tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64436856739127665812024-03-18T20:01:35.224-07:00Black Watch SasquatchA Hiker's Photo Blog for Lovers of the Vast Wilderness that Surrounds Portland, OregonThe Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-64777459484098854112012-12-07T10:17:00.002-08:002012-12-07T10:17:17.706-08:00The Sasquatch's bought a Cave!Hello readers!!<br />
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I haven't gone anywhere! My blogging has had to slow down as of late because Mrs. Sasquatch and I just purchased our first cave together in SE Portland!<br />
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Needless to say, I've spent much more time lately with a pen, paintbrush, and cardboard box in my hand rather than a camera or hiking stick. I've unfortunately spent more time walking around Home Depot and Bed Bath & Beyond than the Oregon wilderness.<br />
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BUT!!! That will all change very soon! I will be back in action right after Christmas with a goal of two posts per month. Buying a home and moving has slowed down blogging for a month or two, but soon we'll be settled into our cave and the Black Watch Sasquatch will be hitting the trails hard!<br />
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Stay tuned, and thank you for following the Black Watch Sasquatch!<br />
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-BWSThe Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-30590977860452428892012-10-31T15:59:00.004-07:002012-10-31T15:59:57.960-07:00Cape Falcon & Smuggler's Cove - Oswald West State Park - Oregon Coast<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Cape Falcon & Smuggler's Cove</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Oswald West State Park</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Oregon Coast</i></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123677384/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8047/8123677384_cb921c497d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a view of Smuggler's Cove from the Cape Falcon trail - Oregon Coast</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123662892/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Sitka Spruce - Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Sitka Spruce - Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8464/8123662892_e5eaede3c4_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Back in early February 2012 (Super Bowl Sunday, in fact) my wife and I made <a href="http://blackwatchsasquatch.blogspot.com/2012/02/day-trip-oregon-coast-smugglers-cove.html">a day trip out to the Oregon Coast</a> on a surprisingly warm and sunny day. Our intent was to visit Oswald West State Park's Smuggler's Cove (aka Short Sand Beach), hike out to Cape Falcon, eat some chowder and Fish & Chips at Ecola Seafood, and watch the sunset from Cannon Beach. We did all of these things BUT hike out to Cape Falcon. Hiking in the wet Oregon Coast during the rainiest time of the year (winter) can leave you ankle deep in mud; and my wife and I encountered some of the gnarliest mud bogs we've ever seen on a hike. Not wanting to spend the rest of the day with mud caked all over our shoes, we decided to save that hike for a later, drier day. And that day was today, Saturday September 8, 2012. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123687882/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="214" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8047/8123687882_7cff6d9244_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>The first thing I noticed when driving out to the coast today was the climate. Oddly enough it felt colder today, in early September, than it did seven months ago in early February! A lot rides on the presence of the sun when dealing with the climate on the Oregon Coast. If the sun had been out today, the temperature probably would have been about 5-10 degrees warmer. But without the sun, you can feel that damp bite in the air from the ocean breeze and that flannel shirt stays on. I brought my swimsuit with me today to take a dip in the ocean after my hike. No sun? Probably not happening.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123652880/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Short trail connecting Smuggler's Cove's Short Sand Beach with the parking lot off Hwy 101 by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Short trail connecting Smuggler's Cove's Short Sand Beach with the parking lot off Hwy 101" height="214" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8188/8123652880_e2b25fa2ec_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trail to the beach starts under the bridge</td></tr>
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I arrived at the Oswald West parking area just off Hwy 101 at around 10:00 a.m. At that time the parking lot was only three-quarters of the way full. Most of the people in the lot were either unstrapping surfboards from the roofs of their vehicles or unloading coolers-on-wheels and beach blankets from the beds of their pick-ups. There is a short trip along the Short Sand Creek through a forest of massive old-growth spruces until both you and the creek spill out onto Short Sand Beach at Smuggler's Cove. This area attracts surfers and beam bums alike. The beach is large enough that even if the parking areas where packed to capacity, there would still be enough beach to give people their own space if they so sought it. The further you get from the path that leads down to the beach, the more space you're going to find.<br />
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Here are some photos of Smuggler's Cove's Short Sand Beach.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123673181/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Short trail connecting Smuggler's Cove's Short Sand Beach with the parking lot off Hwy 101 by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Short trail connecting Smuggler's Cove's Short Sand Beach with the parking lot off Hwy 101" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8045/8123673181_75c40b5dfa_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Short trail leading down to the beach</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123690166/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Surfers at Smuggler's Cove - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Surfers at Smuggler's Cove - Oswald West State Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8196/8123690166_4a16ddee82_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smuggler's Cove's Short Sand Beach</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123670875/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Smuggler's Cove - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Smuggler's Cove - Oswald West State Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8471/8123670875_c7419fa6e2_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smuggler's Cove's Short Sand Beach</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123642341/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Rocks - Smuggler's Cove by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Rocks - Smuggler's Cove" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8188/8123642341_08800ea0e0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocks on Smuggler's Cove's Short Sand Beach</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123643485/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Bonfires and Beach Bums - Rocks - Smuggler's Cove by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Bonfires and Beach Bums - Rocks - Smuggler's Cove" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8048/8123643485_8966e9c92e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonfires and Beach Bums on Smuggler's Cove's Short Sand Beach</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123644055/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Surfers - Rocks - Smuggler's Cove by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Surfers - Rocks - Smuggler's Cove" height="405" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8044/8123644055_1624ce6f53_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smuggler's Cove's Short Sand Beach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123674650/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8183/8123674650_fa05e09077.jpg" width="334" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View down to the ocean from the Cape Falcon trail</td></tr>
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Now if you want a great view of Smuggler's Cove and Neahkanie Mountain, a easy-to-moderate, relatively flat hike will bring you to Cape Falcon, which you can see from the beach. <br />
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You'll find the trailhead to Cape Falcon right at the top of the path leading up from the beach to the picnic area. Within moments you'll feel as if you're miles away from the beach's crowds. You'll travel through some dark forest on your way out to the cape, especially if it's an overcast day. The forest was so dark at certain parts that my camera almost didn't want to take photos without the flash. The dark forest, mixed together with the thick and towering spruces lend a very surreal, fantastical element to this hike, as if at any moment you're going to happen upon a troll guarding a bridge or something.<br />
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Once you're about half way to Cape Falcon you'll begin to see the ocean down below to your left through the spruces. Such a beautiful sight! And it only gets better! Resist the urge to stop and take photos of the forested cliffs across the cove at every opening along the hike. The best views come at the very end.<br />
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Here are some photos of what scenery to expect along the trail:<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123668555/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8332/8123668555_e2b7f9d8ee_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cape Falcon trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123685450/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Smuggler's Cove from Cape Falcon trail - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Smuggler's Cove from Cape Falcon trail - Oswald West State Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8054/8123685450_1d88c17d4b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Smuggler's Cove from Cape Falcon trail</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123684386/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8045/8123684386_6b13540e06_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cape Falcon trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123683390/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Sitka Spruce - Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Sitka Spruce - Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8185/8123683390_49fbcd7d4a_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant Sitka Spruce on Cape Falcon trail</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123682350/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8334/8123682350_57d7c78ca3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cape Falcon trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123681342/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8466/8123681342_5000e1de0b.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cape Falcon trail</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123660243/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8043/8123660243_56c465e97a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cape Falcon trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123636835/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8335/8123636835_4e6803f669_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cape Falcon trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123658137/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8335/8123658137_bab499680d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cape Falcon trail</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123639745/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="a bizarre, bright orange fungus - Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a bizarre, bright orange fungus - Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8330/8123639745_f355bbfa92_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bizarre fungus along the Cape Falcon trail</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123664062/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="a bizarre, bright orange fungus - Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a bizarre, bright orange fungus - Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8466/8123664062_40ed045c2d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bizarre fungus along the Cape Falcon trail</td></tr>
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When you're almost to the end of Cape Falcon you'll find yourself winding up through what appears to be a narrow natural hallway carved out of thick, twisted, gnarled shrubbery. I'm not entirely certain what this plant is that covers the earth out here on the cape, but my goodness it's thick. I give props to whomever carved the path through this stuff. There's no straying off the path here- you couldn't if you tried. You'd just be stuck like a mosquito in a spider web.<br />
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Here's what I'm talking about: <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123672094/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="trail carved out of the hedges - Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="trail carved out of the hedges - Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8049/8123672094_9a3e42e5a8_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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When you exit this hallway of shrubbery you'll come out upon the end of Cape Falcon. A sloped cliff drops away down to the ocean below, where the surf blasts against the rock on a wavy day. There are a few great places to sit and take in the scenery and eat that granola bar you're packing. I spent nearly a half hour just sitting out here staring out into the ocean and the forested cliffs across the cove. I remembered why this place is called <a href="http://www.offbeatoregon.com/H1008d_spanish-gold-of-neahkahnie-mountain.html" target="_blank"><i>Smuggler's Cove</i></a> and tried to imagine a seventeenth century ship anchored hundreds of yards out while members of its crew took the ship's booty ashore aboard a dingy to have it buried in a safe place somewhere in the state park, a place so safe that apparently nobody to this day has found it (if it even exists, of course) although hundreds per year still look. Although it is more than likely a mere fable and legend, the kid in me wants to imagine it anyway.<br />
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Here is the view from Cape Falcon. If it were a clearer day you'd be able to see Neahkahnie Mountain, which I will return to photograph in the future.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123655800/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8330/8123655800_ff30a4fbb0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123667084/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="451" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8045/8123667084_4f016e0df2_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123650711/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8196/8123650711_bc2121227a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123666100/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Falcon - Oswald West State Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8464/8123666100_8d39590011_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Afterward: </div>
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I had multiple motives for heading west to the coast today. Not only did I want to finally complete the hike to Cape Falcon, but I also wanted to start exploring the stretch of the Oregon Coast between Cannon Beach to the north and Tillamook to the south- primarily targeting Oswald West State Park and the coastal towns in the Nehalem Bay area. I want to further acquaint myself with this stretch of coastline. I have spent a lot of time in the northern-most portion of the coast, including Cannon Beach, Seaside, and Astoria, but I really haven't explored the Nehalem Bay area as much as I'd like to.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8123658916/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="View of Manzanita from Hwy 101 by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="View of Manzanita from Hwy 101" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8051/8123658916_49a3fd55af_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Manzanita and the Nehalem Bay area from a Hwy 101 scenic turnout</td></tr>
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I am in search of that beach town that I return to year after year, that I know like the back of my hand, where I can sample the life of a local. Having grown up in a small town myself, I long to have a small coastal Oregon town that I become a regular at; a particular beach, restaurant, pub, coffee shop, used bookshop etc. Could take me years to find, and countless trips out to the coast. But I'll find it.<br />
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When traveling via automobile to an uncharted place I have one main rule: Never return the same way you came. I'm also firm believer that if you really want to experience a new place try hard to leave the main road through town. While headed westbound on Hwy 26 (the main road connecting Portland with the Oregon Coast) I decided to enter Nehalem Bay via the twisty Hwy 53 which links Hwy 26 to the town of Nehalem to the south. On my way home I exited Nehalem via Miami Foley Road, which connects the eastern outskirts of Nehalem with the town of Garibaldi to the south. From here take Hwy 101 down into Tillamook and Hwy 6 back home to Portland.<br />
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I had a blast driving down Hwy 53 and Miami Foley Road. They are, in my opinion, more scenic and more exciting to drive than Hwy 101. You get to see a different, more residential, side of the Oregon Coast if you travel these roads. If you're looking for a change of scenery, I highly suggest taking them. That is, unless you're prone to car-sickness. Then I would not recommend these roads at all, especially Hwy 53, the top one-third of which is like a rollercoaster.<br />
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It took great effort for me to pull myself away from Smuggler's Cove. I kept telling myself, "just a little while longer, then I'll get going." The sound of the surf, the squawk of gulls, the smell of driftwood campfire smoke mingled together with that salty, briny eau de la mer, watching surfers fall down and dogs catching frisbees, feeling that sea breeze on your face. Especially if my wife and our pets had been there too, I could've spent a month on that beach, not paying any mind to my obligations, possessions, and duties as an adult- to laundry, cleaning, working, errands, bills, pin numbers, bank accounts, emails, etc. Just paying attention to the things I love about my life- my family, the beach, the mountains, the sea, the old-growth spruces, the smell of burning driftwood, a good book, a swim, a hike, etc. I think this very wish to spend a little eternity within a brief moment but knowing that it's merely a wish is what Robert Frost had in mind when he wrote the following:<br />
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<i>The woods are lovely, dark and deep,</i></div>
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<i>But I have promises to keep,</i></div>
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<i>And miles to go before I sleep,</i></div>
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<i>And miles to go before I sleep. </i></div>
The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com1Oswald West State Park, Arch Cape, OR 97102, USA45.7683649 -123.96051445.7240599 -124.039478 45.8126699 -123.88155tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-3911974572662524802012-10-05T08:46:00.000-07:002012-10-05T15:43:33.334-07:00Paradise Park via the Timberline Trail - Mt. Hood<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Paradise Park</b></div>
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<i>via the Timberline Trail</i></div>
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<i>12 miles round trip | 1,200 ft elevation gain</i></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981384873/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Paradise Park - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Paradise Park - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8176/7981384873_d4c8997988_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt Hood from Paradise Park Loop trail</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981395447/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Photographers at Paradise Park - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Photographers at Paradise Park - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8317/7981395447_30e0a33d6a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photographers in Paradise Park - Mt. Hood</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">Arguably one of the most popular hikes in Northwest Oregon, Mt. Hood’s Paradise Park combines alpine altitudes, up-close-and-personal mountain views, panoramic Cascade vistas, and a thick colorful blanket of wildflowers. The hike is only accessible for about 3-4 months of the year; the remainder of the year it is buried thick in snow. Late Summer and Autumn are really the only times of the year that you can hike this trail, with August being the most popular month due to the blossoming of the wildflowers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">There are three main sights to see along this hike: 1) a magnificent viewpoint high above the Zigzag river canyon, 2) a bridgeless crossing of that same river way down below (you’ll have to get your feet wet, nothing more), and of course 3) Paradise Park itself. </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981471036/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Lupine in Paradise Park - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Lupine in Paradise Park - Mt. Hood" height="320" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8316/7981471036_1fbbf1b19c_n.jpg" width="214" /></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">Paradise Park really does live up to its name. Four out of your five senses will get a striking stimulation up here. Your eyes will encounter some outstanding beauty- the top 4,000+ feet of Mt. Hood, the Cascade range stretched as far as the eye can see and blanketed in dark green conifers, and a variety of wildflower colors, mainly purple from the Lupine. Your nose will encounter that foresty, rocky alpine odor that I grew to love on my trips into Glacier and Yellowstone, mixed with the aromatic natural “flower garden” that surrounds you. Imagine if Portland’s International Rose Test Garden was here, on the side of Mt. Hood at 6,000 ft. That’s what it smells like up here. Your ears will encounter the chatter of birds, the quiet trickle of creaks near their glacial source, the buzz of bees, and fellow hikers “ohh and ahh-ing” at the natural beauty all around them. Finally, you’ll feel that sharp alpine breeze that seems to carry with it a bite of cold from the glaciers nearby, as well as that alpine blast of sunshine warming you at your core. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">The trailhead for the Paradise Park trail is in the parking lot of the Timberline Lodge, which makes this hike even more appealing than it already is! The hike can be very strenuous and tiring- and what better place to plop down and relax after a long hike than the various lobbies and restaurants of the Timberline Lodge. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981193402/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Timberline Lodge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8038/7981193402_f0fbd49fcf_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981206352/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Chairlift at the Timberline by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Chairlift at the Timberline" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8029/7981206352_d3d79ff3d6_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981185271/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Mt. Hood from Timberline Lodge area by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Mt. Hood from Timberline Lodge area" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8041/7981185271_519f16b4bc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you'd like to take a look at the inside of the Timberline Lodge click </span><a href="http://blackwatchsasquatch.blogspot.com/2012/09/timberline-lodge-mt-hood.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">HERE</span></b></a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">Unlike most hikes, which typically take you uphill from the get-go and downhill on the return, Paradise Park is sort of a big W. There’s good news and bad news about this. The good news is that all of the steepest parts of the hike you will first experience traveling downhill. In fact, getting to beautiful, wildflower-scented Paradise Park itself seems almost easy. You may, like me, think to yourself “that’s it? That wasn’t so bad at all!”</span> </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981273470/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Little Zigzag Canyon along the Timberline Trail / PCT headed to Paradise Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Little Zigzag Canyon along the Timberline Trail / PCT headed to Paradise Park" height="214" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8453/7981273470_93702311c9_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">Which brings me to the bad news: a significant chunk of the return half of the hike is going to be uphill. The steepest part of the trail in particular, the uphill climb from the river crossing up to the viewpoint, is briefly going to be a leg-burner. The trip <i>to</i> Paradise Park won’t kill you but it will definitely start to wear you down. The trip <i>fro</i> Paradise Park will be the coup de grace on your body. My advice: do not drink all your water on the first half of the hike! Save most of it for the return!</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981285480/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="a sandy, dusty trail - Paradise Park - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a sandy, dusty trail - Paradise Park - Mt. Hood" height="214" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8304/7981285480_5ba5989c63_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dusty, sandy trail surface</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">Remember too that this hike can only be completed in the late summer time, when sun is plentiful. And the trail is primarily out in the open, which the occasional romp through the woods. You’ll be exposed to lots of sun and dust for the majority of the hike, which if you’re like me will add to your fatigue. The sun bear down hard on you at this elevation; and at times you’ll feel as if you’re walking on sand- you’re feet will kick up a lot of dust, which could dry out your throat. You’ll definitely need sun screen and plenty of water on this hike. Even with sunscreen I still ended the hike pretty red; and even with two jugs of water I still managed to run out with 3 miles of the hike remaining.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">Once you’ve completed the hike, take a while to rejuvenate at the Timberline. Trust me, you’ll have earned it. Allow the feeling to return to your legs and your sweat-drenched t-shirt to dry while you have an ice cold drink, a bite to eat, or a long sit in one of their lobbies or patios. </span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8056639888/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="BBQ Ribs & IPA - Skyway Inn - Zigzag, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="BBQ Ribs & IPA - Skyway Inn - Zigzag, Oregon" height="320" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8171/8056639888_782953b767_n.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ribs & an IPA at <a href="http://www.skywaybarandgrill.com/" target="_blank">Skyway Bar & Grill</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">My advice: after you complete Paradise Park treat yourself to either an ice cold pint of locally made beer and personal pizza at the Blue Ox Bar on the Timberline’s first floor or head up to the top floor to the Ram’s Head for a beer and an entrée. I highly recommend their meatloaf. Few things are better to eat after being worn out from a hike quite like comfort food, and Ram’s Head serves the best slab of meatloaf that I’ve ever tasted. If you’re feeling fancy and not too sweaty n’ dusty (you’ll more than likely be both) you can wine n’ dine yourself at the Cascade Dining Room, but prepare to spend at least around $35 for an entree. I’ve yet to eat here, but I’ve heard very good things. <br />
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If you can hold off for 20 more minutes you could drive down to Zigzag, Oregon and have some amazing BBQ at <a href="http://www.skywaybarandgrill.com/" target="_blank">Skyway Bar & Grill</a>. They not only have outstanding BBQ for surprisingly affordable prices, but they also have a great selection of beers and a vast assortment of house-infused vodkas for making superb cocktails. In my opinion, it is quite possibly the perfect place to wind-down and take a load off after a long, strenuous hike. (see below for photos of my post-hike feast at Skyway)</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">Here are photos from the Paradise Park Loop hike in order of appearance, starting with those closest to the trailhead and ending with Paradise Park itself:</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981198573/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Trailhead to Paradise Park outside the Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Trailhead to Paradise Park outside the Timberline Lodge" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8439/7981198573_d5db661f09.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trailhead near Timberline Lodge</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981229567/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="An Astor along the Timberline Trail / PCT headed to Paradise Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="An Astor along the Timberline Trail / PCT headed to Paradise Park" height="489" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8034/7981229567_7d2c95e850_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981222592/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Mt Hood from the Timberline Trail / PCT by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Mt Hood from the Timberline Trail / PCT" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8458/7981222592_804766a1f5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Mt Hood and the chairlift from the trail</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981215271/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Along the Timberline Trail / PCT headed to Paradise Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Along the Timberline Trail / PCT headed to Paradise Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8299/7981215271_55b5fe1299_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early on in the hike - near Timberline Lodge</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981244140/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Lupine along the Timberline Trail / PCT headed to Paradise Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Lupine along the Timberline Trail / PCT headed to Paradise Park" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8176/7981244140_29491a892e_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981255547/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Along the Timberline Trail / PCT headed to Paradise Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Along the Timberline Trail / PCT headed to Paradise Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8322/7981255547_c8125b3c35_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearing Little Zigzag Canyon</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981268226/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Little Zigzag Canyon along the Timberline Trail / PCT headed to Paradise Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Little Zigzag Canyon along the Timberline Trail / PCT headed to Paradise Park" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8457/7981268226_0fbce0544b_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Zigzag Canyon</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981264180/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Hikers at Little Zigzag Canyon along the Timberline Trail / PCT headed to Paradise Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hikers at Little Zigzag Canyon along the Timberline Trail / PCT headed to Paradise Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8309/7981264180_6651a5a26d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Zigzag Canyon</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981282340/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Along the Timberline Trail / PCT headed to Paradise Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Along the Timberline Trail / PCT headed to Paradise Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8038/7981282340_4be0d942c0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearing Zigzag Canyon Viewpoint</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981293560/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Zigzag Canyon Viewpoint - Timberline Trail / PCT by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Zigzag Canyon Viewpoint - Timberline Trail / PCT" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8036/7981293560_fbc41b81d8_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zigzag Canyon Viewpoint</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981310929/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Mt. Hood from Zigzag Canyon Viewpoint by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Mt. Hood from Zigzag Canyon Viewpoint" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8444/7981310929_804a1c7368_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Mt Hood's Mississippi Head and beginning of Zigzag Canyon</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981315534/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Along the Timberline Trail / PCT headed to Paradise Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Along the Timberline Trail / PCT headed to Paradise Park" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8321/7981315534_3dcc8d5c5f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wooded trail heading down to Zigzag River crossing</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981331765/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Bridgeless crossing of Zigzag River by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Bridgeless crossing of Zigzag River" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8442/7981331765_d3aca106f3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zigzag River crossing - no bridge - wading required</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8056612957/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="the magnitude of Zigzag Canyon - Paradise Park Loop trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="the magnitude of Zigzag Canyon - Paradise Park Loop trail - Mt. Hood" height="481" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8182/8056612957_30e1fe80ce_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a photo for size reference: those little specks circled are people. The ones on top are standing at the Zigzag Canyon Viewpoint. The ones on the bottom are hiking uphill to Paradise Park.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8056609553/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Horseback Riders on Paradise Park Loop trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Horseback Riders on Paradise Park Loop trail - Mt. Hood" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8461/8056609553_39825842fb.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horseback riders on the Timberline Trail headed to Ramona Falls</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8056611070/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Paradise Park Loop trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Paradise Park Loop trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8456/8056611070_1e2574541d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8056622425/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Paradise Park Loop trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Paradise Park Loop trail - Mt. Hood" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8321/8056622425_2282117252.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8056618199/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Oregon is so cool even the flora have dredlocks by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Oregon is so cool even the flora have dredlocks" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8310/8056618199_4ef865d472.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oregon is so hip that even the flora here have dreadlocks! </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8056621387/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="a gnarly tree along the Paradise Park Loop trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a gnarly tree along the Paradise Park Loop trail - Mt. Hood" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8173/8056621387_880275dbb6_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This gnarly tree is a bit of a Rorschach Test. What do you see in it?</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981357019/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Paradise Park - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Paradise Park - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8452/7981357019_38a1bb3346_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt Hood from Paradise Park</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981420639/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="at Paradise Park - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="at Paradise Park - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8301/7981420639_34c7400d62_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paradise Park Loop trail</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981476848/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Paintbrush at Paradise Park - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Paintbrush at Paradise Park - Mt. Hood" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8444/7981476848_8094627f45.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981400985/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Paradise Park - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Paradise Park - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8301/7981400985_436a274041_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paradise Park Loop trail</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981497084/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Powell's Book Nalgene Bottle at Paradise Park - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Powell's Book Nalgene Bottle at Paradise Park - Mt. Hood" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8460/7981497084_11851d3f2c.jpg" width="334" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My trusty Philosophy Nalgene bottle purchased from <a href="http://www.powells.com/" target="_blank">Powell's Books</a> in Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7981458224/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Paradise Park - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Paradise Park - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8321/7981458224_72a42c7c97_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Hood from Paradise Park Loop trail</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8056616961/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Paradise Park Loop trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Paradise Park Loop trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8309/8056616961_84643ec99b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8056619283/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Paradise Park Loop trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Paradise Park Loop trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8039/8056619283_8a855c4112_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8056621324/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Paradise Park Loop trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Paradise Park Loop trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8171/8056621324_af7fe66caf_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8056615853/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Paradise Park Loop trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Paradise Park Loop trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8458/8056615853_4488bb64c4_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">After this hot, dusty, draining, (but very worth it!!!) 12-mile hike, I drove down to</span> <a href="http://www.skywaybarandgrill.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Skyway Bar & Grill</b></span></a> <span style="font-size: small;">in Zigzag, Oregon to feast on a BBQ sampler (ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, and a side, in this case, baked beans) and a side of their renowned mac-n-cheese. I washed it down with a couple local IPAs and was in no rush to get up out of my chair. Here are a few photos from the Skyway:</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8056640389/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Skyway Inn - Zigzag, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Skyway Inn - Zigzag, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8451/8056640389_05260f1aeb_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8056635826/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IPA at Skyway Inn - Zigzag, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="IPA at Skyway Inn - Zigzag, Oregon" height="464" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8034/8056635826_3728dda027_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8056638492/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Side of their famous mac n cheese at Skyway Inn - Zigzag, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Side of their famous mac n cheese at Skyway Inn - Zigzag, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8035/8056638492_5a9ea1c677_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/8056637258/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="BBQ Sampler at Skyway Inn - Zigzag, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="BBQ Sampler at Skyway Inn - Zigzag, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8033/8056637258_e7d2086b59_z.jpg" width="640" /></a>The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com1Upper Parking Lot, Mt. Hood National Forest, Oregon 97041, USA45.3306073 -121.709143645.329211799999996 -121.7116111 45.3320028 -121.70667610000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-7316921428333510072012-09-10T17:31:00.003-07:002012-09-10T17:31:35.775-07:00Timberline Lodge - Mt. Hood<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="http://www.timberlinelodge.com/" target="_blank">Timberline Lodge</a></b></div>
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<i>Mt. Hood </i></div>
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<i>Elevation 5,960</i></div>
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<i>Built mid-1930s </i></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7947160060/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Timberline Lodge" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8300/7947160060_4b5aa9f89b_z.jpg" width="460" /></a></div>
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Oregon's iconic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timberline_Lodge" target="_blank">Timberline Lodge</a> has quickly become one of my favorite places in the country. Having grown up in a family that worshiped old National Park lodges (especially those of Glacier and Yellowstone), I immediately fell in love with Timberline Lodge the moment I first laid eyes on it. Everything right down to the smell of the inside of the Timberline reminded me of being an excited young kid arriving at, say, Many Glacier Lodge for a weeks vacation. All throughout my youth I loved these old lodges so much that I wished to one day live and work in one- sort of like the legendary <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_R._Truman" target="_blank">Harry R. Truman</a> of the now buried Spirit Lake Lodge in the Mt. St. Helens area. If I had walked into Timberline Lodge as a kid I probably would have moved to this area of the country long before I actually did. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7518940384/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Inside Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Inside Timberline Lodge" height="320" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8149/7518940384_c7c13ed442_n.jpg" width="214" /></a>One of the first things you'll very likely notice once you step inside the Timberline is how massive everything is. The stonework, the log beams, the front door, the solid wood furniture, the chandeliers- everything is here is solid and massive! The whole lodge feels as if it is carved out of solid granite. All of this only adds to the grandeur of the place. Considering the weight and size of the building materials, the steepness of the road leading to the lodge, and the quality/reliability of automobiles in the mid-1930s, the construction of the lodge really, to say the least, an engineering marvel.<br />
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And, of course, its not just the size and craftsmanship of the place that is marvelous, but also the way it is laid out and decorated. The Timberline is seriously one of the most beautifully decorated places I've ever seen. It has beautiful tapestries, wood carvings, wrought ironwork, light fixtures, antiques, furniture, even the curtains- everything flows together -the color scheme, the wood, the rock, the iron- to create that quintessential "lodge" experience. You'll love it.<br />
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Enough talk, time to let the photos themselves do the talking...<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7947920030/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Inside Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Inside Timberline Lodge" height="257" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8307/7947920030_d85407b19f_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>The first set of photos comes from early-August 2012, when my family and I spent the night in the Timberline. Though there was far less snow on the mountain, there was (and still is at time of writing in early-September) still a slope open to skiers and snowboarders. There is a square up on the mountain visible from Timberline which you can ski on almost year round. Below, you will see a photo of a snow-plow evening out the slope during sunset. Now <i>that's </i>a job I wish I had... <br />
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The second set of photos are of Timberline Lodge's magnificent interior. <br />
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The third set of exterior photos comes from a couple months prior, in mid-June 2012. There was still quite a bit of snow on the ground. It was just a quick visit to the Timberline that day- a side trip we made with friends of ours while cruising along the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Hood_Highway" target="_blank">Mt. Hood Scenic Byway</a> heading back home to Portland from Hood River.<br />
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<b>Here is the first set of exterior photos taken in early-August 2012:</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7947852900/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Timberline Loge During an August Sunset by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Timberline Loge During an August Sunset" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8453/7947852900_8f60a61cd9_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7947228842/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Timberline Lodge" height="472" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8170/7947228842_c733079575_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7947040822/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="View of Timberline Lodge's parking lot by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="View of Timberline Lodge's parking lot" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8462/7947040822_b3d21c6ec8_z.jpg" width="495" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Mt. Jefferson to the South from Timberline Lodge</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7947073500/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Mt Jefferson from the Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Mt Jefferson from the Timberline Lodge" height="346" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8042/7947073500_8f6e234288_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Jefferson from Timberline Lodge at Sunset</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7947108132/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Lupine fields at Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Lupine fields at Timberline Lodge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8444/7947108132_471387300c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of many Lupine fields you'll come across near Timberline Lodge</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7947060946/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Timberline Lodge - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Timberline Lodge - Mt. Hood" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8452/7947060946_8acc8cebdc_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7947136850/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Mt Hood from Timberline Lodge August 2012 by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Mt Hood from Timberline Lodge August 2012" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8297/7947136850_642087bf3d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7947895780/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Snow Plow on Mt. Hood in August by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Snow Plow on Mt. Hood in August" height="327" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8041/7947895780_9ddf43d39f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A snow plow grooming the slope in August</td></tr>
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Here are shots of the interior:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7518834994/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Inside Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Inside Timberline Lodge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8012/7518834994_a62e0c8ec2_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7518825528/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Art inside the Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Art inside the Timberline Lodge" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7122/7518825528_9769b96f7f_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7947905180/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Wood carving in a door at Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Wood carving in a door at Timberline Lodge" height="496" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8041/7947905180_ddc719f639.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7518843486/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Inside Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Inside Timberline Lodge" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7111/7518843486_da1f653e70_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7518922500/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Inside Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Inside Timberline Lodge" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7124/7518922500_d6c0385cb8_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7518848732/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Light fixture inside Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Light fixture inside Timberline Lodge" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7122/7518848732_d07425ed31_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7518855844/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Inside Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Inside Timberline Lodge" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7114/7518855844_6e55b0e197_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7518862730/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Grab a drink on the third floor of the Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Grab a drink on the third floor of the Timberline Lodge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8156/7518862730_58fd18c88e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7518872642/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="a shoulder of Mt. Hood out the Ram's Head Bar's window on the third floor of the Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a shoulder of Mt. Hood out the Ram's Head Bar's window on the third floor of the Timberline Lodge" height="319" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7123/7518872642_936a8e4a82_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7518896498/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="a guest looks out over the Cascade Mountain range from the Ram's Head Bar, third floor of the Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a guest looks out over the Cascade Mountain range from the Ram's Head Bar, third floor of the Timberline Lodge" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8003/7518896498_f2fc4f93e6_z.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7947913350/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Timberline Lodge Chandelier by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Timberline Lodge Chandelier" height="482" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8435/7947913350_f41bc10afb.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7974568676/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Second Floor Lobby at Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Second Floor Lobby at Timberline Lodge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8459/7974568676_0b39f988d1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7974565308/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Guests playing a board game in the second floor lobby of the Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Guests playing a board game in the second floor lobby of the Timberline Lodge" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8173/7974565308_e10d12a9fa_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7974570535/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Glass of Wine Near the Fireplace at Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Glass of Wine Near the Fireplace at Timberline Lodge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8308/7974570535_82f9955c57_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7974567769/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Inside Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Inside Timberline Lodge" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8315/7974567769_cf23e3a66b_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7974576567/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Inside a Guestroom at Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Inside a Guestroom at Timberline Lodge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8297/7974576567_642a29f211_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7974577771/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Inside a Guestroom at the Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Inside a Guestroom at the Timberline Lodge" height="456" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8318/7974577771_917479558f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Here is the batch of exterior photos from mid-June 2012:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7518810936/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Timberline Lodge - June 2012 by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Timberline Lodge - June 2012" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8286/7518810936_bce29dd026_z.jpg" width="438" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7518738738/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Snow removal at Timberline Lodge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Snow removal at Timberline Lodge" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7112/7518738738_6998861afd_z.jpg" width="501" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7518812432/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Timberline Lodge - June 2012 by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Timberline Lodge - June 2012" height="464" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7109/7518812432_34ea288bb6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7518931030/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Snow plow in June at Timberline Lodge - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Snow plow in June at Timberline Lodge - Mt. Hood" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7134/7518931030_0dde345da3_z.jpg" width="536" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7518772388/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="parking lot at Timberline Lodge with the top of Mt. Hood in the distance by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="parking lot at Timberline Lodge with the top of Mt. Hood in the distance" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8283/7518772388_c325972e61_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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My advice to you, Reader: Stay the night! Even if you only live an hour away in Portland, splurge at least once and spend the night here at the Timberline. Only then will you truly experience why this is arguably one of the greatest places to stay in the country. During the day the Timberline has a tendency to get crowded. Tourists jam the lobbies; skier and snowboarders jam the parking lots. During peak seasons Timberline can get very <b>very</b> crowded, but once dinnertime hits, the crowds fade away. Around sunset it will feel as though you have the place all to yourself. And I have never watched a more brilliant sunset than I have from the Timberline Lodge. Night falls. The Ram's Head bar is open until 11 p.m., there is a ping pong table and shuttle board on the first floor, there is a heated swimming pool and hot tub, there are a handful of places to sit down, play a board game, read a book, talk with friends, crack open a bottle of wine, etc.<br />
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I was fortunate enough to stay here once with my wife and my family. We had such a great time that we hope to make it an annual thing. I hope you, too, Reader, can experience the Timberline Lodge the way it is supposed to be experienced: by spending the night. That is my recommendation.The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com2Upper Parking Lot, Mt. Hood National Forest, Oregon 97041, USA45.3306073 -121.709143645.329211799999996 -121.7116111 45.3320028 -121.70667610000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-9081415774924547992012-09-02T09:48:00.004-07:002012-09-11T13:01:04.764-07:00Oneonta Gorge - Columbia River Gorge<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Oneonta Gorge</b></div>
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<b>&</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>the Horsetail, Ponytail, and Triple Falls Loop</b></div>
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<i>4.5 miles round trip | 550 feet elevation gain</i></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910031314/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Oneonta Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8298/7910031314_da09323c01_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oneonta Gorge</td></tr>
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The cold, wet, refreshing trek deep into mossy Oneonta Gorge to the hidden waterfall is not only my favorite activity to do in the Columbia River Gorge, but arguably one of my favorite outdoor activities of all time. I am obsessed with Oneonta Gorge. As a kid I had two favorite outdoor activities: climbing obstacles and getting wet. This is exactly what you will do if you follow Oneonta to its end at the falls. But as if the whole scaling obstacles and getting your feet wet thing weren't enough to excite me, there is a cherry-on-top: the sheer beauty of Oneonta. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7878264454/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Hikers at the log jam - Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hikers at the log jam - Oneonta Gorge" height="320" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8287/7878264454_9870d46a85_n.jpg" width="214" /></a>Now I love deep, dark old-growth forests, panoramic mountain views, vast oceanscapes, etc- but there is something about wading through cold calf-deep water through a narrow, mossy, rocky slit in the earth with huge boulders and old fell trees to climb over that makes those other things seem slightly inferior. Maybe it's the kid in me that is so attached to Oneonta Gorge; and, undeniably, you will feel like a kid again when you're here. Even though the distance you scramble and splash back into the gorge isn't great, there is a sense that you are on a great adventure. Something about Oneonta makes me feel.... really, really happy and very, very nostalgic. <br />
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To come to Oneonta properly prepared, and to get the fullest experience possible, expect the following:<br />
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1. To climb up and over 2 large boulders <br />
2. To tip-toe, balancing-beam-style, over several large old growth tree trunks. <br />
3. To get wet, at the very least, up to your knees.<br />
4. To get wet, at the very most, over your head if you're shorter, up to your chest if you're taller. <br />
5. To wear some sort of footwear that you don't mind getting soaked. I would not recommend bare feet or flip-flops.<br />
6. To wear clothing you don't mind getting soaked.<br />
7. To have a dry pair of shoes to change into if you plan on doing the Horsetail Falls hike afterwards.<br />
8. To not be in a hurry, because your inner-child is not going to want to leave, but, rather, splash around for an hour or more. <br />
9. To see one of the greatest sights of your life.<br />
10. To have some of the most fun of your life.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910009828/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Treking upstream through Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Treking upstream through Oneonta Gorge" height="214" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8437/7910009828_bdba51702d_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>Okay, so experiencing Oneonta Gorge does require some physical activity. Climbing up and over the boulders and scaling the log-jam isn't something everybody can do. But rest assured, I've seen my 58 year old mother, as well as countless children, do it with ease. <br />
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Oneonta Gorge also requires you to get wet. Unless you're standing on the shoulders of a giant, you're going to get wet. So expect it and dress appropriately. But trust me, you're going to have the time of your life. And don't be a wuss! Jump in! Yes it's cold, but once you're in there you will have a smile plastered on your face! Even the crustiest, grumpiest curmudgeon will feel like a kid again while wading through Oneonta Gorge.<br />
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Here are photos from the trek into <u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Oneonta Gorge</b></span></u>, quite possibly the most fun you'll have in the wilderness surrounding Portland, Oregon!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7878163918/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Historic Columbia River Hwy at Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Historic Columbia River Hwy at Oneonta Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8448/7878163918_bdc41ccaf8_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7878176892/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Old Columbia River Highway tunnel now pedestrian only - Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Old Columbia River Highway tunnel now pedestrian only - Oneonta Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8435/7878176892_8dc3f42687_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910368774/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="at the entry into Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="at the entry into Oneonta Gorge" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8170/7910368774_34f09e3536.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910391580/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="down this way from the bridge to get into Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="down this way from the bridge to get into Oneonta Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8318/7910391580_638351f7bb_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7878216778/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hikers coming over the log jam at Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hikers coming over the log jam at Oneonta Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7278/7878216778_cf4bf8f06d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7878283290/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="a hiker contemplating the best way over the log jam - Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a hiker contemplating the best way over the log jam - Oneonta Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8446/7878283290_2a1c58aa45_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910342832/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="a hiker carefully navigates the log jam at Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a hiker carefully navigates the log jam at Oneonta Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8320/7910342832_7cb3a65523_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910351736/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="At the Oneonta Gorge log jam by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="At the Oneonta Gorge log jam" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/7910351736_dbc8e77d17.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7878300230/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="the log jam - Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="the log jam - Oneonta Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8434/7878300230_c64ae98a65_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7878332178/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="The start of Oneonta Gorge just after crossing the log jam by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="The start of Oneonta Gorge just after crossing the log jam" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8294/7878332178_c5a34a41d5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7878368962/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Oneonta Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8295/7878368962_80b9a239c9_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7909995384/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Oneonta Gorge" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8445/7909995384_bd5c205f86.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7878393828/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Crystal Clear Waters in the Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Crystal Clear Waters in the Oneonta Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7108/7878393828_941d30e8b0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910013316/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Oneonta Gorge" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8322/7910013316_85e2610d7f_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910044554/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Rock Wall in Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Rock Wall in Oneonta Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8034/7910044554_80a769a04f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910317498/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Oneonta Gorge" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8443/7910317498_541fe56a82.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910330238/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Oneonta Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8319/7910330238_a4d1dfabdd_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910068940/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""The Deep Part" just before the waterfall at Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt=""The Deep Part" just before the waterfall at Oneonta Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8436/7910068940_56c23a445a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910092674/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="The Studly way to do Oneonta Gorge vs. the Wussy way to do it by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="The Studly way to do Oneonta Gorge vs. the Wussy way to do it" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8034/7910092674_c0b1b83664_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910132928/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="a brave hiker ferrying dry hikers across "the deep part" by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a brave hiker ferrying dry hikers across "the deep part"" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8315/7910132928_acf4e575f2.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910308188/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Crystal clear water at Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Crystal clear water at Oneonta Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8320/7910308188_e9082f8528_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910196376/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="The waterfall at the end of Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="The waterfall at the end of Oneonta Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8033/7910196376_015437acf9_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910212652/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="A young hiker at the waterfall at the end of Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="A young hiker at the waterfall at the end of Oneonta Gorge" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8450/7910212652_dcf1042019_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910229824/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="A hiker about to take a cold plunge at the waterfall at the end of Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="A hiker about to take a cold plunge at the waterfall at the end of Oneonta Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8041/7910229824_0d638e04d5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910252312/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="a Cold Plunge at the waterfall at the end of Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a Cold Plunge at the waterfall at the end of Oneonta Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8308/7910252312_cff142fdd9_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910270856/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="The waterfall at the end of Oneonta Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="The waterfall at the end of Oneonta Gorge" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8447/7910270856_6bfe7faea8_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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Once you reach the waterfall you've gone as far as you can go. My suggestion: don't leave right away. Stay a while, wade, splash around, relax, get some sun, take a dip, have a picnic (if it didn't get soaked), talk to a fellow hiker about how f-ing cold the water was back there at "the deep part," etc. Because, in all honesty, this area back here by the waterfall is, in my opinion, quite possibly the perfect place to be on a hot late summer's day.<br />
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Next it's on to a hike that includes 3 more waterfalls: Horsetail, Ponytail, and Triple Falls. All three are accessed via the Horsetail Falls trail.<br />
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A short walk from Oneonta Gorge is the Horsetail Falls trailhead, which just so happens to start right <i>at </i>Horsetail Falls itself. Horesetail Falls pales in comparison to Multnomah Falls, but it is a pleasant (and less crowded!) waterfall right off the Historic Columbia River Highway. There is a miniscule "beach" (if you can call it that) with a chilled pool of water right at the base of the falls. Take a dip if you'd like, but trust me, it's going to be cold. This would be a great place to plop down a lawn chair and read from a good book.<br />
