Cape Horn Lookout - FINALLY!

We finally found this place. This has to be the best kept secret in all of SW Washington. This is a fairly new addition to the Cape Horn Trail system in Skamania County east of Vancouver, WA. This is the third time we have tried to find this particular lookout. The first time we found the original 7 mile trail that climbs up the side of a mountain which goes to another lookout. It was clear I wasn't going to make that climb. I thought it was off of the main highway, and the second attempt ended in failure as the state is working on this highway and they were blocking where I thought this trail ought to be. Finally, I used my secret decoder ring, knocked on the door and told them Joe sent me, and put in the correct search terms in Google. There, plain as day...was this link. Copying down the directions we set off, as today is just GORGEOUS! I grabbed my camera and my windbreaker. I should have grabbed my gloves, my ski mask, my ski hat, and my sub-zero proof down lined coat as the wind was howling. Well, it's the Gorge, it does that.

There are NO SIGNS to indicate where this place is, and no wonder we couldn't find it just by driving aimlessly. We ended up on country roads and at a dead end there was a gate and the trail started there. NO SIGNS. Another retired couple were there also, so we followed them on the short 1/4 mile hike to the labyrinth overlook and well, WOW, what a view. If we'd made it here a few weeks ago, all those brown trees would have been gold. Maybe next year we can try this again. By the way, Washington state is on the left, Oregon is on the right.

As I said before, the winds were howling in the trees, really it was and we couldn't believe how loud it was. The wind chill , I swear, was set on stun! But after all this messing about trying to find this darn place, I didn't care if a blizzard started up, I was headed to that overlook. What you are seeing is the Columbia River and this part is called the Columbia River Gorge, because the river has cut out a gorge through the Cascade Mountain range. Way down there is Beacon Rock and even further is Bonneville Dam. I suggest you look at this in large, but I still don't know how to do that for you.

After the feeling returned to my fingers, I got a few shots of some of the surrounding countryside. Here is a house with a nice view of their own. Some cows are enjoying the sun. And you can see an unobstructed view. Yes, those are little white caps on the river caused by the wind.

Okay, kids...take care. See ya later.