyon State Park for a fundraiser to help offset expenses on the upkeep of Bickel Camp.

Bickel Camp is full of mining equipment on display at this historic 1930’s era mining camp. The camp is still there to be visited by the adventurist explorer. Luckily this has remained on the “Adopt-A-Cabin” program and there is a caretaker on site to help explain and protect the remaining historic artifacts. Donations to help preserve and maintain the site are appreciated. 2 of Walter Bickel’s granddaughters were there walking us around the camp and telling of the fun they had out here when they visited. They told us one story of Bickel finding a stranded motorist in the desert and helped him get unstuck, turned out it was Jimmy Durante. Another interesting fact was that both Bickel and Schmidt were in the service during WWII, living within sight of one another they had a strong friendship and even rigged up automobile headlights so they could send messages back and forth in Morris Code. And yes the light at Bickel Camp is still standing.

For a full history on this wonderful place to visit follow this LINK.

 

Bickel Camp
Bickel Camp
Listening to the tales of Bickel Camp
Bickel Camp Equipment
Bickel Camp Equipment
Bickel Camp Equipment
Bickel Camp Equipment
Bickel Camp Equipment, tractor radiator
Bickel Camp Equipment
Bickel Camp Equipment
Bickel Camp Equipment
Bickel Camp Equipment
Bickel Camp Equipment, nice old Datsun 1600
Bickel Camp Equipment
Bickel Camp Equipment, old refrigerator anyone
Bickel Camp Equipment, homemade table saw
Bickel Camp Equipment has been here a long time
Bickel Camp Equipment

After wandering around the camp and being entertained by first hand stories from the granddaughters we all head the few miles down the trial to Burro Schmidt’s Tunnel to explore the hand-drilled tunnel nearly a half-mile long that was dug with a single 4-pound jackhammer, and dynamite.

For additional information see my previous post LINKED HERE.

 

Walking through Burro Schmidt’s Tunnel
Exiting Burro Schmidt Tunnel on the south side

Next up it was to find our way back to asphalt and turn south into Red Rock Canyon State Park and the hike into Nightmare Gulch. We all meet-up for a short lunch stop at a park rest area before heading out the dirt road to the trail head. Although we did not do the loop we drove as far as we could to the official trail head and took a 5-mile total out and back hike into the canyon. Led by 3 Bureau of Land Management rangers we were given lessons in history, geology and ecology of this area. It was a great hike and took most of the afternoon.

 

Trail to Nightmare Gulch
Nightmare Gulch
Trail to Nightmare Gulch
Nightmare Gulch
Ranger led hike at Nightmare Gulch
Ranger led hike at Nightmare Gulch
Nightmare Gulch
Nightmare Gulch
Nightmare Gulch
Nightmare Gulch
Nightmare Gulch
Nightmare Gulch
Nightmare Gulch
Nightmare Gulch
Nightmare Gulch
Nightmare Gulch
Nightmare Gulch
Nightmare Gulch Pano

Leaving the trail head at about 4:30PM I still had a 3 hour drive home. Arriving home at 7:50 PM I was exhausted as I got up at 3AM to get there and meet someone at the turnoff to the Camp. This adventure was wonderful as I met new adventurers and discovered this magnificent canyon that I will return to to follow the entire loop trail.

New Years trip to Washington – Part 6

/ Terry / 3 Comments

Well we plan another easy day as it’s getting late in the trip and I think we are all tired from all the visiting and traveling that has been done. Today it was decided to go to a nature reserve for a short drive and walk, as the weather is finally getting rainy. Imagine that, rainy weather in the Pacific Northwest during winter.

This 5,150-acre (2,084 ha) area of marshes, grasslands and woodlands, named the Ridgefield National Wildlife Reserve is just north of Vancouver, WA and is one of 4 reserves located along the Columbia River in the greater Vancouver area. Established in 1965 to protect waterfowl, it was established with the 3 other refuges in the Willamette Valley for wintering birds migrating and nesting from Alaska.

The area includes a 2-mile (3.2 k) self-guided walking trail that’s objective is to showcase the Columbia River Watershed, the 4.2-mile (6.75 k) auto tour route and a seasonal 1.2-mile (1.9 k) hiking trail.

Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service it protects sandhill cranes, various shorebirds, and a large variety of songbirds, mallards, great blue herons, and red-tailed hawks. Mammals calling the reserve home include deer, coyote, raccoon, skunk, beaver, river otter, and brush rabbits.

