Day Hikes in the Columbia River Gorge , livre ebook

Day Hikes in the Columbia River Gorge
Hiking Loops, High Points, and Waterfalls within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
Don J. Scarmuzzi
Text and photos 2015 by Don J. Scarmuzzi
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Scarmuzzi, Don.
Day hikes in the Columbia River Gorge : hiking loops, high points, and waterfalls of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area / Don J. Scarmuzzi.
pages cm
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-941821-70-1 (paperback)
ISBN 978-1-941821-90-9 (hardbound)
ISBN 978-1-941821-89-3 (e-book)
1. Hiking-Columbia River Gorge (Or. and Wash.)-Guidebooks. 2. Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area (Or. and Wash.)-Guidebooks. 3. Natural history-Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area (Or. and Wash.) I. Title.
GV199.42.C64S36 2015
796.5109795 4-dc23
2015006590
Design by Vicki Knapton Edited by Mindy Fitch
Cover photo by Don J. Scarmuzzi. A rare angle of the striking Elowah Falls shows one of two cascades directly above the main 213-ft drop visible to most people, to bring the total height to around 289 ft.
WestWinds Press
An imprint of

P.O. Box 56118
Portland, OR 97238-6118
(503)254-5591
www.graphicartsbooks.com
Dedicated to Miley Cyrus who said, There s no right or wrong, success or failure.
CONTENTS
Overview Map
Preface
OREGON (W TO E)
1 Latourell Falls Loop
2 Shepperd s Dell Falls
3 Bridal Veil Falls
4 Pepper Mountain
5 Angel s Rest Loop
6 Devil s Rest Loop
7 Multnomah Falls
8 Wahkeena Falls Loop
9 Larch Mountain Loop
10 Cougar Rock to Bickel Point
11 Oneonta Gorge
12 Triple Falls to Franklin Ridge Loop
13 Rock of Ages Ridge Loop
14 Nesmith Point
15 Elowah Falls to Upper McCord Creek Falls
16 Wauneka Point Loop
17 Munra Point
18 Wahclella Falls
19 Wauna Point
20 Tanner Butte
21 Eagle Creek Trail to Twister Falls
22 Ruckel Ridge Loop
23 Dry Creek Falls Loop
24 Indian Point Loop
25 Green Point Mountain
26 Wahtum Lake to Chinidere Mountain
27 Tomlike Mountain
28 Indian Mountain
29 Shellrock Mountain
30 Mount Defiance Loop
31 Viento Point Loop
32 Mitchell Point
33 Hood River Mountain Ridge
34 Mosier Plateau Trail
35 Tom McCall Point and Nature Preserve
36 White River Falls
37 Lower Deschutes River to Gordon Ridge
WASHINGTON (E TO W)
38 Haystack Butte
39 Stacker Butte
40 Klickitat Rail Trail
41 Catherine Creek Arch Loop
42 Coyote Wall Loop
43 Spirit Falls
44 Dog Mountain Loop
45 Augspurger Mountain
46 Wind Mountain
47 Grassy Knoll to Big Huckleberry Mountain
48 Greenleaf Peak
49 Table Mountain Loop
50 Aldrich Butte to Cedar Falls Loop
51 Hamilton Mountain Loop
52 Beacon Rock
53 Hardy Ridge to Phlox Point
54 Three Corner Rock
55 Birkenfeld Mountain
56 South Birkenfeld Mountain Loop
57 Archer Mountain
58 Cape Horn Loop
59 Silver Star Mountain
60 Sturgeon Rock Loop
Acknowledgments
Index
OVERVIEW MAP
PREFACE
Day Hikes in the Columbia River Gorge is the most straightforward, colorful, easy-to-follow hiking guide for the region, offering easygoing jaunts, exceptionally steep scrambling, long hikes, and everything in between. Within these pages you ll find a new day hike or a new perspective on an old one. Truthfully, you don t even have to get out of your car to see many of the waterfalls and surprises-but I really hope you will!
The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area truly unveils itself as you come at it from the west on I-84 E, within seconds of driving under the bridge at exit 22 for Corbett. And it s just as dramatic when you round the turn to Cape Horn from Washougal in Washington. Traveling 50 million years back in time to the Miocene era, then the Pleistocene era, the Columbia Gorge was formed due to several volcanic eruptions and uplift that produced the Cascades. Then, at the end of the last Ice Age some 15,000 years ago, the Missoula Floods carved the deep walls of columnar basalt, exposing layers of lava.
Anyone who lives in or regularly visits Oregon and Washington should make a pilgrimage to this National Scenic Area several times a year. True, the Gorge can be rather ominous at times during the cold season. But hiking during the best days of fall, winter, and spring can help you stay in shape for the more demanding treks of summer, when the snows melt higher up in the Cascade Mountains and volcanoes of the Pacific Northwest. And no matter the season, the Gorge is boundless with beauty and wildlife. For more about the history of the area, and contemporary conservation efforts, visit:
www.fs.fed.us/rtr/forests/crg.shtml
www.summitpost.org/columbia-river-gorge/153977
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_River_Gorge
