Saddle Mountain is an asymmetrical anticline of the Yakima Folds which starts south of Othello, WA and extends west across the Columbia River. During the last glacial period, the diverted Columbia River worked its way south, west of Othello through the Drumheller Channels to the mountain and then flowed west along its base to its preflood location at Sentinel Gap. Periodic Missoula Floods roared down the Drumheller Channels and crashed head on, undercutting the north side of the mountain and then diverting around both ends of it. This undercutting along with tilted basalt layers and intersedimentary beds led to multiple landslides creating the Corfu Landslide Complex. At least one of the landslides extended to the top of the ridge and created the “saddle” that gives the mountain its name.
Most people don’t know that the top of the mountain is accessible by a road from the south side. From SH 24 at MP 60.1, head north. At the “T” near the top, turn right and continue to the parking area at the turnaround. Walk east a short distance and you arrive at the saddle. To the north you have a great view of the Drumheller Channels, the Corfu Landslide Complex, and the course of the diverted Columbia River which now contains the underfit Crab Creek. To the south is the Hanford Reach area.
Along the ridge on the south side of the road there are several concrete foundations. From 1955 to 1962, these were armed with Ajax and Hercules missiles ready to be launched at any enemy attack on Hanford.
I met a worker from Boeing on one of my visits. He takes a trip to this isolated place twice a year to spend a weekend away from the hustle and bustle, noise, and light pollution of the big city. The top of the mountain is certainly a place of solitude and provides a great bird’s eye view of this part of our flood story.
I am tentatively planning a Sandhills Crane bus tour this March to include this stop. Our chapter is also in the early stages of an extended weekend event that would also include it.
by Lloyd Stoess, President of IAFI-Palouse Falls Chapter