Herman Creek Pinnacles/Dry Creek Falls

Date hiked: 10/24/18

On October 23rd, a patient at Pharmaca asked how I was enjoying "the first gray day of the season." While Halloween is the general rule of thumb for the start of rainy season, apparently Portland will not see the sun again from now until May. So far, however, it hasn't been too bad... more on this to come.

During a busy week at the pharmacy, I was eager to get outside on my day off on Wednesday. While I do not yet enjoy rainy hikes, I am learning to embrace cloudy hikes. The trek to Dry Creek Falls (Herman Creek Pinnacles extension) is an excellent option in cloudy weather. The 9-mile out-and-back (~1,000' gain) is the easiest and most interesting of several possible destinations radiating from the Herman Creek Trailhead (including last week's hike to Indian Point).

Making a conscious effort to slow down (What's the rush?), I slept in and took my time getting ready for the day's adventure--10:30am start. Despite the bleak forecast, the sun occasionally peaked out from behind the thick clouds as the temperature rose to a comfortable 60 degrees.

   

The Herman Creek Trail switchbacks through moss- and fern-covered Douglas-fir and bigleaf maple. There is something to be said about the size of trees here--and of their leaves.

 

The route deviates at the first junction for a pleasant descent to a metal bridge spanning Herman Creek. Quiet solitude along this trail.



From the rushing creek, the path climbs a hillside with a mix of forest and talus slopes. Pika, who I am used to seeing (and hearing) at 14,000' also find surprisingly good habitat at low elevations throughout the Gorge.

 





One mile from creek, the trail connects to the famous Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), which eventually leads to the Human Creek Pinnacles. This pair of crumbly rock spires is difficult to capture on film because they receive minimal sunlight due to their location beneath the north-facing cliffs of the Gorge.



I continued hiking west on the PCT for 1.5 miles to Dry Creek. A short side trip upstream gives rise to the spectacular Dry Creek Falls.

 



 
 

I returned to the trailhead by 2:30pm (4 hours RT), thinking how fascinating it would be to someday complete the entire PCT from Canada to Mexico...

Latourell Falls + Peninsula Park

According to Paulo Coelho, "Life has many ways of testing a person's will, either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen all at once." I have witnessed this theory play out in my own life on several occasions. Most recently, I was presented with two employment opportunities at the same time. Following my intuition, I am pleased to announce that I accepted a full-time position at NewEra Pharmacy, an independently-owned compounding pharmacy just three miles south of my apartment. The owner and head pharmacist, Tyler, has built a cutting-edge pharmacy that fills specialty medications for patients across the country. Though not exactly what I had envisioned for the next step in my career, I am optimistic about the potential for learning and where it may lead. I also admit a sense of relief in securing a stable job. Since graduating pharmacy school in 2016, I have been working some combination of part-time/per-diem gigs. While I fully support the "gig economy" movement, and acknowledge that it seems to suit my lifestyle, I have gradually begun to yearn for a certain level of consistency and stability. I guess you could say that I've finally grown up? That being said, I intend to continue to fill in at Pharmaca from time to time as I value the mission of the pharmacy as well as its patient population.



















In other news, I am excited to report that I had my first visitor come through Portland last weekend--an old friend from Pittsburgh. Roy was driving back to Salt Lake City from a four-month work assignment in Vancouver, BC. I was delighted to hear that Portland would be en route as I was thrilled to catch up and hear about his recent adventures.

Saturday began with a drive on America’s first scenic highway, the Historic Columbia River Highway. This 70-mile route runs parallel to I-84 along the Gorge--all the beauty without the traffic. The Sandy River marks the western boundary of the Gorge, where Portland metro ends and the byway begins. Winding through the highway surrounded by the falling autumn leaves was pure perfection. Though sections of the route have yet to reopen after last year's Eagle Creek Fire, I am tempted to return again very soon (possibly on bike).



The road follows the Sandy upstream from Troutdale, then winds uphill through Corbett to the first cliff-top panorama of the Gorge at the Portland Women’s Forum State Scenic Viewpoint. Here the Columbia begins as a trickle of snowmelt in the Canadian Rockies. It absorbs a tremendous web of river systems on its 1,200-mile run to the Pacific, swelling into the nation’s fourth-largest river. This spot 725' above the river also provides a good look at the basalt cliffs of the Gorge, formed by Ice Age floods scouring through ancient lava flows.

One mile past the overlook is the 1918 Vista House. This craftsmen’s showcase of hand-cut stone and elegant masonry, includes a display of the history behind the highway construction. Spectacular views abound from the rotunda atop Crown Point.

From Crown Point, the byway drifts down the mountain in gentle arcs, drawing attention to the highway’s original stonework. The road soon enters a deeply shaded oasis where a series of waterfalls tumble from Gorge rim to roadside. In eight miles, the byway skirts the base of five significant falls: Latourell, Shepperd’s Dell, Bridal Veil, Wahkeena and Multnomah.

 

The hike to Latourell Falls is a pleasant 2.4-mile loop that travels past two plunging waterfalls.

      

Saturday afternoon was spent out on the town, working our way from the northwest back to the southeast. Our first stop was a refuel at McMenamins Rams Head. McMenamins is a family-owned chain of brewpubs, music venues, historic hotels, and theater pubs in the PNW. Since 1983, handcrafted beer, wine, cider, spirits and coffee have been served at the eclectic mix of neighborhood gathering spots.

