The Volcanoes of Lewis and ClarkOctober 30, 1805
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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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October 29 Entering the Columbia River Gorge, The Dalles to the Little White Salmon |
October 30
"Lower Falls of the Columbia", Dog Mountain to Cascade Locks Little White Salmon River, Underwood to Cook, Dog Mountain and Dog Mountain Landslide, Viento State Park, Starvation Creek State Park, Wind Mountain and the Submered Forest, Wind River, "Lower Falls of the Columbia", Cascade Locks |
CONTINUE
October 31 "Lower Falls of the Columbia", Cascade Locks |
| 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 |
| To the Pacific - October 1805 |
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"Lower Falls of the Columbia
Dog Mountain to Cascade Locks |
| Lewis and Clark camped on the Washington side of the Columbia, upstream of the Little White Salmon River, at a village near a "Pond". Today the Washington town of Cook is located at the mouth of the Little White Salmon River. |
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Little White Salmon River:
Little White Salmon River: The Little White Salmon River originates in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest west of Monte Cristo Peak in south-central Washington and enters Drano Lake near Cook, Washington. Drano Lake, a backwater created by impoundment of the Columbia River, enters Bonneville Reservoir at River Mile 162. Lewis and Clark did not observe this drainage but marked its course on the route map, based on information obtained from the local inhabitants. "Little Lake Creek" was a description and not intended as a place name for the unseen drainage. The corps camped the evening of October 29, 1805, near a "Pond" close to the northern shore and marked the little lake on their route map. The present place name derived from its association to the larger upstream drainage in the same region. This body of water is now known as Drano Lake, but the physiography has been changed by backwaters from Bonneville Dam and highway construction. -- Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority Website, 2002, and Washington State Historical Society Website, 2002 
River Drainages of Mount Adams:
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| A moderate rain fell during all last night, but the morning was cool, and after taking a scanty breakfast of deer, we proceeded. The river is now about three quarters of a mile wide, with a current so gentle, that it does not exceed one mile and a half an hour; [passing location of Viento State Park, Oregon, on the left] |
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Viento State Park:
Appropriately enough for a park in the blustery Columbia River Gorge, the name Viento (pronounced Vee-EN-toe) is Spanish for wind. Just an odd coinicdence, actually. In this case, the name comes from the first letters of three railroad tycoons (Villard, Endicott and Tollman) who put the first railroad in the area. Viento has a day-use area with easy access to the Columbia River and some of the best windsurfing in the Gorge. -- Oregon State Parks and Recreation Website, 2002 |
| but its course is obstructed by the projection of large rocks, which seemed to have fallen promiscuously from the mountains into the bed of the river. [possibly Dog Mountain Landslide] |
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Dog Mountain:
Dog Mountain Landslide: Local landslides, some taking place as recently as 200 years ago, have occurred in several areas along the Columbia River. The large Bonneville landslide, between the cities of North Bonneville and Stevenson, exposed the Red Bluffs. Steever soils formed in material from this landslide (stony clay loam, highly productive forest soils). The landslide, which consists chiefly of the Eagle Creek Formation and Yakima Basalt, blocked the Columbia River for a short period. Another landslide between Wind Mountain and Dog Mountain consists chiefly of material from the Ohanapecosh Formation. This landslide is still active. It moves 40 to 50 feet a year at the upper end of the slide and 5 to 10 feet a year at the toe. -- U.S. Forest Service Website, 2002, Gifford Pinchot National Forest Geology of this area: Skamania County Area is in the Cascade Range uplift, a region characterized by deeply dissected mountains. Between Cape Horn and Underwood Mountain, the Columbia River has cut through the Cascade Range to form the Columbia River Gorge, a deep canyon lined by precipitous slopes that have outcrops of basalt and andesite. The Cascade Range in Skamania County is of particular interest because it contains the most complete stratigraphic section of Tertiary and Quaternary volcanic rocks in the state. In the Wind River area are extensive deposits of Cenozoic lava and volcanic debris. These rocks are divided into four units: Ohanapecosh Formation, Eagle Creek Formation, Yakima Basalt, and Quaternary basalt flows (13). The oldest unit, Eocene to early Oligocene in age, is the Ohanapecosh Formation of the Mount Rainier region. It is nearly 19,000 feet thick. The lower twothirds of this unit is composed mostly of andesitic