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Here are photos of <u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Horsetail Falls</b></span></u> and the trailhead area: <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910400050/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Horsetail Falls - Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Horsetail Falls - Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8038/7910400050_6dc35a2714_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910413974/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Horsetail Falls - Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Horsetail Falls - Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8439/7910413974_3ec943d260_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910434796/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Horsetail Falls - Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Horsetail Falls - Columbia River Gorge" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8296/7910434796_4b4e25c79f_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horsetail Falls</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910441776/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="at Horsetail Falls - Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="at Horsetail Falls - Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8455/7910441776_411d268828_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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A short half mile hike from the trailhead will bring you to what I think is the most exciting waterfall of the three: Ponytail Falls. Ponytail Falls is one of those unique waterfalls that you get to walk underneath and behind. The cavernous area underneath the falls is a great, cool spot to have a picnic, take a load off, or people watch (as it can get a little crowded under here on a summer weekend). Also, if you're feeling adventurous, there are rocks you can climb out onto to get a little closer to the action, but doing so will more than likely get you pretty wet. Not soaked (unless you fall in) but <i>wet.</i> Like I said though, Ponytail Falls is by far the greatest waterfall on this hike, so if you make this your final destination, you won't be too sorry.<br />
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Here are photos of <u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Ponytail Falls:</b></span></u><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910449748/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Trail from Horsetail Falls to Ponytail Falls - Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Trail from Horsetail Falls to Ponytail Falls - Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8175/7910449748_f82e815a69_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a view of the trail connecting Horsetail Falls to Ponytail Falls</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910463060/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="a glimpse of Beacon Rock and Hamilton Mountain from the Horsetail Falls Trail - Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a glimpse of Beacon Rock and Hamilton Mountain from the Horsetail Falls Trail - Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8307/7910463060_7ecfd64112_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a view across the river of Beacon Rock and Hamilton Mountain from the trail up to Ponytail Falls</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910475120/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Ponytail Falls - Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ponytail Falls - Columbia River Gorge" height="637" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8455/7910475120_767812a316_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ponytail Falls</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910487904/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ponytail Falls - Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ponytail Falls - Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8314/7910487904_6e2d63eb7c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910503746/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ponytail Falls - Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ponytail Falls - Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8036/7910503746_a8b9c35489_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910517354/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ponytail Falls - Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ponytail Falls - Columbia River Gorge" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8312/7910517354_baaf612b84_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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If you're looking for a longer hike you can continue on another mile and a half roughly to Triple Falls. It isn't a difficult hike by any means, but chances are you'll break a sweat doing it. At one point you'll cross a bridge which gives you a view of the top of the hidden falls seen from within Oneonta Gorge. If you listen closely, you'll probably hear the hoots, hollers, and "holy shit that's cold!"'s from those down below in the gorge. And, if you're like me, you'll wish you were back down there in the water instead of up here on the bridge.<i> </i>A short ways past the bridge you'll come to an intersection. Hang a left uphill if you're looking to see Triple Falls.<br />
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Triple Falls is really only viewed from a cliff across from it. You'll reach the cliff before you reach the fall itself. Be careful on the ledge, it's practically a straight drop down. It's no mystery why this waterfall is named <i>Triple </i>Falls. Now, chances are you will see people lounging around in the area on top of the waterfall. There are large rocky sections that jut out alongside the creek that are great for picnics, lounging, getting your feet wet, etc. Just exercise caution. You are, after all, just yards away from a slippery drop of 120 feet.<br />
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At one point, while sitting out on the rocks about 7 yards from the ledge, a couple of young kids came running up to the ledge to peer down below. In my opinion, they got irrationally close to the ledge, to the point where a slip of the shoe (one was wearing sandals!) would almost certainly have resulted in a fall over the ledge. There is a big, BIG difference between bravery and stupidity, and these two definitely fell into the latter class getting this close to the ledge. If the reward isn't worth the risk, do not do it. And in this case, I doubt the view looking down Triple Falls was worth the risk of death, which almost certainly would've resulted from a 120 foot fall into shallow water below. The top of Triple Falls is a neat place to walk around and relax, but don't stretch your luck by buying into the temptations to get really close to the edge. I doubt it's worth the risk. <br />
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Here are photos of <u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Triple Falls:</b></span></u><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910658588/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Hike to Triple Falls - Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hike to Triple Falls - Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8453/7910658588_a1688348b4_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trail connecting Ponytail Falls to Triple Falls</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910541618/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Bridge over upper Oneonta Gorge en route to Triple Falls by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Bridge over upper Oneonta Gorge en route to Triple Falls" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8304/7910541618_d02ff9e0f3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridge over the upper section of Oneonta Gorge (basically above that waterfall at the end of Oneonta)</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910579726/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="to Triple Falls - Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="to Triple Falls - Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8461/7910579726_32bcfbb6e5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910649754/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hike to Triple Falls by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hike to Triple Falls" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8038/7910649754_3a74e04ae9_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910563190/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Triple Falls - Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Triple Falls - Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8448/7910563190_e4567db7f5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Triple Falls</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910574058/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Triple Falls - Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Triple Falls - Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8300/7910574058_5ac242d98f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910639430/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Hikers getting up close and personal with the edge of Triple Falls by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hikers getting up close and personal with the edge of Triple Falls" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8301/7910639430_0fcf7322ce_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hikers getting up close and personal with the sloped, slippery edge of Triple Falls. Please don't do this.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7910588580/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="at Triple Falls - Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="at Triple Falls - Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8456/7910588580_330ab0f2a6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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If you're really looking for some exercise I would recommend walking all the way to Triple Falls. If you're a little worn out from your wet trek up Oneonta Gorge and your hike to Ponytail Falls, then I would recommend saving it for another day. Honestly, Oneonta Gorge is so much fun in and of itself that I would almost suggest just making half a day out of cooling off and splashing about in its crystal clear waters. Save the other three falls for the colder months, when Oneonta Gorge is no longer doable. Something tells me Triple Falls looks even better in the Fall. If it's summer, set your sights on Oneonta Gorge!! You won't regret it!The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com348635 E Historic Columbia River Hwy, Cascade Locks, OR 97014, USA45.5894016 -122.075207245.5671751 -122.1146892 45.611628100000004 -122.03572519999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-63172426432565090222012-08-06T12:57:00.003-07:002012-08-06T12:57:38.531-07:00Bald Mountain Lookout - Mt. Hood<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Bald Mountain Loop</b></div>
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<i>and photos of McNeil Point Trail</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>from Top Spur Trailhead </i></div>
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<i>2.2 mile loop | 400 ft elevation</i></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7701437100/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="View of Mt. Hood from Bald Mountain by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="View of Mt. Hood from Bald Mountain" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8424/7701437100_f76659fe1b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Hood as viewed from Bald Mountain</td></tr>
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If you want a crystal clear, unobstructed, grandiose, breathtaking panoramic view of Mt. Hood from a wide-open hill blanketed with wild flowers, I have the hike for you! In fact, the view of Mt. Hood from Bald Mountain is so magnificent that I cannot fathom how it could get much, if any, better. I mean look at this view!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7701478402/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="View of Mt. Hood from Bald Mountain by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="View of Mt. Hood from Bald Mountain" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8017/7701478402_24549606db_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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By the way, that massive river valley way down there is the Muddy Fork of the Sandy River.<br />
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One benefit to the Bald Mountain lookout is that it is a short, easy distance from the trailhead. If you're not up for the long and tiresome hike up to McNeil Point (see below) no worries- just park the car, do the quick loop to the lookout at Bald Mountain, and you'll be back at your car in no time at all. The lookout was covered in various, multicolored wild flowers, which made the view even better! This is perhaps the greatest view of Mt. Hood that you can get for such little effort. You do not have to be a seasoned hiker to make it to the Bald Mountain viewpoint.<br />
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The viewpoint is also a great place for picnics. Now, don't sit right in the center of the viewpoint and set up a smorgasbord. Make sure others can get in there and see the views as well without having to step over your cheese and crackers. Further up on the slope are large rocks which make great seats. Pop a squat and throw some groceries down your neck and soak in the view.<br />
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Here are photos from the Bald Mountain Loop trail:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7702255310/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bald Mountain Loop - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Bald Mountain Loop - Mt Hood" height="401" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7260/7702255310_e1be0f48f9.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7726665856/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bald Mountain - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Bald Mountain - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8431/7726665856_f4b86db025_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7702238856/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bald Mountain Loop - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Bald Mountain Loop - Mt Hood" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8428/7702238856_6d1387ca48_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7726695536/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bald Mountain - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Bald Mountain - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8286/7726695536_d960d79bfe_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7726681362/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bald Mountain - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Bald Mountain - Mt. Hood" height="394" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8284/7726681362_69387d9dd9_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7726704872/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Wildflowers on the slope at Bald Mountain - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Wildflowers on the slope at Bald Mountain - Mt. Hood" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8001/7726704872_4dee0b6a52.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7726727130/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bald Mountain's view of Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Bald Mountain's view of Mt. Hood" height="524" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7246/7726727130_5f38a83445_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7726747658/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bald Mountain - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Bald Mountain - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7262/7726747658_afb49d8f15_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7701469864/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="View of Mt. Hood from Bald Mountain by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="View of Mt. Hood from Bald Mountain" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8166/7701469864_c2979f5150_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7701502274/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="View of the Muddy Fork of the Sandy River from Bald Mountain by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="View of the Muddy Fork of the Sandy River from Bald Mountain" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8288/7701502274_983474a2b5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7726764904/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hikers on Bald Mountain - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hikers on Bald Mountain - Mt. Hood" height="434" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8016/7726764904_0ccc9a7313_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7726781132/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bald Mountain Loop Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Bald Mountain Loop Trail - Mt. Hood" height="639" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8423/7726781132_4d6a59818e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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So that is what to expect if you just do the Bald Mountain Loop...<br />
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But I didn't come here today <b>just</b> to do the Bald Mountain Loop... <br />
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In fact, what was supposed to be a long, grand blog entry on the hike up to Mt. Hood's McNeil Point shelter ended up as this smaller entry on the majestic view of Mt. Hood from Bald Mountain.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7727313492/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="on McNeil Point trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="on McNeil Point trail - Mt. Hood" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7108/7727313492_0f3a798687.jpg" width="334" /></a>I hiked far beyond the Bald Mountain lookout and was nearly at McNeil Point when conditions forced the rational side of my brain (which decided it best to turn around) to conquer the passionate side (which wanted to push on). There are three things that kept me from making it all the way to McNeil Point: a ripping thunderstorm, snow-covered ground, and little to no visibility. <br />
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First, about half way up I encountered a flash thunderstorm. What began as a warm sunny day very quickly turned cold, rainy, thunderous. Such is the weather, especially at this elevation, in the Pacific Northwest. Now, thunderstorms happen to be one of my favorite things in nature, but I've experienced most of them from my Midwestern bedroom in Illinois growing up as a kid. To experience one on the side of a mountain a click away from the timberline is a different story. Where there is thunder, there is lighting, and at this elevation, especially above the timberline, thunderstorms can become very dangerous. As any ranger in Yosemite National Park will tell you, the last place you want to be when a violent thunderstorm breaks out in the park is on top of El Capitan.<br />
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I found the following warning on <a href="http://yosemiteblog.com/">Yosemiteblog.com</a>: <i>"If you can hear thunder, you are within striking distance. Seek safe shelter immediately. If camping or hiking far from a safe vehicle or building avoid open fields, the top of a hill, and ridgetops." </i>And guess what McNeil Point is? an open field on a ridgetop... <br />
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But I'll be honest, hiking in that thunderstorm was one of the most thrilling hiking experiences I've ever had. Plus I got to test the tarp feature on my new pack. The rest of me got soaked but my pack and its contents, including my camera, were as dry as the Sahara.<br />
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Seriously though, few things in this world rival the beauty of hiking through a Pacific Northwestern old-growth forest during a rainstorm. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7726876686/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Snow on the trail near McNeil Point by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Snow on the trail near McNeil Point" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7258/7726876686_6bdd7d2ccf.jpg" width="334" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deep snow on the McNeil Point Trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But it wasn't the thunderstorm that turned me around. In fact, the thunderstorm made me want to continue, because it isn't everyday that you get caught in a roaring and pouring thunderstorm on the side of a mountain just below the timberline. Quite frankly, it was, for lack of a better term, <i>bad ass. </i>I pressed on past Bald Mountain nearly making it to the pond below McNeil Point when I hit snow, first in patches and later covering the entire ground. If they were to continue, hikers were to leave the trail and step up onto snow banks, most of them around 3 feet deep. I could make out footprints in the snow, but mainly because of the contrast in the color- the path was browned with dirt from hiking boots and the rest of the snow, for the most part, was whitewashed. The rain had stopped and the sun was blaring but I could still hear thunder rumbling loudly in the distance.<br />
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It was then that the cloud cover rolled in. Suddenly, the sun disappeared and a dense cloud swallowed up all the scenery around me. I could see about 10 feet in front of me, and being that I was standing on snow, every direction I peered in looked exactly the same. Only the faint trail of dirty bootprints in the snow ahead of me and behind me told me where to go. THIS was the point at which the rational side of my brain overcame the passionate side. It was time to turn around.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7727086574/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="to McNeil Point - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="to McNeil Point - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8281/7727086574_e1c3cfdbb6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">McNeil Point before the clouds rolled in</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7727218490/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Clouds rolling in - McNeil Point trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Clouds rolling in - McNeil Point trail - Mt Hood" height="456" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8141/7727218490_c903c3b0df_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clouds rolling in and will soon saturate the higher parts of McNeil Point Trail</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7727231418/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Clouds rolling in - McNeil Point trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Clouds rolling in - McNeil Point trail - Mt Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8423/7727231418_1ed48dfbe6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clouds rolling in and will soon saturate the higher parts of McNeil Point Trail </td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7727295694/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Back below the cloud cover - McNeil Point Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Back below the cloud cover - McNeil Point Trail - Mt. Hood" height="413" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8291/7727295694_b52777a66e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just underneath the cloud cover on the lower parts of McNeil Point Trail</td></tr>
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With another thunderstorm potentially moving in my direction, the inability to see more than a few yards in any direction, and my desire to refrain from getting lost on slick, whitewashed snowy ground, I decided that I should turn around. I was almost there!! In another mile I would've more than likely been standing beside the McNeil Point shelter! But then again, I wouldn't have been able to see a thing beyond it, plus the photos would've sucked. McNeil Point isn't going anywhere. I'll return in the early fall. <br />
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So although I do not have a complete blog entry for McNeil Point, let me at least show you photos of what I was able to complete. Expect a full blog entry on McNeil Point in the future. But until then, the following are photos taken from the McNeil Point trail from the Bald Mountain lookout up to where I had to turn around, just before the pond below McNeil Point<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7726838122/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hikers under the Hemlock Canopy en route to McNeil Point - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hikers under the Hemlock Canopy en route to McNeil Point - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8423/7726838122_ea00b918a7_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7727350484/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="on McNeil Point trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="on McNeil Point trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7275/7727350484_a848b2b128_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7727277852/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Lupine by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Lupine" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8423/7727277852_e76b5a3340_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7727015062/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="to McNeil Point - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="to McNeil Point - Mt. Hood" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7129/7727015062_e251c86a9d_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7727325348/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="on McNeil Point trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="on McNeil Point trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8146/7727325348_319210cb29_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7727258974/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Beargrass by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Beargrass" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8291/7727258974_004993f312_z.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7727181438/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Mt. Hood viewed from the McNeil Point Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Mt. Hood viewed from the McNeil Point Trail" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7129/7727181438_67f58fafab_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7727145956/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Shoulder of Mt. Hood viewed from the McNeil Point trail (zoomed in) by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Shoulder of Mt. Hood viewed from the McNeil Point trail (zoomed in)" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8431/7727145956_4ff6eb6822_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7727086574/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="to McNeil Point - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="to McNeil Point - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8281/7727086574_e1c3cfdbb6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7727126866/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Mt. Hood viewed from the McNeil Point trail (zoomed in) by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Mt. Hood viewed from the McNeil Point trail (zoomed in)" height="354" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7139/7727126866_1fbabdd369_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7726924542/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Avalanche Lilly by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Avalanche Lilly" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8432/7726924542_6741738386_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7726887744/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Snow on the trail near McNeil Point by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Snow on the trail near McNeil Point" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7251/7726887744_b850bb5eaf_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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I'll be back to complete McNeil Point, don't you worry...<br />
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After the hike I sought a warm plate of food and decided to try the <a href="http://www.skywaybarandgrill.com/" target="_blank">Skyway Bar & Grill</a> finally for their barbeque. The Skyway had only recently been brought to my attention as having outstanding food and a great selection of local beers on tap, so I made it my destination. All I can say is this: I could not recommend this place any more for dinner and beers after a long hike!! The food here is absolutely outstanding. It is seriously some of the most delicious barbeque I've ever had, and my wife being from Kansas City, I can assure you that I know good barbeque when I taste it. I ordered a trio-plate that came with pulled pork, beef brisket, and ribs. The meat was cooked perfectly and I was given three dipping sauces: their standard barbeque sauce, a habenero sauce, and their rotating "special" sauce which happened to be a delicious blueberry barbeque sauce! I ate every morsel of my food and damn near licked the plate.<br />
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Only problem: I didn't get any photos of the food! I was so impatiently hungry that by the time the food came out the prospect of taking the 2 minutes of filming the food in its beauty on the plate didn't seem appealing. In fact, what was most appealing was the aroma coming off the food. I couldn't photographic it. Screw it. I was eating it and eating it NOW! Om Nom Nom!! (it didn't last long...)<br />
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But I did snap two photos, one of the outdoor seating area which is huge and contains several tables and well as a fire pit or two, and one of my ice cold local IPA.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7727388748/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Skyline BBQ - Rhododendron, OR by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Skyline BBQ - Rhododendron, OR" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8289/7727388748_d8b96a4a63_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outdoor seating area at Skyway Bar and Grill - Zigzag, Oregon</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7727401426/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="an IPA at Skyline BBQ - Rhododendron, OR by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="an IPA at Skyline BBQ - Rhododendron, OR" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7117/7727401426_949d4d2345_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a pint of local IPA at Skyway Bar and Grill - Zigzag, Oregon</td></tr>
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Seriously, after a hike in the Mt. Hood territory, you HAVE to set your sights on the Skyway. I want to refer as much business as possible to them because not only do they deserve it, but I want them to be there, open for business, every instance I find myself out near Mt. Hood during dinnertime!<br />
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<a href="http://www.skywaybarandgrill.com/" target="_blank">Skyway Bar and Grill</a><br />
71545 E. Hwy 26<br />
Zigzag, Oregon 97049<br />
(503) 622-3775<br />
Yelp: <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/skyway-bar-and-grill-zigzag">http://www.yelp.com/biz/skyway-bar-and-grill-zigzag</a>The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com0Pacific Crest Trail, Mt. Hood National Forest, Mt Hood Parkdale, OR 97041, USA45.4023403 -121.775632845.391191299999996 -121.7953738 45.4134893 -121.7558918tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-87987390979548911432012-07-25T16:26:00.005-07:002012-07-25T16:26:51.853-07:00Ramona Falls - Mt. Hood National Forest<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Ramona Falls </b><br />
<b>Trail #797</b></div>
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<i>Mt. Hood National Forest</i></div>
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<i>7.1 miles round trip | 1,000 ft elevation gain</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559543566/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8293/7559543566_edc4befb10_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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To date (July 9, 2012), Ramona Falls ranks as <u><span style="font-size: small;">my favorite hike</span></u> that I have ever experienced. It has everything I want out of a hike. If I were to sit down and design my perfect hike, it would very closely resemble Ramona Falls. Here's why:<br />
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1. At 7.1 miles long, it is the perfect length. Not too short but not too long. A good work out without draining you entirely.<br />
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2. It has minimal altitude gain, making it more relaxed and enjoyable than the steep and strenuous hikes. You focus on your surroundings more at Ramona Falls than you do your sore legs and your gasping lungs. <br />
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3. The trail traverses some of the most beautiful forest I've ever seen. Forest that looks as though you are walking through a fantastic novel by J.R.R. Tolkien or Kenneth Grahame. And there are about 3 very different types of forests that you will hike through on this trail alone, each as beautiful as the next. Plus, many sections of the trail are lined with tall, bright pink rhododendrons, which not only have a beautiful flower but also a beautiful, tropical-looking leaf. <br />
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4. Ramona Falls is a very worthwhile goal. Many out-and-back hikes do not have such an exciting pot-o-gold waiting for you at the end of your journey before it is time to turn back. Having such a great reward waiting for you at the end boosts hikers motivation to press on.<br />
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5. The cool, shady area at the foot of Ramona Falls is large enough to accommodate several groups of hikers while giving everyone their own sense of space. Even though you cannot camp in this area at the falls' base, the area is flat enough and large enough that it feels as if you're standing in a camp ground. Plenty of room for relaxing, picnicking, photographing, etc.<br />
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6. The forest surrounding Ramona Creek downstream from the falls is one of my favorite stretches of any trail I've ever been on. It is the quintessential Pacific Northwestern forest scene in here, with a babbling creek adding a peaceful soundtrack to your stroll.<br />
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7. The hike crosses a number of footbridges, the most important of which is only in place from May to November every year. The "seasonal bridge" crosses the Muddy Fork of the Sandy River and can be seen in photos of the first leg of the hike below.<br />
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8. There is a hauntingly grand view of Mt. Hood from the seasonal bridge / Sandy River basin area on a clear day. A nasty flood of the Sandy river carved a huge, bare swath that is now mainly rocks and driftwood with a much smaller, less violent Sandy running through the middle. This wide open area is perfect for viewing Mt. Hood in the not-so-far distance. <br />
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9. In many sections of the forest that you will hike through on your way to Ramona Falls a bright green moss blankets just about everything from fell trees to rocks and brush. (see photo below)<br />
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10. The drive to the parking area and trailhead is also very beautiful. Not located too far off the well-known Lolo Pass Road, the road to Ramona Falls Trailhead is wild enough to make you feel like you're roughing it but not <i>too wild</i>- inflicting merciless blows to your automobile's suspension system. Also, the parking area (a wide-open, make-shift gravel parking lot) is far larger than I had expected. You could probably fit 30 or more automobiles out here. Some trailheads, for example the Salmon River Trail not far from here, lacks adequate parking. Not Ramona Falls.<br />
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I could probably go on, but alright, I'll stop...On to the hike itself!<br />
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The first leg of the hike stretches from the parking area to the seasonal bridge over the Muddy Fork of the Sandy River and is roughly 1.4 miles long. Right away you'll notice how beautiful and unique the forest is here. You'll encounter just about every shade of green there is on the color spectrum. There is something about moss-covered rocks and stumps that feels fantastic to me, as if I was walking through some sort of enchanted forest from the stories of my youth. It makes me feel like a kid again- a time when I probably entertained a belief in things like trolls, elves, gnomes, bigfoot, and the like. And there is moss <i>everywhere </i>along this trail. Maybe one of the appeals of this hike to me is that I can imagine what it would've been like to be here when I was a young, over-imaginative child.<br />
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After a jaunt through the woods the trail will open up a bit as it begins to follow the wide, barren trench the Sandy River carved when it flooded. On a clear day you should be able to see sections of Mt Hood from here. The trail will follow along the Sandy River until you reach the seasonal bridge that puts you on the other side of it. The seasonal bridge is aptly named, because it is only in place during the hiking season, from May to November. Due to higher and more violent river conditions during the off season, the bridge is removed. Makes you wonder how many bridges got wiped out by the river before the forest service decided to build a removable one...<br />
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Here are photos from that first leg of the hike, from the trailhead to the seasonal bridge. Also included below is a photo of the view of Mt. Hood from the seasonal bridge. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559036334/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7254/7559036334_71364743c5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7595331120/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8290/7595331120_b9f26102ce.jpg" width="334" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559089010/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7255/7559089010_d226d78009_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559090896/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7252/7559090896_eafcf515bc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559134550/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7267/7559134550_56f67a184a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559144338/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8294/7559144338_b08cfede08_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559155246/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7122/7559155246_2b63369e1c.jpg" width="334" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7595333062/" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8009/7595333062_b7e78b8f9a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7595328910/" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8281/7595328910_473e15342b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7595327058/" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7262/7595327058_196f0dd8fb_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559170476/" title="Seasonal Bridge - Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Seasonal Bridge - Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="420" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7267/7559170476_474ca23413_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559177028/" title="Seasonal Bridge - Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Seasonal Bridge - Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7265/7559177028_8b8104eddd_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559202962/" title="Seasonal Bridge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Seasonal Bridge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8154/7559202962_b01126407a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559191398/" title="Hikers crossing the seasonal bridge - Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hikers crossing the seasonal bridge - Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8287/7559191398_113f1889a8_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559184758/" title="Mt. Hood from the Seasonal Bridge - Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Mt. Hood from the Seasonal Bridge - Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8148/7559184758_43c8c6e7cb_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7595325280/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8013/7595325280_92e20a1cdb_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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The second leg of the trail starts right as you step off the seasonal bridge and extends about 0.2 miles to an intersection of trails. It is on this second leg that you will start to notice the bright pink-&-green Rhododendron bushes (see photo below). As if the forest couldn't get any prettier out here, you sprinkle in Rhododendron, one of my favorite plants in the wide world of Pacific Northwest flora. It is here where you will start to gain in elevation. The Sandy River basin off to your right will get deeper and deeper the further up the trail you go.<br />
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Here are a few photos from the second leg, including a close up of Rhododendron. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559246822/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7106/7559246822_d5c1cb30fa_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559264504/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Rhododendron by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Rhododendron" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7251/7559264504_1eca24636f.jpg" width="414" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559254198/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7260/7559254198_e8006daf22_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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You will come to an intersection giving you two options: continue straight ahead on the hiker/horse trail to Ramona Falls, or turn left and head up to Ramona Falls via the hiker-only trail. Both guide books suggest making a loop out of your Ramona Falls hiking experience, so I decided to continue straight ahead on the hiker/horse trail and leave the hiker-only trail for my return. This hiker/horse trail from the intersection all the way to Ramona Falls I will label the third leg of the trail.<br />
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The third leg that follows the horse/hiker path to Ramona Falls is through a young, short, open forest with moss carpeting the floor. It's a beautiful forest, reminiscent of those you'd find at even higher altitudes. Just also be sure to keep an eye on the ground in front of you too. Horses share the trail with hikers, and few things rain on your wilderness parade quite like scrapping manure out of the treads of your nice hiking boots. <br />
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Follow the horse/hiker trail for 2 miles to Ramona Falls. Here are photos from the horse/hiker trail. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559275616/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8284/7559275616_3190bc3b28_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559286988/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8289/7559286988_12134ce4e0.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559395092/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Wild mushrooms growing along the Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Wild mushrooms growing along the Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8009/7559395092_3c1a08d86e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559296556/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7274/7559296556_4f08651eef_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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When you see this sign, bear left. In half a mile you'll arrive at the falls.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559381108/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Trail sign on the Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Trail sign on the Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="334" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7111/7559381108_97990ae690.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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After a short gaunt past the sign above you'll pass through a horse gate and enter into the Ramona Falls area. Ramona Falls is stunning; and becomes more so the closer you get to it. This section of wilderness in here is picture-postcard Pacific Northwest: old-growth trees, ferns, moss, cascading waterfall, rocky-bottomed creek, log bridge. It's iconic. The area is plenty large to accommodate several groups of hikers without feeling cramped. My advice is to take your time here, take in the view in front of you, and have yourself a snack and a few drags of water from that Nalgene. Whatever you do don't just pick up and leave immediately after arriving. This is truly one of the greatest locations in the Pacific Northwest. Stop and stay a while.<br />
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Here are photos from the area surrounding Ramona Falls. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559400066/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Horse gate at Ramona Falls - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Horse gate at Ramona Falls - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8432/7559400066_3d52443453_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559424268/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8426/7559424268_4233154c62_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7594078218/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8161/7594078218_ab053a558b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559493766/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7135/7559493766_e6b6ac74ba_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7559516226/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8148/7559516226_b72b32e6a4_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7579526858/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7277/7579526858_3c63ee1e7a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7579540242/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7119/7579540242_b8a2b0c3e2_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7579562198/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls - Mt. Hood" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8024/7579562198_2b419074a7_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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Once you've finally had your fill of Ramona Falls itself, cross the bridge and head to the left on a trail that follows Ramona Creek. This will bring you back to the intersection near the seasonal bridge and back to your car. It is about 2.3 miles in length from the falls to the intersection. Once you hit the horse gate turn left back to the intersection, which you'll hit in half a mile.<br />
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This section of the trail, which I will refer to as the fourth and final leg of the hike, is by far the most scenic. The forest in here is stunning; among the best I've yet come across on a trail. Add to that the babbling, cascading Ramona Creek, a few log bridges, and a rock wall and you're got yourself quite a grand finale, which makes an already perfect hike even better! This leg of the hike has the most "enchanted" looking forest on the whole trail. In future visits to Ramona Falls, I will more than likely avoid the horse/hiker trail altogether (pretty as it may be) and hike this hiker-only leg of the trail up to the falls and back. It's that pretty! The 2.3 mile hike back to the intersection is going to feel like half a mile. Time flies with so much beautiful nature to distract you.<br />
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Here are photos of the fourth leg of the hike, the hiker-only trail, that brings you back to the intersection from Ramona Falls itself:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7579572334/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8151/7579572334_7259de999a.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7579602396/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7140/7579602396_ed6e5a000b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7579615602/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8141/7579615602_615edf59df_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7579579148/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8011/7579579148_17a118c576.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7579636856/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8429/7579636856_bee779d0cd_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7579646908/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7248/7579646908_417ea0c343_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7579676232/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8162/7579676232_b77f08fc7c_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7594176346/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7106/7594176346_655bbe59af_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7594249768/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7122/7594249768_859e1614ca_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7594229842/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8284/7594229842_88213b3965_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7595224170/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Moss by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Moss" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8009/7595224170_dc612b324b.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7595225840/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Horse Gate on the Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Horse Gate on the Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7126/7595225840_45fbb97550_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7595263352/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7254/7595263352_d3bd30a6e1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7595270158/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8432/7595270158_cc782cc3f1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7595334942/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7279/7595334942_acae5cca26_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7595323296/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7274/7595323296_7d885487b5.jpg" width="334" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7595227456/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Pacific Crest Trail Sign - Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Pacific Crest Trail Sign - Ramona Falls Trail - Mt. Hood" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8014/7595227456_842b6ddbab_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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This is my favorite hike of all time to date. I am glad that it is so close to Portland and easy to access, because I hope to do this hike several times a year. If you are looking for the perfect introduction to the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest, look no further than the Ramona Falls trail.<br />
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On an ending side note:<br />
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If you're looking for a similar hiking experience that is open year round, I suggest the <a href="http://blackwatchsasquatch.blogspot.com/2011/12/salmon-river.html">Salmon River Trail</a> not far from here, just off the main highway in Zigzag. There may not be a grand waterfall at the end of the hike, but the forest is equally beautiful (as are the log bridges) and you get the benefit of following an audible river the whole time.The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com5National Forest Development Road 111, Mt. Hood National Forest, Rhododendron, OR 97049, USA45.3798403 -121.775910745.2906158 -121.9338392 45.4690648 -121.6179822tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-41912950674014311672012-07-07T19:19:00.002-07:002012-07-09T10:48:00.715-07:00Clackamas River Trail<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Clackamas River Trail</b></div>
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<i>to Pup Creek Falls </i></div>
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<i>7.6 miles round trip | 1,050 feet elevation gain</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7520929152/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Rocky Beach at Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Rocky Beach at Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8011/7520929152_dafeb41084_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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NOTE TO SELF: Never again embark on a 7+ mile trail on an 80+ degree summer day with only one bottle of water and nothing to eat.<br />
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NOTE TO SELF: From now on, when your hiking plans include the Clackamas River Trail, be sure to wear swim trunks underneath your cargo pants and bring a towel and a good book.<br />
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Before today's hike of the Clackamas River Trail, I had gone three weeks without hiking! My dear wife sprained her ankle and our pet tortoise fell ill, so I decided to stay home and switch hats from being the<i> Black Watch Sasquatch</i> to being the <i>Best-Husband-and-Pet-Dad-in-the-Universe</i>. So three weekends passed without yours truly seeing a single hiking trail. Needless to say, when my usual Friday evening activity of selecting a hike for Saturday rolled around, I was second guessing my current state of physical fitness.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521470650/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Hwy 224 from the Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hwy 224 from the Clackamas River Trail" height="320" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8007/7521470650_84bb41a5d9_n.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hwy 224 from Clackamas River Trail</td></tr>
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As eager as I am to tackle steep and physically-demanding hikes such as Dog, Larch, Saddle, Kings, or Elk Mountains, I knew that to do one today wouldn't be the best idea. I needed to get back into better shape first. I needed a hike that was moderately steep (under 1,500 ft) and moderately lengthy (between 5 and 8 miles). So the Clackamas River Trail seemed appealing.<br />
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The first thing to mention is the drive out to the Clackamas River Trail. It's absolutely beautiful. Highway 224 becomes a thrilling scenic drive shortly after passing through the town of Estacada, Oregon. It is one of my favorite roads to drive: it is twisty without being nauseating, about every mile there is a place to pull over, it follows the often loud and churning Clackamas River, and the Clackamas River Gorge, although obviously not as grandiose as the Columbia River Gorge, is still remarkable. <br />
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After crossing two bridges, one right after another, on highway 224 roughly 14 miles south of Estacada, you'll turn right onto Fish Creek road for about 100 yards to a small gravel parking area. The trailhead is across the street from the parking area.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7520918208/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Rocky Beach at Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Rocky Beach at Clackamas River Trail" height="320" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8168/7520918208_d295a5328b_n.jpg" width="214" /></a>The stretch of the trail from the parking lot to the rocky "beach" I will label the first leg. This first leg is about 1 mile long, is very easy, and drops you off at what I think is a perfect place to relax, get some sun, read a book, have a picnic, take a dip, or just sit and watch the rafters and kayakers maneuver by. Guidebooks may tend to call this rocky outcrop a "beach" but it is really more like a flat but bumpy platform that juts out into the river. There are "tidepools" and little nooks and crannies perfect for dunking your feet into or, if it's late summer, your whole body into. Just don't venture out of these nooks and crannies, or else you'll get caught up in the very powerful and hazardous current. I spent a good 15 minutes sitting on this outcrop wishing I had a picnic, a novel, my swim trunks, a small towel, or heck, a can of beer. Part of me didn't even want to continue down the trail; I would've been perfectly content making a day out of hanging out on this rocky "beach." In fact, in the future, when I return to the Clackamas River Trail, I will likely do just that: remain on the "beach."<br />
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Here's what this rocky "beach" looks like, as well as that easy first leg of the trail that brings you to it. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7520894976/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Clackamas River Trail" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8027/7520894976_9b2ef4453a.jpg" width="334" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7520901046/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Clackamas River by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Clackamas River" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7272/7520901046_84e2825892_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7520906888/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Clackamas River Trail" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8018/7520906888_925086dacd_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7520904052/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7255/7520904052_770186ebd2_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7520931800/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8422/7520931800_24185dd331_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7520910396/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Rocky Beach at Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Rocky Beach at Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8160/7520910396_2bf863e009_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7520920970/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="on the Rocky Beach at Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="on the Rocky Beach at Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8167/7520920970_820f2ed34a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7520918208/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Rocky Beach at Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Rocky Beach at Clackamas River Trail" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8168/7520918208_d295a5328b_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7520938088/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Looking downstream at the Rocky Beach at Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Looking downstream at the Rocky Beach at Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8160/7520938088_92b11d3fcd_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521314794/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Clackamas River by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Clackamas River" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8157/7521314794_dcf16574c0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521321928/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Kayakers on the Clackamas River by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Kayakers on the Clackamas River" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7127/7521321928_89342807b9_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521331686/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Kayaker on Clackamas River by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Kayaker on Clackamas River" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8014/7521331686_39b279c85a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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If you can tear yourself away from the rocky "beach" (in a way, why would you?) continue upstream along the Clackamas River and down the trail. This second leg of the trail, roughly 1.75 miles long, fell victim to a forest fire in 2003 and the charred, hollowed out remains of old-growth trees line the trail like upright coffins. It's really a sight. Since this forest burned, it is also quite exposed and open to the elements. On a hot, sunny midday like the one I encountered today, you'll feel it most on this second leg of the trail as the sun beats down on you from directly above. (No worries, much better shade is not far ahead, in the third leg.) It is here, on the second leg, that you will start to experience a little elevation change. At certain points the trail will rise high above the level of the river, giving hikers good vantage points of the bright blue guided rafts floating on down below. <br />
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It is also on this leg of the trail where you may start to hear gunshots. That's right, gunshots. Far across the river, located on a mound above the highway, is an access area that attracts shooters. Fear not, they fire into the rock face in front of them, not in your direction whatsoever. On my way to Pup Creek, I stopped and just barely made out a few individuals firing a semi-automatic rifle at targets. You may not be able to see shooters very well from this distance, but unless you are stone deaf you will <i>definitely</i> hear them. The pop and crack of the discharges echo loudly in this small river gorge. Rather than fear the gunshots, fear the poison oak instead. This burn area has a decent amount of it. At one point, when descending down a stretch to reconnect with the river at its level, I nearly walked into an oily bush of poison oak that was about shoulder height due to its placement on the slope. So keep your eyes open!<br />
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Here are photos from the second leg of the hike, through the burn area.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521416674/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7272/7521416674_318e904034_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521363122/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="an old-growth tree hollowed out and charred from the 2003 forest fire by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="an old-growth tree hollowed out and charred from the 2003 forest fire" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8426/7521363122_cb8a00b8ab_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521402312/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Tree trunks charred in the 2003 forest fire by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Tree trunks charred in the 2003 forest fire" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7270/7521402312_0f172734ec_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521369014/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7266/7521369014_2f68607982_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521394368/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Columbine by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Columbine" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7275/7521394368_b808fc3cc4_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521423396/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="on Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="on Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7117/7521423396_78ae50deaa_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521431124/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Clackamas River Trail" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7274/7521431124_cb1888655f_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521436414/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="a second hidden "beach" on Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a second hidden "beach" on Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7131/7521436414_842b7a2402_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521446076/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7261/7521446076_6110f4a5b3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521459174/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="clear blue water of Clackamas River by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="clear blue water of Clackamas River" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8016/7521459174_0c5bb67a0c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521478332/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7261/7521478332_969ecefb52_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521504938/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Daisy by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Daisy" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8148/7521504938_6fd33e56a8_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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The last leg of the trail leaves the burn zone and enters into a wondrous old forest that is far darker and shadier than the one you just left. In it you will find another small and shaded beach just off the main path, you will cross a campground accessed only on foot or by boat, and scramble down to a creek-side spot to sit near the bottom of the roughly 100 foot tall Pup Creek Falls. <br />
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Pup Creek Falls is a far cry from the beauty and grandeur of Ramona Falls, Multnomah Falls, or the biggies at Silver Falls State Park, but it is a very pleasant place to stop, rest your legs, and take in the rush and spray of a great waterfall. And besides, the one thing that Pup Creek Falls can offer you that Multnomah Falls or Silver Fall's State Park cannot offer you is solitude! I was the only person admiring Pup Creek Falls during the roughly 20 minutes I sat there. I could enjoy the sound of the waterfall in front of me and the river behind me. Try getting even a moment of solitude or peace and quiet at Multnomah Falls or Silver Falls State Park! Not going to happen! But Pup Creek, accessible only by foot via a 3.5 mile hike in one direction, is a great reward and a great place to take a load off for a while.<br />
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Here are photos from the beautiful Pup Creek Falls and the third leg of the trail.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521511180/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8143/7521511180_c06a7c8215_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521548176/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7126/7521548176_eaabd4de11_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521534174/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="the camping area along Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="the camping area along Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8281/7521534174_b952038cca_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521526120/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7119/7521526120_3ec1cec52d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521603634/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Guided Rafting trips down the Clackamas River by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Guided Rafting trips down the Clackamas River" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7127/7521603634_2c740842d9_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521592862/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8155/7521592862_d93b684a2a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521571472/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="stepping stones over a creek on the Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="stepping stones over a creek on the Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8003/7521571472_a91a8243c5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521610286/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7248/7521610286_81dbfa86a5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521637436/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Pup Creek Falls - Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Pup Creek Falls - Clackamas River Trail" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7122/7521637436_d71a562305_z.jpg" width="431" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7521654750/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Pup Creek Falls under blue skies - Clackamas River Trail by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Pup Creek Falls under blue skies - Clackamas River Trail" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8001/7521654750_d66cd58cda_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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It was moments before leaving my little nest at the base of Pup Creek Falls that it hit me: I had drank all my water, I had no food, I was extremely thirsty, hungry, and hot. And because of this, I felt very fatigued. Why do I do this to myself? I was in such a hurry to get out of the car and get some hiking done that I neglected to pull over on my way here and get something edible to pack in my bag; and I wrongly assumed that one Nalgene worth of water was enough. Realizing I had 3.8 miles to hike before I get to my car, and another 15 minutes worth of driving before I get into Estacada, I decided it was a good time to pack up, say tah tah to Pup Creek Falls, an book it back to my car. I don't think I've ever hiked this fast. I put the camera into my camera bag and was in a state of near-jog all the way back. Even though I hiked about as fast as I could, it felt like it took three times as long as it did because I was so hungry and thirsty (and therefore without energy).<br />
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I was relieved once I got back to the trailhead. I drove like hell back into Estacada, slammed into a parking spot in front of Fearless Brewing, all but sprinted into the front door, downed three glasses of water, destroyed a bratwurst and a catfish sandwich (both, as usual, amazing!) and slowly nursed two Fearless Scottish Ales while my body regained equilibrium.<br />
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So yes, I will not be doing that again. Especially if you're just day hiking, where weight is really not the biggest of issues, you're almost better off bringing too much water and food than too little. I have never really been a fan of heavy heat and blazing sun, and this trail had many more open, exposed parts than I thought it would. I sweat a lot of water out of my body on this hike, and I didn't have nearly enough to replenish. That's not a good feeling at all, let me tell you. And food! You need energy! Now I'm no expert hiker, but I'm certainly not a beginner either. But today, I acted like a beginner, and I learned a good lesson out of it.The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com658844-59790 Clackamas Hwy, Mt. Hood National Forest, Estacada, OR 97023, USA45.090005109822684 -122.0718383789062545.000428609822684 -122.22976687890625 45.179581609822684 -121.91390987890625tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-76148851063804589752012-06-24T19:27:00.002-07:002012-06-24T19:55:28.524-07:00Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Hunchback Mountain</b></div>
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<i>5 miles round trip to rock pile | 2,200 feet elevation gain</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7373592660/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7080/7373592660_3d83f8b8f8_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7373583482/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7218/7373583482_e076228943_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7417297034/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness sign nailed to a Cedar in the Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness sign nailed to a Cedar in the Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8160/7417297034_0e90c2a194.jpg" width="334" /></a></div>
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To all of you exercise freaks and masochists out there: have I got a hike for you! The same goes for all of you either trying to get in shape or lose weight. Hunchback Mountain is STEEP... and according to my guidebooks it isn't even the steepest in the area! Granted, I am not in pinnacle shape. Far from it. At present, I am really only able to hike once a week, on Saturdays; and my weekdays see minimal-moderate exercise. So maybe this hike wouldn't have seemed quite so steep to a much more fit and athletic black watch sasquatch, but man!, this hike was no joke...<br />
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The good thing however is this: you're hiking to a ridge. The hike is only painfully steep during the climb <i>up </i>to the ridge. Once you reach the ridge, you'll find yourself on a much more level playing field comparably.<br />
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The first leg of the hike (the first half of the climb up to the ridge) is not bad at all. You're definitely ascending, but the climb is gradual enough that you really aren't going to be slowed down or winded too terribly. And it is, of course, beautiful down here. At the trailhead you'll pass by what appears to be an old abandoned Hobbit house (see below). To be honest, I'm not certain what this little structure used to be, but whatever it is, it looks cool. From here you start to climb gradually. I would encourage you not to look up. Just when you think you might soon be reaching the top, you realize you aren't even close yet.
