Billy Chinook Lake

Today was warm and sunny with temps in the lower seventies and Carolyn was feeling pretty good.  In this household that combination spells ROAD TRIP!  It's been awhile since we have been able to get out of the house just to explore so I've been able to find a couple of new places nearby to visit.  One of those places is Lake Billie Chinook.  Google maps says the distance to the lake from our house is only 21.6 miles so it's within Carolyn's "feel sorta OK today" range.

We climbed into the Guzzler today, the Guzzler Deluxe is down to about half a tank and I'm waiting for the price of gas to drop before I fill it, and were on our way.  Our route took us north along Highway 97, over the Crooked River Gorge, where the river runs 300 feet below the bridge that spans it,  until we turned west in the little town of Culver.  From there it was a "follow the signs" exercise  till we reached the edge of a deep canyon.  The road then dropped steeply for the next three curve-filled miles and ended at a pretty day use picnic grounds with a ramp for launching boats. 

Past the picnic area was a Marina and restaurant with lots of dry dock storage facilities for boats ranging in size from daycruisers to 2000 square foot houseboats.  The signs advertised houseboat rentals, but only one boat was actually in the water and ready to go.  Still early in the season, I guess. 

The lake was formed when Pacific Power Company dammed the Deschutes River in 1964 at a place located where it would back up the Deschutes, Metolius and Crooked Rivers.  It was named after an Indian who scouted for John Fremont just before settlers using the Oregon Trail arrived in the area.  It's a tall dam, and strong enough to hold back the waters of these three rivers to a depth of over 400 feet in places.   

We explored the bottom of the canyon, with it's campground, Marina and docks, for a hour or so, and then began the climb out of the place on our way home.  At the very top, I noticed what appeared to be an informal dirt road leading to a place that overlooked the canyon at it's very edge. 

I turned in and, sure enough, there was room to pull over.  We got out of the Guzzler and peered over the edge.  The views were fantastic!  All three river canyons and the lake were displayed below us.  Why, in God's beautiful world, the government did not choose to transform this place into a for-real overlook is beyond me.  Some biggie MUST have noticed what many others before us saw.  It was easily the most fantastic vista of the day. 

The "overlook" was strewn with so many rocks that everyone in America could have taken one for a souvenir without creating a shortage.  From the recent indentations easily noticed in the soil, it appeared that many had.  So did we.  I grabbed a 60 or 70 pound rock, loaded it in the Guzzler, and we continued home.

Our piece of Billy Chinook now resides in a prominent corner of a front flowerbed that abuts the front walkway.  Every time we enter or exit our home it will be there to remind us of this wonderful day and the gorgeous view of that pristine lake, only 21.6 miles away.