Cape Horn

A hiking trail in the Columbia Gorge leads to this lookout, named for Nancy Russell. The top of Cape Horn was originally planned as a subdivision in the 1980s. The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area was not in place so there was no legal way to stop the development. In 1983, she and her husband took out a loan and made a no-interest loan to the Trust for Public Land, to stop the subdivision.

Because of Nancy's vision, all of us can enjoy this beautiful trail with its stunning viewpoints. She also founded the non-profit Friends of the Columbia Gorge. which began with a few motivated people now includes more than 6,000 members and a level of support in Gorge counties that would’ve been unthinkable in the far more contentious 1980s.

Thank you Nancy Russell.