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In fact, rather than looking up, try instead to keep an eye downward and watch your step. This trail is home to large banana slugs (see below) that seem to thrive on danger- that danger being the boots of hikers. I had to side step a few of them, and I relocated a few more out of harm's way. <br />
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Here are some photos from that first leg of the hike- what I have dubbed "<i>the calm before the storm":</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7417289290/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8161/7417289290_404259091c.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7417294326/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8144/7417294326_d97861b579_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7417303322/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7263/7417303322_b8ce6e302a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7417307456/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="When a tree falls and blocks the trail, you have to improvise - at the Hunchback Mountain trail - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="When a tree falls and blocks the trail, you have to improvise - at the Hunchback Mountain trail - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8147/7417307456_3f27e942b7.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When a tree falls and blocks the trail, you have to use your imagination a little in finding a way around it</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7417349632/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5443/7417349632_80d7707b9e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7417318712/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="a Banana Slug at Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a Banana Slug at Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5334/7417318712_2128e5674f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7417344552/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7262/7417344552_e44aacb076_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7188344475/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5451/7188344475_6f39219d4a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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About half way through your climb up to the ridge the going gets really tough. Just as you start to notice the burn in your legs, the steepness of the hike seems to double. This is the first hike I've taken since the inception of this blog where I had to periodically stop and take breaks. Physically, it was kicking my ass. I admittedly let out a few f-bombs to myself alone in the woods... <i>(if the black watch sasquatch says the f-word in the woods and nobody hears it, does it make a sound?)</i><br />
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I started to daydream about the flatter, more enjoyable hikes of my past: hikes like the peaceful and easy Salmon River trail, just a stones throw away from this one. I never once wanted to give up and turn around, but if I had had a good reason to, I would have perhaps given in. I had never hiked so slowly in my life. 100 yards felt like a mile with the trail being this steep. At times the steepness forced me to walk on the tips of my toes for long distances, my heels rarely touching the ground. I was fatigued and growing more so with every switchback. I admit to myself that, no matter how much I loved hiking and the great outdoors, I was not enjoying myself during this portion of the trail. I wasn't having fun, per se. The beauty of the forest didn't matter because all I could think about was getting off this grade and to flatter ground high above. Like any burning work out, I was glad that I was doing it but impatiently eager to get it over with. <br />
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Now, it is difficult to capture the steepness of a mountain trail with a camera, think about it. But, photographing the switchbacks was the best means by which I could try to show you, the viewer, just how steep this trail was during this "second leg" of the trail. Here are my attempts below:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7373593822/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7237/7373593822_435ac44854_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7417365266/" title="STEEP!!! - Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="STEEP!!! - Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5444/7417365266_6352ec9896_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7373595874/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5461/7373595874_919e79c547_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7188370645/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7244/7188370645_b53435f614_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7417281360/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7126/7417281360_df40875b29_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bird Condominium Tower</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7417265646/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5118/7417265646_ac45c38560_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7417247914/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="334" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5075/7417247914_9a6516294a.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7417252872/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7123/7417252872_e84b5f28cf_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Finally, just when you hit that point where you don't know if your legs could take another 10 more yards of torturous incline, you reach the rocky lookout on the top of the ridge. For goodness sake, hiker, <i>sit down and rest for a moment. </i>The view from the ridge is magnificent, stretching out across the Salmon River valley below. Watch your footing up here, it is nearly a straight drop-off from the ridge, and your legs are more than likely going to be wobbly. I sat down next to a charred spot on the ridge where hikers must have built a campfire recently. For about 40 minutes I just lounged there looking out over the ridge and down into the heavily forested Salmon River valley below. I did not see a single other person on the hike on the way up; and now, at the top, I was still totally alone. I had the ridge all to myself. It was so peaceful and quiet.<br />
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Here are some photos taken from that first ridge:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7188364241/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7088/7188364241_c65c47e727_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7188352907/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8005/7188352907_a64a575b79_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7373589368/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7222/7373589368_e33cb87d6d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7373588382/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7240/7373588382_61f715d930_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7373584436/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7211/7373584436_252ca76b12_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7188368501/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5470/7188368501_009468df32_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7188367535/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7243/7188367535_f237a34508_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once my legs were restored to questionable and mediocre health I decided to push on an extra mile to a rock pile with a view of Mt. Hood. The climb from the ridge up to the rock pile was far less painful than the initial climb up to the ridge itself, but it was still a climb to be felt in your already tired legs. The forest floor up here is very open, allowing you to see for long distances. At times it is almost hard to tell where the actual trail is given its likeness to the rest of the forest floor. You'll happen upon a bent and abused sign nailed to a tree that points you in the direction of the rock pile, just a short distance off the main trail (see below).<br />
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It was at the rock pile that something finally dawned on me: I was the only person on this trail. In William L. Sullivan's guidebook entry on this hike, he mentioned how the traffic noise from Hwy 26 will slowly grow quieter and quieter the higher up you go. Now, standing on top of the rock pile, I experienced utter silence except for a wind gust growing in strength. To my knowledge I was the only person on the trail. I had been the only car in the parking lot at the trailhead too. That feeling of being miles away from another human being, complete (or, seemingly complete) solitude deep in a wilderness- it is both calming and thrilling.<br />
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Here are photos from that third leg of the trail- from the ridge to the rock pile: <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7373594918/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7105/7373594918_e5ab56dbf1_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7373591654/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7212/7373591654_100a841c1d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7373590452/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7232/7373590452_151fe736ed_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7373602494/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7098/7373602494_6d5858b243_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7188371835/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8023/7188371835_f2f2777e72_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7188372935/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8026/7188372935_a57df2893f_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steep path up to the rock pile</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7188346083/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7082/7188346083_8123d91a55_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock pile at Hunchback Mountain (those rocks are more like boulders- much bigger than they look)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7373580322/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Mt. Hood from the Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Mt. Hood from the Hunchback Mountain Trail #793 - Mt. Hood National Forest" height="309" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7091/7373580322_19e13cbd3a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Mt. Hood from the rock pile at Hunchback Mountain</td></tr>
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And even though I have been very eager to try other roadhouse-type restaurants in the Zigzag / Rhododendron area, I couldn't help but be drawn back to the <a href="http://zigzaginn.com/" target="_blank">Zigzag Inn</a> for a personal pizza and an ice cold <a href="http://www.iceaxegrill.com/mthoodbrewco.php" target="_blank">Ice Axe IPA</a> brewed just right up the highway in Government Camp. I had roughly the same meal at the end of my hike of <a href="http://blackwatchsasquatch.blogspot.com/2011/12/salmon-river.html">Salmon River Trail</a> back in December 2011, which was the first hike I blogged about as Black Watch Sasquatch (and which I shot with a cheap point-n-click camera). A bit of nostalgia came over me. Due to winter and spring snow levels, Mt. Hood had largely been off limits to me, so I set my sights on the Columbia Gorge instead. Now, with summer finally here, the Mt. Hood National Forest has reopened itself to me, and I am very eager to tackle some of the mountain's greatest hikes over the coming months. But being that the Zigzag Inn treated me so well after my first hike as a blogger, I wanted to return, order the same thing, and slip into a tired but joyful state of revelry. <br />
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I ordered an Oregon Shrimp and Pineapple Pizza and a pint of Ice Axe. I destroyed that pizza in just a few minutes time.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7436802140/" title="Zigzag Inn by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Zigzag Inn" height="334" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5114/7436802140_fd2b0b5cc5.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7436810816/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Oregon shrimp, black olive, and pineapple pizza at Zigzag Inn by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Oregon shrimp, black olive, and pineapple pizza at Zigzag Inn" height="428" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5323/7436810816_b34b11e804_z.jpg" width="640" /></a>The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com3Zigzag, Mt Hood Village, OR, USA45.3440078 -121.943135545.3328473 -121.9628765 45.3551683 -121.9233945tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-14707771137889890932012-06-11T15:12:00.001-07:002012-07-27T16:02:30.829-07:00Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Tom McCall Point Summit at Tom McCall Preserve</b></div>
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<i>3.4 miles roundtrip | 1,100 feet elevation gain</i></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7167804083/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Balsamroot lines the Tom McCall Preserve trail - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Balsamroot lines the Tom McCall Preserve trail - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7076/7167804083_05ce19f21b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balsamroot along the Tom McCall Point trail - Eastern Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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East of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hood_River,_Oregon" target="_blank">Hood River, Oregon</a>, right outside of a little town called Mosier via the twisty and gorgeous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historic_Columbia_River_Highway" target="_blank">Historic Columbia River Hwy</a>, lies the Tom McCall Preserve- a windy, wildflower paradise atop a plateau with excellent views of the river down below. <br />
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A circular parking area just off the Historic Columbia River Hwy (henceforth abbreviated as the HCRH) is a beautiful place for motorists to show off their cars as well as the starting point for two hikes: an easy one that brings you down to the edge of the plateau past a couple of ponds and a moderate-to-difficult one that climbs to a summit with a panoramic view to the west. It was the latter which I did today.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7353008314/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="320" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7230/7353008314_b12eefdb7d_n.jpg" width="214" /></a>The first observation I made when exiting off of interstate 84 and onto this eastern stretch of the Historic Columbia River Hwy was "<i>man it is so pretty out here!" </i>The dry Eastern Gorge looks and feels (and smells) very different than the wet Western Gorge, and I highly recommend Portlanders and others living west of the Cascades to jump over to the eastern side once in a while. It is such a beautiful change of scenery. The Eastern Gorge reminds me to an extent of certain parts of California, Idaho, and Colorado. Ponderosa Pines rather than Douglas Firs. Grassland rather than ferns. Wildflowers rather than moss. Dirt rather than mud. Sun rather than clouds. It is almost as if by driving through the town of Hood River you exit one ecosystem and enter an entirely different one (making the town of Hood River even more appealing than it already most certainly is).<br />
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The HCRH winds through the sleepy but charming town of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosier,_Oregon" target="_blank">Mosier</a> and up into beautiful meadows. This short stretch of the HCRH between Mosier and Rowena is one of my favorite roads to drive. It is bucolic, breezy, manicured, twisty, a motorist's wet-dream. Growing up in the Midwest, with its dull, straight roads lined with flat, boring farmland, I only dreamed of one day living in a state with roads this exciting and scenic.<br />
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As I arrived at the circle drive/parking area at Tom McCall an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo" target="_blank">Alfa-Romeo</a> automobile club was just about to embark on their weekend drive. And I must say, what a perfect rendezvous point for a classic automobile club! I was able to park and take a few photos as the old, Italian beauties were melodiously buzzing out of the parking lot and down the HCRH's hairpin curves.<br />
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Here are some photos:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7167776153/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Alfa Romeo - Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Alfa Romeo - Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="363" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8021/7167776153_ab5b90fefb_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7352989170/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Alfa Romeo - Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Alfa Romeo - Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="479" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7087/7352989170_43f393d59a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7352987766/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="an Alfa Romeo club driving down the Historic Columbia River Hwy by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="an Alfa Romeo club driving down the Historic Columbia River Hwy" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7233/7352987766_74e8486db2_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7167776657/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Interstate 84, the Historic Columbia River Hwy, and the Columbia River - Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Interstate 84, the Historic Columbia River Hwy, and the Columbia River - Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7217/7167776657_fc8d3d61a1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The twisty Historic Columbia River Hwy with Interstate 84 paralleling the river and heading east in the distance</td></tr>
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Distracted by the Alpha Romeo's, each with their own snarl-y exhaust rips, it wasn't until after the car club left that I realized how dang WINDY it was out here! I didn't even bother wearing a hat, because it would've instantly blown off; and what would have otherwise been a hot day actually turned out to be borderline cold given the blasts of chilled air blowing in from the east. I began regretting that I only had a light long-sleeve shirt. But, thankfully, the upcoming hike was steep, so I immediately warmed up, even to the point of shedding the long-sleeve. <br />
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All those little yellow dots you see out there in the grasslands when you drive into Tom McCall, yeah those aren't dandelions. They're yellow <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balsamroot" target="_blank">balsamroot</a>... and they are everywhere! And those little accents of purple you see amid the clusters of yellow are blue <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupin" target="_blank">lupine</a>! May is the quintessential time to visit Tom McCall for this very reason: Wildflowers!<br />
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Here are some photos of what to expect flowerwise:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7167777961/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Balsamroot - Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Balsamroot - Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7228/7167777961_c00d5b590f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balsamroot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7352993118/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Blue Lupines - Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Blue Lupines - Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8149/7352993118_e0b768b391_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue Lupine</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7353012798/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8167/7353012798_a4ac90a169_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The hike leading up to the summit of Tom McCall Point is not the steepest hike I've ever taken, but it is pretty damn steep. You'll get a work-out, let's just say that. It's only 1.7 miles to the top, but you climb the entire time. By the time you finally get to the top you'll be eager to sit down for a moment. If this steep hike were much more than 1.7 miles one way I would likely classify this as a <i>difficult hike </i>rather than a <i>moderate hike.</i> The main reason I find it more <i>moderate </i>than <i>difficult </i>is because the brutal climb is over fairly quickly. So consider this a nice, quick work-out. <br />
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Here's a rough look at where you are going when you hike to the Tom McCall Point Summit:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7352993584/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7219/7352993584_697730b5c4_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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If it wasn't for the continual, strong winds I would've broken quite a sweat, especially given the sun, on this climb. Once you get to the summit I suggest sitting down and relaxing for a while. Take in the views and the wildflowers. On a clear day you'll see Mt. Hood's head in the distance behind the hills. On the way back down you'll have a bird's-eye-view of the little river town of Lyle, Washington, as well as interstate 84 and the twisty HCRH down below. Just keep an eye out for poison oak (see below). <br />
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Here are photos of the hike up to Tom McCall Point :<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7167803473/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8013/7167803473_c0d57d8457_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from the Tom McCall Point trail - Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia Gorge</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7353015242/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7242/7353015242_68eeafab1a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking up at the summit of Tom McCall Point - Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia Gorge</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7167805835/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7097/7167805835_6ed4daa0f3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia Gorge</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7167814627/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8019/7167814627_f7dea55979_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down at the parking area and plateau - Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia Gorge</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7353017232/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7072/7353017232_b1e8bea52d_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trail can get STEEP! - Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia Gorge</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7167809167/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7228/7167809167_fea3ca7158_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia Gorge</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7353027792/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Lyle, Washington in the distance - Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Lyle, Washington in the distance - Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7229/7353027792_041fd86291_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lyle, Washington from the Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia Gorge</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7353017900/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="521" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7232/7353017900_9db09a3668_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The make-shift summit marker at the Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia Gorge</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7353018604/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Summit at Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Summit at Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8022/7353018604_a44f4d7b23_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View looking west from the summit at Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia Gorge</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7167808517/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Summit at Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Summit at Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="379" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7244/7167808517_8d4aaec424_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hikers on the summit at Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia Gorge</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7353020308/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="View from Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="View from Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8026/7353020308_887d8a43a1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View looking west from the summit at Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia Gorge</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7167805235/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia River Gorge" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8007/7167805235_63d61362c0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hikers on their way back down with Lyle, Washington in the distance - Tom McCall Preserve - Eastern Columbia Gorge</td></tr>
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But.... one a quick side note...<br />
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<b>WARNING: POISON OAK!!!!</b><br />
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The hike up to the Tom McCall Point summit is full of some of the oiliest, nastiest poison oak I've ever seen, much of which lines the trail itself. If you don't know what it looks like, see below. It's a three-leafed plant: one leaf straight forward from the stem and the other two on each side. It is usually rather droopy as a plant too, and it is almost always close to the ground. I would highly advise you not to wear shorts on this trail, regardless of how hot it is. If you so do wear shorts make sure to wear high socks and pull them up. But even then, you had better watch where you're going. I have never personally experienced poison oak, but I've heard that once you get it, you will do whatever it takes to never have to endure it ever again.<br />
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One word of advice: this trail can get crowded, especially on spring and summer weekends, but the trail is also very narrow and populated with poison oak. Chances are you will have to step aside into vegetation to let hikers pass by, and when you do, <b>watch where you step! </b>When I was coming back down the trail a couple of hikers stepped aside to let me pass, and as I walked by I noticed they had stepped right into a bunch of poison oak. Luckily they had long pants on, but the oils on poison oak can travel on clothing and shoes, only to rain on your parade at a later time. So watch where you step, especially if you have to step aside to let fellow hikers pass. <br />
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Here is what Poison Oak looks like. And note, it isn't always green. Sometimes, especially in the fall, it can take on a red color. And also note that is it not always this shiny either. This is some of the oiliest, nastiest poison oak I've ever seen. My wife, who's suffered through a bout with poison oak before, could hardly even look at these photos. So, apparently it is not a pleasurable experience. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7353010218/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Poison Oak by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Poison Oak" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7218/7353010218_591bea9f75_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7167829433/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Poison Oak by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Poison Oak" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7089/7167829433_3f9ab2ed15_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7167818203/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Poison Oak by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Poison Oak" height="593" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8017/7167818203_006a460c15_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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But let's shy away from that scoundrel poison oak and end this blog entry on a more jubilant, positive note, what do you say? Let's move away from poison plants and on to a delicious ones instead, namely locally-grown hops and cherries. <br />
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After hiking Tom McCall Point I was looking for any means by which to get out of the roaring wind and rest my legs. And what better place to do this than at <a href="http://doublemountainbrewery.com/" target="_blank">Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom</a> in downtown Hood River, Oregon? That's a rhetorical question...<br />
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Double Mountain makes some of the greatest beers I have ever tasted; and needless to say I have been eager to sample every damn beer they've ever crafted. I have also heard really good things about their pizza, but sadly I couldn't try it this time around- their kitchen was closed due to renovations and expansion (but hey, this is great news- Double Mountain is expanding!!). But no worries, I will return to Double Mountain over and over again in my numerous trips to Hood River. I will, in due time, gobble down a slice or two of their pizza, and wash each down with a beer of theirs I haven't tried yet.<br />
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I tried two today: the Gravity Mountain Collaboration IPA (a joint venture between two of Oregon's most beloved brewers- Double Mountain and <a href="http://www.terminalgravitybrewing.com/" target="_blank">Terminal Gravity</a>) and the Devil's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kriek_lambic" target="_blank">Kriek</a> Fruitbeer (a tart Belgian lambic fermented with 200 pounds of locally-grown cherries). Both were absolutely<i> outstanding</i>! The Kriek's full-bodied cherry flavor reminded me of the cherry wines made in southwestern Michigan where my family and I used to vacation. Being a lover of IPA, I was especially fond of the flavor, mellow mouthfeel, and quality of the Collaboration. One of the most refreshing yet complex IPAs I've ever tasted. <br />
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Here are a few photos from Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom in downtown Hood River, Oregon. No, it isn't typically dusty, it's under construction:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7167853945/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Double Mountain Brewery - Hood River, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Double Mountain Brewery - Hood River, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8149/7167853945_9d5620021f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom - Hood River, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7353043668/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="a Collaboration IPA at Double Mountain Brewery - Hood River, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a Collaboration IPA at Double Mountain Brewery - Hood River, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8148/7353043668_cfc8f0e66b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gravity Mountain Collaboration IPA (Terminal Gravity & Double Mountain Breweries) - Hood River, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7353096108/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="a Collaboration IPA at Double Mountain Brewery - Hood River, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a Collaboration IPA at Double Mountain Brewery - Hood River, Oregon" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7238/7353096108_b30a8cbe21_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gravity Mountain Collaboration IPA - Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom - Hood River, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7167838443/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Devil's Kriek at Double Mountain Brewery - Hood River, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Devil's Kriek at Double Mountain Brewery - Hood River, Oregon" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7240/7167838443_b2ec0aaa61.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two cherry brews on tap at Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom - Hood River, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7353054172/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Devil's Kriek at Double Mountain Brewery - Hood River, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Devil's Kriek at Double Mountain Brewery - Hood River, Oregon" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7221/7353054172_c321aecd47_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Devil's Kriek - Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom - Hood River, Oregon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com3Mosier, OR 97040, USA45.6834528 -121.39729545.672359799999995 -121.417036 45.6945458 -121.377554tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-82488920627646721512012-06-06T16:10:00.002-07:002012-06-08T10:25:24.245-07:00Mt. St. Helens from Johnston Ridge Observatory<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Mt. St. Helens</b></div>
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<b>Johnston Ridge Observatory, Coldwater Lake & the Hummocks Trail</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7193894468/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Mt. St. Helens by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Mt. St. Helens" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7237/7193894468_aa300743ce_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. St. Helens three days before its 32nd Anniversary</td></tr>
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Driving up Hwy 504 toward the Johnston Ridge Observatory, with Mt. St. Helens visible in the distance and getting closer and closer, you pass a large road sign right before crossing a bridge that reads "<b>Entering Blast Zone</b>." A smirk formed on my face...<br />
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I arrived at Johnston Ridge first thing in the morning on opening day- the Sunday before the 32nd Anniversary of its eruption, with only a few other cars in the parking lot. I was able to stand high up on the ridge away from the visitor center in utter silence, before the crowds arrived, taking in the monumental sight before my eyes. To witness Mt. St. Helens from Johnston Ridge is one of the most breathtakingly awe-some and haunting things I've ever done. Once you fully understand the eruption that happened here on May 18, 1980, once you realize the <i>magnitude </i>of that eruption, you cannot help but just stand there and stare in awe, stunned as to how Nature can produce such a feat. It is, at the same time, one of the most beautiful and most eerie sights you'll ever see. The only thing separating where you stand on Johnston Ridge and the crater is the cavernous wasteland valley in between. <br />
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The <i>scale </i>of the disaster that ensued from Mt. St. Helens is absolutely mind-boggling. <i>Mind-boggling! </i>It has been estimated by scientists that the amount of thermal energy released during Helens' eruption is equal to over 1,500 atom bomb explosions. I cannot even wrap my brain around that....<br />
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When rising magma under the mountain formed a massive bulge on the north face, that land mass became unstable. Shortly before 8:30 a.m. on May 18, 1980 an earthquake shook the entire north face loose and it slid off the side of the mountain (along with the top 1,300ft of the mountain!) and down into the valley below. Meanwhile, when that massive section of the mountain slid off all that pressure underneath exploded laterally. It was like blowing the cork out of a shaken champagne bottle. The mountain exploded so hard that the pyroclastic flow (that sinister black cloud of death and destruction composed of superheated gas and rock debris) overtook the landslide!<br />
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Everything in its path was obliterated, including the young and enthusiastic geologist David Johnston, for whom the ridge was named. Johnston was stationed on this ridge when the eruption occurred. I could not even begin to imagine what he must have seen moments before his death. It's bone-chilling to even think about when you stand upon the ridge, not far from where he was stationed, and take in the size of the mountain- trying to imagine the size of the landslide as well as the magnitude of the blast; imagining what must have raced through Johnston's head when he saw that black, scorched pyroclastic cloud swallow up everything in front of him. It must have quite literally been, for lack of a better term, hell on earth. <br />
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Now, Johnston Ridge is home to a fortress-like Observatory and museum. The eeriness of Mt. St. Helens does not stop at the Observatory, which looks as though it was modeled after the bunkers in <i>Jurassic Park</i>. The Observatory has plenty of places to stand and take in the view, as well as a decent amount of very educational and easily understood information boards that explain the eruption. Inside you'll find a huge scale model of the area that lights up as a narrator explains the eruption. And yet again you're reminded of <i>Jurassic Park</i>- the narrator's voice at the scale model totally reminds me of the narrator's voice pipped into the Ford Explorers in <i>Jurassic Park.</i> I kept waiting for the voice to say "one of the earliest carnivores, we now know Dilophosaurus is actually poisonous, spitting its venom at its prey, causing blindness and eventually paralysis..." But, alas, it never did. Also inside the Observatory you'll find a massive tree trunk snapped like a twig, a hauntingly real look into the power of the volcanic eruption. You'll also find a gift shop, a small movie theater showing quick educational films about Mt. St. Helens, and touchscreen video monitors that walk visitors through the eruption step by step. <br />
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Side note: If you visit Johnston Ridge, be sure to stop off at the Observatory visitor center to pick up your bracelet. It is $8 per person, or free if you happen to have a <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/%21ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPwhQoY6BdkOyoCAPkATlA%21/?ss=1106&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=null&navid=200100000000000&pnavid=200000000000000&position=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&ttype=main&pname" target="_blank">Northwest Forest Pass</a>.<br />
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Here are photos taken from the Johnston Ridge Observatory:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7230995644/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Hwy 504 to Johnston Ridge - Mt St Helens by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hwy 504 to Johnston Ridge - Mt St Helens" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8005/7230995644_5de7f26ef8_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hwy 504 leading up to the Johnston Ridge Observatory - Mt. St. Helens</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7193797098/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="VW Van parked at the Johnston Ridge Observatory - Mt. St. Helens by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="VW Van parked at the Johnston Ridge Observatory - Mt. St. Helens" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8019/7193797098_50a1dc2835_z.jpg" width="498" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a VW bus parked in the Johnston Ridge Observatory parking lot - Mt. St. Helens</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7193814940/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Johnston Ridge Observatory - Mt. St. Helens by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Johnston Ridge Observatory - Mt. St. Helens" height="428" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5196/7193814940_63e92f4eb0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching the Johnston Ridge Observatory from the parking lot - Mt. St. Helens</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7193803336/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Mt. St. Helens from Johnston Ridge Observatory by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Mt. St. Helens from Johnston Ridge Observatory" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7219/7193803336_2dfee53bd7_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Mt. St. Helens from the Johnston Ridge Observatory</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7193831012/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Mt. St. Helens before eruption by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Mt. St. Helens before eruption" height="422" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5446/7193831012_2fae8bf9cd_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of Mt. St. Helens from Johnston Ridge prior to May 18, 1980 (and prior to this being named Johnston Ridge)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7194040652/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="A look at an old-growth snapped like a twig during the eruption - Johnston Ridge Observatory - Mt. St. Helens by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="A look at an old-growth snapped like a twig during the eruption - Johnston Ridge Observatory - Mt. St. Helens" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7078/7194040652_5ec82875d4_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the Johnston Ridge Observatory - an old growth stump that the eruption landslide snapped like a twig</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7193975120/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="the pink wrist band - Johnston Ridge Observatory - Mt. St. Helens by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="the pink wrist band - Johnston Ridge Observatory - Mt. St. Helens" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7218/7193975120_0cfe8fc961_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't forget your required wrist band - $8 at the Observatory or free if you have a Northwest Forest Pass</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7193855140/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="At Johnston Ridge Observatory - Mt. St. Helens by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="At Johnston Ridge Observatory - Mt. St. Helens" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7095/7193855140_59c76bf261_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Johnston Ridge Observatory - Mt. St. Helens</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7230882584/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Mt. St. Helens from Johnston Ridge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Mt. St. Helens from Johnston Ridge" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7088/7230882584_a45b93821b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Observation deck at Johnston Ridge - Mt. St. Helens</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7230887632/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Ranger giving a scientific presentation on the eruption of Mt St Helens by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Ranger giving a scientific presentation on the eruption of Mt St Helens" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7089/7230887632_54818d2cc6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A ranger gives a very interesting, if not haunting, recap of the 1980 eruption and its devastation of the area, including the very spot on which we stand.</td></tr>
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After visiting Johnston Ridge I became <i>obsessed </i>with Mt. St. Helens and the eruption. I wanted to know more, I wanted to see recreations, I wanted to hear scientists describe what happened, I wanted to watch the movie <i>Dante's Peak </i>with Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton, I wanted to watch documentaries, read witness accounts of the eruption, see as many photographs as I could, anything. I was <i>obsessed. </i>After watching several videos on YouTube I decided that the two following videos were among the best, so I decided to post them here for you to watch. The first video is an interview with scientists as they describe the eruption. The second video is a pretty decent animated recreation of the eruption. Both are haunting.<br />
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<b>Coldwater Lake Trail #211</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7194060980/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Coldwater Lake - Mt. St. Helens by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Coldwater Lake - Mt. St. Helens" height="471" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7233/7194060980_1323bdc6a0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coldwater Lake - Mt. St. Helens</td></tr>
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One of the most interesting facts about Coldwater Lake is that it did not exist prior to the 1980 eruption. It is proof that good can come from disaster, because it is a gorgeous area! The bright, crystal-clear turquoise waters, the rocky Coldwater Peak in the distance to the east, the crater of Mt. St. Helens to the south, the well-kept docks and boardwalks, the old growth stumps underwater, the canoes dotting the horizon, it's beautiful. </div>
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The Coldwater Lake trail (#211) follows the northern coastline of the lake. If you hike this on a hot, sunny day, you're going to feel it. There is little to no shade on this trail, due to how young (and therefore short) the vegetation is in the blast zone. There is a dusty, desert-like quality to the air up here, which is amplified on a hot sunny day, which was exactly the type of day I encountered during my afternoon hike. Needless to say, I desperately wanted to jump into Coldwater Lake. </div>
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Next time I return to this area I will jump into this lake, mark my words. But before hand I might bring a book and sit out on the dock and read for an hour. That is really what I recommend doing here at Coldwater Lake. Just relax. The hike is nice, but it gets better. Here at Coldwater Lake it's all about the scenery. Soak it in, especially since if, like me, you're from Portland, you probably aren't going to be making the 2-hour-one-way trip up here to Johnston Ridge very often. </div>
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Here are photos from the Coldwater Lake area:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7230904350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Map of Coldwater Lake and Johnston Ridge by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Map of Coldwater Lake and Johnston Ridge" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7094/7230904350_f7c2dd38cc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coldwater Lake and Hwy 504 ending at the parking loop at Johnston Ridge Observatory</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7230916824/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="a creepy "jurassic-parky" Mt. St. Helens restroom by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a creepy "jurassic-parky" Mt. St. Helens restroom" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7092/7230916824_ffeda8cfcd_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. St. Helens has a very eerie, "Jurassic Park-y" feel to it, and structures like these make it feel even more so. This restroom looks like something straight from the film set for <i>Jurassic Park</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7194076478/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Coldwater Lake - Mt. St. Helens by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Coldwater Lake - Mt. St. Helens" height="640" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5337/7194076478_74f8aa351d_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is a boardwalk-like, wheelchair-friendly walk along the water's edge at Coldwater Lake - Mt. St. Helens</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7230947730/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Coldwater Lake trail #211 by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Coldwater Lake trail #211" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7094/7230947730_f43fb0ce5d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the Coldwater Lake trail off to the left follows the north shore </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7230970944/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Old growth stump in Coldwater Lake - Mt St Helens by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Old growth stump in Coldwater Lake - Mt St Helens" height="391" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7103/7230970944_94595cfc13_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A massive old-growth stump reminds hikers that Coldwater Lake didn't exist prior to the 1980 eruption</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7230954176/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Coldwater Lake and Mt St Helens in the distance by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Coldwater Lake and Mt St Helens in the distance" height="428" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5443/7230954176_f3aa835901_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coldwater Lake from the trail with Mt. St. Helens off in the distance</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7230963448/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Coldwater Lake trail #211 - Mt St Helens by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Coldwater Lake trail #211 - Mt St Helens" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7104/7230963448_6d6b8a72df_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coldwater Lake trail - Mt. St. Helens</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7230986438/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="a family canoeing in Coldwater Lake - Mt St Helens by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a family canoeing in Coldwater Lake - Mt St Helens" height="408" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5113/7230986438_448ef72fb3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a family canoeing on Coldwater Lake with Mt. St. Helens' crater in the distance</td></tr>
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<b>Hummocks Trail #229</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7231076360/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Life slowly starting to return to what was once a barren wasteland - Mt St Helens by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Life slowly starting to return to what was once a barren wasteland - Mt St Helens" height="394" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7102/7231076360_0569d8a1a1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. St. Helens from the Hummocks Trail</td></tr>
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I know what you're thinking: <i>what on earth is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummock" target="_blank">Hummock</a>? </i>Well, it is basically a mound of earth and debris caused by a landslide. After a volcanic eruption, hummock fields can be found in the areas of the landslides (lahars). Viewed from above, these hummock fields sort of resemble a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mogul_%28skiing%29" target="_blank">mogul</a> run on a downhill ski slope- a big bumpy field. The Hummocks Trail (# 229) is basically a loop that takes you inside the edge of Mt. St. Helens' hummock field. </div>
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The Hummocks Trail, like the Coldwater Lake trail, is fairly exposed. This area used to be a total wasteland, resembling the face of the moon. Virtually all life was wiped out. But the eruption occurred 32 years ago, and life is slowly but surely starting to return to this area. The vegetation here is very young and very low to the ground. Be sure to pack sunscreen if it's a sunny day. A good portion of the trail does wander into virgin "forest," but don't expect it to look like your typical Pacific Northwestern forest of massive firs, a carpet of ferns, and moss clinging to whatever it can.</div>
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This is a relatively short and easy trail. At certain points the views of Mt. St. Helens and the blast zone are absolutely outstanding, especially at the junction of the Hummocks and Boundary trails and a lookout over the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toutle_River" target="_blank">Toutle River</a> (which looks like a creek compared to the massive trench the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahar" target="_blank">lahar</a> carved during the eruption, making the river seem to merely trickle through it). In fact, I would say that the very reason to do this hike, besides a little bit of quick exercise, is for these two views. </div>
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Here are photos from the Hummocks Trail:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7231003930/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Hummocks Trailhead #229 - Mt St Helens by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hummocks Trailhead #229 - Mt St Helens" height="541" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5331/7231003930_30baa722ed_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hummocks Trail #229 - Mt. St. Helens</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7231010188/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="on the Hummocks Trail #229 - Mt St Helens by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="on the Hummocks Trail #229 - Mt St Helens" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7099/7231010188_ec1bd33448_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from the Hummocks Trail - Mt. St. Helens</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7231016270/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="One look at the power of the Mt St Helens eruption - an old growth tree jammed into the ground by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="One look at the power of the Mt St Helens eruption - an old growth tree jammed into the ground" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7220/7231016270_0b4c562614_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A debris avalanche (called a lahar) caused this hummock I'm standing on. The old-growth tree protruding from the solid ground is a haunting reminder of the power of a lahar sliding off of Mt. St. Helens during the eruption. I placed my camera bag on the ground for size reference.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7231028436/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Mt St Helens from the junction of the Hummocks and Boundary trails by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Mt St Helens from the junction of the Hummocks and Boundary trails" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7212/7231028436_7e9b8b241d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The junction of The Boundary Trail and The Hummocks Trail in the hummock field - Mt. St. Helens</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7231090458/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="the path cut by the lahar (massive tsunami-like mudflow) that rushed down into the surrounding area when Mt St Helens blew by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="the path cut by the lahar (massive tsunami-like mudflow) that rushed down into the surrounding area when Mt St Helens blew" height="428" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5321/7231090458_2a06170131_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Toutle River and a trench carved by the lahar (debris avalanche) that slide off Mt. St. Helens and leveled everything in its path. For size reference, note the group of people standing toward the bottom middle of the photograph.</td></tr>
