COLUMBIA RIVER SLOUGH LETTERBOX SERIES


It's time to get excited, folks! Six more letterboxes have been
placed in the Portland, Oregon Metropolitan Area. This time we go to
East Multnomah County for a wet and wild time! Please note: The
first four letterboxes of this series can only be accessed via a
canoe or kayak. The final two are handily located for hikers to
seek. All can be reached from the same starting point. Please dress
appropriately for dampness and some definite intimate contact with
blackberry brambles for boxes 1-4 and 6.

DIRECTIONS: From the I-205,Veteran's Memorial Freeway heading North,
take exit 24B Airport Way East. If you miss this exit, have a good
time in Washington and check out Der Mad Stamper's letterbox at
Battleground Lake! AnywayTake the 24B, Airport Way East exit.
Continue on that road East for three miles. Shortly after you pass
the large pale blue water tank to your right you'll make a right turn
in the next driveway and then veer left to the Columbia Slough Canoe
Launch/Trailhead parking. This is located at approximately NE 165th
and Airport Way.
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ON THE WATER
LETTERBOXES 1 - 4:
CLUES: PRETTY EASY, I THINK.
DIFFICULTY: MUST USE PADDLECRAFT TO ACCESS. ALSO, DEPENDS ON HOW WELL
YOU CAN MANEUVER YOUR CRAFT, BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE TOO TOUGH. YOU MIGHT
HAVE A LITTLE CONTACT WITH BERRY BRAMBLES AND BUSHES, BUT NOT MUCH.

COLUMBIA SLOUGH LETTERBOX 1: The Simple Fish
Put your boat in at the canoe launch. Paddle beneath the bridge and
continue. When you reach a large, distinct fork in the waterway,
turn right. Keep paddling. At the next spot where cars go over and
you go under watch for a culvert on your Port side. Pass by a
cyclone fence post, which is also Port side. On Starboard a small
lone standing tree is on the bank. Directly across from that on Port
side is a stump sticking sideways out of the bank. The simple fish
in Letterbox 1 is above it there for you to stamp.

COLUMBIA SLOUGH LETTERBOX 2: The Canoe & Paddle
Keep on going. After you go under the high bridge, there is a big
rock on the Starboard side. The canoe and paddle in Letterbox 2 is
lurking just behind on the Southwest side.

COLUMBIA SLOUGH LETTERBOX 3: The Waterfowl
You'll paddle underneath the next low bridge. Just before you get to
the islands, if you're lucky, nutria might swim by to check you out.
Veer to the right of the islands on the main waterway for the rest of
your journey. Sometimes it may feel as if you're poling more than
paddling. The water can be shallow in this area, but you will get
through. If you choose to go your own way, though, you will probably
get stuck. Keep paddling past the rocky drainage and stay just to the
left of that. You'll probably see plenty of ducks here. You will go
under a log with pipes attached and a wire hanging down. Lots of
nutria live around here. You will probably have to duck or do the
canoe limbo to get beyond this, but please do it. Once you've passed
beneath, go 15 strokes, turn your head and look aft. Letterbox 3
should be very obvious from this viewpoint.

COLUMBIA SLOUGH LETTERBOX 4: The Great Blue Heron
You know, as Vanessa Williams sings, you go and save the best for
last. Truer words could not be spoken about Letterbox 4. This is
the last letterbox you have to access by water and, in my not so
humble opinion, it is the best. Go all the way to the end of the
slough as far as you can paddle. You'll be under a large concrete
pipe and water will probably be flowing from the culvert on the North
side. Straight ahead and just above is a light green pipe. A
concrete pipe is right behind it. The Great Blue Heron is tucked
away in Letterbox 4 between these two pipes near the U clamp.




COLUMBIA RIVER SLOUGH LETTERBOX SERIES
(CONTINUED)

ON THE TRAIL

LETTERBOXES 5 & 6:
CLUES: VERY EASY.
DIFFICULTY: NOT MUCH. GRAVEL & MULCH PATH. A COUPLE INSTANCES WITH A
SMALL AMOUNT OF STEPS AND A BRIDGE. DEFINITE BLACKBERRY ALERT FOR
LETTERBOX 6.

COLUMBIA SLOUGH LETTERBOX 5: The Pine Cone
At the parking lot, follow the trail down to the canoe launch and go
under the bridge and up the stairs. Continue on and enjoy the sights
and sounds of the slough environment (not to mention the more than
occasional airport traffic). Keep meandering along. Soon you will
pass by a blue water structure on your left, then a picnic area.
There will be a green sign just past here on your right that says:
"HIKERS ONLY" From this point go down the path 33 steps. On your
left will be several trees clumped together, two that are kind of
broken off. One of those has a hollow-looking stump. Behind these
trees the pine cone is nestled in the roots.

COLUMBIA SLOUGH LETTERBOX 6: The Dragonfly
Once you're over the thrill of discovering the pine cone keep on
trucking down the trail. Go over the bridge and keep going. When
you see the beige building with teal and gray accents, and four pine
trees on the East side you are nearly there. Walk forward. Just
before the bend in the path and at the end of the cyclone fence,
please look at 8:00 O'Clock. Do you see that wispy-looking tree
closest to you? At the base of this the dragonfly can be found,
though not without effort. Some blackberry branches will snag you in
an effort to protect.