Whiskey Rock

Whiskey Rock was located at the northern tip of Blue Lake. At one time in the 1950s after curving around down along the lake the road would come up on a small flat and there was Whiskey Rock. The old Scenic Highway then darted behind the rock away from the lake making a sharp corner and heading across the small land bridge separating the two bodies of water. Whiskey Rock has on more than one occasion taken out a car or two, and it is rumored that even lives were lost trying to navigate the tricky angle at highway speeds. For many years in the 60 and 70s after the highway had been straightened and renamed the old portion of the Scenic Highway that ran behind the landmark was used for state patrols and speed traps. Once my Mom was cut off by a wreckless driver who came shooting off the old derelict highway cutting us off and almost running us into the lake. That issue has sense been fixed with an extra tall shoulder to cut the old highway off from the new making it a place only for snakes to sunbathe.
According to my Mother, Whisky Rock got its name not because it is shaped like a bottle but because the workers used to smash their empty bottles here on the way from Grand Coulee Dam to Ephrata. I’m not sure where she heard the story or if it is true but she did grow up in Sun Lakes and talked to many people in the cafe, this is where she claims to have heard the story along with many others from the construction workers. I have seen the rock listed as Whiskey Rock on old 1950s fishing maps. (map image coming soon!)

Whiskey Rock, 2018