Memaloose Creek – South Fork Clackamas river falls, Aug 12th

Several years ago, Erin Saver, a good friend of mine and long distance hiker, sent me the coordinates for three relatively close geocaches close to some hidden waterfalls. I did check where those were but never made a point to actually go there until now. I started by mapping those points in a map and soon found that there was a “hidden” route in that location. That set my wheels in motion to find as much info as a could to finally go and check it out. While doing that, I learned the area had some history to it. Along the South Fork Clackamas there was, at some point in history, a project to build a small dam. Tunnels were blasted thru the rocky mountains to create a path for the water pipes and a dirt road was opened to access all that. The dam does not exist anymore but the pipe and tunnels are still there plus a lot of relics and small structures with valves and pipes. IN that same read, I also learned that getting there was no easy task, it required descending to the canyon using ropes, crossing bridges and even getting our feet wet. All that called for an adventure and of we went. The first hurdle we found was that NF-45 was closed at the bridge over the Clackamas river due to a washout. That was no big issue but forced us to park on the side of the road and add about a mile to our loop. So, we walked up the road until we found the little, unsigned urn-off heading to the canyon. It was a normal foot path like what you would find in an open field in the middle of nowhere. Soon we got to a point where the fun was about to begin. The path made a quick turn and started heading down and we noticed a rope tied to a tree to aid in the descent.

Later we would find that his was the first of several ropes we used on that first section just to descend from the path down to the creek. It felt like we were getting into the middle of the jungle until we found a sign informing on things to avoid to save the bats (?). Once down in the canyon, we followed a snaky rocky path until a tunnel appeared in front of us. Also, the first of several we would find. This tunnel was not long and didn’t have a pipe. It looked more like a tunnel to drive thru it (it was that big). On the other side, we continued descending and finally got to a concrete structure that looked like the base for a small power house or valve house. The trail seemed to disappear at that point so we had to explore a bit to find it again. The space opened a bit and it became easier to follow the path as it almost looked like a very old and overgrown road. Along it we found fittings, valves and a structure that we didn’t know what it was. The only remains are the ghostly looking aligned stumps.

Further down from there we got to a bridge big enough for a small truck. The bridge itself was pretty sturdy but it had a gaping hole from erosion. There was a nailed down board on the side connecting the road with the bridge that made it walkable. Jumping on that bridge was like jumping back in time. On the other side of the bridge was the actual old road and we found a big valve at that point. From this point, we had waterfalls upstream and downstream of us so my plan was first to head upstream as far as we could go and then retrace back to this spot and continue down. It seemed from the map that there was a trail or path along the Clackamas back to the bridge so I was thinking of taking that route afterwards to get back to the car – we will get to that in a bit….
For a little bit, we walked upstream in the canyon without any views or anything interesting until we got to the second “bridge”… It wasn’t really a bride or better yet, maybe it was at some point. What remained there was the pipe and two logs going over a small canyon. There were remains of tie downs but it seems a fire run thru and those were lost. The logs ae sturdy but you need some nerve to walk on those. Luckily there’s a path around it that requires a bit of bushwhacking and get you to the other side where you continue on another tunnel. The other thing you find when you get to this bridge though, is the first waterfall. We crossed the tunnel and then decided to bushwhack and scramble our way down to the creek to get to the base of the waterfall. It was just majestic and impressive. Certainly, worth the trip.

After several pictures and a scramble up the ravine, we continued thru the longest tunnel on this route that heads uphill quite steeply. At the other end, you can access the top of the waterfall where you discover it’s a multi-tier fall. At this point, the path just disappears and there are no more pipes or relics. Still, we continued upstream, first trying to keep our feet dry but then just splashing thru the river. We found several smaller falls and really beautiful scenery up until a swimming hole and waterfall where we stopped for lunch.

We then returned to the junction without any stops and continued on the next leg of the adventure heading downstream. There weren’t more tunnels as such on the way down but we did pass several rock arches as the canyon started to open. After one of those, we heard the roar of another waterfall and shortly afterward we found a rope tied to a tree. The message was clear to us, grab the rope and go down. This second waterfall was a bit shorter than the first but equally majestic as it sat in a rock cirque. There were several logs on either side that framed the fall and gave it perspective. Truly impressive.

Then came the hard part. We followed the path further down and finally made it to the Clackamas river which we needed to cross to get back to the car. So, we started hiking towards the bridge on the river edge. At a point, we had to get out feet wet as there was no other choice. We found ourselves with no easy route to follow. We knew that the access forest road was just above us at that point so we decided to bushwhack our way up – bad idea. Not only the ground is loose but also there’s soot and ashes from an old fire. If that’s not enough, the only things you can try to grab on are thorny berries bushes. It was torturous getting back to the road from thee but we finally made it and walked our way back to the cars. Definitely worth the trip as long as you avoid the bushwhack

You can see the rest of the pictures here

Interactive map

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Enchanted Valley, Aug 4th to 6th

Enchanted Valley is one of those magical places I’ve been waiting for a while to do. Part of it is because the frequent encounters with black bears and then because this area is known for its beauty and gigantic trees so when Pete posted this trip for the group I jumped right in. My idea had always been to camp at the chalet but since this wasn’t my trip, I followed Pete’s plan that ended up being setting up a vase camp somewhere along the route and then explore for the day. That worked pretty well to get to know the area and even gave us the opportunity to explore of trail for a bit. The only unfortunate thing was the smoke. With all the firs in the region, the sky remained orange for the whole three days. Not sure if that was the reason or because the temperatures were pretty warm that we didn’t see bears. Still, it was an amazing trip and an area I’ll probably visit again.


