Government Cove Fragment

Route 2

Above, a quick and dirty edit of some rough, raw footage...

Government Cove Fragment (with GPS Waypoints)v.2020.05.23.007Google Earth Imagery Date: September 3, 2020

"...the frontage road parallels the HCRH's original alignment. Old pavement can be found south and above the frontage road."

ODOT. Historic Columbia River Master Plan. 2006. (39)

DOGAMI Lidarhttps://gis.dogami.oregon.gov/maps/lidarviewer

East of Cascade Locks on the Columbia River Highway in Hood Rover County. Surfaced with bituminous pavement in 1920.Oregon State Highway Commission - 4th Biennial Report of the Oregon State Highway Commission Covering the Period December 1st, 1918 to November 30th, 1920http://digital.lib.pdx.edu/oscdl/files/odot/pdx005t0003.pdf

July 23, 2020

I've had my boots on the old pavement twice here, once back in 2014/2015, and then again back in March with Kurt. Before the hiatus, I traveled the full length of the fragment. It was summer, it was brutally overgrown and covered with downed trees, and it was one of the most difficult 700 - 800 feet I've traveled in the Gorge (perhaps excepting my hunt for the old trail at Perham Creek!). This spring, it was much better, but we had several spots on that day's agenda so we only visited the west end since I'd already surveyed the full length.

This is one of the fragments that has been bypassed by the HCRH State Trail, so it will remain in its wild condition forever. I appreciate that. It is also one of the most accessible of these forever abandoned fragments for people wanting to go see what the old highway looked like before it was restored.

Unfortunately, I still do not have access to my older photos. Apparently they did not make it onto the cloud back-up, but here are my shots from this spring.

Looking up to the original Columbia River Highway from the improved Columbia River Highway (Frontage Road). It is very hard to see it up there if you don't know to look for it.