Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
PCT 2002 - August 29th
Day 128: Thursday 29th August Wahtum Lake – Rock Creek
I had just finished packing up and was about to leave at 7am when “Lemstar”
(Melanie), from New York, an AT veteran from 1997, came though. She had also started
at the kick-off party and was now doing high mileages, having walked all the way from
Timberline Lodge to Indian Spring yesterday and already been walking over an hour this
morning. She was intending to spend a couple of days at Cascade Locks organising her
supplies for the remainder of the route to the Canadian border. She had run a dance
group for a time and had had to give up her job as a Charity fundraiser to attempt her
hike.
I walked the 18 miles with her to the Columbia River at Cascade Locks. The
Columbia River was the lowest point on the PCT at 280ft and we were facing a 4,000 ft
descent. We followed the example of the majority of thru-hikers and left the PCT at
Wahtum Lake to follow the Eagle Creek Trail. Eagle Creek has cut deep into the
volcanic lavas, and drops down the 4,000ft with the help of a succession of waterfalls
falling into deep pools. In places the canyon is a vertical sided gorge with the path
following precarious rock-ledges. At one point the trail goes through a tunnel blasted out
of the rock to pass behind the biggest fall, known as Tunnel Falls. The PCT cannot follow
this trail since it would be extremely dangerous for horses. I was surprised to see an
Osprey flying down the canyon. Towards the bottom of the canyon we started meeting
the tourists, who flock to see this gorge. At the bottom we came within sight and sound
of Interstate Highway 84, which we had to parallel to Cascade Locks. Initially this was
along the old Columbia River Road, which in the 1920’s was one of the first roads,
outside of the towns, in the west to be paved.
Cascade Locks had been built to allow navigation past the rapids when the Columbia
River was free running, with a drop of 50ft in 6 miles. The damming of the river in the
1930’s led to the flooding of the locks and the loss of importance of the small town. I had
a meal at one of the cafes, where I met John who was also spending a couple of days in
town to organise supplies. A lot of hikers were expected in town over the next 24 hours
to get their supplies from the Post Office before it closed for 3 days over the Labour Day
weekend. I only needed the Post office to post out films and journals as I had my
supplies a couple of days further up the trail. I tried to avoid using Post Offices, as they
were never open when you wanted them.
The Columbia River was crossed on the Bridge of the Gods, possibly the most
dangerous part of the PCT walking across the busy narrow toll bridge with no footpath
for pedestrians. The bridge was named after an Indian legend of a “Bridge of the Gods”
at this point where a giant landslide is believed to have fallen from the unstable north
wall of the Columbia River temporarily damming the river. There is certainly evidence
that there was a natural dam here about 6,000 years ago. This bridge was the border
between Oregon and Washington.
The Lewis and Clark Trail followed the Colorado River in these parts.
From here the official PCT takes a circuitous route through the hills to the NW,
presumably because permission could not be obtained to route the trail more directly
north. Many thru-hikers follow the main road for about 15 miles to cut out about two
days hiking. I wasn’t going to do this but I decided to rejoin the PCT via Rock Creek
where some hot springs were marked on the map. The bulk of this route was on jeep
trails and it probably saved about 10 miles of walking. I didn’t find the hot springs, but I
gather they are now just seepage from a pipe. At one time the hot water was piped down
the valley to one of the hotels, but now it just flowed into a muddy puddle. I heard a lot
of noise coming from below me where jeep track 2,030 crossed Rock Creek. Before I
arrived some boys had been jumping off the high bridge into the deep rock pool below
the bridge. It was about the same height as the high platform at a swimming pool and
much higher than I would consider safe.
I found a spot just big enough to put my tent for the night and then climbed down to
the rock pool and dived off the rocks into the cool water. The site was a mess with lots of
cans, bottles and broken glass around the pool. Why do Americans still sell most of
their beer in bottles rather than in cans? I had a photo from the trail in Oregon of a
notice explaining how long litter takes to degrade in the environment and perhaps it
should be posted at all places in the wilderness with car access.
At over 24 miles this was my highest mileage on the PCT. 4,000ft of descent,
followed by road and jeep track walking is easy in terms of energy usage, but it is hard
on the feet.