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I did not want to leave Mt. St. Helens for two reasons. First, Johnston Ridge is not exactly "close" to Portland. It takes a good 2 hours each way to get to these views. Coming up to Johnston Ridge is likely something I will only get to experience a few times a year, so I want to savor every moment. Second, and most importantly, there is something about this view of Mt. St. Helens, combined with your knowledge of what happened here in May of 1980, that begs you to stop and stare at it. Irrationally, there is almost a sort of "what if" about standing on Johnston Ridge and looking at the crater. "What if it starts smoking all of the sudden? What if the western face just breaks off while I'm standing here? What if the lava dome suddenly explodes?" There is an eerie anticipation when standing in front of Mt. St. Helens. It is, after all, a very active volcano still. My imagination runs amok at Mt. St. Helens and draws me into a trance where all I want to do is sit and stare at the mountain, the crater, the blast zone, the hummocks field, the dead tree stumps, all of it. It is a sight that no picture will ever capture- it has to be seen with your own eyes, and I only hope you, reader, get to one day experience it. </div>
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On the way back down Hwy 504 toward home, I couldn't help but pull over at the various viewpoints along the way. I wanted to get as many last views of Mt. St. Helens as possible before returning to the city. I am drawn to mountain like a moth to a street lamp. Whenever a guests visits me in Portland for a long enough time, I will certainly offer to take them here. It is something you just have to experience. And the more you learn about the eruption that occurred here just 32 years ago, the more mind-blowing, haunting, and beautiful that experience will be. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7193761758/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="a Sunday drive up to Mt. St. Helens by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a Sunday drive up to Mt. St. Helens" height="384" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7083/7193761758_8700380a01_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Few things rival a Sunday Drive up Hwy 504 to the Johnston Ridge Observatory - Mt. St. Helens</td></tr>
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<br /></div>The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com2Spirit Lake Hwy, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Cougar, WA 98616, USA46.2780302 -122.216464346.2766582 -122.2189318 46.279402200000007 -122.2139968tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-85930774615583563012012-05-16T15:11:00.001-07:002012-05-16T15:12:31.331-07:00Washington Park & Hoyt Arboretum<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Washington Park & Hoyt Arboretum</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174352980/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Inside Washington Park - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Inside Washington Park - Portland, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7079/7174352980_bea085bbd7_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174043416/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7104/7174043416_130d0b5ca4_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174157536/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Entrance to Japanese Gardens - Washington Park - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Entrance to Japanese Gardens - Washington Park - Portland, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8001/7174157536_d6406709a2_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The urban parks that border the western edge of Portland's downtown, which includes Washington Park and the Hoyt Arboretum, are arguably the greatest urban parks you'll find in the United States. I'd go as far as saying that they are among the greatest world-wide. Portlanders really are fortunate to have what could almost be considered a <i>wilderness</i> within <i>walking distance </i>of the very core of downtown Portland. These parks and their proximity to the city are one of the very first characteristics of Portland that I fell madly in love with when I first visited years ago.<br />
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If you look at a satellite overhead view of Portland you cannot miss the massive swath of forest that butts up against downtown to the west. This dark green swath contains several of Portland's greatest "attractions," including the Oregon Zoo, Rose Test Garden, Japanese Garden, Vietnam Memorial, Washington Park, Hoyt Arboretum, an amphitheater, a children's museum, an Audubon Society learning center, and a French-Renaissance style mansion with great panoramic views of the city below and volcanoes in the distance. Believe it or not, this area is also home to nearly 100 miles of hiking trails.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174142578/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Inside Washington Park - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Inside Washington Park - Portland, Oregon" height="214" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8146/7174142578_a4da0d5dcb_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking trail inside Washington Park</td></tr>
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That's right, the massive swath of forest that butts up against downtown Portland contains nearly <b>100 miles </b>of hiking trails. Forest Park contains roughly 70 miles worth, Washington Park contains 13 miles worth, and the Hoyt Arboretum has 12. You could literally spend your morning browsing the shelves at Powell's Books downtown, and within one hour of leaving Powell's on foot you could be deep within a forested wilderness (in much of Forest Park there is little to no evidence or reminders that you are on the fringe of a <i>downtown</i> area, let alone in a city... in fact, it feels as though you are far from any city). And people wonder why I love Portland so much...<br />
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Now, this large green forested swath I keep bringing up is cut into two main sections by one of Portland's main thoroughfares, Burnside Road. North of Burnside lies Forest Park, a much wilder and pristine place containing a network of legitimate hiking trails. South of Burnside lies the more civilized, manicured, "park-ish" Washington Park, Hoyt Arboretum, and Oregon Zoo. South of Burnside you are, for the most part, in a <i>park. </i>North of Burnside you're in a <i>forest. </i>It is this park-like section south of Burnside that I will post photos from in this blog entry, specifically Washington Park and the Hoyt Arboretum.<br />
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First up, <a href="http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?action=ViewPark&PropertyID=841" target="_blank">Washington Park</a>. Here is a little info:<br />
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When the first 41 acre section of Washington Park was purchased in 1871, residents thought it odd to label the heavily forest hills beside Portland, which were infested with mountain lions, a <i>park. </i>However, today the park has grown to roughly 410 acres and is more than likely cougar-free. Washington Park contains the Hoyt Arboretum, the Oregon Zoo, the International Rose Test Garden, the Japanese Garden, and more all within its limits. The Rose Test Garden, which is especially fragrant and gorgeous for a few months of the year when the roses are in bloom, contains more than 500 varieties of roses. Just north of the Rose Test Garden is an amphitheater that hosts free concerts during the summer months. Outside the the summer months, the grassy seating area becomes a great place for groups of friends, readers, couples, and sun bathers to lounge. The Japanese Gardens and the Oregon Zoo are the only entities within the park that charge a fee for entry; and both are well worth the money. Washington Park also has tennis courts and an archery range. It is easily possible to spend about an entire day within the confines of Washington Park. About the only thing that it is missing is a legitimate place to grab a bite to eat (there is an overpriced snack-cart, but that's it). But then again, Washington Park is a wonderful place to have a picnic.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174377258/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="International Rose Test Garden - Washington Park - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="International Rose Test Garden - Washington Park - Portland, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7103/7174377258_1860bc9e62_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">International Rose Test Garden in Spring right before the roses bloom</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174138278/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Inside Washington Park - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Inside Washington Park - Portland, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7072/7174138278_9cdb6e2407_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking trail connecting Washington Park to Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174135054/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="A very "Portland" vehicle in a very "Portland" park - Inside Washington Park - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="A very "Portland" vehicle in a very "Portland" park - Inside Washington Park - Portland, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7222/7174135054_f775028953_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a very "Portlandesque" vehicle in a very "Portlandesque" park - Washington Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174151948/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Inside Washington Park - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Inside Washington Park - Portland, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8146/7174151948_92fb0e0ff8_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking trail inside Washington Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174360306/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Inside Washington Park - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Inside Washington Park - Portland, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7098/7174360306_246a16e762_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174165498/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Entrance into Japanese Gardens - Washington Park - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Entrance into Japanese Gardens - Washington Park - Portland, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5116/7174165498_1772812e8b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the entrance to the Japanese Gardens - Washington Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174366146/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Statue in the Rose Test Garden - Inside Washington Park - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Statue in the Rose Test Garden - Inside Washington Park - Portland, Oregon" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7073/7174366146_c5db092365_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue inside the International Rose Test Garden - Washington Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174198412/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The train to the Oregon Zoo - Washington Park by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="The train to the Oregon Zoo - Washington Park" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7086/7174198412_a817f19941_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All Aboard to the Oregon Zoo - Washington Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174410442/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Train from the Zoo - Washington Park - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Train from the Zoo - Washington Park - Portland, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7245/7174410442_d356be43ff_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All Aboard to the Oregon Zoo - Washington Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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Next up, the <a href="http://www.hoytarboretum.org/" target="_blank">Hoyt Arboretum</a>. Here is a little info:<br />
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Founded in 1928, and located only 2 miles west of downtown Portland within the limits of Washington Park, the Hoyt Arboretum contains roughly 1,100 different species of trees that grow within the park's 187 acres. Like I said above, the park also contains roughly 12 miles worth of beautiful hiking trails. Many of the specimens of tree you'll find within the arboretum have a metal nameplate nailed to the trunk for labeling and identifying purposes. The arboretum is open and readily accessible year-round. <br />
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Here are some photos taken from within the Hoyt Arboretum.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7179277566/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Trail in Hoyt Arboretum by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Trail in Hoyt Arboretum" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7088/7179277566_456f9fec59_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7173947102/" title="Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5338/7173947102_b67989bf25_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7173946550/" title="Tree ID nameplates - Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Tree ID nameplates - Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7074/7173946550_cf146ae0ea_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7173986404/" title="Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7231/7173986404_674d939d88_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7173969216/" title="Western Red Cedar - Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Western Red Cedar - Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5236/7173969216_33ba066485_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7173993844/" title="Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7231/7173993844_e2accd9089_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174063828/" title="Wildwood Trail jnctn Redwood Trail - Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Wildwood Trail jnctn Redwood Trail - Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7214/7174063828_f80f5d3b16_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174013654/" title="a section of the Wildwood Trail in the Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a section of the Wildwood Trail in the Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7077/7174013654_00ee4beee7_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174078880/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Park Bench - Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Park Bench - Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7241/7174078880_1db4a789ed_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Having developed a thirst for a local IPA and some outstanding pub grub, I decided it was finally time to spend my Groupon at <a href="http://spintspdx.com/" target="_blank">Spints Alehouse</a> on NE 28th Ave, one of my favorite locations for consuming calories in the city. Spints Alehouse defines itself as serving "German cuisine lightened with local farmer's produce, unique locally-inspired cocktails, wines, and German and local beers." How could I not buy a Groupon for this? I happen to love both German and local food and beer, so setting my sights on Spints was an easy decision. <br />
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Not only am I a big fan of the atmosphere inside this bar, as well as the location of the bar on NE 28th, but I had one of the best meals of my whole life here. No joke. I decided on the beef cheek prosciutto and dumplings off their small but diverse and mouth-watering menu. It was absolutely outstanding. I'm no food blogger, so I'm not going to wax-poetic on the "juxtaposition of flavors," but just take a foodie's word for it: it was wicked delicious. And it got even better. To wash it down, I had one of the best IPAs I've ever tasted: the Boneyard RPM, made in Bend, Oregon. I have consumed many of the Northwest's finest IPAs (arguably among the best worldwide) and Boneyard's RPM was easily one of the most flavorful and refreshing. Many of the pubs you go to in Portland (that aren't breweries themselves) have the usual IPAs on tap: Ninkasi, Lagunitas, and Bridgeport. These are outstanding IPAs (especially the Bridgeport, in my opinion) but it is nice to see something different for a change. Some of the smaller brewers, after all, are the ones making the best IPAs in the state (but then again, some of the larger ones, like Rogue, not only make some of the best IPA around but also typically brew several different IPAs at once!, so let's not forget about them!).<br />
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Spints Alehouse was a wonderful way to end my day of hiking in an urban park. And to get an idea of how conveniently close Washington Park is to the rest of Portland consider the following: after leaving the parking lot of Washington Park I had to drive through the entirety of downtown, cross a bridge, and proceed another 28 blocks to the east. I made it to Spints in probably about 12 minutes. If I had decided upon a restaurant in Portland's trendy Northwest District (aka Nob Hill) or posh Pearl District, it would've only taken about 5 minutes. That's how close Washington Park / Forest Park is to the rest of the city. This is what makes Portland truly unique: within 30 minutes time you can go from a hike within deep woodlands to a seat at the bar at an avant garde gastropub.<br />
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I love this city.<br />
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Here's a few mouthwatering shots from Spints Alehouse:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174415602/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Spints Alehouse in NE Portland by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Spints Alehouse in NE Portland" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8022/7174415602_7fa764933d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spints Alehouse - NE Portland - 28th & Flanders</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174420504/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="a pint of Boneyard IPA (Bend, Oregon) at Spints Alehouse in NE Portland by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="a pint of Boneyard IPA (Bend, Oregon) at Spints Alehouse in NE Portland" height="486" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5039/7174420504_0d29df0648_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a pint of Boneyard IPA (Bend, Oregon) at Spints Alehouse - NE Portland - 28th & Flanders</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7174422684/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Beef cheek proscuitto, house made dumplings, spring onion, rabe, and fresh kale flowers at Spints Alehouse in NE Portland by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Beef cheek proscuitto, house made dumplings, spring onion, rabe, and fresh kale flowers at Spints Alehouse in NE Portland" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7093/7174422684_3daa233618_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef cheek prosciutto, homemade dumplings, spring onion, rabe, and fresh kale flowers - Spints Alehouse - NE Portland</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com0SW Zoo Rd, Portland, OR 97221, USA45.5099259 -122.71709245.4987984 -122.73683299999999 45.5210534 -122.697351tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-60021453950198049982012-05-12T20:59:00.005-07:002012-05-12T21:03:48.871-07:00Day Trip: Astoria, Oregon & the Wreck of the Peter Iredale<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Astoria, Oregon</b></div>
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<b>The Wreck of the Peter Iredale</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168128820/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Astoria Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Astoria Oregon" height="343" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7104/7168128820_544e197586_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the Hwy 101 bridge at the mouth of the Columbia River connecting Oregon and Washington - Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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My wife and I decided to take full advantage of an 80 degree day in April by heading out to the coast. We were both itching to spend a few hours on a beach, and neither of us had ever seen the <i>Wreck of the Peter Iredale </i>before, so we decided upon Fort Stevens State Park and the wind-blown, salty coastal town of Astoria, both located in the northwestern corner of the state of Oregon, where the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean smash together.<br />
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We arrived in the area at around lunch time and both agreed that we were craving clam chowder. We found just the place: <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/charlies-chowder-house-astoria" target="_blank">Charley's Chowder and Coffeehouse</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(see bottom of blog for details)</span>. The clam chowder was <i>awesome! </i>Not too thick, not too thin, very fresh tasting clams and seasoned just right. We were also thrilled to see a basket of oyster cracker packets on each table. Charlie's serves it all: ice cream, espresso, chowder, fish & chips, burgers, fish tacos, salmon burgers, shrimp cocktails, unique vegetarian options, everything. It has outdoor seating too. The interior feels a lot like an old soda fountain / ice cream parlor, even though in reality I think it may have been an old garage (in Oregon, some of the best food is served in buildings that were once garages).<br />
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It was a perfect way to start the day. Here are a couple photos from Charlie's.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgtRLbJ4NzIVgEIaUP7Fi7vDzDtazzQpnBRMM2A6funsfhMYAIsNVmnozBSo8w9H69JRz-l6HySBfPCWmOyEC7EwV-p7WHhlPoU3i0XSoVewFUQV4kSbxHzB_LLguf6Esc4hyphenhyphenkb3DFIr2/s1600/DSC_0187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgtRLbJ4NzIVgEIaUP7Fi7vDzDtazzQpnBRMM2A6funsfhMYAIsNVmnozBSo8w9H69JRz-l6HySBfPCWmOyEC7EwV-p7WHhlPoU3i0XSoVewFUQV4kSbxHzB_LLguf6Esc4hyphenhyphenkb3DFIr2/s640/DSC_0187.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The menu-board at Charlie's Chowder and Coffeehouse - Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYFSkH18V3ftnkDU3Yx2DcPJ6Ev7EiaeRQ1ooY5WMifN1ENpQjDc9aro4HA3ISLNtIV9QzbAfHDUOHylACqy1towVXZDGBuEujysxVjFh0nRR65-PMOAGz-0q2y7v5F-WQJFoXrwfT-cv/s1600/DSC_0188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYFSkH18V3ftnkDU3Yx2DcPJ6Ev7EiaeRQ1ooY5WMifN1ENpQjDc9aro4HA3ISLNtIV9QzbAfHDUOHylACqy1towVXZDGBuEujysxVjFh0nRR65-PMOAGz-0q2y7v5F-WQJFoXrwfT-cv/s640/DSC_0188.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a bowl of "Astoria Clam Chowder" at Charlie's Chowder and Coffeehouse - Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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After lunch we decided to stretch our legs after the long car ride and walk around town for a bit. Astoria is a very unique place. I've seen a significant chunk of this country and I can safely say I've seen nothing quite like it. Nicknamed "Little San Francisco," it <i>does </i>have a sort of <i>San Franciscan </i>feel to it. steep hills dotted with Victorian homes, gritty-salted-weathered buildings, many of which look outdated, fishing equipment strewn willy-nilly on wharfs and piers and docks, a colossal suspension bridge towering over the town, small green mountains in the foggy distance, the squawk of gulls and bark of sea lions, the odor of fishing industry and marine exhaust fumes in the air, massive cargo ships docked out in the water, and even a vintage trolley that chimes along the piers.<br />
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Astoria has some very unique history of its own. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition" target="_blank">Lewis and Clark</a> landed here in 1805, ending their journey. They spent the winter here before heading back home in 1806. Shortly thereafter <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Jacob_Astor" target="_blank">John Jacob Astor</a> (1763-1848), a mulch-millionaire investor, arrived in what is now Astoria to establish a fur trading post here in 1810, making Astoria the oldest American settlement west of the Mississippi. Astor even commissioned novelist Washington Irving (best known for <i>The Legend of Sleepy Hollow </i>and <i>Rip Van Winkle</i>) to write a book about the area; a book Irving aptly named <i>Astoria. </i>Astoria didn't become incorporated until 1876, but once it did, it attracted a surge of immigrants, the bulk of which were Scandinavian. Decades later, Astoria's once booming economy would suffer a few significant blows (see below). But today, Astoria is slowly starting to bounce back, ranking tourism and a growing arts scene among its successes. (Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the blog for my views on Astoria today and what I think it can one day become).<br />
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The bottom line is this: Astoria is rich with history and situated in one of the most beautiful corners of the United States. It has small, coastal town charm with amazing potential to become something like Oregon's Carmel-by-the-Sea. (more on this later)<br />
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Here are some shots from our walk around downtown Astoria.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXy2DvFClqCgbEEsBejcrym_fo91VQDoWEApicx1yN54oWULDusilfFCRhv_vYJMZe1VV3r5lGOWBiolZGD-9d044XG6w2DrOwEjNQbAon-Q28kvBJn7YwF7xR_r7g3dGuJmOJxibb0zkn/s1600/DSC_0203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXy2DvFClqCgbEEsBejcrym_fo91VQDoWEApicx1yN54oWULDusilfFCRhv_vYJMZe1VV3r5lGOWBiolZGD-9d044XG6w2DrOwEjNQbAon-Q28kvBJn7YwF7xR_r7g3dGuJmOJxibb0zkn/s640/DSC_0203.JPG" width="460" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of Astoria's icons - the <a href="http://www.liberty-theater.org/" target="_blank">Liberty Theatre</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBIOyDUs8XjgxlOsjsBIMuW2LvdKlpqMke1RxeCBwjG-LmVVFGqVGdMlVRo-6Zxe-SYl2rvEdGRn6V_ws8eKCjYSOIXZBGoMTag227ghK_wMqpQgFuqxhi-15z94kjiifUhmPOzGawlHnS/s1600/DSC_0196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBIOyDUs8XjgxlOsjsBIMuW2LvdKlpqMke1RxeCBwjG-LmVVFGqVGdMlVRo-6Zxe-SYl2rvEdGRn6V_ws8eKCjYSOIXZBGoMTag227ghK_wMqpQgFuqxhi-15z94kjiifUhmPOzGawlHnS/s640/DSC_0196.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPc4CsNBSpJ33TQUhVtgwY_cv9hIZBu1bkXqSTEg-sxZVEPXH_ekH3nqhIjqDgjQ6dbeGzvau59t_warCL4g2lcPK5tfSIMy_vicaJhaEbrYGhS4rjjfgYG0k5RaVMZzb118n_9-Yxvjj/s1600/DSC_0209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPc4CsNBSpJ33TQUhVtgwY_cv9hIZBu1bkXqSTEg-sxZVEPXH_ekH3nqhIjqDgjQ6dbeGzvau59t_warCL4g2lcPK5tfSIMy_vicaJhaEbrYGhS4rjjfgYG0k5RaVMZzb118n_9-Yxvjj/s640/DSC_0209.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIGApcGGnH183k0tU4h8LCtHf-KBioLUDX_ZNb90dkP0E172V267YXHMNetRs6fbG3KC_mVlkObDZ3LngjqFar9nLZfs4USnjulqqp7JZ1NWv6iOwnlIZE-6mVTSNaiXKENUvvFHRiJ7c/s1600/DSC_0213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIGApcGGnH183k0tU4h8LCtHf-KBioLUDX_ZNb90dkP0E172V267YXHMNetRs6fbG3KC_mVlkObDZ3LngjqFar9nLZfs4USnjulqqp7JZ1NWv6iOwnlIZE-6mVTSNaiXKENUvvFHRiJ7c/s400/DSC_0213.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a garbage can decoration paying homage to Astoria's history as a cannery town</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbovrevuxVO4uZ2v2XGMlH9_YyvGto8brbM1v9zFVXsf_f2AJ1uDV5PVW9ngHLbsArGrToVDP335K5Kxx4K6Q6mNrI7bK92-BDPTbp901fRav_KjlK6w0qHAbULUn0SAUo9Tvv26nV6rb/s1600/DSC_0206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbovrevuxVO4uZ2v2XGMlH9_YyvGto8brbM1v9zFVXsf_f2AJ1uDV5PVW9ngHLbsArGrToVDP335K5Kxx4K6Q6mNrI7bK92-BDPTbp901fRav_KjlK6w0qHAbULUn0SAUo9Tvv26nV6rb/s400/DSC_0206.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://astoriacoffeehouse.com/" target="_blank">Astoria Coffeehouse & Bistro</a>, one of Astoria's best places to kill a couple hours</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2VcGanne459nJDU8_Mj8ekpqxBPW8MpxRUN12AoZ3Fg2AyrOiBCGx-1K0jsBTYMRSoiweNGz8K5hKnWOHyE_vmNaxeO9K99ILljibjRqviengYTZGhNmqrIvD-0vM6lbLvXSmDOy4pGG/s1600/DSC_0205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2VcGanne459nJDU8_Mj8ekpqxBPW8MpxRUN12AoZ3Fg2AyrOiBCGx-1K0jsBTYMRSoiweNGz8K5hKnWOHyE_vmNaxeO9K99ILljibjRqviengYTZGhNmqrIvD-0vM6lbLvXSmDOy4pGG/s640/DSC_0205.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlbtJXcTnitVSrdQXSwnzrxn8CxqoUfnaKSETLat3icgwqie2H9wsOaiWNM5MOwCMnhmPMFq9PI-7Im8GzNW_X7uGd1YU0YZWz2T9bvym73ikUgWmrQkabABzATLCXgFS_qzksUjEmWPm/s1600/DSC_0316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlbtJXcTnitVSrdQXSwnzrxn8CxqoUfnaKSETLat3icgwqie2H9wsOaiWNM5MOwCMnhmPMFq9PI-7Im8GzNW_X7uGd1YU0YZWz2T9bvym73ikUgWmrQkabABzATLCXgFS_qzksUjEmWPm/s640/DSC_0316.JPG" width="406" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the Flavel House - Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg83KLKM5y0eQobjSozMCYNt6AC43nEFswpLDMHSZ_4FJ-uNcodoMsi3OnygVgiB6RV8fBXlZ_W4U_0zx8ZolCcO3X7zeEYHfd5Og20doSYniqlrtV_G8B4l2cb5Grevl0kfNGsBSGqaGy8/s1600/DSC_0323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg83KLKM5y0eQobjSozMCYNt6AC43nEFswpLDMHSZ_4FJ-uNcodoMsi3OnygVgiB6RV8fBXlZ_W4U_0zx8ZolCcO3X7zeEYHfd5Og20doSYniqlrtV_G8B4l2cb5Grevl0kfNGsBSGqaGy8/s400/DSC_0323.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The County Jail made popular by the movie <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Goonies" target="_blank"><i>The Goonies</i></a> - Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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After exploring downtown, we went up to the iconic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astoria_Column" target="_blank">Astoria Column</a> on a hill high above the town. It was built in 1926 by the Astor family, the namesake of the town, to represent Astoria's history. It is wrapped in murals like a barber pole. A spiral staircase will bring you about 125 feet to the top. The view from up here is fantastic and diverse. You can hardly make a trip to Astoria without at least stopping up here for a few minutes. That being said, you probably won't find any actual Astorians up here, mainly visitors and tourists. But I've never, in the several times I've been to the Column, experienced a crowd or trouble finding a parking place. It can be very peaceful up here. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168220286/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Astoria Column - Astoria, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Astoria Column - Astoria, Oregon" height="640" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5160/7168220286_ba56116d6f_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the Astoria Column - Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168116096/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC_0217 by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0217" height="308" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7094/7168116096_0fe1b2f5f5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view looking south to Saddle Mountain from the Astoria Column</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168249496/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The Astoria Bridge from the Column - Astoria, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="The Astoria Bridge from the Column - Astoria, Oregon" height="381" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7239/7168249496_fd7d46755a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the Astoria Bridge and the mouth of the Columbia River as viewed from the Astoria Column</td></tr>
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After soaking in the views from the column it was finally time to descend back down to sea-level to soak in the sun on the beach. Oregon's coast is covered in long, wide sandy beaches. I don't think I'll ever sit upon them all in my lifetime, and that's just the <i>northern </i>section of the coast, let alone the rest of it. Today, however, we set our sights on the Fort Stevens State Park to see the <i>Wreck of the Peter Iredale, </i>the skeletal remains of a ship that wrecked itself ashore in 1906. (more below)<br />
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There is something strikingly interesting about Oregon's beaches which you will either love or hate: they are "highways." Yes, back in the early twentieth century, when the automobile craze was putting nearly every family into vehicles making them much more mobile, the Oregon Coast become <i>the</i> place to take a trip in the new automobile. At the same time, Oregon's coastline was in danger of being bought up by developers and turned into private land. So, Governor Oswald West quickly found a loophole and deemed Oregon's coastline a "highway" therefore keeping it open to the public. What does this mean? You guessed it: you can actually <i>drive your vehicles onto the beaches</i>.<br />
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The ability to drive your car onto the beaches is both really cool and really horrible at the same time. As a previous owner of a Jeep Wrangler landlocked in the Midwest, I only dreamed about one day doing something as cool as driving it out onto the Oregon Coast, with the crashing waves, the mountains in the distance... I mean how bad ass would that be right? But reality isn't a Jeep advertisement. The reality is that something is greatly taken away from your beach experience when a vehicle goes rolling in front or behind you. It just doesn't <i>feel </i>right. Plus, recent debates are springing up about the harm that vehicles on the beach can do to birds and other wildlife. Plus, come on!, lot of vehicles leak oil or other fluids. To be honest, with all the environmental buzz going on in the world today, especially within the very eco-friendly state of Oregon, I'm surprised that the state government hasn't banned vehicles from the beaches.<br />
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But then again, I have never driven a vehicle on a beach before. I sure there is something really neat about driving your truck out onto the beach, parking it against the bluff, and tailgating right there on the sand, just a stone's throw from the waves. Plus, especially for the people who grew up near the Oregon coastline, driving your vehicle out on the sand is probably a bit of a pastime, a nostalgia. People have been doing it for about 100 years.<br />
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That's enough about the beaches.<br />
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Not far from the shipwreck is the very northwestern tip of Oregon state: a massive rock jetty (called South Jetty) right where the Columbia and the Pacific officially meet. This area, known as the <i>Columbia Bar, </i>is notoriously dangerous and hazardous to seafarers. The mouth of the Columbia is located within an area known at the<i> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graveyard_of_the_Pacific" target="_blank">Graveyard of the Pacific</a>. </i>Stretching from Tillamook Bay all the way up to Vancouver B.C., the<i> Graveyard of the Pacific </i>is laden with shipwrecks, mainly due to the combination of rugged coastline and unpredictable, potentially violent seas. There are a select few "bar pilots" (basically experts captains who have mastered ship navigation and thoroughly understand the waters out here) who make about a $200,000 annual salary to guide ships across the bar. In fact, the Flavel House (see photo of the Queen Anne style mansion above) was owned by a man who did just that over a century ago. George Flavel was one of the first bar pilots and, not coincidentally, one of Astoria's first millionaires.<br />
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Here are some photos of the Jetty and the Fort Stevens State Park beach.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168260864/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The South Jetty at Fort Stevens State Park near Astoria, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="The South Jetty at Fort Stevens State Park near Astoria, Oregon" height="381" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8028/7168260864_0fecbb12bf_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the South Jetty at the mouth of the Columbia River - near Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168278564/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="View of a Fort Stevens beach from South Jetty near Astoria, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="View of a Fort Stevens beach from South Jetty near Astoria, Oregon" height="362" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7239/7168278564_c6f7816195_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of one of Fort Stevens S.P.'s beaches from the South Jetty</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168297582/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Vehicles allowed on the beach at the Wreck of the Peter Iredale - Fort Stevens State Park - Astoria, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Vehicles allowed on the beach at the Wreck of the Peter Iredale - Fort Stevens State Park - Astoria, Oregon" height="331" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7220/7168297582_1d396ed680_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a lifted Jeep parked out on the beach at Fort Stevens State Park near Astoria, Oregon and the mouth of the Columbia</td></tr>
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This brings me to <i>The Wreck of the Peter Iredale. </i>On a pitch black and foggy early morning in October of 1906, a steel schooner shipwrecked on the Oregon coast just south of the mouth of the Columbia, where it was headed. Nasty winds and choppy seas pushed the ship to shore when visibility was at a minimum. (Astoria, by the way, is notorious for receiving almost paralyzing fog some days, especially in winter) Nobody was killed, but the ship was obviously not going anywhere. Over 100 years later, it still hasn't gone anywhere. Much of the ship was sold for scrap, and until recently the masts were still attached, poking up into the sky, but were later removed for the sake of safety to the growing number of visitors the shipwreck was receiving.<br />
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Below are some <i>BEFORE </i>and <i>AFTER </i>shots of the Peter Iredale.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>BEFORE</b></i></div>
Here is what the Peter Iredale looked like long ago when it beached ashore:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOIeS2WhCcD8Dhb8zR-AwFlwYV8lD9mLUrThtG-zmls4zFWbixxzVC9DCdUXbrufhyphenhyphenZthuCcGtPKTkHYMRQKChlyQoXqbRu3yIGXSw7nfKvVZAKG6PJtRKcqU6Uo2p1B83ixZIFeiKfA1/s1600/Wreck+of+Peter+Iredale+1906+FSDM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOIeS2WhCcD8Dhb8zR-AwFlwYV8lD9mLUrThtG-zmls4zFWbixxzVC9DCdUXbrufhyphenhyphenZthuCcGtPKTkHYMRQKChlyQoXqbRu3yIGXSw7nfKvVZAKG6PJtRKcqU6Uo2p1B83ixZIFeiKfA1/s640/Wreck+of+Peter+Iredale+1906+FSDM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: http://www.ohs.org/education/oregonhistory/_files/_doc_files/<br />
Wreck%20of%20Peter%20Iredale%201906%20FSDM.jpg</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_DzhOcg37XxB9UK4Tdre2IwF-c8XE0ji0fzGZSA-y6AzFw3Jx9R66mSPfL0bWcKhbAoqYhmDCuZTGBaBp8K79FbKpxHUdN9I2oCGyG2nc9P0GIhDXY6Sq7I68x9NaWFUnE9mIwx8a82P/s1600/iredale+old.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_DzhOcg37XxB9UK4Tdre2IwF-c8XE0ji0fzGZSA-y6AzFw3Jx9R66mSPfL0bWcKhbAoqYhmDCuZTGBaBp8K79FbKpxHUdN9I2oCGyG2nc9P0GIhDXY6Sq7I68x9NaWFUnE9mIwx8a82P/s400/iredale+old.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: http://static.atlasobscura.netdna-cdn.com/images/place/the-wreck-of-the-peter-iredale.10298.large_slideshow.jpg</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>AFTER</b></i></div>
And here is what remains of the Peter Iredale today, otherwise known in tourist brochures as <i>The Wreck of the Peter Iredale:</i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168280566/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The Wreck of the Peter Iredale at Fort Stevens State Park - Astoria, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="The Wreck of the Peter Iredale at Fort Stevens State Park - Astoria, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8168/7168280566_348aca8043_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Wreck of the Peter Iredale - </i>Fort Stevens State Park - Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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Tired and hungry from soaking up a lot of sunshine, my wife and I decided to grab some dinner before leaving. I was mulling over the possibilities in my head when <b>BAM!!</b> it hit me: <a href="http://www.rogue.com/locations/locations.php" target="_blank">Rogue Ales and Public House</a> at Pier 39 in Astoria. If you come to Astoria and you like good beer you absolutely <b>must </b>make a point to stop at Rogue Brewery. Not only does Rogue make some of the most quality and delicious beers you'll ever imbibe, as well as serve some of the best pub grub, but the brewery is located <i>on a fricken DOCK. </i>That's right, you have to drive your car out onto a <i>wooden</i> <i>dock, </i>which makes all those wonderfully clunky "plankety-plank" sounds you'd expect driving a 2,000+ pound vehicle onto a dock (one of my favorite sounds). The views out the window of the cargo ships and the mountains in the distance are<i> </i>outstanding. You cannot help but feel like a salty old sailor when you belly up to the bar here. Rogue's brewery here in Astoria may be my favorite pub of all time. It is very hard not to completely fall in love with this place, especially if you love pubs, hand-crafted ales, and maritime nostalgia. In addition, at Rogue my wife and I had one of the best service experiences of all time. The server was immensely hospitable and really knew beer without being remotely pretentious about his knowledge of the stuff. As I write this blog entry right now at home I have a burning wish that I was at Rogue in Astoria this very moment.<br />
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After a couple beers and some excellent food, we agreed we weren't in a huge hurry to leave Astoria. First, we took a quick walk through the Bumble Bee Cannery museum on Pier 39 a few planks over from Rogue. It is open to the public and a quick 5 minute walk through the museum will give you an idea of what it was like working in the cannery when Bumble Bee was headquarters here during Astoria's boom years.<br />
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A few docks to the west of Pier 39 and Rogue Brewery lies a collection of docks that attracts massive, barking sea lions. This has become a little tourist attraction in itself. I have never visited Astoria without these docks being covered in lounging sea lions. A sailor smoking a cigar was walking up from his boat and said to my wife and I "go ahead down on the docks if you want to get a little closer... just don't get too close they might charge at you.... me, I hate these damn things." They bark, growl, smell horrible, and have very dog-like faces. They are beautiful creatures in a belchy, couch-potatoey sort of way. They are the Homer Simpson of the animal kingdom.<br />
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After barking at the sea lions my wife and I called it a night and made the journey back to Portland. Here are some photos from the end of our day at Rogue, Pier 39, and the sea lion docks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168221398/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Rogue Brewery - Astoria, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Rogue Brewery - Astoria, Oregon" height="388" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8023/7168221398_2c59de7cb4_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rogue Brewery out on Pier 39 - Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168375502/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Rogue Brewery - Astoria, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Rogue Brewery - Astoria, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7216/7168375502_dab5156b86_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside Rogue Brewery at Pier 39 - Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168379966/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Rogue Brewery - Astoria, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Rogue Brewery - Astoria, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7083/7168379966_655dc71184_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a pint of one of Rogue's IPAs @ Rogue Brewery - Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168384426/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Taplist at Rogue Brewery - Astoria, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Taplist at Rogue Brewery - Astoria, Oregon" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7082/7168384426_1fb0fd3236_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tap list at Rogue Brewery in Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168391724/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Pier 39 - Astoria, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Pier 39 - Astoria, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8148/7168391724_e5c1a56bf4_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Out back behind Pier 39, where you can sip your espresso drinks from Coffee Girl, one of my favorite coffeehouses of all time, and how could it not be when you have <i>this </i>as a patio?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168409362/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Touring the old, damp Bumble Bee cannery - Pier 39 - Astoria, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Touring the old, damp Bumble Bee cannery - Pier 39 - Astoria, Oregon" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7105/7168409362_0cf9c42ca4_z.jpg" width="495" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking around in the Bumble Bee Cannery Museum at Pier 39 in Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168422628/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Boats parked at the docks - Astoria, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Boats parked at the docks - Astoria, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7224/7168422628_61c37da257_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168431110/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Sea Lions on the docks - Astoria, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Sea Lions on the docks - Astoria, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5326/7168431110_a6c8369d50_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sea lions lounging on the docks - Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168127798/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Sea Lions on the Docks - Astoria Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Sea Lions on the Docks - Astoria Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7212/7168127798_327a85b6e5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168443380/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Sea Lions lounging on the docks - Astoria, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Sea Lions lounging on the docks - Astoria, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7086/7168443380_f377a36f99_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sea Lions lounging on the docks - Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168435952/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Sea Lions lounging on the docks - Astoria, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Sea Lions lounging on the docks - Astoria, Oregon" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7100/7168435952_5454b74777_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sea Lions lounging on the docks - Astoria, Oregon</td></tr>
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<b>My thoughts on Astoria:</b> </div>
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One thing I can't help but wonder while walking around Astoria is what this town must have been like in its heyday. As a lover of quaint small towns, I cannot fathom a small town that would've been better to call home than this one during its heyday.<br />
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Astoria's economy has, unfortunately, suffered a blow since its heyday. Not only has Astoria become almost completely overshadowed by Portland and Seattle as a shipping port or prime location for industry and commerce, but the very industries its economy had previously depended on, namely fishing, canning, and lumber, saw devastating decline over the years. Bumblebee Seafood, which used to can salmon and provide thousands of jobs in Astoria, began withdrawing from the area in 1974 and was completely gone about 5 years later. About a decade later, Astoria's largest employer, a plywood manufacturer, closed its doors and shut down. This, in turn, forced the railroad companies to discontinue service out to Astoria. The town received three major blows to its economy in under 20 years time.<br />
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Walking around Astoria today you can plainly see that the economy has yet to fully rejuvenate. Far from it. There are many empty storefronts and buildings downtown and the area does have an undeniable "outdatedness" to it. Astoria seems behind on the times in many regards.<br />
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But... Astoria has promise and potential. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168452346/" title="Astoria Bridge - Astoria, Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="Astoria Bridge - Astoria, Oregon" height="458" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8018/7168452346_82a3d66417_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Every time I come here I feel as though the arts scene has grown since I last visited, that the area is becoming more and more appealing to young people, that it is finally getting that edge it needs to draw people out of Portland and Seattle. Astoria has the potential to become an Eden for hipsters, the DIY crowd, microbrewers, coffee roasters, avant garde chefs, artists, writers, sculptors, poets, musicians, vegans, meat-smokers, beatniks, hippies, bicycle mechanics, distillers, small business owners, seafood-centered gastropubs, used bookstores, headshops, record shops, food cart pods, and second-hand clothing boutiques. I feel like the only thing keeping half of Portland from picking up and relocating to Astoria tomorrow is Astoria's general lack of many of the things listed above as well as a shortage of apartments and lofts.<br />
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But many of these things <i>are </i>moving into Astoria slowly but surely. You can get a great hand-crafted ale in Astoria. You can get a great cup of coffee in Astoria. You can spend an hour kicking around a used book shop or do a small but quality art gallery crawl. Some great food is starting to sprout here and there if you know how to look for it. Astoria has some of the most beautiful historic architecture on the entire west coast. The potential to turn this town into something like Carmel-by-the-Sea or Nantucket is great. All it is going to take is a risk: if restauranteurs, small-business owners, brewers, artists, coffee roasters, etc take a risk by setting up shop here, then Astoria's dream of reestablishing itself as a boom town might be a reality. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatchsasquatch/7168127074/" title="The docks - Astoria Oregon by Black Watch Sasquatch, on Flickr"><img alt="The docks - Astoria Oregon" height="444" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8011/7168127074_d66e309f4f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Maybe Astoria will one day evolve into this artsy, hip, beautiful little love-child of Portland and San Francisco? I certainly think the potential is there. Astoria's economy needs some work, many of its facades need a make-over, and it is in need of a youthful and vibrant crowd to lease its salty old structures and turn them into hip pubs, avant garde restaurants, modern galleries, cheapo brew-n-views, funky clothing boutiques, artisan food/seafood shops, etc. I truly love this town, partly for what it is now, and partly for what I know it could become in the future.<br />
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Additional Info:<br />
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<b>Charlie's Chowder and Coffeehouse</b><br />
1335 Marine Drive<br />
Astoria, Oregon 97103<br />
(503) 325-2368<br />
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/charlies-chowder-house-astoria">http://www.yelp.com/biz/charlies-chowder-house-astoria</a><br />
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<b>Astoria Coffeehouse and Bistro</b><br />
243 11th Street<br />
Astoria, Oregon 97103<br />
(503) 325-1787<br />
<a href="http://astoriacoffeehouse.com/">http://astoriacoffeehouse.com/</a>
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<br />
<b>Rogue Ales Public House</b><br />
100 39th Street (Pier 39)<br />
Astoria, Oregon 97103<br />
(503) 325-5964<br />
<a href="http://www.rogue.com/locations/locations.php">http://www.rogue.com/locations/locations.php</a>The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com4Astoria, OR, USA46.1878841 -123.831253446.1439131 -123.9102174 46.2318551 -123.7522894tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-5936295040253731962012-05-02T19:23:00.003-07:002012-05-03T08:35:36.381-07:00Multnomah-Wahkeena Falls Loop - Columbia River Gorge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Multnomah-Wahkeena Falls Loop</b></div>
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<i>5.5 mile loop | 1,600 ft elevation gain</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1SEQl_rxdJOEWq5hyphenhyphenksYlZBHZ88ItPGn9oiku9cbsZtQx9spM8nhRtocHlPJn6jsEpD9VbfyqCuDWcE_g3Ci7V7gPl5-dAXEgtcDYXrc4BCWD_gUJ7LgRc6gAztMzqLZtEPvWMdNRbu-y/s640/SANY0030.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Multnomah Falls - Columbia River Gorge - taken in January 2012</td></tr>
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I love Multnomah Falls. It is thunderous, violent, beautiful, magnificent, intimidating, and iconic. To those of us who worship nature, the sheer power and size of this waterfall is breathtaking. I'll never forget the first time I experienced Multnomah Falls. I had just accomplished a dream come true by moving to Portland; and my first trip out into the Gorge and seeing the Falls really made it sink in that I had achieved this dream of mine. When you're here at the Falls there is no mistaking that you are in the Pacific Northwest; and Multnomah remains one of the prominent symbols of the Northwest.<br />
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<i>But......................</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguL0bXgeBjxJsFXybTfqUplKTRi0GGxvMZla3wOx2qHlycSNetqMx_b263Ut-elO37oeeVj_k0bXiKrWnWqzjTjiJzLvmiHX5czpso5DvynCa_kfr5w1OG6MKT3DGQXwBosdwX4YfNDQcf/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguL0bXgeBjxJsFXybTfqUplKTRi0GGxvMZla3wOx2qHlycSNetqMx_b263Ut-elO37oeeVj_k0bXiKrWnWqzjTjiJzLvmiHX5czpso5DvynCa_kfr5w1OG6MKT3DGQXwBosdwX4YfNDQcf/s320/DSC_0001.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Multnomah Falls @ 10 am on a Saturday</td></tr>