pyroclastic debris in tuff breccia. The upper 6,000 feet of the formation, which was deposited during the Oligocene Epoch, is composed of about equal amounts of conglomerate and sandstone, tuff, and pyroclastic breccia. Following folding and uplift, the top of the Ohanapecosh Formation was deeply weathered. Andesitic gravel and sand of the Eagle Creek Formation were then deposited over the Ohanapecosh Formation during the early Miocene. The Eagle Creek Formation was then eroded, and the resulting topography was inundated by Yakima Basalt from the east during the late Miocene. Deposits of the Eagle Creek Formation in the survey area were about 1,300 feet thick. Yakima Basalt flows in the area are as much as 2,000 feet thick. Aschoff, Skoly, and Zygore soils formed in residuum and colluvium derived from these formations. Gentle folding accompanied by eruptions from several andesitic and basaltic volcanoes took place during the Pliocene. This was followed by erosion that stripped away the lava flows, leaving only scattered plugs of diorite and diabase. Beacon Rock and Wind Mountain are remnants of these plugs. Some granodiorite is exposed in the southwestern part of the survey area. Dougan soils formed in residuum and colluvium derived from these intrusive formations. Quaternary volcanism has been limited to the extrusion of basalt flows from at least ten different vents. The lavas can be grouped into olivine, platy olivine, and low-alumina basalt. These include flows from the Red Mountain and Trout Creek Hill volcanoes and flows of the Big Lava Bed north of Willard (7). Some of the accompanying volcanic ash and pumice accumulated on terraces in the upper Wind River area. The Stabler soils formed in this material, whereas the Chemawa soils formed in alluvium derived from volcanic ash and basalt. -- U.S. Forest Service Website, 2002, Gifford Pinchot National Forest |
| On the left side four different streams of water empty themselves in cascades from the hills. [possibly Starvation Creek and Falls, Cabin Creek and Falls (seasonal), Warren Creek and Falls, Wonder Creek and Lancaster Falls. Another creek and falls (Lindsey) is another one half mile further west.] |
| "... The rocks project into the river in maney places and have the appearance of haveing fallen from the highe hills those projected rocks is common & Small Bays below & nitches in the rocks passed 4 Cascades or Small Streams falling from the mountains on Lard. ..." [Clark, October 30, 1805] |
| "... A cool morning, a moderate rain all the last night, after eating a partial brackfast of venison we Set out, passed Several places where the rocks projected into the river & have the appearance of haveing Seperated from the mountains and fallen promiscuisly into the river, Small nitches are formed in the banks below those projecting rocks which is comon in this part of the river, Saw 4 Cascades caused by Small Streams falling from the mountains on the Lard. Side, ..." [Clark, October 30, 1805] |
| "... The morning was cloudy; the river and country we found much the same as yesterday. At noon we stopped to dine and one of the men went out and killed a large buck. A number of fine springs come down the hills on the South side; and we passed a small river on the north ..." [Gass, October 30, 1805] |
| What is, however, most singular is, that there are stumps of pine trees scattered to some distance in the river, which has the appearance of being dammed below and forced to encroach on the shore: |
| "... This part of the river resembles a pond partly dreaned leaving many Stumps bare both in & out of the water, current about 1 mil pr. Hour ..." [Clark, October 30, 1805] |
| "... a remarkable circumstance in this part of the river is, the Stumps of pine trees are in maney places are at Some distance in the river, and gives every appearance of the rivers begin damed up below from Some cause which I am not at this time acquainted with, the Current of the river is also verry jentle not exceeding 1 1/2 mile pr. hour and about 3/4 of a mile in width. ..." [Clark, October 30, 1805] |
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Wind Mountain:
Wind Mountain: Gentle folding accompanied by eruptions from several andesitic and basaltic volcanoes took place during the Pliocene. This was followed by erosion that stripped away the lava flows, leaving only scattered plugs of diorite and diabase. Beacon Rock and Wind Mountain are remnants of these plugs. -- U.S. Forest Service Website, 2002, Gifford Pinchot National Forest Submerged Forest: Up until the completion of Bonneville Dam in 1938, a ghostly white forest of drowned tree stumps could be observed along both sides of the Columbia River between Cascade Locks and The Dalles. The submerged forest was first mentioned in a geologic textbook in 1853, in "Principles of Geology" by Sir Charles Lyell: "Thus Captains Clark and Lewis found, about the year 1807 (sic), a forest of pines standing erect under water in the body of the Columbia RIver, which they supposed, from the appearnace of the trees, to have been submerged only about twenty years." Both Lewis and Clark in 1805 and Captain Fremont in 1845 recognozed that the trees were drowned by the formation of a lake behind a 200-foot