Day 128: 24.4 miles 8.40 hours Camp: Rock Creek
I had just finished packing up and was about to leave at 7am when “Lemstar”
(Melanie), from New York, an AT veteran from 1997, came though. She had also started
at the kick-off party and was now doing high mileages, having walked all the way from
Timberline Lodge to Indian Spring yesterday and already been walking over an hour this
morning. She was intending to spend a couple of days at Cascade Locks organising her
supplies for the remainder of the route to the Canadian border. She had run a dance
group for a time and had had to give up her job as a Charity fundraiser to attempt her
hike.
I walked the 18 miles with her to the Columbia River at Cascade Locks. The
Columbia River was the lowest point on the PCT at 280ft and we were facing a 4,000 ft
descent. We followed the example of the majority of thru-hikers and left the PCT at
Wahtum Lake to follow the Eagle Creek Trail. Eagle Creek has cut deep into the
volcanic lavas, and drops down the 4,000ft with the help of a succession of waterfalls
falling into deep pools. In places the canyon is a vertical sided gorge with the path
following precarious rock-ledges. At one point the trail goes through a tunnel blasted out
of the rock to pass behind the biggest fall, known as Tunnel Falls. The PCT cannot follow
this trail since it would be extremely dangerous for horses. I was surprised to see an
Osprey flying down the canyon. Towards the bottom of the canyon we started meeting
the tourists, who flock to see this gorge. At the bottom we came within sight and sound
of Interstate Highway 84, which we had to parallel to Cascade Locks. Initially this was
along the old Columbia River Road, which in the 1920’s was one of the first roads,
outside of the towns, in the west to be paved.
Cascade Locks had been built to allow navigation past the rapids when the Columbia
River was free running, with a drop of 50ft in 6 miles. The damming of the river in the
1930’s led to the flooding of the locks and the loss of importance of the small town. I had
a meal at one of the cafes, where I met John who was also spending a couple of days in
town to organise supplies. A lot of hikers were expected in town over the next 24 hours
to get their supplies from the Post Office before it closed for 3 days over the Labour Day
weekend. I only needed the Post office to post out films and journals as I had my
supplies a couple of days further up the trail. I tried to avoid using Post Offices, as they
were never open when you wanted them.
The Columbia River was crossed on the Bridge of the Gods, possibly the most
dangerous part of the PCT walking across the busy narrow toll bridge with no footpath
for pedestrians. The bridge was named after an Indian legend of a “Bridge of the Gods”
at this point where a giant landslide is believed to have fallen from the unstable north
wall of the Columbia River temporarily damming the river. There is certainly evidence
that there was a natural dam here about 6,000 years ago. This bridge was the border
between Oregon and Washington.
The Lewis and Clark Trail followed the Colorado River in these parts.
From here the official PCT takes a circuitous route through the hills to the NW,
presumably because permission could not be obtained to route the trail more directly
north. Many thru-hikers follow the main road for about 15 miles to cut out about two
days hiking. I wasn’t going to do this but I decided to rejoin the PCT via Rock Creek
where some hot springs were marked on the map. The bulk of this route was on jeep
trails and it probably saved about 10 miles of walking. I didn’t find the hot springs, but I
gather they are now just seepage from a pipe. At one time the hot water was piped down
the valley to one of the hotels, but now it just flowed into a muddy puddle. I heard a lot
of noise coming from below me where jeep track 2,030 crossed Rock Creek. Before I
arrived some boys had been jumping off the high bridge into the deep rock pool below
the bridge. It was about the same height as the high platform at a swimming pool and
much higher than I would consider safe.
I found a spot just big enough to put my tent for the night and then climbed down to
the rock pool and dived off the rocks into the cool water. The site was a mess with lots of
cans, bottles and broken glass around the pool. Why do Americans still sell most of
their beer in bottles rather than in cans? I had a photo from the trail in Oregon of a
notice explaining how long litter takes to degrade in the environment and perhaps it
should be posted at all places in the wilderness with car access.
At over 24 miles this was my highest mileage on the PCT. 4,000ft of descent,
followed by road and jeep track walking is easy in terms of energy usage, but it is hard
on the feet.
Day 128: 24.4 miles 8.40 hours Camp: Rock Creek
Lemstar
Eagle Creek
Tunnel Falls
Bridge of the Gods
Lewis and Clark Trail sign
 |  |
| |