The Volcanoes of Lewis and ClarkApril 10 - 12, 1806 |
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-- The Volcanoes of Lewis and Clark Map of the Journey -- Volcanoes, Basalt Plateaus, Major Rivers, etc. CALENDAR of the Journey -- October 1805 to June 1806 Along the Journey -- Pacific Northwest Maps - Columbia River, Volcanoes, Flood Basalts, Missoula Floods, Geology, etc. The Corps of Discovery -- The Journey of Lewis and Clark About the Reference Materials -- The Journals, Biddle/Allen, DeVoto, Gass, Moulton, Topo Maps, and others USGS Lewis and Clark Links -- Links to USGS Websites highlighting the Lewis and Clark Journey Resources Publications Referenced and Websites Visited |
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April 9 Columbia River Gorge, Cottonwood Beach Camp to Bonneville |
April 10-12
Columbia River Gorge, Cascade Locks Vicinity Bonneville Vicinity, Fort Rains and North Bonneville, Bonneville Dam, Table Mountain Landslide, Table Mountain, Greenleaf Basin, and Greenleaf Peak, "Lower Falls of the Columbia", Cascade Locks, Cascade Rapids, Bridge of the Gods |
CONTINUE
April 13 Columbia River Gorge, Cascade Locks to Dog Mountain |
| On October 7, 1805, Lewis and Clark and the "Corps of Discovery" began their journey down the Clearwater River and into the volcanics of the Pacific Northwest. The Corps travelled from the Clearwater to the Snake and down the "Great Columbia", finally reaching the Pacific Ocean on November 15, 1805. Along the journey they encountered the lava flows of the Columbia Plateau, river channels carved by the great "Missoula Floods", and the awesome beauty of five Cascade Range volcanoes. |
| The Volcanoes of Lewis and Clark |
| Heading Home - April 1806 |
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Columbia River Gorge
Cascade Locks Vicinity |
| Lewis and Clark's camp of April 9, 1806, was on the Oregon side of the Columbia River, at a location now near the Bonneville Dam. |
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Bonneville Vicinity:
Bonneville Vicinity: Lewis and Clark's map of the area they referred to as the "Lower Falls of the Columbia". Bradford Island was called Brant Island and Hamilton Island was Strawberry Island. In 1896 the Cascade Locks were built, and in 1938 Bonneville Dam was completed. |
| Early in the morning we dropped down the channel to the lower end of Brant island [Bradford Island], and then drew our boats up the rapid. At the distance of a quarter of a mile we crossed over to a village of Clahclellahs, consisting of six houses, on the opposite side [Washington side, east of North Bonneville]. The river is here about four hundred yards wide, and the current so rapid, that although we employed five oars for each canoe, we were borne down a considerable distance. ...... |
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Fort Rains and North Bonneville:
In 1855 Fort Cascades was established in the Bonneville area on the north bank of the Columbia River, at the Lower Cascades (below the present site of the Bonneville Dam). A month later, Fort Rains was built to defend the Middle Cascades (above the present site of the Bonneville Dam), and 6 months later, after Fort Cascades was burned to the ground and rebuilt, a new fort was built to protect the Upper Cascades. This fort (Fort Lugenbeel) was located on the north bank of the Columbia, on a hill, across from Little Ashes Lake. Skamania County was formed in 1854 with the first county seat being located at the town of Cascades, also known as the Lower Cascades. Cascades was one of the four earliest settlements in the Washington Territory and included the fort. At one time Cascades was the largest town in the Washington Territory, and was an important steamboat stop and terminus for the portage railroad that transported goods and people around the Cascade rapids on the Columbia River. The settlement was approximately where North Bonneville is located today. In April 1893, the county government moved to the newly platted town of Stevenson, approximately 10 miles upstream. In 1894 the greatest recorded flood on the Columbia River destroyed the town of Cascades, leaving behind only a small community -- a community which sprang back to life as North Bonneville in 1933 when work began on the Bonneville Dam. North Bonneville was a spontaneously assembled community, built with whatever materials were available and put together to meet the needs of construction workers arriving by the hundreds in the area. When the Bonneville Project was completed in 1938, the town remained. It was incorporated in 1935. Construction of a second powerhouse at Bonneville Dam began in the mid-1970's, with the new powerhouse covering over 90 percent of the town of North Bonneville. The town was force to relocate west of the old town on Hamilton Island and south of Greenleaf Slough. The new town of North Bonneville was dedicated in 1978. Today North Bonneville can be reached via Washington State Highway 14. -- Skamania County Chamber of Commerce Website, 2003, and City of North Bonneville Website, 2003 |