This guide begins with a counterclockwise tour of the awe-inspiring 85-mi corridor from Troutdale in Oregon all the way to the Deschutes River State Recreation Area past The Dalles. Then we cross the river into Washington, working west through a kaleidoscope of options, climates, and high points by several charming towns over a smaller, picturesque highway to Washougal and Vancouver.
Each hike begins with essential information about elevation, distance, duration, and difficulty level, and trip reports point out any noteworthy and important tidbits. Elevation information includes the highest point (or points) and destination of a hike as well as the maximum vertical gains you will experience along the trail. Difficulty level is broken up into five categories: easiest (short hike, little to no elevation change, sometimes paved, ideal for families and novices), moderate (more elevation change but easier than most), strenuous (longer hike, some steeps, some trail-locating, use of hands for balance), very challenging (fairly long hike, sustained steeps for thousands of feet, bushwhacking, GPS helpful, use of hands necessary), and expert-only (very long hike, extreme steeps, overgrown paths, exposed cliffs, climbing-type moves possible though no climbing gear necessary, traction devices at times). While the Overview Map on pages 6 and 7 covers the entire region, each hike is covered by maps that detail smaller subsections of the Gorge.
For the sake of brevity, I use the abbreviations TH (Trailhead) and FR (Forest Road). Likewise I refer to the Pacific Crest Trail (also known as the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail or Crest Trail) as the PCT and the Historic Columbia River Highway as the HCRH. A switchback is a spot in a trail that zigzags sharply, whether once or fifty times. A shoulder is a rise or small ridge. Exposure refers to an individual s level of risk of falling where a tumble would be fatal. A trail section described as airy is exposed to some degree, with drop-offs. Exercise extreme caution in such areas.
Parking is free at some THs, as with the first hikes described in the Oregon section. Other THs require a daily use fee, which can be covered by a Northwest Forest Pass in Oregon or a Northwest Forest Pass or Discover Pass in Washington. Both passes are good for one day ($5 to $10 per vehicle on average) or one year (about $30 to $35) and are available online, at ranger stations, and at many retail outlets. It s always helpful to look up your hike online for particulars on payment at the TH and to make sure trails are open. At times a trail may be inaccessible due to rock- or landslides, flooding, road closures, fires, snow, or for wildlife protection. Even the most popular trails can be inaccessible for quite a while, as when the hundred-year-old Benson Bridge near Multnomah Falls was struck and severely damaged by a large falling rock in early January 2014, closing easy access to several popular trails until Memorial Day. Similarly, a landslide a mile up Oneonta Trail late in 2014 took out the safest and easiest approaches to Triple Falls (and Upper Oneonta Falls) for several months into 2015. Check the following sites for trail and road conditions, updates on fording occasional creeks, pass information, and the latest trip reports:
www.fs.usda.gov/activity/crgnsa/recreation/hiking/?recid=29872 actid=50
gorgefriends.org
www.portlandhikers.org
www.wta.org
To be safe, avoid leaving any valuables in your vehicle before getting on the road. And if you feel the need to bring dogs remember the Gorge is not ideal for them considering the terrain, poison oak, ticks, and the likelihood of scaring off any wildlife, but if you must please follow the leash law in all areas for safety and for the courtesy of other hikers.
Of course, remember to be prepared no matter how short or long your day hike will be, especially October through April. Every year Search and Rescue (SAR) saves tourists and locals alike who come ill-equipped for quickly changing weather or get lost on one of many unmarked roads or trails not found on most maps. Keep in mind that the sun sets much earlier during fall and winter than in summer at this longitude. Conditions in the mountains, and specifically in the center of the Gorge, can change rapidly and may contrast drastically from that of Portland or The Dalles.
A dry, warm hiker is a happy hiker! Bring some if not all of the following on your day hike: your experience, a friend, lots of layers (polyester or not) including backup rain gear and dry socks, sunscreen, water or purifier, food, flashlight or headlamp, map or GPS or compass, fresh batteries, smartphone backup battery charger, first aid kit with an emergency blanket, lighters, knife, insect repellent, whistle-and a sense of humor.
OREGON
(West to East)
OREGON
1 Latourell Falls Loop
2 Shepperd s Dell Falls
3 Bridal Veil Falls
4 Pepper Mountain
5 Angel s Rest Loop

6 Devil s Rest Loop
7 Multnomah Falls
8 Wahkeena Falls Loop
9 Larch Mounta