landslide dam. Possibly triggered by an earthquake, the dam material slid down from the cliffs of Table Mountain and Greenleaf Peak at a time later determined to be between 1260 and 1290 A.D. The stumps were described in detail by Minnesota biologists Donald B. and Elizabeth G. Lawrence in a series of definitive papers in 1935, 1937, 1937, and 1958. The Lawrences were the first to date the time of the landslide, by caron 14 analyses, as having occurred 700 years before. As of 1936, the Lawrence's counted 3,068 stumps on the south side of the river, and 938 on the north side of the river. The maximum concentration of stumps on the south side occurs just above the mouth of Viento Creek, where more than 800 stumps were counted within a small area. [See Table Mountain Landslide information below] -- Allen, 1983, Time Travel in Oregon |
| these obstructions continue till at the distance of twelve miles, when we came to the mouth of a river on the right [Wind River], where we landed: we found it sixty yards wide [Wind River], and its banks possess two kinds of timber which we had not hitherto seen: one is a very large species of ash; the other resembling in its bark the beach; but the tree itself, as also the leaves, are smaller. We called this stream Crusatte's river [Wind River], after Crusatte, one of our men: opposite to its mouth the Columbia widens to the distance of a mile, with a large sandbar, and large stones and rocks scattered through the channel. ...... |
| "... Some rain, we landed above the mouth of a Small river on the Stard. Side and Dined. ... here the river widens to about one mile large Sand bar in the middle, a Great both in and out of the water, large Stones, or rocks are also permiscuisly Scattered about in the river ... The bottoms above the mouth of this little river (which we Call) is rich covered with grass& firn & is about 3/4 of a mile wide rich and rises gradually, below the river (which is 60 yards wide above its mouth) the Countery rises with Steep assent. we call this little river (fr Ash) New Timbered river from a Speces of Ash (that wood) which grows on its banks of a verry large and different from any we had before Seen ..." [Clark, October 30, 1805] |
| "... we passed a small river on the north ..." [Gass, October 30, 1805] |
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Wind River:
Wind River: Wind River basin, located in southwestern Washington, originates in McClellan Meadows in the western Cascades and enters Bonneville Reservoir at River Mile (RM) 154.5 near Carson, Washington. Wind River, a fifth order stream, drains approximately 225 square miles of Skamania County over a distance of approximately 31 miles. Principle tributaries to Wind River include Little Wind River, Bear, Panther, Trout, Trapper, Dry, Nineteenmile, Falls and Paradise creeks. The basin is oriented northwest to southeast with elevations ranging from 80 - 3,900 feet. Topography varies within the watershed; it is steep in the northwest and lower southeast, gentle in the northeast - McClellan Meadows area, and it is benchy in Trout Creek Flats and middle portions of the Wind River Valley. The mainstem of the Wind River drops 3,820 feet in 30.5 miles for an average gradient of 2.3 percent. Shepherd Falls, located at RM 2.0, is a series of four falls ranging from 8 to 12 feet that were a barrier to all anadromous salmonids except steelhead until the construction of a fish ladder in 1956. Originally Lewis and Clark called this river the "New Timber River". The name was later changed to "Crusats River," after a member of the corps, Pierre Cruzatte. At Fort Clatsop, Clark realized that Cruzatte was the only member of the corps who had not been honored with a place name on the westbound journey. He changed the name on the route map and course distance log, correcting the oversight. The present descriptive name was given by Isaac Stevens in 1853. -- Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority Website, 2002, and Washington State Historical Society Website, 2002 Geology of the Wind River Watershed: The Wind River Watershed has been shaped through 25 million years of volcanic activity and glacial action. Most of the watershed was formed 12 and 25 million years ago with some younger flows out of Indian Heaven and Trout Creek Hill being dated between 350,000 to three million. The flows out of Trout Creek Hill are the youngest at about 300,000. The majority of the watershed is in the older volcaniclastic material. These areas are more susceptible to erosion and mass failure due to the weathering of the material to silts and clays. Glacial activity has had an effect on the landscape especially in the upper regions of the watershed by Indian Heaven, where volcanic flows have scoured and smoothed the land. Outwash and alluvial material from this time period have been eroding down through the Wind River Valley. Since the construction of Bonneville Dam, this material has been accumulating at the mouth of the Wind River. Other material that has been moving into the streams in the lower parts of the valley are flood deposits left from the Bretz Floods from ancient Lake Missoula. Sediment input has also resulted from large landslides in the watershed. Most subbasin soils originate from weathered bedrock. Alluvial soil is found along the river and some soils north of Paradise Creek were buried under a thin layer of ash and pumice from Mt. St. Helens. Major woodland soils are deep and well drained but become shallow as elevation increases. -- Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority Website, 2002
