Is the Columbia River Gorge a Supernatural Hotbed?
The boundaries between worlds are reportedly very thin at sunrise and sunset on the Rowena Plateau. Photo Credit: James Szubski
Sponsored Content: This article contains news from our sponsor, Margie’s Outdoor Store, The Most Unusual Store in the Gorge.
By Cole Goodwin
Have you had a supernatural experience in the Columbia River Gorge?
In radio ads and storefront signs, folks in the Gorge are being encouraged to file paranormal reports at Margie's Outdoor Store in Bingen, Washington.
“Supernatural occurrences have always been a part of life in the Gorge, but now they are on the rise, and for good reason,” said James Szubski, Chief Operations Manager of Margie’s Outdoor Store. “Tracking these events has become more important than ever, so Margie's has signed on to help gather information for our local Warden & Protector.”
The Gorge has a rich tradition of local ghost stories, legends and odd occurrences. This is not the first time that paranormal occurrences in the Gorge have been brought to the public’s attention.
As recently as last April, unexplained cow mutilations in Wasco County left ranchers scratching their heads, and Mt. Adams has long been considered the site of a UFO hanger. There was even a movie produced about it last year.
Beacon Rock, the skeletal core of an ancient volcano in the Gorge, has long been considered a major etheric energy convergence point. Photo Credit: James Szubski
CCCNews sat down with James Szubski, to get the full scoop.
Cole Goodwin: Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to the gorge.
James Szubski: Margie was my mother-in-law and an incredible woman. She was a single grandmother in her 60s when she opened the very first legal pot shop on the West Coast. As a pharmacist registered in four states, she was certainly clear-headed about “real world” affairs. Margie was also a spiritual woman with many unusual acquaintances. Sadly, Margie passed away last March. The family needed someone to step up and run her businesses. That task fell to me.
I have a lot of business experience so running the stores was a natural fit, but my real passion is adventuring. Before I turned 20, I was a decorated infantry soldier with the 199 Special Battalion, an experimental unit stationed up at Fort Lewis. I spent time fighting wildfires in Yellowstone back in ’88 and I’ve logged hundreds of hours as a mountain guide. Now, I am a nationally certified EMT and do volunteer search and rescue work.
James Szubski training with the 199th Special Battalion at the Yakima Firing Center in 1991.
James Szubski conducting wildfire mop-up operations near the Old Faithful Complex in Yellowstone National Park in 1988.
James preparing to lead a group of climbers to the summit of Mt. Rainier in 1999.
CG: You have a wide range of experiences.
JS: It has been an interesting and very strange journey.
CG: Does that include the paranormal?
JS: You can’t spend that much time on the far edges of “normal” life and not have profoundly “unusual” experiences. Especially when you’ve been trained to open your awareness to the paranormal.
James' Son, Gerik, examining curious stone formations during a night hike above Lyle. Photo Credit: James Szubski
CG: Is there anything about the Gorge that makes it especially prone to the supernatural?
JS: My God, yes. The landscape of the Gorge was literally carved by cataclysm. Fifteen million years ago wave after wave of fiery lava flowed across the region forming the unique layer-cake rock formations we see today. Then, fifteen thousand years ago 400-foot-deep floods scoured the path of the Columbia River. These floods tore through the rock and left behind the stunning columned cliffs and waterfalls that make the Gorge so unique and beautiful.
JS: The result of these apocalyptic events is that in the Gorge, the boundaries between worlds have been worn very thin. Strange things manifest here quickly and easily. Here, it is easy for folks to inadvertently stumble into other realms – often, without even being aware that they have left their everyday world behind.
Hikers report episodes of time-loss while exploring the lava tube caves of the Natural Bridges area north of Bingen, Washington. Photo Credit: James Szubski
CG: I’ve often felt there was something special about this area.
