Beacon Rock, viewed in early evening from the land parcel recently transferred by Friends to Washington State Parks. (photographer: Cate Hotchkiss)
With Assist From Friends, Washington State Parks Expands Beacon Rock
June 15, 2022
June 15, 2022 Washington State Parks News Release Olympia, Washington – Washington State Parks, with critical assistance from Friends of the Columbia Gorge, purchased a 4.5-acre tract of land next […]
Camas-Washougal Post-Record: Steigerwald Wildlife Refuge Reopens
May 13, 2022
May 13, 2022 By Doug Flanagan, Camas-Washougal Post-Record(View original story) Washougal City Council member and former mayor Molly Coston has never been so happy to be so wrong. When she first […]
Hundreds of gravel trucks every day would travel on two-lane Washington SR-14, seen here below Cape Horn. (photographer: Debbie Asakawa)
Massive Mining Proposal Threatens Western Gorge
March 31, 2022
March 31, 2022 By Steve McCoy, staff attorney, and Sofia Urrutia-Lopez, conservation organizer A massive gravel mine proposed near the Cape Horn trailhead in Skamania County would impact the livability […]
View of ongoing transformation at Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge. (photographer: Sarah Skelly)
Steigerwald Reconnection Restores Wetland Habitat
March 23, 2022
By Sarah SkellyVolunteer Coordinator March 23, 2022 Update, March 28, 2022: The Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership has announced that Steigerwald Refuge is scheduled to reopen on May 1, 2022. On two […]
A guided hike at Lyle Cherry Orchard is on our spring schedule. (photo: Melissa Gonzalez)
After Two Years, Friends’ Guided Outings Return
March 3, 2022
By Melissa GonzalezOutdoor Programs & Communications Specialist March 3, 2022 Almost exactly two years after the initial outbreak of COVID-19 paused Friends’ in-person events, I am ecstatic to announce the return […]
Members of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony. (photo: Sheepscot Creative)
Friends of the Columbia Gorge & Metropolitan Youth Symphony Community Partnership
February 22, 2022
February 22, 2022 FRIENDS OF THE COLUMBIA GORGE PRESS RELEASE Contacts: Allison King, communications director, Metropolitan Youth Symphony | 503.239.4566 | aking@playmys.org (email) Burt Edwards, communications director, Friends of the Columbia Gorge | […]
Detail from a 2017 composite image: a female harrier glides above Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge. (photographer: Ken Pitts)
Habitat Restoration at Steigerwald
December 8, 2021
By Dan BellLand Trust Director December 8, 2021 When I was fortunate enough to tour the Steigerwald Reconnection Project in August, the place was buzzing with construction equipment. In highly choreographed fashion, dozens […]
Stewardship volunteers work to remove fencing from Friends of the Columbia Gorge's Cape Horn preserve. (photographer: Sarah Skelly)
Volunteers Steward Through All Seasons
December 8, 2021
By Sarah SkellyVolunteer Coordinator December 8, 2021 In the midst of staff transitions at Friends of the Columbia Gorge and waves of shifting COVID-19 safety protocols, small groups of experienced Friends […]
Crews excavating the tunnel entrance at Mitchell Point. (photo: Courtesy of Western Federal Lands)
Mitchell Point 2.0
December 7, 2021
By Kevin GormanExecutive Director December 7, 2021 One of the great Columbia Gorge architectural treasures of the last century was the Mitchell Point Tunnel along the Historic Columbia River Highway. The […]
Students take a break on an educational hike at Hamilton Mountain during the 2018 Explore the Gorge trip. (photographer: Brandon Davis)
From Exploring the Gorge to Exploring Our Backyard
November 24, 2021
By Haley LebsackGrant Writer November 24, 2021 Every June since 2008, sixth graders from the Washougal, Washington School District have had the opportunity to attend a multi-day outdoor school program and explore […]
Aerial shot of the Union Pacific unit oil train derailment and fire at Mosier, June 3, 2016. (photographer: Paloma Ayala)
Mosier Rail Expansion Defeated
November 18, 2021
By Michael LangConservation Director November 18, 2021 In a victory for Tribal treaty rights, the community of Mosier, Oregon, and conservationists, Union Pacific Railroad (UP) has thrown in the towel on […]
The view from Cape Horn in the 1980s, before the Cape Horn landscape was conserved for public use. (photographer: John Yeon)
National Scenic Area 35th Birthday: Highlighting a Long Career of Gorge Advocacy
November 18, 2021
By Kevin GormanExecutive Director November 18, 2021 Thirty-five years ago this month, November 1986, was an auspicious time for an upstart nonprofit organization called Friends of the Columbia Gorge. A mere six […]