charlybldr
08-17-2005, 05:48 PM
OZ/US Northwest Rendezvous
Friday July 29
Oneota Creek
Participants: Rob Cobb, Joe Bugden, John Hart, Dave Haavik and Charly Oliver
The afternoon high broke 90 and Rob, Joe and John were pretty beat after the Devil’s Club debacle escaping from Unicorn Creek. So as we left Rainier NP later that afternoon Joe immediately checked in to nap mode (in spite of his best efforts to the contrary) and Rob found himself continually nodding out at the wheel. When we stopped for gas Rob jumped out of the truck and categorically refused to drive any further. Needless to say the three-hour drive down to Oregon that evening was out of the question. Instead we grabbed snacks, topped up the fuel tanks and headed back to our campsite at Summit Creek. Beer and brats for dinner finished everyone off and it was no problem hitting the sack at dusk in anticipation of an early start the next morning.
We arrived in the Columbia River gorge mid-morning and managed to secure one of the last campsites available, smack dab in the middle of Winnebegoville. Campers as large as a house all around us, generators rumbling away powering air conditioners, TV’s and microwave ovens. Now that’s campin’. This combined with our close proximity to the highway and the odd train rumbling through without warning created an ambience that ca not be compared. With tent set up and fee paid we were off to Oneota Creek, a true roadside gem located a short distance down the road on the south side of the Columbia River gorge.
Oneota Creek drains from the Northwest flanks of Mount Hood and the State Park, which bears its name, offers scenic day hikes to visitors to the Columbia River gorge. The steep trail is squeezed between the toes of Mount Hood on one side and the frontage road, railroad tracks, Interstate highway and the Columbia River on the other. An hour or so later we arrived at the footbridge, which crosses Oneota Creek just above Triple Falls, the entry point for this canyon. It seems that whenever anchors are within the proximity of a trail hikers just can’t resist removing them. Oneota was no exception. With the primary anchor gone, our alternative was a huge tree that had fallen into the creek-bed. Although it wasn’t ideally positioned over the drop, it provided a reasonable alternative. An important consideration when choosing anchors in these canyons is how their location will affect wear and tear on the thick moss that seems to cover every available damp surface. The original anchor at this drop directed the rappel in the watercourse avoiding this problem. The location of the alternative anchor, although acceptable, was not as good.
The first drop at Triple Falls is very scenic with numerous points along the trail from which to watch intrepid canyoners begin their journey. It also commits you to the next section of the canyon with no easy escape until after the second drop. Typically thick mosses and ferns covered the cliff walls and the clear, cold water pouring over the falls and backlit by sunlight created a sparkling extravaganza. Stone colored Water Ouzels seemed to be around every turn dipping up and down and diving into the water for tasty tidbits. Rob even found another snake to torture Joe. This one didn’t like the idea of being caught and was quite a handful squirming wildly until it finally settled down. There’s also a cool “historic� anchor at the second drop. A descending ring sticks out at the base of a tree, its nylon sling long since covered by bark. Stream hiking with swims spaced perfectly to avoid overheating continued down to the final drop.
Egress from the canyon is after the short drop just above the bridge spanning the gorge above the last waterfall. An easy scramble gets you back to the trail on canyon left to a short hike back to the car. This exit avoids rappelling the last waterfall and for a good reason. The walls of the canyon surrounding this last waterfall are covered with an amazing garden of moss and hanging ferns, nothing like I’ve ever seen before. And I mean this. I had seen photographs of this waterfall and although beautiful, they simply could not do it justice. Rappelling through the moss and ferns would be absolutely unavoidable at this drop. Because these plants are so fragile and a regular “trail� would quickly appear it is inadvisable to rappel this last drop. Instead, it is an easy and wonderful hike up from the bottom to view the waterfall.
Damaging the view of this incredible waterfall would be a terrible thing and would significantly diminish the experience for anyone hiking up from the bottom. Protection of the local flora is of great concern to Oregon State Parks. Damaging this resource would not make them happy and could possibly result in access problems in the future. This canyon is exceptional and loss of access would be a terrible shame. Please respect this beautiful place and do not rappel this last drop. Without a doubt though, you should not miss the short hike back up from the bottom for a look. It is one of the most incredible places I’ve ever seen.
