Geography 368: Field Seminar
Day 1 | Flight to Portland & the Columbia River Gorge
The Flight
At 4:45 AM on Thursday, September 27th, our group reported to Groome Transportation to be shuttled to Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport. At 5 AM, eleven students and Dr. Ezra Zeitler travelled in a chartered shuttle, while Kayla Moothart and Dr. Douglas Faulkner travelled in the regularly scheduled shuttle. Our group arrived at MSP to check in at approximately 6:30 AM, travelled through security, and relaxed by the gate before Delta flight #1761 departed. (photo: Ezra Zeitler)
Passenger seat view of the arid western US landscape. Photo by Andrew Moen.
Students relaxing before their flight at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. Photo by Ezra Zeitler.
First group in "Grey Goose." Photo by Adria Slade.
By 8:45 AM, we were in the air! We had a direct flight to Portland International Airport, where we arrived around 11 AM.
After renting two vans,which were named “Snowball” and “Grey Goose”, we left the airport and made our way to the Columbia River Gorge.
Vista House
The Vista House. Photo by Chase Mohrman.
View from the Vista House site of the Columbia River. Photo by Ezra Zeitler.
At 1:00 PM, we arrived at the Vista House. The House was constructed in 1918 on the Crown Point promontory to reflect Samuel Lancaster, Assistant Highway Engineer for Multnomah County in 1913, and his desire to inspire the highway traveller and make the majesty of the Columbia Gorge accessible (Friends of Vista House 2016). Built in the German style equivalent of Art Nouveau, the Vista House originally functioned as a rest stop observatory on the old Columbia River Gorge Highway and as a memorial to western pioneers who traversed the River. Now serving as a State Scenic Corridor, one can exit the historic highway and drive around the observatory or park and walk around the site and building. As “a temple to the natural beauty of the gorge,” one can view Portland, Vancouver, Washington, and Beacon Rock, Washington all at the House. All in all, according to Lancaster, Vista House is an ideal site to view up and down the Columbia in “silent communion with the infinite.”
Multnomah Falls
At approximately 1:30PM, we visited Multnomah Falls, located in the Columbia River Gorge. At 620 feet, it is the largest waterfall in the state of Oregon and spans not one, but two tiers on basalt cliffs. Located towards the bottom of the falls is Multnomah Falls Lodge, which was built in 1925 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. On average, the falls attract over two million visitors every year, making it one of the most visited natural recreation sites in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.
Multnomah Falls. Photo by Katlyn Wettberg.
Bonneville Dam
After visiting the falls, we made a stop at the Bonneville Dam at approximately 3:00pm. While there, we were able to see the fish hatchery, which held fish of all ages. The primary purpose of the dam is electric power generation. It was originally built in the 1930’s by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and, at the time of its construction, was the largest water impoundment project of its type in the United States. It houses twenty turbines and annually generates approximately 4,466 GWh. While there, we were able to see a fish ladder, which is a series of pools built like steps that allow fish to bypass the dam. There was also a visitor’s center, which was full of history, information, and viewing windows, which allowed us to see salmon making their way through the dam. After spending approximately an hour and a half there, we headed to the town of Hood River.
The fish ladder at Bonneville Dam. Photo by Kayla Mootheart.
Herman the Sturgeon. Photo by Carissa Dowden.
Bonneville Dam. Photo by Haley Churchhill.
Packer's Orchard
While in Hood River, we made a stop at Packer Orchard, which was established in 1924. This orchard is a 4th generation sustainable farm that uses over 100 acres to grow various crops in the Willamette Valley. While here, we engorged in apples, pears, honey, ice cream, cookies, turnovers, and various other treats with a lovely view of Mt. Hood over the orchard. It made for a pleasant last stop of the day before heading to the hotel.
Students in front of Packer Orchards. Photo by Haley Churchhill.
Hood River
As our busy day was coming to an end, we stayed the night in Hood River at the Sunset Motel, which provided a gorgeous view of Mt. Hood. Incorporated in 1895 with a population of just under 8,000, Hood River had a small-town feel to it, with plenty of thoughtfully crafted local stores and restaurants located in its downtown. Once we were all settled in, we walked downtown and further bonded over great drinks and food at a local pub as the sun settled and the globe lights above us shined in the outdoor patio. On only the first day, we already all enjoyed each other's company and it seemed as if we all have been good friends for awhile. The trip was off to a great start and we were all excited for what was next to come in the following days.
Mount Hood at sunset. Photo by Haley Churchhill.