White Bluffs (North Slope) - 12.15.2015
A photo of the GPS track for our hike above the White Bluffs near the town of Mattawa, Washington... 7.6 miles roundtrip, gaining 989 feet of elevation.
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From Ellensburg... drive east on I-90 and cross the Columbia River... take Exit 137 and drive WA-26E for 1 mile... turn right onto WA-243S and drive 14.3 miles... turn left onto Road 24 SW and drive 13.8 miles... turn left onto WA-24E and drive 9.5 miles... then see next map.
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Just beyond Mile Post 63 on WA-24E... turn right, drive thru the fancy gate, and drive 3.9 miles on a gravel road... turn right and drive 1.4 miles... watch for the trail on your right, leading uphill towards the top of the bluffs... park in a grassy area next to the road.
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The trailhead is not really signed for this hike... just park in the grassy area about a mile before you reach the boat launch at the end of the road.
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The red line highlights the obvious path that leads up above the white bluffs.
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Working our way up to the top of the white bluffs.
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Still gaining elevation.
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The trail levels out some and continues above the bluffs.
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Locke Island is in the middle of the Columbia River.
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A closer look at Locke Island from the white bluffs.
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We will head for the sand dunes on the right.
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Hiking along the sand dunes.
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Hiking on the sand dunes.
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Denali Girl continues along the sand dunes.
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Love the wind and water sculpture on the bluffs.
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Continuing along the sand dunes.
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Looking back on our route.
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Interesting wetlands on the shelf between the river and the bluffs.
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We will continue above the bluffs and take an obvious path down to the wetlands.
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Looking back at Denali Girl on the sand dunes.
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Heading down from the top of the bluffs to the wetlands.
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There is a good path down to the wetlands.
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There are several ponds in the wetlands... and lots of pampas grass.
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Denali Girl hiking in the wetlands.
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It was very muddy in the wetlands... so we decided to find a route back up to the top of the bluffs.
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There are lots of paths back up to the top of the bluffs.
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Denali Girl coming up from the wetlands.
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Hiking along the white bluffs below the sand dunes.
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River, wetlands and sand.
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Working our way back to the car.
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On a shelf between the wetlands and sand dunes.
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We have closed the loop portion of the hike and are about a mile from the car.
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Posing on the white bluffs.
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A good look at the wetlands... with the sand dunes on the right.
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Columbia River, Locke Island, wetlands, white bluffs and sand dunes... almost back at the car.
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