Friday July 29
Oneota Creek
Participants: Rob Cobb, Joe Bugden, John Hart, Dave Haavik and Charly Oliver
The afternoon high broke 90 and Rob, Joe and John were pretty beat after the Devil’s Club debacle escaping from Unicorn Creek. So as we left Rainier NP later that afternoon Joe immediately checked in to nap mode (in spite of his best efforts to the contrary) and Rob found himself continually nodding out at the wheel. When we stopped for gas Rob jumped out of the truck and categorically refused to drive any further. Needless to say the three-hour drive down to Oregon that evening was out of the question. Instead we grabbed snacks, topped up the fuel tanks and headed back to our campsite at Summit Creek. Beer and brats for dinner finished everyone off and it was no problem hitting the sack at dusk in anticipation of an early start the next morning.
We arrived in the Columbia River gorge mid-morning and managed to secure one of the last campsites available, smack dab in the middle of Winnebegoville. Campers as large as a house all around us, generators rumbling away powering air conditioners, TV’s and microwave ovens. Now that’s campin’. This combined with our close proximity to the highway and the odd train rumbling through without warning created an ambience that ca not be compared. With tent set up and fee paid we were off to Oneota Creek, a true roadside gem located a short distance down the road on the south side of the Columbia River gorge.
Oneota Creek drains from the Northwest flanks of Mount Hood and the State Park, which bears its name, offers scenic day hikes to visitors to the Columbia River gorge. The steep trail is squeezed between the toes of Mount Hood on one side and the frontage road, railroad tracks, Interstate highway and the Columbia River on the other. An hour or so later we arrived at the footbridge, which crosses Oneota Creek just above Triple Falls, the entry point for this canyon. It seems that whenever anchors are within the proximity of a trail hikers just can’t resist removing them. Oneota was no exception. With the primary anchor gone, our alternative was a huge tree that had fallen into the creek-bed. Although it wasn’t ideally positioned over the drop, it provided a reasonable alternative. An important consideration when choosing anchors in these canyons is how their location will affect wear and tear on the thick moss that seems to cover every available damp surface. The original anchor at this drop directed the rappel in the watercourse avoiding this problem. The location of the alternative anchor, although acceptable, was not as good.
The first drop at Triple Falls is very scenic with numerous points along the trail from which to watch intrepid canyoners begin their journey. It also commits you to the next section of the canyon with no easy escape until after the second drop. Typically thick mosses and ferns covered the cliff walls and the clear, cold water pouring over the falls and backlit by sunlight created a sparkling extravaganza. Stone colored Water Ouzels seemed to be around every turn dipping up and down and diving into the water for tasty tidbits. Rob even found another snake to torture Joe. This one didn’t like the idea of being caught and was quite a handful squirming wildly until it finally settled down. There’s also a cool “historic� anchor at the second drop. A descending ring sticks out at the base of a tree, its nylon sling long since covered by bark. Stream hiking with swims spaced perfectly to avoid overheating continued down to the final drop.
Egress from the canyon is after the short drop just above the bridge spanning the gorge above the last waterfall. An easy scramble gets you back to the trail on canyon left to a short hike back to the car. This exit avoids rappelling the last waterfall and for a good reason. The walls of the canyon surrounding this last waterfall are covered with an amazing garden of moss and hanging ferns, nothing like I’ve ever seen before. And I mean this. I had seen photographs of this waterfall and although beautiful, they simply could not do it justice. Rappelling through the moss and ferns would be absolutely unavoidable at this drop. Because these plants are so fragile and a regular “trail� would quickly appear it is inadvisable to rappel this last drop. Instead, it is an easy and wonderful hike up from the bottom to view the waterfall.
Damaging the view of this incredible waterfall would be a terrible thing and would significantly diminish the experience for anyone hiking up from the bottom. Protection of the local flora is of great concern to Oregon State Parks. Damaging this resource would not make them happy and could possibly result in access problems in the future. This canyon is exceptional and loss of access would be a terrible shame. Please respect this beautiful place and do not rappel this last drop. Without a doubt though, you should not miss the short hike back up from the bottom for a look. It is one of the most incredible places I’ve ever seen.