Rattlesnake Grade: A Road to Remember

Oregon Highway 3 on its descent to the Grande Ronde River

On the map, Oregon Highway 3 and its continuation, Washington Highway 129, appear to be a direct shot across the upper right-hand corner of the state, connecting Enterprise, Ore. and Clarkston, Wash.  However, the reality of this road is quite different. Why else would the American Motorcycle Association designate it as one of the top 15 motorcycle rides in America? The 80-mile trip offers an enormous variety of scenery from snow-capped peaks, expansive canyons, pine forests, wide open wheat fields, a narrow river valley, ghost town, and enough twists and turns and plunging drop-offs to make a person dizzy. Fortunately, there is very little traffic.

Joseph Canyon Overlook

Traveling from south to north, the drive begins in Enterprise, the county seat of Wallowa County and, more important, home to the last gas stations for the next 65 miles. The road heads north through rolling prairie and ranch land with spectacular views of the Wallowa Mountains receding in the rearview mirror. Elevation gain transforms the scenery to pine forests, and around 30 miles from Enterprise is the Joseph Canyon Overlook. From here, the view spreads out forever across a network of steep canyons. The Nez Perce called the area Saqanma, meaning long, rough canyon, and made their winter camp here at the confluence of Joseph Creek and the Grande Ronde River in the protected canyon’s bottom.

To savor this remarkable panorama, continue a few miles north to the Rim Rock Inn, a restaurant offering indoor and outdoor dining with a million dollar view. Who would expect to find a turkey panini sandwich with sun-dried tomatoes here in the absolute middle of nowhere! A former stagecoach stop, the inn now has four tepees available for rent for adventurous types wanting to spend the night right on the canyon edge.

Flora Methodist Church

Beyond the inn is a road turning west marked “Flora” and well worth the six mile, roundtrip detour to this once thriving farming and ranch community.  Platted in 1897, the town was named for the daughter of the first postmaster and grew to a population of 320 by 1910 with a bank, general store, and newspaper. The Methodist Episcopal Church was constructed in 1898 and an impressive, 8-room school house added to serve the rural community in 1915. However, the area’s isolation and the economic realities of the family farm contributed to the town’s demise and by 1966 the post office closed, followed by the school in 1977.  Today, the town (population 7) consists of a dozen or so abandoned houses and buildings, an overgrown cemetery, and an endless supply of photo opportunities. The church and school with its striking bell tower stand next to each other on the north side of town, dominating the landscape. The school has recently been restored with the idea of converting it to a center for pioneer arts and crafts.

Flora School

Back on Oregon 3, just beyond Buford Ridge Road, look for a pull-off on the left side of the road.  Here is the first, and probably the best, glimpse of the road ahead and explains why it is so popular with motorcyclists. Layer after layer of barren canyon opens up exposing the highway as it snakes its way down to the Grande Ronde River. About half way down, a sign proclaims, Welcome to Washington, The Evergreen State. Of course, in the late summer and early fall the scenery is shades of brown without a tree in sight. At the bridge over the river is a welcome token of civilization, Boggan’s Oasis.  Along the banks of the river, it promises the world’s best milk shakes, tasty burgers, overnight cabins, good fishing, and a swimming hole. It’s an excellent place to freshen up before tackling the next challenge, the ten mile, twisty ascent to the top of Rattlesnake Pass. This is a workout for a car and it seems almost unbelievable that several thousand participants in the 2010 Cycle Oregon tour made this trek on bicycles!

Beyond the pass, the route opens up into a broad plateau, skirts the small farming community of Anatone before one last thrilling corkscrew descent into the town of Asotin on the banks of the mighty Snake River. If the drive was not sufficiently thrilling, consider continuing on across the river to Clarkston. Here, several outfitters offer trips down the scenic Snake River through Hell’s Canyon, the deepest gorge in North America. A smorgasbord of options including full day trips, half days, overnight stays deep in the canyon, and wine and dinner cruises. 

