Summer was in full swing by July. Tom and I kicked off July 4th weekend with Matt and Katie's wedding at the Empress Estate in Woodland, Washington.
On Saturday, I joined Kyle and his friends for a float down the Sandy River. Just east of Troutdale, the river is fed by Mt. Hood’s Sandy Glacier. Our group organized a shuttle system for the 4-mile section between Dabney State Recreation Site and Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site. Even with occasional stops, the mellow section of river only takes about 2-4 hours to complete. It was the perfect summer activity, and I look forward to doing it again!
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| Please drink responsibly |
On Monday, I returned to I-84 east to hike Eagle Creek to Tunnel Falls. Recently reopened after the detrimental 2017 Eagle Creek Fire, the trailhead is a 40-minute drive from Portland. I was excited to finally check out this popular area of the Gorge.
The easy out-and-back follows the creek into a moss-covered old growth forest, crossing many side-creeks, footbridges and steep cliffs. I suspect that the path was once shaded, but the fire has left it quite exposed; note that this trail can get very hot and very crowded.
At about the 2-mile mark, a side trail drops down to Punch Bowl Falls. The High Bridge lies another mile further.
After about 6 miles, the path passes through a tunnel behind--you guessed it--Tunnel Falls. The 175' cascade drops from the bluffs above to the creek bed below, then downstream into the main Eagle Creek run.
Two-tiered Twister Falls lie just up ahead. The trail continues on to Wahtum Lake and syncs up with other trails, which provides several backpack options that pass through Eagle Creek.
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Hiked 7/5/21 - 12 miles, 1,100 vertical feet - 3.5 hours |
Later that week, a longing for the mountains prompted me to drive up to Mt. Hood for a paddle. The snow on top of the mountain was already melted--early for the season. Timothy Lake is a large alpine lake surrounded by pine trees. A 13-mile trail winds around the lake shore, connecting several campgrounds. Note to check wind conditions before heading out on the water!
