SKAMANIA — Construction is under way on the Oak View Overlook on Cape Horn Trail in western Skamania County.
The overlook is roughly 9 feet by 8 feet surrounded on three sides by a 42-inch basalt wall. It was designed by landscape architect Jean Akers of Vancouver and is being built by Michael Byrne, a stonemason from Parkdale, Ore.
Volunteers from the Cape Horn Conservancy, Washington Trails Association and Chinook Trail Association have helped.
More than 10,000 pounds of basalt and 4,480 pounds of mortar have been carried a half mile from state Highway 14 to the overlook.
The Cape Horn Conservancy estimates 800 to 1,000 hikers use the trail on a typical weekend.
“The popularity of the trail has increased enormously in the last few years,’’ said Barb Seaman, a Cape Horn Conservancy board member. “The best views in this area are quite close to the edge of the basalt rock formations….The goal of this project is to provide access to our incredible scenery while keeping hikers safe.’’
The overlook is scheduled to be complete in mid-July. The nearby Cape Horn Waterfall Overlook was constructed last year.
A portion of the trail below state Highway 14 is closed through July 15 to avoid disturbance to nesting peregrine falcons.
