Rodney Falls - Photo Credit: Julie Wyatt
Almost a year ago now, my then-girlfriend Lindsey told me that she was considering transferring from the school she was attending in Chicago, to a school in Portland, Oregon. She had said 'I can't ask you to come with me' but said I'd really like it there. At the time, I had no desire at all to go. But in the almost-five months that I've now lived here, I have come to absolutely love it here. And there's one thing here that fascinates and amazes me more than anything else: the waterfalls.
There are literally hundreds, and quite possibly even thousands of waterfalls at the nearby Columbia River Gorge. From the majestic and powerful Multnomah Falls, 620 feet tall with over a thousand gallons of water crashing down it every second, to the tiniest little streamlet trickling down a hill at the side of a hiking trail, waterfalls to me are one of the wonders of nature.
These things truly are breathtaking to me. Watching the water pour down a rock face, over the sides of a cliff, tumbling over boulders, or through a narrow gap between two sides of a canyon, I stand in awe, watching the water cascade in so many different shapes and forms, then see it splash down at the bottom. Then as I contemplate the sight of what I'm seeing, it strikes me how much water it takes. It's taking thousands of gallons of water to create every moment of this fantastic sight, and unimaginable quantities of it to maintain it permanently. I stand awestruck every time I visit one.
Of the larger waterfalls (the ones that have names, that is), I've probably been to about 15 or 20 so far. My "to-do list" of waterfalls includes a good dozen more that I haven't had a chance to see yet, not only around the Gorge but a few around Mount Hood as well. I take one of these trips when I have the time and the weather is cooperating. I get the opportunity about once a month or so. Seeing them often involves hikes that are a few miles round-trip, and are largely uphill to get to the waterfall, and the effort leaves me tired and sore by the time I get back, but its always worth it.
My most recent trip was to Beacon Rock State Park on the Washington side of the Gorge. At the end of this all-uphill hike is Rodney Falls, which is in the photo at the top of this blog entry. The view in the photo is from a bridge on the trail that passes over the waterfall. If you look closer at the photo, you'll notice near the top of the waterfall that there's a railing there. This is a look-out point for one feature of Rodney Falls that is so spectacular and incredible that it has its own - Pool of the Winds:
Pool of the Winds - Photo Credit: Steve Hart
Created a channel in the rocks at the top of Rodney Falls, the spray of water creates a rainbow of you're looking at it from the proper angle, as shows a bit in the photo. The cascading water in such a small space creates an air current that blows wind and spray out at you that makes it feel like an air conditioner is blowing in your face. Though I've only been here once so far, this is now one of my favorite places to go to in the Gorge.
So are so many beautiful places that I have trouble deciding where I want to go next. I can't wait for my next chance. Want to join me?