After strolling through the tree-lined streets of NW 23rd and 21st, we stopped downtown for brews at popular Deschutes Brewery, and eventually made it back to my neighborhood to enjoy Mexican tortas at Güero. 

 

Roy assured me that he did not go bored or hungry in my company, so it appears as though the invitation is officially open to anyone who wants to visit! As promised, I've included a few photos of my apartment now that I have furniture. I admit that watching the squirrels run along the top of my neighbors fence is one of the highlights of being home.






























After commuting to Pharmaca in Beaverton all week, I was impatient to trade in four wheels for two on Sunday. Portland VegFest had been on my calendar since I moved, mainly due to my positive experience at Denver VegFest over the summer. Inside the Oregon Convention Center, Kyle and I met local vegan vendors and sampled their products. I was also eager to listen to a talk from Chef AJ, as she runs in the same circle as my plant-based heroes. Although slightly aggressive (and a little hyper), her presentation reaffirmed the difference between embracing a whole-foods plant-based diet and being a "junk-food vegan." After all, the nutrition piece of "veganism" is what initially drew me to the lifestyle two years ago. That being said, as I have continued to educate myself, I now personally support all of the ethical factors at play.



Bellies full and hearts content, Kyle and I headed north. Peninsula Park is a neighborhood park that includes the city's first public rose garden and first community center. Completed in 1913, much remains of the original features, including the lantern-style streetlights, stone pillars, vast brickwork and fountain in the center of the rose garden. This northeast gem can be reached in under 30 minutes from my apartment on bike.

I noted several others enjoying the beautiful afternoon weather with a book in hand or stretched out on a yoga mat. As I took it all in, I became hypnotized by the experience of being surrounded by falling leaves (which Kyle reminded is where "autumn" gets its colloquial name). Again, perfection.



To close out the lazy afternoon (and overall killer weekend), Kyle and I hit Ex Novo Brewing Co. (#8) on the way back to the southeast. Upon reflection, I feel very grateful for my first two months in Portland, which has been treating me very well. Cheers to new places, good company, and living fully.

Indian Point + Multnomah Falls

Date hiked: 10/17/18

There are few things that I love more than a day off in the middle of the week. On Wednesday, Little Red and I drove 50 minutes east to the Herman Creek Trailhead. Situated just off I-84, this trailhead leads to an extensive network of trails. The trek to Indian Point is a moderate, 7.8-mile loop with 2,730' gain. Much of the area was affected by the Eagle Creek Fire, but most sections of the loop still enjoy a relatively intact and shady forest canopy even while the undergrowth was burned to the ground.



The loop involves three trails named after early locals. I set off at 10:30am, navigating in a clockwise direction (though I had intended to go counter-clockwise). The Herman Creek Trail switchbacks in shady big-leaf maple, hemlock, and Douglas-fir woods. I noted the pleasant scent of the trees during my hike, possibly tainted by a hint of charred wood. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly when the autumn-colored leaves peak each year, but I suspect that October 17th was pretty darn close!

 

A five-way junction at Herman Camp marks the first mile. From there, the Gorton Creek Trail gently climbs over a long traverse through a scorched understory. The path continues up, crossing a lush gully with views of the Columbia River through the burnt trees.

 

Four miles from the trailhead is the Gorton Creek-Indian Point-Ridge Cutoff Trail Junction. The Indian Point Trail descends steeply for almost 200' to the Indian Point outcropping--a basalt spire perched on the edge of a cliff. Confident scramblers can transverse the steep-sided ridge to the pinnacle and ascend it, but I was content to stay in the safety zone due to the strong winds.





The Gorge town of Stevenson, as well as Wind Mountain and Dog Mountain, can be seen across the river. On the clear day, the snowy peaks of the Washington Cascades were also visible.







Back at the junction, I followed the mostly level Ridge Cutoff Trail for about a mile to the Nick Eaton-Ridge Cutoff Trail Junction. The trail switchbacks down through steep grassy meadows with a view up to the two forks of Herman Creek and Mt. Hood's summit peeking up behind Waucoma Ridge. Looking west along the Columbia River Gorge offers views of Beacon Rock and the Bonneville Dam.





 

The switchbacks continue in and out of meadows and forest before reaching the Herman Creek-Nick Eaton Trail Junction. Making a right here leads past Herman Camp and down to the trailhead. I finished at 2:30pm (4 hours RT).

On the way back to town, I paid a visit to Multnomah Falls. The 611' roaring cascade, located right off I-84, is the most visited natural recreation site in the PNW. Sections of the Historic Columbia River Highway have yet to reopen since the fire, which makes visiting the falls challenging during the weekend (limited parking). Every year, two million visitors stand at the base of the falls in the narrow rocky confines of steep cliffs.

 

For an even closer view, a short walk up a paved trail leads to Benson Bridge, which spans the falls at the first tier's misty base. Rainwater, an underground spring and snow melt feed the falls year round, though peak flow occurs in late winter and spring.

 

The Multnomah Falls Lodge was built in 1925 to serve tourists of the Gorge. Today, the historic structure (made of every type of rock found in the Gorge) houses a restaurant with unbeatable views of the falls, an information center and a gift shop.