Mountain River

I just watched this really great Oregon Experience on PBS titled "The River They Saw...", featuring the works of late-19th and early-20th Century photographers as a way to show how the Columbia used to look, especially before the dams, but also just before so many people were here.  It was absolutely mesmerizing for a photographer, and I know I will watch it a few more times (at least!) Several of the photographers worked in a style popular back then called 'painterly', and this photo of Trout Creek on a misty early morning sort of lent itself to that style. I admit it's a little weak on reflection, other than that great painterly light on the water!

Nevertheless, linking to Weekend Reflections.

Creekside

Such a cute little creek in the Gifford Pinchot forest.  

Last week it was mostly rocks, 

but after a few inches of rain over the weekend 

all the creeks and streams are full.

Panther Creek

Another version of 'Deep in the Woods', this time in a section of forest just upstream

from Panther Creek Falls (for a post showing the falls click here).

Deep in the Woods

Looks like it's going to be a colorful fall in Gifford Pinchot this year.

Hope the rain coming this week won't spoil it,
And won't bring snow to the mid elevations yet!
We went to Indian Heaven over the weekend, in search of fall color,
but it's already under a few feet of snow :(
And barely driveable in my minivan.

Downstream

Another reflection view of the lagoon portion of Falls Creek.  We hiked this trail again on Father's Day. It's not a difficult trail, but the ground does drop off on one side so I do spend the entire time looking at my footing and not pausing to look around more.  When you get to the falls, it's really overwhelming.  Last time I was here my camera picked that moment to stop working. I'm hoping to get it repaired, but in the meantime I had been wanting a new camera body so I did some shopping.  This time once I reached the falls, tripod in hand, I realized that the tripod attachment piece was still connected to my old camera sitting at home.  Sigh.  So that's my excuse for yet another reflection shot and nothing else on this hike.  Although those of you who have been following for a while know I can't really pass up a water reflection shot.

Linking to Weekend Reflections.

Falls Creek

...way downstream from the falls.

Linking to Weekend Reflections.

One Shot

Panther Creek Falls has definitely been one of the most difficult to access falls in the gorge for me. Yesterday was my second attempt to get there. The first was in the winter, but I didn't realize the elevation, didn't have tire chains, and eventually had to give up and turn around because of the snow level. So I waited a good long time for warm weather, and we had a fun family outing to the falls to celebrate the start of summer. There's a nice overlook at the top of the falls, as well as access to the base of the falls from a scary-sounding side path (according to my guidebook), we had to navigate "the steep path that requires some rock-climb moves to get to the lower path".  It took me a half hour to get up my nerve to try it, but I eventually scaled a short section of rock, and shimmied down another section with the aid of a climbing rope. It was actually pretty exhilarating! Only to find, once I reached the bottom, that my camera had low battery! I had left my bag behind and strapped my camera on my back for the climb down. My camera managed one shot, but didn't have the juice to process a second shot, hard as I tried. So this was a real Jim Brandenburg event for me, and I'm really thrilled with how my one chance photo turned out! Of course now I want to go back again, with a fully charged battery of course. 

A Closer Look

Another version of the pretty little stream I photographed on my drive in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest last week.  We'll have rushing water like this for a long time this year because of all our rain/snow.  I read in the paper that Mt. Hood has already gotten 324 inches, and that was last week.  This stream would have its origin closer to Mt. Adams, or possibly Mount St. Helens.

Curious Gorge

Well, no fabulous sunrises to report this week, but I did finally purchase a guide book I've been eyeing for the last few months.  Curious Gorge. It's filled with over 100 hikes and attractions in the Columbia River Gorge. I don't know why I didn't purchase it sooner.  I can't believe all the cool hidden stuff in the gorge, and I'm so excited to visit all the sites!  Today's trip was sort of a bust though.  Too much snow still on the road once it started climbing toward Mt. Adams, so I had to turn around and head back.  On the way back I stopped and took a few shots, just to console myself.  This mossy woodland scene was one of them. Rain, fog, snow about 2000', and moss, moss, moss!

A Quiet Moment

Tradition

Since moving to the West Coast four years ago we have a new holiday tradition, which is to get a Christmas Tree permit from the National Forest Service and find our Christmas tree in harvestable land in the nearby national forest.  In California that was Tahoe National Forest.  Here it's Gifford Pinchot National Forest.  I had been wanting the check out the Lower Lewis River Falls, so we headed deep into road NF-90 and visited the falls before hiking around and finding our tree.  Actually the woods were pretty thick around here, so I'm not sure this was our best location.  Next year I think we'll try a different spot.  But the National Forest is pretty huge so we have plenty of options.  The idea behind the Christmas tree harvesting is actually to help the forest grow by thinning out areas where the trees are growing to close together.  So an acceptable Christmas tree is growing within ten feet of another tree and has a base that is less than 6 inches in diameter. Plus whatever else you like in a Christmas tree.  I like space between the branches so the ornaments can hang freely; this makes a woodland tree a perfect choice for us!  And it's such a fun tradition!