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Horsethief Butte and Horsethief Lake.
View from Columbia Hills State Park (Horsethief Lake State Park).
Image taken September 28, 2011.
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Horsethief Butte ...
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Horsethief Lake, Horsethief Butte, and Columbia Hills State Park (formerly Horsethief Lake State Park) are located on the Columbia River at River Mile (RM) 194, two miles upstream of Spearfish Lake and three miles upstream of
The Dalles Dam. The waters of Horsethief Lake are the result of flooding of the area from the rising Lake Celilo, the reservoir behind the dam. Upstream of the Horsethief area is Avery Park and Wishram, Washington. In the middle of the Columbia, just upstream of Horsethief Butte, is Brown's Island, once a large outcrop which Captain Clark walked upon to observe the rapids of the "Short Narrows".
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Columbia River Basalts and the Missoula Floods ...
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The great floods of the last ice age carved the basalts of Horsethief Butte and the surrounding Columbia River channel, creating the features we see today. The basalts themselves were created thousands of years earlier when a series of lava flows emerged from cracks in the earth's crust and blanketed the entire eastern Washington and northern Oregon region. Horsethief Butte is made up of a series of lava flows, visible in the cliffs.
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Horsethief Butte, Washington, as seen from Washington State Highway 14.
Image taken November 11, 2004.
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Early Horsethief Lake ...
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Horsethief Lake was created by flooding by the waters of Lake Celilo, the reservoir behind the The Dalles Dam. Early names for the area were"Caldwash Bottom", "Colowelsh Bottom", and "Colowesh Bottom". In 1959 the U.S. Board of Geographic Names made the name "Horsethief Lake" official.
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Real Horse Thiefs ??? ...
"Oral history states that the park received its former name --
Horsethief Lake State Park -- from workers in the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers who developed the site. The workers thought the
terrain was similar to that of horsethief hideouts in popular 1950s
Hollywood westerns. The abundance of horses kept on the
premises by local Indians apparently gave the workers their
inspiration."
Source:
Washington State Parks website, 2006, Columbia Hills State Park
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Horsethief Butte, Washington.
View from the south.
Image taken September 28, 2011.
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Campsite of October 24, 1805 ...
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Lewis and Clark's campsite of October 24, 1805 was below Celilo Falls and the "Short Narrows" (Tenmile Rapids). The men had passed the rapids at Browns Island, and set up camp at the head of the "Long Narrows" (Fivemile Rapids) in the Horsethief Butte/Horsethief Lake area.
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"...
proceeded down with the Canoes two at a time to a village of 20 wood housies in a Deep bend to the Stard. Side below which a rugid black rock about 20 feet hiter than the Common high fluds of the river with Several dry Chanels which appeared to Choke the river up quite across; this I took to be the 2d falls or the place the nativs above call timm, ...
I dispatched a Sufficent number of the good Swimers back for the 2 canoes above the last rapid and with 2 men walked down three miles to examine the river Over a bed of rocks, which the water at verry high fluds passes over
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The evening being late I could not examine the river to my Satisfaction, the Chanel is narrow and compressed for about 2 miles, when it widens into a deep bason to the Stard. Side, & again contracts into a narrow chanel divided by a rock
I returned through a rockey open country infested with pole-cats to the village where I met with Capt. Lewis the two old Chiefs who accompanied us & the party & canoes who had all arrived Safe; the Canoes haveing taken in Some water at the last rapids. here we formed a Camp near the Village, ..."
[Clark, October 24, 1805]
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"We had a fine morning and proceeded on early, found the water very rapid below the falls; and having gone 4 miles below the narrows, came to other narrows still more confined and the rocks higher. At the head of these narrows we halted about 2 o'clock at a great Indian village, and remained there all night."
[Gass, October 24, 1805]
Lewis and Clark's previous campsite was near Wishram, Washington, and their campsite of October 25, 1805, was across the river at Rock Fort.
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Campsite of April 19-20, 1806 ...
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Lewis and Clark's camp of April 19 and 20, 1806 was above the Long Narrows in the vicinity of today's Horsethief Lake State Park, and near their camp of October 24, 1805.
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"... We deturmined to make the portage to the head of the long narrows with our baggage and 5 Small Canoes, the 2 large Canoes we Could take no further and therefore Cut them up for fuel. we had our Small Canoes drawn up very early and employed all hands in transporting our baggage on their backs and by means of 4 pack horses, over the portage. This labour we had accomplished by 3 P. M. and established our Camp a little above the present Skillute village which has been removed as before observed a fiew hundred yards lower down the river than when we passed it last fall. ..."
