Grass Widows and Woodpeckers

I really enjoy hiking with my friends Debbie and Barry.  Not only are they also retired (which means ready availability for weekday outings) they're also avid birders.  I've learned a lot about birds from the hikes we've taken.

One beautiful sunny day in mid-March I suggested exploring a loop through the Labyrinth trail on the Washington side of the eastern Columbia River Gorge.  I'd done a version of this hike back in December and really enjoyed the scenery.  Time to share it with my friends!

Labyrinth Falls near the trailhead

Our day's adventure began at the makeshift trailhead to the Labyrinth trail - a gravel pull-out adjacent to State Route 14.  From here, we walked a half mile down an abandoned road to reach the "official" start of the trail.  On the way we passed by a lovely unnamed waterfall gushing down the rocky cliffs above us (I dubbed it "Labyrinth Falls").

A Lewis woodpecker!

My grand plan for today was to hike up the Labyrinth Trail partway and then take a connector trail east to the Catherine Creek area.  After climbing above the cliffs here, we'd take a steep trail uphill until it intersected with Atwood Road.  From there, it was a quick mile west on Atwood Road to the Upper Labyrinth Trail where we'd retrace our steps back to the car.

There were about a dozen woodpeckers in one tree

One of our friends had recently hiked in the Catherine Creek area and reported seeing a large number of Lewis woodpeckers.  Having seen quite a few a month ago while hiking at the Dalles Mountain Ranch (and not having a lens powerful enough to photograph them) I made the decision to carry a zoom lens in my backpack for today's trek.  Well, it paid off in spades!  Not a half mile up the Labyrinth Trail we came upon a huge oak tree full of chattering Lewis woodpeckers.

Such colorful birds!

After a hasty lens switch, I was able to capture several great images of these most colorful birds.  The morning light was in a perfect direction and the woodpeckers cooperated, flying in and out of the tree branches, even holding still enough for my camera.  Oh what a thrill to see so many Lewis woodpeckers!  It was the highlight of our day.

Our view behind as we climbed

One of my goals already met - to photograph some Lewis woodpeckers - and the hike was barely getting started.  My second goal was realized soon thereafter - to photograph wildflowers, specifically grass widows.

Grass widows were in full bloom

Grass widows are the first Gorge wildflowers to bloom in the spring.  Typically they show their lovely purple petals in early March, although during warmer-than-average winters some have been known to flower in February.

Another view down the labyrinth 

During our uphill trudge through the rocky trails of the Labyrinth my friends and I were rewarded with many sightings of these small purple flowers brightening the meadows.

Hiking by a patch of desert parsley 

Not only grass widows, bright yellow desert parsley also added color to the hillsides.

Grass widows #2

Although we'd had a nice view of nearby Mt. Hood from near the trailhead, soon after it became obscured by clouds.  As my friends and I climbed higher, we got a quick glimpse of Mt. Hood as the clouds parted for a minute.  Luckily me and my camera were ready.

Mt Hood peeps out from the clouds

After climbing through the Labyrinth's twisty, rocky trails for a mile and a half, we came to a junction with another trail.  From my December hike, I knew this path would take us eastward to the Catherine Creek trail system.  To my knowledge the trail didn't have a formal name (there were no signs present), however my gps called it the "Loose Lucy" trail.

Grass widow #3

This trail took us downhill, over a large meadow with expansive views to the Columbia River below.

A better view of Mt Hood

The clouds briefly parted again and gave us a better view of Mt. Hood.  This time I could see the entire mountain! 

Huge hole in this oak tree - looks like a mouth!

My friends and I then sauntered through an oak forest.  The place was full of birds - sparrows, scrub jays, even more Lewis woodpeckers.  The good thing about hiking with friends that are avid birders is I was able to spot and learn the identities of each species.  We passed by one oak tree with a huge hole in its trunk.  I thought the hole looked like a huge mouth frozen in a scream.

Grass widows #4

After a nice lunch break sitting in another meadow under a large oak tree, we continued our trek eastward.  Soon the cliffs below the Catherine Creek area came into view.

Cliffs near Catherine Creek trail

Although from a distance the cliffs look impassible, there is a trail that climbs through a notch in between two of the lower rock faces.  Although I'd had a tiny bit of difficulty finding this trail during my December hike, remembering that experience I was able to locate the turnoff right away today.

Climbing up the talus slope under the cliffs

Up my friends and I climbed through a rocky talus slope.  Then we scrambled up a narrow dirt track between two of the cliffs and emerged on top of Catherine Creek's high plateau.

A nice specimen of yellow bells

At the top of this trail we found an intersection with the path that would take us along the top of the cliffs, through a large meadow, eventually connecting with Atwood Road.  The views from here of the Columbia River were mighty fine.  I even found some more patches of wildflowers - grass widows, of course, but also a nice bunch of yellow bells.

Now on top of the cliffs, it was a steep climb to Atwood Road

To reach Atwood Road required a steep uphill climb.  Although we'd been protected from the wind below the cliffs, now on its crest we were exposed to the elements.  A strong, cold wind chilled us quickly and threatened to blow off my cap.  After hurriedly changing our headgear to something warmer and more secure, we got moving again.

We finally made it!

Although it was only a mile climb to Atwood Road it felt much longer.  Slowly my friends and I trudged uphill, it seemed at a snail's pace.  The cold wind kept whipping at our faces, which was most annoying.  Definitely the low point of the day for me.  But finally I spotted the junction sign and let out a whoop.

Our reward for reaching Atwood Road

Atwood Road is an old track that connects Catherine Creek to the Labyrinth and Coyote Wall further to the west.  Perched high on the hills surrounding the gorge, views from here can't be beat.  Our reward for enduring such a tough, windy climb!

Dozens of grass widows backlit by the sun

Nearly level, we absolutely cruised along the mile segment of Atwood Road between Catherine Creek and the Upper Labyrinth.

Back down the labyrinth

Finally we reached the last segment of our day's route and headed back down the Labyrinth trail.  Since we'd bypassed the upper portion earlier, half of this trail was "new to us."  There were more impressive river views and lots more grass widow sightings.  A patch of these purple blooms backlit by the afternoon sun got attention from my camera (and also Barry's cell phone camera!)

Desert parsley and a huge rock island ahead

The Labyrinth area has some interesting geology.  There are a few outcrops of columnar basalt sticking high above the ground.  The rocks look like tall, straight sticks fused together.  Formed by the cooling of thick basalt lava flows, the rock develops hexagonal cracks that harden into columns.

Can you spot the rock climber?

As my friends and I passed by one of the impressive columnar basalt outcrops we got a surprise. 
A tiny figure was suspended over the rock face while another was on top anchoring his climbing rope.  I'd never before seen rock climbers here.  But those tall rock columns made a fantastic place to practice this sport.

Near trail's end

As my friends and I neared the end of the Labyrinth, we agreed it had been a spectacular day.  The morning's woodpecker sightings coupled with the abundance of grass widows made this a five-star hike.  The best way to spend a sunny early spring day!