Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Umtanum


Yesterday Chris & I took a daytrip to revisit Umtanum Creek, in the Yakima Canyon. We had passed a train at Easton, and just as we crossed under the tracks at Umtanum Creek, we heard it coming. Way cool.

Unlike last trip, we didn't see mammals. But we did see lots evidence of beaver activity, quite a few birds, including a nifty broad winged hawk on the cliff side. And the scenery in a completely different season was intriguing, even if the water level in the creek precluded crossing over, and thus curtailed our walk far short of our previous distance.

Chris enjoyed the swaying suspension footbridge over the Yakima River. Umtanum Creek comes down the side valley in the background, and our destination is somewhere back up well beyond what can be seen.

Instead of heading straight home afterward, we continued on downriver the to exit the south end of the canyon (in sunlight!), taking SR 24 east to the northern reaches of the Hanford reservation and across the Columbia at Vernon. From there, we followed the east side of the Columbia -- with a stop for wonderful burritos in Mattawa -- to Vantage, I-90, and home.

Long day, but good fun.

3 comments:

Eliza said...

Sounds like great fun.
Did Chris do the spring fairy dance for you? It's one I gotta learn. :)

Alan said...

Is that what she is doing on the bridge? (click on the bridge picture)

Herman said...

Nooo... I was bouncing. Because the bridge was bouncy and I was having fun.

We can do the spring fairy dance at Passover