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Whenever someone mentions the words "Multnomah Falls" to me, I wish the first thing that popped into my head was something like "most magnificent waterfall in the Pacific Northwest" or "one of the most iconic waterfalls in the US a mere 20 minute drive from Portland" or "second tallest year-round waterfall in the US at 620 feet" or even my very first experience of it, discussed in the paragraph above. Those things certainly do pop into my head, but they aren't the first thing that pops into mind. The first thing? <i>the crowd.</i><br />
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To say that Multnomah Falls can get crowded is a bit of an understatement<i>. </i>No, It's not Disneyland on a summer weekend in August crowded, not Manhattan on New Years Eve crowded, not Los Angeles freeway at rush hour crowded, but <i>crowded</i>, especially in terms of Oregon standards<i>. </i>Sadly, it has become one of the Falls' defining characteristics to Portlanders; and I would hardly be painting you an accurate portrait of Multnomah Falls if I didn't mention the crowds. It used to be the most visited tourist destination in Oregon until recently, when the coastal casino <i>Spirit Mountain</i> wrestled for the title and won. Needless to say, unless you arrive really early in the morning or visit on a cold, rainy winter day, you're probably going to encounter a crowd. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbrJ8kLToIWhOxdJlr8roUp_oJjZCMUW9rn0869aBf-qeQIcm7xsgCsA8PTk5lDtqBSlNq-aENFF2ZizjoFkqZH7Co0afhZ0utsYlfxV1j3NxYsz0G1K7vM59vmqQ2iihepN4shSemXvWJ/s1600/DSC_0182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbrJ8kLToIWhOxdJlr8roUp_oJjZCMUW9rn0869aBf-qeQIcm7xsgCsA8PTk5lDtqBSlNq-aENFF2ZizjoFkqZH7Co0afhZ0utsYlfxV1j3NxYsz0G1K7vM59vmqQ2iihepN4shSemXvWJ/s320/DSC_0182.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Multnomah Falls on a Spring Saturday Afternoon</td></tr>
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Another reason why Multnomah Falls gets so crowded is because of ease of accessibility- it is literally located <i>right off the interstate</i> (as in, it doubles as a rest-stop area). To get from your car to the bottom of the falls requires little to no effort whatsoever. The ease of accessibility, however, is both a blessing and a curse.<br />
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The crowds are really only to be found in and around the foot of the falls, clustered together on the Benson bridge, lodge, and parking areas. If you take the steep, paved trail leading up to a view from the top of the falls you will start to feel the crowds thinning out. There is an old scenic footbridge way up there near the viewpoint from the top that crosses Multnomah Creek. This trail continues on to both Larch Mountain and the junction with the trail that brings you to Wahkeena Falls. After this footbridge the crowds, finally and thankfully, stop. (more on this below)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlejUc-31cfJ-yv_Kciel1c2PG-Vks7EimnLiHnkbTkBfVZYcLIWtMQ-NTpnwWmLpquw2tYNEsozS3iRzNZAUX1B9jMEufqLTnFd0sXZxD6fkQTPvI50p-ov2twfUOxWv9jPusyWmn2v0L/s1600/DSC_0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlejUc-31cfJ-yv_Kciel1c2PG-Vks7EimnLiHnkbTkBfVZYcLIWtMQ-NTpnwWmLpquw2tYNEsozS3iRzNZAUX1B9jMEufqLTnFd0sXZxD6fkQTPvI50p-ov2twfUOxWv9jPusyWmn2v0L/s640/DSC_0004.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Multnomah Falls - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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Overall, I love Nature for the peaceful solitude and quiet it offers. Even a roaring waterfall is in a way quiet. To enter Nature is a chance to escape the white noise of our everyday lives in the city, to think clearly and introspectively, to replace the often chaotic sounds of modern society with the more soothing and primordial sound of babbling creeks, wind through the trees, and bird singing. Not to sound misanthropic, but when I am out in Nature I want to be away from <i>people. </i>This being said, I can assure you that I try to avoid Multnomah's crowds as much as possible (and I can also assure you that I am not alone). The best way to avoid crowds anywhere is to arrive during more obscure times: winter months, rainy days, or (if Spring through Fall) weekdays if possible or early mornings on weekends.<br />
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Now that I'm done rambling on about crowds, let's finally talk about the Multnomah-Wahkeena Falls loop trail itself.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1eCEu4Atu8N0jVCR7ObLbIQ48bCUqVQSvJhyphenhyphenDIlhI1SM3PYIwM6sS0E9V96F4DcpaM_tRGYwNo8JAmIiClYxhwe6dcoLCXluBBlaJJoJRzUth-oAqfMOHDoc_ztB5Hvrq46aGalYryncG/s1600/MultnomahFallsMap625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1eCEu4Atu8N0jVCR7ObLbIQ48bCUqVQSvJhyphenhyphenDIlhI1SM3PYIwM6sS0E9V96F4DcpaM_tRGYwNo8JAmIiClYxhwe6dcoLCXluBBlaJJoJRzUth-oAqfMOHDoc_ztB5Hvrq46aGalYryncG/s640/MultnomahFallsMap625.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken from http://web.oregon.com/hiking/multnomah_falls.cfm (Thanks, Mr. Sullivan)</td></tr>
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There are two popular ways to hike the Multnomah-Wahkeena Falls loop:<br />
1) Park at the less-crowded Wahkeena Falls trailhead and start the hike there.<br />
2) Park at the much larger and crowded Multnomah Falls and walk over to the Wahkeena Falls trailhead via a short 0.8 mile trail called "Return Trail."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6iisUcAB8jcsrQnj19TEGCQKe5ek_KpsG4rqn2XpXIGCED-3I5hykVV8SP6PgapW41At72uRWQFtJC-Obml9kJJAkFUDR1-Ac5I_4TCh0kGK_yG68r1xZrKCLCk6T8-6MPdFHo6Q1POp/s1600/DSC_0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6iisUcAB8jcsrQnj19TEGCQKe5ek_KpsG4rqn2XpXIGCED-3I5hykVV8SP6PgapW41At72uRWQFtJC-Obml9kJJAkFUDR1-Ac5I_4TCh0kGK_yG68r1xZrKCLCk6T8-6MPdFHo6Q1POp/s320/DSC_0007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I chose to go with option #2, mainly because Paul Gerald, author of <i>60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Portland,</i> suggested that option in his book. Why does he suggest this option? Mainly because once you've finally completed the steep descent from the top of Multnomah Falls you'll end the hike right there at the Lodge, where you can treat yourself to coffee, food, something from the gift shop, etc, before jumping into your car and heading home. I for one find myself craving a cold local India Pale Ale after a long hike, so I made straight for my car with dreams of an outdoor seating area at a pub somewhere in Portland! I've never actually had the food at Multnomah Falls, usually because once I see the prices I decide against it. Like any tourist destination, the prices for food and drink items can be rather steep, though thankfully not as steep as the last mile of that hike you just descended.<br />
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I started my day at about 10 a.m. on Saturday April 21, 2012 at the Multnomah Falls Lodge. The photo below however (my favorite photo of the lodge, hence my re-using it) was taken in January of 2012. Hence, of course, the patches of snow.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Multnomah Falls Lodge with the fall behind - taken in January 2012</td></tr>
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Multnomah Falls has been a tourist destination since 1915, when the
Columbia River Highway opened to allow tourists and weekenders access
into the Columbia River Gorge. In 1925, a stone lodge designed in the
fashion of traditional national park lodges was erected at the foot of the falls.
Today, that lodge contains a restaurant, a gift shop, a visitors center,
a snack bar, and facilities for visitors. In typical Pacific Northwest
fashion, there is also an espresso bar "hut" located right outside of the
lodge.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4KRzAtxx5kFEDduiyj6e_Q8ZjaBLMFQkDr7VCAxy_MBm8C7Q38P6ynTF7JuPFW0rxrB6AJgOROmDoquPj_jORCwcBB8lfK3pdxdLEf6qvLrdGeibSZ8e9Vul4idXwbtJL_fw3bicJjJV/s1600/DSC_0010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4KRzAtxx5kFEDduiyj6e_Q8ZjaBLMFQkDr7VCAxy_MBm8C7Q38P6ynTF7JuPFW0rxrB6AJgOROmDoquPj_jORCwcBB8lfK3pdxdLEf6qvLrdGeibSZ8e9Vul4idXwbtJL_fw3bicJjJV/s320/DSC_0010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
At the west end of the parking area by the lodge you'll see a trail rise up into the woods just off the Historic Columbia River Highway. This is the short "Return Trail" that will bring you to the Wahkeena Falls trailhead in a little less than a mile. The scenery here might not be spectacular, but it is here that I noticed the smorgasbord of green plant life that you'll encounter in this very wet area of the gorge. There are so many different types of beautiful, bright-green plant life that I couldn't help but stop and take some photos.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtJZDzlMlUhBJsEr9VrIbO070aAqQLmEmWwT4xOWikwsOOupDlfyfb5GydEaLhfbHU5CkpbirViNfIwKTWtJ9CAbdl5v-ga0kMKmmZ2BRPtxDeJjrQ205xIKzT6S6koXks_X_ZrNe__2_c/s1600/DSC_0032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtJZDzlMlUhBJsEr9VrIbO070aAqQLmEmWwT4xOWikwsOOupDlfyfb5GydEaLhfbHU5CkpbirViNfIwKTWtJ9CAbdl5v-ga0kMKmmZ2BRPtxDeJjrQ205xIKzT6S6koXks_X_ZrNe__2_c/s640/DSC_0032.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flora along the Multnomah-Wahkeena Falls Loop - Columbia River Gorge
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmwbIFjpFP3wkpyWDMBY3pR1cennIjh46OapvVZUNCSgMpakmQdNkpU58xtUjbBVOS-4XY6uU4haoCGUnBy-wEMzvcCsHW83sWJ5kKOugKo9RSERhkZ5ynNDLPUBHQIriGsHScWS6kOatz/s1600/DSC_0030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmwbIFjpFP3wkpyWDMBY3pR1cennIjh46OapvVZUNCSgMpakmQdNkpU58xtUjbBVOS-4XY6uU4haoCGUnBy-wEMzvcCsHW83sWJ5kKOugKo9RSERhkZ5ynNDLPUBHQIriGsHScWS6kOatz/s640/DSC_0030.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Return Trail" connecting Multnomah and Wahkeena Falls</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flora along the Multnomah-Wahkeena Falls Loop - Columbia River Gorge
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The first thing you might think to yourself upon arriving at Wahkeena Falls is that it is definitely not as exciting as Multnomah Falls. True as that may be, it is still a beautiful cascade in the Columbia River Gorge. Right at the trailhead you'll be standing at the bottom of Wahkeena Falls watching it slowly cascade downhill. It is more of a peaceful "stair-step" falls than a roaring straight drop-off like Multnomah.<br />
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After a quick half-mile walk up a paved path you'll find yourself standing on a historic bridge looking up at (and getting misted by) the most scenic section of Wahkeena falls. Here are some snapshots from this very short first leg of the hike, from Wahkeena Falls trailhead up to the bridge via a paved path.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wahkeena Falls in its entirety, as viewed from the trailhead at the bottom</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Along the half-mile path from the trailhead to the bridge - Wahkeena Falls</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wahkeena Falls - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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It is here, just past the bridge and falls, that the mildly gradual path truly becomes <i>hike.</i> For the next 1.5 miles, you will steeply climb over 1,500 feet. It's not the steepest hike in the Gorge, but it's <i>steep. </i>1,600 feet elevation gain in 1.5 miles is no walk in the park. After a very steep series of switchbacks you will emerge at a viewpoint of the Gorge. The climb from here gets easier but you're still going to be climbing for a while. Shortly after the viewpoint you'll begin following the Wahkeena Creek (which, by the way, is entirely spring-fed) through a beautiful mini gorge. You'll cross the creek a few times on footbridges and often find yourself stopping for a moment to soak in your surroundings, which are quintessentially Pacific Northwestern: cascading creek, old-growth trees, ferns and moss everywhere. You'll also hike past the foot of a smaller waterfall named Fairy Falls on your way up the gorge.<br />
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Here are some photos from this strenuous but scenic leg of the hike, up the switchbacks and through the Wahkeena Creek gorge.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Multnomah Falls - Wahkeena Falls Loop Trail - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Multnomah Falls - Wahkeena Falls Loop Trail - Columbia River Gorge
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fairy Falls along the Multnomah Falls - Wahkeena Falls Loop Trail - Columbia River Gorge
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Multnomah Falls - Wahkeena Falls Loop Trail - Columbia River Gorge
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Finally, about a mile and a half past the Wahkeena Falls bridge (where you falsely assumed this would be an easy hike!) the trail will even out and the steep climb will stop at an elevation of 1,600 feet. At the top of the climb you'll reach an intersection of the trail your on with another that leads to Angel's Rest (you can't miss it). The climb stops here (trust me, you'll feel it!). There is beautiful forest up here that is nicely shaded, which you're going to need because even on a cold day you're probably going to be hot and sweaty after that climb.<br />
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From the Angel's Rest trail intersection you have about one mile until you hit Multnomah Creek, which you'll ultimately follow downstream, past Multnomah Falls, and back to your car. At one point you will start to feel the beginning of your descent in your legs. It was at this point that the hikers hiking in the opposite direction, huffing and puffing during the final leg of their ascent, asked me how much further until the trail stopped climbing steeply. <i>How much farther to the top?</i> You, like me, will probably take pleasure in being the bearer of good news when you reply to them <i>you're almost there! </i><br />
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Here is what to expect of the hike up at the top.<i> </i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Multnomah Falls - Wahkeena Falls Loop Trail - Columbia River Gorge
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Multnomah Falls - Wahkeena Falls Loop Trail - Columbia River Gorge
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Multnomah Falls - Wahkeena Falls Loop Trail - Columbia River Gorge
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At the end of the Wahkeena Falls trail you'll descend down to the large and beautiful Multnomah Creek and encounter a T intersection. Turn left here and follow the creek downstream through its gorge, past Multnomah Falls, and back to your car. From this intersection, you have a little less than 2 miles to go until you've reached the end of the trail at Multnomah Falls Lodge; and for the first one mile of that hike you will be more than amazed. The hike here becomes rough, wild, and beautiful as it narrowly follows alongside the creek past two smaller (but by no means <i>small</i>) waterfalls.<br />
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The hiking along the Multnomah Creek gorge can be a little perilous, so exercise caution. The trail surface is primarily uneven rock for this first mile, and when wet (which it almost always is) it can get slick. At the first of the "<i>smaller"</i> waterfalls you get to there is a straight drop-off that comes up on you quickly when rounding a bend. The scenery in here is gorgeous, easily tempting your attention away from the path directly in front of you. If you have slippery-soled shoes and/or children with you, just pay a little closer attention and you'll be fine.<br />
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The hike <i>down </i>along Multnomah Creek gorge and the hike <i>up </i>the Wahkeena Creek gorge are the most scenic and awe-some legs of this loop trail. Here are some snapshots from the former, the Multnomah Creek Gorge.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Multnomah Falls - Wahkeena Falls Loop Trail - Columbia River Gorge
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Falls upstream from Multnomah Falls - Columbia River Gorge
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7Z2AIgb-_vDPerhrmJWUUzBvLkrNB26SEGWXznogoL7QLyjtQDiB5CX8AmbZ479FsFpZ5QI4b0TL8zsdcooQ2K7vu_KPDUnrzZKvCKUS3ZAjUEo1p3R7qXt0Gc01WsMEk4WxnEWs1R5v/s1600/DSC_0163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7Z2AIgb-_vDPerhrmJWUUzBvLkrNB26SEGWXznogoL7QLyjtQDiB5CX8AmbZ479FsFpZ5QI4b0TL8zsdcooQ2K7vu_KPDUnrzZKvCKUS3ZAjUEo1p3R7qXt0Gc01WsMEk4WxnEWs1R5v/s640/DSC_0163.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Multnomah Falls - Wahkeena Falls Loop Trail - Columbia River Gorge
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnIEEnyE16j1Tctu4hc2lf3-qGJirxAKZNn-8RYhQ-JxRgEfbqI-ETiUjRRRy9DE21ErLgL2h-FOaRqCZJRhYwGzxgiF5aZ5RogAO1MnfX1T4a48Wv7UPl2QMxt4nVRfVQcSDO7n4dRS7/s1600/DSC_0164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnIEEnyE16j1Tctu4hc2lf3-qGJirxAKZNn-8RYhQ-JxRgEfbqI-ETiUjRRRy9DE21ErLgL2h-FOaRqCZJRhYwGzxgiF5aZ5RogAO1MnfX1T4a48Wv7UPl2QMxt4nVRfVQcSDO7n4dRS7/s640/DSC_0164.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Falls upstream from Multnomah Falls - Columbia River Gorge
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Once you hit this bridge....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiszoPuuZI-d10HySUvGdvpz8utzSyRLRDXfEQtGLgXn5e6r-iP5sl9TUS_3yiwDPyeR_udxiMo4ybk-zpMhhL1f3gyKzuipyx0feJyIyJmNp9xjEn09KyhynSFZPgKucV0rYVc9xVjHtVa/s1600/DSC_0170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiszoPuuZI-d10HySUvGdvpz8utzSyRLRDXfEQtGLgXn5e6r-iP5sl9TUS_3yiwDPyeR_udxiMo4ybk-zpMhhL1f3gyKzuipyx0feJyIyJmNp9xjEn09KyhynSFZPgKucV0rYVc9xVjHtVa/s400/DSC_0170.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridge at the top of Multnomah Falls - Columbia River Gorge
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....the crowds will resume.<br />
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If hiking up to this point from the lodge, then the bridge seen above marks the "end of the line" for most hikers. Few venture beyond it up the Larch Mountain trail and even fewer head over to Wahkeena Falls from here. But if you, like me, end the loop at Multnomah Falls, then this is the last leg of your hike.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcEFQmoEhPytJQhyPYyE9USe_Lm0m6UpV7pvC4-2R_zzgc_qsKNxRXhmcsu7kcE8lglw-olw9kiQDzbc2BThDb0n6tldfeotjeaOO9ndMVkXluJtRs5yFj9z9_X11t1CUyxOKBRyrbM4Di/s1600/DSC_0178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcEFQmoEhPytJQhyPYyE9USe_Lm0m6UpV7pvC4-2R_zzgc_qsKNxRXhmcsu7kcE8lglw-olw9kiQDzbc2BThDb0n6tldfeotjeaOO9ndMVkXluJtRs5yFj9z9_X11t1CUyxOKBRyrbM4Di/s320/DSC_0178.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
From here it is all downhill, and steeply so. The 1.1 mile paved pathway that leads from the Multnomah Lodge up to roughly this point is steeper than you'd expect. On the way down to the lodge you will encounter countless folks out of shape/breath, barely making it up the hill, a few who turn around mid-way, and you may, sadly, even encounter a smoker (yes, on my way down I crossed paths with a dude smoking a menthol cigarette. <i>Really?</i>)<br />
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You can relish in the fact that you're almost done and all those folks huffin-n-puffin in the opposite direction are just beginning. You've been there! You'll see signs on the way back down that count the number of remaining switchbacks for the people climbing up. Reading "<i>switchback 7 of 11"</i> gives them to motivation to continue as they think <i>I'm almost there... (panting) almost there... (panting)</i><br />
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Once you've reached the bottom you have a few options including, but not limited to, the following: 1) stay awhile, grab a burger and an espresso, share the experience of Multnomah Falls with the band of tourists that surround you, or 2) get out of dodge and go grab a cold IPA.<br />
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I chose to do the latter....<br />
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Here are a couple glimpses into the final leg of the Multnomah Falls - Wahkeena Falls Loop Trail, leading from the top of Multnomah, down to the lodge and your car.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 1.1 mile trail from the bottom of Multnomah Falls up to the top - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 1.1 mile trail from the bottom of Multnomah Falls up to the top - Columbia River Gorge
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*** I want to make one important side note***<br />
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Being an 80 degree Spring day, and due to a generous amount of snow melt, Multnomah Falls was even more "<i>wet" </i>and violent than usual. I did not take photos of the Falls close-by because of how much moisture was in the air (just standing on the Benson bridge for a few minutes and your clothing and hair were saturated. I love this, don't get me wrong, but I'm not going to bust out the camera in the thick of it.<br />
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If you'd like to see some closer photos of Multnomah Falls, please click <a href="http://blackwatchsasquatch.blogspot.com/2012/01/out-and-back-to-vista-house-and.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> and visit my earlier blog entry from January 2012, when I was able to snap photos much closer than I was able to today.<br />
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In closing,<br />
Unless you like to mix large crowds of people with Nature, do not visit Multnomah Falls during the prime tourist season on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. That being said, you <b>must </b>see Multnomah Falls. It is one of our country's greatest natural sights. I, for one, just recommend that you pick a time to come when the crowds are at a minimum. Only then can you experience Multnomah Falls the way it <i>ought </i>to be experienced. It is, first and foremost, a work of earthly art. You would not want to stand in front of your favorite painting or sculpture, nor listen to your favorite piece of music, while surrounded by the white noise of people conversing. You enter an art gallery or concert hall expecting respectful silence from your fellow patrons so that you might all experience and interpret in your own ways. So too with Nature's masterpieces. So too with Multnomah Falls. That is why you should visit when few others are around. <br />
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<br />The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com0Multnomah Falls, Mt. Hood National Forest, Oregon 97014, USA45.5768018 -122.115869545.5656873 -122.1356105 45.587916299999996 -122.0961285tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-2065108502941446662012-04-24T18:11:00.000-07:002012-04-24T18:12:32.466-07:00Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge - Portland, Oregon<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge</b></div>
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<i>2.8 mile loop | 100 ft elevation gain</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oregon Grape and Graffiti at Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge - Portland, Oregon </td></tr>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oaks_Bottom_Wildlife_Refuge" target="_blank">Oaks Bottom</a>: a smelly loop, half dirt - half bike path, around a shallow, swampy floodplain with scenery that includes a creepy, towering mausoleum/crematorium covered in animal murals, an amusement park/roller rink dating back to 1905, and the murky <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willamette_River" target="_blank">Willamette River</a>. It is Portland's first wildlife refuge and migratory bird park, with over 185 bird species spotted within the refuge at one time or another. It also happens to be located on the edge of one of my favorite Portland neighborhoods, Sellwood.<br />
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A trip around Oaks Bottom is not a hike but a walk. Half of this walk is down a paved bike path that parallels railroad tracks. Here you are constantly at risk of getting murdered by a bicyclist, but all in keeping with the Portland spirit. The other half is on a dirt path with a bluff on one side and swampland on the other (see photo on left). Here you are constantly at risk of running into a group of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobo" target="_blank">hobos</a> sitting by a campfire cooking beans, or at least so it seems.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq9PlEoszpGTtFR9TjIJfIrXtQfDV40H3ADVLG8F2ilANuQclcAPKgfzI57ETDzCxxubVjeSlUHQoe2n1Y3zeGuExPabxMouox9Iv5P0EgLMvWp9e8aKsG2sBXKanYRVug0hfrwBkxr09V/s1600/DSC_0586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq9PlEoszpGTtFR9TjIJfIrXtQfDV40H3ADVLG8F2ilANuQclcAPKgfzI57ETDzCxxubVjeSlUHQoe2n1Y3zeGuExPabxMouox9Iv5P0EgLMvWp9e8aKsG2sBXKanYRVug0hfrwBkxr09V/s400/DSC_0586.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mausoleum / Crematorium as seen from the Oaks Bottom loop trail</td></tr>
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You'll probably speed up your pace once you reach the mausoleum/crematorium. I'm not even remotely superstitious, but the place is sort of creepy, not to mention it looks like a Soviet apartment project.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oaks Amusement Park</td></tr>
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Throughout most of the hike you will hear children hooting and hollering (and screaming) while being whipped around on carnival rides at Portland's answer to Coney Island: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oaks_Amusement_Park" target="_blank">Oaks Amusement Park</a>. At the same time, you will smell a distinctly swamp-like, stagnant-pond-water smell. Odd but true, this is one of my favorite smells, solely for nostalgic reasons. It reminds me of the musty, murky ponds and lakes I visited as a kid in the Midwest, as well as those humid summer nights after a good hard rain. (But then again, having grown up in a small farm town, the smell of cow manure has the same nostalgic effect on me, so maybe it's best that you, reader, do not listen to a word I say about odors being pleasant or otherwise)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge as seen from the loop trail</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkcmlvyQgtWqMzz-nDfXMpmZMnfahNPHcX89chMijUQqud4NVaDpye2csc9vr6knmZ9pi9tDLwsu8sHSQCgiCOZSMIB9r9i4GRJbe6MSGPU5YiEsuvGWDgCuscq2zaEs2GdsVPKxR4KN7/s1600/DSC_0570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkcmlvyQgtWqMzz-nDfXMpmZMnfahNPHcX89chMijUQqud4NVaDpye2csc9vr6knmZ9pi9tDLwsu8sHSQCgiCOZSMIB9r9i4GRJbe6MSGPU5YiEsuvGWDgCuscq2zaEs2GdsVPKxR4KN7/s200/DSC_0570.JPG" width="185" /></a></div>
Looking out over the Willamette River, I realized how much it reminded me of the river I grew up near: the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_River_%28Mississippi_River%29" target="_blank">Rock River</a> in northern Illinois. In fact, the whole park reminded me of the Midwest. If I was kicking around Oaks Bottom and didn't know any better I would think I was in Chicago, Des Moines, Omaha, etc. All the quintessential <i>pacific northwestern </i>elements are missing from this park. Where are the mountains in the distance? Where are the doug firs? What are these oak trees doing here? What is that motorboat doing out there on the river? Where are the canoes and kayaks?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Motorboatin' on the Willamette River | Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge | Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sidewalk Art | Oaks Bottom</td></tr>
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But it was the occasional sleeve-tatted hipster flying by me on a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed-gear_bicycle" target="_blank">fixed gear bicycle</a> that looked as though it was retrieved from a dumpster, as well as the giant bird mural on the side of the mausoleum reminding me of the infamous <i>"put a bird on it" </i>Portland maxim made famous by the IFC television show <i><a href="http://www.ifc.com/shows/portlandia" target="_blank">Portlandia</a>, </i>that at last made me realize where I was. Oaks Bottom may not look, feel, sound, <i>or smell </i>like other typical Portland area parks, notably Forest Park, Washington Park, Mt. Tabor, etc -but it is most certainly a <i>Portland </i>park.<br />
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Mausoleum? <i>Put a bird on it.</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9bdQyYenTAjnWiBSP__HVagtMUUrrpRxs0kN4lFHwEogK4vq3fMi6ldn9tn8blfj6-DiMyjlzsWEHQCcedljcMGSSniS20T1Y2hDcO-nK9MRqcBvhOxhbTw8YhxplWvp9eJDp2_lovjeo/s1600/DSC_0558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9bdQyYenTAjnWiBSP__HVagtMUUrrpRxs0kN4lFHwEogK4vq3fMi6ldn9tn8blfj6-DiMyjlzsWEHQCcedljcMGSSniS20T1Y2hDcO-nK9MRqcBvhOxhbTw8YhxplWvp9eJDp2_lovjeo/s640/DSC_0558.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mausoleum / Crematorium covered in bird murals | Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge | Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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Side note:<br />
Sellwood is one of Portland's neatest neighborhoods, I think. No, it isn't hipster and trendy like Alberta, Hawthorne, Belmont, Mississippi, Division, etc. And no, it isn't posh and spendy like Nob Hill or the Pearl. It is chiefly an antiquing district. It's quiet, historic, sophisticated without being pretentious, bookish, down-to-earth, residential, quaint, grown-up without being too stuffy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbWaXafFJeBIJzDD1N6KEDdgQ6IzE_-9hdD3GKyJzaVVk-PZz1VFavRsciqAnORZSG0NO2oJKSzUzuAGLrnE9hEd7w9XMSD8BMdu2Zk2vCzHfdwCYH632-edhiTY8iLKIZDk0Q_Y1HdQb/s1600/DSC_0597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbWaXafFJeBIJzDD1N6KEDdgQ6IzE_-9hdD3GKyJzaVVk-PZz1VFavRsciqAnORZSG0NO2oJKSzUzuAGLrnE9hEd7w9XMSD8BMdu2Zk2vCzHfdwCYH632-edhiTY8iLKIZDk0Q_Y1HdQb/s200/DSC_0597.JPG" width="183" /></a></div>
If you're headed to Oaks Bottom save some time to explore Sellwood, especially 13th ave, its main strip. If its antiques you're looking for, this is one of the best spots in Portland (if not the best). If you're looking for one of the best cups of tea you'll ever have, stop at <a href="http://www.teachaite.com/" target="_blank">Tea Chai Te</a>, located in an old red boxcar! If you're looking for a damn good Oregon microbrew look no further than the aptly named <a href="http://www.newoldlompoc.com/oaksbottom_home.html" target="_blank">Oaks Bottom Public House</a>, owned and operated by one of Portland's best brewers, <a href="http://www.newoldlompoc.com/" target="_blank">New Old Lompoc</a>. If you're looking for great food you have several Italian options including <a href="http://www.acenapdx.com/" target="_blank">a Cena</a> and <a href="http://ginossellwood.com/" target="_blank">Gino's</a>, as well as one of Portland's highest rated Asian restaurants <a href="http://www.jadeportland.com/" target="_blank">Jade Bistro, Teahouse and Patisserie</a>. If you'd prefer something more decadent there is There are also some outstanding bicycle shops, coffee shops, and comfort-y food restaurants in the area.<br />
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Here are some photos from SE Portland's Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paved Bike Path | Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge | Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPy3dR-u_owEGehKrVMiHlburdDYuyVYKhzdnZd8q5sHeJ2rnH9rg_FKeMV1bAtLa9jyju3YOlhuCEhwngt6PML6sg5zzmniq9sZoaYtBjM0ClnZUnHyjTzwZfA2lL4zN-ThiV28dHZr2A/s1600/DSC_0560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPy3dR-u_owEGehKrVMiHlburdDYuyVYKhzdnZd8q5sHeJ2rnH9rg_FKeMV1bAtLa9jyju3YOlhuCEhwngt6PML6sg5zzmniq9sZoaYtBjM0ClnZUnHyjTzwZfA2lL4zN-ThiV28dHZr2A/s640/DSC_0560.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roller-rink at Oaks Amusement Park | Oaks Bottom | Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL3qpEL5PVUd2Hzvq1Ucn0DJI1YPJabpxG2Gov3gYR3LyLh5umSXr20Ehew2RXnSXw0dLWKnY4cA7COmBmlBYllgGWWZkv6_KFodHAp3HwmDmlAPjY6UtEUKeKPQkgoLRAoa442GVNVjR_/s1600/DSC_0566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL3qpEL5PVUd2Hzvq1Ucn0DJI1YPJabpxG2Gov3gYR3LyLh5umSXr20Ehew2RXnSXw0dLWKnY4cA7COmBmlBYllgGWWZkv6_KFodHAp3HwmDmlAPjY6UtEUKeKPQkgoLRAoa442GVNVjR_/s640/DSC_0566.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge | Portland, Oregon
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwD8ozCbbHjXUiefQQ6mS9eXrCpc8GLdxOqu-Bqg6cFOU_O-4klMZWb5CM8U2ZZHBSQ6ilfQJ1lmGx4SOog4Z_dIYSPrGxiGqA-SmEdtUfwXZczP7bWHoNQHI75ROnftwfGQAlgZHFupy/s1600/DSC_0580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwD8ozCbbHjXUiefQQ6mS9eXrCpc8GLdxOqu-Bqg6cFOU_O-4klMZWb5CM8U2ZZHBSQ6ilfQJ1lmGx4SOog4Z_dIYSPrGxiGqA-SmEdtUfwXZczP7bWHoNQHI75ROnftwfGQAlgZHFupy/s640/DSC_0580.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge | Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqoPGDfYQxStqLSIGlm6d8HJLwgijqKaqSOR7Cntm3Rf9l5nbaB50BHUpgHx_P2ry2VVY2gVnwCq7DXwBjCxFfa8LmlSpjZ-hV0DmLS1mPlHZkOYXYCt7eJQOrsSZq0YUTJJtu9G-rnrMd/s1600/DSC_0594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqoPGDfYQxStqLSIGlm6d8HJLwgijqKaqSOR7Cntm3Rf9l5nbaB50BHUpgHx_P2ry2VVY2gVnwCq7DXwBjCxFfa8LmlSpjZ-hV0DmLS1mPlHZkOYXYCt7eJQOrsSZq0YUTJJtu9G-rnrMd/s640/DSC_0594.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge | Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<br />The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com7Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, Portland, OR 97202, USA45.4751889 -122.656003645.4640544 -122.6757446 45.486323399999996 -122.63626260000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-24113785489025966262012-04-20T21:39:00.002-07:002012-04-20T22:39:55.250-07:00Hamilton Mountain - Columbia River Gorge<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Hamilton Mountain</b></div>
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<i>6.4 miles round-trip | 2,000 ft elevation gain</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hikers en route to the Hamilton Mountain summit - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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Having felt really good last weekend after hiking up to Angel's Rest, which was a little under 5 miles round trip and a climb of about 1,500 ft., I decided to push myself a little harder this weekend. I looked through my guidebooks for a hike that was roughly 6-8 miles round trip with an elevation gain of over 2,000 ft. My eye caught Hamilton Mountain in the Columbia Gorge at Beacon Rock State Park: over 6 miles round trip with a 2,000 ft gain in elevation. That'll work.<br />
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Now there are hikes and there are <i>hikes. </i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaKDVMAPM7e2kpVIL46C0HOMoeUEe9YoNjEuw9TgkTIfO2GlTdXKfHlw9AQXhf-V38ByE_gMs8Ed51pZgHhw5nzKyHOCs1f0TTaVNnJkWaqMLVEUabRK6SIxDqTkXZX_Z4YJqLzl7ecycQ/s1600/DSC_0407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaKDVMAPM7e2kpVIL46C0HOMoeUEe9YoNjEuw9TgkTIfO2GlTdXKfHlw9AQXhf-V38ByE_gMs8Ed51pZgHhw5nzKyHOCs1f0TTaVNnJkWaqMLVEUabRK6SIxDqTkXZX_Z4YJqLzl7ecycQ/s320/DSC_0407.JPG" width="214" /></a></div>
A walk down a flat, dirt path in a state park is considered a hike, but a <i>hike </i>is something much greater. A <i>hike </i>is an adventure. A <i>hike </i>is something that takes great effort to achieve. Most, if not all, of the hikes that I have covered in this blog up to this point have been just that: hikes. Winter is not a time to attempt serious <i>hikes </i>for numerous safety reasons. But Hamilton Mountain is the first <i>hike </i>that I have covered in this blog. You actually have to be in relatively good physical shape to do it; and it actually feels like an adventure rather than a mere pleasurable walk in the woods. A <i>hike </i>should have an element of danger to it (if not a liberal dose of danger), it should make you exhausted by the end of the day, it should intimidate you mentally and push you physically, it should be a journey grand enough that your friends and family beg you to at least tell someone where you're going in case you get lost or injured. <br />
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So what makes Hamilton Mountain a <i>hike</i>? <b>Three things</b>.<br />
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<b>1. It will intimidate you mentally:</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Decisions, decisions... - Hamilton Mountain - Beacon Rock State Park - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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<b>2. It has an element of danger to it:</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hamilton Mountain - Beacon Rock State Park - Columbia River Gorge
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<b>3. It is a steep hike and will <i>definitely</i> push you physically:</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_PqCpKTpwSe7VbMVFjJHXJNt2hHMYBl9CE1ezIkQDedH_JjANgGKAd2gAd_ozqNjhcB6frc3QBez_22rfL6WEu8GfDUy_mXsiPmzcu03lS5dQCcJ8fI7YLHmChsk5fzBYDZW_om4OrcY/s1600/DSC_0413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_PqCpKTpwSe7VbMVFjJHXJNt2hHMYBl9CE1ezIkQDedH_JjANgGKAd2gAd_ozqNjhcB6frc3QBez_22rfL6WEu8GfDUy_mXsiPmzcu03lS5dQCcJ8fI7YLHmChsk5fzBYDZW_om4OrcY/s640/DSC_0413.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hamilton Mountain - Beacon Rock State Park - Columbia River Gorge
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Quick Note:</div>
My hike to the top of Hamilton Mountain marks my second time at Beacon Rock State Park. About a month ago I completed two hikes at Beacon Rock State Park:<br />
1) I hiked to the top of <a href="http://blackwatchsasquatch.blogspot.com/2012/03/beacon-rock-columbia-river-gorge.html">Beacon Rock itself</a>;<br />
2) I hiked the first leg of the Hamilton Mountain trail to <a href="http://blackwatchsasquatch.blogspot.com/2012/03/rodney-falls-little-beacon-rock.html">Rodney Falls</a>, as well as took the side trip to <a href="http://blackwatchsasquatch.blogspot.com/2012/03/rodney-falls-little-beacon-rock.html">Little Beacon Rock</a>.<br />
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I did a separate blog entry on both of these hikes. Click on either of the links below to view those previous entries from Beacon Rock State Park.<br />
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To view my previous hike of<b> <span style="font-size: small;">Beacon Rock</span></b> itself<b>, <a href="http://blackwatchsasquatch.blogspot.com/2012/03/beacon-rock-columbia-river-gorge.html">please click here.</a></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">To view my previous hike to<b> Rodney Falls and Little Beacon Rock,</b> <b><a href="http://blackwatchsasquatch.blogspot.com/2012/03/rodney-falls-little-beacon-rock.html">please click here.</a></b></span></div>
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Alright, let's talk about the hike.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8HI4wxfUKmLZV7lKqvb_gtRYR-Qy7y-jWKbb7MUCXe7Hp68JcprGOvjaXWgIdknecFKH1-iSPwSG5W9xKE7Xz_ndJ6N9cjDDCpks0k9gJBSTGy5cazfzyXh1tvp82kWlJJazInYTPzQb8/s1600/DSC_0440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8HI4wxfUKmLZV7lKqvb_gtRYR-Qy7y-jWKbb7MUCXe7Hp68JcprGOvjaXWgIdknecFKH1-iSPwSG5W9xKE7Xz_ndJ6N9cjDDCpks0k9gJBSTGy5cazfzyXh1tvp82kWlJJazInYTPzQb8/s200/DSC_0440.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
The trailhead is very readily accessible, located just up the hill via a campground road from the main Beacon Rock parking area. There is adequate parking, restrooms, water, a playground, and a rather scenic picnicking shelter. There are also a few massive fell old-growth trees within this park-like trailhead area, one of which nearly comes up to my shoulders on its side, the other marking the start of the Hamilton Mountain trail.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVB86AcZBow1mdCn8aKLoF38fyel3TyAFgSy_t4aE6PQ5WtUaAwjzbXLCF1YZ2PXyQoX45Juob8R1UBfwFNb1_xzbMaGyirfBPgSSvoD3wD3SxCYWc8FzysrTjolPuAjgY-QSORfZeJjw/s1600/DSC_0324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVB86AcZBow1mdCn8aKLoF38fyel3TyAFgSy_t4aE6PQ5WtUaAwjzbXLCF1YZ2PXyQoX45Juob8R1UBfwFNb1_xzbMaGyirfBPgSSvoD3wD3SxCYWc8FzysrTjolPuAjgY-QSORfZeJjw/s320/DSC_0324.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What on earth plant is this? I love it?</td></tr>
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The first leg of the hike connects the trailhead with Rodney Falls. From the trailhead, you will primarily walk through a beautiful forest with moderate elevation gain. This is also where you'll find a beautiful and diverse array of flora. At one point early on you will emerge from the shaded forest into a sunny, wide-open slope that was cleared to make room for power lines, which you'll notice directly above you. The power lines aren't very sightly, but at least this clearing gives you a glimpse of Hamilton Mountain itself high off in the distance. "<i>I'm going to climb to the top of <b>that</b>!?!?!" </i>you might say. But do not worry too much, you do not have to be an avid hiker or athlete to make it to the top, but you will need a little will and persistence at the very least. If you're totally out of shape, you might need a little more.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HV1dM1hdCm4jyan5619VmvjP2jgzggpLQ-L7ZYg0-coi86Lx1I2Ajz1H3j2gBY1qyjweV7e7Al4k5ug0NtuZAzAeui9o1dDie2HycA4phMyHqKfz9GJ5SqjJm8pup1vietYvNjoQra8U/s1600/DSC_0351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HV1dM1hdCm4jyan5619VmvjP2jgzggpLQ-L7ZYg0-coi86Lx1I2Ajz1H3j2gBY1qyjweV7e7Al4k5ug0NtuZAzAeui9o1dDie2HycA4phMyHqKfz9GJ5SqjJm8pup1vietYvNjoQra8U/s320/DSC_0351.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridge over Rodney Falls</td></tr>
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After the power lines you'll again enter the forest with just a short distance remaining before Rodney Falls. Before you get to Rodney Falls, you will actually come across Hardy Falls (easier to hear than see), with a muddy side trail leading to a view point. Don't expect much from the viewpoint- Rodney Falls is much more exciting, as well as a mere a hop, skip, and jump ahead of you. <a href="http://blackwatchsasquatch.blogspot.com/2012/03/rodney-falls-little-beacon-rock.html">Rodney Falls</a>, while far from the most impressive waterfall in the Columbia Gorge, is very beautiful. The rustic bridge at the foot of the falls only adds to the aesthetics. For a truly unique, if not intimidating, experience, climb up to the ledge and peer over the railing into the <a href="http://blackwatchsasquatch.blogspot.com/2012/03/rodney-falls-little-beacon-rock.html"><i>Pool of Winds</i></a>. What is <i>Pool of WInds? </i>Basically, the first half of the falls dumps into this big rocky teacup with a notch cut into it, and the second half of the falls thunderously gushes out of said notch. It has that sort of "wrathful side of mother nature" appeal to it.<br />
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Here are some photos of the first leg of the hike, from the trailhead to Rodney Falls.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWssUyrF2rIm8Y3hmeqrG1CY67p0D_KojGqtsRZIwGVD7x484j6khfZp7K2j0i2oy9U22MuxgT0NxF6BewcjF7rHckUACA8qMJaIl7pEAeytQ16-USd_iSkzill8yAjfzBD1rF9_vq0lq/s1600/DSC_0335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWssUyrF2rIm8Y3hmeqrG1CY67p0D_KojGqtsRZIwGVD7x484j6khfZp7K2j0i2oy9U22MuxgT0NxF6BewcjF7rHckUACA8qMJaIl7pEAeytQ16-USd_iSkzill8yAjfzBD1rF9_vq0lq/s640/DSC_0335.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hamilton Mountain - Beacon Rock State Park - Columbia River Gorge
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8JH_8wYufZfQfZHrIZA9C0OSnZyNb-g11QY80mwzh_63w_I1JgCuGbNd-omgh12m_7F-VFBIAZw-MK3FmSbQHXS63cv2Pwg7Yf3SzSyfRiHYFCYDTqrgpB8zvo37LhWObGLc622NL6rhn/s1600/DSC_0317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8JH_8wYufZfQfZHrIZA9C0OSnZyNb-g11QY80mwzh_63w_I1JgCuGbNd-omgh12m_7F-VFBIAZw-MK3FmSbQHXS63cv2Pwg7Yf3SzSyfRiHYFCYDTqrgpB8zvo37LhWObGLc622NL6rhn/s640/DSC_0317.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hamilton Mountain - Beacon Rock State Park - Columbia River Gorge
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqumyZhgVcMTdm2quITsXOI4e0_3rwzm9CjOodzffFEsBGPCN_J7am-c5d3vNFyddeHO9_K_uMGwm9w2krZMUlZv6QImnWnHJBB6ml6i3fzqhqBbtPot0ct-SY7V3VUgisarNPpYN31XO-/s1600/DSC_0345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqumyZhgVcMTdm2quITsXOI4e0_3rwzm9CjOodzffFEsBGPCN_J7am-c5d3vNFyddeHO9_K_uMGwm9w2krZMUlZv6QImnWnHJBB6ml6i3fzqhqBbtPot0ct-SY7V3VUgisarNPpYN31XO-/s640/DSC_0345.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hikers crossing at Rodney Falls - Hamilton Mountain - Beacon Rock State Park - Columbia River Gorge
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The second leg of the hike begins at the far side of the bridge over Hardy Creek at the foot of Rodney Falls and ends at a gnarly lookout over the Columbia River.<br />
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The area around Rodney Falls, unsurprisingly, can get very muddy. The stairs leading up from the falls to Hamilton Mountain are no exception.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpGX-lcSze5Mg_Trymsuo_FlGM6C9exQa69sBiteD5wOzW_9xOGpYcj0gPYSpj8XLm46uWgYProkFPgtYi6syqr3hNAaWgHF4CmqBTxk3KWwioI6CxupBn4r-T74N0x_FjZD4PxL1xUky/s1600/DSC_0350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpGX-lcSze5Mg_Trymsuo_FlGM6C9exQa69sBiteD5wOzW_9xOGpYcj0gPYSpj8XLm46uWgYProkFPgtYi6syqr3hNAaWgHF4CmqBTxk3KWwioI6CxupBn4r-T74N0x_FjZD4PxL1xUky/s320/DSC_0350.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stairs leading from Rodney Falls to Hamilton Mtn Trail</td></tr>
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Shortly after climbing the stairs and wandering through some more beautiful forest, you'll come to a fork in the road and a sign that gives you two options: <i>Difficult </i>and <i>More Difficult </i>(see above)<i> </i>Take the more difficult path to the left. It is way more scenic. At this point you'll notice the hike get steeper, your layers coming off one by one, your lungs working hard, and your legs working harder. You're about to get a work out, yes, but don't worry, you're not about to climb Mt. Everest or anything. It isn't that bad.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuydp7-rHVbtUT6PF7ORiKC9JGx5aPMaz74IW8KSXDqNZzOQ7ZZ1GbCUHMOJutgNZzQQ2MmXEBnF7Jc0cQiAx6IvEHBN8fNygczrHezqjAGuPViwHA2seppu97rhnURvGLctszvZdRZGx/s1600/DSC_0390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuydp7-rHVbtUT6PF7ORiKC9JGx5aPMaz74IW8KSXDqNZzOQ7ZZ1GbCUHMOJutgNZzQQ2MmXEBnF7Jc0cQiAx6IvEHBN8fNygczrHezqjAGuPViwHA2seppu97rhnURvGLctszvZdRZGx/s320/DSC_0390.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The Rocky Thumb"</td></tr>
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After climbing steep switchbacks you'll emerge out into the open at what I think is the highlight of the whole hike (yes, even more so than the summit itself)- a large rocky "thumb" poking out into the gorge. The views from here are great and the "thumb" itself has a few short paths on it that lead to even better views. There is a huge, jagged crevasse with vertical drops here, so use extra caution and do not get too close to the edge. There is already one little gravestone placed upon these rocks here, and a fall in this area would be very bad. Enjoy the views but use caution.<br />
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Here are some photos of the second leg of the hike, from Rodney Falls to the rocky "thumb."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6VXI6dODlyNB-FO4lnZzMv-BpP5NGJiOAdLkfJyCRyEFFkM2aHPA8uGWdP9Df5pCTp89UM70KnmQgqKspPt9ihDOKDORC5YB5Jrofo1KWi046WWnASA92OnDkz2F8giXH-ByhRTrIK2K/s1600/DSC_0372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6VXI6dODlyNB-FO4lnZzMv-BpP5NGJiOAdLkfJyCRyEFFkM2aHPA8uGWdP9Df5pCTp89UM70KnmQgqKspPt9ihDOKDORC5YB5Jrofo1KWi046WWnASA92OnDkz2F8giXH-ByhRTrIK2K/s640/DSC_0372.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hamilton Mountain - Beacon Rock State Park - Columbia River Gorge
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhQgdrp2QqQlhG1GD7-jN-40zI0qPKM_wPS_rQCEPHASod0KWSZnsfz8O9rUhJPJ4HBNROEYB9wI3aASBy_P3-xYCcY2frJcmOLNW2ol-YvuPuR9FiHdtYtrlUAJbKNqXtlwuA1Wfk2-h/s1600/DSC_0375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="532" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhQgdrp2QqQlhG1GD7-jN-40zI0qPKM_wPS_rQCEPHASod0KWSZnsfz8O9rUhJPJ4HBNROEYB9wI3aASBy_P3-xYCcY2frJcmOLNW2ol-YvuPuR9FiHdtYtrlUAJbKNqXtlwuA1Wfk2-h/s640/DSC_0375.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beacon Rock in the distance - Hamilton Mountain - Beacon Rock State Park - Columbia River Gorge
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnA3InCge38fMnKm6U3pk4DLSRipPEWGOk8IrIReIZJruOsahYvdIQygjgc9VCnhkMctdN2kiUHY9rZ1uNYInIEF8tJJPTJ-8er1EkITKFfszVtUBB55cYocK_mOIxqJoY_98C4YtWhYr/s1600/DSC_0463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnA3InCge38fMnKm6U3pk4DLSRipPEWGOk8IrIReIZJruOsahYvdIQygjgc9VCnhkMctdN2kiUHY9rZ1uNYInIEF8tJJPTJ-8er1EkITKFfszVtUBB55cYocK_mOIxqJoY_98C4YtWhYr/s640/DSC_0463.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hamilton Mountain - Beacon Rock State Park - Columbia River Gorge
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</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTE4heCDtqZME7b1RQcqa3oRpYHd_HpkIrBZFHtDMRK8Y6YPA-jalBOT9fTVDK9lUiivwQWKRwDMtA_3K6rTk89tghu5CvGEhGuiusjjYCInvpaOj4Ad5WMNK7-G4Ej7BzfMowiSTlTsYJ/s1600/DSC_0451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTE4heCDtqZME7b1RQcqa3oRpYHd_HpkIrBZFHtDMRK8Y6YPA-jalBOT9fTVDK9lUiivwQWKRwDMtA_3K6rTk89tghu5CvGEhGuiusjjYCInvpaOj4Ad5WMNK7-G4Ej7BzfMowiSTlTsYJ/s640/DSC_0451.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The rocky Thumb" - Hamilton Mountain - Beacon Rock State Park - Columbia River Gorge
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqApYGEugbeS7Qvj_3WdoTATEMlDrHK9Zp2_adQ3EcwGxg1f2Ppb_WYIlkmsigNJEU_831bmMqTrZIbr1hNf6NvTw2zieOfe7SguIvCd8j83I0vxNPGh-x-Z-2Jaa5yv0IK4rKHTGkpmUB/s1600/DSC_0448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqApYGEugbeS7Qvj_3WdoTATEMlDrHK9Zp2_adQ3EcwGxg1f2Ppb_WYIlkmsigNJEU_831bmMqTrZIbr1hNf6NvTw2zieOfe7SguIvCd8j83I0vxNPGh-x-Z-2Jaa5yv0IK4rKHTGkpmUB/s640/DSC_0448.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from "the Rocky Thumb" - Hamilton Mountain - Beacon Rock State Park - Columbia River Gorge
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiri9JQMiODoyhsQCIovxhnWmBRkp3dYN-xNlv06djryac2ZA_fiG0kxyFdD7vVDkh1a0Xye2MBTH6oTRUCvT7ThkR4nkp_Xhegvec_Ytjof__z3VScs_P6_iTwnaFplhU2gxXC7iQtY5SD/s1600/DSC_0433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiri9JQMiODoyhsQCIovxhnWmBRkp3dYN-xNlv06djryac2ZA_fiG0kxyFdD7vVDkh1a0Xye2MBTH6oTRUCvT7ThkR4nkp_Xhegvec_Ytjof__z3VScs_P6_iTwnaFplhU2gxXC7iQtY5SD/s200/DSC_0433.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
The third and final leg takes you from what I have dubbed "the rocky thumb" to Hamilton Mtn's summit 2,438 ft above the Columbia River.A short ways after the rocky thumb you will find yourself out in the wide-open switching-back steeply with a wonderful view of Beacon Rock off in the distance (from here it looks tiny... really makes you realize just how high up you are). Use caution in this area too- there is a straight-drop off a cliff in this switchback area and the ground upon which you walk is gravely and can be slippery. This wide-open space with the switchbacks is one of my favorite parts of the hike.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSV3y6uPi4GfxOMlWeM7CVL0CHawTRKt26rNhei5hEbvoIX77uV4JBZD3FgfW4wgB36gCW1st4wEZKQSSVkIj9TYBOJznF2i9iRStTBKWG877kKfPm6PuVRwJz9Ktea8AJpl2nmXmvauu/s1600/DSC_0434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSV3y6uPi4GfxOMlWeM7CVL0CHawTRKt26rNhei5hEbvoIX77uV4JBZD3FgfW4wgB36gCW1st4wEZKQSSVkIj9TYBOJznF2i9iRStTBKWG877kKfPm6PuVRwJz9Ktea8AJpl2nmXmvauu/s640/DSC_0434.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hamilton Mountain - Beacon Rock State Park - Columbia River Gorge
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After leaving the wide-open space and re-entering the shady forest, you'll be glad to know that you're nearly there. The remaining climb is steep (see below) but there isn't much climb left.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrq0iAd4ECukHCI3dzOo2VFPZrYjvE8UTkijdp_3c-_A3ukRfaqhqVVFGfl8KIpzeX8jHSUapQBFgdBc4mW1rP4ayukAXbsMOLUAe6BF1DDIznB0KOUwED3gM_d0WR6cNLXDufnKXBycNb/s1600/DSC_0431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrq0iAd4ECukHCI3dzOo2VFPZrYjvE8UTkijdp_3c-_A3ukRfaqhqVVFGfl8KIpzeX8jHSUapQBFgdBc4mW1rP4ayukAXbsMOLUAe6BF1DDIznB0KOUwED3gM_d0WR6cNLXDufnKXBycNb/s320/DSC_0431.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The view from Hamilton Mountain's summit is grand. On a clear day you'll see Mt. Adams looming out in the distance, Bonneville Dam and Cascade Locks far down below, and the much taller Table Mountain just a "stone's throw" to the east. After climbing Hamilton Mountain -standing at the summit, huffing and puffing and tired- it is hard to fathom climbing Table Mountain, which doesn't exactly dwarf Hamilton but is, imposingly, much taller.<br />
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After having hiked to Angel's Rest last weekend, I came to the conclusion that Hamilton Mountain's summit has a great view, but that's about it. Do not climb up here expecting Angel's Rest: boulders to climb on, a variety of places to pop a squat and have a picnic, hell, even room to lay a blanket down without getting in other people's way.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfOOXK20M0RsKt5hsF0AA17imGGfZAduo-tw3dVblw5-JI6RNcKjB9hOB2kT8BzYMNXiklO1h0XejUFDkFps3wHyFndlfKlzbYD7qCDQc1Jwl2O7oHsK9vQ793o7kOcdoiGFqwJQSRhgu/s1600/DSC_0426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfOOXK20M0RsKt5hsF0AA17imGGfZAduo-tw3dVblw5-JI6RNcKjB9hOB2kT8BzYMNXiklO1h0XejUFDkFps3wHyFndlfKlzbYD7qCDQc1Jwl2O7oHsK9vQ793o7kOcdoiGFqwJQSRhgu/s320/DSC_0426.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The summit area itself is very small and narrow- sort of like a T-intersection that is surrounded on all sides by thick brush. The area in which to take a load off is really no wider than a hiking trail, so be respectful when you're up here- share this area with the others who've made the trek. Have a snack, take a few liberal swigs from your water bottle, savor the view for a while, and then try to convince your tired, wobbly legs that it's time to head back down.<br />
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Here are some photos of the third leg of the hike, from "the rocky thumb" to the 2,438 ft summit.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hamilton Mountain - Beacon Rock State Park - Columbia River Gorge
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hamilton Mountain - Beacon Rock State Park - Columbia River Gorge
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beacon Rock a dwarf in the Distance - Hamilton Mountain - Beacon Rock State Park - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the Hamilton Mountain trail - Beacon Rock State Park - Columbia River Gorge
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hiker taking a photo from the cliff- Hamilton Mountain - Beacon Rock State Park - Columbia River Gorge
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Table Mtn. and Mt. Adams (both summits covered by cloud-cover) - view from Hamilton Mtn. summit</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Hamilton Mtn. summit</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonneville Dam from Hamilton Mtn summit 2,438 ft above (full zoom on camera)</td></tr>
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Needless to say, after hiking Hamilton Mountain I was exhausted. I wanted a burger and an IPA like it was nobody's business. I remembered passing by a restaurant called the Pacific Crest Trail Pub in Cascade Locks, so I made that my next destination shortly after returning to my automobile..<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burger with Tillamook cheddar and a Walking Man I.P.A. at Pacific Crest Trail Pub in Cascade Locks, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">McMenamins Greater Trumps - Hawthorne District - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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Ok, ok. I'm not going to lie. Hamilton Mountain has been my most strenuous hike since starting this blog. I wanted to <b>chill</b> afterwards. I drove home, showered, changed, and quickly ended up at one of my favorite cigar bars in Portland: McMenamin's Greater Trumps. Next door to the legendary Bagdad Theater in the Hawthorne District, Greater Trumps is what you would probably call a "hole in the wall" (because that is essentially what it is) but it is a philosophical, literary, aficionado, jazzy, port-wine-or-fine-whisky-lover's-den if there ever was one in Portland. I frankly love it here. An hour at Greater Trumps, with a Perdomo and a glass of homemade I.P.A., served as a most relaxing end to a tiring day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">McMenamins Greater Trumps - Hawthorne District - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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McMenamins Greater Trumps, a Perdomo Lot 23 torpedo, <i>A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters </i>by Julian Barnes, and a cold glass of McMenamins own I.P.A.:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">McMenamins Greater Trumps | Perdomo Lot 23 | Pint of I.P.A. | <i>A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters</i></td></tr>
