A Trip Down the Historic Columbia River Highway (Episode 145) 

17:40 - Great video! Wanted to point out a few extra details...the Oneonta Tunnel _itself_ burned in the fire a few years ago. (Eagle Creek, 2017.) (You know, the crazy wildfire with the famous photo of golfers on the Washington side seemingly ignoring a huge wildfire "right" behind them? That one.) The tunnel didn't have to burn - just did for lack of fire-prevention measures. An old trick by local logging companies was to protect their train tunnels by suspending great iron doors at each end. Suspended by rope/wax seals, fire would sever the ropes - dropping the iron doors on both ends. Lack of oxygen would instantly snuff fire inside. Too bad ODOT (or whomever planned this) didn't spend a few extra bucks to do this. Millions spend to re-open the tunnel, and millions spent re-building the timber framing inside - is such a waste. Bridal Veil - is much more than a waterfall. It's a ghost town. (I wrote the article on ghosttowns.com.) A bad agency "The Trust for Public Land" got a hold of the lumber mill / town site - and burned it to the ground on purpose to "return it to nature." It was a cultural crime. The locals wanted the mill...one of Oregon's oldest, and THE best preserved...turned into a museum. That was the desire of the owners who closed it too. But, ya know, it was "returned to nature." Which, unfortunately, means it's a giant weed-overgrown parking lot with condoms, dumped furniture and drug needles everywhere. English Ivy (invasive) is killing all the trees around the falls, and the (invasive) blackberries are killing the ground cover flowers/ferns. This is definitely not the "natural state." The toolshed of Bridal Veil ghost town was the only surviving mill building - today, it's the world's smallest post office. Send a postcard from there - the hand-stamp is collectible! Thanks for the tour friend!

Excellent job o this video. I'll be driving it June 2024.

The train was really cool 😊 Perfect timing.

Used to travel those roads. Thank you! ❤

Oregon is a gem.

Fun fact: Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon and California all have falls named Bridal Veil.

Many Thanks for all the work it must've taken to do this ! Very informative, full of gorgeous views and a great personality behind it all.

Thank you for the history and for the beautiful footage!

Thank you for posting! I’m new to the area and excited to explore this beautiful state! You guys are adorable!

Wow! Very nice tour you give us here. Thank you very much!

Many many thanks for the video. The details and beauty of the information is incredible!!

I have lived in the area since 1945. I have a sister born at Hood River about '49, 50. After viewing your presentation I am going to spend next summer 'doing' the Columbia Highway Aloha, Hawaii.

Loved it!! Thank you!!

Thank you for the trip down Memory Lane. I grew up in Portland back in the day before I-84 so traveled that highway many times.

nice video ... crispy clear - nice to see some places like this - 1st time here . canada with love

beautiful! Hope to get back up that way someday.

This was a really excellent video!! You added so many interesting facts. I am sad to report that it looks like Tad's Chicken and Dumplings has closed down for good but I'm excited to go try the Sugarpine Drive Thru!!

Loved it!!

Fascinating as the 1st car through Snoqualmie pass was in 1905

Super cool. The dumpling place is gone now..., A few others as well. bummer. Still an amazing area

I've driven that at least 5 times! I love all the views of the river and the many waterfalls!

thanks for sharing.

Nice video, thank you for sharing.

I am going to visit there again on Oct

Good job!

Was there last week and visited many times to see my son and family. Too bad you didn’t stop at Corbett Country Market and say hello to my family, the owners. Love your video.

I have in my possession a very old pictorial souvenir of the Columbia River Highway. It was published in the early 1920's (I believe) by Lipschuetz and Katz in Portland. Copies found in Oregon are quite pricey but I found my back East on eBay for much less. It is a colorized lithograph book of photographs that show the highway and many of the places you highlight in your video.

I think the road east of Latourell Falls is closed and being converted in the a walking/biking trail. I think it will go through the old tunnels, which will be cool.

Great job doing the history behind the Columbia Gorge where did you get the old photos?

Beautiful. Like the backstory to these videos. Maybe one day I will go there. For now I will just enjoy Alberta. Thanks to you and your wife.

I'm sure you are aware but the tunnel is open again! And the remodel is beautiful.

I grew up about 10 minutes away from the Gorge. Glad you had a great time

Excelentes tomas naturales saludos de Irapuato GTO mex

Cheers from Joseph Oregon!

looks nice there good vlog

“Multnomah Falls…. Slowly I turned… Step by Step… Inch by inch…”

I live in Troutdale. In the summer you have to have a permit to drive that road now because too many people were using it. As a photographer I've hiked into almost all the falls on the Oregon side. Kudos for you actually getting out of the car and hiking into a couple, but you missed the one behind horse tail falls where you can actually walk far underneath another falls. BTW? I have a series of photos showing that large rock falling at Multnomah Falls. The one showing the water completely covering Benson Bridge is amazing.

Headed that way at the end of August. Thank you fr for such an enjoyable and informative video! This is my first video by you. About to see what else you have. Thank you again. May hit you up for a few questions as we plan our trip lol

...and I meant to say also : good video!!!

In 1936 my father told me he went up to Cloud Cap Inn at Mt. Hood. He said that going to there his family took the Columbia River Gorge Highway. When going through Oneonta Gorge Tunnel he said that the tunnel was too narrow then. They had a stop light at each side to make sure the big trucks could get by. So one side stopped on a red light while the other side passed on a green light. And then in turn the other side passed once the time came for the red light to change green.

I love The Varsity shirt that you are wearing

Traveling east from Portland it starts drying up in The Dalles.

Felicidades,se nota que disfrutas el momento,eso es ermoso,yo voy ir para la segunda semana de shosto,boy ir desde california hasta Asturia oregon espero conocer y disfrutar mucho ,un saludo.

Excelentes videos saludos desde por acá de Irapuato GTO mex fam Barroso razo

Don’t leave any valuables in your car. You will be enjoying the view and your car windows could get broken out in no time and items stolen. It happened to a friend of mine with another friend in a vehicle next to the damaged one.

Exactly where would you PUT more parking at Multnomah Falls? Fill in more of the river?

Do you know where I can get a simple, clear map?

From the first minute, it appears as though you’re driving a vehicle with right-hand steering?

(The) Dalles is pronounced with a short a.

Great video, music is not.

Love you america (i don't love ALL "americans")

Why the asinine music blaring ??