eagle creek trail: tunnel falls

Yesterday I celebrated my birthday by going on a hiking trip to Tunnel Falls at Eagle Creek in the Gorge. It is one I have never been on and I wanted to explore a new place. Aaron and I got off to a late start and didn't make it to Eagle Creek until around 1pm. The initial plan was to go all the way to Tunnel Falls, from the trailhead to the Falls would be 6 miles. Because of our late start I told Aaron that we should just go as far as Punch Bowl Falls, which is about 3 or so miles in and reserve the Tunnel Falls for another date. 

The beginning of the hike, as any other hike I do, I am slow and tire easy. I eventually have to use my inhaler and take breather breaks. We did notice however, that the amounts of my breaks have decreased quite a bit since I have started CrossFit. I am much better shape now than I was a year ago. We reached Punch Bowl Falls around 4 or 4:30pm and did not expect it to be as crowded as it was. There were a lot of young people there diving into the water from cliffs, some were sunbathing, and others were just hanging out. We hung out a bit and than finally decided to head back onto the main trail.We sat on a log so that I could rest, we chatted, and took in our surroundings. It was at this point Aaron suggested that we keep going and head for Tunnel Falls. He believed I could make it and we'd be fine. Feeling pretty good, I said sure, and off we went. 

Once we passed the entrance to Punch Bowl Falls the trail became a lot more quieter. We'd only come across people every once in a while and the majority of them were back packers. At some point passed the Punch Bowl Falls I found my stride and didn't require any breaks except for sips of water. The scenery was absolutely glorious, and so quiet. A few times the trail would come out from the protection of trees and we could feel the hot sun beaming down. At some point I became acutely aware that I was running low on water and that I will definitely run out before we made it back to the trailhead. We still pushed forward. Eventually at some point Aaron became concerned that we hadn't reached the falls yet but every time we'd run into another person they'd say it wasn't too much further. I swear everyone was lying to us. 

The trail on Eagle Creek.

The path in general is moderate, some easy spots, and than some areas that slow you down due to lots of lose rocks. It is these rocks that I despise! Knowing full well that I am a magnet for injuries and easy falls I was focusing mostly on my footing as we trekked along. At times I think I don't give myself enough credit, and truly get that I am stronger and fitter. I am more than capable of completing this hike injury free, well serious injuries. We finally decided at some point to stop and rest, snack on bars that we brought with us and I had the last of my water. Aaron is good at rationing his, but I drink so much water in general that rationing wouldn't have done much, especially since taking allergy meds and meds for my tummy cause me to have dry mouth. We chatted and almost decided to turn back when Aaron saw someone and asked once again. Tunnel Falls was right around the corner, so we trekked on. We reached it. What an absolutely beautiful Fall it was. We went through the tunnel behind it and out to the other side and could feel the spray from the rushing water. It felt so good against my sweaty dirty skin. We took a few photos and just stared at the beauty of it. But than the reality of our situation took priority. 

Tunnel Falls

It was now around 6pm, I was completely out of water, and we had 6 miles to hike back. This time I lead the hike and I must've caught my second wind or the drive for cold fresh water was strong because we were making good time. We also realized that we may have to hike the later half in the dark as the sun was heading down behind the mountain. We clearly did not plan this out very well. All went fairly well until we hit the area with rocks again. A couple of times I stepped wrong and rolled my right ankle. At the moment it felt fine, it was probably adrenaline of wanting to get out and get to water. I began to slow down after we reached Punch Bowl Falls but it was a relief to know that we only had about 3 miles left to go. Water was getting closer and the sun was still out. 

When we reached the end I was so happy, water never tasted so good. I was tired, sore, and plenty thirsty. The car ride back into town gave me time to reflect on this experience. I am thankful for it, I do not regret one moment of it. I most certainly will be more prepared next time but glad to have been with Aaron who gave me enough motivation to keep a positive attitude through it all. 

Today I am feeling pretty sore and beat up. I have a massive blister on my right pinky toe, my right ankle feels jacked up, and my right knee feels tight. I'm taking it easy today but if asked to do it again, I wouldn't hesitate for a moment!

a dog of a mountain

Last week my boyfriend and I decided to go on a hike. He'd been talking about doing some hiking on the Washington side of the Gorge. I had only ever been on the Oregon side, so I was totally up for going somewhere new. What I didn't anticipate was how difficult the hike would be. I'm not entirely sure if he truly new this was a, as some sites call it, "strenuous" hike but had I learned of it's difficulty level, I probably wouldn't have done it. Maybe he did to, hmm. So off we went on our little adventure, took I-84 up through the Gorge, crossed over the Bridge of the Gods, and then up HWY 14 until we hit milepost 53- Dog Mountain. The ride up there alone is a beautiful one, with the abundance of beautiful trees and the big mountains, some peaks still covered in snow. I would have been content with the drive alone, but we were on a mission. At this point my running has been very little since my race in March. I still have issues with my right ankle from time to time. I wasn't really concerned that this 7.1 mile roundtrip hike would cause any problems. We get parked, situated, and start our way up. My boyfriend explains to me that the first mile up is the steepest, after that it shouldn't be so bad. I'm thinking this wasn't going to be so bad. The goal of Dog Mountain is to reach the top of this particular mountain. From the ground, it didn't look too big so I figured this would be like hiking up Multnomah Falls, except a little longer. What I failed to see on our way up was this...