[Clark, April 19, 1806]
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"... This morning early we had our small canoes drawn out, and employed all hands in transporting our baggage on their backs and by means of the four pack horses, over the portage. This labour we had accomplished by 3 P. M. and established our camp a little above the present Skil-lute village which has been removed a few hundred yards lower down the river than when we passed them last fall ..."
[Lewis, April 19, 1806]
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"...a clear cold morning a little Snow fell on the hills last night. all hands went at packing the baggage past the portage which is about 2 miles towards evening we got all the baggag and canoes carried to the head of the narrows above the village & Camped carried our firewood past the portage also as it is so hard about the village that the Savages value it high. Capt. Clark bought 3 or 4 more horses this day. Capt. Clark and 3 men Set out this evening to go up to the Short narrows at a village in order to purchase horses untill our arival. ..."
[Ordway, April 19, 1806]
Lewis and Clark's previous campsite was near the Big Eddy, today's Spearfish Lake area. Their campsite of April 21, 1806 was near Haystack Butte.
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Mount Hood, Oregon, and Horsethief Lake, Washington.
View from Washington State Highway 14, at overlook of Horsethief Lake and Horsethief Butte.
Image taken May 24, 2005.
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Columbia Hills State Park ...
(Horsethief Lake State Park) ...
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In 2003, Horsethief Lake State Park merged with Dalles Mountain Ranch and became Columbia Hills State Park, a 3,338-acre camping park with 7,500 feet of freshwater shoreline on the
Columbia River. Horsethief Butte dominates the skyline.
Below Horsethief Butte is the 90-acre, 0.6-mile across, Horsethief Lake. Horsethief Lake is impounded by the waters of
Lake Celilo, the reservoir behind the
The Dalles Dam.
Some of the oldest Native American pictographs in the Northwest are found within Columbia Hills State Park.
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Horsethief Lake State Park, Washington.
View from Washington State Highway 14 Overlook.
Image taken May 24, 2005.
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Horsethief Butte and Horsethief Lake, Washington.
Image taken June 4, 2005.
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Trees, Horsethief Lake State Park, Washington.
Image taken June 4, 2005.
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Creatures of the Wild ...
Scattered throughout Horsethief Lake State Park (now Columbia Hills State Park) are large wooden painted black cutouts of wild creatures. From information provided by the Columbia Hills State Park --- there are SEVEN cutout creatures ... 1) "Connie the Cougar" ... 2) "Oscar the Owl" ... 3) "Sam and Sally Squirrel" ... 4) "Ricky the Raccoon" ... 5) "Mr. & Mrs. Spruce Goose" ... 6) "Paula the Possum" ... and 7) "Wally the Bear".
The cutouts are part of the park's "Junior Ranger" program.
[More]
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"Wally the Bear", Horsethief Lake State Park (Columbia Hills State Park).
Image taken September 28, 2011.
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"Connie the Cougar", Horsethief Lake State Park (Columbia Hills State Park).
Image taken September 28, 2011.
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National Register of Historic Places ...
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For centuries, the area around Horsethief Butte was the site of a Native American village, now flooded by the waters of The Dalles Dam.
In 1972 the "Wishram Indian Village Site", otherwise known as Horsethief Lake State Park, was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The site (District #72001278) covers the Native Indian period 1000 to 1499 A.D.
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Petroglyphs and Pictographs ...
In 1957 when The Dalles Dam was completed and the waters of Lake Celilo were rising, the U.S. Government removed a few ancient Indian petroglyphs from the walls of a canyon downstream of Celilo. This canyon carried the Indian name of "Tamani Pesh-Wa" or "Written on the Rock". Locals called it "Petroglyph Canyon". In 2003 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers cleaned and restored the petroglyphs and moved them to the then-called Horsethief Lake State Park, now called Columbia Hills State Park. Today the collection of over 40 Petroglyphs and Pictographs is bordered by a paved trail for easy public viewing, and is less than a mile from the flooded Petroglyph Canyon. More petroglyphs and pictographs, including "Tsagaglalal" ("She Who Watches") can be seen nearby when guided walks are being led. The carvings and paintings are sacred to the local Native Americans but also open to the public "for the benefit of all people as a tribute to all living and non-living things".
