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Wind River, Washington, looking towards mouth.
From the Wind River boat dock looking towards the mouth, at the railroad bridge across the Wind River. Washington State Highway 14 is just this side of the railroad and barely visible in this image. Hills in the distance are the Oregon banks of the Columbia.
Image taken October 25, 2003.
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Wind River ...
The Wind River is located on the Washington side of the Columbia River at River Mile (RM) 154.5, entering the Columbia within the
Bonneville Reservoir, the pool behind Bonneville Dam.
On Wind River's upstream bank is Wind Mountain. Downstream is the head of the Bonneville Landslide with Table Mountain and Greenleaf Peak.
Lewis and Clark passed by the Wind River on October 30, 1805. They first named the river "New Timber River" but later changed the name to "Cruzatts River" after one of the expedition members, Pierre Cruzatte. Variations Clark used of the name include "Cruzats River", "Cruzatts River", and "River Cruzatt".
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"... The bottoms above the mouth of this little river <which we Call> is rich
covered with grass & firn & is about ¾ of a mile wide rich and rises gradually, below the river
(which is 60 yards wide above its mouth) the Countery rises with Steep assent. we call this little
river <fr Ash> New Timbered river from a Speces of Ash which grows on its banks of
a verry large and different from any we had before Seen, and a timber resembling the beech in
bark <& groth> but different in its leaf which is Smaller and the tree smaller.
..."
[Clark, October 30, 1805]
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Wind River, Washington, looking upstream from mouth.
From the Wind River boat dock looking upstream.
Image taken October 25, 2003.
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Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railroad Bridge crossing Wind River.
View is from Washington State 14 at the upstream side, looking towards the mouth of Wind River.
Image taken September 16, 2006.
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Lookin upstream Wind River.
View is from Washington State 14.
Image taken September 16, 2006.
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Wind River Drainage ...
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The Wind River basin is oriented northwest to southeast with elevations ranging from 80 feet to 3,900 feet. The mainstem of the Wind River originates in McClellan Meadows, drains 225 square miles, and has a length of approximately 31 miles.
The largest tributary to Wind River is Panther Creek which enters at RM 4.3 and drains 18% of the Wind River subbasin (26,466 acres).
A fish ladder was built in 1956 around Shipherd Falls, located at RM 2.0. Shipherd Falls is a series of four falls ranging from 8 to 12 feet.
The lava around Wind River consists of a series of lava flows more than 35,000-years-old, which came down the Wind River canyon as intracanyon flows, entered the Columbia River on a 1-mile-wide front, and dammed the river. The dam lasted long enough for the Wind River to build a delta 150 feet thick and 1 mile long into a temporary lake.
(Information courtesy of Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority Website, 2004)
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Wind River, Washington, as seen from near Carson, Washington.
Looking down on the Wind River, from the road to Carson, Washington.
Image taken October 25, 2003.
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SP #4449 Excursion Train at Wind River, September 2006 ...
On the weekend of September 16 and 17, 2006, the Northwest Rail Museum sponsored a round-trip excursion train from Portland, Oregon, to Bend, Oregon, via the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge, turning south on the Oregon Trunk Line, and then up the Deschutes Canyon. The engine pulling this train was the historic steam engine, the Southern Pacific #4449.
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SP #4449 Steam Engine, at Wind River, Washington, Columbia Gorge.
Image taken September 16, 2006.
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Wind Mountain, a 35,000-year-old, 1,903-foot-high volcanic intrusion, rises over the upstream side of Wind River, where the river merges with the Columbia River.
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At the mouth of Wind River looking towards Wind Mountain.
Image taken October 25, 2003.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, October 30, 1805 ...
A cool morning, a moderate rain all the last night, after eating a partial brackfast of venison we Set out [from their camp near Drano Lake and the Little White Salmon River]
passed Several places where the rocks projected into the river & have the appearance of haveing Seperated from the mountains and fallen promiscuisly into the river, Small nitches are formed in the banks below those projecting rocks which is comon in this part of the river, Saw 4 Cascades caused by Small Streams falling from the mountains on the Lard. Side,
[The possiblities in a two-mile area are - upstream to downstream -
Starvation Creek and Falls,
the seasonal Cabin Creek and Falls,
Warren Creek and Falls,
Wonder Creek and Lancaster Falls,
Lindsey Creek and Falls, and
Summit Creek and Falls.]
a remarkable circumstance in this part of the river is, the Stumps of pine trees [Submerged Forest]
[The Submerged Forest existed along the reach from above Dog Mountain/Viento Creek on the upstream edge and Wind Mountain/Shellrock Mountain on the downstream edge.]
