Historic Hood River
Near Koberg Beach
8-30-2012
Notes
During Koberg Beach’s heyday the route to get there took you up the Columbia River Highway eastside turns and then down to the beach. This image explains why. At low water there was a rough track that provided a shortcut, but much of the year the high road was the only choice.
charlott
Interesting to know. I had never heard of a lower summer road from town. Only way I ever could remember getting there was up the loops and then down over the hill.
l.e.
Do you think the asparagus field that we saw in photo #7 flooded?
We zoom up the freeway now, never thinking about how hard it was to get just a mile or two up the river.
l.e.
On second thought…..maybe this is the asparagus field?
You know Arthur, a lot of discussion took place about photo #7 and where the asparagus field actually sat. Since it was one of the earliest photos, the discussion must have taken place at the HR weather chat room. It is too bad those comments aren’t with the photo.
Jim Gray
I thought the Asparagus field was south of the beach, about where the freeway is now. never knew about a lower road either, at times you could see a road leading down from the old highway. Wonder if this picture is after the dam was built and that that would be a flooded abandoned right of way for the railroad.
charlott
The Koberg’s fields were behind the beach area. In this photo it would have been on the right between what we know as Stanley Rock. Between that at the actual large hills. On the (dump road) you would drop down onto the flat, then on over to the beach area. This area shown would have just been where the lower road would have gone. Now a question…….did the Koberg’s ever actually live on this property? I know they had a house down where that strip mall is west of Wal-Mart.
Bill Seaton
Arthur, you refer to the Columbia River Highway eastside turns. I assume you are referring to the turns just above where the old Y-Inn used to be. They were always called "The Loops" when I was growing up in Hood River.
Bill
Arthur
Sounds like you’ve all figured it out without me. Loops, not turns. Asparagus field was east of here, on the high ground between Stanley Rock and the main cliff face. There is definitely a road under the water– we have several frames from this day, including one showing the seasonal road descending into the river just west of this spot.
charlott
There are a lot of great stories of the 1950’s when it comes to "The Loops." Best quarter mile drag race place in all of Oregon………
l.e.
That information made me chuckle charlott.
If you look at photo #275 you can see the loops climbing the hill. You can also see how a road along the river wasn’t feasible unless it was built up like the RR tracks.