Call me Don Quixote

From childhood, we can all remember special places that played an important part in our development. Growing up in the west, one significant place for me was the Columbia River George and High Desert Basin section bordering Oregon and Washington from Portland to the Tri-Cities. I was born in Baker City and spent many years traveling either by plane, train, bus or car up and down the Columbia. A week ago, on a road trip to Coeur d'Alene. I was a bit shocked by the changes across the landscape.  I have traveled up the Gorge many times, but only a couple of times in recent years to the region past Hood River where the High Desert area begins.

What shocked me most was my reaction to the major changes in the landscape. The high cliff walls and sage lands were still beautiful, but now the hills were cluttered with giant windmills. No longer did the view evoke a childlike vision of ancient tribes moving across the river bank or a chance sighting of a bear, lion or even a condor. I used to be able to imagine looking at ageless scarring on the sides of the hills along the Columbia and think they may have been left by the catastrophic Missoula flood.  But, these musings became more difficult with the sea of wind turbines scattered across our view.

Even as a boy, I had to stretch my imagination to see the river as my grandparents and parents had first known it, free of the hydro-electric dams. They would tell me stories of the Celilo Falls and traveling the Historic Columbia River Highway that skirted the bank. My son was about two on his first trip up the Gorge.  On this trip his imagination had to work harder to “see” the Gorge in its natural state.  He still appreciated its beauty.  How much more will future generations have to increase their imaginations as more energy projects are approved and this majestic landscape is changed even more?

The historic image above of the John Day River Mouth area of the Gorge is from the Oregon State  Archives. It was used in a great interactive web series called A 1940 Journey Across Oregon.

I have created a map (inset image) in Data Basin where you can explore the Columbia Gorge.  I added protected areas of Washington and Oregon but you can add your own layers.