EAGLE CREEK: Spawning Chinook: October 2014

Over the past few months, we've been on a quest to find the the best spots to catch the salmon running. We have taken family and friends to the ladder windows at  Bonneville Dam, as well as the Bonneville hatchery to catch a glimpse of the hard working fishies. We visited Eagle Creek in late October to find a massive amount of very tired, and very determined, mostly Chinook, salmon. 

(and also several very dead, if you can't handle heavy smells maybe this isn't for you, or at least just stay further down the creek towards the river).



Flying Salmon!

Chanterelle Hunt November 2014: Gifford Pinchot/Panther Creek Wilderness

A few of us from work went Chanterelle hunting last weekend, we pulled off on Warren Gap Road in the Panther Creek Wilderness, and walked down a trail for a quarter mile, we found several magical spots filled with Chanterelles as well as other beautiful mushrooms. It was my favorite mushroom hunting trip to date.

We came back to carson via a loop to Panther Creek Road. We decided to sneak in a trip to Panther Creek Falls. This is very hard to see if you have never stopped before, above is the only sign at the trail head on the north side of the road, but it may be easier to look for the gravel pull out.

Rob with his treasures.

 Lower Panther Creek Falls

Photo Credit: Dale Davis, Lower Panther Creek Falls

 Daydreaming in fairy land.

 Dale looking adorable as ever.

INDIAN RACETRACK HIKE: Falls Creek Horse Camp Trailhead

LINK FOR DIRECTIONS: http://www.portlandhikersfieldguide.org/wiki/Indian_racetrack_hike

Not too much to stay about this hike. We had a great time, but we zigged where we should have zagged and did a completely random trail that ended nowhere. Read your directions/map! This time of year the whole Indian Heaven area is loaded with mosquitoes, so beware of that as well.

Note: Park your car at the trailhead sign, then turnaround and cross the forest road and enter the trail that way. If you go straight into the forest from the trailhead, you end up with a nice jaunt in the woods, but I'm sure the other way is better!

Wildflower!



Cicada and former Cicada! 



The Girls!

PANTHER CREEK FALLS: Skamania County, Washington

Click the link for directions on this secret magic beauty.

http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/nws/falls.php?num=5248

So we've been on a losing streak trying to get to high-ish elevation trails lately. We've been getting turned around by snow on a pretty regular basis, as is pretty common this time of year. On this particular day, we were heading for some hiking in the Indian Heaven area, but got turned around well short of our goal (miles before the trailhead, even!). So we took the hounds on some forest roads to stretch our legs. On the way back down Panther Creek Rd., Virginia noticed a deck that appeared to be hanging over a bluff in the middle of the woods. We were unfortunately out of time for the day, so we had to split. When we returned a week later, we found the very short trail down to the Panther Creek Falls overlook. What a great spot! There are two trails, one very steep descent to get down to the bottom of the falls, and another well-maintained and very east stroll to the overlook.  

The steep trail down to the base of the falls. Someone has tied off some climbing ropes to assist with the descent.

One of several roads we ran in to that were snowed in. We will have to come back later in the spring to hike Indian Heaven.

Bat-dog.

Cape Horn overlook. The first time I've ever actually stopped to snap a photo of this view of Hwy 14, so "gorge-ous", get it? OK OK, lame I know.

A few photos from our first attempt to find Panther Creek Falls. We ended up driving up a random forest road and taking a long walk in the rain, then stopped by the still-closed Panther Creek Campground.

ANGELS REST: Popular for Good Reason

http://www.portlandhikersfieldguide.org/wiki/Angels_rest

Angels Rest is a very popular hiking destination for Northwest natives, as well as tourists, it is along a belt of well traveled hikes along the south side of the gorge, along the Historic Columbia River Highway. The hike itself is 4.8 miles round trip, and the spectacular views at the top are what makes it so well loved, it is quite breathtaking, even on a foggy day, it's heavenly, and you should definitely see it for yourself!

A heads up for hikers with canines, the trail is dog friendly (though there is a sign to leash your dogs at the trailhead). However, depending on how "cliff friendly" your dog is, you may want to leash them at the top because there are cliff sides and drop offs that would most definitely be a fatal fall for humans and dogs. Maggie will jump off anything for the right sized pica or bird, so we leash her at the top! Bring the kids and the whole family on this hike, it's by no means difficult, and you won't regret it!

Taken from Portland Hikers Field Guide :"If you want a longer hike, you may visit Devil's Rest, a forested summit about 850 feet above Angel's Rest (just head up on the main trail away from the river, and keep right at the junction at 0.2 miles). Although there are no views at Devil's Rest, it is a pleasant forest walk - and an added exercise. Or you may do even longer Angel's Rest-Devil's Rest Loop Hike and visit a couple of great viewpoints just off-trail east of Devil's Rest."

View looking westbound not quite to the top

This area is running wild with picas!

My Maggles