Ridgefield National Wildlife Reserve
Ridgefield National Wildlife Reserve
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
Great Egret
Canadian Geese
Hawk
White Tail Deer
River Otter

The refuge consists of five sections, each unique in habitat supporting the wildlife that reside there. Two of these sections are open to public visitation and enjoyment, while the remaining three are kept as sanctuary for wildlife to rest, nest and escape human disturbance. This maintains an important balance for those species less tolerant to human presence to thrive in an increasingly urban area.  The visitors then get the chance to view and experience wildlife and habitat, receiving the many benefits of being out in nature.

The Columbia River has long sustained human population and dates back long before Euro-American arrived. There have been large Native American settlements found on the reserve. The refuge also preserves the most intact archaeological site on the lower Columbia River with evidence of at least 2,300 years of continuous human occupation. That history and culture is interpreted through the Cathlapotle Plankhouse built in 2005 and open to visitors on the weekends in the spring and summer. The plankhouse was built to represent the buildings Lewis and Clark might have found here at their Wapato Portage village.

Since we are visiting in January we are not to leave the car due to the large flocks of geese and ducks nesting in the area between October 1st and April 30th. The cars become your movable animal blind as the birds are accustomed to the vehicles presence. There is an observation blind halfway along the route you can park and take the short hike out to it.

On the walk to the blind
On the walk to the blind
On the walk to the blind
From the blind of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Reserve
From the blind of the National Wildlife Reserve

There are 14 interpretive markers and signs along the way along the one-way road. It was a fun drive as we were one of the few vehicles in the reserve on this weekday morning. We saw many birds, mammals and 2 deer along our route. When we left the car to hike to the blind my grandson had an old cell phone that he uses to take photos and he was just shooting away at all the details on the forest floor trying be like his Dad, it was so cute.

It has been a tiring week of visiting family, meeting new people and seeing new sights so we leave at lunchtime to head home for a late lunch as I need to pack and rest for my drive home.

New Years trip to Washington – Part 5

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We take a day to rest, clean and organize our things from the adventure at Tillamook State Forest then decide to head north from Vancouver, WA for a day trip to Battleground Lake to enjoy the nature surrounding it. Being winter it is raining off-and-on today, so we go down to the lakeshore so my grandson can have some fun trying to fill the lake with rocks he finds on the shoreline. This is something he really enjoys, he has thrown rocks at Mt Adams, into the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park and now here. Kids are so funny how they entertain themselves. We discussed hiking the trail that goes around the lake but decided that with the rain it would just be a slick mess.

 

 

Cedar Creek Grist MIll and Cedar Creek
Cedar Creek Grist Mill and bi-pass overflow falls.

After our short stay at the lake we head to The Cedar Creek Grist Mill just outside Etna south of the Lewis River along scenic Cedar Creek. A gristmill grinds grain into flour using nature’s forces, usually water being run by a water wheel. The first water-powered mill was reported around 71 BC in Asia Minor. Grain mills in England were counted in the 1086 Domesday Survey In England, which stated there were 5,624, or about one for every 300 inhabitants that year, peaking to 17,000 by 1300.

Cedar Creek Grist Mill is a working museum allowing visitors inside to observe the workings of the mill built in 1876. Samples are given to visitors after the tour of the facility. This is a totally nature driven mill using the water flowing through a plumb to a Leffel turbine installed with its flume (water canal) around 1888. Pulleys, and belts turn the milling stone producing flour, corn meal and sometimes apple cider.

 

 

Flume and Cedar Creek
Flume and Cedar Creek
Flume and Cedar Creek
Flume and Cedar Creek
Flume and Cedar Creek
Leffel turbine
Leffel turbine

Resting on a steep and rocky slope in the narrow gorge of Cedar Creek, it is the only gristmill in Washington that still maintains its original structure, mills with stones, and is water powered, this is also the oldest building in Washington State still producing its original product.

 

 

Debri along the creek
some of the lush ferns along the creek
Tossing rocks into Cedar Creek

The last owner died in the late 1950’s and the property was bought by The State Fisheries Department in 1961 that removed the old dam and built a fish ladder. The Fort Vancouver Historical Society leased the mill in 1961 and had it registered as a National Historical Place.

Time, weather and vandals took its toll by 1980. “The Friends of the Cedar Creek Grist Mill”, a non-profit corporation, was formed to save the old mill. Using period tools consisting of axes and adzes they replaced the damaged posts and beams. Due to a dam removal in 1961 they had to now get water into the mill, extending the flume 650 feet where the water from the creek could flow into the intake without the dam.

Next to the mill is a covered bridge across Cedar Creek. There is no history on the first bridge although it was completely replaced by a truss bridge in 1935. The 1935 bridge could not support heavy loads, so in 1994 a new covered bridge spanning Cedar Creek was built.

 

 

1994 covered truss bridge
Standing on the covered bridge

Sadly it was closed on this weekday right after the holiday but peeking in the windows demands a return visit when it is open.