The Mighty Columbia

We’ve been on the Columbia River aboard the American Pride for five days. 

We first headed west from Portland to Astoria where Lewis and Clark wintered at Fort Clatsop. It was appropriately foggy and gray. 

In preparation for the trip, we listened again to Undaunted Courage. It brought everything to life. We could just imagine the Corps of Discovery paddling down the river 

We then turned around and headed east upstream. An excursion to Mount St Helens brought back the entire story of the eruption in 1980. What devastation, but 38 years later the forests are rejuvenated. Unfortunately, Mount St Helens was in the clouds. The river bed still runs gray from volcanic ash. 

The number one tourist attraction in Oregon is the Multnomah Falls. It falls 542 feet at the top and 69 feet at the lower falls.