Here, the mighty Columbia River still flows through an 80-mile, sea-level route carved through the Cascade Mountain Range 12,000 to 19,000 years ago, the only sea-level passage through any mountain range of the western states of America.
Today, the Columbia River Gorge is not only a beautiful testament to the astounding forces of natural events, it is also rich with cultural history. In addtion, a number of wineries can now be found scattered (and growing in numbers) along the near sea-level routes of both Oregon's Interstate 84 and Washington's two-lane Highway 14, as well as on the plateau lands above that slope toward the vertical walls of the Gorge. Hundreds of vineyard acres occupy a variety of terroirs throughout the Gorge as flood-scoured plateau lands offer vineyardists gravelly soils, long and sunny summer days, limited rainfall, and the temperature-moderating influence of updrafts from the nearby Columbia River Gorge.
