From the Ashes

The Eagle Creek Fire in September 2017 forever changed the face of Oregon's famous Columbia River Gorge.  Many of my favorite hiking trails were in the inferno's path, and had been closed ever since.

However, thanks to many hours of restoration work from volunteers, several of the trails between Bridal Veil and Multnomah Falls were quietly reopened Thanksgiving weekend.

The Historic Highway is open!

What a wonderful surprise!  Included in this list was the Multnomah-Wahkeena loop, my favorite fall hike of them all.  I'd sorely missed visiting this scenic path last year.  So of course the following weekend I headed to the Gorge to check things out.

Not only the trails, the Columbia River Scenic Highway was also reopened east of Bridal Veil.  Driving my car down this winding road to Wahkeena Falls Trailhead, I was happy to glimpse familiar scenery, and dismayed to see the destruction in other places.

Hazards of a burn area

Although I've hiked the Multnomah-Wahkeena loop many times in both directions, today I chose to start my trek at Wahkeena Falls and head counterclockwise to Multnomah Falls.  From the parking area, I was dismayed to see the large amount of damaged trees and blackened rocks adjacent to Wahkeena Creek.  A trailhead sign ominously warned hikers of the dangers associated with walking through a burned area.

Wahkeena Falls

Following the paved path, I climbed uphill to a spectacular view of Wahkeena Falls.  Evidence of the fire was everywhere - from blackened rock walls to a large burned tree trunk that landed in the splash pool.  I was surprised to see so much fire damage occurred close to the waterfall!

All the moss burned off the rock walls

The lovely arched rock walls on either side of the bridge spanning Wahkeena Creek had been charred by the fire, their beautiful orange moss cover totally burned away.

Black rock

From Wahkeena Falls, the paved path wound steeply up the face of a steep slope, switchbacking through a mossy forest.  Well, it used to be a mossy forest......

The fire opened up Gorge views

Most of the underbrush had burned away.  Blackened, downed trees were everywhere.  With the ground cover gone, last winter's rains had washed unchecked down the steep Gorge walls.  I saw evidence of many landslides.  Some of the beautiful rock walls that used to line the trail were damaged.

Lemmon Point surrounded by burned trees

The only bright spot was the fire had opened up a few more viewpoints.  I stopped at Lemmon Point and enjoyed a glimpse of the foggy Columbia River and Washington side of the Gorge.

Lots of downed trees in this area

Then I continued my climb upward.  Although there were still plenty of downed, blackened trees, I was surprised by the amount of green plant life that had already grown back.  Some of the leaves displayed lovely fall hues of yellow and gold.  It was actually very pretty - and unexpected.

Fairy Falls looks as good as ever!

I made an extended photo stop at Fairy Falls, one of my favorite Gorge cascades.  Untouched by the fire, it looked as good as ever.  I was so happy to revisit this familiar friend once again.

Spooky, foggy woods

Above Fairy Falls, I trekked through a foggy, ghostly forest.  The burned trees, with blackened bases, looked downright spooky.

Poor tree didn't stand a chance

Needless to say, I didn't linger!

Bright yellow leaves brightened up the burn area

I wasn't sure of the plant name, but large, bright yellow leaves covered the forest floor in many areas. This bright pop of color brought beauty to an otherwise barren woods

I was delighted to see the "sign eating tree" had survived

Reaching a junction with the Wahkeena Trail, I was delighted to discover the famous "sign eating tree" had survived the fire.

Lots of black trees at the Devils Rest junction

The Wahkeena trail flattened out and contoured across a bench, passing the Devils Rest junction on it's way to Multnomah Basin.

The damage was worse the closer I got to Multnomah Basin

The closer I got to Multnomah Basin, the more severe the fire damage.  Here the fir trees were entirely black, not just the bases.  The tall, bushy deciduous trees full of colorful leaves were all gone.

No more mossy trees...

The fairy-tale mossy forest above Multnomah Basin had been one of my favorite parts of this hike.  Starting the climb down to Multnomah Creek I was saddened to see all the trees in this area had been burned to a crisp.

Multnomah Creek surrounded by blackened trunks

Stands of charred trees lined Multnomah Creek, with several more fallen across it's waters.

Some particularly bad fire damage

I couldn't help but recall what a magical, beautiful forest it had been pre-fire.  Now reduced to gray and black, this was the saddest portion of my hike.

Downed trees across the trail

Good thing for the colorful yellow foliage, or it would have been totally depressing.

Weisendanger Falls

I was happy to see Weisendanger Falls was still flowing strong.  However, all the lush undergrowth had been totally burned away.  This area below the falls looked mighty bleak.

Fire damage above the falls

A few mossy trees still existed below the falls, somehow spared from the fire's destruction.

More opened-up views on the trail to Multnomah Falls

Coming upon the top of Multnomah Falls, I was interested to see how the paved, switchbacking path down to the lodge had fared.  Judging by the amount of downed trees and cleared stumps, it looked like the area had been hit hard.  But on a positive note, the fire had opened up new views of the Gorge.

