Field Sessions - Wednesday, October 24th

There are many stellar choices to complement your classroom training time as a Wild, Scenic and Beyond! participant. Please indicate your field session preference on the Registration Form, as space may be limited.

Mount St. Helens – Johnson Ridge Visitor Center (Full Day)
Pacific Northwest natives variously called it "Louwala-Clough," or "smoking mountain." Captain George Vancouver of the British Royal Navy established its modern name in 1792 when he named other volcanoes in the Cascades for British naval officers --Mounts Baker, Hood, and Rainier. For the majority of the 20th Century visitors came to enjoy the serene, beautiful mountain playground teeming with wildlife. At the base of the volcano's northern flank, Spirit Lake was especially popular as a recreational area for hiking, camping, fishing, swimming and boating. The tranquility of the Mount St. Helens region was shattered in the spring of 1980, however, when the volcano exploded back to life. Local people rediscovered that they had an active volcano in their midst, and we were reminded that the active and potentially dangerous volcanoes of the United States are not restricted to Alaska and Hawaii. The Visitor Center provides firsthand accounts of the earthquakes and eruption that took play over the course of several months and a spectacular view of the mountain, wildlife and replanted forests. 

Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge - Refuge Tour, Lake River Paddle (Full Day)
The banks of the lower Columbia River have been alive with activity for thousands of years. Ancient human civilizations thrived here and shared the land with an abundance of animal and plant life. Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge’s wetlands, grasslands, riparian corridors and forest provide an ideal environment for migrating birds and wintering waterfowl. Each fall the Refuge comes alive with thousands of ducks, geese and swans. The Chinookan village of Cathlapotle, located on the refuge was visited by Lewis and Clark in 1805 on their way to the Pacific. A full-scale cedar plankhouse, built on the refuge in partnership with the Chinook Indian Nation, Portland State University, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and numerous other partners hosts Refuge environmental education and interpretive programs and special cultural and historic events. Our morning visit to the refuge and Cathlapotle Plankhouse led by Refuge staff will be followed by an afternoon kayaking adjacent to the Refuge on the Lake River, guided by Alder Creek outfitters. Registration for this trip includes a $25 fee.

White Salmon River: Dam Removal Site Tour and River Trip (Full Day)
The Wild and Scenic White Salmon was designated in 1986 shortly after a proposal to construct a series of 7 dams on the river was defeated by local advocates. In the years since, the White Salmon has grown to be one of the most exceptional whitewater resources in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The river is managed by the Forest Service. In 2011, Condit Dam was breached and removed by PacifiCorp fully restoring the White Salmon River as a free-flowing river. On this trip you will have an opportunity to visit the former dam site, view restoration activities, learn about current management of river recreation, and enjoy a trip down the river (levels permitting) outfitted by Wet Planet Rafting and Kayaking. Registration for this trip includes a $50 fee.

Clackamas: Hydropower License Enhancement and Decision-Making Processes for Recreation  (Full Day)
The Wild and Scenic Clackamas River was designated in 1988 with outstandingly remarkable values that include botanic and ecologic, cultural and historic, fisheries, recreational, and wildlife. In the years since, the Clackamas has grown to be one of the most exceptional whitewater resources in the greater Portland Area. The river is managed by the Forest Service. In 2010 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a new license for the hydroelectric project on the Clackamas River that is operated by Portland General Electric. On this trip you will have an opportunity to learn about the enhancement measures and decision-making processes for recreation. We will visit new river access sites located within the Wild and Scenic River corridor that were developed as part of the license conditions and discuss the process for evaluating sites identified for river access improvements. This project was key to informing the development of a River Access Planning Framework methodology. This Framework is being applied to other projects in the region to serve as a model for evaluating appropriate levels of facilities to improve the visitor experience,  protecting resource values while providing access to waterways. We will conclude with a trip down the river (levels permitting) outfitted by Blue Sky.  Registration for this trip includes a $50 fee.

Willamette River - Oregon's National Water Trail (Half Day)
The Willamette River Water Trail is an assemblage of properties that provide access for paddlers to the Willamette River, or afford opportunities to camp along the river and provides short or a multi-day trip paddling options. The Trail covers 187 miles of the mainstem Willamette River, and several miles of the river on the Coast Fork Willamette, Middle Fork Willamette, and the McKenzie River.  Thanks to a variety of adjacent parks and natural areas such as the Willamette Greenway Sites administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, the Water Trail maintains a host of opportunities to access the Willamette.  Our trip, led by the Willamette Riverkeeper, will launch from the Portland Boathouse, built by the Portland Development Commission as part of the redevelopment of an old warehouse, providing better public access to the river. Registration for this trip includes a $25 fee. 

Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge Restoration Initiatives (Half Day)
Teeming with wildlife at the eastern edge of the communities of Camas and Washougas, Washington the Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge provides excellent opportunities for bird watching and wildlife observation. The Refuge is involved in significant habitat restoration efforts. Over two miles of dike will be removed to reconnect floodplain to the lower Columbia River, benefiting fish and wildlife, particularly juvenile salmon. This collaborative project involves the Bonneville Power Administration, Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership, Friends of the Columbia George, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and others. Almost 1,000 acres of the historic Columbia River floodplain will be reconnected to the river. Participants will learn about this major restoration project and the partners involved.

Sandy River - Exploration of a Wild and Scenic River (Full  Day)
Explore the new wild refuge along the free-flowing Sandy River, a magnificent glacier-fed river only 25 miles from downtown Portland. The project, a partnership of Western Rivers Conservancy and the Bureau of Land Management, includes 5,000 acres that link together three Wild and Scenic River corridors. The tour will highlight dam removal, land conservation, habitat restoration as well as recreational and educational development. There will be one mile of hiking through old growth, riverside forests.

Skappoose Bay - Portland's Protected Waterway Rich in History, Wildlife and Marine Study (Full Day)
Fed by several streams and confluence with the Columbia, Multnomah Channel eventually spills into the low, tidal estuary of Scappoose Bay, this is perfect for bird and wildlife watching. The City of Scappoose, whose name is derived from Skáppus (also sqə́pus), began as a Chinookan village on the west side of the Multnomah Channel. Its history includes having been an early Native trading site; a destination for mid-nineteenth century EuroAmerican resettlers for its rich alluvial soil, access to deep water, and plentiful fish and game; and an important access point for rail and steamship trade moving timber and agricultural products.  We'll explore the Bay's many back channels as the water levels allow, and visit the remains of an old wooden ship. We thank REI for providing leadership and support for this trip.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Workshop: How to Use Them for River Management  (Half Day)
This workshop will complement the classroom workshop that provides users with knowledge of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) technology and the policy framework for utilizing this category of aircraft. We will provide a flight demonstration of Department of the Interior UAS to show how they can be used for various river management use cases.