15-May-2015 -- This ‘Forgotten Confluence Point’ - visited for the first (and only) time in February 2001 - doesn’t deserve to be forgotten, because it’s quite remarkable. It lies on the steep western bank of the Columbia River, near Kennewick, Washington. However, after attempting - and failing - to record a second visit, I can appreciate why it hasn’t been visited more often.

Like the previous visitor (Matt Goff), I drove to the end of Les Blair Lane - about 0.5 miles from the point. I then walked along the top of the cliff, looking for an easy way down. Unlike Matt Goff, I couldn’t see a way down that looked safe (I didn’t trust the soles of my hiking boots to be able to handle such a steep descent!). Also, it was getting late in the evening, and I wasn’t sure that - even if I were to find a way down the cliff - I could get back up again before sunset. So I had to resign myself to making this an ‘incomplete’ visit. By traversing the top of the cliff, I got to within 0.18 miles of the confluence point, but didn’t descend the cliff to try to get closer.

On reflection, I think that the best (and safest) way to reach this point would be to find an easy way down to the river bank - even if some distance north or south of the point - and then walk alongside the railway tracks until you get just below the point. Then hike up from the railway tracks to the point and back. Because the confluence point lies closer to the river than to the top of the cliff, this would require less steep climbing/descending than trying to descend directly from the top of the cliff.