JS: There is strong energy movement in the Gorge. Anyone who can quiet their mind for a few moments can feel it. That energy is reflected in the powerful flow of the Columbia River and the constant push of the winds. The rushing trains on both the north and south banks, and the flow of car traffic on the highways contribute as well. All this is concentrated in a very tight physical corridor, and all of it reinforces the east-west current of energy flowing through this place. It’s very strong, and it definitely impacts the folks who spend time here.
A lone adventurer observes Mt Hood at sunset from Horsetheif Butte, a mysterious desert mesa where many strange encounters have been reported. Photo Credit: James Szubski
CG: So how does this energy affect us?
JS: The people who live here are constantly exposed to the flow of energy. It’s on 24/7 and has been churning away for thousands of years. This makes Gorge locals more prone to slipping between worlds. This explains why so many of the local old-timers who come into Margie’s Outdoor Store have stories to tell about encountering Sasquatch, or “seeing lights,” or even losing time in the wilderness.
For visitors to the Gorge, the situation is different. They come to the Gorge from normal places, and they dive into this super-saturated, supernatural soup. Many quickly get the sense that there is something magical going on here… something they can feel but can’t quite explain. Away from home and away from the blinders of their standard routines, they are more open to strange experiences.
This is why we are encouraging both natives and visitors to file paranormal reports at the Store in Bingen. Both perspectives offer important data points.
James' daughter, Evelyn, stands in front of Sam Hill's Stonehenge Replica, a place in the Columbia Gorge where energy currents run very strong. Photo Credit: James Szubski
CG: Why is it important to gather this data?
JS: The world is changing fast. Extreme weather events and earth changes are accelerating. Those changes have corresponding impacts in the paranormal realms. Sensitive places, like the Gorge, will be among the first to witness emerging paranormal phenomena.
CG: I’m not sure I understand.
JS: Many people don’t know that all the changes we are seeing in the world are coinciding with dramatic changes to the earth’s magnetic field. The field is weakening, and the poles are rapidly changing position. In fact, the magnetic north pole has already moved out of Canada and will soon be in Siberia.
Memaloose Island, also known as the Island of the Dead, as seen from Catherine Creek Recreation Area at sunrise. Photo Credit: James Szubski
CG: So, what does this have to do with paranormal phenomena?
JS: The earth’s magnetic field shields us from huge amounts of solar energy. As our shield weakens, the earth itself and everything living on it must absorb that energy. Parallel processes are occurring in the paranormal realms. As these systems get supercharged, strange things have started to happen – inexplicable things.
Because the Gorge is such a supernaturally sensitive area, we will see those things here first, long before the rest of the world sees them. That’s why it is important to track what is going on here in real time. The Gorge is a canary in the coal mine.
Signage elaborating on some of the supernatural reports that can be filed at Margie’s Outdoor Store.
Photo Credit: James Szubski
CG: What do you do with the data you collect from the reports?
JS: We are doing this at the request of the local Warden & Protector. He is a friend of the family and has been trying to track the accelerating changes in the paranormal realms. We receive the reports in the Store and then pass them on to him. Soon Margie’s Outdoor Store will be posting a large map in the store showing the locations of many of the paranormal occurrences.
CG: Are you getting a lot of reports?
JS: It was slow at first, but now they are really starting to pour in.
Pre-dawn, Fey spirit encounters have been reported in the hills above the town of Hood River. Photo Credit: James Szubski
CG: Thank you for sharing with us.
JS: Thank you.
CG: And there you have it, the full scoop on paranormal reporting at Margie’s Outdoor Store. Whether or not you’re a believer in the impossible, if you’ve had a paranormal experience in the Gorge be sure to get on down to Margie’s Outdoor Store and file your report today.
The Paranormal event report from Margie’s Outdoor Store has many detailed questions on it to help the Warden and Protector categorize various data points such as the type of paranormal event, and when and where events occur. On the back of the form is a free writing section for visitors to explain their experiences. Photo Credit: Cole Goodwin
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