| The south side of the river is impassable, and the rapidity of the current as well as the large rocks along the shore, render the navigation of even the north side extremely difficult. During the greater part of the day it was necessary to draw them along the shore, and as we have only a single tow-rope that is strong enough, we are obliged to bring them one after the other. In this tedious and laborious manner, we at length reached the portage on the north side [area of the Table Mountain Landslide, see entry of April 11, 1806] , and carried our baggage to the top of a hill, about two hundred paces distant, where we encamped for the night [area above today's Bonneville Dam]. |
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Bonneville Dam:
Bonneville Dam: Bonneville Lock and Dam and Lake Bonneville are in the Columbia River Gorge, one of the most scenic areas in the Pacific Northwest. The walls of the gorge rise 2,000 feet above Lake Bonneville in many places and can be seen from any of the 10 recreation areas around the reservoir. Bonneville Dam spans the Columbia River from Oregon to Washington, a distance of 1,100 feet. Bradford Island, an old Indian burial ground separating the river's two channels, is at the center of the mammoth barrier. The south end of Bonneville Dam is on Bradford Island, as is much of the fish ladder structure. The north end of the powerhouse is also on the island. Bradford Island was named for Daniel F. and Putnam Bradford, brothers, who were pioneer steamboat operators on the Columbia River. Among other things they rebuilt the portage road at the Cascades in 1856. Later another portage road was built on the south side of the river, and eventually both were absorbed by the Oregon Steam Navigation Company. The dam was completed in 1938 and was the first of the major power dams on the Columbia. Bonneville was named for Captain Benjamin de Bonneville. -- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Website, 2002, Oregon State Archives Website, 2002, and McArthur, 1982, Oregon Geographic Names |
| The canoes were drawn on shore and secured, but one of them having got loose, drifted down to the last village, the inhabitants of which brought her back to us; an instance of honesty which we rewarded with a present of two knives. It rained all night. |
| "... the water was so rapid, that we had to tow the canoes up by the line almost all the way to the landing at the lower end of the portage, a distance of about six miles ... In the evening we got to the end of the portage, which is about two miles. We took our baggage to the top of the hill and remained with it all night; during which some showers of rain fell. ..." [Gass, April 10, 1806] |
| "... with Some fatigue we got all the canoes to the lower end of the portage of the big Shoote and unloaded in the large eddy below on N. Side and carried all the baggage on the top of the hill, and Camped ..." [Ordway, April 10, 1806] |
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The Camp - April 10 and April 11, 1806:
Lewis and Clark camped on the Washington side of the Columbia, at a location now above the Bonneville Dam. |
| The tents, and skins which covered the baggage, were wet. We therefore determined to take the canoes first over the portage [across Table Mountain Landslide, passed the rapids and falls of the Cascade Locks area], in hopes that by the afternoon the rain would cease, and we might carry our baggage across without injury. |
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Table Mountain Vicinity:
Table Mountain Landslide: Near Bonneville, the lava layers making up Table Mountain slid into the Gorge, about 1100 A.D. This series of four landslides, covering five square miles, blocked the Columbia River. The Second Powerhouse of Bonneville Dam butts against this landslide. If you look north of the dam, you can see cliffs exposed after the mountain gave way. Original inhabitants of the area may have marveled at the 200 foot high landslide blocking the Columbia. They could have crossed on foot, possibly giving rise to a story about "The Bridge of the Gods". This natural dam created a lake that stretched almost seventy miles (up to the present day John Day Dam). After a few months, the Columbia rose high enough to wash through the southern side of the landslide creating a flood of water that was 100 feet deep at Troutdale. Things returned to normal, except the river was displaced a mile to the south and a set of rapids, the Cascades, had formed. In 1938, the rapids disappeared under water rising behind Bonneville Dam. The only hints of their existence are the remnants of a navigation lock at Cascades Locks built in 1896 to allow boats around the rapids. -- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Website, 2002, and Swanson, et.al, 1989 |
| This was immediately begun by almost the whole party, who in the course of the day dragged four of the canoes to the head of the rapids, with great difficulty and labour. ...... |
| "... this portage is two thousand eight hundred yards along a narrow rough and slipery road. ..." [Lewis, April 11, 1806] |