River Drainages of Mount Adams:
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| Above Crusatte's river [Wind River] the low grounds are about three quarters of a mile wide, rising gradually to the hills, and with a rich soil covered with grass, fern, and other small undergrowth; but below, the country rises with a steep ascent, and soon the mountains approach to the river with steep rugged sides, covered with a very thick growth of pine, cedar, cottonwood, and oak. The river is still strewed with large rocks. Two and a half miles below Crusatte's river [Wind River] is a large creek [Rock Creek] on the right, with a small island in the mouth. [today, the location of Stevenson, Washington] Just below this creek [Rock Creek] we passed along the right side of three small islands on the right bank of the river, with a larger island on the opposite side, and landed on an island [???] very near the right shore at the head of the great shoot [The Cascades near Bonneville], and opposite two smaller islands at the fall or shoot itself [Lewis and Clark have arrived at "The Lower Falls of the Columbia", the area of today's Cascade Locks and Bonneville Dam]. |
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"Lower Falls of the Columbia" - Cascade Locks area:
"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 |
| Just above the island on which we were encamped [today this island is underwater] is a small village of eight large houses in a bend on the right, where the country, from having been very mountainous, becomes low for a short distance. We had made fifteen miles to-day, during all which time we were kept constantly wet with the rain. ...... |
| "... passed maney large rocks in the river and a large creek on the Stard. Side in the mouth of which is an Island, passed on the right of 3 Islands (on) near the Stard. Side, and landed on an Island close under the Stard. Side at the head of the great Shute, and a little below a village of 8 large houses on a Deep bend on the Stard. Side, and opposit 2 Small Islands imediately in the head of the Shute, which Islands are covered with Pine, maney large rocks also, in the head of the Shute. Ponds back of the houses, and Countrey low for a short distance. The day proved Cloudy dark and disagreeable with Some rain all day which kept us wet. The Countary a high mountain on each Side thickly Covered with timber, Such as Spruc, Pine, Cedar, Oake Cotton &c.; &c.; ..." [Clark, October 30, 1805] |
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Oregon Banks of the Columbia River upstream Cascade Locks:
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| "... In the evening we came to the head of falls, where there is a large Indian village. On our way down we saw a great many swans, geese and ducks; and a number of sea otter. There are some small bottoms along the river, with cotton wood on them, and on the banks of the river some white oak, ash and hazlenut. At a distance there are ponds which about with geese and ducks. It rained hard all day, and we came only 15 miles. ..." [Gass, October 30, 1805] |
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The Camp - October 30 and 31, 1805:
On an island on the Washington side of the Columbia River, above the Cascade Locks just north of today's Bridge of the Gods. This island is now under water. In 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. On the return trip home, Lewis and Clark stayed just south of here on April 12, 1806. |
| As soon as we landed, captain Lewis went with five men to the village, which is situated near the river, with ponds in the low grounds behind: the greater part of the inhabitants were absent collecting roots down the river: the few, however, who were at home, treated him very kindly, and gave him berries, nuts, and fish; and in the house were a gun and several articles which must have been procured from the whites; but not being able to procure any information, he returned to the island. Captain Clarke had in the meantime gone down to examine the shoot [The Lower Falls of the Columbia], and to discover the best route for a portage. He followed an Indian path, which, at the distance of a mile, led to a village on an elevated situation ...... After going about three miles the night obliged him to return to camp: he resumed his search in the morning. |
| "... I took two men and walked down three miles to examine the Shute and river below ... I found by examonation that we must make a portage of the greater perpotion of our Stores 2 1/2 miles, and the Canoes we Could haul over the rocks, I returned at Dark ... a wet disagreeable evening, the only wood we could get to burn on this little Island on which we have encamped is the newly discovered 'Ash', which makes a tolerable fire. we made fifteen miles to daye. ..." [Clark, October 30, 1805] |
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