Triple Falls 10/12/11

The hike to Triple Falls starts at the Oneonta Trailhead, about 5 miles East of Bridal Veil on the Historic Columbia River Highway.  There is a parking area on the North side of the road just before the Oneonta Gorge.

Trail switchbacks up the steep hillside until you are far above Oneonta Creek.  

The sun came out

Always a good thing in October.

Arrow shows us the way to the falls.  This trail is rather rocky, study shoes or hiking boot are needed.

Triple Falls - aptly named, from the viewpoint.

I don't think you can get down to the bottom

The view upstream of the falls from the bridge.

Looking towards the falls from the bridge

The trail goes on.

Coyote Wall and Indian Point Trails 10/9/11

This is not the parking area but an old cattle corral

 As the deadline for completing the 25 trails approaches, we started early on Sunday and drove East on I-84, crossing over to Washington (at either Cascade Locks or Hood River) and proceeding East on SR-14.  A few miles past Bingen, but before you get to Lyle, turn left on Courtney Road and into the parking area you will see immediately.  Cross Courtney Road and walk a short distance on a gated road to trailhead.

This sign marks a trail head - there is more than one trail starting from the old road

Looming above you is Coyote Wall, layers of basalt from old lava flows

Poison Oak is VERY plentiful along the trail - avoid it!

 Another view of the wall, which slopes down to the Columbia River.  The trail winds up through Oregon White Oak and then Ponderosa Pine.

 The trail is very popular with mountain bikers, but too steep for my biking pleasure.  I could easily imagine myself huffing and puffing as I push my bike up or losing control going downhill and crashing into a large patch of Poison Oak. 

 There is a tiny stream near the trail.  The trail continues upwards, I did not go all way the to the top - perhaps another day.

 We found this bracket fungus on an old oak stump - Mr. Thornsby says they are not edible.














After a quick lunch in White Salmon, WA (see previous photos of Everybody's Brewpub) we crossed the River back to Oreogn proceeded West on I-84 to Cascade Locks (exit 44) went under the freeway and on the frontage road to the Herman Creek Campground where you will find the trailhead.

Here's my anonymous hiking partner heading up the Herman Creek Trail (#406).  Now we are back in the Douglas Fir forest, much more green and shady than Coyote Wall.

After a short distance, you cross the powerline right of way, which helps you to find yourself on a map.

And allows me and Mr. Thornsby to pose behind a large rock (basalt).

Continuing on the Herman Creek Trail, you go back into the forest which has some weird looking trees and lots of moss (North facing slope).  There are a lot of piles of basalt in this section - covered with moss and forming little grottoes possibly inhabited by gnomes. (see below)

After 1.2 miles, If you want to continue towards Indian Point, you get onto the Gorton Creek Trail.

Which I did do, seeing lots of Oregon Grape in fruit

Mahonia nervosa has tart berries that are edible, but not choice.  Some people make jelly from them.  The plant was used medicinally by native people.  The inner bark of the stems and roots contains a powerful alkaloid called berberine and makes a bright yellow dye.

A view from the Gorton Creek Trail on this rainy day

I didn't go much farther, but if you want to go to Indian Point you proceed a few miles to the Nick Eaton Trail, then to the viewpoint, then you can return by the Herman Creek Trail.

Lyle Cherry Orchard 10/2/11

Find this trail on the Washington side by driving East on I-84 to Hood River (exit 63) and crossing the bridge over the Columbia River (75 cents).  Turn right (East) on SR-14 to Lyle.  Just after leaving Lyle, you will go through a tunnel and the parking area is just after the tunnel on the left.

The trail goes up and soon you are on a bench where you can walk out to a view of the Columbia (looking East here).  There is no rail - step carefully!

Continuing up slope through Oak and Poison Oak

To another viewpoint with my anonymous hiking partner.

On top there is a plateau with grassland and basalt formations

And a lot of yellow star thistle (Centaurea solstitialis), an invasive plant from Eurasia that is taking over native grasslands in several Western states.   Mr. Thornsby does not approve.

Poison Oak adds color to the landscape

That's a big burrito! (Everybody's Brewpub in White Salmon, WA)

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