Fourmile Canyon

Fourmile Canyon (HM244N)

Location: , OR Gilliam County
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Country: United States of America
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N 45° 37.32', W 120° 2.634'

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Inscription

Blazing heat, bitter cold and blustery winds

Fourmile Canyon witnessed the westward passage of wagons across the Columbia Plateau during the late summer and early fall. By this time on their journey, the emigrants had alternately been exposed to blazing heat, bitter cold and blustery winds. In an effort to avoid the late summer heat, some emigrants traveled in the relative cool evening, often by moonlight.

Traveling west beyond the Umatilla Riverl the weary travelers faced a long three day trek before reaching the crossing of the John Day River, twenty miles from this point. Fourmile Canyon was passed on the second day as most wagons moved between the established camps of Willow Creek and Cedar Spring along the trail.

Sabbath day, we remained in camp (Willow Creek) until three o'clock when we filled our water casks and started on over the bluffs, and encamped at noon PM. having traveled about seven miles. The dust was so dense that traveling in the night was rather dangerous as the ground was full of chuck holes which in the dust and darkness we could not see. We found no good grass and but little of any description. — Abigail Scott, September 12, 1847

Continued our tedious journey ... sixteen miles this day encamped on the hills wood plenty a little dry grass but no water ice nearly an inch thick this morning Mount Hood a peak
of the Cascades loomed in the sky covered with snow Henry and myself are just able to move and that is all — Lydia A. Rudd, September 23, 1852

Tuesday Started at 2 o'clock this afternoon. Have a 15 mile drive to make for water. Will make part of it this evening. Leaving the creek (Willow Creek) ascended the bluff dividing the Blue and Cascade mountains. These bluffs are very high. The first hill we ascended was two miles long. We had a toiling drive until after dark, when we were compelled to camp without grass, as we could not go on farther. Our cattle were to tired and faded, but there was nothing for them to eat or drink! — Esther Belle McMillan Harris, August (?), 1852

Details

HM Number	HM244N
Tags	Early Settlers, Roads and Vehicles
Placed By	Bureau of Land Management
Marker Condition	No reports yet
Date Added	Wednesday, December 27th, 2017 at 10:01am PST -08:00

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Locationbig map

UTM (WGS84 Datum)	10T E 730449 N 5056301
Decimal Degrees	45.62200000, -120.04390000
Degrees and Decimal Minutes	N 45° 37.32', W 120° 2.634'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds	45° 37' 19.2" N, 120° 2' 38.04" W
Driving Directions	Google Maps
Which side of the road?	Marker is on the right when traveling South
Closest Postal Address	At or near Fourmile Canyon Rd, OR , US
Alternative Maps	Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap