THE OSO LANDSLIDE MEMORIAL (WA)

FRIDAY - We only moved 43-miles today, mostly in a southernly direction.

The final 8-miles has us heading straight for that snowcapped mountain ahead, but first we'll have to make it through the town of Darrington, WA.

CLEAR CREEK CAMPGROUND
MOUNT BAKER-SNOQUALMIE NATIONAL FOREST

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There are only 13-sites here, but once again I feel we have the very best site.
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We have plenty of room, both front and back, but also we have a view of the river.
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As obstructed as our view is, none of the other sites can even see the river.
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In case anyone is interested, Site #12 is "the site to reserve" here at Clear Creek Campground.
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At the southern end of the campground loop is the confluence of the Sauk River and Clear Creek.
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The Sauk River empties into the smaller Clear Creek as it passes under the roadway.
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The crystal clear water of Clear Creek meets the turquoise water of the Sauk River.

SATURDAY - Originally this was going to be a 2-day rest stop after leaving the National Park, but I found something interesting nearby to check out today.

It's only 13-miles from here and we just might grab some lunch while we're out and about in Darrington, WA (pop. 1462).

On Saturday, March 22, 2014, at 10:37AM, a landslide appoximately 1-sq. mile in size occured outside the small town of Oso, WA.

An area 1,500' by 4,400' was buried beneath 30' to 70' of mud, soil, and rock. It destroyed 49 homes and cost 43-people their lives. Only 11-people were recovered alive after the slide, making it the deadliest single landslide event in United States history.

Searching continued for nearly four months until every last body was recovered.

Today we're going to see the walk-through memorial park which gives insights into the geology of the event, the actions of the first responders, the survivors, and those who perished. It is a thoughtful installation, dedicated on March 22, 2024, the 10th Anniversary of the event.

OSO LANDSLIDE MEMORIAL

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The entire memorial is built to withstand the harsh Washington winter weather.
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An oblong walking path takes you through the events as they happened that day.
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They thoughtfully have placed areas to sit and contemplate the lives lost that day.
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Memorial walls are also built to last, they may not be pretty, but they are strong.
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The memorial is filled with wildflowers and shrubs for a natural feeling.
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From the parking lot you can see where the slide started and it ended where we stand.

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