Nothing left of this sign

The forest adjacent to this path had been logged extensively.  A large number of blackened stumps and logs sat beside the trail, waiting to be cleared away.  I noticed a brown Forest Service sign, burned down the middle, still clinging to it's post.  Seeing the extensive damage made me realize how close the fire got to the falls and lodge.  Hats off to the firefighters for saving this Oregon treasure!

Lots of trees cut down here

Multnomah Falls was as busy as ever, so I waded past the crowds and didn't stop for photos until I reached the very bottom.  Of course, you can't pass by this iconic cascade without getting a couple of images!  Then a quick half mile on the Gorge Trail brought me back to my car, closing this favorite 5.5 mile loop.

Multnomah Falls

Despite the sobering damage, I was overjoyed to finally be back on my favorite Gorge fall trail.  A huge thank you to all the volunteers who labored to get this, and all the other Gorge trails back open!

If you'd like to see some "before the fire" photos of the Multnomah-Wahkeena Loop, here are links to a couple of my most recent past blog posts:

Gorge November Ramble - from 2015

Multnomah-Wahkeena Loop - from 2016

Winter Waterfalls

Winter arrived suddenly in here in Oregon.  The past two weeks we've battled cold temperatures, freezing rain, and even two snowstorms!  This past Sunday I was tempted to head up skiing on Mt Hood.  But then I heard reports of freezing waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge. 

Frozen waterfalls are an uncommon occurrence here.  And many times when these cascades freeze, the roads are too icy to attempt driving.  So when a chance to photograph these lovely works of nature comes around, I take it.

Multnomah Falls

That's why I spent the final Sunday before Christmas not shopping, not skiing, not hiking (although I considered visiting the ornament trail).  No, I took advantage of the rare frigid conditions to travel through the Gorge and capture nature's incredible works of beauty.

And so, dear readers, I present my Christmas gift to you.  No words, just a collection of beautiful winter scenes. 

Lower Multnomah Falls

Benson Bridge, Multnomah Falls

Ice coated tree branches

Icy rock wall below Multnomah Falls

Horsetail Falls

Horsetail Falls

Icy splash pool below Horsetail Falls

Horsetail Falls close-up

Icy shoreline

Wintry creek

Ponytail Falls

Icicles behind Ponytail Falls

Frozen vegetation from the waterfalls' spray makes interesting patterns

Another view of Ponytail Falls

Behind Ponytail Falls

Wide angle view behind Ponytail Falls

Creek below Ponytail Falls (with one cold photographer!)

Ponytail Falls parting view

To all my readers, Merry Christmas!  May you have a wonderful holiday.  Enjoy this special time with your loved ones.

Multnomah-Wahkeena Loop

One of the classic Gorge Fall hikes is the lovely Multnomah - Wahkeena Loop.  It's a trail I hike every fall (long-time blog followers will no doubt already know this!)  So continuing on the theme of "Autumn's Greatest Hits," here's a photographic recap of my mid-October visit to this stunningly beautiful place.

Slender cascades stream down this rock face

After seeing photos on the Portland Hikers Facebook page touting lovely leaf colors peaking along the Wahkeena Trail, I knew the time had come to make my annual trek.  So the Sunday following my Silver Falls State Park visit, I recharged my camera for the weekend's second autumn photoshoot.  One of the best things about this hike is it's a quick 45-minute drive from my house.  Traveling through the Columbia River Gorge this time of year is always a treat.  Brilliant oranges and yellows lined the Historic Highway as I approached the trailhead at Wahkeena Falls.

Train tracks view from the Gorge Trail

Over the years I've done this loop many times, started at different places, and hiked the trails in both directions.  Today, I decided to do the loop clockwise starting at Wahkeena Falls. I began on the Gorge Trail for a short half mile to Multnomah Falls.  A quick ramble through colorful woods, I passed by a tall cliff dripping with tiny rivulets, and was treated to scenic glimpses of railroad tracks through the trees.

Mighty Multnomah Falls

Multnomah Falls is always a busy place, and today was no exception.  Despite the cloudy, gray, damp weather, a good crowd had gathered on the lower viewing platform, and many more clogged the path up to the picturesque Benson Bridge.  A top tourist draw - at 611 total feet in height, this lovely cascade is the tallest waterfall in Oregon.  (The upper falls is 542 feet high, while the second tier measures a respectable 69 foot drop.)

Lookin' good with her autumn wardrobe!

Changing trees surrounding Multnomah Falls makes autumn an especially scenic time to visit (hence the throngs of people...)  The waterfall looked fantastic surrounded by colorful orange and yellow leaves just reaching peak color.  Although not packing my tripod, I was still able to capture some great images of this gorgeous waterfall.  With scenery this stunning it's not difficult.

