Getting There

Take I-84 from Portland towards Cascade Locks. After the exit for Bonneville Dam, take the next exit (41): Eagle Creek Loop. There is a parking lot near the fish pools. There were a bunch of cars and a few people walking toward the trailhead. I figured I'd at least check out the end of the road for an empty spot. I cautiously drove toward the trailhead. A few people walked in the middle of the road but I waited patiently until they realized I was there and moved to the side.

As luck would have it, there was an open spot right near to the trailhead. A car beside me left shortly after I got there and truck left across the way. I watched two cars arrive and pull into them, then a third that had to go back toward I-84, sorry, not sorry.

The Hike

Length: 8.90 mi
Elev. gain: 1,693 ft
Moving time: 3:27:22
Total time: 3:35:44
Avg pace: 23:19
Calories: 1,827

Happy to finally get back on the trail. It's been 6 weeks since my last hike to No Name Lake. The last time I hiked Eagle Creek was January. I needed a get out in nature, even if the weather was cold and gray.

Today I went as far as Tenas Falls. (Someday I'll go up to Tunnel Falls and Wahtum Lake.) While I got a later start (1pm), I still encountered several pairs of hikers heading up the ravine with not much daylight remaining.

The first couple were about 4 miles up the trail, not dressed appropriately for the pending rain: cotton sweat pants and sweatshirt. They asked about a big waterfall. I said I wasn't aware of any beyond where we were (I didn't mention Wy'east Falls). I shrugged and pointed at Loowit Falls.

A bit further down I crossed paths with a couple and a dog. I didn't hear them until they came around a corner talking loudly. It caught me by surprise. I stepped out of they way since we were on a narrow part of the trail with a long, steep drop-off. They barely acknowledged me and didn't pause their conversation. Rude!

The next pair of hikers were probably college-aged, also traveling light and didn't seem to have any rain gear. I thought about the first pair I'd seen earlier and thought, they'll be fine since those others were heading up too and they could huddle together (or probably not), but not my problem.

When I reached the side trail for Punch Bowl Falls, a guy was on a knee doing something on the ground. A girl was standing over him looking down. I only caught a glimpse and my first thought was he was getting ready to propose. Good thing it was just a thought that I didn't verbalize. Awkward!

Down by the water, there wasn't much of a shoreline like there is in the summer when water levels are low. I enjoyed the scene for a second, then realized there were a couple of guys sitting on a log, one was smoking a joint. I turned around and started heading back up.

Back at the trail, the "proposal" couple was gone. I continued down toward the trailhead. The trail continues under the canopy of trees but I noticed then rain had increased when I reached the really narrow part of the trail with the cable and steep drop off. I was glad to have a rain coat but was missing my pack cover. I'm sure the tiny waterfalls were getting everything wet. (Turns about my pack cover was INSIDE my pack. D'oh.)

By the time I reached the parking lot, the rain was steady and it was getting pretty dark (around 4:45-5p). I did my best to store my wet pack, jacket, and boots as quickly as possible.

Definitely a little out of shape, need to get back to stretching and yoga.
My hips and knees are angy. 💯😂

As far as my hiking stats are concerned, I'm behind. After today's outing, I still have about 53.6 miles and 10,275 feet to go. There are just 44 days left in 2024.

From this time in 2023 to the end of the year, I completed just 6 more hikes for 34.31 miles and 10,382 feet. The elevation gain goal seems attainable but the distance might be too much to make up before New Year's Eve.

Tenas Falls

Punch Bowl Falls

Getting There

Take I-84 from Portland towards Cascade Locks. After the exit for Bonneville Dam, take the next exit (41): Eagle Creek Loop. There is a parking lot near the fish pools. I was surprised that there weren't any cars. I cautiously drove toward the trailhead. I stopped and parked near a bridge, still a bit of a road walk.

I noticed a car continue passed the bridge, so I took a chance and followed. As luck would have it, there was an open spot right next to the trailhead. Wow! This place is usually so packed when the weather is nice!

The Hike

Length: 8.53 mi
Elev. gain: 1,542 ft
Moving time: 3:14:18
Avg pace: 22:47
Calories: 425
Total time: 3:19:42

This is the first time on this trail in many years. The last time was with a coworker that was visiting from San Francisco. We hiked up to Punchbowl Falls. I remember parking at the 1st lot near the exit and it was nearly full. This might have been around 2014-2015.

Before that, I was here with Brian, Holly, and Andy and we had Miles, Jodie's black lab. I also remember hiking by myself once up to the first bridge that crossed the creek.

This was my first hike of 2024. I wanted something close to home since I got a later start. I decided against Wahkeena/Devil's Rest for my first hike of the year. Something familiar but new. It's always crowded in the summer and when the weather is good. I remember driving by this past summer and see cars parked on the shoulder of the freeway exit. Geesh!

This trail is the site of the 2017 Eagle Creek fires that devastated the Gorge. There was so many dead trees. Like Triple Falls in Oneonta Gorge, the forest is sparsely populated with young trees. The views are spectacular with deep ravine and sheer cliffs. The place demands respect and I certainly held onto the cables on the narrow sections.

I gave myself until about 3:30p before I had to hike back down. That gave me about an hour of daylight and about an hour or so for walking. I made it to the car without needing to get out my headlamp but it was close, very dark blue light. I wondered about the people I'd passed, and how they were faring in the darkness.

While it's not necessarily a trail for people afraid of heights, it doesn't offer much of a challenge, elevation wise, though I still got about 1500 feet of EG. I do want to return when I have a lot more time, and hike all the way up to Tunnel Falls, about twice as far as I got this time, just passed Four Mile Falls at the bridge that crosses back over the creek before Tenas Falls.

This trail (a segment of the PCT) and goes all the way to Wahtum Lake and beyond. That would be an overnight trek and chance to check out Chinidere Mountain (again) and Tomlike Mountain before returning to the start point.