Washington's Channeled Scablands Guide: Explore and Recreate Along the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail

by John Soennichsen

Explore Washington's canyons of Ice Age wonders -- great trails, stunning scenery, and amazing history

* Comprehensive guide to a fascinating region rich with history and recreational access to camping, hiking, fishing, and more
* The Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail was designated by the National Park Service in 2009. Once completed, the Trail will connect interpretive facilities, signage, and other tourism activities
* Features regional maps and photos

Often overlooked by those cruising on the highway to Spokane or the Tri-Cities area, more than 2,000 square miles of terrain in eastern Washington are home to a striking collection of sharp-edged coulees slicing through a crust of basalt. In this stunning landscape, deep lakes fill the depths of dramatic gorges flanked by steep walls of towering rock columns, labyrinthine channels, and wide tracts of scabby rock that give the region its name—geologically, no other region in the world contains features like those found in the Channeled Scablands.

Where-to guidebook and travel narrative come together in the Washington's Channeled Scablands Guide to offer a comprehensive and intimately knowledgeable tour of this one-of-a-kind region. Local writer and historian John Soennichsen is your guide to fascinating lore; snapshots of the unique towns connected by this singular landscape; descriptions of the unique geology; advice on how to explore whether by auto, horseback, canoe, bike, or on foot; and essential info like where to fuel up and stop for dinner.

Take the family to scenic camping and fishing in Coffeepot Lake, and read out loud the legend of Old West outlaw Harry Tracey as you cruise along on a "Back Roads Auto Tour." Lace up your boots for a cross-country hike in the Juniper Dunes Wilderness Area or up Badger Mountain Trail. Explore the unearthly crater-like formations in the Telford–Crab Creek Tract, or set up with your camera for a stunning sunrise over Palouse Falls. Whether you're a boater looking for new waterways to explore, a naturalist interested in unique ecosystems, or just a curious traveler—if you're seeking adventure and intrigue just a little off the beaten path, you'll find the keys to a whole new world of exploration with Washington's Channeled Scablands Guide.

Genres: Travel

224 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2012

Reviews

[pdarnold · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of this from the First Reads give away. This book arrived via UPS with a catalog from the publisher, bookmark/business card and a sticker. Wow!

I will be reading this in portions over time. Thus far, I have learned quite a bit about the area I pass through and travel around. I will post comments as I go and leave a final review upon completion.

There is a bit of repetitive commentary about the areas, which is fine. I find myself wanting to take off on a weekend jaunt while reading. Many areas I have visited in the past and am now eager to return to with a better understanding of its formation and history. I am also happy to learn the different aspects of these areas such as what recreation is available and acceptable or which season is best for watching birds, hiking, fishing, etc.

Along with the valuable historical and educational information the author sprinkles humor throughout. Some of it being quite tongue-in-cheek or cornball. Example; "Nevertheless, it would still be quite easy to plummet off the 400-foot cliffs here if you were not careful or if you strayed out of the official tourist area. A fall would be not only fatal but extremely embarrassing, what with all the people at the nearby visitor center standing around and taking pictures".

I appreciate the details given to each area. Details are given for enjoying, viewing, and using the different areas of the flood plane for many levels of activity. Do you want to simply couch travel? It's there, however, I highly recommend you avoid utilizing only this activity from the book. You will miss out on so much! The better options are motor touring the area, hiking, biking, water touring (via boat, kayak, etc.). Then the added info for animal, bird watching, etc. Then last but not least the details in teaching us about the different physiognomy and formations of the scablands.

Before reading this book I was "aware" of the glacial Missoula Lake flooding, for it's the reason a portion of highway 395 new north and south path was rerouted from the original plan. Where the highway was to go up and over/around a particular hill, core samples for stability proved there was still wood rotting underneath from the former lake Missoula flooding.

A good read and a book to carry with you on the journey touring the areas changed by the flooding of lake Missoula during the last days of the ice age.

[KennyO · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a guide book, not a book to simply sit down to read like a novel or a biography. OTOH if you have had an introduction to the Ice Age Floods and you want to visit sites of their well exposed geology I recommend this guide. For those unfamiliar, the Ice Age Floods, occurring near the end of the last ice age, are among the greatest floods that ever occurred on Earth. They began as a two thousand foot deep glacial lake comparable in size to the Great Lakes. When the ice dam ruptured the lake's water flowed hundreds of feet deep, as fast as 60 MPH for several days, moving truck sized boulders many miles and plucking millions of tons of basalt and shipping it downstream. The Grand Coulee (where the dam is located and for which it is named) was gouged out by these floods. The effects of the floods left astonishing geological features and artifacts across thousands of square miles from the Idaho panhandle to the Pacific Ocean. John Soennichsen writes from the perspective of a man who has his feet on the ground and who wants others to visit and appreciate the many breathtaking sights created by the floods. His driving and hiking directions are accurate and easily understood. There is repetition in his writing but I did mention that it's a guide book, not a novel, so you can read parts and skip parts without losing the thread of a tale.

I urge you to read Soennichsen's Bretz's Flood before reading this. It will provide a framework for this exploration.

[Gail Welborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

**An excellent guide for outdoor enthusiasts in Washington, or for an easy tour by car**

In this “where-to” guide book, Washington author, photographer and hiking devotee, John Soennichsen, captures Eastern Washington’s “…one-of-a-kind scabland landscapes…” with all they have to offer. Located on the Columbia Plateau across the Cascade Range, the barren land is “…defined as a shrub-steppe plateau terrain...” in spite of its resemblance to an arid desert.

Readers discover a recreation area that holds something for everyone who loves the outdoors, especially since the President signed legislation approving the creation of the “Ice Floods National Geologic Trail” in 2009.

In part three, the author explores where “ancient glaciers” carved out elaborate rock structures and pathways in a massive flood that “…swept through northern Idaho …Washington…” into Oregon’s Willamette Valley. A flood that left a “geologic marvel” in its wake, writes Soennichsen, 2,000 square miles of what we know today as the Scablands, far too large an area for a national park.

The author’s stunning photography and descriptive word pictures capture the distinctive terrain with its unique opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts who love to explore, bike, hike or swim. An added feature…Full Review: http://tinyurl.com/93psbhk