Spring Wildflowers in the Gorge

Wildflower season has begun!

The eastern Columbia River Gorge always produces spring's first wildflowers, the lovely purple grass widows.  The best place to see these flowers en masse is at Catherine Creek, on the Washington side of the Gorge.

Grass widow blooms....a sure sign of spring!

One sunny day in late March I rallied friends Debbie and Barry to join me on a hike through Catherine Creek's flower fields.

Hiking above Catherine Creek

The usual loop trail through the Catherine Creek area is a mere 3 miles.  Desiring a bit more distance, my friends and I put our heads and resources together to devise a longer trek.  Barry found a hike recommended on his All Trails app that fit the bill, so off we went to check it out.

I was excited to find yellow bells blooming

Of course, we'd barely left the parking lot when I spied my first clump of grass widows.  The camera came out, and my friends waited patiently while I clicked away.  

More purple beauties

There were much more grass widows to be found, and as we crossed the bridge over Catherine Creek and started up the opposite bank, I spied more of those purple beauties.  Not only grass widows, the slopes also revealed a respectable amount of lovely yellow bells.  The first ones of the season, I was excited to discover these flowers already in bloom.

Another fine specimen

The grass widows were thick out here - they appeared to be at peak.  Other wildflowers were also showing their colorful sides, among them the rare, purple Columbia desert parsley.  I even caught a bee pollinating a clump!

Columbia desert parsley being pollinated

Our trail wound through a wide-open grassland directly east of Catherine Creek's cliffs.  As we climbed higher, wonderful views of the Columbia River looking eastward began to appear.

Grass widows were everywhere!

But, of course, the star of this show was still the proliferation of grass widow blooms.

The flowers carpeted the ground

Not only wildflowers, we heard plenty of birds singing their spring mating songs.  The most beautiful of them all were the melodic tones of the Western meadowlark.  We kept hearing meadowlarks chirping, but being the cagey birds they are, none of us were having any luck actually spotting one.

Meadowlark sighting

We'd started our hike later in the morning, so it didn't take long before my friends and I were ready for lunch.  Spotting a nice log overlooking the grassy meadows, we all agreed to take a break and fill our bellies.  While enjoying our sandwiches, Barry spotted a meadowlark perched on top of a nearby tree.  I zoomed in as best I could and captured a few images of the pretty yellow bird.  We were happy to spot one meadowlark, even if it was a bit far away.

Time for some uphill hiking!

Lunch now finished, it was time to explore more of Barry's All Trails loop.  Our trail intersected with an old road that took up further uphill past a grove of gnarled oak trees.

Interesting gnarled oak tree

Past the oak forest, our trail kept leading uphill through another grassy meadow.  

Another big patch of grass widows

I spied a huge patch of grass widows that made all of us smile.

The abundance of wildflowers made Barry smile

According to his app, Barry said this route headed uphill to the top of the bluffs before heading west and crossing a ravine.  Although the trail we were following was getting a bit faint, we put our faith in All Trails and Barry as a navigator and kept on going.

Open grassland

Three trail runners came bombing down the hill going the opposite direction.  Seeing other people on the trail reinforced that we were indeed going the right way.

Columbia River view looking east

The Gorge views from on top were spectacular.  I snapped a few photos and then it was time to head west across the top of the bluffs.

Through the oak forest

Our route took my friends and I through another oak forest.  Once through this forest, we came across another grassland.  The trail then dived steeply into a drainage, before contouring downhill back towards the river.

Wonderful river views

The river views here were nothing short of wonderful.

Yellow desert parsley lined our trail

But now eager to get back to our car, we didn't linger long.  We kept traveling downhill, through intermittent oak forests and grasslands.  Desert parsley lined the trail, adding a splash of yellow to all the green vegetation.

Looking back from where we came

A high voltage utility line cuts through a lower portion of the Catherine Creek area.  As we wound downhill, I spied one of the huge metal towers.  As luck would have it, our route took us right underneath it.

Hiking under a huge utility tower

This trail ended up intersecting with the main trail (an old road) through the heart of the Catherine Creek area.  The rest of the way was very familiar.  Having hiked this portion of the trail many times, we enjoyed seeing the well-known rock arch that sits high above the creek and old ranch.