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I love this city...<br />
<br />The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com6Beacon Rock State Park, 34841 Rte 14, Skamania, WA 98648, USA45.6574762 -122.017775545.6130827 -122.0967395 45.701869699999996 -121.9388115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-60639558054822316762012-04-12T19:04:00.001-07:002012-04-12T19:05:16.846-07:00Angel's Rest - Columbia River Gorge<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Angel's Rest</b></div>
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<i>4.6 miles round trip | 1500 ft elevation gain</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angel's Rest - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Columbia River from Angel's Rest</td></tr>
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Angel's Rest: one of the most popular and crowded hikes in the Columbia River Gorge. It is so crowded, in fact, that one of my guide books states that on any given summer weekend you'll likely see more dogs on Angel's Rest than you will hikers on many other gorge trails. It also took me a good twenty minutes of illegal u-turns on the Historic Columbia River Highway to finally find a parking spot near the trailhead. But then again, I arrived shortly after noon- not a good time to find a parking spot anywhere in the gorge on the first dry, sunny Saturday of the year.<br />
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But, in my opinion, there are three really good reasons as to why the Angel's Rest hike merits the crowds that it draws weekend after weekend.<br />
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First, Angel's Rest is one of the closest "great gorge hikes" to the greater Portland Metropolitan area. It is only 28 miles from <i>downtown Portland</i> (or, about 15 miles east of the metropolitan area city limits) via interstate 84; and the trailhead is a stone's throw from the interstate exit. Literally.<br />
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Second, Angel's Rest is a moderate hike with a great reward at the end- therefore it has a wide appeal. You will get a workout on this hike but you don't have to be an athlete to do it. The climb is gradual enough for families with children or those out-of-shape, but also enough exercise to please your habitual hiker. And the reward at the end: the view! Most hikes that lead to panoramic views like the one you'll experience high above the river at Angel's Rest are significantly more difficult and harder to get to, which of course limits the appeal of the hike to the masses (but greatly reduces the crowds). Some of those views come at the cost of extremely steep hikes that exceed 6 miles round trip. But Angel's Rest won't kill you; and the reward you get at the end of this hike is well worth the moderate effort you'll put into it. The view from Angel's Rest is amazing, but there's something that makes it even more amazing...<br />
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Third, think of Angel's Rest as a big rocky park / natural jungle-gym. Right before you reach the summit, the trail traverses a rock slide. Chances are you'll see groups of friends lounging on the rocks, conversing, laughing, just straight up hanging out 1,600 feet above the river. That's only the start of it. Keep going just a little further to the summit and you'll see the same thing and more. People sunbathing, couples posing cheek to cheek for photos, families picnicking, thrill seekers bouldering, teenagers texting, hipsters sitting indian-style writing poetry into little beat-up leather journals, you name it. You will feel as though you are in a city park, only you're not- you are at least fifteen miles away from the closest city and you had to break a sweat hiking about two and a half miles just to get here. It left me feeling really quite grateful to have a place to hang out that is <i>this magnificent and unique</i>. Rather than hanging out at home on such a beautiful day, various groups of Portlanders migrate to Angel's Rest to do the exact same thing they'd do in their backyards or front porches! If there is one thing Portlanders do exceedingly well it is loiter outdoors; and Angel's Rest is like the holy land for outdoor loiterers. <br />
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Without a doubt my next trip to Angel's Rest will include the intent of spending a few hours loitering at the summit with, hopefully, a picnic, my wife, and some friends. Or at the very least a good book and some beef jerky...<br />
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Unlike most blog entries, where I begin at the beginning and work my way to the end, with Angel's Rest I want to start at the end. Here are photos taken around the summit area of Angel's Rest and the rock slide.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoWMqOzcZz0VrOGRiTsh2tPm5CTKbtt8u4l2tYxDfkfVKDbBhnDzEg5O6l43tqorUmn0JdCI7s_ZjofQZ6agfgX7Gm-bwKjyUW04IQKWqVnhyphenhyphenTYGcAYn6Ptk0LBQXFdn47tWisv-GinYyh/s1600/DSC_0140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoWMqOzcZz0VrOGRiTsh2tPm5CTKbtt8u4l2tYxDfkfVKDbBhnDzEg5O6l43tqorUmn0JdCI7s_ZjofQZ6agfgX7Gm-bwKjyUW04IQKWqVnhyphenhyphenTYGcAYn6Ptk0LBQXFdn47tWisv-GinYyh/s640/DSC_0140.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lounging around on the Rock Slide just below the summit of Angel's Rest</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAYK0rS9VcINFC1R-Yyr2gsqdcQWYAmihcl_JENvrJeOHJUoPnaiZycazFxJVxpnjfm_AyASHkrt5UHdOULXD6P4ausPQAS_evXBEJbRTkoY70yq6pbKTcWAEUqaHJDjJyu1MQ-U8hQds/s1600/DSC_0146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAYK0rS9VcINFC1R-Yyr2gsqdcQWYAmihcl_JENvrJeOHJUoPnaiZycazFxJVxpnjfm_AyASHkrt5UHdOULXD6P4ausPQAS_evXBEJbRTkoY70yq6pbKTcWAEUqaHJDjJyu1MQ-U8hQds/s640/DSC_0146.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angel's Rest - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbo8uFebPGZ-Wamv2ichw1a1NRpbIK6U0GKpIxi5oksOuesAkyhZvFuIQhdZn7UEm-gUvROC1PqQmomljhSWiZPmr9wxSNnA4U7oecKEiq1X2Q23YD58-YlR4rfzvuvRH7rEz5L4L7MiUL/s1600/DSC_0153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbo8uFebPGZ-Wamv2ichw1a1NRpbIK6U0GKpIxi5oksOuesAkyhZvFuIQhdZn7UEm-gUvROC1PqQmomljhSWiZPmr9wxSNnA4U7oecKEiq1X2Q23YD58-YlR4rfzvuvRH7rEz5L4L7MiUL/s640/DSC_0153.JPG" width="532" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angel's Rest - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvsg_iANDJ3BUZx3v1SRB1hzWE6ZUnQFx4NnQP0TsNzPSqHshZg3RW6FqmUAyzAkiWwedSgjWpzEM3Bac_d2Of3LjSTgnrlrBJrUBt8yBbhJan237yTpIwSXiVPRk-F6R8qfBVAVTv6cZ/s1600/DSC_0163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvsg_iANDJ3BUZx3v1SRB1hzWE6ZUnQFx4NnQP0TsNzPSqHshZg3RW6FqmUAyzAkiWwedSgjWpzEM3Bac_d2Of3LjSTgnrlrBJrUBt8yBbhJan237yTpIwSXiVPRk-F6R8qfBVAVTv6cZ/s640/DSC_0163.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angel's Rest - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi96dkzFzMpc8keTOulfq3fqgzCIMqwbz7dDLmBJysrujiyKgc0gouPhyphenhyphenWpPwbeY6WmSJ8Oyp2oWQXWt90FwQNs2GzRc2SLkY06XqPeFlx4D17q6mKvUbgwcVg5pRdSgaXlV9yxAgFTw9eP/s1600/DSC_0156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi96dkzFzMpc8keTOulfq3fqgzCIMqwbz7dDLmBJysrujiyKgc0gouPhyphenhyphenWpPwbeY6WmSJ8Oyp2oWQXWt90FwQNs2GzRc2SLkY06XqPeFlx4D17q6mKvUbgwcVg5pRdSgaXlV9yxAgFTw9eP/s640/DSC_0156.JPG" width="608" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from Angel's Rest in the Columbia River Gorge and some hikers living on the edge</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Now that you've seen the end, let me show you the means to that end: the hike itself.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gJ-R1Q2vkqsdv7SmJUwS6V_kqMMb5sTfW8DKYfJ0MFrUlk67KKyaprHF2Uzjs1wZZ5Wco5c5G1nDo_ZrcQQ6tOs1OzHNDLvDDsGnwHOBq8fzexF9KM947yfVvLuR3kBi4UwVNWY69uN2/s1600/DSC_0089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gJ-R1Q2vkqsdv7SmJUwS6V_kqMMb5sTfW8DKYfJ0MFrUlk67KKyaprHF2Uzjs1wZZ5Wco5c5G1nDo_ZrcQQ6tOs1OzHNDLvDDsGnwHOBq8fzexF9KM947yfVvLuR3kBi4UwVNWY69uN2/s400/DSC_0089.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The trailhead is located just off Interstate 84 at exit 28. There is a paved parking lot, but that fills up very quickly. If you arrive to this trailhead after about 10 a.m. on a weekend during spring, summer, or fall, expect to parallel park on the road or use the second "spill-over" parking area located not far from the main parking area.<br />
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Throughout the hike itself you will experience a few different kinds of forest. Right away, you will experience a very typical Northwest forest of tall mossy trees, ferns, and little white trillium blossoms.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO09GN_SSg2xyy8yIagT2I3YTO6m7if_vB4m60W8lYxI1siTdJNNX8YLhgTKbp3DGgsCk7RLC35zd6KtTqvJOBJjM_RNE6_IVAnD20tKuL8FYPhJU-o5aCBp1rjMlIpe01Eyoe6R6yPXwi/s1600/DSC_0220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO09GN_SSg2xyy8yIagT2I3YTO6m7if_vB4m60W8lYxI1siTdJNNX8YLhgTKbp3DGgsCk7RLC35zd6KtTqvJOBJjM_RNE6_IVAnD20tKuL8FYPhJU-o5aCBp1rjMlIpe01Eyoe6R6yPXwi/s640/DSC_0220.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first leg of the Angel's Rest Trail - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHztAdwbMlQIPQZO08OeGFbKcOY0NouIVVoKdDabFM-hf6rxuRb9ApqI6Jb6sVO9ksBuyR6CV62_NVRCEY2pSLg-zC9HrN5f3SjWA9O16LazSTyVp2oHKHfcZ9IXPAl7NLVzK4t5gCtJKn/s1600/DSC_0214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHztAdwbMlQIPQZO08OeGFbKcOY0NouIVVoKdDabFM-hf6rxuRb9ApqI6Jb6sVO9ksBuyR6CV62_NVRCEY2pSLg-zC9HrN5f3SjWA9O16LazSTyVp2oHKHfcZ9IXPAl7NLVzK4t5gCtJKn/s400/DSC_0214.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trillium - Angel's Rest - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL2-xiS5eY_3xikEqLZdgvu8ZcTS7U2EuB4Q_snvg3QpMyaao8kRylqcQiH_9hBoefMXb_TemI6Z72tVfvMas9X9yJ-JsA16KISzdCoHvkQcDV4Li2ku9YCUKaDj3Q3M2nMHRMSjdWXJ0e/s1600/DSC_0205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL2-xiS5eY_3xikEqLZdgvu8ZcTS7U2EuB4Q_snvg3QpMyaao8kRylqcQiH_9hBoefMXb_TemI6Z72tVfvMas9X9yJ-JsA16KISzdCoHvkQcDV4Li2ku9YCUKaDj3Q3M2nMHRMSjdWXJ0e/s640/DSC_0205.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angel's Rest - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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Shortly after passing a view of Coopey Falls and the bridge over Coopey Creek, you will enter into a different kind of forest. This forest burned in a wildfire in the early 1990's, and you will notice that the forest here feels much more "second-growth" than the old-growth forest you just hiked through. Also, you'll start to notice some blackened trees, some of them dead, some alive, that survived the wildfire. One thing you will also notice is that it gets a lot sunnier and warmer through this younger, shorter forest. You will, however, still hit a few more patches of tall, shady, old-growth forest that was spared by the fire along the way.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIhFwS_508FO_7VfqPPbRsHYivtB4rTtjwp7b1Y1XZarSOlsRkeARQ-enTEtUuvS6VekVrurVgkK_D1DDmN1UZJQmEHq6I13OTMEZBlyJBrUKADvb5pmg9fMP0BYi0C6C9utNd83PkDQ7/s1600/DSC_0118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIhFwS_508FO_7VfqPPbRsHYivtB4rTtjwp7b1Y1XZarSOlsRkeARQ-enTEtUuvS6VekVrurVgkK_D1DDmN1UZJQmEHq6I13OTMEZBlyJBrUKADvb5pmg9fMP0BYi0C6C9utNd83PkDQ7/s640/DSC_0118.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The second leg of Angel's Rest trail - notice the blackened, dead trees to the left that burned in the 1991 fire</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivm18tA4iOb_3TWyNgId2f9AY7Z-Dlu0jmMXAiOARb6XKmsUotMFRewZPNIrL4tEs1rbp9C8Q4_B15ti8c3_EmI64t81t9x5d9XNbJ0hq6Izn7vgQSf3yGKV5Euvtcxs60IurfI9wImzvV/s1600/DSC_0117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivm18tA4iOb_3TWyNgId2f9AY7Z-Dlu0jmMXAiOARb6XKmsUotMFRewZPNIrL4tEs1rbp9C8Q4_B15ti8c3_EmI64t81t9x5d9XNbJ0hq6Izn7vgQSf3yGKV5Euvtcxs60IurfI9wImzvV/s640/DSC_0117.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angel's Rest - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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At around the half-way point you will round a corner to the right and get a glimpse of Angel's Rest's rocky summit above in the distance. At this point the forest will change yet again. The hike becomes a lot drier, open, and sunnier, which feels more like hiking in Southern California than Western Oregon. You will likely start to notice more and more of the blackened tree trunks mentioned above too. The hike emerges out of the forest and becomes a walk along a ledge with many switchbacks. You will also begin hiking among a thick brush and the bare, pointed tops of trees that survived the fire. At this point you will start to get great views of the Columbia far below, but don't stop and admire the views yet, they get much <i>much </i>better at the top.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1xJ1ly9Mypa66_bVd21NgbMMC41m44cO4TkUS9roHbnRHCE0gMkCwsT5ip9z2xOMzyIiuEY4q-VhUzaCz63IPWquMhTYwa-xAs168dypVI-1P9-Vx-vNKpoIzHMCVNt4vT-EA8O4UytLF/s1600/DSC_0131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1xJ1ly9Mypa66_bVd21NgbMMC41m44cO4TkUS9roHbnRHCE0gMkCwsT5ip9z2xOMzyIiuEY4q-VhUzaCz63IPWquMhTYwa-xAs168dypVI-1P9-Vx-vNKpoIzHMCVNt4vT-EA8O4UytLF/s640/DSC_0131.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The third leg of Angel's Rest Trail - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTUMCKg6cvSJiABLUFt-WTBatGGQ9OBno7A1nN05wBtuThbHRmCki7jEt08Sels3BqRPHk_5rUht-_VIvKCGtZHcKJgYX-WaJsJVG0AzrttsDeHLmRT883REgwcpmtsCHD0CQEMpP4CZm/s1600/DSC_0197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTUMCKg6cvSJiABLUFt-WTBatGGQ9OBno7A1nN05wBtuThbHRmCki7jEt08Sels3BqRPHk_5rUht-_VIvKCGtZHcKJgYX-WaJsJVG0AzrttsDeHLmRT883REgwcpmtsCHD0CQEMpP4CZm/s400/DSC_0197.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angel's Rest - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_EwfZgHfmze3FrcDH2YT8HINEKQfXBEgovd4ITXCbRfzGuQrnZhh-faW0aQiNOetuXYx24QE-2EkP754zB_zG2QdC0J7l3lcXb-AQNw_SrKj-qI_MY_7pEWddzzH2l6xx03HqHH2Vnpp/s1600/DSC_0135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_EwfZgHfmze3FrcDH2YT8HINEKQfXBEgovd4ITXCbRfzGuQrnZhh-faW0aQiNOetuXYx24QE-2EkP754zB_zG2QdC0J7l3lcXb-AQNw_SrKj-qI_MY_7pEWddzzH2l6xx03HqHH2Vnpp/s640/DSC_0135.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angel's Rest - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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Once you hit the rock slide (and trust me, you'll know it when you get there) you are almost to the summit. As much as you'll want to stop and take a load off for a moment I wouldn't recommend it. Keep going, you're almost there; and the summit has more than enough places to sit, relax, enjoy the view, converse, contemplate, climb around, eat lunch- whatever floats your boat.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HSZRIPOom1zMzhHdNDFQNFy-dqQmZtZhe3yXdwTmf2P7tvEQ4jKmE5KQaSUksrWOhExbvDkHbH2nJvUVavvxCgqaCUiE4VDdazsvkvDl-FQNSuURkUogZDuTJkj26Za1TkCsSbY2Hyru/s1600/DSC_0142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HSZRIPOom1zMzhHdNDFQNFy-dqQmZtZhe3yXdwTmf2P7tvEQ4jKmE5KQaSUksrWOhExbvDkHbH2nJvUVavvxCgqaCUiE4VDdazsvkvDl-FQNSuURkUogZDuTJkj26Za1TkCsSbY2Hyru/s640/DSC_0142.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Path through the Rock Slide - Angel's Rest - Columbia River Gorge - an adventurous Portlander's loitering spot</td></tr>
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Once you get to the summit you have entered a huge natural park/playground. Have fun, relax, take a load off, have a picnic- as long as it's legal and respectful to your fellow hikers, do whatever you want up here! I only recommend two things: 1) if you're climbing on the rocks please be careful: it's a long, deadly way down if you were to fall in some areas. There is a big difference between being adventurous and being stupid; 2) take your time up on Angel's Rest- don't be in a huge hurry to get back to your car. Savor the time you have up here.<br />
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If you're a local, be thankful that you have the option of doing something this extraordinary on any given weekend- having grown up in rural Illinois myself, I can safely say that the majority of Americans may get the chance once or twice (if that) in their lives to experience something similar to this, but we locals can do this every weekend if we so desired. I, for one, felt the need to live in an environment that gave me the ability to experience outdoor adventures like this, hence why I now call Portland home. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82rQJT819B0kdWjijSWOo9jqvBIqzADDTwb-nAqZzmrt7EuSZCCx9aBxMmAEQ1nbEzDoTC2RO2UsEA4mTW3TF7lSamS2dFzkJ34kw1M3zsXtkDjry3MyllnQFb_0FL_Ua1Pui7e5Ttyd8/s1600/DSC_0159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82rQJT819B0kdWjijSWOo9jqvBIqzADDTwb-nAqZzmrt7EuSZCCx9aBxMmAEQ1nbEzDoTC2RO2UsEA4mTW3TF7lSamS2dFzkJ34kw1M3zsXtkDjry3MyllnQFb_0FL_Ua1Pui7e5Ttyd8/s640/DSC_0159.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty of perilous photo opportunities at Angel's Rest - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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Now, from the summit of Angel's Rest you have three options: 1) return the way you came back down to your car; 2) continue on to Wahclella Falls (which I'd only recommend doing if you had another car parked down at Wahclella- a round trip would be quite a draining hike); or 3) continue on to Devil's Rest. If you continue on to Devil's Rest be prepared to climb some more, as you'll gain another 700 ft, roughly, of elevation. But, the hike to Devil's Rest has the advantage of being significantly less crowded. Curious to compare Devil's Rest to Angel's Rest, I decided to make the extra effort and continue on, albeit unsuccessfully.<br />
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Why unsuccessfully? <br />
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Well, my old Teva hiking boots blew out completely after my hike of Coyote Wall a few weekends ago. The tread, already loosening from lots of hiking wear, had finally begun to completely separate itself from the rest of the shoe. Knowing that I could use a new pair of hiking footwear anyway, I decided to lay the Tevas to rest and get a new pair, ultimately deciding on an extremely comfortable, very breathable, non-water-resistant pair of Vasque trail runners. These are dry/warm-season shoes. I can actually feel a breeze through the tops of them. When nearing Devil's Rest, I came to a point where I came across patches of snow. Then more snow. Then ultimately, the trail itself cut through wet, slushy snow with only a few boot tracks imbedded into it.<br />
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Not wanting to deal with wet feet for the remainder of the day, and realizing that Devil's Rest was not going anywhere, I decided to save my trek to Devil's Rest for another day, pulled a 180 in the snow, and started back the way I came. I will say this, however: the trail to Devil's Rest was beautiful. It was starkly different than the main Angel's Rest trail in that I did not meet a single other hiker the entire time I spent on the trail. It was the first time I had experienced sheer solitude and silence all day. And the forest that you walk through is magnificent, mossy old-growth with a soft, pine-needle floor. Even if you don't make it all the way to Devil's Rest, a quick side trip up into this area from Angel's Rest is highly recommended, if only to escape the crowds and noise momentarily and enter a beautiful old forest.<br />
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The following photos are of the path that joins Angel's Rest to Devil's Rest, ending at my snowy final destination for today's hike. Don't you worry, reader, I will be back one day in the near future to photograph Devil's Rest. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The woods from Angel's Rest to Devil's Rest - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The woods from Angel's Rest to Devil's Rest - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow on trail to Devil's Rest- Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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<br />The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com5Angel's Rest Trail #415, Corbett, OR 97019, USA45.5645631 -122.154531945.5534466 -122.17427289999999 45.5756796 -122.1347909tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-34767335724777704012012-04-05T19:58:00.002-07:002012-04-05T19:58:38.263-07:00Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Mt. Tabor Park</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>~ 3 miles | 400 ft elevation gain</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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When I first lived in Portland, I lived much closer to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Park_%28Portland,_Oregon%29" target="_blank">Forest Park</a> / <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Park_%28Portland,_Oregon%29" target="_blank">Washington Park</a> on the west side of the city than I did Mt. Tabor on the east side. And, having lived so close to such a massive park with so many corners yet to explore, I didn't put visiting Mt. Tabor high on my list. Now, I live closer to Mt. Tabor than I do Forest Park; and this last Saturday, trying to take advantage of a few brief hours of rainlessness and sunlight, I made a break for Mt. Tabor because it was close to home and if it started to pour again I would've been close enough to home where I could resume doing my laundry and the various off jobs I promised myself I would finally do.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEUoH9SCOVVI2EXkQaRrHgmzmA40qJUr3xgm1aNB-SN2lypHL6Ushz2JGjuUX1zQTVor1MoLwQah16cTcNEu2E0MSHf5DtDDC6ORQsLiHT2MVQLKYKR1jNiiMFHNhay0zddKhHoqj0E1yw/s1600/DSC_0019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEUoH9SCOVVI2EXkQaRrHgmzmA40qJUr3xgm1aNB-SN2lypHL6Ushz2JGjuUX1zQTVor1MoLwQah16cTcNEu2E0MSHf5DtDDC6ORQsLiHT2MVQLKYKR1jNiiMFHNhay0zddKhHoqj0E1yw/s320/DSC_0019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
To be honest, I was really surprised by Mt. Tabor. It surpassed my expectations. The first thing I felt when entering the park was a sense of awe at how pretty it was inside. Old turn-of-the-century reservoirs with beautiful "stone-work" gatehouses registered on the National Registry of Historic Places stand high atop a hill with wonderful views of downtown Portland in the distance. Quintessential northwestern woods mingle together with antique lampposts dating back to 1911 and twisty roads. Dirt hiking trails intersect with paved walkways. A wide-open area at the summit is dotted with large old conifers. Bicyclists, families, bands of hipsters, couples, frat boys, joggers, and all sorts of others dot the park doing their things. Flowers are all around. The park has a sort of New York-y, Central Park-y feel to it, especially given it's historic and antiquated feel, but yet at the same time it is truly a <i>Portland </i>city park. And to add to the beauty, the Mt. Tabor neighborhood, which surrounds the park, is home to beautiful old architecture. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6SzWt30LFjpiqXJpwc3FtUe5xgT1A_yYBNuoFpjQz2Az5tammV-lTR_apVceMSIUv4Oma8OnZCeexnDC_ZcrJYb0dtoy2dkl8Mb9uxthStrGhXUrIhdbieCR2YmE_S-tx4jMD6A4oPFT/s1600/DSC_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6SzWt30LFjpiqXJpwc3FtUe5xgT1A_yYBNuoFpjQz2Az5tammV-lTR_apVceMSIUv4Oma8OnZCeexnDC_ZcrJYb0dtoy2dkl8Mb9uxthStrGhXUrIhdbieCR2YmE_S-tx4jMD6A4oPFT/s320/DSC_0005.JPG" width="214" /></a></div>
The park's allure becomes even stronger when you realize what Mt. Tabor is: a dormant volcanic cinder cone. It's a mini volcano that just about lies in the middle of the Portland Metropolitan Area- granted, one that's been extinct for hundreds of thousands of years. And funny enough, it became a park long before anybody knew it was a volcano.<br />
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One quick note: you can get a really good work out here if that's what you're looking for. Some of the make-shift hiking trails are downright steep, and the park's summit is basically surrounded by a circle-track perfect for jogging, biking, or speed walking. But even just a tromp around within the web of trails that cover the sides of the "mountain" will give you a pretty darn good work out.<br />
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Here are some photos taken from my time walking around Mt. Tabor this past weekend.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reservoir at Mt. Tabor with original wrought iron fence - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flowers in bloom - Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTaBa9RUexd1oaot-iCM530cZTReaPGjGRClotqr_uOVm-gZIi-IOReCCWD5070dCxeDsCFAhLySPMbwChbouyUvhCQyu7aeC5flTPGNkKnAYH136bSNtwWFyqKY06yKFWgrdc875OOm9/s1600/DSC_0013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTaBa9RUexd1oaot-iCM530cZTReaPGjGRClotqr_uOVm-gZIi-IOReCCWD5070dCxeDsCFAhLySPMbwChbouyUvhCQyu7aeC5flTPGNkKnAYH136bSNtwWFyqKY06yKFWgrdc875OOm9/s640/DSC_0013.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Historic 1911 Gatehouse at Reservoir #5 - Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Historic lampposts - Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking trail within Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flowers in bloom - Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBO0hVUCT7KVLsn4xQ9eNgM6EkqUbzW9XYo9qmDzL1jEGCd39eNR_00WFujkuWYfxxbx0zpm1HCzHKr3-PoTpkQKp4wHtvWqQOralAl-Jg8m72vxSToaG5YJbHi0wa99cPVmJKZTOr0g7N/s1600/DSC_0061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBO0hVUCT7KVLsn4xQ9eNgM6EkqUbzW9XYo9qmDzL1jEGCd39eNR_00WFujkuWYfxxbx0zpm1HCzHKr3-PoTpkQKp4wHtvWqQOralAl-Jg8m72vxSToaG5YJbHi0wa99cPVmJKZTOr0g7N/s640/DSC_0061.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking trail intersection - Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQgYbzSl3u1vei_0Os8Yd2RCSWLz-Dk2hRl_SsPIgXk3Dwevecd1X_TwGLyvS1xn4dt2Y2kLAmWjZHzs-_pbhz6qc2RFUpzWjAeh2a8CS_OBDWy2qVRCy6zlRzIxy4lg-7KOazMYFQhFe/s1600/DSC_0065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQgYbzSl3u1vei_0Os8Yd2RCSWLz-Dk2hRl_SsPIgXk3Dwevecd1X_TwGLyvS1xn4dt2Y2kLAmWjZHzs-_pbhz6qc2RFUpzWjAeh2a8CS_OBDWy2qVRCy6zlRzIxy4lg-7KOazMYFQhFe/s640/DSC_0065.JPG" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Essential Portland, Oregon: a bearded hipster riding an obscure, homemade bicycle in a park.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A seat with a view of Downtown Portland in the distance - Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFL-3d6eOOLpcrt-AijXNZNuazKUW2z6iSGmgFzFjBA-TFDaCrsBoy4u5Nfu_zk9AaaNsKpNd39ucObWTq3m1VgGQLLbSYS67yyE_hRk9-F5tPMEo85FnIDSKLkRgg_OxBRt0y6aFNVD1_/s1600/DSC_0045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFL-3d6eOOLpcrt-AijXNZNuazKUW2z6iSGmgFzFjBA-TFDaCrsBoy4u5Nfu_zk9AaaNsKpNd39ucObWTq3m1VgGQLLbSYS67yyE_hRk9-F5tPMEo85FnIDSKLkRgg_OxBRt0y6aFNVD1_/s640/DSC_0045.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDc_azeV7gUlslgMnwBRD0Qd7KelcHZhCXkZDKEyZdK-6P8A5sCOKVUeJGzUIlitQOw4Zjz9sjDvrWT2Sz-h4x1cTbYtCkYEGwJeGWrBKcdF5XOtbEj3hPVtoO44WcbK8kG02bIFuQo3cs/s1600/DSC_0064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDc_azeV7gUlslgMnwBRD0Qd7KelcHZhCXkZDKEyZdK-6P8A5sCOKVUeJGzUIlitQOw4Zjz9sjDvrWT2Sz-h4x1cTbYtCkYEGwJeGWrBKcdF5XOtbEj3hPVtoO44WcbK8kG02bIFuQo3cs/s640/DSC_0064.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wide open space at Mt. Tabor's summit - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flowers in bloom </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Historic lamppost - Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">One quick recommendation: Mt. Talbert is located right at the end of the Belmont and Hawthorne Districts: two of Portland's hippest and most entertaining neighborhoods. There is some excellent food & drink to be had around here, not to mention legendary Portland hotspots like </span><a href="http://www.mcmenamins.com/219-bagdad-theater-pub-home" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">Bagdad Theater</a><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">, </span><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/movie-madness-video-and-more-portland" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">Movie Madness</a><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">, </span><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/belmont-station-portland" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">Belmont Station & Biercafe</a><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">, </span><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/horse-brass-pub-portland" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">Horse Brass Pub</a><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">, </span><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/apizza-scholls-portland" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">Apizza Scholls</a><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">, </span><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/slappy-cakes-portland" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">Slappy Cakes</a><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">, </span><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/pine-state-biscuits-portland" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">Pine State Biscuits</a><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">, the cheapo movie theater / nickle arcade </span><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/avalon-theatre-portland" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">Avalon-Wunderland</a><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">, and the </span><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/sapphire-hotel-portland" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">Sapphire Hotel</a><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">. A typical Portland food-cart Pod, aptly named </span><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/good-food-here-portland" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">Good Food Here</a><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">, is basically walking distance from Mt. Tabor's boundaries and includes award-winning and nationally notable </span><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/lardo-portland" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">Lardo</a><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"> and </span><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/viking-soul-food-portland" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">Viking Soul Food</a><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">I haven't gotten a chance to try Lardo yet, but I did finally make a much desired stop at Viking Soul Food. I for one think that their Scandinavian wraps are among the best food items I've ever tasted.</span> They put either savory or sweet Scandinavian comfort food inside of lefse wraps (lefse is a Norwegian potato flatbread). I had both a savory wrap (Norse meatballs, gjetost sauce and pickled cabbage) and a sweet wrap (lingonberries and house-made cream cheese) and both were so good I almost ordered another round.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDM7ZVuaU7WSinO-KdbBcTNxgRFbWRlH_w0fQmfn_23rnLnE9gYGJiEAmL6nC53GtH1D5Pcc9_iJU8ntUBKf0635wTi8S4SdjLQTjMnGzazunQFXM49fFeUmdfnorz8Uyggpm-ewQV8gRK/s1600/DSC_0086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDM7ZVuaU7WSinO-KdbBcTNxgRFbWRlH_w0fQmfn_23rnLnE9gYGJiEAmL6nC53GtH1D5Pcc9_iJU8ntUBKf0635wTi8S4SdjLQTjMnGzazunQFXM49fFeUmdfnorz8Uyggpm-ewQV8gRK/s640/DSC_0086.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viking Soul Food - Good Food Here Food-Cart Pod - SE Belmont</td></tr>
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<br />The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com2Mt Tabor, Portland, OR, USA45.5162412 -122.597526945.5051147 -122.6172679 45.527367700000006 -122.57778590000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-640153101735671102012-03-30T16:25:00.003-07:002012-03-31T08:37:45.366-07:00Coyote Wall & Catherine Creek - Columbia River Gorge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Coyote Wall</b></div>
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<i>6 miles round trip | 1,520 ft elevation gain</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIsyOtDGNg8FXlZh77vNOIPbE25AM1SL0ZJewGMyTWXPwqO5UqAjxmp_YOau0ihEWSS0eSTHCbNKupol1ERUb2Gp-BGmFOI8x85LBdIRI4eZ66Xs2d56pD4ZLh1ovd6Im3KVeInTbGBF6a/s1600/DSC_0282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIsyOtDGNg8FXlZh77vNOIPbE25AM1SL0ZJewGMyTWXPwqO5UqAjxmp_YOau0ihEWSS0eSTHCbNKupol1ERUb2Gp-BGmFOI8x85LBdIRI4eZ66Xs2d56pD4ZLh1ovd6Im3KVeInTbGBF6a/s640/DSC_0282.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coyote Wall trail</td></tr>
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Finally, a dry, sunny weekend. There had been about 3 March weekends in a row of generous rain; and my cabin fever and urge to get out into the wilderness grew almost to the point of being unbearable. I love rain, but not three weeks in a row worth. Cut us Portlanders a break, Mother Nature! Come on, baby!<br />
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But when I read the five-day forecast a few days prior to my hike and discovered that the weather for the Eastern Columbia Gorge was going to be about 60 degrees and sunny, I got excited- about as excited as I get the day before leaving on a week vacation. Get me out of the house! For the love of black jeans...<br />
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Ok, according to my guide books, each of which I've probably read cover-to-cover three times thanks to the long, rainy winter, the best months of the year to visit the Eastern Gorge are March through May. Why? Two reasons. First: the wildflowers are beautiful out here during these months. Two: the Summer months get HOT out here; and unlike most other hikes you'll take in the wilderness surrounding Portland, there really isn't a whole lot of shade out here. In fact, having recently lived in Southern California, I've noticed more of a similarity between the Eastern Gorge and California that I do between the Eastern Gorge and the Western Gorge.<br />
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So, off to the Eastern Gorge! And note, when I say Eastern Gorge, I am talking about roughly the Hood River / White Salmon area and further east. It is here that the densely forested, mossy, dark-green, moist atmosphere you picture when you think of Western Oregonian wilderness becomes more arid, more sparsely forested, a bit less "green" and a little more "golden." Plus, spring comes a little earlier out here than it does further west, or so it seems.<br />
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There are three routes that you can take in your car out to the Eastern Gorge, one of which I highly recommend.<br />
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The first is to take interstate 84. This is by far the quickest route but for some reason I find it the least enjoyable. It's the most crowded and stressful route, and the road is made out of a rough and loud tarmac. Granted, compared to 99% of America's roads, interstate 84 through the gorge is one of the best. But it gets better.<br />
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The second is to cross over into Washington while still in Portland via either the interstate 5 bridge or the 205 bridge and taking Hwy 14 in Washington east all the way. I like taking this route better than interstate 84 because it is, for most of the drive, a calmer, twistier, more enjoyable road with less traffic. It also seems more scenic to me. But, its downfall is that the first leg of the drive, from Vancouver to Washougal is boring, industrial, trafficy, and seemingly always under construction.<br />
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The third route is by far the best: <br />
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Start by taking interstate 84 east toward Hood River. You'll pass some of the best turn-offs in the Gorge, including, but certainly not limited to, Multnomah Falls. Shortly after the Bonneville Dam you'll take exit 44 and end up in the small outdoorsy town of Cascade Locks, located on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and home to "Bridge of the Gods" (see first photo below), which has been standing since 1926. It costs $1 to cross the bridge into Stevenson, Washington. And as if crossing the bridge isn't cool enough (the views from the bridge, as well as the bridge itself, are quintessentially "northwest"), even cooler is knowing that your drive is about to get <i>really kick-ass. </i>From Stevenson, WA east, the drive gets better and better until you hit the Coyote Wall / Bingen / White Salmon / Hood River area. The views are some of the best in Oregon state, the road is full of twists and tunnels, and the occasional iconic BNSF freight train will go thundering by in the opposite direction. I love this road so much that even my future trips to Hood River from Portland will likely be via Hwy 14 across the river.<br />
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Life is too damn short not to take the scenic route every chance you get.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crossing the "Bridge of the Gods" in Cascade Locks, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coyote Wall in the distance from the parking area</td></tr>
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You can't miss the parking area off Washington Hwy 14. Just look for the cluster of cars, most of which have some sort of bicycle rack/carrier equipped, parked at the foot of a giant rock face shortly after leaving the town of Bingen, WA heading west. One thing to note about this trail is that unlike most other trails, immediately upon arriving you can see your final destination. In this case, the final destination is the top of that big slanting rock face right in front of you. Now, this is no "El Capitan" in Yosemite, but it is impressive; and the views from the top are wonderful, especially on a sunny, Spring day like the one I experienced.<br />
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Alright, enough about the drive and the parking. Let's talk about the hike itself. <br />
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The very first thing you'll do on this hike is walk past a gate that keeps cars off of an abandoned, boulder-strewn service road (see photo below). After a rather lackluster quarter mile or so on the wide, paved service road you will come to the trailhead on the left. This dirt path that you're now walking on is an old Jeep road, and for much of the trail you can tell, especially since you'll occasionally have to choose one or the other tire groove to use as your path. If you just follow the old Jeep road you will, in about 2.9 miles, reach the top of Coyote Wall. <b>But, </b>let me make the following recommendation:<br />
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One thing you'll immediately notice upon arriving to Coyote Wall is the mountain bikers. They are everywhere, and rightly so! One thing that mountain-bikers and BMX-ers are good at is blazing new trails. Coyote Wall is full of these newer, more narrow, and most of the time much more thrilling, trails. Don't hesitate to leave the old Jeep road- there are more exciting paths to take within the web of mountain-biker trails (one of which I'll discuss below).<br />
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As long as you are going <i>uphill</i> <i>and to the west</i> you'll be making progress toward reaching the goal. Similarly, when it's time to come back down, as long as you are going <i>downhill and to the east </i>you'll make it back to your car. Be adventurous and veer off the Jeep road here and there. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0diY_zc2CsoHmraXC9UU37lDsd0IR28NA0L_5kmRbUlgvQOaci6s63s0LScCzkrKi0uXG04Uw0RNVW3UWkCRd6GnhY0oLLR__LxeVexH4kI0sF988mPIl_bK3Y4uQ-UZJpfHYTSidUYMY/s1600/DSC_0240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0diY_zc2CsoHmraXC9UU37lDsd0IR28NA0L_5kmRbUlgvQOaci6s63s0LScCzkrKi0uXG04Uw0RNVW3UWkCRd6GnhY0oLLR__LxeVexH4kI0sF988mPIl_bK3Y4uQ-UZJpfHYTSidUYMY/s640/DSC_0240.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beginning of the trail on an abandoned road strewn with boulders</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB53kqlzr5vxX8yK3VO858q1tQqDFXuzcZpsV93kyoxrbfM3khNZy79CWE0R5i_N9R1Yd87Z6YBZHTv8TLrEhtCHKW99O2WDDiCK_f0P_eyRyKtoFZQVN5UMzs5xstMnhB8pRAZBPdnypP/s1600/DSC_0244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB53kqlzr5vxX8yK3VO858q1tQqDFXuzcZpsV93kyoxrbfM3khNZy79CWE0R5i_N9R1Yd87Z6YBZHTv8TLrEhtCHKW99O2WDDiCK_f0P_eyRyKtoFZQVN5UMzs5xstMnhB8pRAZBPdnypP/s640/DSC_0244.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The start of the trail on an old Jeep road</td></tr>
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The five photos below truly capture what it is like to climb to the top of Coyote Wall. Very different than the trails you would find in the Mt. Hood National Forest or Coastal Range, Coyote Wall trail reminded me of hiking in Southern California. There really isn't any shade here, and now I can see why both of my guide books do not recommend doing this trail in the blazing sun and heat of July or August. Expect meadow grasses and wildflowers rather than the mossy Douglas firs and fern-blankets of your typical NW Oregon wilderness. Also expect wind and lots of it. The view of the Columbia looking east gets better and better the higher you climb.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2Rs_nKFuQ1oVNgyW2_a3doVO7qUY81dIDkHj6PjC8AL2731L2LSCrPRAtakT4KH5iZa7sW4TWARCnppkgTRuBcore6fKUaTTMfb0e4mXY12qUy9KBIZKPj1uwg9YgayfuKwhSjN48xBM/s1600/DSC_0250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2Rs_nKFuQ1oVNgyW2_a3doVO7qUY81dIDkHj6PjC8AL2731L2LSCrPRAtakT4KH5iZa7sW4TWARCnppkgTRuBcore6fKUaTTMfb0e4mXY12qUy9KBIZKPj1uwg9YgayfuKwhSjN48xBM/s640/DSC_0250.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coyote Wall trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coyote Wall trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqUxL_chw-dxdLGZL_QlqPmaO2SpCgWCYmuvvzYs52b1hzB-pmpITT4bl8ckL0GoUxFrnssNv1G72-tF32ogJ3MpeS5RwqaL3vtjbHr8a6VWY72TjqSTgnSFcRx_rNmWD2lk_25jKEJIn/s1600/DSC_0264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqUxL_chw-dxdLGZL_QlqPmaO2SpCgWCYmuvvzYs52b1hzB-pmpITT4bl8ckL0GoUxFrnssNv1G72-tF32ogJ3MpeS5RwqaL3vtjbHr8a6VWY72TjqSTgnSFcRx_rNmWD2lk_25jKEJIn/s640/DSC_0264.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two hikers on Coyote Wall trail - you can really see the old Jeep trail in this photo, one hiker in each tread</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-Asa3ryx1w8Zf56XlqWM1gsJUsFaJ9s9b65n9xZbGf3GVKEwfCXzc06qU7pWrAcdoSHcaSfxM-P8dSUQyo_D3JZh0oIw__rPm4wgelXOShXmdluIjnFIBR4U9-Ens7LP0JRaWUeHRt4D/s1600/DSC_0257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-Asa3ryx1w8Zf56XlqWM1gsJUsFaJ9s9b65n9xZbGf3GVKEwfCXzc06qU7pWrAcdoSHcaSfxM-P8dSUQyo_D3JZh0oIw__rPm4wgelXOShXmdluIjnFIBR4U9-Ens7LP0JRaWUeHRt4D/s640/DSC_0257.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coyote Wall trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLols9wN-EXfv7k-A3HLohZgRs3V81QuTIUevIrPiaBr2rJQAOpoYHmHEclAGtFOSNgOBdYAt6H5RcWFDn_fx2qDI48nBC6DaEsI6wOwP0y6DEKDgPhDSPVWQ5WyCz1lJkpH_YrTrACsj/s1600/DSC_0279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLols9wN-EXfv7k-A3HLohZgRs3V81QuTIUevIrPiaBr2rJQAOpoYHmHEclAGtFOSNgOBdYAt6H5RcWFDn_fx2qDI48nBC6DaEsI6wOwP0y6DEKDgPhDSPVWQ5WyCz1lJkpH_YrTrACsj/s640/DSC_0279.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Columbia River from Coyote Wall trail looking east toward The Dalles</td></tr>
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Now, I think I came a little too early for the blankets of wildflowers that notoriously cover these meadows in the Spring. I've read that they are at their best in more like mid-April than mid-March, when I visited. But I was able to see at least two different varieties: yellow Desert Parsley and purple Grass Widows.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhre7LdCBRxQPmsQbxTo1X61-5-Gg9s3iqg_4935IBHC8u4VRxyBdjskVY7uO0-HMcG1RXH6mjeNVm1GZFGtnXRHzIz_WOj9G7H-tyLNymxkufoUC_JtSYSR8qXeNwubJvWCfE_c61J4sgB/s1600/DSC_0326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhre7LdCBRxQPmsQbxTo1X61-5-Gg9s3iqg_4935IBHC8u4VRxyBdjskVY7uO0-HMcG1RXH6mjeNVm1GZFGtnXRHzIz_WOj9G7H-tyLNymxkufoUC_JtSYSR8qXeNwubJvWCfE_c61J4sgB/s640/DSC_0326.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grass Widow</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5IbDm8noCoFUw-rJS9A-eg0SGPaFw_29CRw0T4CedSAqSTOfBdUYx2cruMW_Usx8yaDQ1H3a9cq9g7B8XjOBb4-vCgN2PA7_is2_PG5V2zPVFzbfPz0Jg-DZNT6bMprcf4vUUInEhcEdb/s1600/DSC_0304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5IbDm8noCoFUw-rJS9A-eg0SGPaFw_29CRw0T4CedSAqSTOfBdUYx2cruMW_Usx8yaDQ1H3a9cq9g7B8XjOBb4-vCgN2PA7_is2_PG5V2zPVFzbfPz0Jg-DZNT6bMprcf4vUUInEhcEdb/s640/DSC_0304.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow Desert Parsley</td></tr>
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You know how above I had mentioned that web of mountain-biker trails that split from the main Jeep road path up to the top of Coyote Wall? Well below are some shots from one of them: a rocky area that gets you close to the Ponderosa Pine, something you will not see even 30 miles west of here. Ponderosa Pines are gorgeous trees. The definition of their trunk, as one friend put it, looks like a birds-eye-view of a pan full of brownies.<br />
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I'll be honest, if you do not venture off the Jeep path and into this area below the trail may seem a little monotonous. The landscape is the same for the whole trail unless you venture over to this little oasis of Ponderosas. This is also about the only place on the whole trail that offers a chance to get out of the sun and take a load off in the shade. I highly recommend cutting through this area either on your way up, down, or both.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJMWvA0FeaIRE2X34W3GfYUn7CuwWZ2v-qcG0lUHOfwGiIqvbva8n-s8BBjpg1fmltM-Kaob6Vly5iNu9kmxRWFBDJ7GRhhDgwU-_fgCNgIMwpFo7E13uaKDDEyPV_ytuwUP8VwsS-gUt/s1600/DSC_0296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJMWvA0FeaIRE2X34W3GfYUn7CuwWZ2v-qcG0lUHOfwGiIqvbva8n-s8BBjpg1fmltM-Kaob6Vly5iNu9kmxRWFBDJ7GRhhDgwU-_fgCNgIMwpFo7E13uaKDDEyPV_ytuwUP8VwsS-gUt/s640/DSC_0296.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ponderosa Pine on the Coyote Wall trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9YkQQTvzkB7ohgObYfB9NvO1PWARVZfWfsn_sJ88lnnMaCTGZmegdu6SV1gCyDgVgmwZQFcQuChhyphenhyphenHQOF42UtHqWGzGXm4IyzkzPyv-Xut1-sLMp_K_aOWH7bi0CAPp3qbFPbzJ1Up8ld/s1600/DSC_0319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9YkQQTvzkB7ohgObYfB9NvO1PWARVZfWfsn_sJ88lnnMaCTGZmegdu6SV1gCyDgVgmwZQFcQuChhyphenhyphenHQOF42UtHqWGzGXm4IyzkzPyv-Xut1-sLMp_K_aOWH7bi0CAPp3qbFPbzJ1Up8ld/s640/DSC_0319.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ponderosa Pine, not a tree you see in the "western," more wet and coastal, parts of Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0DCkWXmPucPDyEI_BRWspISQ7MKJ9fSKz-h7FNkSCCWvbcj2KvtZATK93kVcApcpucwr8N2jbuTeZj0CKdoiP9ZInuJjBzL804gOC15pCV2ARfGpo4Z8Rb22Xvi_tyas1_FlJMoQOpPO8/s1600/DSC_0286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0DCkWXmPucPDyEI_BRWspISQ7MKJ9fSKz-h7FNkSCCWvbcj2KvtZATK93kVcApcpucwr8N2jbuTeZj0CKdoiP9ZInuJjBzL804gOC15pCV2ARfGpo4Z8Rb22Xvi_tyas1_FlJMoQOpPO8/s640/DSC_0286.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ponderosa Pine branch up close</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a mountain biker on Coyote Wall trail</td></tr>
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(Below) Once you pass an old fence you're nearing the top. You'll immediately notice the steep last-leg of the Jeep road right in front of you but fear not, there is an easier path to get to the top with switchbacks, some of which get you pretty close to the edge. It is really pretty neat up here. I would suggest plopping down and soaking in the view for a while. You may also get to watch BMX-ers clad in helmets and body armor bonzai-charge down the hill. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKpYVagI3_ABOQtsDj8RommqhnZpwPVrH9hqvJqYs8GE5_DrDvF5oC6NMc8rQEnIrhCQkdtkuzrqkDXYR_aqklzuWSoQ99wLPNc5F-L6UQnFKdJzamlPv01K1H-M4Tb9L5Isnptd4Lj1qh/s1600/DSC_0268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKpYVagI3_ABOQtsDj8RommqhnZpwPVrH9hqvJqYs8GE5_DrDvF5oC6NMc8rQEnIrhCQkdtkuzrqkDXYR_aqklzuWSoQ99wLPNc5F-L6UQnFKdJzamlPv01K1H-M4Tb9L5Isnptd4Lj1qh/s640/DSC_0268.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The steep final stretch - almost to the top of Coyote Wall</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UR7r4ri26_IO0IuQ2XK58wPPVA70oGoKmxa04-kOdH63Mp7ulCF4fgWRBaP2dJFkYlJgxzOlfgvSHjfiD1BjxdxRqy3ujaQ5WibxkbyiO9yoTORQHXmAK8BN4zQXr94mcFuc_vIRF_o_/s1600/DSC_0280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UR7r4ri26_IO0IuQ2XK58wPPVA70oGoKmxa04-kOdH63Mp7ulCF4fgWRBaP2dJFkYlJgxzOlfgvSHjfiD1BjxdxRqy3ujaQ5WibxkbyiO9yoTORQHXmAK8BN4zQXr94mcFuc_vIRF_o_/s640/DSC_0280.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coyote Wall - for size reference, note the hiker in the far left center of the photo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9eE_ikbPjX0V6mWDFdrrLEbV_lGaYLCkvvYtK_-cUx8n_VrS2JMuMDIdk5I-ck2VbP-0h5amsvJ7Xjxg4Lm580Rmwq3KdRR8AxCZsGPDepuUrKsqK7KrlzaNcHUO2RTfvGPfxyHJklZ7F/s1600/DSC_0272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9eE_ikbPjX0V6mWDFdrrLEbV_lGaYLCkvvYtK_-cUx8n_VrS2JMuMDIdk5I-ck2VbP-0h5amsvJ7Xjxg4Lm580Rmwq3KdRR8AxCZsGPDepuUrKsqK7KrlzaNcHUO2RTfvGPfxyHJklZ7F/s640/DSC_0272.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coyote Wall - The trail does get rather close to the edge at times</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUSmQvs1q8WUaMGPO4UVO865gT6Ely9TN66bv9tKb-VHCnTiWuESmUO4MMsggK3d7rLdI_6VlJdP9fE7q0eI8AbqQu5N7S8tXNyRkmuJEtkF0IWO1IndfbiFg41yNImJ66SWvYHrOj1by/s1600/DSC_0289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUSmQvs1q8WUaMGPO4UVO865gT6Ely9TN66bv9tKb-VHCnTiWuESmUO4MMsggK3d7rLdI_6VlJdP9fE7q0eI8AbqQu5N7S8tXNyRkmuJEtkF0IWO1IndfbiFg41yNImJ66SWvYHrOj1by/s640/DSC_0289.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coyote Wall</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Catherine Creek - Rock Arch</b></div>
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<i>1 mile round trip | 100 ft elevation</i></div>
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I have to be honest, I would not recommend driving all the way out here from Portland just to visit Catherine Creek, especially if you're looking for some exercise or a challenge. You won't find either at Catherine Creek. Granted, that is not the reason why people visit Catherine Creek. Rather, they come for the wildflowers (which, word has it that you can spot up to 90 different kinds here in the Spring's prime). If I had arrived one month later than I did, amid the wildflower boom, then perhaps my emotional connection to Catherine Creek would drastically alter. But<i> </i>as of today, I do not really have one. The rock arch is pretty cool, but it really only merits a few minutes gawking before you're ready to move on. And there really isn't much to move on to after the arch, unless you want to climb up to the arch itself, which again is only interesting for a few brief minutes.</div>
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The trail to get to the rock arch is an old pasture-road that leads back to an old coral. The gate and fence of the coral still stand at the foot of the arch. The path is wide, not terribly exciting, and makes you feel as though you are trespassing on a farmer's land. If you're looking for a leisurely stroll into nature, Catherine Creek is for you. If you're looking for a <i>hike, </i>there are better options out there, including Coyote Wall not 10 miles away.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSzy2DmD7fuDQiCaZc1cxQ81KJj_NM1iDtBWvCl_Wk5Py3awNfzEK_MIYMMZu6Ar0cAHvx-goe4jjtjXv8CifhQOdzywyX3uF4Inw3JgLtZ8cKYleSXMmmVoQhC3y838oKXpCSQr9l1EO/s1600/DSC_0341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSzy2DmD7fuDQiCaZc1cxQ81KJj_NM1iDtBWvCl_Wk5Py3awNfzEK_MIYMMZu6Ar0cAHvx-goe4jjtjXv8CifhQOdzywyX3uF4Inw3JgLtZ8cKYleSXMmmVoQhC3y838oKXpCSQr9l1EO/s640/DSC_0341.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock Arch at Catherine Creek</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-xVRHLEiO24zXch8DhmKGWEX55ZtuewSI0pfb3O2azaxpkYYg9PjSxvSHLCJmHPD1pvNkHPVeCLtw63YtpiUqcxnLr5qJP3uGhgaPr06_9U0GHG8adm1Co7cLTOkcY0Ktik0glfRmLG-/s1600/DSC_0329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-xVRHLEiO24zXch8DhmKGWEX55ZtuewSI0pfb3O2azaxpkYYg9PjSxvSHLCJmHPD1pvNkHPVeCLtw63YtpiUqcxnLr5qJP3uGhgaPr06_9U0GHG8adm1Co7cLTOkcY0Ktik0glfRmLG-/s640/DSC_0329.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trail to Rock Arch - Catherine Creek</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmT3dyulzWqgEnBr64amxTRb1EVQfwUwgyL3Alye8CuMLJ2FFaWYD5DlUnSmJHdyktDhnJ1GJCN66hMtXSCbVQrKDJPIWKcbzcVt4FDBjmmLuZdJiwSXga1kysIRLWPeOiCP-RzXJPvLcL/s1600/DSC_0331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmT3dyulzWqgEnBr64amxTRb1EVQfwUwgyL3Alye8CuMLJ2FFaWYD5DlUnSmJHdyktDhnJ1GJCN66hMtXSCbVQrKDJPIWKcbzcVt4FDBjmmLuZdJiwSXga1kysIRLWPeOiCP-RzXJPvLcL/s640/DSC_0331.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Either brave fording Catherine Creek or take the bouncy plank bridge on the left</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEShF3hNHqyQZMwe7sbIrfaCLKZt3og0e2T71x2DlSxp1bV0HOilcquJAYIHwPDKZBcnB9YXUoX7c279b0E3gI3U4G6T91MxbJpKx58JZ3cUVLb3K6w_GPsTBEH_i4oI7qeSv_HjcLMgRR/s1600/DSC_0333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEShF3hNHqyQZMwe7sbIrfaCLKZt3og0e2T71x2DlSxp1bV0HOilcquJAYIHwPDKZBcnB9YXUoX7c279b0E3gI3U4G6T91MxbJpKx58JZ3cUVLb3K6w_GPsTBEH_i4oI7qeSv_HjcLMgRR/s640/DSC_0333.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridge over Catherine Creek</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufYuYBcfqCsalB7GZvJ4TIvo9CE74s8rQKinT78HktT5epA_Ua3J2RNiSw7zsp5sSKvOeqToi71hUTldQD4NF89Qb__ZmR9zffDJMfJT2Ez5KHVk_MZcrXh0ACLlfI4lycIXr1L0DxKtC/s1600/DSC_0336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufYuYBcfqCsalB7GZvJ4TIvo9CE74s8rQKinT78HktT5epA_Ua3J2RNiSw7zsp5sSKvOeqToi71hUTldQD4NF89Qb__ZmR9zffDJMfJT2Ez5KHVk_MZcrXh0ACLlfI4lycIXr1L0DxKtC/s640/DSC_0336.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching the old coral and the Rock Arch</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_C5eG_7oErxxmYiiu7S1ure6kxnqdbYoWyEsvG_wpImQB4Pse20D3UfVpkJQef-ugS7hfTdMhRbq5hBZjX2zj-soDcEuzMVSOEP6603KPpv57LkVJ_hkw0j2XF0NtPWeJqOObPE5NX72/s1600/DSC_0339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_C5eG_7oErxxmYiiu7S1ure6kxnqdbYoWyEsvG_wpImQB4Pse20D3UfVpkJQef-ugS7hfTdMhRbq5hBZjX2zj-soDcEuzMVSOEP6603KPpv57LkVJ_hkw0j2XF0NtPWeJqOObPE5NX72/s640/DSC_0339.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock Arch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1z5SoWEcr7mbmnjdSjNitVKwE4xnpmZ9uPYBrm0yVaOYvNsC2jcRGZuRr6O6o3gV6xymWKCY1KYNaEY-VGfPotNRGwIvOe_mVgsfDXY0O0oD8bKfg4VHe32Z-5l9_H0ju9xtl3LT5H8T/s1600/DSC_0340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1z5SoWEcr7mbmnjdSjNitVKwE4xnpmZ9uPYBrm0yVaOYvNsC2jcRGZuRr6O6o3gV6xymWKCY1KYNaEY-VGfPotNRGwIvOe_mVgsfDXY0O0oD8bKfg4VHe32Z-5l9_H0ju9xtl3LT5H8T/s640/DSC_0340.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old coral at the foot of the Rock Arch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgej_8FH-ZTw2jSXNdzIafUZzfrtH1NpsQmfK1Vp5ognH49Q_e6oU7JOycHukuxbHHKVJ5-Jt_HkMqVobLhQss1Pi7_WtMRB0tEMfLSNgcUkgtc6f15qnrp9Agd9ediehPS4_q9x-7G-fl0/s1600/DSC_0343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgej_8FH-ZTw2jSXNdzIafUZzfrtH1NpsQmfK1Vp5ognH49Q_e6oU7JOycHukuxbHHKVJ5-Jt_HkMqVobLhQss1Pi7_WtMRB0tEMfLSNgcUkgtc6f15qnrp9Agd9ediehPS4_q9x-7G-fl0/s640/DSC_0343.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catherine Creek trail</td></tr>
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My original plan was to hit Hood River right after a day of hiking for lunch and a pint or two at one of Hood River's renowned breweries. There is a lot of really good beer made in Hood River and I was eager to sample it at its freshest on location. I set my sights on Double Mountain Brewery first, since I recently tried two of their beers and found them to be two of the best I've ever had. But I literally could not find a parking spot anywhere!! I forgot how crowded downtown Hood River can get on the weekends (and especially this weekend, being the first nice weekend in about 3 months). Rightly so. Hood River is one of the coolest towns I've ever visited in the US.<br />
