Monday, June 18, 2012

Birthday Camping Trip

To help celebrate Dana’s birthday we went on a camping trip up the Gorge. We started our adventure out near The Dalles on the Washington side. In Horsetheif SP is a wonderful collection of Native American rock art. Back in the day this area was a great gathering place for people from the coast to Idaho. They all came for the salmon. Near this spot was a canyon with lots of rock art on it representing many different cultures and styles. But when The Dalles Dam was built that canyon went underwater. Some of the art was saved, but most of it was lost. The pieces that were saved were placed here, near some art still above water.

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Here are some of the petroglyphs that were saved:

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We then went on a hiking tour to some other petroglyphs (art carved in the rock) and pictographs (art painted on rock). To take this hike you have to be on a tour that only runs twice a week.

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IMG_6366 Here is the River Spirit (a salmon).

Tsagaglalal or “She Who Watches” is the main attraction. Legend says she was once a great chief that was chosen to watch over her people forever.

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It was something very neat to see and we are glad we took the time.

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Magnus hiking the bluffs.

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Next we went to Catherine Creek to see the Arch. It was pretty cool.

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We found this little western skink:

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That night we camped at Panther Creek. My good friend Brian came out to camp with us. We had a good dinner of shashlik and toasted marshmallows for dessert.

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The next day was Brian’s birthday. We went up to Panther Creek Falls

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I was also able to get down to the lower falls, which I had not seen before.IMG_6596

Brian then took us to a place he used to swim a lot. The area behind us was once a lake, but the dam that created it has been removed, so the river been returned to its original course.

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We also found this little newt. Magnus thought it was very nice.

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We had a good time camping and we saw some new places. Good times in the Gorge.

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