More photos:

Boggan's Oasis, a popular stop for cyclists

 

Walla Walla: Well Worth the Drive

Vineyards south of Walla Walla

In Walla Walla, visitors can discover how a sun-bleached, arid corner of Eastern Washington developed into a world-class wine growing region, and learn the unlikely connection between measles and the establishment of the state of Oregon.

Whitman Historic Park

The town, one of the oldest in Washington, had long been on the trade route of a number of Indian tribes who gave it the name, Walla Walla, meaning “many waters.”  In 1836, Dr. Marcus Whitman and his wife Narcissa arrived to establish a missionary and convert the Cayuse to Christianity. While they were not entirely successful in creating farmers out of traditionally nomadic tribesmen, the mission thrived and became an important rest stop on the Oregon Trail. One of the wagon trains brought with it an epidemic of measles.  Dr. Whitman worked tirelessly to treat his patients and was successful with the white settlers, but the natives, who had no prior exposure or immunity to the disease, were decimated.  Nearly one-half the tribe died during the epidemic and the Cayuse could only assume the disease was a ploy to rid the area of the tribe and take over their land. With that in mind, a group attacked the mission killing Whitman, his wife, and twelve others. When word of the massacre reached Washington, DC, Congress acted quickly to create the Oregon Territory, the first in the West.

Seven Hills Tasting Room

Walla Walla went on to become a thriving, regional agriculture center best known for wheat, sweet onions, frozen peas, and the state penitentiary. It can boast of the West’s oldest college (Whitman College), first commercial bank in the Northwest, and oldest, continuous symphony west of the Mississippi River. With its attractive downtown, historical buildings, tree-shaded streets, and college campus, Walla Walla seemed more like a small town transplanted from New England. But, in the 1970s, things changed for this sleepy college town as it transformed itself into an important food and wine destination.

Gary Figgins was an avid home winemaker with local roots going back to 1905 when his Italian grandparents settled in the area. In 1974, he planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling grapes and created Leonetti Cellar. His wines were so successful that it soon became apparent to others that Walla Walla just might be the next Napa Valley. Today, there are nearly 100 wineries in the region and over 1800 acres of land planted in vineyards.

At first glance, the landscape of the Walla Walla Valley looks like an unlikely place for grapes to thrive; even a cactus would look more at home here. However, a number of combining factors make it a prime grape-growing region. The soil, deposited by the Ice Age Floods of 10,000 years ago, consists of loam, silt, loess and small rocks, providing excellent drainage for the vines.  Long sunny days and cool nights create perfect growing conditions, and the arid climate requires irrigation for controllable water management of the vines.

L'Ecole 41 Tasting Room

With so many wineries and tasting rooms to choose from, a visit can seem a bit overwhelming. The first step is to check out the comprehensive Winery Guide produced by the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance. It can be viewed online, picked up in local hotels and shops, or ordered at 509-526-3117.  Offering detailed maps and winery descriptions and hours, it makes planning a wine tasting route much easier. Most of the wineries are concentrated in several areas: west of town along U.S. 12, in the downtown area, near the airport, and south of town towards the Oregon border.

The burgeoning wine industry and increase in tourists have created a demand for fine restaurants with exciting menus and extensive wine lists. Several imaginative, young chefs from the Seattle area have migrated to Walla Walla and opened restaurants to fill that need. What other small town in Eastern Washington has wood-grilled octopus and wild boar lasagna on the menu?

Whitman Monument

Beyond wine and food, the town offers some pleasant shopping, art galleries, and walking tours of the downtown, college campus, and historic neighborhoods. A few miles west of town is the Whitman Mission Historic Site with a short film and museum telling the sad tale of the Whitmans. While the original buildings are long gone, a marked trail meanders through the mission site. On a small knoll, stands a monument to the Whitmans with an expansive view of the Walla Walla Valley.  One wonders what Marcus and Narcissa would have thought about the grilled octopus and $40 bottles of Syrah now available in their little mission town.