Famous Catherine Creek arch

It was fun to hike through the old fences and corrals from a long-ago ranch.

Old corrals

Lastly, my friends and I crossed the upper portion of Catherine Creek via a wide board that has been in place for many years.

Crossing Catherine Creek

Climbing the final half mile to the parking area, the west banks of Catherine Creek put on one last wildflower show.  Tons of grass widows interspersed with small yellow buttercups, white prairie stars, and other colorful flora that I couldn't identify.  I tried taking photos, but my images just didn't do it justice.  So you'll just have to take my word for it, the wildflowers were outstanding!

The final half mile was chock full of flowers

We all agreed the loop Barry had found on All Trails was a winner.  It came in just over 5 miles with 1500 feet of elevation gain, which was perfect.  And we'd had sunny, but chilly weather, a good display of wildflowers, and even a meadowlark sighting.  Spring days in the Gorge don't get any better than that!

Blossom Time

 After enduring the dark, rainy months of winter, when spring finally arrives, Portlanders are rewarded with dazzling displays of tree blossoms.

Waterfront Park's famous cherry blossoms

There's no better place to witness spring's finery than at downtown Portland's Waterfront Park.  A linear greenspace paralleling the Willamette River, it's north end features a huge grove of cherry trees.  Every year around mid-March these trees erupt in a riot of pink blossoms.

Pink tunnel

After getting word that the cherry tree bloom was happening, I invited my neighbor and photo-mentor Cheri to join me for a photography session.  

Close up of the glorious blooms

It was your typical rainy spring day, causing Cheri and I to reconsider our trip.  However, despite numerous raindrops on the trip over, we were delighted when the sky dried up upon our arrival.  The yearly cherry blossom bloom typically draws a crowd, but today's wet weather had kept most visitors away.

Closer up

Cheri and I noticed quite a few flowers yet to bloom, so we'd definitely caught things in the early stages.  However, despite the less-than-full blossoming trees, I still thought the floral show was quite stunning.

Flower-lined walkway

We climbed up to the top of the adjacent Steel Bridge for an aerial view.  Not too shabby!

Trees in bloom with Steel Bridge towers

A wide walkway follows the Willamette River.  When the cherry trees are in full bloom, this walk is full of blossom-peepers.  A week later, I saw several social media posts of the cherry trees and people were all over the park.  I was lucky to only have a few folks in my shots.  

A lovely time of year!

A great way to usher in spring!  I can't wait for more wildflowers to bloom - my camera and I are ready.

Ducky Drama

This winter I've been making the rounds to some local nature areas, both to get a little exercise and photograph whatever wildlife I find.  One of the places I frequented often had a flock of wood ducks swimming in the water.  Wood duck males are very photogenic - their heads a brightly colored mix of greens with an orange bill and unusual red eyes.  

"Did you hear the gossip about Quackly?"

On a recent visit, I was lucky enough to see a sizeable flock of these lovely ducks.  Not only were the ducks in abundance, I was also able to capture some of their antics.

"My love, you are the only woman for me"

Pairs of male and female wood ducks swam around together, often posing for my camera.  After downloading and editing a few images, I'm posting them here for you to enjoy, along with a few funny captions.

"And another thing...."

After the argument

"Look at meeee!"

Duck fight!

It was mating season and every once and awhile a couple of males would get into a fight.  I'm assuming it was over a female (no matter the species, men always fight over women!)

Chasing away his challenger

The two males would race around the pond, chasing after each other.  Lots of flapping and splashing ensued.  The ducks were so fast it was difficult to capture photos of the drama.  But I did manage to get a couple of images I liked.

The victorious male

As I was walking back to my car, I spied a great blue heron nearby.  Just as I was focusing on the bird, it spread it's wings and took off.  And lucky me, one of my images captured the moment of liftoff.

We have liftoff!

I hope you enjoy this "ducky" post!

A Winter Waterfall

Who doesn't love waterfalls in the winter season?  Blanketed in snow, icicles hanging on the nearby canyon walls, and if you're lucky, maybe some interesting ice formations in the splash bowl below.  In my opinion, frozen cascades are the holy grail of landscape photography.

