Hamilton Mountain 9/28/11

East on I-84 to Exit 44 Cascade Locks, North to Washington

Eagle Creek 9/23/11

Eagle Creek was the first Forest Service Campground - opened in 1915

To get to Eagle Creek go East on I-84 to exit 41
there are two parking areas, one near the exit and one closer to the trailhead. Both require Forest Service parking passes.  To avoid paying the fee,
you can take exit 40 (Toothrock) and park at the State Park parking lot, and walk about 1/2 mile along the bike path to the Eagle Creek exit.  That is what I did, and finding a pen hanging on a string at the Eagle Creek trailhead, I added a comment.

 Walking along the bike path is not pleasant due to noise from I-84, but I found out why the path was made.  Part of it uses the old Columbia River Highway, and preserves it.  Here you can see how narrow it was in some places, and how this bridge wouldn't work for today's vehicles.

Poison oak adds some early fall color to the trailside

The bathroom near the first parking area is a WPA era building - clearly built to last forever.  The plumbing is no longer original.

Here you can see how low the water is now (late September)

At the upper parking lot (next to the trailhead) is a dam and water intake for the fish hatchery which you passed on your way in.

Quickly the trail ascends above the creek with handholds for the faint of heart

It is a long way down - you will want to stay on the trail and keep your dog on leash here

Eagle Creek forms a narrow canyon, much of it is in the shade for most of the day.   On a hot day, Eagle Creek is always a cool place to visit.

Metlako Falls  on the West side of the creek, is visible from the trail.
Further along the trail are Punchbowl Falls (an excellent stop for lunch)
Loowit Falls, Tunnel Falls,  and eventually, Whatum Lake at 13.3 miles in.

On the way back, I saw this dead Chinook salmon in the creek next to the road.  I was surprised to see this and a few other big fish in the low water.  For the salmon, it's always "spawn until you die"!

Remembering Russ Jolley - Friend of the Gorge

Russ Jolley's obituary

I never met Russ Jolley, who recently passed away at age 88, but his book, Wildflowers of the Columbia Gorge, led me to a Botany class and the incorporation of wildflower walks into the curriculum of Environmental Science classes.  These two photos are from the Twin Tunnels trail between Mosier and Hood River.  Russ Jolley valued environmental education and worked hard to restore and preserve the Columbia River Gorge.  Thank you, Mr. Jolley!  A few of my favorite flowers and Gorge destinations are pictured below.

Spring 2007 - Twin Tunnels trail

Grass Widows - Olsynium douglasii
An early spring flower in the Eastern Gorge.

Two kinds of desert parsley

A host of Common Camas - Camassia quamash at Bridalveil

The rare Calypso Orchid - Calypso bulbosa

Balsamroot - Balsamorhiza deltoidea

Field trip to the top of Dog Mountain in May 2009

Achlys triphylla known as Vanilla-leaf and Deer Foot, and used by the Saanich people of Vancouver Island as an insect repellent.

Disporum hookeri - Hooker's fairybell

Wandering towards Wauna Point

There are many viaducts still on the Scenic Hwy.

 For reasons that will become clear, I do not recommend this trail to Wauna Point.  But it is here because it is one of the 25 trails.  Go East on I-84 to exit 40 (Bonneville Dam).  Turn right after exiting and immediately left taking the short road to the parking area.  The trail starts at the East end of the parking lot on the paved bike trail that goes from Eagle Creek to Cascade Locks. 

 The bike trail is next to the highway and because of this, is not pleasant.  I am not sure why it was built.  Today's trail goes along the bike path for about 1/4 mile until you get to  . . .

this narrow side trail where Arrow is standing.  

A large Douglas fir recently fell over the trail

Basalt, ever present in the Gorge, formed this tiny cave.  I did not go inside - it was dark.

A Douglas squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii) posed for us on a large fir.

Mr. Thornsby found the next turn off on the trail with this barely legible sign.  Now we were on a dirt road looking for a side trail.

We found this landslide, perhaps from last winter.

Here is the other side of the landslide.  Maybe this was where the side trail was?  We kept on walking the road. . . 

And found this Blue Grouse (Dedragapus obscurus)

We did not find the side trail we were supposed to turn onto and so we turned back, finding these marks on the way back.  Perhaps a bear?

Multnomah Falls (I-84 East to Exit 31)

 On a grey day in September, Arrow, Mr Thornsby and I went to Multnomah Falls.  One of Oregon's most popular tourist destinations, on this cool weekday, it was not crowded.  On hot summer weekends, the parking lots can be full.  The two tiers of the falls add up to 611 feet, the second tallest falls in North America.  The land was donated to the State of Oregon by Simon Benson (of Benson Hotel fame).  The trail to the top of the falls is something over 1 mile.

 These animal-proof trash cans were recently installed along the lower part of the trail.  You have to reach inside the small box and pull down
a lever, then the whole cover opens like a backwards book.  Will the local raccoons figure it out?
Mr. Thornsby is not amused.

 The upper falls -

















A big chunk of rock broke off the rock wall about here several years ago, disrupting a wedding party on the bridge below. (Gravity - it's not just a good idea, it's the law!)

 As you head up the trail, these signs appear telling you how many switchbacks to go.  I'm not sure that this is a helpful thing.

 When you get past the 11th switchback, and turn left you finally leave the paved path and can access the creek where your dog can get a drink and there are many good spots for picnics.

Staying on the paved path at the top brings you to this dizzying view

And this view of the parking lot below

A lovely small plunge pool right above the top of the falls

 The top of the falls area has this fenced in platform to keep you  and your friends safe.

The Lodge serves all meals, and also has a snack bar, gift shop and Forest Service information center.

Multnomah Falls Lodge, built in 1925

A native scorpion, found on the trail in May of 2009

Equestrian Wine Tours (Willamette Valley)

Meet your horses at a B & B near Dundee, Oregon

 I've taken a break from Gorge hikes for a bit (until the smoke of forest fires clears) and my sister and I went for an equestrian wine tour in Yamhill county.  Equestrian Wine Tours will take you out on Tennessee Walking Horses for a ride in wine country with stops for wine tasting - what a great idea!  Here are the two mares we rode -
Gracie and Rave.

A view near the start of our ride

 At each of the stops, there is a hitching post or corral for the horses, and it is just a few steps to the winery.  The Tennessee Walking Horses are very well trained and are very comfortable to ride.  They have a special gait called the running walk which is the speed of a trot but without the bounce.  The horses also carry saddle bags to carry your stuff (including any bottles of wine you may purchase).  If you want to buy quantities of wine, the wineries can deliver it to the B & B where you started the ride.

Looking down from one of the wineries (see horses at lower right)

 Here is our guide, Jake Price, who owns the stable, helping Karen mount up.  Jake has lived in the Valley for decades and gave us a running commentary about the wine country as well as keeping us laughing with stories about his guided tours. 

 Karen is smiling after the second tasting - we split two tastings.  We visited White Rose, Winter's Hill, and Vista Ridge wineries, riding on trails, through the grape vines, and over fields.

Happy Campers!