To date, the Twin Tunnels of Mosier make up the most spectacular section of the Historic Columbia River Highway formerly lost, now restored. That honor will probably fall in a couple years, superseded when the Mitchell Point section comes back. From the viewpoint near the tunnels, you look out to the magnificence of the tilted synclines on both sides of the mighty river. Come in springtime and the floral display will be on to add to the magic.

WASCO COUNTY AND THE COLUMBIA RIVER HIGHWAY

Wasco County was a little late to the game when it came time to build their section of the Columbia River Highway. The county was the largest in the United States when created in 1854 by the Territorial government.  Over the years, 17 counties have cleaved off from the original, as well as lands in Idaho, Wyoming and Montana going their own way as Congress made new territories out of old ones.

The county recognized the importance of the Columbia River Highway, but the need for other local roads were just as important.  To bring access to the wheatfields south of The Dalles to the river for example. There was no initial pushing force here like Samuel Hill or Simon Benson.

In the era before the gas tax – February 1919, the nation’s first, money for roads before required appropriation by local county bonds.  Wasco did not push for a county bond for roads until late 1916, well after the lower river counties had completed their sections of the Columbia River Highway.  Two of the most striking features of the restored HCRH occur in Wasco County – the Rowena Loops and the Twin Tunnels above Mosier.

A ROUTE DEVISED

John A. Elliott served as an Assistant Engineer for the State at the time of surveys – completed in the 1915-1916 time frame – for the Hood River to Biggs section of the Columbia River Highway.  He had graduated from the University of Washington in 1909, a student of Henry Bowlby and Samuel Lancaster. Involved with the Mitchell Point tunnel-viaduct construction – ten years later he wrote his doctoral thesis on his tunnel project – during the summer and fall of 1915, he turned his sights further east. 

For the route on from Hood River, Elliott chose a compromise between the Old Dalles Road, the current route used between Hood River and Mosier, and a river-level route.  The river level route was too expensive due to grading through cliffs and the existent rail line.  The current road rose to an elevation of over 1,000 feet before dropping back down to Mosier on the river. 

Elliott chose a compromise route taking advantage of shelves a little over 500 feet above the river.  Going out of Hood River, the route rose in elevation through a series of loops – Hood River Loops – before traversing over to Mosier.  Only one area did cliffs impinge upon the route.  Here, the Twin Tunnels were designed.

TWIN TUNNELS

Before construction could begin on the Twin Tunnels – 1920 – Elliott had left the State Highway department.  Even though he was working with Wasco County, he was concerned on roadways in other parts of the county. 

The assistant State engineer involved in overseeing the project was Ray A. Klein.  A native of New Haven, Connecticut and a graduate of Yale, he had come west originally working with railroads before moving to highways. Klein would go on serving as State Highway Engineer – 1923-1932 – and one of the figures behind the State Park system. From there, Klein went east to work as a senior highway engineer with the federal Bureau of Public Roads retiring in 1954 to Portland.

Of the two tunnels, the western section extends 81 feet and the eastern covers 288 feet.  A space of 24 feet opens between the tunnels – today, roofed over to protect from rockfall.  Into the eastern tunnel, two adits were bored – an adit is a level tunnel added on to a main tunnel to provide light and ventilation.  There was a small parking level between the two tunnels with a walk built providing a view out from the between the western most of the two windows to the open mid-tunnel area.

Like at Mitchell Point, the problem with rockfall was always a problem.  Also, as time went on, the road received more traffic.  The narrowness and the rockfall both led to the abandonment of the tunnels in the early 1950’s.  The tunnels were subsequently filled with rock as the new river level road was finished.

REBIRTH

The Twin Tunnels were a major part of the 2000 reopening of the HCRH.  Partly funded by a $500,000 gift from Bruce and Nancy Russell, the tunnels emptied of fill and the road paved to its original width.  Rockwalls restored and period-looking guardrails went up along the road.  Trailheads were installed with restrooms and parking areas – $5 per day or State Park pass required – laid out at the Hood River and Mosier ends of the road trail. 

Rockfall remains a danger.  In order to ward off potential hazards, the open space between the tunnels gained a roof and a 700-foot-long structure installed above the west entry to the tunnels to catch rockfall – able to withstand 5,000-pound rocks falling 200 feet.   The old viewing area along the cliffs is fenced off as are both windows in the east tunnel.  Rock movement inside the tunnel walls led to timber lining to reinforce the structure like in the original tunnels.

ROWENA LOOPS

From atop Rowena Point, the road descends around 700 feet in a series of loops like that east of the Vista House.  The views are magnificent and more open because here you are on the east side of the Cascades.  You are emerging from the “land where the rains meet the sunshine” here into a dry open forest landscape.

The road from Mosier to The Dalles was finished in two parts in 1920 with Rowena being the dividing point.  Several fine bridges added along the way, help the road on its journey.  The bridges at Mosier and Dry Canyon – further up near Rowena – examples of beautiful arched reinforced concrete structures designed by the new State bridge designer Conde McCullough.

The Rowena route became chosen over an earlier road built by Wasco County that went up over Seven Mile Hill and down into Mosier.  That route gained another 400 feet along the way including grades of up to 8 %.  The Rowena route enjoyed both the magnificent views, less elevation – kept to 5 % gradients – and was shorter.

TODAY

the tunnels

The Twin Tunnels are a center piece of the restored HCRH.  Biking, hiking or the occasional antique automobile rally cover the 4.5-mile route between the top of the Hood River loops to the west and the Mark Hatfield Trailhead to the east.  The entire path paved with a 5 % maximum – most of the way is reasonably level. 

Access to the tunnels from the east takes only 0.75 miles with a nice viewpoint set out on the clifftops just before reaching the east portal.  The viewpoint built in a manner reminiscent of the “eagle nests” found further to the west along the old roadway.

rowena

The HCRH east of Mosier mixes autos and bicyclists.  You have a stiff climb out of Mosier to get up on the plateau above.  Views out over the Columbia – including the Native American grave island of Memaloose – make up for the effort.  A couple of wineries beckon along the way and during the season, cherries and apricots.

Atop Rowena Point is a large parking area reminiscent of Crown Point without the Vista House – that means no rest rooms.  The area is very popular with walkers, especially in spring when the balsamroot blooms along with Indian paintbrush and a multitude of other wildflowers. 

Great hikes go west from the parking area into the Tom McCall Nature Reserve and south up along the Rowena Rim to McCall Point – 1000-foot gain in just under two miles.  This area owned and maintained by the Nature Conversancy, means you cannot bring your pet out on the trail leashed or not.