The Great Gorge Wahoo! 7th grade (Eastern Gorge):
The Winthrop family’s commitment to Gorge education ensures that this annual trip remains an unforgettable experience for all involved. Thank you to the family members who joined us this year to experience firsthand the joy and curiosity this trip brings to students.
On April 15, 2024, we took 23 seventh-grade students from St. Andrew Nativity School on a field trip exploring the Eastern Gorge. The day began at Eagle Creek, Oregon, with a short hike led by U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Park Ranger Joshua Daker. Students learned about fire ecology and the recovery process following the Eagle Creek fire. Before leaving, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW) staff provided a brief tour of the Eagle Creek hatchery operations.
Our next stop was Horsethief Lake State Park in Washington, where students had lunch and used binoculars to observe nesting bald eagles. Afterward, we met Friends’ late Land Trust Director Dan Bell at Friends’ Dancing Rock Preserve. He led the students on a short walk to the preserve’s kolk pond, a unique Ice Age feature. Dan shared the geologic history of the preserve, provided insight into his work with the land trust, and answered many enthusiastic questions from the students. Although teaching youth was a bit outside Dan’s wheelhouse, he was always up for a challenge as a passionate team player with a natural ability to present and lead, regardless of age, which made him fantastic with the kids on this day. It was an honor to have Dan be a part of The Great Gorge Wahoo and for this group of students to experience his legacy at a preserve he worked so hard to protect.
Seventh-grade students from St. Andrew Nativity School participated in a hike at Eagle Creek (top left), a raptor discovery program at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum (bottom left), and a tour of Friends’ Dancing Rock Preserve with our late Land Trust Director Dan Bell (right). Photos by Monique Trevett and Kenzie Hammond, Friends of the Columbia Gorge.
To conclude the day, the students visited the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum, where Raptor Education Coordinator Morgan Olson gave a private presentation featuring Killer, the red-tailed hawk. This exciting experience allowed the students to learn about a bird of prey up close. Before boarding the bus, the students explored the museum’s exhibits and completed a scavenger hunt. Overall, our staff, partners, and generous donors had an amazing day sharing the magic of both the Western and Eastern Gorge. We look forward to hosting a similar trip this fall. A final thank you to all the staff and partner educators who dedicated their time to teaching St. Andrew Nativity School students about the wonders of the Gorge.
The Great Gorge Wahoo! 8th Grade (Western Gorge):
Thank you to Carrie Nobles for the generous donation that makes this annual trip possible, and to all the educators who took the time to work with the eighth-grade students of St. Andrew Nativity School.
On May 10, 2024, we took 28 eighth-grade students from St. Andrew Nativity School on a field trip focused on the Western Gorge. Having shared time with this class the previous year, it was a joy to introduce them to the wonders of the Gorge once again. Students remembered their last field trip and were eager for this year’s new Gorge Wahoo adventures. As per tradition, we began our day at Vista House at Crown Point. Former Oregon State Parks (OPRD) Region Manager and current Friends Board Member Kevin Price shared the history of Vista House and the surrounding area, his experiences working in Oregon State Parks, and the importance of public lands, instilling a sense of the importance of public land ownership in the students.
Our next stop was Benson State Recreation Area, where students rotated through three stations: macroinvertebrates led by USFS Park Rangers Hannah and Mia, a photography station led by Gorge photographer Paloma Ayala, and mammal ecology led by OPRD Park Ranger Miranda Mendoza. After the rotations, students enjoyed a beautiful lunch by the lake. On the way to our next location, we made a stop at Multnomah Falls, allowing the students to take photos and marvel at the impressive waterfall. No Western Gorge trip is complete without a visit to Multnomah, and for many students, it was their first time seeing it.
Eighth-grade students learned how to take nature photos, watched birds through binoculars, and tested water quality. Photos by Monique Trevett, Friends of the Columbia Gorge.
We then arrived at Bonneville Lock & Dam, where a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ranger led the students on a private tour of the powerhouse and the fish ladders. To end our day, we met with WDFW Salmon Biologists Elise Olk and Jenna Hymas who led the students through an engaging and athletic “Salmon vs. Dam” obstacle course race. The students got to stretch and showcase their athletic abilities in this educational game. The day was beyond dreamy, and the students had a wonderful time.
Explore the Gorge 6th Grade (Beacon Rock):
A special thank you to our longtime donor and friend Phyllis Clausen, who passed away last year at the age of 99, for her commitment to fund this annual program.
On May 30-31 and June 5-7, 2024, we held our biggest education event of the year, requiring an all-hands-on-deck effort to make it possible. We engaged over 200 sixth graders from Washougal’s Jemtegaard and Canyon Creek Middle Schools in five days filled with educational activities. The students were split across two different sites within the Beacon Rock State Park system: Hamilton Mountain and Doetsch Day-Use Area, rotating through multiple unique educational stations.
At Hamilton Mountain (Upper Picnic Area & Campground), the stations included:
- Herpetology station run by me, Kenzie Hammond
- Pika walks with Cascade Pika Watch Volunteers Linda Steider and Leslie Trabant
- Orienteering with OPRD Park Ranger Miranda Mendoza, Washington State Park staff members Ryan Reynolds and Breanna Hild, and USFS Park Rangers
- Photography station with Hood River photographer Paloma Ayala (see green box on next page)
Sixth-grade students from Jemtegaard and Canyon Creek Middle Schools learned about Gorge botany from Friends’ Youth and Community Education Coordinator Kenzie Hammond (left), hiked up Beacon Rock (top right), and tested water quality on the Columbia (bottom right). Photos by Monique Trevett, Friends of the Columbia Gorge.
At Doetsch Day-Use Area, students cycled through:
- Macroinvertebrate station with Friends’ Outdoor Programs Manager Melissa Gonzalez, Friends’ Stewardship Volunteer Coordinator Sarah Skelly, and USFS Park Rangers
- Birding 101 station with Jackson Wolfe and Ken Pitts from Vancouver Audubon, and volunteer Jackson Keyser from Washington State University
- Ecology games station with USFS Park Rangers
- Geology station with USFS Park Rangers
- Geology hike up Beacon Rock