[More]
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Petroglyphs, Horsethief Lake Park (Columbia Hills State Park), Washington.
Image taken September 28, 2011.
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"River Spirit" Petroglyph, Horsethief Lake Park (Columbia Hills State Park), Washington.
Image taken June 4, 2005.
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"She Who Watches", Pictograph, Horsethief Lake Park (Columbia Hills State Park), Washington.
Image taken October 15, 2011.
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Basalts near Horsethief Butte ...
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Washington State Highway 14 at Horsethief Butte, Washington.
View from Columbia Hills State Park (Horsethief Lake State Park).
Image taken September 28, 2011
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Basalts at Horsethief Butte, Washington.
View from Columbia Hills State Park (Horsethief Lake State Park) looking across Horsethief Lake.
Image taken September 28, 2011
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Basalts near Horsethief Butte, Washington.
View from moving car, basalts across the road from Columbia Hills State Park (Horsethief Lake State Park).
Image taken September 28, 2011
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A fantastic view of Mount Hood, Oregon can be seen from the Washington State Highway 14 Overlook of Horsethief Butte and Horsethief Lake. Other views of Mount Hood and Horsethief Butte can be seen from turnouts on Washington State Highway 14, upstream of the park.
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Mount Hood, Oregon, from Horsethief Butte Overlook, Washington.
View from Washington State Highway 14, at overlook of Horsethief Lake and Horsethief Butte.
Image taken May 24, 2005.
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Columbia River looking west, with Mount Hood, Oregon, and Horsethief Butte, Washington.
Downstream view of the Columbia River as seen from Washington State Highway-14, upstream of Horsethief Butte.
Image taken April 24, 2004.
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Stone House near Horsethief Butte ...
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Stone House near Horsethief Butte, Washington.
View from Washington State Highway 14.
Image taken September 28, 2011.
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Stone House near Horsethief Butte, Washington.
View from Washington State Highway 14.
Image taken September 28, 2011.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, October 24, 1805 ...
The first pitch of this falls [Celilo Falls] is 20 feet perpendicular, then passing thro' a narrow Chanel for 1 mile to a rapid of about 18 feet fall below which the water had no perceptable fall but verry rapid
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It may be proper here to remark that from Some obstruction below, the cause of which we have not yet learned, the water in high fluds (which are in the Spring) rise <nearly> below these falls nearly to a leavel with the water above the falls; the marks of which can be plainly trac'd around the falls. at that Stage of the water the Salmon must pass up which abounds in Such great numbers above- below thos falls are Salmon trout and great numbers of the heads of a Species of trout Smaller than the Salmon. those fish they catch out of the Salmon Season, and are at this time in the act of burrying those which they had drid for winter food.
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Capt Lewis and three men crossed the river and on the opposit Side to view the falls which he had not yet taken a full view of-
At 9 oClock a. m. I Set out with the party and proceeded on down a rapid Stream of about 400 yards wide at 2 1/2 miles the river widened ito a large bason to the Stard. Side on which there is five Lodges of Indians. here a tremendious <heigh> black rock Presented itself high and Steep appearing to choke up the river [the future Browns Island] nor could I See where the water passed further than the Current was drawn with great velocity to the Lard Side of this rock at which place I heard a great roreing.
