On Sunday, June 25th NWOCTA members from
Oregon and Washington gathered in Arlington on the Columbia River to start
the next day our summer trail marking.
Our leader Vic Bolon previously visited the county court houses to obtain
landowners names and addresses and mailed letters to all requesting permission
to mark the trail on their property. Many favorable responses were reveived.
This is time consuming background work and we all owe Vic a big "Thank You"
for his efforts.
After a big breakfast, we packed lots of water, the carsonsite markers and
that darn pounder and followed Vic up the hill to Cecil and the Krebs Ranch.
It was now 9 a.m. and 84 degrees and predicted to be hotter! Our first marking
was from the top of the hill east of Cecil down the canyon to Willow Creek.
This short 1/4 mile section has a well defined swale. Across Willow Creek
and the closed but neat Cecil store, we marked and remarked the swales leading
out of the canyon to the top of the hill and the wheat field. The Krebs Ranch
continues to leave the swales unplowed for all to see.
Arriving at the BLM kiosk in Four Mile Canyon, we found an Oregon State Trooper
gathering information as best he could on the shot up BLM signs. Lunch was
in the shade of the kiosk much to the dislike of a nesting butcher bird.
As we ate lunch we could see our next task, the trail leading up the long
dry hill. Vic Bolon our leader, Gail Carbiener, Chuck Hornbuckle, Don Popejoy,
John Bristow, Roy Schapler and Wayne Burck are now a well seasoned team.
Vic located two beautiful swales going up the hill, joining near the top
and continuing nearly three miles toward Eight Mile Creek. A lonely grave
was discovered on the ridge. Returning to the trucks, we called it a day
after nine hours of work.
The 27th, Tuesday proved to be a challenge. If for no other reason it was
the hottest day on record for that date - the truck thermometer hit 104 once
and stayed at 101 most of the afternoon. We began at the Weatherford Monument
where we placed markers on both sides of the road as we did not have permission
to follow the nice swales west up and over the hill to Alkali Flat. To the
entertainment of the truck drivers hauling garbage to the huge enviormental
waste dump, your hearty crew placed markers coming down the hill into Alkali
Flat and continued following the well definedswale along the south side of
the Flat toward Cedar Springs. Cedar Springs Ranch, an oasis in the desert,
is truly a beautiful spot. The springs are still running, the trail swale
comes out of the flat directly to the springs. Mike, ranch manager, welcomed
us pointing out the trail and wishing us good luck in our efforts.
From the Blalock Road just west of the Cedar Spring Ranch the trail ascends
a long dry hill and continues along the ridge for several miles. Emigrants
must have eagerly looked forward to the John Day River a six mile trek from
Cedar Springs. We marked about three miles of this route.
Not having permission to mark the two decents into the John Day River, we
drove to the McDonald Ford and placed a marker on the east side of the ford
near the well done old stone marker. Both trail swales coming into the ford
are very visable and one wonders just how in the world the wagons made it
down either of the routes. Driving out of the canyon, we could see two cement
BLM markers on the trail coming down the south side of the canyon decent.
After ten hours, we headed for the motel, a cool shower and some liquid to
re-hydrate our poor bodies. If ever there was a day for us to obtain the
humility necessary to appreciate what the emigrants must have experienced,
this way the day.
This morning, the 28th, we moved to a motel in Biggs and made a bee-line
for the west side of the John Day River crossing at McDonald Ford. We visited
the BLM kiosk where they have excellent descriptive panels, one showing the
three routes out of the river bottom. We chose the "Main" route to mark.
With the landowners permission, we were able to drive our trucks to the brink
of the accent and place markers walking downhill! As a matter of reference,
the BLM quotes one diary as saying it was a hard two hour pull up the hill
- it took us an hour and twenty minutes walking downhill! It is really hard
to believe. Even though at the kiosk the swales are difficult to see, they
are wonderful, clear, distinct and easily twelve inches deep.
Today there are OCTA white carsonite markers all the way to the top and about
1-1/2 miles beyond to the fence line well within view of the rock monument
on the road coming from Wasco. At the fence we found another grave. The views
from the brink of the accent are spectacular of the John Day River bottoms.
We placed a marker at the stone monument making a total of over 70 markers
placed the last three days. The day was drawing to a close and the wheat
fields were taking over the trail route as we headed for Biggs. As hard as
it is to believe, we could see the trail through the growing wheat fields
as both the dry and green wheat have a different color or texture when growing
out of the trail trace. The trail is saying, "don't forgetme,> I am still
here."
Our last day, the 29th, we spent verifying trail locations for future marking.
We determined the route in the area of Emigrant Springs, China Hollow, Mud
Hollow areas. We were unable to identify any traces coming down the canyon
into the First View Monument on highway 30. We completed the day by recording
GPS readings of the previously marked swales leading toward the Deschutes
River.
A very tired crew agreed that perhaps in late September we can finish the
trail marking to The Dalles. We endured hot, windy, dry weather and became
dirty and sweaty - but we realized we did not even come close to what the
emigrants had to endure.
Respectfully submitted with thoughts of emigrant travel.
Gail Carbiener
Come on to Willow Creek 25 mi. before dinner. Mr. Gass
and son decided to stay here all night. the rest of the party come on, passed
8 mile canyon, the Columbia Trail, then 3 miles and camped. Seen the sun
set behind Mount Saint Helen {Hood?]. It was a grand sight." Sarah
Butler; July 7, 1878