Chilly Cold Spring Creek

Where I live, the waterfall corridor of the Columbia River Gorge usually gets one to two days per year of temperatures low enough to partially freeze the cascades.  But when that happens, the road to get there is usually icy too.  However, there is one waterfall near Mt. Hood where winter conditions are fairly reliable most of the season.  Tamanawas Falls, located in the higher elevations of Mt. Hood National Forest, is a popular winter destination.  A short hike or snowshoe along Cold Spring Creek rewards intrepid adventurers with gorgeous, snowy scenery.

Snow-dusted trees

One cold winter morning I made the long drive to Mt. Hood's east side, destination Tamanawas Falls trailhead.  Arriving to a parking area with snow piled high, I decided to enlist the services of my snowshoes.  Although the adjacent trail appeared to be well packed, I wasn't sure what the rest of the route would entail.  There was a lot of snow in the forest!  Having been stuck post-holing on past hikes where I'd left the snowshoes behind, as far as I was concerned it was better safe than sorry.

Hiker bridge over Cold Spring Creek

I shuffled easily along the well-tromped trail, stopping frequently to admire the snowy forest and adjacent creek.  White-dusted fir trees captured the attention of my camera many times.  The sky was overcast, but occasionally the clouds would briefly part, teasing me with the promise of sunshine.  

Blue rapids

About halfway along the 2-mile trail hikers cross charming Cold Spring Creek, rapids bubbling in an unusual icy-blue-aqua color.  Of course, the creek enticed me to flounder through deep snow to it's bank for more intimate captures (good thing I had my snowshoes!)

Intricate ice formations in the creek

Beyond the bridge crossing I sauntered along the trail, stopping frequently to check out more beauty.  Where the creek's rapids slowed, icicles had formed on overhanging tree branches.

First view of Tamanawas Falls

Even with a packed down trail, I was finding hiking in snowshoes required much more effort than mere walking.  Huffing and puffing uphill through a large talus slope, I began to think I'd never get to that darn waterfall.

A bit closer view

But of course I eventually did arrive.  And boy was it worth the effort!  Deep snow covered the valley.  Huge icicles hung from the canyon walls.  In the middle of it all Tamanawas Falls stood, it's white rapids gushing.  Absolutely stunning!

Lots of snow this year!

I'd never seen so much snow here.  The waterfall's flow had transformed the deep snowbanks below into unique patterns.  Some of the icy creations glowed with a bluish hue.

I loved the unusual snow formations at the waterfall's base

I ventured closer to the waterfall.  Winds caught the spray, covering my camera lens.   Close-range photography became difficult, but between gusts I managed a few droplet-free images.

Mother Nature's artwork

I loved trying to capture details of the icy sculptures beneath the cascade.  Due to all the white color, exposure was tricky.

Breathtaking beauty

I had Tamanawas Falls to myself for nearly a half hour before other hikers appeared.  By then I had a memory card full of images, so I decided it was time to head back.  But leaving such an impressive winter scene wasn't easy.  I lingered a bit, snapping a few extra photos with people in the frame for scale.  Then snow began to fall, making this beautiful place even more magical.  Oh, I couldn't leave without a few images of the snow falling!

As I departed, snow began to fall

A great outing, it was icy Tamanawas Falls for the win!  Although this trail is accessible year-round, I think winter is the very best time to visit.

A Winter Hike in the Gorge

It had been too long between hikes!  A trip home, lots of ski days, and a bout with the Covid monster, meant hiking had taken a back seat for much of February.  But the promise of a sunny day later that month had me texting friends and making plans.  Although the Portland area had just been clobbered by a surprise snowstorm, the Columbia River Gorge had somehow escaped the bad weather.  With it's trails relatively snow-free, the plan was to head east.

Mt. Hood anchors a sunny sky

So I rallied friends Young and John, and they in turn invited mutual friend Steve for a trek up the Labyrinth Trail on the Washington side of the Gorge.  After braving the icy Portland freeways, I survived my white-knuckle drive across town to rendezvous with Young and John.  From east Portland, we carpooled to the trailhead, where Steve was waiting.