Day 1: Trailhead to Pyrites Camp

After several hours on the car, we got to the trailhead at around noon and quickly grabbed our gear and started on the trail. I knew it wasn’t going to be a long hike and looking at the destination elevation it didn’t seem it was going to be that hard either.

Most of the trail follows the Quinault River pretty close crossing it a couple of times. As you get into the forest, you’re quickly welcomed by gigantic trees, the sound of rushing water and some limited views of river valleys. Not far from the trailhead though you start getting tired and suddenly you realize there’s lots of ups and downs so even though the destination is not too high, the hike to it was going to be a workout. As we hiked up, I lost count of how many creeks we crossed, some dry and some running very low, before we got to camp. Finally, we got to an opening with a lot of campsites on both sides of the trail. Looking at a map we realized we were at Pyrites which was Pete’s plan. We scouted the sites and set up camp for the night. From our sites, we had direct access to the river so we spent a lot of time next to the water while we had dinner, build some cairns and looked at the surrounding scenery

Day 2: Exploring from Pyrites Camp to Oldest Hemlock Site

We woke up to a very smoky day. From our camp, and later from the trail, it was hard to see anything in the distance. We also saw the sun come from the ridge as a bright orange ball. I can’t say that breathing the smoke was nice as you could certainly tell. That also made the day get warm pretty quick. Even with that, we headed upstream passing even more creeks and getting more magnificent forest views that looked a bit different than what they would normally look given the orange glow. We only saw a couple of openings that, on clear days must offer nice views of the ridge line above. Then we got to high bridge. As the name implies, it’s a high bridge hat has a single handrail. Crossing is not for the faint of heart or those who don’t feel at ease with a high drop off on the side. Further from there we could see the valley opening towards were he chalet is. We meandered thru the forest until we finally saw our first stop. The historic chalet sits on the river bank but not where it used to be. About a year or two ago, the river was eating out the flank and was threatening to take the chalet with it. On a huge effort by the Forest Service, he entire structure was moved a couple hundred feet inland to preserve it. Looking at the structure, we imagined it might have been an incredible task. We stopped there for snacks and to admire some waterfalls on the faces of the mountain on our side. It was a pretty sight even though it was very smoky. We spread out afterwards so I went further up until I found a side trail to a site where he oldest registered hemlock is. I can’t say I was impressed. Yes, it was a very big tree but nothing more. On the way, there though I did notice across the river some snow caves that were almost calling my name. On the way down, I made a point to find a route and see if I could cross the river to explore those a bit. I found an animal path from the trail that got rough quickly but eventually took me to the river only to find Pete, Steve and Cynthia already there. They had found another path on a trail to the river so they didn’t have to bushwhack. We looked for places where we could hop on rocks and cross the river but found none. Not wanting to take our shoes of we opted for crossing like that and then letting our shoes dry. The crossing was easier than what I expected and from there was just a scramble up to the mouth of the first cave. That cave was not very long and had three tunnels inside. We walked in and took some pictures despite all the water coming from the ceiling.

After that, Pete, Steve and Cynthia left heading back to camp and I went uphill trying to take some extra pictures. I was recalling a second set of caves not too far from where I was so I bushwhacked my way to those as well. After some pictures, I headed back to the river and the trail. On my way, back to camp I made several detours to small waterfalls to take some more pictures. I remained in the lookout for bears but never saw any.

Day 3: Pyrites Camp to trailhead

Since we had a long drive back home Pete asked everyone to be ready to hike out early in the morning. By 8 AM we were already on the trail for the hike out. The orange continued but his time, since we were heading out, we just marched our way back to the trailhead. It certainly was a nice outing that needs to be repeated in better conditions.

You can see the rest of the pictures here

Interactive map

To see the full map, click here

A note about the Eagle Creek Fire

If you leave in Oregon, although I think the news have already traveled far, you know about the Eagle Creek Fire. It started this past Saturday when, allegedly, some kids where throwing smoke bombs down the canyon. I was backpacking at the moment but learned about it on my way home and had to drive by it. This is what I saw

Needless to say, it was scary. At that moment, I couldn’t even realize the magnitude and the implication of the fire. It just looked like an inferno. Later, while listening to the news, I learned about the teenager that seems to have started this. In my process, I went thru anger. I wanted to know who he was and why he did it. Most importantly, I wanted something to happen to him, something really bad; something make him pay for what he did. To make him understand the implications. After hundreds of notes and articles and comments on-line, I finally realized that yes, we do have the right to be mad at the kid, we have the right to be mad at the parents that didn’t teach him that every action has consequences. I’m not going to lie, I still feel a bit that way, but the fire could have been caused by lighting as well. The result is the same. When I understood or realized that, pain settled in and I cried. I cried because I realized that I have hiked most, if not all the trails in that area. That I know the turns, switchbacks, markers and some forgotten trails that are no longer used. That I have countless memories and friendships that stared there. Now, all that forest with its tall trees and trails is something we will never get to see again in our lifetimes. Certainly, the mountain will recover and flowers will show and new views will appear, but who knows how long that will take. With that uncertainty, I felt my call, a call to do something. So, I started contacting people and becoming a member of Trail Keepers of Oregon. My plan is to find ways to help rebuild, however I can, so future generations can enjoy the Gorge as I have. I feel is the least I can do for all that I’ve gotten from it.