Woelpern Cliff Ledges
July 11, 2020
In these maps, the blue lines are improved US 30, the yellow lines are the original, Route 2 Columbia River Highway, and the orange lines indicate unconfirmed grades that may or may not be a part of the highway.
In the map above, I am going to go ahead and call the eastern cliff fragment confirmed, but I am holding off on confirming the western fragment for now. Partially, this is because I am not sure if it is Route 2, US 30, or both, or even just a rock fall protection measure for the tracks, with the old highway dropping all the way down to the grade bearing the tracks today.
I am pretty sure it is CRH, though.
Steve Hart, July 13, 2020
OK, the next series of pictures is to talk about the big cuts west of the Woelpern Road Segments. Were they part of the highway or not?
My opinion is basically no. I feel that these cuts are created during the Lake Umatilla reconstruction for the Union Pacific. More info with the photos.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/483015922488601/permalink/757150208408503
"This is looking west from the end of the remaining 1950s highway with a long lens. there's obviously been a lot of rockfall here. I later climbed up on this piece from the far end and I saw no remnants of highway."
Photo by Steve Hart, July 13, 2020https://www.facebook.com/groups/483015922488601/permalink/757150208408503
"There's been a lot of rockfall. This is far west end of the west ledge."
Photo by Steve Hart, July 13, 2020https://www.facebook.com/groups/483015922488601/permalink/757150208408503
"This is the last (westmost) grade. No highway remnants here either."
Photo by Steve Hart, July 13, 2020https://www.facebook.com/groups/483015922488601/permalink/757150208408503
"More on the westmost ledge. It varies a lot in width."
Photo by Steve Hart, July 13, 2020https://www.facebook.com/groups/483015922488601/permalink/757150208408503
"There were lost of fence posts holes like this on the last ledge. They were all in a line. Looks like there was a fence right down the middle at one point."
Photo by Steve Hart, July 13, 2020https://www.facebook.com/groups/483015922488601/permalink/757150208408503
At places like the old Mitchell Point Tunnel, there is so much rockfall that it is very difficult to tell that the ledge was once a highway, all the old pavement is mostly buried. Here, though, it is clear that there is not any pavement over the bedrock of the ledge. For me, personally, this does not completely rule out this ledge, but it is pretty compelling evidence against, especially when considering the overhead aerials we'll cover in a minute.
Still, the line on the maps, how this lines up with confirmed fragments, I think there is a compelling case to be made in either direction.
Finally, this would have been one spectacular stretch of the Columbia River Highway / Old Oregon Trail Highway... If this was highway, I'd really expect more photos from here! Someone needs to check out the local museums!
"Double holes. Might have been in the end of one fence section and the start of the next? This was only place I found two holes."
Photo by Steve Hart, July 13, 2020https://www.facebook.com/groups/483015922488601/permalink/757150208408503
"More ledge..."
Photo by Steve Hart, July 13, 2020https://www.facebook.com/groups/483015922488601/permalink/757150208408503
Cropped to focus on the middle fragments...
Woelpern Fragments From Highway 14, WashingtonWoelpern Fragments. Gilliam County, Oregon.Photo by A. F. Litt, June 20, 2017
"One of ledges in the middle. Note the rise and fall."
Photo by Steve Hart, July 13, 2020https://www.facebook.com/groups/483015922488601/permalink/757150208408503
"Another section. They probably would have needed a viaduct here."
Photo by Steve Hart, July 13, 2020https://www.facebook.com/groups/483015922488601/permalink/757150208408503
"Most of this just isn't wide enough for highway."
Photo by Steve Hart, July 13, 2020https://www.facebook.com/groups/483015922488601/permalink/757150208408503
"Looking eastward at the second section of 'grade'. It rises and falls more than is obvious from satellite photos. I walked all of this too, with no evidence."
Photo by Steve Hart, July 13, 2020https://www.facebook.com/groups/483015922488601/permalink/757150208408503
July 14, 2020
One possibility that is coming to mind is that the western shelf was just created as rockfall prevention for the UP tracks, but the eastern fragments, descending from the known US 30 pavement, might be old highway grade that was blasted away to make room for the relocated railroad. It does seem a viaduct would have been necessary to cross the big gap on the east, there, and that should just require a little digging to confirm or deny.
If there was one for Route 2, then it will be in the OHC reports. For the later US 30 improvements, I am not as sure where to look, but we've got a lot of eyes and minds working on the highway right now, go for it!
"There are several gaps and valleys between the ledges. All would have required bridges or viaducts. I looked this valley over really well and there are no footings or cement to be found. I've never seen any photos of old bridges in this area either."
Photo by Steve Hart, July 13, 2020https://www.facebook.com/groups/483015922488601/permalink/757150208408503
"Looking at this 2016 view from historic aerials it really does look like the highway would continue west along those ledges."
Post by Steve Hart, July 13, 2020https://www.facebook.com/groups/483015922488601/permalink/757150208408503
"When we fade in the 1960s view though, we can see highway was just a bit farther north than the ledges, where the railroad tracks are now."
Post by Steve Hart, July 13, 2020https://www.facebook.com/groups/483015922488601/permalink/757150208408503
"Here are the west ledges. The highway and the railroad in 1960 were much farther north, out in the area now flooded by Lake Umatilla.
"By the way, I heartily encourage everyone to use historicaerials .com and support them. They've put together an amazing resource. If you want an old picture of your family house or anything like that, these are the people to see."
Post by Steve Hart, July 13, 2020https://www.facebook.com/groups/483015922488601/permalink/757150208408503