Getting There

I took I-84 and parked between the eastbound and westbound lanes. Real or imagined, I'm guessing this parking lot is "safer" than parking on the historic highway. Plus, there were a dozen or more LEOs (sheriffs? and a official 5th wheel) as there was SAR training banner displayed when I entered the parking lot.

The Hike

Length: 6.03 mi
Elev. gain: 1,647 ft
Moving time: 2:31:21
Total time: 2:35:46
Avg pace: 25:06
Calories: 1,527

It's been a minute since I was last here. March 18th, 2023 to be exact. It was 12 miler up to Devil's Rest via Wahkeena Falls, then over to the Larch Mountain trail and back down Wahkeena Trail. The first time in recent memory was New Year's Eve 2022 though I know I hike this trail (or parts of it in the last couple of decades but before I started keeping track.)

As mentioned in the previous post, I've been dealing with a sore foot, metatarsalgia since my trip to Bend. Neither hike were particularly technical or difficult (along the Deschutes, Green Lakes, Tumalo). The notable difference was that I did use my usual hiking boots (the Keen Targhee IIIs) and instead wore my Altra Lonepeaks, which are lightweight and have a thinner sole. I might have stepped awkwardly on a rock but I don't recall noticing the problem until after I'd returned home.

That was over 2 months ago and it's still a daily pain in the arse. Nevertheless, I'm growing impatient about being sidelined. I am close to my hiking goals (distance 365 miles, elevation gain 84,000 feet) but still not at 100%.

While I consider new hiking boots, I wanted to test my pain tolerance and if my impatience will ultimately lead to prolonged discomfort or I can gingerly get back out on the trail, at least on familiar ones. I decided on Wahkeena Falls and planned to play it by ear, giving myself an exit strategy if the pain flared up.
So long as I didn't flex my toes too much and selected flatter spots to land my foot, I figured I wouldn't aggravate my foot too much. As I progressed on the connector trail between the Multnomah Lodge and the Wahkeena parking lot, I wasn't sure, but after I made it to the paved trail and switchbacks, things started to feel better. My foot and muscles were warmed up.

At the junction for Lemmons Point, it was a no-brainer, I continued upwards. The switchbacks were a bit rocky but I found my line. I crossed the fallen boulders at Fairy Falls and found some wider path with few rocks.

My next abort point was junction for Devil's Rest and the Vista Point Trail. A woman was resting on a log next to her SO with a kid in her lab. The onesie jumpsuit the kid was were had little fuzzy ears on the top and it looked like a bear sitting there. I mentioned it and we both laughed.

I zoomed passed them. The ascent was over, roughly 1,550 feet of climb over 2.8 miles, I just had to take my time on a long downhill, 1,550 feet of descent over 3.2 miles.

When I got to the junction to head down, I continued up the trail to the bridge to have some water and a snack. I know the terrain above this point gets a bit rough though I've only seen it covered in snow.

The final descent was cool and straightforward. I took notice of the sections of the trail I remember treading extra cautiously over snow and ice and that part where one slip meant plunging into the fast moving river, cold, dangerous, and above a couple more waterfalls and debris. (shudder).

I skipped the top of the Multnomah Falls upper viewpoint. I've seen it and it's amazing but I have enough pictures from that spot.

I did take an unofficial trail up to a jagged ridge to have a look over the edge. Scary since it was a little sketchy and I didn't want to dislodge any rocks or stumble.

After the little detour, I was glad to be back on the flat, paved trail back to the parking lot.