[HitTheTrail]

There is a bit of documented history about the old Tarpiscan school down at the mouth of Tarpiscan creek. Some fellow NWhikers even posted photos of it here. What is less known is that the school was built a few miles up the creek and used there for years long before it was moved near the river.

Steve had some old maps of the location so we hiked up to the abandomed homestead near Colockum Pass for a quick gear testing overnight trip and checked out the original school site on the way back.

The school was located down in the creek bottom just down stream from the two trees on the right.

this is a line of rocks of one side of the foundation. Steve has some much better photos of the foundation.

Looking up toward Sheridan Springs homestead.

Looking toward the Columbia

Old harvester.

engine compartment.

I almost stepped on a BIG rattler getting a different view of this machine.

Vintage cars

Bone yard

Steve coming up to the bone yard.

View up to the old ranch

We camped up near the old homestead and got serenaded by wild turkeys all night.

Steve just sent me these photos of the foundation.

looking down on the school foundation.

some chimney bricks from the old school.

HitTheTrail standing behind the foundation.

more foundation.

BTW, the old school house down by the river was burned by a recent fire. What a loss of history.

[Get Out and Go]

Looks excellent there.....except for the Rattler part.

[lookout bob]

Any cactus blooming yet?  We were just down in the Gorge and the flowers are awesome there.  Seems a bit later here in Washington...

[HitTheTrail]

We didn't see any, but then the only place I have ever seen cactus down there has been up high on the west flank of Cape Horn south of the south fork Tarpiscan Creek.