Clarkston and industry around the Wilma Port facility across the
Snake River from Clarkston, Washington
June 25, 2007.
Last night we stayed at the Clearwater River Casino & RV-Resort.
The RV-Park is an old KOA and in bad shape. We would NOT recommend
it. There are several parks in Clarkston, Washington that would be
much preferable. Cell phones work in Washington. If you have Verizon
or Alltel and possibly Sprint you are probably going to be roaming
in most parts of western Idaho where they are serviced by an "off-brand"
cell service that does not have contracts with the big carriers like
Verizon and Alltel. Things return to normal in Washington. TV is bad
to nonexistent at Clearwater River Casino & Resort. I could go
on but won't. Yes I will, the electricity supply was wired backwards
with the hot and neutral wires reversed.
This morning we moved the motorhome to Hells Canyon RV Resort in
Clarkston, Washington about 8-miles west. We were paying $25 at Clearwater
River Casino and will pay $30 for FHU, cable, wifi, paved spots &
pads with immaculate grass. The difference between the two parks is
night and day. My recommendation would be to stay in Clarkston, Washington
at Hells Canyon RV Resort and if they are full there are at least
two other RV-Parks within 5-blocks that are MUCH better than the Casino
Campground outside Lewiston, Idaho.
Port of Wilma Clarkston, Washington
This morning we drove across the Snake River to the Port of Wilma.
This barge was taking on a load of grain. You can see grain dust rising
from the vent holes in the top of the hopper barge.
Instead of filling this barge with grain stored dockside, in large
silos, tractor trailer trucks are delivering truck loads of grain
and unloading dockside. It takes a lot of 18 wheel tractor trailer
rigs to fill a barge like this. I don't know how many but this barge
has been loading for several days and will be for days to come.
Grain barge at Port of Wilma Clarkston, Washington
We dropped by the port a day later to check on the grain loading
process. Today, we didn't see any grain being loaded during our visit.
The back end of the barge is sitting lower today than yesterday indicating
that the stern is loaded with grain.
Stacks of lumber at Forest Products operation Wilma Port Facility
Clarkston, Washington
The forest products facility is turning out these huge stacks of
lumber.
Loading stacks of lumber at Forest Products operation Wilma Port
Facility Clarkston, Washington
Fork lifts are loading lumber on these special railroad cars. Note
how these railroad cars have support in the center.
Lumber at Forest Products operation Wilma Port Facility Clarkston,
Washington
As fast as they stack this lumber it is being loaded on railroad
cars or tractor trailer rigs and heading for diverse destinations.
Outbound load of lumber at Forest Products operation Wilma Port
Facility Clarkston, Washington
We watched this double tractor trailer rig as it turned in front
of us and headed down the highway. Finished product in the form of
lumber is heading out of this lumber mill as fast as the logs are
delivered. All logs are being delivered by logging trucks. The railroad
and tractor trailer rigs such as this tandum-trailer rig are carrying
the finshed procucts away.
Inbound logs at Forest Products operation Wilma Port Facility Clarkston,
Washington
Less than 100 yards from where that tractor trailer rig was leaving
with a load of boards this tractor trailer is delivering a load of
logs.
Note this monster machine, something akin to a super-sized fork lift,
that is grabbing this entire semi-load of logs and unloading them
in a single motion.
Inbound logs at Forest Products operation Wilma Port Facility Clarkston,
Washington
In a matter of seconds this huge machine removes the entire load
and carries it off. This log truck did not wait but a few moments
before this machine grabbed his load and headed off to the pile of
logs in the background.
Potlatch plant in Lewiston, Oregon
At the Potlatch plant in Lewiston a large gantry crane was performing
a similar function as the huge fork lift machine at the other facility.
Because of the way the logs are facing it may be difficult to tell
but this gantry crane has a log truck load of logs in the air they
are just hard to recognize because the logs are facing us but if you
look closely at the business end of the crane you can see the load
of logs dangling in the air as this crane moved them to the proper
place in the pile.
Logs at Forest Procucts Operation
We were both intrigued by the design in this log. We have never seen
anything like this. Have any of you seen a design like this in a log?
Log handling machine at Forest Products Operation
The operator is delivering a load to the top of this hopper. I think
this was a debarking operation prior to entering the lumber mill via
a conveyor belt after debarking.
Log handling machine at Forest Products Operation
That big machine has grabbed another load of logs. This load of logs
is a complete load for a logging truck. There are three to five of
these large machines moving logs at any one time.
Barge load of woodchips at Wilma Port Facility near Clarkston, Washington
This barge load of wood chips was being unloaded and hauled off by
tractor trailer rigs. The Potlatch pulp mill a few miles upriver in
Lewiston, Idaho is where these chips are heading. The chips are going
to be used in press board and or pulp manufacturing at the Potlatch
plant. It would be so much more efficient if the barge could just
deliver the chips to the Potlatch papermill, lumbermill, pressboard
plant, pulp mill, and whatever else the plant produces. Whatever,
the chips are being unloaded off that barge and hauled off in tractor
trailer trucks.
Unloading barge load of woodchips at Wilma Port Facility near Clarkston,
Washington
That clam shell operator is dropping load after load in that green
hopper where a conveyer belt is loading it into the trailer. It will
take days for this barge to be unloaded.
Unloading barge load of woodchips at Wilma Port Facility near Clarkston,
Washington
We stopped by the next morning to check on the process of unloading
this barge. It looks like they have it about 1/3 unloaded.
Unloading barge load of woodchips at Wilma Port Facility near Clarkston,
Washington
Not far away this conveyor belt is creating a wood chip pile.
We did not see these chips being loaded and delivered to the Potlatch
pulp/paper mill and press board manufacturing facility but that is
the logical destination.
Logs at Wilma Port Facility near Clarkston, Washington
These are the logs they are processing. These logs look like seconds
to me. The hollow centers probably discourage their use as lumber.
However, I suspect these logs can still be ground up in a chipper
for use in particle board or possibly pulp for paper or cardboard.
Whatever, the logs with good wood for boards are cut into lumber
while the logs with holes are chipped up for press board and or pulp.
Logs at Wilma Port Facility near Clarkston, Washington
These logs will be either lumber or press board within a few days.
Debarking operation at Forest Products Operation Wilma Port Facility
near Clarkston, Washington
This is another debarking operation located on the other end of the
inventory of logs.
Logs at Forest Products Operation Wilma Port Facility near Clarkston,
Washington
Log inventory.
Grain storage facility near Lewsiston, Idaho
As we left the port we passed this grain storage facility across
the Clearwater River from Lewiston, Idaho.
As we head up the Spiral
Highway Joyce took this picture of the confluence of the Snake
River and the Clearwater River. The Clearwater River is the one coming
from the left side of this picture. The camera is looking to the south.
The Snake river is flowing from the center of the picture. Lewiston,
Idaho is on the left side of the Snake River while Clarkston, Washington
is on the right side of the Snake River. It is hard to see but look
closely for the blue bridge across the Snake River a few hundred yards
south of its confluence with the Clearwater River.
That bridge is the US 12 bridge that connects Lewiston and Clarkston
and is know as the interstate bridge, not because it is part of the
interstate system but because it connects two states.
Bridge over Snake River at Clarkston, Washington
And this final picture of Clarkston, Washington and the Snake River
that Joyce took as we were in the motorhome moving to Coeur d'Alene.
The river looks so serene in this picture.
Good job Joyce.
Until next time remember how good life is.
Mike & Joyce Hendrix