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I decided to bite the bullet and just head home. After all, hiking season has just started and I will find myself in Hood River quite a bit over the next several months.<br />
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I got home, kicked off the hiking boots, went out to my porch, and treated myself to a fresh cigar straight out of my humidor and a bottle of local porter. Ave Maria cigars by A.J. Fernandez and Deschutes Beer. Two of the best in their class, respectively. All I could think about on that porch was how hiking season was finally beginning. Needless to say, I smiled.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbcw7hTWZqriagSlAKaRUMRA6KHIf6luFA_lOjvSLyNEpZE6JTMSLke6XFObu11CY-UdvptiKKe58v97u24Q9CPeURyrvgmAwbG-iStRr-0sN30OuMms9biEpctGeWhwp-OUCb8EFFgDbi/s1600/DSC_0360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbcw7hTWZqriagSlAKaRUMRA6KHIf6luFA_lOjvSLyNEpZE6JTMSLke6XFObu11CY-UdvptiKKe58v97u24Q9CPeURyrvgmAwbG-iStRr-0sN30OuMms9biEpctGeWhwp-OUCb8EFFgDbi/s640/DSC_0360.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ave Maria by A.J. Fernandez and a Black Butte Porter by Oregon's own Deschutes Brewery</td></tr>
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<br />The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com0Lewis and Clark Hwy, Bingen, WA 98605, USA45.701144196075447 -121.4274215698242245.69005469607545 -121.44716256982421 45.712233696075444 -121.40768056982422tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-54266458357819508822012-03-10T17:38:00.003-08:002012-03-10T17:39:41.849-08:00Rodney Falls & Little Beacon Rock - Columbia River Gorge.....Continued from the previous blog entry, titled <i>Beacon Rock - Columbia River Gorge </i>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzHhHzXrUIFmcCuQ749xvH1-kbYICOcsXnyAylvQSjUQbX1RdCEk0ueOHooJfWBlQVjymXUCy5kqhmlyIJwU1IKp9IdVJguw1jQWenYI1ITFZT06HBzmw3XUHlHjegz_LyP_4Ztf9vwkg1/s1600/DSC_0149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzHhHzXrUIFmcCuQ749xvH1-kbYICOcsXnyAylvQSjUQbX1RdCEk0ueOHooJfWBlQVjymXUCy5kqhmlyIJwU1IKp9IdVJguw1jQWenYI1ITFZT06HBzmw3XUHlHjegz_LyP_4Ztf9vwkg1/s640/DSC_0149.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridge at the foot of Rodney Falls</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Rodney Falls via Hamilton Mountain Trail</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>2.2 miles round trip | 600 ft elevation gain</i></div>
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After wolfing my <a href="http://www.tcsjerky.com/" target="_blank">Tillamook Country Smoker</a> beef sticks and wishing I had about three more, I zipped back into <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beacon_Rock_State_Park" target="_blank">Beacon Rock State Park</a> to hike up to Rodney Falls. To get to the trailhead, you turn north off of Hwy 14 right across from the Beacon Rock parking area. This road will end up at a campground, but shortly before you'll see the marked parking area for the Hamilton Mountain trailhead. I will, in due time, hike to Hamilton Mountain. But, being a 7.6 mile hike with a 2,000 foot elevation gain, I decided to save it for another day in the coming Spring. Instead, I hiked 1.1 miles from the trailhead to Rodney Falls and the Pool of Winds (which I will describe below).<br />
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The hike was, as I expected, very muddy.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1orc2HH14XfQ5LO3TXhzF-OiXoYXtx2JOLlK5zyJ4xKzJqqxO9bX_qQ-HLMpDK-GEy9MjuBSiSWRKXYAOD9b9nNT_wk49GzPk7HLrjhrNbPGfdRBs5ohrxz6hiWehP2NJAmoTVB0mKmu/s1600/DSC_0147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1orc2HH14XfQ5LO3TXhzF-OiXoYXtx2JOLlK5zyJ4xKzJqqxO9bX_qQ-HLMpDK-GEy9MjuBSiSWRKXYAOD9b9nNT_wk49GzPk7HLrjhrNbPGfdRBs5ohrxz6hiWehP2NJAmoTVB0mKmu/s640/DSC_0147.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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From the trailhead to Rodney Falls you experience a mixture of thick forest and open space underneath, of all things, powerlines.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mysXQMQraCSR4GQ4jsjYnQuoV0Pmit521oavVIAtfoOp5FUUIYzkK0oJA_FQOH-SQyZ0GKYcZ0otLLBNW-m7A-kK-oDNW_T0-jJrx4lnjicMTyf_fOtkX_bbs4xUp5H5FWENEt7o7nLC/s1600/DSC_0126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mysXQMQraCSR4GQ4jsjYnQuoV0Pmit521oavVIAtfoOp5FUUIYzkK0oJA_FQOH-SQyZ0GKYcZ0otLLBNW-m7A-kK-oDNW_T0-jJrx4lnjicMTyf_fOtkX_bbs4xUp5H5FWENEt7o7nLC/s640/DSC_0126.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">To Rodney Falls - Hamilton Mountain Trail | Beacon Rock S.P.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnJvCSxqq-mFnQdQwjggyr8WHrxLHvB9UjHoUfIQ6Wnbn1GjNa_FXMhAwY2sNgNJdkRUQHEsfX4mC7XH_Y4kksuoZZkcuMMv0VaaqoBxN26FITlQoQVexVvupMIjtuWp1RpH4r1qzgZlQ/s1600/DSC_0128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnJvCSxqq-mFnQdQwjggyr8WHrxLHvB9UjHoUfIQ6Wnbn1GjNa_FXMhAwY2sNgNJdkRUQHEsfX4mC7XH_Y4kksuoZZkcuMMv0VaaqoBxN26FITlQoQVexVvupMIjtuWp1RpH4r1qzgZlQ/s640/DSC_0128.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">To Rodney Falls - Hamilton Mountain Trail | Beacon Rock S.P.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHbbzuh3mpyVDS9_bdeNn5Ifn38cxMEn0eWyf2glrgl9XD5nwg_v3JJnzO5brglR07CDYchgiWgSQZQyGtipHJGMywLX6Ih4u_vDmTEf9HzKaVHITixnf5XkkvGzzk_GU-LHq-zNu5sTMQ/s1600/DSC_0157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHbbzuh3mpyVDS9_bdeNn5Ifn38cxMEn0eWyf2glrgl9XD5nwg_v3JJnzO5brglR07CDYchgiWgSQZQyGtipHJGMywLX6Ih4u_vDmTEf9HzKaVHITixnf5XkkvGzzk_GU-LHq-zNu5sTMQ/s640/DSC_0157.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">To Rodney Falls - Hamilton Mountain Trail | Beacon Rock S.P.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUxHeev2YhgwJp2OP0La34WQ_EB6z46H7cvsrMJLCE-nkuIV31MdDkk7KaO5sGB0NXfTgRjxhAE0S478-bG8d1U5d4RclNYPlymRkeNe5bQL4-0FCj6HACqiBrLxMJd3V6Yjh8gkmTsjg/s1600/DSC_0146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUxHeev2YhgwJp2OP0La34WQ_EB6z46H7cvsrMJLCE-nkuIV31MdDkk7KaO5sGB0NXfTgRjxhAE0S478-bG8d1U5d4RclNYPlymRkeNe5bQL4-0FCj6HACqiBrLxMJd3V6Yjh8gkmTsjg/s640/DSC_0146.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rodney Falls</td></tr>
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Like most waterfalls, you can hear it before you can see it. Same goes for Rodney Falls. Upon approaching the falls you will see a sign leading you up a very short side trail to something called "Pool of Winds." Go see it! In about 100 paces you'll be perilously leaning over a guard rail and peering into this grotto-like rock bowl, into which the top half of the falls pours into and out of which the lower half of the falls gushes loudly and violently out of.<br />
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Needless to say, you'll get wet up here with the spray, so if you have a nice camera on you like I did, I wouldn't suggest sticking it into the grotto to take a photo. It'll get wet fast. The Pool of Winds itself is pretty awe-some, if not very intimidating. There is something thrilling and scary about sticking your head out over the railing and looking into the thunderous and tumultuous churn that goes on within.<br />
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Not only is Pool of Winds worth the climb up to, but the view of the falls and the wooden bridge below is fantastic.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithgzJutsORqVksefOI4SUCWbrmtmZxxTR9DWFQF9U42Aj_gxhYtAAsAhyEMEnRz7ZZ28tu-V2pxU_b5mM-5QYekp-3W2IoIGGHfiE87YjsEQWWWjZybzLKn4eUlSZFJs82HvFGH-hmchM/s1600/DSC_0144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithgzJutsORqVksefOI4SUCWbrmtmZxxTR9DWFQF9U42Aj_gxhYtAAsAhyEMEnRz7ZZ28tu-V2pxU_b5mM-5QYekp-3W2IoIGGHfiE87YjsEQWWWjZybzLKn4eUlSZFJs82HvFGH-hmchM/s400/DSC_0144.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoH5Fj01Y0g0aO7pZK-Q0v9ZrPtenvogD9BCZChPLzyKE8IIhkMc7mlQ885-XtSY42y_MZQkt2qXoSLeLlfqA8-z9jo3cJK-nz4Z87r1cpHR6_K8QRZTQ9g06GMiQQC_V5GkQMaAlYsFO_/s1600/DSC_0136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoH5Fj01Y0g0aO7pZK-Q0v9ZrPtenvogD9BCZChPLzyKE8IIhkMc7mlQ885-XtSY42y_MZQkt2qXoSLeLlfqA8-z9jo3cJK-nz4Z87r1cpHR6_K8QRZTQ9g06GMiQQC_V5GkQMaAlYsFO_/s640/DSC_0136.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As close as I got, with camera, to the Pool of Winds | It is wet, loud, and beautiful up here</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPoHoW6q4dgoKNoHWz1V394LKvM45RBsQI5emdmE70hiWN4sCyaQ2CAhHD5TnodEniEPRruxLWMFnPNsAAXE3A3TYxWSiQ_8RiQGHgufyhxpSYFYM6Lj23WI5_-T8Rmqe-8HfidV-lW2Yq/s1600/DSC_0142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPoHoW6q4dgoKNoHWz1V394LKvM45RBsQI5emdmE70hiWN4sCyaQ2CAhHD5TnodEniEPRruxLWMFnPNsAAXE3A3TYxWSiQ_8RiQGHgufyhxpSYFYM6Lj23WI5_-T8Rmqe-8HfidV-lW2Yq/s640/DSC_0142.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rodney Falls from Pool of Winds</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEEH0usEGH-DoLUbnZ4IMlsc9Um2apvfG3W0swgW-p8YB1CWwK_lWkOO6uigTX6uUhKnxqWPJgv1_GDj4w6wlWVaoaLITKjr1stw4kQ0EbMGyChoFuWZ6NzNMintt3lq7EK0SKqamKaddH/s1600/DSC_0138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEEH0usEGH-DoLUbnZ4IMlsc9Um2apvfG3W0swgW-p8YB1CWwK_lWkOO6uigTX6uUhKnxqWPJgv1_GDj4w6wlWVaoaLITKjr1stw4kQ0EbMGyChoFuWZ6NzNMintt3lq7EK0SKqamKaddH/s640/DSC_0138.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridge at the bottom of Rodney Falls and two hikers</td></tr>
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Also, make a point to come down to the bridge itself. Bridges like these, that I've only ever seen deep in the Pacific Northwestern woods, are so beautiful to me. I wish, like a troll of sorts, I could just loiter at one for hours, either reading, thinking, conversing with passers by, experimenting with photography, or all of the above. If you cross this bridge and continue onward, the hike suddenly becomes very steep as you trek on to Hamilton Mountain. If all you want to see is Rodney Falls, here is your chance to stop, take in the moment, and then turn around.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9GHivqIApJLgMKVvsWeLxOt5U433oKPVCVEO1ZV6mxT1hnu5nA9auTkFQ4E-LCfEok6bLG37fQMsavR9orqhrKp-IBipNOLDyAZpT0_1ss6j0KMw1WV4Z08UgBDuvJVlBGuNon07VTd1/s1600/DSC_0148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9GHivqIApJLgMKVvsWeLxOt5U433oKPVCVEO1ZV6mxT1hnu5nA9auTkFQ4E-LCfEok6bLG37fQMsavR9orqhrKp-IBipNOLDyAZpT0_1ss6j0KMw1WV4Z08UgBDuvJVlBGuNon07VTd1/s640/DSC_0148.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rodney Falls</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd1c80WIMdYwZMNuihFSV5E9MXZdci_zzWwA4eO3VTpupDhJLT8WstWTtZQ4PGV3WEA8PnsWC41-9KZ0T_dxfdE-Qxm260U-L9jvSXq1XFBYebDYlmyiG4xM-5KX17eBJ0oGpT4fX7DVBx/s1600/DSC_0152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd1c80WIMdYwZMNuihFSV5E9MXZdci_zzWwA4eO3VTpupDhJLT8WstWTtZQ4PGV3WEA8PnsWC41-9KZ0T_dxfdE-Qxm260U-L9jvSXq1XFBYebDYlmyiG4xM-5KX17eBJ0oGpT4fX7DVBx/s640/DSC_0152.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rodney Falls</td></tr>
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After taking in the beautiful sounds and sprays of Rodney Falls for a bit, I started back for the car. I had seen on my trail map of Beacon Rock S.P. a short hike to something called <i>Little Beacon Rock. </i>Curious to compare the two, I had to check it out.<br />
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Little Beacon Rock was one of my favorite spots of the whole day. Not only did it give you an outstanding view of Beacon Rock itself, but the area is itself gorgeous. Little Beacon Rock was a great place to sit for a moment and reflect on how great the day had been. The area is open and very rocky. The trail snakes around mossy boulder fields and a rocky slope. Little Beacon Rock is just a large rock (that sort of resembles a petrified stegosaurus) that juts up atop hill composed of smaller rocks, and although it lacks the grandeur of its big brother, it is a beautiful slice of the Pacific Northwest. The whole time I was at Little Beacon Rock I did not encounter a single other person. It was as if I was the only hiker that day that knew it existed.<br />
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A trip to Beacon Rock State Park has to include a trip to Little Beacon Rock, if only for a view of (Big) Beacon Rock! Here are some photos of the Little Beacon Rock area, along with a photo of (Big) Beacon Rock itself in the distance.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQ0m5FHzTDWr9QjmlUvuPts4KUIcX1YBgP-zT1xyuSY0JoVVFtY_qtx4aASdW-R8ae5v6dNHev7zjYg99mIs2D0t8wHA1xZ8eeHCpdIt7XGC_qV0tbJE35pSgFEI5_z3Uib0ikZcxDlzD/s1600/DSC_0159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQ0m5FHzTDWr9QjmlUvuPts4KUIcX1YBgP-zT1xyuSY0JoVVFtY_qtx4aASdW-R8ae5v6dNHev7zjYg99mIs2D0t8wHA1xZ8eeHCpdIt7XGC_qV0tbJE35pSgFEI5_z3Uib0ikZcxDlzD/s640/DSC_0159.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Beacon Rock area - Beacon Rock S.P. | Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJ0JfK_z_eKjkT0w9Rn3SYgtbnu4A_YyoY4wma7E1G99AAVm84QU3Ulju3WeCXyNGB8r6ZvIB8K0XzntX_GfSYqAC8NKGC0xvArkiJTGsjXpsnjGaUEl_p2d0X0AnLS0AyICaLCmYncWe/s1600/DSC_0165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJ0JfK_z_eKjkT0w9Rn3SYgtbnu4A_YyoY4wma7E1G99AAVm84QU3Ulju3WeCXyNGB8r6ZvIB8K0XzntX_GfSYqAC8NKGC0xvArkiJTGsjXpsnjGaUEl_p2d0X0AnLS0AyICaLCmYncWe/s640/DSC_0165.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Beacon Rock area - Beacon Rock S.P. | Columbia River Gorge
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</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztnvm8tKKg7W-p_xBAN65oft_k5R8lmHiG_IkYlftyWFuJy2iPjiwy4wIZh1PNfCdi191cA-eRj2wBNFOpSFHCp4oHdgmhIwwcm16KD1qqg_VcLKGP-2GGYcqSROONCDOsKGZAmRkIG3M/s1600/DSC_0168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztnvm8tKKg7W-p_xBAN65oft_k5R8lmHiG_IkYlftyWFuJy2iPjiwy4wIZh1PNfCdi191cA-eRj2wBNFOpSFHCp4oHdgmhIwwcm16KD1qqg_VcLKGP-2GGYcqSROONCDOsKGZAmRkIG3M/s640/DSC_0168.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Beacon Rock area - Beacon Rock S.P. | Columbia River Gorge
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTXwADcjoR_kUHZiV9DPuAhflwEDRSSfZpFkzTe_7S_Gp5QEjMFAMvPXoXg09hjndtlTxRVbPgDt79qnzE_Dpjg1tN_LeXd0Y-co2F7ZZq_4C-1nmQby-bLKh-wdWxJS7N-Byyt0uWEXsB/s1600/DSC_0174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTXwADcjoR_kUHZiV9DPuAhflwEDRSSfZpFkzTe_7S_Gp5QEjMFAMvPXoXg09hjndtlTxRVbPgDt79qnzE_Dpjg1tN_LeXd0Y-co2F7ZZq_4C-1nmQby-bLKh-wdWxJS7N-Byyt0uWEXsB/s640/DSC_0174.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Beacon Rock</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjOItTMAEj0FTIQMyHVqb-R4Oh0__Rk_UBZ-xhCdkHZfJIxyrTM92omx-KdoUGY2QDEhwutGDxrsQruJeYLUZRq1ho9xgZfGnbves4GwfJIymZa63Qu07XUI7gJW3f0mUG3J_j0vXSWRM/s1600/DSC_0177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjOItTMAEj0FTIQMyHVqb-R4Oh0__Rk_UBZ-xhCdkHZfJIxyrTM92omx-KdoUGY2QDEhwutGDxrsQruJeYLUZRq1ho9xgZfGnbves4GwfJIymZa63Qu07XUI7gJW3f0mUG3J_j0vXSWRM/s640/DSC_0177.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Beacon Rock area - Beacon Rock S.P. | Columbia River Gorge
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmgNNnnVA6z5rFaZwDqZ8SI17VmXWG5y-kIvvotbBx7NnXLSAysEnJoUiAmfP_qMDTvGDVxHzGt0sAsvbGsLzajSMbnZU4Tfx56hLWZh5qLTBG6NMV0wlSDn6DXGiKena2OQaa9s0gnD7/s1600/DSC_0173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmgNNnnVA6z5rFaZwDqZ8SI17VmXWG5y-kIvvotbBx7NnXLSAysEnJoUiAmfP_qMDTvGDVxHzGt0sAsvbGsLzajSMbnZU4Tfx56hLWZh5qLTBG6NMV0wlSDn6DXGiKena2OQaa9s0gnD7/s640/DSC_0173.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of (Big) Beacon Rock in the distance from Little Beacon Rock</td></tr>
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Thus concludes the weekend's trip to Beacon Rock State Park, however I wanted to end with just one more photo, that of Hamilton Mountain taken from the trail. In the near future I will be returning to the park to hike to the summit of Hamilton Mountain. Take this photo as a sneak peak and just an example of what is to come in the Spring months, which thankfully lie within the light at the end of winter's tunnel.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUokqNKhEnq1Q1ZUQARAUNUo6qJpBVw3qpE5BKK1n7BigPNIyrBkRArxMcQq50Q1LDlhecWECM8l43N-uWJSAgSrR370qiWYelcXKzuAqEIDDbXbk04Z1DvnqsqmYaIm7xJCDZuXx7Rlni/s1600/DSC_0155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUokqNKhEnq1Q1ZUQARAUNUo6qJpBVw3qpE5BKK1n7BigPNIyrBkRArxMcQq50Q1LDlhecWECM8l43N-uWJSAgSrR370qiWYelcXKzuAqEIDDbXbk04Z1DvnqsqmYaIm7xJCDZuXx7Rlni/s640/DSC_0155.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That steep protrusion out there is Hamilton Mountain, the top of which I will visit in the close and upcoming future</td></tr>
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<br />The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com3Beacon Rock State Park, 34841 State Route 14, Stevenson, WA 98648, USA45.6574762 -122.017775545.6130827 -122.0967395 45.701869699999996 -121.9388115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-3171126842991854462012-03-10T16:38:00.005-08:002012-03-11T00:03:41.082-08:00Beacon Rock - Columbia River Gorge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKyh1I4NFT0a4u2sidIBXZbNtZ-L3TwqORV7Oxn_1lKPExUQC3yNas_6c9Jh_X8Q18zJB0jBvYrp1n4cw_kJI_7tVPk39ZLzSA6E5A1bVLKb-43_euEPgxbAYSEUjNnVGYX5dd6k8UlES/s1600/DSC_0026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKyh1I4NFT0a4u2sidIBXZbNtZ-L3TwqORV7Oxn_1lKPExUQC3yNas_6c9Jh_X8Q18zJB0jBvYrp1n4cw_kJI_7tVPk39ZLzSA6E5A1bVLKb-43_euEPgxbAYSEUjNnVGYX5dd6k8UlES/s640/DSC_0026.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ah, the Pacific Northwest - from Beacon Rock, Columbia River Gorge (m)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPimJKAVBGLAFrf-gjqecMHLNg4HhYVpWC_uuMSyGlDkx0DeNpOGyWHzRM7qIEflFKk2INcaXJb34hq1-LOaSS7QxhzKZ3x2cbDLVLR5aIJ855_BeD-_aKvYuN3sLYCvZBJz4164B-EZ0w/s1600/DSC_0019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPimJKAVBGLAFrf-gjqecMHLNg4HhYVpWC_uuMSyGlDkx0DeNpOGyWHzRM7qIEflFKk2INcaXJb34hq1-LOaSS7QxhzKZ3x2cbDLVLR5aIJ855_BeD-_aKvYuN3sLYCvZBJz4164B-EZ0w/s640/DSC_0019.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hike <i>truly </i>begins when you pass through this gate...</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Beacon Rock Trail</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>1.8 miles round trip | 600 ft elevation gain</i></div>
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Ever since learning about this hike I have been dying to do it. Winters in the Columbia Gorge, however, can be unruly, especially due to the wind. But I am happy to say that this weekend the gorge was perfect, making me doubly happy (one, it was a beautiful weekend; two, Spring is at last arriving!). Now, there are numerous trails in the gorge, both on the Oregon and Washington side, that I am eager to get under my belt this year and present to you in this blog, but first thing's first: Beacon Rock.<br />
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What is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beacon_Rock_State_Park" target="_blank">Beacon Rock</a>? Think of it as a gigantic, 850 ft tall, Faberge Egg made of volcanic rock that sits alongside the Columbia River in the state of Washington. And where did Beacon Rock get its name? From Lewis and Clark on Halloween, 1805! That's right, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark named this rock; and it is from this location that they noticed tidal influences on the Columbia River, therefore coming to realize that the ocean was not much farther.<br />
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From the ground, you peer up at this vertical monstrosity and wonder how on earth there is a hiking trail that leads to the top of it. It looks like more of a feat for climbers than hikers (and, indeed, climbers can have their fun here too). But thanks to the dedication, persistence, and brilliant vision of one man, Beacon Rock is what it is today rather than a pile of ruble at the mouth of the Columbia.Wait, what?<br />
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This rock has a pretty interesting history. Yes, Beacon Rock was in danger of being blown to bits by the Army Corps of Engineers in the early 1900s. These bits would then become a jetty where the Columbia meets the Pacific Ocean. <i>BUT! </i>A man named Henry Biddle, who first unsuccessfully begged and pleaded Washington State to turn the area into a state park, bought the rock in 1915 before the Army Corps of Engineers could get their grubby, destructive hands on it.<br />
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For the next three years, with blood, sweat, tears, and dynamite, Henry Biddle carved a hiking trail up the side of the steep rock. This trail consists of switchbacks, railings, concrete slabs, and bridges. Interestingly enough also, due to the almost vertical nature to the terrain Biddle could not scout the trail to plan it's course before starting to build it. Rather, he would just build one segment, try to finagle a way to build the next using imagination and know-how, and so on. It is, to say the very least, one of the most unique hiking trails you'll experience in America. It is also, to say a lot more, breathtakingly beautiful; and grows even more so with each step you take.<br />
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This is what Beacon Rock looks like from a distance (looking south, with the Oregon side of the Gorge in the background).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beacon Rock, as seen from Little Beacon Rock</td></tr>
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The view below is just one example of the views you get of the Columbia River throughout the entire hike.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZFNgn5ByJehx6r6PlpiY9u7FBQYT2qCuy2Nps8u2HwgXz3qPbKptxybuOZFaYz4V_Pn5Z7GKbC1zLvWmq3UqHiEGnS7R6LWkMO61tWrkWJxD5TTypq96ZrVFJwI-JrArVOad1K6rujyR/s1600/DSC_0057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZFNgn5ByJehx6r6PlpiY9u7FBQYT2qCuy2Nps8u2HwgXz3qPbKptxybuOZFaYz4V_Pn5Z7GKbC1zLvWmq3UqHiEGnS7R6LWkMO61tWrkWJxD5TTypq96ZrVFJwI-JrArVOad1K6rujyR/s640/DSC_0057.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Columbia River from around the beginning of Beacon Rock trial</td></tr>
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Enough about the rock itself. Now it is time to talk about the hike.<br />
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When you first get out of your car and stare up at the monolith in front of you a feeling of <i>"oh shit" </i>enters your mind. You start to fixate on how many calories you're about to burn or how jelly-like your legs are going to be by the end of the hike. But then, suddenly, you notice the elderly couple, hardly even out of breath, coming down the last leg of the hike towards the parking area without a single bead of sweat on their foreheads nor wobble in their legs. <i>Really?, </i>you might think to yourself.<br />
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But truth is, regardless of how much elevation you gain in such a short distance, this is an easy hike. True, you are in a constant state of ascension until you reach the top, but with 50 or more switchbacks, the ascension is gradual... <i>very gradual.</i> This is both a great thing or a disappointing thing, depending on who you are. It is a great thing to people who aren't able to tackle strenuous hikes, such as families with small children or the elderly. But it is disappointing to people who arrive expecting more work to achieve the views from the summit. Luckily for those of you who fall into the latter, challenge-seeker category, however, there is Hamilton Mountain, the trailhead to which is located about 1 minute's drive from the Beacon Rock trailhead. <br />
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<b>NOTE:</b> You will need a Washington State Park <i>Discover Pass</i> to access this park and other parks. You can either pay $10 for a day-use pass or $30 for an annual pass. Unless you know for certain that this is the one and only state park in Washington you plan on visiting for the next 365 days, I would recommend buying the annual pass.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imposing view of Beacon Rock from the parking area</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLvfz_l0y38lZl73yhB5FIpSl8lYKsiB_K-y3iVx9KU3wvuDqe6wwDyl7-IlMdY52rxbCuTNUihFJEF0MlcwWyzgY0i5S6Vm0LTyHkk3tTrRkAOhrB5noRmoL_m4FsbTY4E7NytEbHK_H/s1600/DSC_0115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLvfz_l0y38lZl73yhB5FIpSl8lYKsiB_K-y3iVx9KU3wvuDqe6wwDyl7-IlMdY52rxbCuTNUihFJEF0MlcwWyzgY0i5S6Vm0LTyHkk3tTrRkAOhrB5noRmoL_m4FsbTY4E7NytEbHK_H/s320/DSC_0115.JPG" width="214" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right as I saw this I instantly got very <i>very </i>excited - Beacon Rock</td></tr>
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After leaving the parking area you will spend a few brief moments walking through a boulder-y forest until suddenly you get a wide open view of the Columbia and see a large metal gate ahead of you. This is where the trail truly begins; and it only gets better and better from here. After passing through the gate, you will quickly get glimpses of what lies ahead: switchbacks, bridges, and killer views.<br />
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Even if you are terrified of heights, this hike will only moderately freak you out. First off, you have very strong, tall guard rails that line the entire path. Second, Beacon Rock, although steep and relatively vertical in nature, is to some extent "stair-like" in that if the highly unlikely event of your falling were to occur, you would only "fall down a step or two" rather than fall all the way to the bottom. Gnarly as that may sound, it at least lends your average person a sense of some sort of comfort that if they <i>were</i> to fall, on most parts of the hike, they wouldn't fall <i>far</i>. But, let's face it, even about a 20 foot fall on this rocky trail would result in a trip to the hospital. This hike is a lot more dangerous than a mere walk in the woods if you don't tread lightly or stick to the trail. <br />
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Here are some photos from about the first two-thirds of the trail.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxAmAAbLClv4ttTq0lJTMF8I-tF84ZHlGQYEAF8c8UFpFv4HbtY_shPKcVGMWwytQb5MwEqYnuHZrMqz-nVVjT3xthsMjdVkB26aX_1NxdZNeP3xi6YbccEgsq2XVTHBxZ5VhJjgPz4lr/s1600/DSC_0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxAmAAbLClv4ttTq0lJTMF8I-tF84ZHlGQYEAF8c8UFpFv4HbtY_shPKcVGMWwytQb5MwEqYnuHZrMqz-nVVjT3xthsMjdVkB26aX_1NxdZNeP3xi6YbccEgsq2XVTHBxZ5VhJjgPz4lr/s640/DSC_0038.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Beacon Rock - Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLN3bB6ebiScXpPeC7UpKSAHdwJbR1mWPX1elFVLg742lE4kWl4Uq_Mt-oii0ViVotUEpYNJT9LJysKZqBlfwLuatv_eAkpL9BsFrSdupuYhuJCkoxWp5cuiLv1ldLFP7NrVvsWHWx9pS/s1600/DSC_0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLN3bB6ebiScXpPeC7UpKSAHdwJbR1mWPX1elFVLg742lE4kWl4Uq_Mt-oii0ViVotUEpYNJT9LJysKZqBlfwLuatv_eAkpL9BsFrSdupuYhuJCkoxWp5cuiLv1ldLFP7NrVvsWHWx9pS/s640/DSC_0023.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the trail - Beacon Rock</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwmABTYwtxQPWsMcWHXeVT5gU80JzM6EU8kWsBlP6h-PP47-lPV-Qc8cAz33vvVd9yBcXsDvSCdEIy7R0AvLjYCofIRPxWR_YeV6B33DxYk9RdPCpeu8qp4qciaRE-YnZZht5z1K_LmbL4/s1600/DSC_0041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwmABTYwtxQPWsMcWHXeVT5gU80JzM6EU8kWsBlP6h-PP47-lPV-Qc8cAz33vvVd9yBcXsDvSCdEIy7R0AvLjYCofIRPxWR_YeV6B33DxYk9RdPCpeu8qp4qciaRE-YnZZht5z1K_LmbL4/s400/DSC_0041.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUBbtjWkHe49OXhNYszlE3sqVfwAzdXpmx_SqqllIWG0Ry3X6h__-tFLP0uyxAUYYnjmTQmenTFWytXmrAZQ3pyYMzTKKPMwqkz-K6eDfNwvkP2hYRSjdir5ESYVATFMdlgYuB9nLA1x8P/s1600/DSC_0024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUBbtjWkHe49OXhNYszlE3sqVfwAzdXpmx_SqqllIWG0Ry3X6h__-tFLP0uyxAUYYnjmTQmenTFWytXmrAZQ3pyYMzTKKPMwqkz-K6eDfNwvkP2hYRSjdir5ESYVATFMdlgYuB9nLA1x8P/s640/DSC_0024.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Columbia River Gorge in late winter (m)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgti6bKyEOWd0zOXFZkwHExtrqfwFjykHWZ1IGu17ytertrkp4yUTOwsqhe28Jeq71vpYH4PkkhGK2oA-zHj4s0XZDt0MzDZBLjq2mami5vquyc0fIN5Tz5136ujsDCg383uBKTvmpfDEmz/s1600/DSC_0025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgti6bKyEOWd0zOXFZkwHExtrqfwFjykHWZ1IGu17ytertrkp4yUTOwsqhe28Jeq71vpYH4PkkhGK2oA-zHj4s0XZDt0MzDZBLjq2mami5vquyc0fIN5Tz5136ujsDCg383uBKTvmpfDEmz/s640/DSC_0025.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most of the original railings have been replaced, but in some areas, you can still see the original wrought iron railings installed by Henry Biddle in 1918. Here is what it looks like.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugQQZNRwXjiaAZyOzOcS_fwf1tevsQXCBbEvgEhGqrQzBvJmtz8h61z10Db8zfHNCaPV1MN907k9IhB8p_dI5xN52mrQ9ejBJlLivp2p_lnLt-oTzTmrK7ssEDTzxYUJU1X5yXxY6x204/s1600/DSC_0037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugQQZNRwXjiaAZyOzOcS_fwf1tevsQXCBbEvgEhGqrQzBvJmtz8h61z10Db8zfHNCaPV1MN907k9IhB8p_dI5xN52mrQ9ejBJlLivp2p_lnLt-oTzTmrK7ssEDTzxYUJU1X5yXxY6x204/s640/DSC_0037.JPG" width="428" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brilliant, imaginative engineering on this trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGJJ49w0qGRjxuQsePJZHkpvgqG5241wTncRC3B4swF4FrBg3iQvML_iC4oaxL7K5vKrNnNNLY_Jczd7ej7_Rhw2VvH-nzCyxlew-8xL88DY03wucHbo7d8g2wsIuOy99tdi2s5F0fPF2/s1600/DSC_0042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGJJ49w0qGRjxuQsePJZHkpvgqG5241wTncRC3B4swF4FrBg3iQvML_iC4oaxL7K5vKrNnNNLY_Jczd7ej7_Rhw2VvH-nzCyxlew-8xL88DY03wucHbo7d8g2wsIuOy99tdi2s5F0fPF2/s640/DSC_0042.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beacon Rock - Columbia River Gorge
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2yIAsaAbMNh1pizf_pwqtgYoPzGn5ze1H2cUwG8w50AlmugNIs9epuuUkXAk8I10JSKiylN-hm3BzBCgOODHlKJr2QBqRO9-BZDobacfGGc7J8KcpJe1xSnoRRgSWvrkY7hCL9qsCEq_/s1600/DSC_0045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2yIAsaAbMNh1pizf_pwqtgYoPzGn5ze1H2cUwG8w50AlmugNIs9epuuUkXAk8I10JSKiylN-hm3BzBCgOODHlKJr2QBqRO9-BZDobacfGGc7J8KcpJe1xSnoRRgSWvrkY7hCL9qsCEq_/s640/DSC_0045.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beacon Rock - Columbia River Gorge
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When you're about one-third of the way to the top, you will get your first view of the gorge looking east over Bonneville Dam. Here (below) is the view you should expect.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipvmU2DmRArxhs1GIqqD3eNMCMdAKT0jIuQiEwoc74G3dgs73XHqDTavYVkRY2c-61oMEuGZrcspeAGb5_bpwlDHr1sp7zm-_8rdWlj9ZtO2XpC9QCyJuYJ_t1ZbeXWyG1aK5HjJXu5KlN/s1600/DSC_0054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipvmU2DmRArxhs1GIqqD3eNMCMdAKT0jIuQiEwoc74G3dgs73XHqDTavYVkRY2c-61oMEuGZrcspeAGb5_bpwlDHr1sp7zm-_8rdWlj9ZtO2XpC9QCyJuYJ_t1ZbeXWyG1aK5HjJXu5KlN/s640/DSC_0054.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Columbia River from Beacon Rock looking East toward Bonneville Dam</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-OxBIUDZQ7-h20dGiSPqI6UBPbup2k2b2EdySNwgctL5BAFXEu0OnwuoIfsLsa9al1EESkdhvRMr_2JetRLKWDjick_kjla9WnTA5iLuGYGxNCEy7bspXJ8059JJnclGIEiFw4hg25Fi/s1600/DSC_0058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-OxBIUDZQ7-h20dGiSPqI6UBPbup2k2b2EdySNwgctL5BAFXEu0OnwuoIfsLsa9al1EESkdhvRMr_2JetRLKWDjick_kjla9WnTA5iLuGYGxNCEy7bspXJ8059JJnclGIEiFw4hg25Fi/s640/DSC_0058.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Switchbacks & Switchbacks & Switchbacks</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht3dMTq4WXEvzTndq0oQKhBlNtp9_mWq0Ivx1BNrYkBatgwTc3jGpgUqU9DII8JzL8eDgJv723Y8evj6EEUqORFl_3m2Ty3HoUrS86o5UK4fZtgbt_YDQ6BnesVo7iuSQMaDI7gtcS7rZ9/s1600/DSC_0060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht3dMTq4WXEvzTndq0oQKhBlNtp9_mWq0Ivx1BNrYkBatgwTc3jGpgUqU9DII8JzL8eDgJv723Y8evj6EEUqORFl_3m2Ty3HoUrS86o5UK4fZtgbt_YDQ6BnesVo7iuSQMaDI7gtcS7rZ9/s640/DSC_0060.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting higher and higher on Beacon Rock with a view of the Columbia looking West toward Portland</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdvkVzdiGO2D_eLDMJMba4B162j-nCOMWASi9Gll11gqT8Q-bVV_5kAK26P93Aa3ejRn6X5gwNV_Wa582QrIAWNB9fXPKAo11GZS4hpF65NvVORlky__ACVQxhXhBOPgrL3rEtRVDJSdo2/s1600/DSC_0064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdvkVzdiGO2D_eLDMJMba4B162j-nCOMWASi9Gll11gqT8Q-bVV_5kAK26P93Aa3ejRn6X5gwNV_Wa582QrIAWNB9fXPKAo11GZS4hpF65NvVORlky__ACVQxhXhBOPgrL3rEtRVDJSdo2/s640/DSC_0064.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When you feel like you've entered a forest, this is the last third of the trail. The trail feels much different starting now</td></tr>
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When you feel as though you have entered a forest way up on the rock, you've entered the final leg of the trail. Soon, you will have reached the top. The trail will feel much different from here on, as you are indeed hiking through a little forest on top of this massive volcanic egg. I encountered the last hour or so of a morning fog that had almost completely risen from the river valley floor when I reached this altitude. The fog lent a mysteriousness and spookiness to the hike which boosted my enjoyment even more. </div>
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Here are photos from the last (and highest) leg of the Beacon Rock trail, including its 850 foot summit.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnR6ecfHreOXTHb01F9hTuF0JKRT0EM3-nb9bCBxXVXB3h66Q2eME2TMXoXoBnNwWnNwkqmVf9RYAq_jGSTi23l_VzQPs2X9BSc-10VrYgTs-go5DDsR-S1mjx-1b6XrJnthP3cmywS2IS/s1600/DSC_0068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnR6ecfHreOXTHb01F9hTuF0JKRT0EM3-nb9bCBxXVXB3h66Q2eME2TMXoXoBnNwWnNwkqmVf9RYAq_jGSTi23l_VzQPs2X9BSc-10VrYgTs-go5DDsR-S1mjx-1b6XrJnthP3cmywS2IS/s640/DSC_0068.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beacon Rock - Columbia River Gorge
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlzvXldHz2xxQspYzS0vOCWsj0SPgnBpwvxcpGGvbKvqgo93qu5oCCtAOJk_-MHGqe1k7I79R3v7zk4Fj5EmePh5m0Q5qt73NuaybD9aWKxDmx45X_dGooGftokZZa4YgMh609t9jfrky/s1600/DSC_0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlzvXldHz2xxQspYzS0vOCWsj0SPgnBpwvxcpGGvbKvqgo93qu5oCCtAOJk_-MHGqe1k7I79R3v7zk4Fj5EmePh5m0Q5qt73NuaybD9aWKxDmx45X_dGooGftokZZa4YgMh609t9jfrky/s640/DSC_0080.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A dripping conifer. Ah, how I love thee, Pacific Northwest</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2HG29bPT_TciIZyI-THPrOUl0EZ9qtcmIPhBTNp8qw03eB5PjiJnwrmLdt9eKpIRxKGrRHcpzanBJhLC1e0a8bIn1cRACqDeZLMt0rwicrs_w_kK9Ou5rgssDmfM7kr1JDFjik7FSTKw/s1600/DSC_0075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2HG29bPT_TciIZyI-THPrOUl0EZ9qtcmIPhBTNp8qw03eB5PjiJnwrmLdt9eKpIRxKGrRHcpzanBJhLC1e0a8bIn1cRACqDeZLMt0rwicrs_w_kK9Ou5rgssDmfM7kr1JDFjik7FSTKw/s640/DSC_0075.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beacon Rock - Columbia River Gorge
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1wK9pnVKw496itfoPuGv78sAREOtMyJitwsHTujoS7rtp3_GHzZKiUsN2L-u4_HLrLN6rNwZ-dEVJNVV8MfCdNwpQEzVAvalYsM4hH9aGvKTkfsGiQDsDrS5zC1otAqQ0lxlrq7TFEL8/s1600/DSC_0088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1wK9pnVKw496itfoPuGv78sAREOtMyJitwsHTujoS7rtp3_GHzZKiUsN2L-u4_HLrLN6rNwZ-dEVJNVV8MfCdNwpQEzVAvalYsM4hH9aGvKTkfsGiQDsDrS5zC1otAqQ0lxlrq7TFEL8/s640/DSC_0088.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view from Beacon Rock</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfm0SBqjrqQuJd628y_y39uL9UhwvgrZxdAyNzEkLwwkOpeb_-LumkmY9UQYpnysN8Vt9Z3kBOS39_HfbZ4Jnqq-9Nz3qD8PeD0QCKm6ygxfJ9r3SqqyC8FpurqN-GthhgbdocJkbP8oWp/s1600/DSC_0093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfm0SBqjrqQuJd628y_y39uL9UhwvgrZxdAyNzEkLwwkOpeb_-LumkmY9UQYpnysN8Vt9Z3kBOS39_HfbZ4Jnqq-9Nz3qD8PeD0QCKm6ygxfJ9r3SqqyC8FpurqN-GthhgbdocJkbP8oWp/s640/DSC_0093.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up those stairs and you've reached the summit</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-NAqKp6XY6tsztu_y4MnnwieYogIoHPIYPpB6IVIHpTjf8siqvtd-1bdCqUSQdkZh4KqWO4kl8BLPJNGj2B0aoLGCWfnqOvPbwt6JEJLXp73N8vB-4b9CmfJg19COhbcFfqaUqQRADn4X/s1600/DSC_0103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-NAqKp6XY6tsztu_y4MnnwieYogIoHPIYPpB6IVIHpTjf8siqvtd-1bdCqUSQdkZh4KqWO4kl8BLPJNGj2B0aoLGCWfnqOvPbwt6JEJLXp73N8vB-4b9CmfJg19COhbcFfqaUqQRADn4X/s640/DSC_0103.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beacon Rock Summit</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluChlxDwTta8QsZ14exja9jEglvAV3XXR8WA1oz4WUUuRLDwDAytYzJ29389JM3jz3jxPCMTMdwPvtXMokFCiIbRD9W57mGxOcccBo6YQBR8A9MKMdC9FEK1Nw5NZKVl7L_XpMhRdhyphenhyphenAs/s1600/DSC_0098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluChlxDwTta8QsZ14exja9jEglvAV3XXR8WA1oz4WUUuRLDwDAytYzJ29389JM3jz3jxPCMTMdwPvtXMokFCiIbRD9W57mGxOcccBo6YQBR8A9MKMdC9FEK1Nw5NZKVl7L_XpMhRdhyphenhyphenAs/s640/DSC_0098.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking East from Beacon Rock's 850 ft summit</td></tr>
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In the summer months, the summit is going to get crowded early on in the day and stay crowded until the sun has nearly set. In the winter, however, I was the only person up here for a good twenty minutes. Nothing beats taking in views like this in silence.<br />
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Beacon Rock's trail is one of the few trails where, even though you follow back the same way you came, the trail feels very different. Much of that is due to the fact that you are so captivated with what lies ahead of you while hiking, that you rarely stop and look behind you. Now, on your way down, you will see the trail from a totally different perspective. I stopped and took several photographs on my way back down because I saw so many beautiful sights that I neglected to notice on my way up Beacon Rock.<br />
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Here are some of the wonderful sights you'll see on <b>the way back down</b> Beacon Rock.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1m38b7TzKCUOJIp3dtOf_w2rUGzXrppSVeWNGdwHxk09xCig05oRxNkvSinqfIgLPdU6LKtcjZyQVZZpBalpMh32VnCa0MkyLn4a4deBGPJvnalTtnaCvIdP3NAbQ_qmygb38Ir-QbQ5_/s1600/DSC_0092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1m38b7TzKCUOJIp3dtOf_w2rUGzXrppSVeWNGdwHxk09xCig05oRxNkvSinqfIgLPdU6LKtcjZyQVZZpBalpMh32VnCa0MkyLn4a4deBGPJvnalTtnaCvIdP3NAbQ_qmygb38Ir-QbQ5_/s640/DSC_0092.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Washington Hwy 14 from Beacon Rock</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-5yumm0KJgEuLu0QD2dbRNgkbt0lj9sEkkgTOtjVl24g5CCsxiUfYfx4nV76UfA4vYUiSDvYs6pCnUW28419Sm1N_dPtpvujIot6WVOo9-KsrJmfw0W5C7ixFpCtkXtJSeeAr40N-JpA/s1600/DSC_0089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-5yumm0KJgEuLu0QD2dbRNgkbt0lj9sEkkgTOtjVl24g5CCsxiUfYfx4nV76UfA4vYUiSDvYs6pCnUW28419Sm1N_dPtpvujIot6WVOo9-KsrJmfw0W5C7ixFpCtkXtJSeeAr40N-JpA/s640/DSC_0089.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way back down - Beacon Rock, Columbia River Gorge</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihhsDvH90YGpXYptPZoOWni62nDEB_ziGx79NzsQjLnPMeZTmagaeEoBJwr9APEppgKvB6bIKbYkQlCKgzOD6jLbvgnn_a0ES35l30FBLzzfj2yAAqIV0Z_D94ql775kxSO6rW_YPWec82/s1600/DSC_0079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihhsDvH90YGpXYptPZoOWni62nDEB_ziGx79NzsQjLnPMeZTmagaeEoBJwr9APEppgKvB6bIKbYkQlCKgzOD6jLbvgnn_a0ES35l30FBLzzfj2yAAqIV0Z_D94ql775kxSO6rW_YPWec82/s640/DSC_0079.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raindrop Shelter</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlMDnLDkY_b_igliqbNgm5mwkeL8jOLW9zmsUqFoVnWQph1jcOxRfXiGotXgyxlzEJcA349OYJ__uNGNj2fTW4xBszJEOjAfvmMxiE6HeRPuK55jOEmF2pppN-4r7in2q64PTTTzvGDd7/s1600/DSC_0063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlMDnLDkY_b_igliqbNgm5mwkeL8jOLW9zmsUqFoVnWQph1jcOxRfXiGotXgyxlzEJcA349OYJ__uNGNj2fTW4xBszJEOjAfvmMxiE6HeRPuK55jOEmF2pppN-4r7in2q64PTTTzvGDd7/s640/DSC_0063.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way back down - Beacon Rock, Columbia River Gorge
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</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNqkrphTApba8VeosE6DxqcflopG61yXxCXMAEiyuwbxKjFQ78YevUBLoEA4ElsFuYGnQqUilGdTTiDiJ0Y3x0CG0I1dhVrQmTNxpEo8lHpG_FlmDRw_cL5vtxQQB3RKN9UHL0X3dC7_S/s1600/DSC_0048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNqkrphTApba8VeosE6DxqcflopG61yXxCXMAEiyuwbxKjFQ78YevUBLoEA4ElsFuYGnQqUilGdTTiDiJ0Y3x0CG0I1dhVrQmTNxpEo8lHpG_FlmDRw_cL5vtxQQB3RKN9UHL0X3dC7_S/s640/DSC_0048.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way back down - Beacon Rock, Columbia River Gorge
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Upon reaching the ground and hungry for food and more hiking, I decided to swing over to the Skamania Hwy convenience store quick for some Tillamook Country Smoker beef sticks and some V8 before I hike the Hamilton Mountain trail to Rodney Falls and Little Beacon Rock.<br />
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Two side notes:<br />
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<b>1)</b> If you come out to Beacon Rock State Park I highly suggest you stop at the Skamania convenience store, located just west of the park at the intersection of Hwy 14 and Woodard Creek Rd. Walking into this store is like stepping into a movie set from <i>The Great Outdoors. </i>All I could think about while in the store was that bait shop from the movie <i>Grumpy Old Men. </i>It is like stepping into the past. You know you are not in Portland, let's just say that. I love old convenience stores like this. It reminds me that I'm in the woods.<br />
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<b>2) </b>If you stop at any convenience store out there in the wilderness, look for <a href="http://www.tcsjerky.com/" target="_blank">Tillamook Country Smoker</a> beef sticks or beef jerky. It is the best beef jerky I've ever had in my life. It tastes so fresh and has far greater quality that other beef jerky I've tried. Beef Jerky is a fantastic trail food (well, unless you're in bear country...) that gives you protein and calories and is easy to carry. And I highly recommend Tillamook Country Smoker products! Matter of fact, from their <a href="http://www.tcsjerky.com/" target="_blank">website</a> you can order large tubs of their beef sticks and jerky. I plan on placing an order by the end of the month.<br />
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I exited the convenience store right in time to watch a freight roar past along the rails right across the street. I regret, however, not turning around and taking a photo of the Skamania Convenience Store itself. But it's only a matter of time before I add a photo of it to this blog entry and, of course, erase the very sentence you are now reading.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyi47TDTH2mnSFiwp3GhUfuRgaEVSbMdzWylIt89zGnWRGwRtfmDx7LFyJN2VngOrRkTy2prjzytDbLldwWNU6-GEUhRCJ1631LSxujkdcbWMVWbsya4ayhhXgvWcf1jgsxYSwbPItze4G/s1600/DSC_0181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyi47TDTH2mnSFiwp3GhUfuRgaEVSbMdzWylIt89zGnWRGwRtfmDx7LFyJN2VngOrRkTy2prjzytDbLldwWNU6-GEUhRCJ1631LSxujkdcbWMVWbsya4ayhhXgvWcf1jgsxYSwbPItze4G/s400/DSC_0181.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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To be continued in the next blog entry, titled <i>Rodney Falls & Little Beacon Rock - Columbia River Gorge...</i><br />
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<br />The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com1Beacon Rock State Park, 34841 State Route 14, Stevenson, WA 98648, USA45.6574762 -122.017775545.6130827 -122.0967395 45.701869699999996 -121.9388115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-44658775346536249962012-02-27T10:55:00.002-08:002012-02-27T14:28:30.318-08:00Cigar & Charcuterie - McMenamins Edgefield and Olympic ProvisionsA rainy, manly Saturday in Portland...<br />
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Rain. For the third weekend in a row. Now, I don't mind a little rain on a hike. In fact, I often prefer it. It makes for fewer crowds and a more natural and mysterious feel to nature. But when you're towing around expensive camera equipment (expensive to me, at least...), you don't typically want to risk getting caught in a downpour.<br />
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I woke up this morning to a juxtaposition of snow, sleet, and rain. I knew that chances were slim of a full-blown hike, but cabin fever has become intense and I needed to get out. So, I decided I'd check two items off my Portland Area Bucket List: a cigar at the Little Red Shed at Edgefield, and the charcuterie at Olympic Provisions. I grabbed my camera and the novel that I'm currently obsessed with, grabbed the largest cigar out of my humidor (a Gurkha Grand Age: 7.5 inches long with a 54 ring gauge), and hit the road.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Cigar @ Little Red Shed, McMenamins Edgefield</span></b><br />
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How do I describe what the <a href="http://www.mcmenamins.com/" target="_blank">McMenamin</a> Bros. have done for Portland? For one, they have kept it in tact. For another, they have made it more fun. For yet another, they have provided for Portlanders and a growing number of tourists truly authentic pubs, each with their own history and character. Who are the McMenamin Bros.? They are two guys who have bought up old historical buildings in Portland, renovated them, decorated them to look like surrealist English public houses, and turned them into pubs, restaurants, brew-n-view theaters, hotels, music venues, or in some circumstances (including Edgefield), all of the above. Their establishments consist of an old school, poor farm, Universal Studios movie theater, Church of Sweden, general store, Polish Catholic Church, ballroom, brothel, pioneer homestead, a Masonic retirement home, and a funeral home, to name just a few. Frankly, I am thankful for the McMenamins for what they have done around Portland, not only preserving history, but planting gorgeous and unique pubs all over the city. <br />
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<a href="http://www.mcmenamins.com/54-edgefield-home" target="_blank">Edgefield</a> is the largest and most touristy McMenamin properties. Built around 1911, it was a "poor farm" that was run by Multnomah county to offer jobs to the poor, elderly, and mentally disabled. Then, in 1950, the building became a hospital for tubercular patients. In 1964 it housed emotionally disturbed children. Killer cool, if not macabre, history! In the 1980's there was a lot of county talk of the building being torn down and the land sold to developers. But in 1990, then the manor became listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the McMenamins bought the property and started to transform it into what it is today.<br />
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And what is Edgefield today? I like to think of it as a resort for your stereotypical Northwesterner. Edgefield is not a bar or a restaurant, it is a "grounds" containing several of both, a hotel, and many more. The 74 acre Edgefield grounds, located on the very farthest eastern fringe of Portland before getting into the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_River_Gorge" target="_blank">Columbia River Gorge</a> (another plus for Edgefield, its proximity to the Gorge!), contains over 100 guest rooms, 2 3-par golf courses, a distillery, a brewery, a winery, a spa, a rentable wedding reception venue, a brew-and-view movie theater, a soaking pool, and multiple gardens, restaurants and bars (some of which I have dubbed "nook-and-cranny" bars, since they have seating for about 10-15 people only and are located in tiny sheds/shacks, like the cigar bar viewed below).<br />
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Here is a photo of the iconic water tower in the center of the grounds.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYx-rB3PoYuszUhEAxdHxhflHzIxAMjYvgz3q20ynr1ECN2UqtB9FmFb9g9Zuto0XlT4gl2pVRFO9F1CKuuBLhMp5BMjq89OlFR4aqLUI_bj0NXkhj8rSI2m2gq0Y6VmKx20JNnSci4F3q/s1600/DSC_0416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYx-rB3PoYuszUhEAxdHxhflHzIxAMjYvgz3q20ynr1ECN2UqtB9FmFb9g9Zuto0XlT4gl2pVRFO9F1CKuuBLhMp5BMjq89OlFR4aqLUI_bj0NXkhj8rSI2m2gq0Y6VmKx20JNnSci4F3q/s640/DSC_0416.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water Tower - McMenamin's Edgefield (m)</td></tr>
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Ah, yes. The "<a href="http://www.mcmenamins.com/157-edgefield-little-red-shed" target="_blank">Little Red Shed</a>", the only bar at Edgefield that allows cigar smoking. It is, indeed, a shed. It's weathered, ramshackle, and barn-like, but that is exactly how it should be. A bonfire roars in a fire-pit just outside with several picnic tables surrounding. The inside features a very small bar with taps, whiskey bottles, port, and that's about it, a fireplace, and seating for roughly 15 people maximum. It is, in every sense of the word, <i>cozy</i>. I absolutely love this little shed. I could sit here all day, and indeed I nearly did. This may perhaps be the perfect place to smoke a cigar (where it's still permitted) in the country. With so few places left out there that allow cigars to be smoked indoors, I cannot see how anyone could have the McMenamins beat for having a more cozy and quintessential "cave" in which to smoke a cigar (and that comment includes not just Little Red Shed but other McMenamins cigar bars like the brilliantly named Detention in Kennedy School, Greater Trumps, and Little White Shed out in Hillsboro).<br />
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My <a href="http://www.gurkhacigars.com/" target="_blank">Gurkha</a> Grand Age, at 7.5 inches long, burned slowly and evenly for 2 hours. Accompanying it was a pint of McMenamins' own Hammerhead Pale Ale and the novel <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number9dream" target="_blank">Number9Dream</a> by my favorite living author, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Mitchell_%28author%29" target="_blank">David Mitchell</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8Gx6o4qqYpfgGmoy3g38UmobXuX6LBny1tMkenbiysJZVQEDoVTJfL6diHXKB6bsvG3uOzotMCpNmC9onKIsO26OKvtjn0TSaf4C8NacUIvIQkW689RlthLVW_SJFFHyxR4qWaEIRBP1/s1600/DSC_0377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8Gx6o4qqYpfgGmoy3g38UmobXuX6LBny1tMkenbiysJZVQEDoVTJfL6diHXKB6bsvG3uOzotMCpNmC9onKIsO26OKvtjn0TSaf4C8NacUIvIQkW689RlthLVW_SJFFHyxR4qWaEIRBP1/s640/DSC_0377.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Red Shed Cigar Bar - McMenamins Edgefield</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg89AlDybkIHxmkTPESCyGDCTjCp1Uuhte7_3WHw0VoSONoILpmWZXrDs2JWr3X99O9tzxDB3qrn_o3kySPvi5eCLnkiyc6C4KisP7_A9VFV3cccHZmuLtGhtr0ACMGgtJSsQXCcK57Hji/s1600/DSC_0387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg89AlDybkIHxmkTPESCyGDCTjCp1Uuhte7_3WHw0VoSONoILpmWZXrDs2JWr3X99O9tzxDB3qrn_o3kySPvi5eCLnkiyc6C4KisP7_A9VFV3cccHZmuLtGhtr0ACMGgtJSsQXCcK57Hji/s640/DSC_0387.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gurkha Grand Age & McMenamins Hammerhead Pale Ale</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeIxHL50IXxzvCi1G2jNzb5-alJCZH9S_vSDz4WkYACZtmg3OFaDR1ZMyuVoZ6p-fhmqq1bieAfmM7NjE_dANc4VtLcIqVuxzUCXUEwObCVcH2T09y6i_L1foeSwOAJjdMwwJdcCELg5NC/s1600/DSC_0404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeIxHL50IXxzvCi1G2jNzb5-alJCZH9S_vSDz4WkYACZtmg3OFaDR1ZMyuVoZ6p-fhmqq1bieAfmM7NjE_dANc4VtLcIqVuxzUCXUEwObCVcH2T09y6i_L1foeSwOAJjdMwwJdcCELg5NC/s640/DSC_0404.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Red Shed - McMenamins Edgefield</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp5Ia7Jbz_JcZoRTAOfrWG9-lde8uVlJ4V9YRLNf95JnVM4KEWXRhXcBFS2TLi_xizM8VRg4qw29DcyO-A5_SrlpGJLu-jOiVjnTTTwI4dmtOsjHRyWMlvZxJPyLISCjOydtPbitwwh3JX/s1600/DSC_0379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp5Ia7Jbz_JcZoRTAOfrWG9-lde8uVlJ4V9YRLNf95JnVM4KEWXRhXcBFS2TLi_xizM8VRg4qw29DcyO-A5_SrlpGJLu-jOiVjnTTTwI4dmtOsjHRyWMlvZxJPyLISCjOydtPbitwwh3JX/s640/DSC_0379.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gurkha Grand Age & McMenamins Hammerhead Pale Ale</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTjuUo-DbH4BovzyD3b6z-GGFU2sPlBpiVuaOYVbKmELwGqBasy8NsORc_Dbszr8val4tGgsQHu4jSekzgh_mCRpRtSdrjcwEq7pL4H4i3QxF4-zA-MyS0lJ_EloTcT5ABAn1q2mB3B60/s1600/DSC_0399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTjuUo-DbH4BovzyD3b6z-GGFU2sPlBpiVuaOYVbKmELwGqBasy8NsORc_Dbszr8val4tGgsQHu4jSekzgh_mCRpRtSdrjcwEq7pL4H4i3QxF4-zA-MyS0lJ_EloTcT5ABAn1q2mB3B60/s640/DSC_0399.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two hours later... time to call it quits.</td></tr>
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Very unexpectedly, the sun reared its beautiful face for an hour or so, lending me a chance to wander around the Edgefield grounds for a little while before an early dinner in SE Portland at Olympic Provisions. Those who love art will love the feel of the McMenamin's establishments. The original art throughout their buildings is almost always eccentric and surrealist, and often macabre or eerie. I for one am in love with the way they decorate their establishments. Very classy yet "out there," always very homey yet often almost fairy-tale like, very "traditional English Pub" yet something distinctively different at the same time.<br />
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(more on my views on McMenamins at the bottom of the entry, but for now, here are some shots of Edgefield)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1EygkrciOJny3VKltiMGba3ioPMU6OELODXOFiEFycakxYxfWlkD43Sjkoi3xcEKyHVk40eU99Fq2REL3SwAPvriD59SN0xxtsOmeSZ91e2yVJHhA59F5V_QWVkaQ2H0y8aHciwr4p5h/s1600/DSC_0420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1EygkrciOJny3VKltiMGba3ioPMU6OELODXOFiEFycakxYxfWlkD43Sjkoi3xcEKyHVk40eU99Fq2REL3SwAPvriD59SN0xxtsOmeSZ91e2yVJHhA59F5V_QWVkaQ2H0y8aHciwr4p5h/s640/DSC_0420.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">McMenamins Edgefield - Troutdale, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6VirAaLYt7icdXCCxkz1dxykMLoX-_yZS7K_FZrV5RtMdFaEJXm60eCs0kZ3rO5iiIEIynRlnc-dE0oK58YjQwg5w_KBDqQyTiD1OuRdMTAZy-iBf9lF1oFjUGH0LdFdm2R8Q2C35dcr/s1600/DSC_0407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6VirAaLYt7icdXCCxkz1dxykMLoX-_yZS7K_FZrV5RtMdFaEJXm60eCs0kZ3rO5iiIEIynRlnc-dE0oK58YjQwg5w_KBDqQyTiD1OuRdMTAZy-iBf9lF1oFjUGH0LdFdm2R8Q2C35dcr/s640/DSC_0407.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edgefield Porch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhs0cu5oYAjEz-bY61mOVRjI208Pb828fwJ03up1RgtqkOzIh-jjssXC3JoQuovbuKoM3LYRfwbwRpiiHoamaNkSYP7LypaWh229B1iDGXykzULK-0PpigtNQWUtFrae4eK0jYjz-EHhl/s1600/DSC_0415.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhs0cu5oYAjEz-bY61mOVRjI208Pb828fwJ03up1RgtqkOzIh-jjssXC3JoQuovbuKoM3LYRfwbwRpiiHoamaNkSYP7LypaWh229B1iDGXykzULK-0PpigtNQWUtFrae4eK0jYjz-EHhl/s640/DSC_0415.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the nook-and-cranny bars at Edgefield</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY57JPJwGY6ybo-GVMjtZ3BdXFZZhjfqAyS1hcvoX1f1oMhqk9dcSaC3AfYU0xvwz56iDS-TvUrQbaEcNQYYRjUTL4I0nqRnQ5iH83IMVZIErfJtwrMofX_S4YozeeqlQy7ulVidKf61Pp/s1600/DSC_0417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY57JPJwGY6ybo-GVMjtZ3BdXFZZhjfqAyS1hcvoX1f1oMhqk9dcSaC3AfYU0xvwz56iDS-TvUrQbaEcNQYYRjUTL4I0nqRnQ5iH83IMVZIErfJtwrMofX_S4YozeeqlQy7ulVidKf61Pp/s640/DSC_0417.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Edgefield "archway" </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ohETxV6QyxQhfRZLhpN6ImvkdDEHi1QwfPj2K5VJaVBxXqCS4A7J7D9RpxLLgHexsxFQmpR-IBKDDM4nLjbEpvsWckrDpfICa3wIkjyll3mQnaYqaOLGswhkEivV_fjqL3ooeeovwYnB/s1600/DSC_0409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ohETxV6QyxQhfRZLhpN6ImvkdDEHi1QwfPj2K5VJaVBxXqCS4A7J7D9RpxLLgHexsxFQmpR-IBKDDM4nLjbEpvsWckrDpfICa3wIkjyll3mQnaYqaOLGswhkEivV_fjqL3ooeeovwYnB/s640/DSC_0409.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside Edgefield</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYYVBEe4eYvSp86ivub2o_A-R3I2mF7mjt772lRd1R5b1JkU9rkBYfjMGPnM8l26EHIYTQwBCu-yWuPNeEnYw6S59n1T5sprHNJb8CXGTMsLZ5n4l3a0SUr67p7oJG2Nj0ZMy3FCc2JJH/s1600/DSC_0410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYYVBEe4eYvSp86ivub2o_A-R3I2mF7mjt772lRd1R5b1JkU9rkBYfjMGPnM8l26EHIYTQwBCu-yWuPNeEnYw6S59n1T5sprHNJb8CXGTMsLZ5n4l3a0SUr67p7oJG2Nj0ZMy3FCc2JJH/s640/DSC_0410.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical Surrealist Art you find within a McMenamin's establishment</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">In a perfect world I would've spent a few more hours at Edgefield; and in the future, I will post many more photos of the grounds, the various buildings on the grounds, some of their food and more of their drink, the inside of a guest room hopefully, etc. But here's the deal. I've been chomping at the bit to try Olympic Provisions ever since I bought one of their deli meats at New Seasons market. I had decided, before even arriving at McMenamins, that I was finally going to have Olympic Provisions for an early happy hour dinner. That being said, the hungrier I grew at Edgefield, the more and more eager I was to get to Olympic Provisions before Happy Hour ended. So, goodbye for now, Edgefield, but I'll see you again very soon.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Charcuterie @ Olympic Provisions, SE Portland</span></b><br />