| "... rained the greater part of last night and continues this morning. all of the party except a fiew to guard the baggage turned out with Capt. Clark to takeing up our canoes with the tow Rope up the big Shoote took one large one and one Small one at once the large one filled at the highest pitch where it is allmost perpinticular but with Some difficulty we got the 2 to the head of the portage about noon. then went back took dinner and took another large canoe and a Small one the other smallest one was taken & carried by land. this large canoe filled twice with water at the worst pitch but with some difficulty & hard fatigue got them Safe up towards evening by the assistance of a number of Indians at the worst pitch &C.; and halled the large canoe up by force allthough She was full of water. the most of the mens feet sore towing over the Sharp rocks. our officers made a chief of the nation gave meddle &C.; Drewyer and the 2 Fields Sent on a head with their little canoe to a creek on the N. Side to hunt untill our arival. ..." [Ordway, April 11, 1806] |
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Rapids below Cascade Locks:
The Portage:
Portage across Table Mountain Landslide: Across the Table Mountain Landslide area, at the modern Cascades-Bonneville Dam. The portage here was over a slippery, narrow trail, 2,800 yards long, in the rain. Indians crowded the camp, watching. Clark took four canoes up the rapids with a great deal of labor; some of the canoes were unavoidably damaged in the process. -- U.S. National Park Service, Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Website, 2002 |
| "... by the evening Capt. C. took 4 of our canoes above the rapids tho' with much difficulty and labour. the canoes were much damaged by begin driven against the rocks in dispite of every precaution which could be taken to prevent it. the men complained of being so much fatiegued in the evening that we posposned taking up our 5th canoe untill tomorrow. these rapids are much worse than they were fall when we passed them, at that time there were only three difficult points within seven miles, at present the whole distance is extreemly difficult of ascent, and it would be impracticable to decend except by leting down the empty vessels by a cord and then even the wrisk would be greater than in taking them up by the same means. the water appears to be (considerably) upwards of 20 feet higher than when we decended the river ..." [Lewis, April 11, 1806] |
| Many Indians from the villages above, passed us in the course of the day, on their return from trading with the natives of the valley, and among others, we recognised an Eloot, who with ten or twelve of his nation were on their way home to the long narrows of the Columbia. These people do not, as we are compelled to do, drag their canoes, up the rapids, but leave them at the head, as they descend, and carrying their good across the portage, hire or borrow others from the people below. When the trade is over they return to the foot of the rapids, where they leave these boats and resume their own at the head of the portage. The labour of carrying the goods across is equally shared by the men and women, and we were struck by the contract between the decent conduct of all the natives from above and the profligacy and ill manners of the Wahclellahs. About three quarters of a mile below our camp is a burial ground, which seems common to the Wahclellahs, Clahclellahs, and Yehhuhs. It consists of eight sepulchres on the north bank of the river. |
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The Camp - April 10 and April 11, 1806:
Lewis and Clark camped on the Washington side of the Columbia, at a location now above the Bonneville Dam. [See entry of April 10, 1806] |
| The rain continued all night and this morning. Captain Lewis now took with him all the men fit for duty, and began to drag the remaining periogue over the rapids. This has become much more difficult than when we passed in the autumn; at that time there were in the whole distance of seven miles only three difficult points; but the water is now very considerably higher, and during all that distance the ascent is exceedingly laborious and dangerous, nor would it be practicable to descend, except by letting down the empty boats by means of ropes. The route over this part, from the head to the foot of the portage, is about three miles [approximately from today's Bonneville dam to west of the Cascade Locks. Today this area is spanned by the Bridge of the Gods.] : the canoes which had been already dragged up were very much injured, by being driven against the rocks, which no precautions could prevent. |
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Bridge of the Gods:
Bridge of the Gods: The Bridge of the Gods is a cantilever toll bridge spanning the river just west of Cascade Locks, and occupies a place where, according to Indian legend, a natural bridge at one time arched the river. This bridge, they say, was cast into the river when Tyhee Sahale, the Supreme Being, became angry with his two sons, who had quarreled over the beautiful Loowit, guardian of a sacred flame on the bridge. The two sons and the girl, crushed in the destruction of the bridge, whose debris created the Cascades, were resurrected as Mount Hood, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens. The present man-made Bridge of the Gods was built in 1926, and was raised in 1938 to provide clearance over the rising waters behind Bonneville Dam. The huge rocks of the legendary, ancient natural bridge lie beneath the waters of the Columbia River just upstream from the new bridge. The Bridge of the Gods, located 2.6 miles above the Bonneville Dam, has a fixed span with a clearance of 135 feet over a middle width of 284 feet. -- Oregon State Archives Website, 2002, City of Cascade Locks Website, 2002, and NOAA Office of Coast Survey Website, 2003 |
| Historically, the Cascade Rapids area has been known as the "Lower Falls of the Columbia". |
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Cascade Rapids - "Lower Falls of the Columbia":
"Lower Falls of the Columbia": Lewis and Clark called the area of today's Cascades Locks "the Lower Falls of the Columbia" (the Celilo Falls area was known as the "Great Falls of the Columbia"). The rapids or cascades that blocked the Columbia River were a serious hazard to early pioneers because they were difficult to travel through by boat or raft. Many Oregon Trail travelers managed to survive the grueling overland route from Missouri only to be dashed to death on the rocks or drowned in the cascading waters. For many years it was necessary for river traffic to portage around the hazard. It is said by geologists that these rapids were caused by avalanches that slipped from the heights of Table Mountain impeding the free flow of the river. [See October 31, 1805 entry] At the rapids, Lewis and Clark observed evidence of a massive landslide that had once blocked the river and gave rise to the myth of "The Bridge of the Gods". -- Oregon State Archives Website, 2002, Lewis & Clark Bicentennial of Oregon Website, 2002, and City of Cascade Locks Website, 2002 |
| In 1896 the Federal Government built a series of locks around the trecherous Cascade Rapids. |
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Cascade Locks:
Cascade Locks: In 1896 the Federal Government built a series of locks around the treacherous Cascades rapids. In November, 1878, construction began. However, it was not until November 1896, that the locks were dedicated and opened for use. Delays in construction included reduction of appropriations by Congress, winter storms, high water, deep snows, and delays in receiving materials. During this time, the community grew from a small settlement of Native Americans and three white families to a booming construction town with all the flavor of the wild west. By 1893, there were about 1,000 inhabitants, many living in tents, shacks, and other temporary buildings. There were many saloons established, and it was during this time that the community was frequently called "Whiskey Flat". After the construction of the locks, the town became Cascade Locks. The Cascade Locks Marine Park has an Interpretive sign, trail, and museum. -- Oregon State Archives Website, 2002, Lewis & Clark Bicentennial of Oregon Website, 2002, and City of Cascade Locks Website, 2002 |
| This morning as we were drawing the fifth canoe round a projecting rock, against which the current sets with great violence, she unfortunately offered too much of her side to the stream. It then drove her with such force, that with all the exertions of the party we were unable to hold her, and were forced to let go the cord, and see her drift down the stream, and be irrecoverably lost. We then began to carry our effects across the portage, but as all those who had short rifles took them in order to repel any attack from the Indians, it was not until five o'clock in the afternoon that the last of the party reached the head of the rapids, accompanied by our new friend the Wahclellah chief. The afternoon being so far advanced, and the weather rainy and cold, we determined to halt for the night, though very desirous of going on, for during the three last days we have not advanced more than seven miles. The portage is two thousand eight hundred yards, along a narrow road, at all times rough, and now rendered slippery by the rain. ...... |
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The Camp - April 12, 1806:
Washington side of the Columbia River, above the Cascade Locks. Just north of today's Bridge of the Gods. At the end of October in 1805 the Lewis & Clark expedition reached the Schutes of the Columbia, in the area today known as Cascade Locks. The expedition was forced to portage around these falls on November 1st, and again on their return trip in the spring of the following year. The falls were later bypassed by the development of a set of locks in 1896, and subsequently drowned with the competion of the Bonneville Dam in 1938. |
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