Tenacious

AlanLichty

AlanLichty

Moderator
I took a hike up Eagle Creek in the Columbia River Gorge in the fall a few years back and on the way back down noticed a tree growing out of a crack in the cliffs that had some great colors and the contrasts to the deep blue sky just begged for a capture.

The downside was that the tree was straight up along a cliff face that had a trail carved out of the side of it so the perspective in this image is almost unsettling.

EagleCreekCliffsTree.jpg


The bad news is that this is directly above the place along the trail where the kids tossed their fireworks last fall so this is within a hundred feet or so from ground zero for the fire. My understanding is that the cliffs were severely damaged so I don't know whether this scene exists anymore. Odds don't favor the tree.

C&C always welcome.
 
Jim Dockery

Jim Dockery

Well-Known Member
Cool shot with great color. So sad about the fire, at least they caught the perps and convicted one. Will be interesting to get back down there over the next years.
 
JimFox

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
Hey Alan, what a cool perspective. I like this.

Too bad that this may be gone. I sure would like to get back in there to see the changes, but I am guessing that will be hard, and it may be even more crowded then it was before as people rush in. And if some of the trails are closed due to danger, that will funnel even more people through the other trails that are open.
 
AlanLichty

AlanLichty

Moderator
JimFox said:
Hey Alan, what a cool perspective. I like this.

Too bad that this may be gone. I sure would like to get back in there to see the changes, but I am guessing that will be hard, and it may be even more crowded then it was before as people rush in. And if some of the trails are closed due to danger, that will funnel even more people through the other trails that are open.
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The only trails that are open are in the immediate vicinity of Latourell Falls and the trail leading down to Bridal Veil Falls. All of the trails that go up from the bottom of the Gorge are closed as well as all of the Historic Highway between Bridal Veil Falls and Cascade Locks. They have folks stationed at the road closure locations because people have been trying to sneak in. You will get fined if you are caught in the closed portions. The first weekend after they open almost anything else up there is going to be a mad rush.
 
JimFox

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
AlanLichty said:
The only trails that are open are in the immediate vicinity of Latourell Falls and the trail leading down to Bridal Veil Falls. All of the trails that go up from the bottom of the Gorge are closed as well as all of the Historic Highway between Bridal Veil Falls and Cascade Locks. They have folks stationed at the road closure locations because people have been trying to sneak in. You will get fined if you are caught in the closed portions. The first weekend after they open almost anything else up there is going to be a mad rush.
Click to expand...
When are they opening it?
 
AlanLichty

AlanLichty

Moderator
JimFox said:
When are they opening it?
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My understanding is that trails are going to open one at a time as they stabilize and clear things enough for it to be safe. It may be a while before the old highway opens up since they are using it for the trucks hauling the burned trees out to a staging area to process. The trees are not going to a lumber mill and will be used to help salmon runs. I have not heard any specific dates yet but unlikely before June/July.
 
Jim Sanderson

Jim Sanderson

Well-Known Member
I haven't been up to Portland since the fire. I'm due to go up in a couple of months to visit an aunt and then head up to PA in Washington for a week or so. Do you think the trails might be open by May 1st?

As to the picture, I thought it might be on edge till I figured out what it was. Nice shot with an interesting perspective Alan.
 
AlanLichty

AlanLichty

Moderator
Jim Sanderson said:
I haven't been up to Portland since the fire. I'm due to go up in a couple of months to visit an aunt and then head up to PA in Washington for a week or so. Do you think the trails might be open by May 1st?

As to the picture, I thought it might be on edge till I figured out what it was. Nice shot with an interesting perspective Alan.
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I wouldn't hold out a lot of hope. At the moment ODOT is not willing to put dates on when they might open the historic highway and most of the trails start from there. Eagle Creek, McCord Creek (Elowah Falls), Oneonta, Wahclella Falls, and Angels Rest trails are unlikely to be open this year at all. Angels Rest is bare earth and visible from the air as there is no vegetation at all on that ridge. McCord Creek, Oneonta, and Wahclella are in a zone that is categorized as damaged down to root level. Eagle Creek itself isn't as badly burned at the creeks to the west of it.
 
Timmeh

Timmeh

Well-Known Member
Hey Alan,

What others have said! The blue and yellow contrast well, and the tree running parallel to the wall gives all the perspective info needed.

Tim
 
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