Upper falls from above the Benson Bridge

After photographing from the lower viewpoint, I dodged tourists and trekked to the Benson Bridge for some up close and personal views.  Recent heavy rainfall had the falls roaring, and anyone standing on the bridge was instantly doused with spray.  Wishing to avoid such a camera-unfriendly situation, I waited until I'd passed the bridge before snapping a couple of upper falls images.

Gnarly tree branches

Then my climbing began!  Although paved, the trail to the top of Multnomah Falls gained 700 feet in eleven long switchbacks (and to add insult to injury, each switchback was numbered).  It didn't take long before I was puffing heavily and shedding clothing layers.

Beautiful Multnomah Creek

At the very top of the climb, there's a short path that takes visitors to the very top of the falls.  Having seen this sight many times already, I was planning bypass this detour, continuing on the Larch Mtn trail another mile to the Wahkeena Falls junction.  But a huge downed tree blocked this trail just beyond the viewpoint turnoff, putting the kibosh on any uphill travel.

Mossy delight

I sized up the situation.  There wasn't enough room to shimmy under the tree.  And climbing over it with my backpack and camera bag strapped on would be dangerously awkward.  Was I going to have to cancel my plans and turn around?

After pondering a bit, I decided to shed my baggage, sliding it under the tree to the opposite side.  Now unencumbered, I was able to clamber onto the wet, slippery bark and hoist myself over.  It wasn't easy, but I made it.  And my acrobatics even impressed a man watching from the other side!

Weisendanger Falls

That large fallen log definitely kept the crowds down!  I traversed the entire trail to Wahkeena junction without seeing more than a handful of people.  It was definitely a magical place to have all to myself.  Large, gnarled, mossy branches overhung the forest.  Thick, multi-hued vegetation lined my path.  And a couple more mighty waterfalls churned through nearby Multnomah Creek.

I just loved all the mossy branches!

I was having so much fun taking in this spectacular scenery, the Wahkeena Trail junction appeared in no time.  Continuing up the Wahkeena Trail, I thought I'd left the best of this autumn finery behind.  But the color show wasn't over yet......

Yellow burst in the woods

Climbing upwards through more mossy green forest, a huge patch of yellow leaves lit up the woods like a beacon.

Fabulous yellow leaf colors

Absolutely stunning!  Comparing photos from previous years (I'm realizing I tend to take photos of the same places each visit) this was definitely some of the best leaf color ever.

Branch silhouette

Nope, photos don't lie.  This year's autumn show was incredible.

Wahkeena Trail was an autumn wonderland

I traipsed along the trail, clicking away, a huge smile plastered across my face.

Really brightened up the forest

The entire Wahkeena trail, from the Multnomah junction to Wahkeena Springs was one huge golden color-fest. 

Funny graffiti

Reaching the trail sign at Wahkeena Springs, I was amused by the graffiti written near the bottom.  Although I'm not in favor of defacing anything, I must admit it made me chuckle.

Old fallen leaves

Then began the downward march to my car. 

Lovely little Wahkeena Creek

The trail switchbacked down a steep, muddy path, following charming little Wahkeena Creek.  I passed by lovely little Fairy Falls, but there was already a crowd gathered at it's base, so I kept on walking.

Spotted leaf

I admired the patterns and colors the already-fallen leaves made on the trail.

Approaching Lemmon viewpoint

Passing by Lemmon Viewpoint, I took a quick detour to get a good look at the Columbia River.  Although it's opposite shore was a lovely patchwork-quilt of colors, the light was at the wrong angle for photographs.

Ferns and leaf

From Lemmon Viewpoint, the trail transitioned into an asphalt path.  With the improved trail came a sharp increase in the number of hikers.  The closer I traveled towards the trailhead, the more people (especially unprepared for hiking) I encountered.

Bench with a view

Just before Wahkeena Falls, I came upon this idyllic bench surrounded by a huge swath of colors.  A  perfect photo op!  But it quickly became overtaken by a large family who decided to hang out for awhile.  I waited patiently for several minutes before the group finally moved on.

Wahkeena Falls was a busy place

Upper Wahkeena Falls is a mere 1/4 mile from the trailhead.  Due to it's close proximity the path below is usually packed with people.  I tried for a few quick images of this cascade, but a people-free frame was virtually impossible.  This shot was the best I could do.

Wahkeena Falls through the autumn colors

Crowds or not, it still was a splendid place.  Yellow leaves brightened the adjacent forest, with a swirling whitewater creek as it's centerpiece.

Downstream from Wahkeena Falls

Covering the final distance to my car, I was immensely pleased.  A memory card full of outstanding fall colors and good bit of exercise to boost my mood.  And despite threatening clouds, I lucked out with a dry day.

GoPro selfie

A delightful trek!  I was able to fit this adventure into a Sunday afternoon and still be home well before dinner.

Stats:  5.4 miles round trip, 1600 feet elevation gain


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