are in maney places are at Some distance in the river, and gives every appearance of the rivers being damed up below from Some cause which I am not at this time acquainted with [Bonneville Landslide],
the Current of the river is also verry jentle not exceeding 1½ mile pr. hour and about ¾ of a mile in width. Some rain, we landed above the mouth of a Small river on the Stard. Side [Wind River] and Dined ... :
here the river widens to about one mile large Sand bar in the middle, a Great [rock] both in and out of the water, large <round> Stones, or rocks are also permiscuisly Scattered about in the river,
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The bottoms above the mouth of this little river [Wind River] <which we Call> is rich covered with grass & firn & is about ¾ of a mile wide rich and rises gradually, below the river (which is 60 yards wide above its mouth) the Countery rises with Steep assent. we call this little river <fr Ash> New Timbered river from a Speces of Ash <that wood> which grows on its banks of a verry large and different from any we had before Seen, and a timber resembling the beech in bark <& groth> but different in its leaf which is Smaller and the tree smaller. passed maney large rocks in the river and a large creek on the Stard. Side in the mouth of which is an Island [Rock Creek near Stevenson, Washington], passed on the right of 3 Islands <on> near the Stard. Side, and landed on an Island close under the Stard. Side at the head of the great Shute [head of the Cascades Rapids], and a little below a village of 8 large houses on a Deep bend on the Stard. Side, and opposit 2 Small Islands imediately in the head of the Shute, which Islands are covered with Pine, maney large rocks also, in the head of the Shute. Ponds back of the houses, and Countrey low for a Short distance. The day proved Cloudy dark and disagreeable with Some rain all day which kept us wet. The Countary a high mountain on each Side thickly Covered with timber, Such as Spruc, Pine, Cedar, Oake Cotton &c. &c. I took two men and walked down three miles to examine the Shute and river below proceeded along an old Indian path, passd. an old village at 1 mile ...
I found by examonation that we must make a portage of the greater perpotion of our Stores 2½ miles, and the Canoes we Could haul over the rocks, I returned at Dark
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a wet disagreeable evening, the only wood we could get to burn on this little Island on which we have encamped [near Ashes Lake, the island is now under the waters of the Bonneville Reservoir. Ashes Lake was near the head of the Cascade Rapids. Across from Ashes Lake is Cascade Locks, Oregon.] is the newly discovered Ash, which makes a tolerable fire. we made fifteen miles to daye
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Clark, April 13, 1806 ...
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The loss of one of our large Canoes rendered it necessary to divide the loading and men of that Canoe between the remaining four, which was done and we loaded and Set out at 8 oClock A. M. [from their camp near Ashes Lake] &bnsp;
passed the village imediately above the rapids where only one house remains entire the other 8 haveing been taken down and moved to the opposit Side of the Columbia
[downstream of Rock Creek and Stevenson, Washington] ...
Capt. Lewis with 2 of the Smallest Canoes of Sergt. Pryor & gibson and Crossed above the Rapids to the Village on the S E Side with a view to purchase a Canoe of the nativs if possible.
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I with the two large Canoes proceeded on up the N. W. Side with the intention of gitting to the Encampment of our hunters who was derected to hunt in the bottom above Crusats River [Wind River], and there wait the arrival of Capt. Lewis. I proceeded on to the bottom in which I expected to find the hunters but Could See nothing of them. the wind rose and raised the wavs to Such a hight that I could not proceed any further. we landed and I sent out Shields and Colter to hunt; Shields Shot two deer but Could get neither of them. I walkd. to Crusats river [Wind River] and up it ½ a mile on my return to the party found that the wind had lulled and as we Could See nothing of our hunters. I deturmined to proceed on to the next bottom where I thought it probable they had halted at ½ passed 2 P M Set out and proceeded on to the bottom 6 miles and halted at the next bottom formed a Camp and Sent out all the hunters [near Dog Mountain, between Collins Creek and Dog Creek]. I also walked out my self on the hills but saw nothing. on my return found Capt. Lewis at Camp with two canoes which he had purchased at the Y-ep-huh ...
I was convinced that the hunters must have been up River Cruzatt [Wind River]. despatched Sergt. Pryor with 2 men in a Canoe, with directions to assend Crusats River [Wind River] and if he found the hunters to assist them in with the meat. Jo: Shields returned about Sunset with two deer which he had killed, those were of the Black tail fallow Deer. <the> there appears to be no other Species of Deer in those mountains. We proceeded on 12 miles.
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