West Tunnel

Mosier Twin Tunnels

Tunnel on the Hood River-Mosier section of the Columbia River Highway... Showing observation gallery reached through one of the tunnels to light the main tunnel. Constructed... 1919 & 1920Oregon State Highway Commission - 4th Biennial Report of the Oregon State Highwayhttp://digital.lib.pdx.edu/oscdl/files/odot/pdx005t0003.pdf

Oregon State Archives: A 1940 Journey Across Oregon

MOSIER TUNNELS, 119.5 m. [West of Hwy. 730 Junction], one 261 feet and the other 60 feet long, often referred to as the Twin Tunnels, penetrate a promontory more than 250 feet above the river. West of this point the contrast between the barren, semi desert contours of eastern Oregon and the lushness of the Pacific Slope becomes apparent.

http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/pages/exhibits/across/thedalles.htm

"Mosier Twin Tunnel West"Source TBD

View from West Tunnelc. 1920

"An aerial photograph looking south at the Mosier Twin Tunnels. The white concrete in the center right of the picture is the West Portal of the West Tunnel. In the upper left middle of the photo is the West Portal of the East Tunnel and just to the left of it was what remained of the Cliff Walk. Due to the topography as seen here, two separate tunnels were originally constructed, hence the name 'Mosier Twin Tunnels.'"

Aerial Photo of Twin Tunnels, BackfilledKevin Bracey / ODOT. Restoration of the Historic Columbia River Highway, Hood River to Mosier Segment: Expanded Construction Narrative. 2000. 1
Posted by Jonathan Ledbetter (http://blog.beaverstateroads.net) to Past and Present Views Along the Columbia River Highway Facebook Group on February 3, 2020

"All debris that was backfilled into the Mosier Twin Tunnels in 1954 needed to be removed."

Backfilled West TunnelKevin Bracey / ODOT. Restoration of the Historic Columbia River Highway, Hood River to Mosier Segment: Expanded Construction Narrative. 2000. 5.

"It is estimated that the rockfall, which occurred above the West Portal and broke part of the portal off, occurred shortly before this photograph [above] taken in March of 1992."

West Portal, Broken by Rockfall, March 1992Kevin Bracey / ODOT. Restoration of the Historic Columbia River Highway, Hood River to Mosier Segment: Expanded Construction Narrative. 2000. 39.
Posted by Jonathan Ledbetter (http://blog.beaverstateroads.net) to Past and Present Views Along the Columbia River Highway Facebook Group on February 3, 2020

Past and Present Views Along the Columbia River Highway

Kirk J. Poole, February 3, 2020

I drove around to the rubble filled east portal, and I walked a LONG 3-mile+ walk from the old west gate to get to the western portal. The two pics look exactly like I last remember in 1994. My best friend and I climbed up the rock and saw the someone had already moved a few of the top rocks -- we moved a few more, maybe a 10" x 4" opening. I got the Mag light shining and I saw road in there after about 30' because of the other side of the conical pile blocking the tunnel! That was one of our best discoveries up to that date, back then! Then I come back 4 years later and the tunnels were open, graffiti and all! What a day...

Kirk J. Poole, February 7, 2020

From the old gate to here was about 3 miles. I remember clambering over the top of about 100 yards of rubble. But we persevered and climbed to the top of the rocks at the portal.

Walter Haight, February 7, 2020

I hiked to the west portal (assuming this is Mosier) in ‘89 with my wife. I don’t recall seeing another person going there and back. I would have approached the filled-in tunnel with more care had I known there was a rash of rattlers in there.

Kirk J. Poole, February 7, 2020

In 1993, we didn't see rattlers (phew), but it was EXACTLY like these pictures. Remember how long the walk was from the west end gate to the western portal. Must have been 3 1/2 to 4 miles!

Past and Present Views Along the Columbia River Highway Facebook Group

88. MOSIER TWIN TUNNELS, GENERAL VIEW OF WEST PORTAL AND APPROACH ROADWAY DURING CLEARING, FACING EAST. - Historic Columbia River Highway, Troutdale, Multnomah County, ORDigital ID: (None) hhh or0386.photos.354739p http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.or0386/photos.354739pReproduction Number: HAER ORE,26-TROUT.V,1--88Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.printhttps://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/or0386.photos.354739p/resource/

West Portal Cleared of Rubble, Before RestorationKevin Bracey / ODOT. Restoration of the Historic Columbia River Highway, Hood River to Mosier Segment: Expanded Construction Narrative. 2000. 12.

West Portal, Restoration, 1999Kevin Bracey / ODOT. Restoration of the Historic Columbia River Highway, Hood River to Mosier Segment: Expanded Construction Narrative. 2000. 40.

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