A half hour east of portland can be found the columbia river gorge multnomah falls and some of the most magnificent scenery in the country skyscraper cliffs giant sturgeon and majestic waterfalls during the last ice age a cataclysmic event occurred that left a lasting monument along the path of the mighty columbia river a great flood sheared away the land leaving stone cliffs and water falls that form the world famous columbia river gorge view the majesty from the vista house atop 80