It was impossible to get a solid rock foundation for the large wall on the first loop, which is 43 feet high. Daily level readings were therefore taken around the outside of the base and the top of this wall as fast as it was completed, in order to determine any settlement that might take place. The greatest settlement ranged from 1/, to 1 inch at the highest part of the wall. Unfortunately, about 10 yards of rock which came off the face of the adjacent cut, were put in the wall about 10 feet above the base, where the wall was about 40 feet in height. This face rock was too brittle to stand up under the weight superimposed, and upon crushing, a weakness developed in the wall for a lateral distance of about 20 lineal feet. This portion of the wall is now being removed and will be rebuilt from a good quality of stone which is now opened up in abundance in the excavation above. In the meantime, the balance of the excavation on this section, which consists principally of rock, will be completed, and the entire section ready for traffic. February 1, 1915.

Henry L. Bowlby, "The Columbia Highway in Oregon" (1915)

On this section is found one of the most pleasing features of the highway. At an elevation of 750 ft . above the river, on Bugbee Mountain , the road bursts out of the dense forest of Oregon fir , and descends on a 5 % grade along the face of the cliff. The view from the summit, covering a distance of 40 miles or more in all directions must be witnessed to be appreciated.

The road descends 600 ft, on the maximum grade. The development includes four complete “hairpin” curves , one below the other. The roadbed at the end of one of these curves is held by a dry rubble masonry retaining-wall, 43 ft . high, built on the circumference of a circle of a radius of 112 ft., and a central angle of 210 ° ( Figs. 1 and 2 ).

Ewing Galloway, "Oregon's Highway of Unsurpassed Beauty" (1915)

On Bugbee Mountain... the highway runs out of a forest of firs to descend 650 feet on a 5 per cent grade along the face of a cliff. The descent includes four complete hair pin curves; and the end of one of these is supported by a dry rubble masonry wall forty-three feet high.

Past and Present Views Along the Columbia River Highway

Kirk J. Poole, September 7, 2020:

I'm still trying to determine where the '43 feet wall' is. It's either at the cliff on Loop 2, or it's the edge of Loop 1 looking down upon the new road.

Kirk J. Poole, March 21, 2021:

That 43' wall has to be in 1 of 2 places that it could fit. It's on the east side of Loop 1 (Portland general direction side), or the outer side of Loop 2 (Facing Puget Island). Both places would be super overgrown.

Ken Hellweg, March 22, 2021:

I have a bunch of pictures of the eastern loop 1. If it’s there, it’s buried under 60 plus years of leaves, branches, moss, etc.

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