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If you love meat, then you need to know about this place. Olympic Provisions is Oregon's first USDA-approved salumeria, or, cured meat shop. They sell their products wholesale but also operate two restaurants in Portland, one on each side of the river. To quote <a href="http://www.olympicprovisions.com/" target="_blank">their website</a>, "both Olympic Provisions operate as European-style restaurants, bustling
neighborhood delis, and onsite meat-curing facilities." So true. But what they humbly neglect to tell you on their website is how savory, addicting, and god-dang <b>unreal</b> their meats are. Holy hell. I mean these guys <i>know what they are doing, </i>to say the least<i>.</i> <br />
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For those of you that are unfamiliar with the word <i><span style="font-size: small;">charcuterie</span>, </i>click <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charcuterie" target="_blank">here</a> for a definition, provided by Wikipedia. Basically, it is the art of doing outrageously delicious things with meat. <br />
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Vegetarians, I hate to say it, but when it comes to Olympic Provisions I do feel a little sorry for you. Words can hardly describe what you are missing out on here. But at least O.P. is honest about what they do. Right as you walk into their SE restaurant you see a giant illuminated MEAT sign on the wall (see below). It is no secret what they specialize in here. But, vegetarians, don't let that stop you from coming here. Coincidentally, O.P. are also master <i>picklers</i> and have a great selection of wine. <br />
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I am shocked by how reasonable their happy hour prices are too. Needless to say, I love this place. It is unique, outstandingly high quality, and quintessentially <i>Portland </i>(not just in the food and warehouse-y atmosphere, but for the heavily tattooed staff)<i>.</i> This is the kind of place I will bring visitors to because, to me, it stands as one of the key representations of Portland's emergence as a hotbed of artisan talent in the national culinary scene. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqE6J-191w57M-zkfEKLyJQO6g0dOxUO8hgZpUdgJ4EZcu4w1p7bywOojrSR8Df1pnCz0nWRcrNbOJR_VnSngm40PwVKuZmBRVYdoNx0iD6hcBa1Iq-65nd0UpJeUKE2Yk47a81j1Zrx9h/s1600/DSC_0425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqE6J-191w57M-zkfEKLyJQO6g0dOxUO8hgZpUdgJ4EZcu4w1p7bywOojrSR8Df1pnCz0nWRcrNbOJR_VnSngm40PwVKuZmBRVYdoNx0iD6hcBa1Iq-65nd0UpJeUKE2Yk47a81j1Zrx9h/s640/DSC_0425.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside Olympic Provisions</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflwRY7zIdcSYWTMlMMTyjFh7uJp0SFcJjo1-WdDe1A8570bFgInwUKMOZc8b1UJJq1AtPDh-89UjOtZdoBaU-CiaN6fotwFHp_-XfuPgw4rwL6DiOo5_y22Te-HJWroSn8v4kQIrwxc_Z/s1600/DSC_0424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflwRY7zIdcSYWTMlMMTyjFh7uJp0SFcJjo1-WdDe1A8570bFgInwUKMOZc8b1UJJq1AtPDh-89UjOtZdoBaU-CiaN6fotwFHp_-XfuPgw4rwL6DiOo5_y22Te-HJWroSn8v4kQIrwxc_Z/s640/DSC_0424.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Hour @ Olympic Provisions</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The happy hour menu is just right. Divided into two sections, one labeled EAT and the other DRINK, my eye naturally gravitated first to the DRINK side. Here I found the "Olympic Old-Fashioned." Now, I love me an old-fashioned, but this was above and beyond the Old-Fashions of my past. Under the word "Olympic Old Fashioned" it read "bourbon, baking spices, brown sugar, two bitters." For the love of black jeans, I'll take one!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3za-hwwLADzS2HvYc8A3t4bxYT1VgacLIc4MjZxdzoF5fFU545wUol9x4mEQkIkjBm0eEk3RUDXKyw9zv6X3ys9DzGtyl_tiqZUVbQHNRs5q3nhpg6YDaadg4SR9DegNRoXs-Yel3Mqxi/s1600/DSC_0429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3za-hwwLADzS2HvYc8A3t4bxYT1VgacLIc4MjZxdzoF5fFU545wUol9x4mEQkIkjBm0eEk3RUDXKyw9zv6X3ys9DzGtyl_tiqZUVbQHNRs5q3nhpg6YDaadg4SR9DegNRoXs-Yel3Mqxi/s640/DSC_0429.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">House Bourbon Old Fashioned, $5 - Olympic Provisions Happy Hour</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Next, the EAT side of the menu; and how on earth could I neglect the "Chef's Choice of 3 Charcuterie Items"? But I saw a staff member preparing one of the "Sweetheart Ham Sandwiches" too and it looked ridiculously good! (I am a ham sandwich aficionado) So, torn between the two, I decided to wave the white flag and get both, along with a small plate of pickled vegetables. I rolled a late lunch and early dinner into one meal. When in Rome...<br />
<br />
(side note: <a href="http://doublemountainbrewery.com/" target="_blank">Double Mountain Brewery</a> is quickly becoming one of my favorite breweries on earth. last weekend I sampled one of their cask-conditioned India Red Ales (IRA) at Horse Brass and believed it to be one of the best beers I've ever had. With my ham sandwich I ordered Double Mountain's golden German-style Kolsch and, yet again, felt it was one of the best beers I've ever had. I'm dying to make a trip out to their brewery in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge town of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hood_River,_Oregon" target="_blank">Hood River</a>.)<br />
<br />
Enough of that, let the photos of Olympic Provisions food speak for themselves... (cue the choral music...) <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-rbncOE1u78AsM94bfejOZb_axXADWi4Li617w7ISx0CEJm9qZ2Kzj6K2kRhO0S48NfehqlQxNvXQIYLd_mvj4FxMBYR-LGCGFYRfAVy2f3Jsa2flkvJaoOOCBpMcID2DO7PQGNHUIbS/s1600/DSC_0430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-rbncOE1u78AsM94bfejOZb_axXADWi4Li617w7ISx0CEJm9qZ2Kzj6K2kRhO0S48NfehqlQxNvXQIYLd_mvj4FxMBYR-LGCGFYRfAVy2f3Jsa2flkvJaoOOCBpMcID2DO7PQGNHUIbS/s640/DSC_0430.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Hour Charcuterie Plate - 3 items, chef's choice, $5</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj023wKetVv8l-ZrsnyY-Wm_U6S3B7jYDzC9Y9sa6a_FTOtWuYRJmXy4GdYHcM3XDPuLyn-_UgSnb46NxW1kewHXUNrLhmAXH2kNhyphenhyphenZn-b8AQjmhbLj8UjdYDQv8msIZPbOJNyivjGztkkR/s1600/DSC_0432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj023wKetVv8l-ZrsnyY-Wm_U6S3B7jYDzC9Y9sa6a_FTOtWuYRJmXy4GdYHcM3XDPuLyn-_UgSnb46NxW1kewHXUNrLhmAXH2kNhyphenhyphenZn-b8AQjmhbLj8UjdYDQv8msIZPbOJNyivjGztkkR/s640/DSC_0432.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pickled Vegetables: cauliflower, pickles, onions, carrots, and celery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJTE1ON8cZOVXz11ZOz-96dsxcWwIH6s0F65MCduj8ZY6nnxi78wL0vkLC14FyXovTALlXdF44WyVijbVNJigdipQwMD_QRQbmjLcz4FtVw2xxTGXKgokofVn4doxgzjMWVuzCNUYjez8/s1600/DSC_0434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJTE1ON8cZOVXz11ZOz-96dsxcWwIH6s0F65MCduj8ZY6nnxi78wL0vkLC14FyXovTALlXdF44WyVijbVNJigdipQwMD_QRQbmjLcz4FtVw2xxTGXKgokofVn4doxgzjMWVuzCNUYjez8/s640/DSC_0434.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hour Hour Sweetheart Ham Sandwich & a Double Mountain Kolsch German-style Ale</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Final Thoughts:</b></span><br />
<br />
<b>McMenamins:</b><br />
<br />
I have something to say here: <br />
<br />
For annoying reasons, McMenamins gets a bad wrap in the world of pretentious, hypocritical, anti-establishment Portland hipsters (and no, hipsters, by no means do all of you fit into this category). True, in Portland's brewing community McMenamins is larger than life in that it owns and operates over 60 locations, most of which are right here in the city. So, in the hipster mindset, McMenamins has become "corporate." If you so much as mention McMenamins to a hipster here chances are they will bash it in some way, shape, or form. It's too "big-business" for them. To use an all too common and all too frustrating hipster-colloquialism (satirized by the television show <i>Portlandia</i>, which, of course, most hipsters <i>hate</i> as well) : they view McMenamins as "<i>over.</i>"<br />
<br />
But please do not listen to their rants. McMenamins is, first and foremost, a <i>local</i>, <i>Portland</i> institution. It is not even close to being an Anheuser-Busch or Miller, it is a significantly smaller "micro-brewer" (among many other things) that started here in Portland and is greatly contributing to Portland's economy, its history, and its reputation for being a killer place to live and have fun. It saddens me that the very people who claim to support local businesses criticize McMenamins for being too corporate. Yeah, it's a lot more corporate than Migration Brewing or Alameda Brewing but it is still, no matter which way you look at it, <i>local! </i><br />
<br />
I for one would greatly prefer to <b>NOT</b> have to picture a Portland without Greater Trumps, Edgefield, Bagdad Theater, Kennedy School, Imbrie Hall, Ringler's Annex, White Eagle Saloon, and Ram's Head, just to name a few. I believe that McMenamins should be put on a pedestal for what they have done for Portland, not criticized and bashed by the very same people who claim they support local businesses yet get all anti-establishment as soon as those businesses grow to a size larger than one mere dive bar on Alberta. If you took McMenamins out of Portland, you truly take something great out of Portland's charm and character, regardless of what any schmuck twenty-something hipster (most of which aren't even from here) says about it. <br />
<br />
<b>Olympic Provisions:</b><br />
<br />
Olympic Provisions has a great and growing reputation around Portland, so I do not have to go to bat for them. But if I could, I most certainly would. This place is AWE-some. It has a very authentic character and persona and is producing some of the best meat you can get in Portland today. You can taste the meticulous attention to detail and strive for perfection in their products. The people behind O.P. clearly love what they do and it shows in their food. In the future, every carnivorous guest that visits me in Portland will be ushered here within hours of their arrival.<br />
<br />
<b>Additional Info: </b><br />
<br />
<i>Edgefield</i><br />
2126 SW Halsey Street<br />
Troutdale, Oregon<br />
http://www.mcmenamins.com/54-edgefield-home<br />
503-669-8610 <br />
<br />
<i>Olympic Provisions</i><br />
107 SE Washington Street<br />
Portland, Oregon<br />
http://www.olympicprovisions.com/<br />
503-954-3663The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-88006857864120656352012-02-08T20:00:00.000-08:002012-04-13T09:47:06.414-07:00Day Trip: Oregon Coast - Smugglers Cove & Cannon Beach<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Discovering that the weather forecast for the Northern Oregon Coast called for 61 degree and sunny this past weekend, my wife and I decided to hit the road. Being Super Bowl Sunday, we also hoped for lesser crowds than usual on sunny weekend at the coast. <br />
<br />
I have been eying the neighboring Kings Mountain and Elk Mountain hikes, both among the most strenuous hikes in my guide books, located off hwy 6 in the coastal range, so this is the route we took out to the coast. I wanted to get a glimpse of their trailheads.<br />
<br />
Hwy 6 spills you out at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tillamook,_Oregon" target="_blank">Tillamook</a>, one of the nation's cheese capitals (and boy, you know it when you get there due to the ubiquitous cow manure odor lurking in the air here). From here, we went northbound toward the quaint "Carmel-by-the-Sea-like" town of Manzanita, the wild Oswald West State Park, and the artsy and touristy town of Cannon Beach.<br />
<br />
Our first real stop was in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockaway_Beach,_Oregon" target="_blank">Rockaway Beach</a>, a small beach town north of Tillamook. Here we stretched our legs on the beach and made friends with the gulls.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyBlfye4T4yGLNZS0PUAtYdEEUs_y2ceK68Q4_0uziWNZCeJIazDXBRof8p80ZDlLKqvo6yR10Hk-7tAo32B6EDGB7L7emVwnXu4eX8yUXzr6B7FIRosc2gPTAdNYof5SYqmKdFP9pe4V/s1600/Rockaway+beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyBlfye4T4yGLNZS0PUAtYdEEUs_y2ceK68Q4_0uziWNZCeJIazDXBRof8p80ZDlLKqvo6yR10Hk-7tAo32B6EDGB7L7emVwnXu4eX8yUXzr6B7FIRosc2gPTAdNYof5SYqmKdFP9pe4V/s640/Rockaway+beach.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rockaway Beach (m)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQCzwLAQbP7RYxmoS-O4fVEHocuOVa2aKCyRxbHY9zQxSSamcJTsvhCnIJB5qRTfak8wo6he4YIRyMDnbTIWk5EylmmiSuaEfcx3R1NEEWE-I6s0a1XDJEEOzWsJG9Jaant1-hhipgfmc/s1600/Leetle+meestor+the+2nd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQCzwLAQbP7RYxmoS-O4fVEHocuOVa2aKCyRxbHY9zQxSSamcJTsvhCnIJB5qRTfak8wo6he4YIRyMDnbTIWk5EylmmiSuaEfcx3R1NEEWE-I6s0a1XDJEEOzWsJG9Jaant1-hhipgfmc/s640/Leetle+meestor+the+2nd.jpg" width="458" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seagull on Rockaway Beach (m)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Reluctant to leave the beach but eager to get to an even better one, we continued north through the quaint towns of Nehalem Bay: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheeler,_Oregon" target="_blank">Wheeler</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nehalem,_Oregon" target="_blank">Nehalem</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manzanita,_Oregon" target="_blank">Manzanita</a>. My wife and I adore this part of the coast. We were too busy taking in the charm of this area to stop and take any photographs of the towns themselves, but I will in the future. We both agreed that to one day retire in one of these towns, especially Manzanita, would be absolutely wonderful.<br />
<br />
Again reluctant to leave, this time downtown Manzanita, we drove out of the Nahalem Bay area and up into <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oswald_West_State_Park" target="_blank">Oswald West State Park</a>. There are several places to pull off the 101 to take in views of the bay and Manzanita down below. The photo below is an example of what to expect from the views you'll get from these hwy 101 turnouts.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDuN2uwg-DzGBB20yL0rUfEXYvlUwdgpZF7EV5sQXfaJSHFP2zHSaDARhrMvezCrQOLzfiteZUY7dX4mYHFqMe5KZYxVolJv_cntSQRANuGt8DEw-qKEPQp5DVad1DgMATeuPnYPOG-G04/s1600/DSC_0258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDuN2uwg-DzGBB20yL0rUfEXYvlUwdgpZF7EV5sQXfaJSHFP2zHSaDARhrMvezCrQOLzfiteZUY7dX4mYHFqMe5KZYxVolJv_cntSQRANuGt8DEw-qKEPQp5DVad1DgMATeuPnYPOG-G04/s640/DSC_0258.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manzanita and Nehalem Bay from a turnoff on hwy 101</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Finally, we arrived at one of our main destinations: Cape Falcon and Short Sand Beach (aka Smugglers Cove). A short and very easy path along a creek and through old-growth Sitka spruce leads to Short Sand Beach, a picture perfect place to beach bum, watch surfers, wade in both the ocean and the mouth of a creek, and have a picnic.<br />
<br />
The most intriguing and romantic thing about Smugglers Cove, however, is that legend has it (and apparently, it is more than just legend and actually true) that Sir Francis Drake, the Englishman who first ventured north of California along the Pacific, <i>buried treasure</i> that he pirated from the Spanish (who pirated gold from the Aztecs and Incas) somewhere in Oswald West State Park, namely somewhere up on Neahkahnie Mountain (which towers over Smugglers Cove). They came ashore via Short Sand Beach! So not only is this place naturally breathtakingly scenic, but there is also the looming wonder for all who visit as to whether or not there really is Incan and Mayan gold, pirated first by the Spanish and then by the English, burried somewhere in the area. There is something about this place that reminds me of <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Goonies" target="_blank">The Goonies</a>, </i>which coincidentally was filmed not 40 miles to the north of Short Sand Beach in the gritty, wind-blown fisherman's town of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astoria,_Oregon" target="_blank">Astoria, Oregon</a>. <br />
<br />
Here is Short Sand Beach / Smugglers Cove, as well as the path that leads one to it:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXH_BKMAZPy0Ue8j1jZ4r7XJmb2EjkQAKGTF6PhDQwNMp1Xihg4MawEmMYjawyWf2x-SfNDubwcMuyVKHwaOiXOYu1Nsb2ThNdYOhP0wdcMDH3y46iOj6X8Eb8mFT3JMEsEtacgyLZmP-q/s1600/DSC_0270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXH_BKMAZPy0Ue8j1jZ4r7XJmb2EjkQAKGTF6PhDQwNMp1Xihg4MawEmMYjawyWf2x-SfNDubwcMuyVKHwaOiXOYu1Nsb2ThNdYOhP0wdcMDH3y46iOj6X8Eb8mFT3JMEsEtacgyLZmP-q/s640/DSC_0270.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A towering old-growth Sitka Spruce along the path to Short Sand Beach</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPxevp9OJOjKZaApHdBrbhg2T2mdmJ7c6Pm9aUjAMH-Dxy2HwY93MjN2gU84g-lXrDgYRH6fo84jtZQ5ybXYaKObsQ0D3H0bVObGboT4sClrwnd4pR2l4chmqhw0voTzxmsFPQc3P5fvUA/s1600/DSC_0272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPxevp9OJOjKZaApHdBrbhg2T2mdmJ7c6Pm9aUjAMH-Dxy2HwY93MjN2gU84g-lXrDgYRH6fo84jtZQ5ybXYaKObsQ0D3H0bVObGboT4sClrwnd4pR2l4chmqhw0voTzxmsFPQc3P5fvUA/s640/DSC_0272.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The path leading to Short Sand Beach</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5pkPafNZah81MXaES05KNBpESkW-5IVx0M4ouE8JNzLbLjApMmNvaoCY64R6LJ_MZdPU-mh7GA7chJflZDoa1GM76GuV9JGKUKVDc1WjdmKFR_q4GhboMQUFOmd0N5hZOsUxfoHlpgixV/s1600/DSC_0275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5pkPafNZah81MXaES05KNBpESkW-5IVx0M4ouE8JNzLbLjApMmNvaoCY64R6LJ_MZdPU-mh7GA7chJflZDoa1GM76GuV9JGKUKVDc1WjdmKFR_q4GhboMQUFOmd0N5hZOsUxfoHlpgixV/s640/DSC_0275.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The path leading to Short Sand Beach</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrOx_qNQ_YjNAgU2grwx3OOrZXrCOrgZQ_sfoTswBi5zZqneHWzETaZ0meVW9DPMBUq8sGLiOn6m_8d6o0oh7I5Ui-BQwOpg2zmLMBX0e5jirK_Ws7fiUq9aXPuwOG9g8A9k7HpeBYAZI/s1600/DSC_0279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrOx_qNQ_YjNAgU2grwx3OOrZXrCOrgZQ_sfoTswBi5zZqneHWzETaZ0meVW9DPMBUq8sGLiOn6m_8d6o0oh7I5Ui-BQwOpg2zmLMBX0e5jirK_Ws7fiUq9aXPuwOG9g8A9k7HpeBYAZI/s640/DSC_0279.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surfers on Short Sand Beach - Smuggler's Cove</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ja4tXBAWE7_XhlGAJaxhjcrvBoTfg2lkhIwkY5awkPv8bg9n_WdltlGMdk66IRGqz1Uo1YYlD-fluwOeRwll5ToB9hLZHq9Ng_ABKj6mHY_i40FZ16K_AWsRhob9qYO5619D-QGNuoG2/s1600/DSC_0284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ja4tXBAWE7_XhlGAJaxhjcrvBoTfg2lkhIwkY5awkPv8bg9n_WdltlGMdk66IRGqz1Uo1YYlD-fluwOeRwll5ToB9hLZHq9Ng_ABKj6mHY_i40FZ16K_AWsRhob9qYO5619D-QGNuoG2/s640/DSC_0284.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Short Sand Beach - Smuggler's Cove</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimShAhoijfzS5nSDiF4qFZ9i3VCqad8Fonip7Nnl1l_seM93exYA1NlZY9ptMEa7uY6pFGwBVsh2DgP4pd-i66eMfeboI0XyPINce5Fr3L6v6uSSA9petEyhkz2uskhe-9q8rldeWpaw6r/s1600/DSC_0288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimShAhoijfzS5nSDiF4qFZ9i3VCqad8Fonip7Nnl1l_seM93exYA1NlZY9ptMEa7uY6pFGwBVsh2DgP4pd-i66eMfeboI0XyPINce5Fr3L6v6uSSA9petEyhkz2uskhe-9q8rldeWpaw6r/s640/DSC_0288.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Short Sand Beach - Smuggler's Cove</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The intent was to hike out to Cape Falcon, which is apparently among the best coastal hikes in Oregon, with outstanding views of Smugglers Cove and Neahkahnie Mountain, but alas, we encountered wet mud puddles thick and gnarly enough that we agreed not to continue on (the day was hardly half over, and neither of us wanted to spend the rest of the day in wet, muddy shoes). If you look to the left of the picture below (thanks to William Sullivan and Oregon.com) you will see Smugglers Cove, Short Sand Beach, and Cape Falcon. The dotted line is the trail that I will have to save for another, drier day. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1guNhIeKCiF2J5yTRjQU1ygSMu3LpS3U60VBpD_A76omk0dCrX-4utJsuAqXFZaGv7Ryv51MPAWmVgYjW_8LU-TqTE5Ppt3TjdR4xtec8RQO-J0hoYXStkpG4C321deQGFgqvpVpsgoJ8/s1600/NeahkahnieMtn625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1guNhIeKCiF2J5yTRjQU1ygSMu3LpS3U60VBpD_A76omk0dCrX-4utJsuAqXFZaGv7Ryv51MPAWmVgYjW_8LU-TqTE5Ppt3TjdR4xtec8RQO-J0hoYXStkpG4C321deQGFgqvpVpsgoJ8/s640/NeahkahnieMtn625.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo thanks to W. Sullivan and Oregon.com: http://web.oregon.com/hiking/neahkahnie_mountain.cfm</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Here are some photos of the beginning of the trail out to Cape Falcon, and an example of the mud puddles that forced us to turn around.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhss9jBfCY3IlBQ8dlm580LWBscqwXJ_DelSi-_eZeG5AcyNnpdaZTtbWz7ImmLPK8dxJCBdE5ttyx9Wb1wISMVDfW1a-7wh-AoCOp1cKBS0YPjRmpM48gB_vGNx9LDhkVpF1XicH3i6-oE/s1600/DSC_0316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhss9jBfCY3IlBQ8dlm580LWBscqwXJ_DelSi-_eZeG5AcyNnpdaZTtbWz7ImmLPK8dxJCBdE5ttyx9Wb1wISMVDfW1a-7wh-AoCOp1cKBS0YPjRmpM48gB_vGNx9LDhkVpF1XicH3i6-oE/s640/DSC_0316.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trail to Cape Falcon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_Amb51hrA0An9JjAzWwjVVZS52N1oItHblY_-MOecxIuuK-x7iHD5jieeabbLNwJ10xU0fCNN6TResYaL0B_HV_y3WNyV0tcFBFU9VpM1yEJW-ZZc0T10gsGQ492RM2A_5RVXj8LsetM/s1600/DSC_0314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_Amb51hrA0An9JjAzWwjVVZS52N1oItHblY_-MOecxIuuK-x7iHD5jieeabbLNwJ10xU0fCNN6TResYaL0B_HV_y3WNyV0tcFBFU9VpM1yEJW-ZZc0T10gsGQ492RM2A_5RVXj8LsetM/s640/DSC_0314.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical mud puddles encountered in the coastal range during the rainy winter months</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrM-ph-Wr72cqUzlzR5Ueib33SnVzqV2brWYcPs4G_ypu8Xpm5MiEg4K5AgMmhRTRWrQk6t26bqQ9XW0i34Cn3wIJxzJYKQGumY_jF3-bXZ3e-a89OgvA0zwY_4hufAUdRfoQqaHAZAQK/s1600/DSC_0318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrM-ph-Wr72cqUzlzR5Ueib33SnVzqV2brWYcPs4G_ypu8Xpm5MiEg4K5AgMmhRTRWrQk6t26bqQ9XW0i34Cn3wIJxzJYKQGumY_jF3-bXZ3e-a89OgvA0zwY_4hufAUdRfoQqaHAZAQK/s640/DSC_0318.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trail to Cape Falcon</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>NOTE:</b><br />
The Picnic area at Short Sand Beach has to be one of the best places on earth to have a picnic. My wife and I were regretful for not stopping at a market in Manzanita for a make-shift picnic to bring here. From now on, whenever we come out here, we will bring lunch with us. It's <i>that </i>perfect.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6pIJtQMggIcPuVELJftV24EmtSqGdoIl1cWZqXDLqv3RGD9UucQpGvvtHj8mnIqz1yJ8X4fQEX94yDNIHHSp2HqRF62TfCNY9WbINpkNmctLOyXYiKV33GAcD04etAoZ9-bj2g0a7ZbRB/s1600/DSC_0311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6pIJtQMggIcPuVELJftV24EmtSqGdoIl1cWZqXDLqv3RGD9UucQpGvvtHj8mnIqz1yJ8X4fQEX94yDNIHHSp2HqRF62TfCNY9WbINpkNmctLOyXYiKV33GAcD04etAoZ9-bj2g0a7ZbRB/s640/DSC_0311.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smuggler's Cove</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9Z1whjs0pQpDBedOzx_RMIp_NCmES6Jnc8tM2dUW1t_NMqqwwJQfLh4MiEqbvBYrs7oDl-axHG7m4BRyGeTa6yrS1-QvCLlJ5Npcrsow83X-To_3cHYmEBER6wqNAMTgcckpVR8vYd5w/s1600/DSC_0301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9Z1whjs0pQpDBedOzx_RMIp_NCmES6Jnc8tM2dUW1t_NMqqwwJQfLh4MiEqbvBYrs7oDl-axHG7m4BRyGeTa6yrS1-QvCLlJ5Npcrsow83X-To_3cHYmEBER6wqNAMTgcckpVR8vYd5w/s640/DSC_0301.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Short Sand Beach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We returned to our car hungry and ready for some sort of seafood lunch, so we head just slightly north on a very scenic section of the 101 into Cannon Beach, a quaint, artsy beach town that is typically very crowded with tourists, and rightly so. Today, however, the Super Bowl kept many Oregonians indoors, making Cannon Beach a lot quieter and calmer (and therefore even more enjoyable) than I had remembered it. But then again, I had only ever visited on Spring weekends.<br />
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Oh, and why is it called <i>Cannon Beach? </i>Because a cannon from a shipwrecked Navy schooner washed up onto the shore here in 1846. How <i>badass</i> is that? You really understand the force and power of the ocean when you realize it can toss around a freaking <i>cannon</i>. <br />
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My wife and I made a break for <a href="http://ecolaseafoods.com/" target="_blank">Ecola Seafoods</a> in downtown Cannon Beach across from the Visitor Center, which William Sullivan, author of my Oregon Coast guidebook, highly recommended. It was, to say the least, <i>just what we needed.</i> We ate phenomenally fresh seafood at typical yet reasonable prices. We ordered smoked mussels, a bowl of clam chowder, and a Fisherman's Platter (a glorified fish and chips that came with cod, salmon, shrimp, scallops, and oysters). Everything was absolutely outstanding, right down to the homemade cocktail sauce. I assure you, readers, that every trip to Cannon Beach from here on out will include a purchase from this establishment, whether it be hot food to be consumed on the spot, or some of their own canned, smoked seafoods, salmon jerkies, etc.<br />
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I'll admit, I could've sat there and ate seafood for the next two hours, regardless of how full I felt.<br />
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One of the greatest things to do in Cannon Beach is to walk up and down the main street, Hemlock Street, and take in the galleries, shops, confectioneries, wine shops, etc. We did just this after lunch to burn up some time before the main event: a sunset behind Haystack Rock. My wife started foaming at the mouth when she saw salt water taffy for sale at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/bruces-candy-kitchen-cannon-beach" target="_blank">Bruce's Candy Kitchen</a>, which has been around since the 60's, so we made a point to fill up a bag to take home.<br />
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But shortly after om-nom-nomming several pieces of salt water taffy each (I fancied the huckleberry ones, myself), it was finally time for one of the most beautiful sights you'll ever set your eyes on: a sunset over the pacific ocean at Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock. I have been trying to find the words to describe how magnificent a sunset is from this beach, but am having difficulty doing so. Rather, I'll let some photos speak for themselves, below. These photos are not photo-shopped, enhanced, or edited in any way: this is, in its rawest form, what is like to watch the sun set from Cannon Beach, Oregon.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAhOy8iukbdoqhUc4CLPCoXGN0a_6abLB9sjm-DJ_uwW_h-YwYZuayVaeukzywN-Ke7DNV0GRFBJayIclkajB8ztBlJ3Kr8OVwCpgPzGeerjkYqTniVWtXlke4QyNigj6Ry0z77XbhXkAU/s1600/DSC_0331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAhOy8iukbdoqhUc4CLPCoXGN0a_6abLB9sjm-DJ_uwW_h-YwYZuayVaeukzywN-Ke7DNV0GRFBJayIclkajB8ztBlJ3Kr8OVwCpgPzGeerjkYqTniVWtXlke4QyNigj6Ry0z77XbhXkAU/s640/DSC_0331.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset at Cannon Beach, Oregon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS23gCmz4Z0nbOv4sDUBqMuJyItSgAMemCiPAp9RK21R995ovbXTmFuY1DsnA1aJoOpGxvvCksKNjzyvAOr9-v7Pvxbxth5KGRuIQydFTf4Wgbp34R6R5RTckXzt4lEItn2puIA2P6o6pW/s1600/DSC_0348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS23gCmz4Z0nbOv4sDUBqMuJyItSgAMemCiPAp9RK21R995ovbXTmFuY1DsnA1aJoOpGxvvCksKNjzyvAOr9-v7Pvxbxth5KGRuIQydFTf4Wgbp34R6R5RTckXzt4lEItn2puIA2P6o6pW/s640/DSC_0348.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset at Cannon Beach, Oregon </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibvHGlQ5liJ7mmuC-MhnROnRxJ3RuLLL9BUYaDFcBV_zBVsncYy2hctXeRca9Cd9lhwPrAMukEVDDx-fujFRTif0VCfeSNaYprZRBuc5FQmHC0xN5QZ6vWm3rTSL0CfgEZJWtXxMSc-8QV/s1600/DSC_0351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibvHGlQ5liJ7mmuC-MhnROnRxJ3RuLLL9BUYaDFcBV_zBVsncYy2hctXeRca9Cd9lhwPrAMukEVDDx-fujFRTif0VCfeSNaYprZRBuc5FQmHC0xN5QZ6vWm3rTSL0CfgEZJWtXxMSc-8QV/s640/DSC_0351.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moon over Cannon Beach homes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbIYnly0MFE19N7EvQiHewV6diMu320QYigE18tfGEubGxsdxnyNiHuUMDb-FwWHapAHfyfoVD5rqGqErN-gl0vIvQkAqb3EL7rikiCUwxE1lUukiiG5nScGC1N6d1g4B7kzbL2KeSg4x9/s1600/DSC_0371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbIYnly0MFE19N7EvQiHewV6diMu320QYigE18tfGEubGxsdxnyNiHuUMDb-FwWHapAHfyfoVD5rqGqErN-gl0vIvQkAqb3EL7rikiCUwxE1lUukiiG5nScGC1N6d1g4B7kzbL2KeSg4x9/s640/DSC_0371.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset at Cannon Beach, Oregon </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Few sunsets the world over rival the one witnessed from Cannon Beach. Today's hike made me yearn for the coming Spring, where temperatures on the coast are the best in Oregon, when wales return to Alaska from Mexico, and when the seafood you savor at restaurants can be eaten on outdoor patios.<br />
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The Oregon Coast is wild yet civilized, beautiful yet beastly, pristine yet gritty. You, viewer, will be seeing much more of the coast in its various forms in future entries. WCYK5A5GWKWW<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="406" src="http://wikimapia.org/#lat=45.6697246&lon=-123.3242798&z=9&l=0&ifr=1&m=m" width="581"></iframe><br />
<br />The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com3Cannon Beach, OR, USA45.8917738 -123.961527445.8696703 -124.0010094 45.9138773 -123.92204539999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-362151986195512742012-02-07T19:26:00.000-08:002012-04-13T09:50:29.419-07:00Forest Park - Pittock Mansion, Wildwood Trail, & Balch Creek - Portland, OregonMy first hiking experience back when I first moved to Oregon in 2008 was right here, in Forest Park. I walked from my apartment on the corner of 23rd Ave and Hoyt over to a trailhead under a bridge off Thurman, passing Firefly, one of my favorite coffeehouses, along the way. I hiked up Balch Creek and was captivated by how such a wonderful "fairy-tale-like" place could literally sit at the edge of a city the way Forest Park does with Portland.<br />
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For those of you who have never been to Portland, you would hardly believe that such a park exists so close to downtown, the most urban area of the city. Forest Park is only 3 miles from Pioneer Square, in the center of downtown Portland. It is as if one moment you can sip a cup of coffee at Powell's Book, located on one of the busiest corners of Portland, where downtown meets the Pearl District- and the next moment you can be walking along a section of the 30 mile long Wildwood Trail. And you wouldn't even have to get into your car to do it! This is one of the hundreds of reasons why I think Portland, Oregon is the greatest city in the country. And best yet, one of the cities greatest neighborhoods, the Northwest district (aka Nob Hill), the neighborhood that butts up against the park, is full of excellent restaurants, coffee shops and tea houses, pubs, and eclectic shops, many of which operate out of old Victorian homes.<br />
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A quick factual snapshot of Forest Park, just so that you can get an idea of how big it is:<br />
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<u>Forest Park:</u><br />
occupies 5,171 acres<br />
stretches for 8 miles along the Willamette River<br />
includes over 70 miles of hiking trails, one of which, the Wildwood Trail, is 30 miles long.<br />
contains 112 different species of bird and 62 species of mammal<br />
has a creek (Balch: see below) with a resident trout population<br />
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<u>The Hike:</u><br />
In this blog, I hope to cover all 30 miles of Wildwood Trail. In fact, living as close as I do to this park, ideally I would like to hike all 70 miles worth of hikes contained inside the park. However, for now, I present to you the old hike that I used to do just about twice a month back in 2008, when I first moved to Portland.<br />
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The hike posted below starts at the parking lot of Pittock Mansion, follows Wildwood Trail down across Cornell Rd. to Lower McLeay Trail/Balch Creek Trail, then rejoins the Wildwood Trail at the stone ruins of the 1930's rest area, and stops at Wildwood's junction with Birch Trail. All in all the hike rang in at about 7.3 miles.<br />
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<b>NOTE: </b><br />
When you view the photos below, keep in mind that every one of them was taken within a 5 mile radius of <i>downtown Portland!! </i>We're not talking the outskirts of the greater Portland Metropolitan area here, we're talking 5 miles from <i>downtown!!</i><br />
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First up, the beginning of my hike: Pittock Mansion, perched high above Portland like a castle!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pittock Mansion, 1909</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECtPY9hZK1P3CvwCKN04EwivFBbwe_oRpslD7QaUFehNX01CinZGcl3Xzw4cyN4a_hwsBf6EcAxGQivkV7BnokQbjPTDgNFJ-0Ax4XYdgAm8KN2du9O6QWs26SDL03I9fqiTSmsj4doQg/s1600/DSC_0144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECtPY9hZK1P3CvwCKN04EwivFBbwe_oRpslD7QaUFehNX01CinZGcl3Xzw4cyN4a_hwsBf6EcAxGQivkV7BnokQbjPTDgNFJ-0Ax4XYdgAm8KN2du9O6QWs26SDL03I9fqiTSmsj4doQg/s640/DSC_0144.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pittock Mansion, 1909</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0GKvFFqveJd1qTFofwut-bWjEv6tPcxi7Tdtyg42HdnEW-mz4CKrzkgNtBtvtvDSn_y22SwjfNip6uDi4ecgozE-bcvjvoSB6Fzohx3GAMYCRwLukzuQSpFaohZCsFv1yZj2zQovYoNS/s1600/DSC_0148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0GKvFFqveJd1qTFofwut-bWjEv6tPcxi7Tdtyg42HdnEW-mz4CKrzkgNtBtvtvDSn_y22SwjfNip6uDi4ecgozE-bcvjvoSB6Fzohx3GAMYCRwLukzuQSpFaohZCsFv1yZj2zQovYoNS/s640/DSC_0148.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flowers already in bloom in early February out front of Pittock Mansion</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQin5-ZZW923wBYArYcjsY_cEi-7EuyJi1PRPqdkqxE0hhsTcRU522cWY8LWd74X9XZL-PIhK5cGhcyG0ZxcxghKZhlZaA6O9fYglPsBbKV9Cm8d8BKuM4Q_zjfH4l9QgVYO6uZYzWF5X/s1600/DSC_0163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQin5-ZZW923wBYArYcjsY_cEi-7EuyJi1PRPqdkqxE0hhsTcRU522cWY8LWd74X9XZL-PIhK5cGhcyG0ZxcxghKZhlZaA6O9fYglPsBbKV9Cm8d8BKuM4Q_zjfH4l9QgVYO6uZYzWF5X/s640/DSC_0163.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of Portland from Pittock Mansion</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUONrzpY2-zhjU_L0zLmpcBf6OQaF3RF7B7CuvbNc6v6PuRQaPH3xSHHHOhB3OrF5FUxFvVniHPXZw-c_gNkTJf_lfd33DbYjEOCdWUTR3CzcjODpRcwQuUuHbeK3aWQEZiB-OMRlk9osz/s1600/DSC_0151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUONrzpY2-zhjU_L0zLmpcBf6OQaF3RF7B7CuvbNc6v6PuRQaPH3xSHHHOhB3OrF5FUxFvVniHPXZw-c_gNkTJf_lfd33DbYjEOCdWUTR3CzcjODpRcwQuUuHbeK3aWQEZiB-OMRlk9osz/s640/DSC_0151.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pittock Mansion</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Pittock Mansion (see above) was built in 1909 by Henry Pittock, the publisher for <i>The Oregonian </i>newspaper. Consider it a Pacific Northwestern Zanadu, albeit quite a bit smaller than anything the fictional Citizen Kane or real-life William Randolph Hearst occupied. It sits high above the city, with a commanding panoramic view of not only the skyline below, but of essentially the entire city of Portland (including the industrial wastelands along the river outside St. Johns), as well as Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens (and even on a clear enough day, the top of Mt. Rainier). According to Wikipedia, Pittock Mansion is a "chateau" in the French-Renaissance style. In 1974 it was added to the national registry of historic places. It is a really neat place to relax or have a picnic at. I could just sit up here for hours looking out over the city.<br />
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The photo below is of a lone precocious rose that blossomed early this year next to a park bench in the back yard of the mansion. The lone rose overlooks the City of Roses down below. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-zcS11PNntHEA19N2t4f_hxstPm-j8BMcKAFWfFurbLOscRKpDHGxVeqnSKJAY79COYOfpof8yD1pYyi-FHBdWKrXESIXeCvSDeRQyt1l1S-QD_dBlA9rtqyyim3gAcLJ4qWh9OYVu32/s1600/DSC_0166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-zcS11PNntHEA19N2t4f_hxstPm-j8BMcKAFWfFurbLOscRKpDHGxVeqnSKJAY79COYOfpof8yD1pYyi-FHBdWKrXESIXeCvSDeRQyt1l1S-QD_dBlA9rtqyyim3gAcLJ4qWh9OYVu32/s640/DSC_0166.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
After taking in the views from Pittock Mansion, I began my descent down to Cornell Rd and the start of the Lower McLeay / Balch Creek Trail.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1hV7PTKf1ONLQB_zo9SKET_VsK6nM9oCIgfEYogPFYNyQfuSGtY-CggOg5YBCMmsKocctaKGces1JQ2j2Lzioe-npvxrf1uGFdmOffpm5GR1GmzDaVCqsLe-i7-dRt7gkcYU7kt32rHHS/s1600/DSC_0182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1hV7PTKf1ONLQB_zo9SKET_VsK6nM9oCIgfEYogPFYNyQfuSGtY-CggOg5YBCMmsKocctaKGces1JQ2j2Lzioe-npvxrf1uGFdmOffpm5GR1GmzDaVCqsLe-i7-dRt7gkcYU7kt32rHHS/s400/DSC_0182.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wildwood Trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJBYitIfsuzafU2t_UFQPTr1CcHWNVE970-nP-cqclELWiB-8CccSlHAqMGGFdqX2I5jvAva25VxtU89ZiCmspc6CIlKsqL1UoZ-6V5u71QFEZZpaFQBuaqjgvyLkaI7cEfCgXJtLOZZR/s1600/DSC_0176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJBYitIfsuzafU2t_UFQPTr1CcHWNVE970-nP-cqclELWiB-8CccSlHAqMGGFdqX2I5jvAva25VxtU89ZiCmspc6CIlKsqL1UoZ-6V5u71QFEZZpaFQBuaqjgvyLkaI7cEfCgXJtLOZZR/s640/DSC_0176.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wildwood Trail near Pittock Mansion</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGIyxiKvS6L64Q7ao7GSNA8mBQ3UuNxp_US-n3dc2DmMIg6slNQ6yrI-jhEIj2rgXOJ8VidktkjCxsExWGgXRwcM66xREr_7kBtJK7IRrMLKGCEbwPj90cDTLZNU7YqXIAquZkNRYmLADb/s1600/DSC_0179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGIyxiKvS6L64Q7ao7GSNA8mBQ3UuNxp_US-n3dc2DmMIg6slNQ6yrI-jhEIj2rgXOJ8VidktkjCxsExWGgXRwcM66xREr_7kBtJK7IRrMLKGCEbwPj90cDTLZNU7YqXIAquZkNRYmLADb/s640/DSC_0179.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wildwood Trail near Pittock Mansion</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJg0-NN5wE3ma3gsLz2BkpoJUJQZ-V0c2cCO92MPpim4QMT7uUl00R9J-M1ZsEpBAaMwbtBJZZIvcRKHIyoCr9z9sjXqvCegG7nrTJX_A9wdOt99aP-6YkAPQExfPNwpdxBkhNEkqIyWH/s1600/DSC_0184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJg0-NN5wE3ma3gsLz2BkpoJUJQZ-V0c2cCO92MPpim4QMT7uUl00R9J-M1ZsEpBAaMwbtBJZZIvcRKHIyoCr9z9sjXqvCegG7nrTJX_A9wdOt99aP-6YkAPQExfPNwpdxBkhNEkqIyWH/s640/DSC_0184.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A huge fell tree on Wildwood Trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIy4A5mUo5BygAixJbHIFKIqgE5DPjMW10lHTFoa_aGk1dtFRSWoGveOVY7y9LnYaWwWhNh69AaZ2kH8vSgFqGyFrnBc5l1-cvzXyf_7fLUe7pK7rDRpt3O5OGuqQg-AKg-XqkI9uKCFc0/s1600/DSC_0185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIy4A5mUo5BygAixJbHIFKIqgE5DPjMW10lHTFoa_aGk1dtFRSWoGveOVY7y9LnYaWwWhNh69AaZ2kH8vSgFqGyFrnBc5l1-cvzXyf_7fLUe7pK7rDRpt3O5OGuqQg-AKg-XqkI9uKCFc0/s640/DSC_0185.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wildwood Trail switchbacks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After you cross Cornell Rd. (and take caution doing so, the scenery and curves of this road bring out weekend road warriors with their Ducatis or Porsches) you will drop a little further down into a cold, damp trail that follows a babbling creek. This is Lower McLeay Trail, and the creek you're following is Balch Creek, named, coincidentally, for a man who was hanged for the murdering of a man who ran off with his young daughter. Balch used to live along this creek, hence naming it after him. Below are photos taken from along Balch Creek and Lower McLeay Trail.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Zb3J9ijULy_Zzed9fNf6VJW8Z9wm2H0VTkOeMADIPBV1RRqfHF5PJhq-KsUUWMCac5yO5njK7fOBMBQtkSIS9bDuEAWkyDcTBzrY6EQ28QUhleGOVhOeMqMvctcW6D0c1cjVxwDbQjtH/s1600/DSC_0190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Zb3J9ijULy_Zzed9fNf6VJW8Z9wm2H0VTkOeMADIPBV1RRqfHF5PJhq-KsUUWMCac5yO5njK7fOBMBQtkSIS9bDuEAWkyDcTBzrY6EQ28QUhleGOVhOeMqMvctcW6D0c1cjVxwDbQjtH/s640/DSC_0190.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lower McLeay - Balch Creek</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw62Dy2QV-bfemGGiaH3e8BxLaFvS2fLv0e4yyLGujUra4ZfCriJBP34ihWbgWvySsg34nULcdiptIdR9iR6bEhO48YDDPhONnvdZoguSaOefGrsIK81EUs_6yRUjTp0lsY7HAOf-2aTJp/s1600/DSC_0195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw62Dy2QV-bfemGGiaH3e8BxLaFvS2fLv0e4yyLGujUra4ZfCriJBP34ihWbgWvySsg34nULcdiptIdR9iR6bEhO48YDDPhONnvdZoguSaOefGrsIK81EUs_6yRUjTp0lsY7HAOf-2aTJp/s640/DSC_0195.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lower McLeay - Balch Creek </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmHnXjUe-r7RPwHwCNQlTFtFLm0cBtpVU-8LURy5yF_H1thFHOdZD1wPMCG99q8uGVZ-BVFMVjEJQnNkvqx4qFjH_DzooEoapZEYYdNGYeiAbt5oz_0QjL0HKhsyyv0VkbQ3fHB0Jzw3e/s1600/DSC_0206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmHnXjUe-r7RPwHwCNQlTFtFLm0cBtpVU-8LURy5yF_H1thFHOdZD1wPMCG99q8uGVZ-BVFMVjEJQnNkvqx4qFjH_DzooEoapZEYYdNGYeiAbt5oz_0QjL0HKhsyyv0VkbQ3fHB0Jzw3e/s640/DSC_0206.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lower McLeay - Balch Creek </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEich8NbgCx18dtPdPhHYMT_XdWVspzydeMWOG5-1nneLQn02NPcAkgVmm6nLI5njRPQZapF52BBfw5ytI6eP1Z101cE6KHy2Pw1BdIRhXLGQjatnO9fFihPYB0h-NsEN34sXhPmdfEZzyk5/s1600/DSC_0205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEich8NbgCx18dtPdPhHYMT_XdWVspzydeMWOG5-1nneLQn02NPcAkgVmm6nLI5njRPQZapF52BBfw5ytI6eP1Z101cE6KHy2Pw1BdIRhXLGQjatnO9fFihPYB0h-NsEN34sXhPmdfEZzyk5/s640/DSC_0205.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lower McLeay - Balch Creek </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAvFecQ8FKcDX9ghAh8hTQ1m53Fz4vaj2T9X8wxRaHZHuL4RxCPcgbHaMt_p6Btx-qArLOEAdO29IzBN2n6e9A9PlEenhScfqJEJQzuSbvCRvUFdcM8yWG_rRpNeoytN1dlcfMchdn21z/s1600/DSC_0209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAvFecQ8FKcDX9ghAh8hTQ1m53Fz4vaj2T9X8wxRaHZHuL4RxCPcgbHaMt_p6Btx-qArLOEAdO29IzBN2n6e9A9PlEenhScfqJEJQzuSbvCRvUFdcM8yWG_rRpNeoytN1dlcfMchdn21z/s640/DSC_0209.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1930's rest stop ruins - Lower McLeay Trail and Wildwood Trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_2Qa1PIW_EsENla_U4VZcDeeX5lSFNjbtp8JUj8PySpwvBMddf46MCdnB3-oq0-tGM6oOlg1oLkFKFOeF7BMq_AQx2DqqJw3iA4k4JoT-Ob1QVtsGs3FqwlNU5aJmD5KNf76oIbwxhBdA/s1600/DSC_0210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_2Qa1PIW_EsENla_U4VZcDeeX5lSFNjbtp8JUj8PySpwvBMddf46MCdnB3-oq0-tGM6oOlg1oLkFKFOeF7BMq_AQx2DqqJw3iA4k4JoT-Ob1QVtsGs3FqwlNU5aJmD5KNf76oIbwxhBdA/s640/DSC_0210.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1930's rest stop ruins - Lower McLeay Trail and Wildwood Trail </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Don't get too romantic: the stone ruins you see above are from an old rest-stop / restroom area built in the 1930s. Yes, it would be much more mysterious and fanciful if these were the remains of something more "Hansel and Gretel", but alas, it is a large, old stone outhouse. But man, it's a beautiful sight to see along this trail, oddly enough. And it is fun to climb the mossy stairs to the second floor. People litter quite a bit around this area however, which is very unfortunate. And I think it is even safe to say that during the summer the occasional homeless person actually uses this as shelter some nights.<br />
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Right at the stone ruins, you can either continue along Lower McLeay Trail, which will dump you out at a bridge (Thurman Street), or you can do what I did: continue along Wildwood Trail. The trail does something very interesting right at this point. The Lower McLeay trail is very damp and cool trail through a dark, wet ravine. However, once you start climbing up and out of the ravine on Wildwood, the sun slowly starts to shine more and more, the trail becomes much drier and warmer, and it feels as though you are on a totally different trail. Whereas Lower McLeay Trail snakes through old growth forest, with massive fell trees and the tallest tree in any city in the country (a Douglas Fir roughly 240 feet high).<br />
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Once you start back upon Wildwood trail, however, you quickly escape this damp, dark old-growth and emerge instead into a drier, second-growth forest. Part of me always wants to turn around at this point and just walk up and down balch Creek. It is just so beautiful. But at the same time, it attracts a lot of people, and on weekends in can get crowded with people walking their dogs, trail-runners, and families who can be very slow walkers.<br />
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But enough about that, below are glances at Wildwood Trail from Lower McLeay and the stone ruins to Birch Trail. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK9VbuKqvBnf6ei5wu5kQiCn9DOtfimmZk-0zwcqcqldsKuFoVT8_8Px-oAqwmKHiHWe5m9sQT6esJ5KV9w_kN_7ktT3XosBlrssyl12OrYMp1yE6ctGNefcbi9A8kyCRO1NWkymH_fHRK/s1600/DSC_0218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK9VbuKqvBnf6ei5wu5kQiCn9DOtfimmZk-0zwcqcqldsKuFoVT8_8Px-oAqwmKHiHWe5m9sQT6esJ5KV9w_kN_7ktT3XosBlrssyl12OrYMp1yE6ctGNefcbi9A8kyCRO1NWkymH_fHRK/s640/DSC_0218.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wildwood Trail Between Pittock Mansion and Birch Trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGMUYFT-wJHJRi-iJVH7x4qV39cSzv5CWwh2EbZjUVvXP93GBS3s_bFS5bzWAtp1WUsZDRC86W9Ry3N555U8Tu_0yHxG_MomDOpkVDO-d4qLb3JurEgbijepzb0DlJdvDXuAWQRGgjp0j/s1600/DSC_0220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGMUYFT-wJHJRi-iJVH7x4qV39cSzv5CWwh2EbZjUVvXP93GBS3s_bFS5bzWAtp1WUsZDRC86W9Ry3N555U8Tu_0yHxG_MomDOpkVDO-d4qLb3JurEgbijepzb0DlJdvDXuAWQRGgjp0j/s640/DSC_0220.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Douglas Fir pinecone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_oYa6PVkV9loFirygdsQFFZ48d2gk1W5Ek3GFvUulCmB6mA-JJ-11R9AZulw5CqcCvNlSTLs43PsNF-eyiTB391-nCWAdmsx_kPH_MDdLGQflSQI8a3RZOFGIxQ285JSAlb3CegSLaEw/s1600/DSC_0230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_oYa6PVkV9loFirygdsQFFZ48d2gk1W5Ek3GFvUulCmB6mA-JJ-11R9AZulw5CqcCvNlSTLs43PsNF-eyiTB391-nCWAdmsx_kPH_MDdLGQflSQI8a3RZOFGIxQ285JSAlb3CegSLaEw/s640/DSC_0230.JPG" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wildwood Trail Between Pittock Mansion and Birch Trail </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju3TLA3a-y6uurFeK1DvdKfvSc9n-2fn5Ola1f-rCrwp367v3AH5Recc05yQhWn3GzOLJ64N5Wezs3JSd9lQ5c7Pa-kDemryLT1KLiN5eTSE3-qGaQ0oIkEPHOSEH6eYc891MtK4a0OGuZ/s1600/DSC_0228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju3TLA3a-y6uurFeK1DvdKfvSc9n-2fn5Ola1f-rCrwp367v3AH5Recc05yQhWn3GzOLJ64N5Wezs3JSd9lQ5c7Pa-kDemryLT1KLiN5eTSE3-qGaQ0oIkEPHOSEH6eYc891MtK4a0OGuZ/s640/DSC_0228.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Douglas Fir pinecone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHbbDnpcmW_H7XnRK-KypGT4fIJsjpumkrh99ryTThwOXnXbSx_Jojy35EKJgtf7DwfiSsEeE3WaHGzEY6sfjjFTyqiqLfw3k8bfyTsO36Le9vqc0b6dorsif5T1Tev7yr4uHhRu19eai/s1600/DSC_0216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHbbDnpcmW_H7XnRK-KypGT4fIJsjpumkrh99ryTThwOXnXbSx_Jojy35EKJgtf7DwfiSsEeE3WaHGzEY6sfjjFTyqiqLfw3k8bfyTsO36Le9vqc0b6dorsif5T1Tev7yr4uHhRu19eai/s640/DSC_0216.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wildwood Trail Between Pittock Mansion and Birch Trail </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">I love this park, and I cannot believe that it is <i>this </i>close to urban living. It boggles my mind, truthfully. I will come back to this park over and over, not just to blog about all 70 miles, but because this place is very nostalgic to me. Forest Park is one of the first wildernesses I walked into as a newly implanted Pacific Northwesterner back in 2008. This place will live in my heart as a place where, in many ways, I found myself years ago.</div><br />
<iframe src="http://wikimapia.org/#lat=45.562141&lon=-122.7646637&z=12&l=0&ifr=1&m=t" width="592" height="407" frameborder="0"></iframe><br />The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com0Holman Ln, Portland, OR 97210, USA45.532807885839233 -122.7238082885742245.51056188583923 -122.76329028857423 45.555053885839236 -122.68432628857421tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6443685673912766581.post-20505003031280296092012-02-01T15:59:00.000-08:002012-04-13T09:51:39.046-07:00Eagle Fern Park - Estacada, OregonWhat started off as a passionate intention to tackle the wild eight-mile hike alongside the roaring, churning, and rampant <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clackamas_River" target="_blank">Clackamas River</a> ended up being a submissively easy, quiet waltz around a beautiful and harmless nature park. <br />
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I have to admit, I am chomping at the bit to get back on a serious trail. In the shadow of serious rains and a cold-front, I have been limited to easier hikes that do not pose any danger.<br />
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Not to sound like a total Sally, but some of these more intense hikes go deep into wilderness, and being that I take these hikes alone (since my wife works on Saturdays), and especially being the winter, I am trying to do the smart thing by not attempting hikes that could result in injury, dehydration, or unforeseen obstacles or dangers while alone in the dead of winter. Things like a downed tree over a roadway unkempt during winter months (blocking your car from being able to exit a scarcely-traveled forest service road), a sprained ankle or broken leg, or a flash flood could be fatal out in these wild territories surrounding Portland. And on top of it all, one of the biggest detractors from going deep into the woods during the winter months is the very little daylight that you get during this dark and cloudy season. The last thing you would want to do as a winter hiker is get stuck deep into the woods, far from your car and from civilization, when the sun goes down and you have to feel your way back while the temperature gets lower and lower. Also keep in mind that cell phones do not get reception in the vast majority of the wilderness.<br />
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There is a big difference between being brave and being stupid. And though I am growing more and more impatient to get back out into the true wilderness to get moderate-to-difficult hikes under my belt and into this blog, it's always better to be safe than sorry. In the average wilderness surrounding Portland, we are not talking little state parks like the ones I used to hike growing up in Illinois. Mt. Hood National Forest is 1,067,000 acres in size, and that is just <i>one </i>of wildernesses surrounding the city, the one directly to the east. It can be dangerous out there in the wild any time of year, but especially so during the winter, when spraining an ankle 5 miles from your car at the trail head is the least of your worries.<br />
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So, needless to say, this week I am reporting yet another very easy hike through what is basically a nature park on the outskirts of a small town on the Clackamas River, <a href="http://www.clackamas.us/parks/eaglefern.htm" target="_blank">Eagle Fern Park</a>. This isn't a hike as much as it is a beautiful walk around a park full of towering old cedars and firs. There were fishermen looking for spawning salmon in the creek, there were families walking around and stopping at each of the information boards, which are, by the way, very educational. There are a few side-trails that break from the main wide loop trail, but you can tell that the park does not technically endorse their use due to fallen debris that hasn't been removed, no signage, etc. It is on these trails that many of the photos below were taken. After a rain, I wouldn't recommend taking them. At one point, while skidding down a steep, wet, muddy section of one of the trails on my rear end, it dawned on me that these side trails get rather muddy.<br />
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Eagle Fern Park is a gorgeous place, but do not come here expecting a work out or hardly more than a nature loop through the woods. The park has several picnic areas, a playground, restrooms, several spots to cast your line in, grills for barbecues, and lots of information displays educating the public on flora, fauna, spawning, etc. It is, first and foremost, an excellent place to take children, to have a picnic, or to learn about forests of the Northwest.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eagle Fern Park - Estacada, Oregon<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eagle Fern Park - Estacada, Oregon<br />
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What do you do with a fell old-growth that conveniently happens to be laying right next to the trail? Why not make a bench out of it? (see below).<br />
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The bridge across the creek connects the main park area with the nature trail loop that is about 1 mile long. The bridge is very wobbly, which adds to the excitement of crossing it. From here you may be able to see spawning fish swim by under the bridge on a winter's day. You also might get a good view of a fisherman catching said fish...<br />
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Believe it or not, the photo above has absolutely no photo-shopping or enhancement whatsoever. The way the sun was hitting the tree illuminated the moss, making the tree look surreal, like some sort of shining tree-of-life. At the base of the tree I expected to find a pot of gold or some sort of sparkling pool of water, a drink from which would make me immortal. Alas, I found no such thing. <br />
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After tromping through the park for about 2 hours, I decided to attempt to locate Fearless Brewing Co. in downtown Estacada. Previously, after my trip to Silver Falls State Park (see a previous blog entry on Silver Falls S.P.) I discovered the <a href="http://www.fearless1.com/" target="_blank">Fearless Brewing Co</a>'s Scottish Ale, which is to this day one of the very best beers I've ever had in my life, and which also just so happens to be made in Estacada. Upon finding the brewery at the end of downtown Estacada, I saw an A-frame sign out front advertising that two of Fearless's own homemade brews (the Porter and the Clackamas Cream Ale) were only $0.75 per pint. That's right, a PINT of fresh microbrew for under $1. They also featured a catfish sandwich on the menu! It is not too common to find catfish on menus this far away from the Mississippi River, and the sandwich was outstanding. I even helped myself to a basic cheeseburger because I was hungry and both sandwiches were almost fast-food cheap, and the burger, though not quite as heavenly as the one I had in Silverton at Mac's Place, was almost as good. I had one pint each of the Cream Ale and the Porter. Both, although not quite as good as the Scottish Ale, were excellent beers. Fearless will most definitely become my go-to place whenever I come out to the Clackamas River area for hikes. <br />
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I was hoping to finish the day with about 8 moderately physical miles under my belt, but instead it was more like a delicate 2 miles. Let's just say that I consumed about two-to-three times as many calories after the hike then I burned during the hike. But the nearer we come to Spring, the sooner days like these are going to come to an end. <br />
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Three things in closing:<br />
1) Eagle Fern Park is a wonderful place to relax or take children, but not a place you go if you're looking to burn some calories. <br />
2) Fearless Brewery, though lost in the shadows of larger Portland brewers like Bridgeport, Hopworks, and Widmer, makes really good beer and serves outstanding food, all at very affordable prices.<br />
3) I am dying to get away from the easy hikes/parks and out in the wilderness to start tackling the meatier ones. I am hungry for an adventure and am really looking forward to Spring, when warmer, safer conditions will allow me to get deeper into woodlands and up on top of mountains. Each week I am watching the weather like a hawk. As soon as I get a chance to get out there on a strenuous trail, I'm going to jump all over it. Until then, don't mind my blog entries of the some of the least-intense natural areas in and around Portland, Oregon.<br />
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<iframe src="http://wikimapia.org/#lat=45.3045953&lon=-122.3195457&z=13&l=0&ifr=1&m=t" width="592" height="407" frameborder="0"></iframe><br />The Black Watch Sasquatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10180743110899281446noreply@blogger.com4Eagle Fern Park, Eagle Creek, OR 97022, USA45.3200897 -122.287276745.3089247 -122.3070177 45.331254699999995 -122.26753570000001