Eagle Creek

We've finally started to have some good weather in Portland, and I've taken full advantage of it. Yesterday, I went on a 15 mile hike in the Columbia River Gorge, one of the most impressive areas around Portland. It has the highest concentration of waterfalls in North America. I saw at least a dozen on my hike up Eagle Creek, ranging from several feet high to a couple hundred feet high. I definitely miss living in the Rocky Mountains, but I keep telling myself that the Pacific Northwest has a different kind of beauty. I think this is it. My pictures don't even begin to do these waterfalls justice.

This hike was not for the faint of heart. Many sections of the trail were on narrow cliff ledges like this one, often hundreds of feet above the creek below.

This is Tunnel Falls, a 160 foot high waterfall with a tunnel through the cliff face directly behind it. You can see some people in the picture just to the left of the falls, about to enter the tunnel. 

About to go in the tunnel!

A scramble off of the main trail brought me to this waterfall. Standing at the base of it was like standing behind a jet engine in the rain. The wind created by the waterfall was intense! Hence the poor quality pictures. I was only willing to use my phone to take them, and the lens was constantly getting sprayed with water.

The treat of this waterfall was that I got to walk right behind it, which was the driest spot within 50 yards of it. 

I got soaked by the mist while I was checking this one out, but it was well worth it.

There are many more great pictures in my flickr album. I will definitely be back to this incredible area.

Here's a video taken next to Tunnel Falls.