The Great American Road Trip. Day 18. Earthquake Lake Visitor Center.

Here is our new spot on the river. We were staying probably 100 feet from here last night, but it makes such a difference being right on the river.

I think everyone agrees that this was the best move.

Usually when we are in the area we are just passing through or it is winter (the Earthquake Lake Visitor Center is not open during winter), so we have not been able to visit until today.

The visitor center is just a few miles from where we are staying.

Apparently a bear doesn't care if you are a movie star.  

I would say there are not enough movie stars enjoying bear country to really test this statement.  

Jeff Bridges and...?

Before August 17, 1959, Earthquake Lake did not exist.  That was until a 7.7 earthquake triggered 80 million tons of rock to crash into the narrow canyon, where tourists were camping in tents and RVs, and staying in cabins.  The landslide created hurricane winds which blew clothes right off people's bodies.  The north shore of Hegben Lake tilted 20 feet, sending cabins into the water and flooding the highway.  28 people died as a result.  On a different trip, Eric kayaked over the lake and has seen the chimneys and rooftops in the water below.

Although some trees are growing back (which is an example secondary succession for all of the biology nerds out there), you can still clearly see where the landslide occurred 60 years ago.

This is where the water would rush to if the dam failed.

But this is where we would be.  My subi would outrun it like a scene from Fast and the Furious.

While reading at the visitor center, and watching the very informative and interesting video that runs every 30 minutes, we realized that we are staying right next to ghost village, where cabins slid to their final resting places after the earthquake.

Back at camp, downstream from the dam..

Earthquake Lake Visitor Center didn't help my concerns about the dam failing in an earthquake, but the good news is it didn't make it any worse.