Partially frozen waterfall near the trailhead

The entire Coyote Wall-Labyrinth-Catherine Creek area of the eastern Washington gorge is a year-round hiker's paradise.  Shared with mountain bikers, this network of trails leads users through some unique geology.  Wildflowers begin blooming in early spring and the high plateaus boast spectacular sweeping views.

 

Close up of the icicles

My friends and I started down an old road that led to the Labyrinth trailhead.  A short distance down this road a waterfall spilled down the side of adjacent cliffs.  The extra bonus for today was that the cold weather had created icicles on the rocky cliff walls and an icy coating on the area below.  I'm a big fan of frozen waterfalls, so it was already a good day.

Frozen creek and another small waterfall

Arriving at the Labyrinth trailhead, our climbing began.  My hiking companions and I wound through interesting rock formations as we trudged uphill.  An icy creek snaked through a low spot between the landscape, creating another waterfall that churned over a small cliff.  

Rough country of the Labyrinth

Lucky for us, the morning temperatures were low enough to freeze the mud on the trail tread.  But with the sun's rays starting to warm things up, we knew this easy walking wouldn't last.  There was only a small dusting of snow in the shady areas, and we were grateful for that.  But sadly the recent inclimate weather had stunted much of the grass widow flowers, for we saw dozens of wilted blooms.  Hopefully when temperatures warm the flowers will rally.

The day's hiking compadres

Although bundled up for the cold weather, our steep climb up the Labyrinth got everyone warm quickly, and clothing layers began to shed.

Lone oak tree

After a mile or so of climbing, I pointed out a side trail that took hikers over to the Catherine Creek area.  Having hiked this way before, I convinced my friends to try this alternate path.

Snowy grove

We sauntered downhill, over wide-open ridges with lovely views and then hiked through a grove of barren oak trees, snow settled beneath their branches.

Lunch with a view

One open area had views so inviting, we decided to make it our lunch spot.  I think you can see why.

Approaching the Catherine Creek cliffs

Bellies full, my friends and I continued our downhill trek.  The high cliffs of the Catherine Creek area soon came into view.  The scenery here was absolutely gorgeous - it's one of my favorite parts of this trail.

Hiking up through the talus slope

The trail took us to the very base of the cliffs.  We then navigated a steep path through a talus slope to the top of a large plateau overlooking the Columbia River and Catherine Creek area.

Top of the cliffs

Our climbing wasn't done yet - far from it!  The trail continued uphill along the clifftops.  Although a lung-busting slog, the fabulous views more than made up for the effort.

My friends trudging uphill

The higher we climbed, the smaller the mighty Columbia River shrank below.  It's waters gleamed bright blue in the midday sun.  A few snow-covered hills rose up from both sides further east.  With such stunning views, I was especially thankful for this clear, sunny day to fully enjoy them.

The views had Young smiling!

Finally after much huffing and puffing we all reached the top, which was our trail's intersection with an old road known as Atwood Road.  Another mile tromp westward on this road would lead us back to the Upper Labyrinth trail, our return route.

Almost to the top

Atwood Road was much more level than our past climb, but it did roller-coaster up and down a couple of heavily-forested drainages.  It was here in the shade of the trees that we encountered the most snow.  But it wasn't difficult to traverse and I found these snowy forests quite lovely.

The shaded areas were very snowy

The sunshine and rising temperatures had finally melted the ice holding the trail's soil in place.  Instead of firm dirt, my friends and I now encountered thick, slippery mud.  It quickly caked our boots and pant legs.  Some places got so bad we ended up walking beside the actual tread.

Hiking back down the Upper Labyrinth trail

The Upper Labyrinth Trail provided more photo-worthy views, and I lagged behind the group most of the way down, frequently pulling out my camera.  The constant in and out of my camera bag finally broke it's zipper, forcing me into an over-the-shoulder camera carry for the hike's final mile.

Bare trees in the afternoon light

In addition to such wonderful views, the late afternoon sunlight illuminated the eastern gorge wonderfully.  Maybe it was a good thing I had my camera so handy!

Looking east down the Columbia River Gorge

Such a great day for a hike!  It was totally worth braving the city's icy roads and the Labyrinth's muddy trails for scenery this stunning.