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Yeon Mountain, St. Peters Dome, and Rock of Ages, Oregon, from Skamania Landing, Washington.
Image taken June 29, 2005.
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Yeon Mountain ... St. Peters Dome ... Rock of Ages ...
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Yeon Mountain, St. Peters Dome, and Rock of Ages are all located on the Oregon side of the Columbia River at River Mile (RM) 140. At their base lies the small community of Dodson. On the Washington side of the Columbia lie Franz Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Skamania Landing.
Yeon Mountain was named for John Baptiste Yeon who came to Oregon in 1885. John Baptiste Yeon was a "rags to riches" story, beginning his Oregon career as a logger, and ending it as a prominant Portland citizen. He was among those who promoted the Historic Columbia River Highway. The John B. Yeon State Park, east of Yeon Mountain, was also named to honor him.
Originally rounded Yeon Mountain was called "St. Peters Dome", with the tall basalt feature to the west being called "Cathedral Rock". Today's the name "St. Peters Dome" has been applied to this tall basalt feature. It was first climbed in 1940 when a party of six reached its summit. To the west of Yeon Mountain and St. Peters Dome is another basalt feature called "Rock of Ages".
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St. Peters Dome in 1940 ...
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From the Oregon State Archives "A 1940 Journey Across Oregon":
"... HORSETAIL FALLS, 156.6 m., forming the design that gives it name, shoot downward across the face of the sheer rock wall into an excellent fishing pool. Spray from the pool continually drifts across the highway. East of the falls towers ST. PETERS DOME, a 2,000-foot basalt pinnacle.
..."
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Flanks of Yeon Mountain and St. Peters Dome as seen from Oneonta.
View along the Historical Columbia River Highway.
Image taken September 23, 2006.
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St. Peters Dome as seen from Oneonta.
View along the Historical Columbia River Highway.
Image taken September 23, 2006.
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Rock of Ages spire west of St. Peters Dome as seen from Oneonta.
View along the Historical Columbia River Highway.
Image taken September 23, 2006.
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Views ...
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On the Washington State side, good views of Yeon Mountain, St. Peters Dome, and Rock of Ages can be had from Skamania Landing. On the Oregon side, good views of can be had from the roads around Dodson.
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Yeon Mountain, Oregon, from Skamania Landing, Washington.
Image taken June 29, 2005.
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Columbia Gorge, Oregon side, from Skamania Landing, Washington.
Image taken June 29, 2005.
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Yeon Mountain, Oregon.
View from off of Interstate 84, Oregon.
Image taken June 27, 2004.
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St. Peters Dome (left) and Rock of Ages (right), Oregon.
View from off of Interstate 84, Oregon.
Image taken June 27, 2004.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, November 2, 1805 ...
Examined the rapid below us [from their camp at Fort Rains, looking at the Cascade Rapids] more pertcelarly the danger appearing too great to Hazzard our Canoes loaded, dispatched all the men who could not Swim with loads to the end of the portage below, I also walked to the end of the portage with the carriers where I delayed untill everry articles was brought over and canoes arrived Safe. here we brackfast and took a Meridn. altitude 59° 45' 45" about the time we were Setting out 7 Squars came over loaded with Dried fish, and bear grass neetly bundled up, Soon after 4 Indian men came down over the rapid in a large canoe.
passed a rapid at 2 miles & 1 at 4 miles opposite the lower point of a high Island on the Lard Side [Bradford Island], and a little below 4 Houses on the Stard. Bank, a Small Creek on the Lard Side [Tanner Creek] opposit Straw berry Island [Hamilton Island], which heads below the last rapid, opposit the lower point of this Island [Hamilton Island] passed three Islands covered with tall timber [today there are two, Ives and Pierce] opposit the Beatin rock [Beacon Rock]
Those Islands are nearest the Starboard Side, imediately below on the Stard. Side passed a village of nine houses [Skamania and Skamania Landing], which is Situated between 2 Small Creeks [Woodward Creek and Duncan Creek], and are of the Same construction of those above; here the river widens to near a mile, and the bottoms are more extensive and thickly timbered, as also the high mountains on each Side, with Pine, Spruce pine, Cotton wood, a Species of ash, and alder. at 17 miles passed a rock near the middle of the river [Phoca Rock], about 100 feet high and 80 feet Diamuter,
proceed on down a Smoth gentle Stream of about 2 miles wide, in which the tide has its effect as high as the Beaten rock [Beacon Rock] or the Last rapids at Strawberry Island [Hamilton Island],- Saw great numbers of waterfowl of Different kinds, Such as Swan, Geese, white & grey brants, ducks of various kinds, Guls, & Pleaver [today just below Beacon Rock is Franz National Wildlife Refuge]. ...
we encamped under a high projecting rock on the Lard. Side [Rooster Rock, with Crown Point rising above it], here the mountains leave the river on each Side
[leaving the Columbia River Gorge, Steigerwald Land NWR is on the north and the Sandy River delta is on the south],
which from the great Shute to this place is high and rugid [Columbia River Gorge]; thickly Covered with timber principalley of the Pine Species. The bottoms below appear extensive and thickly Covered with wood. river here about 2½ miles wide. Seven Indians in a Canoe on their way down to trade with the nativs below, encamp with us, those we left at the portage passed us this evening and proceeded on down The ebb tide rose here about 9 Inches, the flood tide must rise here much higher- we made 29 miles to day from the Great Shute [Cascade Locks]-
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