Placed: by Ryan Carpenter
The Columbia River Gorge is one of Oregon's most scenic areas, and if you complete this series you'll have enjoyed a good bit of it. The Oregon side of the Columbia River is littered with over a dozen large waterfalls (a smaller one is pictured to the right) while the much neglected Washington side provides incredible views and a not quite so wet experience.
This series was inspired by a recent trip I took into Africa. I went out on safaris by boat, jeep, and elephant. Large, wild animals roamed everywhere including hippos, elephants, giraffes, water buffalo, zebra, warthogs, and more. The smaller pictures are all ones I took while on my African adventure, and while admiring this incredible wildlife, I thought it would be fun to create a "safari" of sorts for those who don't have the time, money, or inclination to travel half way around the world to see the real thing.
So I started carving stamps of the animals I saw, and now I'm hiding them throughout the Columbia River Gorge. Locating all of the stamps that make up this series won't be easy. They are scattered throughout the gorge from Troutdale to The Dalles. Some hide on easy trails near sea level while others hide at the top of towering cliffs requiring long, strenuous hikes to reach.
I'm still in the process of hiding these letterboxes. Needless to say, nobody will be able to find all of them in a single day--nor will I be able to hide them that quickly either. I will probably continue adding boxes to this series for the next year--or more--so check back occasionally for new ones.
Most of the letterboxes are hidden along trails found in William Sullivan's 100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon. If you don't have the book, I highly recommend it. A good topo map of the area is also good so you can confidently blaze your own routes outside of those listed in Sullivan's book.
If you complete the series, you will not only have quite a collection of African animals in your stampbook, but you will also have seen more waterfalls, views, trees, flowers, and wildlife in the gorge than most people will see in a lifetime. Just be sure to get your head out of the clue occasionally to admire the beauty around here. I hope you enjoy the series! -- Ryan
Clues:
| Location | Date Placed | Terrain difficulty | Clue difficulty | Safari Stamp | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nesmith Point | July 4, 2001 | Strenuous | Easy | Cape Buffalo | alive |
| Mount Defiance | July 7, 2001 | Moderate or Strenuous | Easy | Lion | alive |
| Beacon Rock | July 8, 2001 January 9, 2001 |
Easy | Moderate | Springbok | alive |
| Upper McCord Creek Falls | July 15, 2001 | Easy | Easy | Hippopotamus | alive |
| Angels Rest | January 15, 2002 | Moderate | Easy | Elephant | alive |
| Eagle Creek | January 26, 2002 | Moderate | Easy | Giraffe | alive |
| Latourell Falls | January 26, 2002 | Easy | Easy | Wildebeest | alive |
| Tom McCall Preserve | February 2, 2002 | Easy | Easy | Sable Antelope | alive |
| Gillette Lake | February 6, 2002 | Moderate | Easy | Eland | alive |
| Indian Point | February 13, 2002 | Difficult | Easy | Zebra | alive |
| Hamilton Mountain | March 3, 2002 | Difficult | Moderate | Hyena | alive |
| Dog Mountain | October 23, 2002 | Difficult | Easy | Basuto Pony | alive |
| Dry Creek Falls | October 26, 2003 | Easy | Easy | Leopard | alive |
| Chinidere Mountain | August 22, 2006 | Moderate | Easy | Rhino | alive |
NOTE: Always take adequate precautions (such as prodding with a stick and/or wearing gloves) before reaching into dark crevasses and holes in the wild. Before you set out read the waiver of responsibility and disclaimer.
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