I landed at the Lodges and the natives went with me to the top of this rock which makes from the Stard. Side; from the top of which I could See the dificuelties we had to pass for Several miles below; at this place the water of this great river is compressed into a Chanel [the "Short Narrows" or Tenmile Rapids] between two rocks not exceeding forty five yards wide and continues for a 1/4 of a mile when it again widens to 200 yards and continues this width for about 2 miles when it is again intersepted by rocks. This obstruction in the river accounts for the water in high floods riseing to Such a hite at the last falls. The whole of the Current of this great river must at all Stages pass thro' this narrow chanel of 45 yards wide. as the portage of our canoes over this high rock would be impossible with our Strength, and the only danger in passing thro those narrows was the whorls and Swills arriseing from the Compression of the water, and which I thought (as also our principal watermen Peter Crusat) by good Stearing we could pass down Safe, accordingly I deturmined to pass through this place notwithstanding the horrid appearance of this agitated gut Swelling, boiling & whorling in every direction (which from the top of the rock did not appear as bad as when I was in it;[)] however we passed Safe to the astonishment of all the Inds: of the last Lodges who viewed us from the top of the rock [this high rock became Browns Island when the waters of Lake Celilo inundated the valley]. passed one Lodge below this rock and halted on the Stard. Side to view a verry bad place, the Current divided by 2 Islands of rocks the lower of them large and in the middle of the river, this place being verry bad I Sent by land all the men who could not Swim and Such articles as was most valuable to us Such as papers Guns & amunition, and proceeded down with the Canoes two at a time to a village of 20 wood housies in a Deep bend to the Stard. Side [area of Horsethief Butte and Horsethief Lake] below which a rugid black rock about <the> 20 feet hiter <of> than the Common high fluds of the river with Several dry Chanels which appeared to Choke the river up quite across; this I took to be the 2d falls or the place the nativs above call timm,
The nativs of this village reived me verry kindly, one of whome envited me into his house,
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I dispatched a Sufficent number of the good Swimers back for the 2 canoes above the last rapid and with 2 men walked down three miles to examine the river Over a bed of rocks, which the water at verry high fluds passes over, on those rocks I Saw Several large Scaffols on which the Indians dry fish; as this is out of Season the poles on which they dry those fish are tied up verry Securely in large bundles and put upon the Scaffolds, I counted 107 <Scaff> Stacks of dried pounded fish in different places on those rocks which must have contained 10,000 w. of neet fish,
The evening being late I could not examine the river to my Satisfaction, the Chanel is narrow and compressed for about 2 miles [the "Long Narrows" or Fivemile Rapids], when it widens into a deep bason to the Stard. Side ["Big Eddy", today the location of Spearfish Lake], & again contracts into a narrow chanel divided by a rock [head of Threemile Rapids] I returned through a rockey open countrey infested with pole-cats to the village where I met with Capt. Lewis the two old Chiefs who accompanied us & the party & canoes who had all arrived Safe; the Canoes haveing taken in Some water at the last rapids. here we formed a Camp near the Village [near Horsethief Butte and Horsethief Lake] ...
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Clark, April 19, 1806 ...
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We deturmined to make the portage to the head of the long narrows [Fivemile Rapids, now under the waters of Lake Celilo] with our baggage and 5 Small Canoes, the 2 large Canoes we Could take no further and therefore Cut them up for fuel [at their camp near Spearfish Lake]. we had our Small Canoes drawn up very early and employed all hands in transporting our baggage on their backs and by means of 4 pack horses, over the portage. This labour we had accomplished by 3 P. M. and established our Camp a little above the present Skillute village [near Horsethief Butte] which has been removed as before observed a fiew hundred yards lower down the river than when we passed it last fall. I left Capt L. at the bason [Spearfish Lake] and proceeded to the village early this morning with a view to recive the horses which were promised to be brought this morning for articles laid by last evining. in the Course of this day I purchased four horses at the Village, and Capt Lewis one at the bason before he left it. after the baggage was all Safely landed above the portage, all hands brought over the Canoes at 2 lodes which was accomplished by 5 P. M. as we had not a Sufficiency of horses to transport our baggage <I do> we agreed that I should proceed on to the Enesher villages at the great falls of the Columbia [Celilo Falls] and if possible purchase as maney horses as would transport the baggage from that place, and rid us of the trouble and dificuelty of takeing our Canoes further. I set out with Serjt Pryor, Geo Shannon Peter Crusat & Labiech at half past 5 P. M. for the Enesher Village [vicinity of Wishram] at which place I arrived at 8 P. M. Several Showers of rain in the after part of to day, and the S W wind very high. there was great joy with the nativs last night in consequence of the arrival of the Salmon; one of those fish was cought, this was the harbenger of good news to them. They informed us that those fish would arive in great quantities in the Course of about 5 days. this fish was dressed and being divided into Small pieces was given to each Child in the village. this Custom is founded on a Supersticious opinion that it will hasten the arrival of the Salmon.
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The long narrows [Fivemile Rapids] are much more formadable than they were when we decended them last fall, there would be no possibility of passing either up or down them in any vessel at this time.
I entered the largest house of the Eneeshers village [near Wishram] in which I found all the enhabitents in bead. they rose and made a light of Straw, they haveing no wood to burn. many men Collected. we Smoked and I informed them that I had come to purchase a fiew horses of them. they promused to Sell me Some in the morning.
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