MEMORY LANE

HOOD RIVER, Ore. - To Rocky Rockhill,, the newly opened stretch of the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail overlooking the Columbia Gorge looks much the same as it did when he traveled it as a child in his grandfather's 1941 Oldsmobile.

Freshly painted white wooden guardrails line ribbons of smooth black asphalt. Scenic lookouts are defined by gently curved rock walls restored to their original early 1900s design and dimensions.

And there are the Mosier Twin Tunnels - two cave-like passages stretching 400 feet along a cliff overlooking the river. Closed for the past 50 years due to falling rocks, they have been reopened, reinforced and lined with sweet-smelling cedar.

The only things missing are the cars.

Rockhill, 63, of West Lynn, Oregon, revisited the area by mountain bike with his son Jarl, 13, a few weeks ago. With the exception of special events for antique cars, the 4 1/2-mile stretch of highway between Hood River and the tiny town of Mosier is reserved for biking, walking, and other non-motorized transportation.

The Historic Columbia River Highway - Highway 30 - was the original roadway through the Columbia Gorge, and the first major paved highway in the Pacific Northwest. The first portion opened in 1915, and by the time the highway was completed in 1922 it covered 75 miles on the Oregon side of the Columbia, from Troutdale to The Dalles.

By the early 1950s, the need for a river-level route became evident, and Interstate 84 eventually replaced the old highway, most of which was abandoned or destroyed. Two sections are still open to cars - a 22-mile stretch between Troutdale and Dodson and a 15-mile section between Mosier and The Dalles.

The newly reopened trail connecting Mosier to Hood River, about 70 miles east of Portland, is the second portion of the highway to be dedicated to pedestrians and bikers. The other is a 2 1/2-mile river-level segment, about 25 miles away, near the Cascade Locks and Bonneville Dam.

For many, walking or biking the new Twin Tunnels trail is a literally a trip down memory lane.

Rockhill recalls riding through the tunnels on elk- and deer-hunting trips. Adits, large window-like openings originally installed as viewpoints, have been restored with steel bars for safety. Some Mosier residents recall how motorists used them to signal for help when they were stranded in the tunnels in a snowstorm in 1921. The names and initials of the stranded drivers are carved on one of the stone walls.

By far, the biggest part of the $11 million, five-year project was the reopening of the two tunnels, which had been filled with rock for 50 years.

"From the beginning, when they first cut them out of the mountainside, they were unstable," said Robert Hadlow of the Oregon Department of Transportation, which worked on the project with citizen groups and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.

Originally the tunnels did not have linings or portal masonry. "The philosophy was to make them appear cave-like," Hadlow explained. But rock fall was a continual problem, and in later years, engineers installed masonry and timber linings to prevent falling debris. Then, in the early 1950s, a bank under a cliff outside the west tunnel began to slide. Falling rocks damaged cars, creating a safety hazard.

"These were headaches, so they filled them in," Hadlow said. "They were closed with the idea that they'd never be reopened."

The possibility of rocks falling from the 400-foot basalt cliff is still very real, said Kevin Bracy, state project inspector. Key to reopening the area was construction of a concrete catchment, awning-like structure built outside the tunnels, attached to the cliff face, and designed to catch a 5,000-pound rock falling 200 feet.

"We had rock falls many times during construction - baseball and football-sized rocks," he said.

The tunnels themselves were reinforced and coated inside with a concrete mix to keep debris from falling.

Although the timber lining was no longer needed to catch falling rock, it was restored for historical authenticity. Cedar removed from the Elk Creek Tunnel, a highway tunnel near Drain, Oregon, was transported to the Gorge and cut to the dimensions originally used in the Mosier tunnels.

As I biked along the highway on a Saturday afternoon recently with ranger aide Mike Newson, it was easy to imagine what it might have been like to drive along the route 50 years ago.

Heading east to Mosier, from the Hood River entrance, we cycled along a 16-foot-wide open road, with spectacular views down to the interstate and Columbia River about 400 feet below.

Nudged along by the same winds that have made the Columbia Gorge area a windsurfing capital, we spotted junked antique cars that had been pushed over the side of the road, an old stone water fountain and an abandoned shooting range.

The trail passes through two climatic zones, linking the wet, western end of the Gorge with the dry eastern Columbia River plateau.

From the west trailhead in Hood River, it's almost four miles to the tunnels along a mostly flat road shaded with fir trees and forest.

"The west side is a little cooler, longer and is a nice, paved forested hike," noted park ranger Diane McClay. "What is very rewarding is to see the difference on each side."

