Anyone explore Washington's Scablands?

[DRTMaverick]

Hey everyone!

New member here, I've only made a couple posts, however one thing I'd like to share is my fascination with the ice-age floods that took place across eastern washington through the columbia basin- the forces that were behind the creation of the columbia river gorge.

I'm curious if anyone here has explored these areas extensively, and if anyone would be interested in doing so this springtime?

 

[shortbus4x4]

I've done a fair bit of driving across a large part of them for work. I have most of the books written on the glacial Lake Missoula and its ice age floods. It's amazing the scope of them. I've driven in MT quite a bit too and seen the evidence of them. J Harlan Bretz was a genius for recognizing the evidence they left behind.
I'd love to do some trips this spring in the scablands.

 

[CurrentlyRockhoundin]

I'm out there all the time.

Also I think I might fit the category of 'geology nut'.

Whenever we can we're out there.

 

[shortbus4x4]

Did the drive from Spokane to Leavenworth and back yesterday for work. Took highway 2. Pictures are from me driving back eastbound.
At the bottom of the grade by the Columbia River, Orondo WA. Six miles of up.

 

[shortbus4x4]

Halfway and then the top of the Waterville Plateau.

 

[shortbus4x4]

Ate lunch in Waterville at the deli. Waterville is directly ahead in the picture but mostly hidden in the trees.

 

[shortbus4x4]

Dropped into a big Coulee. Camera phone is hard to take pictures on this scale with.

 

[shortbus4x4]

Banks Lake and Dry Falls.

 

[shortbus4x4]

Headed to Libby tomorrow so will be driving right by where all these floods burst out of the ice dam.

 

[CurrentlyRockhoundin]

The landscape out here calls to me like nothing else.

 

[DRTMaverick]

Oh this makes me excited to travel up there this spring- my girlfriend wants to visit John Day area and malheur for the birds on the way up so there's going to be a lot of scenery.

 

[David C Gibbs]

Oh this makes me excited to travel up there this spring- my girlfriend wants to visit John Day area and malheur for the birds on the way up so there's going to be a lot of scenery.

We drove from the N.W. Overland Rally to Grand Coulee, then south. We stopped at the Dry Falls visitors center; which is worth the effort. Then continued south through Moses Coulee down to Wallula Gap. Even the Walla Walla Valley was affected by the Floods. DG

 

[trikebubble]

I live not too far North here in Penticton BC, and we've traveleled and camped (glamped) in the area for a long time. In high school we even went on a day trip to the Grand Coulee Dam and got to tour around inside it. I also remember years back being able to still drive over the Grand Coulee Dam, the whole ruggedness and sharpness of the area is just fascinating.
FYI. If anyone is ever wandering around the Leavenworth area to the West, I highly recommend searching out the old abandoned Blewett Pass Highway. It is well worth detouring off Hwy97 and exploring it.

 

[Dilldog]

The channeled scab lands are an amazing area for sure. When I was traveling between Spokane and Bellingham a lot I would alternate between taking highway 2 and highway 20. I loved riding those highways.

 

[Seanm26]

We take Highway 2 when ever we go see the wife's fam in CDA. It never gets old.

 

[Dilldog]

We take Highway 2 when ever we go see the wife's fam in CDA. It never gets old.

Do you ever take highway 20? Thats an awesome drive.