5/12 Saturday. By volunteering to drive, I was allowed to join last minute this outing of Friends of the Gorge. ~15 of us met at the Fort Cascade historical site's information booth, with big displays and self guided tour brochures. There isn't much left to see, due to the 1894 mud slide which wiped out the town (built 1855). There are signs of where the old tavern was, or the board school or ... The only real relic is this tram rail, used to get from the town to the waterfront. Roland, our guide, is the same Roland who guided the ethnobotanical tour at Hoyt a month ago. His photographer friend and ex-coworker at IBM, Mike, is also very knowledgeable about plants. Both fun to hang out with. It's good to refresh my weak memory. Now I can more reliably identify the useful plantain and dock, both invasive weed.
We had a leisurely lunch at the picnic table by the parking lot overlooking the Columbia River, where a couple of sea lions were gorging on the smolt. You can also see the water spray from the Bonneville Dam facility (downstream of the dam itself), which is supposed to deter the predictor birds, when smolt was released in the narrow channel. A large display also shows that they tag and monitor the fish.I and most if the participants today wasn't aware of the existence of this place. A shame.
After lunch, 5 of us stopped by the Pioneer Cemetery with Roland and Mike. Very tranquil, despite of being next to the train track. Saw some fresh flower and new tombs, so must still be used by the tribe. At the tombstone of Indian Mary and some of her relatives, Roland read from his notes about Kalliah Tumulth's fight to preserve her land.A relaxing and enjoyable outing.