Past the tunnels, on a downhill stretch that ends in Mosier, I noticed the air felt a few degrees warmer as we followed the trail into open, semi-arid terrain dotted with ponderosa pines, maple and oak trees. It's on this part of the trail where most of the wildlife has been spotted, Newson said. A few minutes later, he pointed out an osprey eagle soaring off to our left. Rangers have also seen cougars, deer and bald eagles.

Instead of turning around at the trailhead, we cruised downhill another half-mile to Mosier, a tiny river town with a population of 350 people, and a handful of businesses including a store, gas station, a fruit packer and a combination Porsche dealership and ice cream shop.

Raspberry smoothies and waffle ice cream cones have been going fast at Route 30 Roadside Refreshments since the trail officially opened in late July.

"I've been sitting here for five summers waiting for this," said owner Stephen Demosthenes. It gets hot in the Gorge, and he hopes bikers and hikers will use his shop as a refueling station.

Newson and I rode the trail both directions, starting and ending at the Hood River side. The ride took about three hours, including rest stops and the break for ice cream.

"If you just want to see the tunnels, then it's probably better to start on the Mosier side," said ranger aide Tyler Back. From the east trailhead, it's three-quarters of a mile uphill to the tunnels.

With help from a wheelchair-bound park volunteer, the trail was designed for disabled access. Rated moderate to difficult for those with disabilities, the trail includes handicapped parking, wheelchair-accessible restrooms and chair-level informational signposts along the way. Turns in the road were leveled out and repaved to meet federal specifications for disabled access, and no part of the trail has more than a 5 percent grade.

"We've had everybody from 4-year-olds learning to ride bikes to 87-year-olds who were walking," said McClay.

John Ward, 74, the retired principal of the Mosier Elementary School, walked the trail for the first time early one morning last month, using a three-pronged cane and a fold-up chair.

With the help of his wife, Lucia, his daughter and grandson, he made the uphill trek from the handicapped parking lot at the Mosier trailhead.

Ward strolled through the tunnels, then unfolded his chair and sat on the road, enjoying the views and the scent of cedar in the air.

"This is one of the few trails in the Gorge that doesn't go straight up," said McClay. "You can bring someone up in a wheelchair and get them into one of the most scenic parts of the Gorge without a lot of obstacles."

If you go

Getting there: The new Twin Tunnels segment of the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail is 70 miles east of Portland. From Seattle, take I-5 south to I-205 and I-84 east. To enter the trail at the Hood River entrance, take exit 64 to Highway 35 south, then go east on a drivable section of the Historic Columbia River Highway (near the China Gorge Restaurant) for about one mile to the Twin Tunnels Visitors Center and the Mark O. Hatfield Trailhead West.

For the Mosier entrance, continue east on I-84 to exit 69. Follow the signs to Highway 30 and Mosier. Go north on Rock Creek Road about a half-mile to the Mark O. Hatfield Trailhead East.

Trail information: Check in at the Twin Tunnels Visitors Center in Hood River for general information about the trail, maps, water and orientation services. The center is staffed weekdays from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For information, call 541-387-4010. Access to the trails is free. A $3 Oregon State Parks day-use permit is required to park at either trailhead.

For information on the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail, contact the Oregon State Parks Information Center, 800-551-6949. Web: www.prd.state.or.us. For details on the Twin Tunnels restortation project, see the Oregon Department of Transportation's Web site, www.odot.state.or.us.

What to bring: Biking or walking along the trail can be tiring in the heat of the day. The best times to go are early morning or late afternoon. Bring plenty of water (available at the Hood River entrance, but not on the Mosier side). The trail is also open to motorized wheelchairs, rollerbladers, skaters, scooters and dogs on leashes.

Bike rental: Bikes can be rented for $7-$8 an hour at Mt. View Cycles, 411 Oak St. in downtown Hood River. Phone: 541-386-2453.

Lodging: The town of Hood River and the surrounding area has many hotels, motels and B&Bs. For information, contact the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce, 800-366-3530. Web: www.hoodriver.org.

The Mosier House Bed & Breakfast, 704 3rd. Ave. in Mosier, is about a mile from the east trailhead. The 1904 Queen Anne Victorian has five guest rooms, four with shared bath. Rates are $85-$125, including a full breakfast. Phone: 541-478-3640. Web: www.mosierhouse.com.

About 1.5 miles from the west trailhead in downtown Hood River is the 41-room historic Hood River Hotel, 102 Oak Ave. Rates range from $49-$165, including a continental breakfast. Phone: 800-386-1859. Web: www.HoodRiverHotel.com.