Needless to say, the first mile was very steep. I stopped several times and had already tapped into my water. I swear the first mile alone felt like a million miles to me, my calves were so tight that I had to keep stopping and stretch them out. Nothing like an intense hike to tell you to get your ass into the gym more often! We finally reach a point in the hike where there is a fork and we have to decide which way we will go. Both paths ultimately lead to the top, and typically one is considered easy and the other hard. In this case, my options were "More Difficult" or "Less Difficult", either way it was going to be a difficult hike up. The "more" difficult path is shorter but steeper and the "less" difficult path is longer but a gradual climb. Naturally I opted for the lesser of two evils and gave my boyfriend a look. He smiled. Not even 5 minutes into my chosen path and I felt like I was dying, well my legs were anyway. Gradual my ass, it felt just as steep as the first mile in, I didn't even want to think about how difficult the "more" path was! Just as I'm starting to feel like I want to give up and go back to the car, we reach a clearing and  I get to see this...

Could you ever imagine such a view? I mean I've hiked up Multnomah Falls and thought that was an amazing view, and I've driven up to the Vista House on Crowne Point and thought that was a spectacular view, but this... there are no words. I assure you though, this wasn't the end of the hike. I was informed that we still had more to go, this was not the summit! What?! How could it ever get any better than this?! My boyfriend proceeded to point out where the summit was...

The summit is at the very top on the mountain in back.

So onward we went. By this point, I'm really feeling my calves and am constantly having to stretch my right calf. My quads are burning a tremendous amount, my feet are feeling a bit tired but overall I'm doing alright. Not even my right ankle is bothering me, so I muster through (with a bit of complaining and whining from time to time of course). We come to a point where there is another clearing and more outrageous views of the Gorge. I'm blown away by how high we've gone, that I managed to actually make it this far (and managed to drink all of my water up). This is what I saw...

No words I tell you, no words. The summit isn't too far off, but there is also a threat of rain now. Clouds are hovering over the mountains on the Oregon side of the Gorge and could very well be on there way to us. So we push forward to the summit. I almost can not believe that we actually made it. I'm so tired by this point that all I want to do is sit and breathe. We find a spot, rather I scout one out and plop myself down and we marvel at the view ahead of us as we snack on our grub. 

Eventually we begin to feel some of the rain drifting on over from the winds. The breeze up on the summit is a bit nippy and the clouds began to cover the sun up some. So it was time to say goodbye to the view and head our way back down. Back down the wide and narrow paths. The occasional passing of dogs, small and large. The moving aside for a runner on his or her way down. The mud that I was certain I'd slip and fall in but never did. Reaching the fork to decide whether we'd take the "Most Difficult" or "Less Difficult" route, I still chose the lesser of two evils. At some points we took off running down the path, and it felt good running. It actually felt better on my knees and right ankle to run then to just harshly walk down the steep paths. We made it out of the mountain without a scratch, and just as I can see the cars in the parking lot. Just as relief that I have made and am about to sit down in the comfort of my car, the inevitable happens! I slip and fall. Would we expect anything less from me? I did however, manage to go on this trek without hitting my head- yay me! The fall wasn't a bad one and my boyfriend actually caught my elbow and broke my fall pretty well. So no damage done. We laughed and headed our way out. 

The next day the soreness was quite obvious. My ankle was a bit sore but nothing like how I'd expected it to be. It was the following day that the soreness really kicked in. I started to feel parts of my body I hadn't felt in a very long time. And my ankle swelled up pretty bad as well. This hike was definitely a brutal one on my body, but it was a wondrous one to my spirit! I absolutely have every (insanely) desire to hike Dog Mountain again this summer. This time, I will be better prepared...

therapy hike

This morning I woke up and decided I have had enough! I'm so tired of not being able to do anything active because of my ankle! So I got dressed, quickly created an awesome playlist, gassed up my car, and took off. I had no specific destination, I just figured I'd head for the Gorge and figure it out from there. The drive out there alone is an enjoyable one, but I really love driving on the Historic Columbia River Hwy, so I headed there. I love how the roads wind and are shaded by big beautiful trees. My first stop was at the Vista House on Crowne Point, sat on a ledge, plugged in my iPod, and just stared out at the beautiful river and mountains.

My view...

As I sat there, I started to remember that all the times I'd driven from the Vista House to Multnomah Falls, I'd always see these other smaller falls and areas for hiking. I figured the weather was beautiful and I had nowhere else to go, so maybe I'd stop at one of these places and go for a nice hike, by myself (certainly a first for me). Now granted, I'm still dealing with an injured ankle and this may not be the wisest decision but as I stated earlier, I have had enough!! I can't run yet, and a friend did mention to me that maybe I should take up bike riding for the meantime. But for those of you who know me well enough, know that is a dangerous idea, that's an injury waiting to happen. So since I haven't had much issues walking, just the occasional tender spots when I turn my ankle funny or step down weird, I thought that maybe a good hike could do me some good. Not to mention some alone time away from everyone, the city, and the burbs could potentially be a healthy decision for me right now. And so I jumped back into my car and continued on my drive in search of a place to hike, I ended up stopping at the Latourell Falls. Mind you, I made this decision without reading up on how long this hike is, what it's elevation is, or what the terrain will be like (a non-wise decision on my part). But in the end, I had a wonderful experience and lived to tell about it!

Beginning of  hike...

The fall that can be seen from the hwy...

Same fall as photo above...

Art in nature...

Myself.

My little adventure came to an end a couple of hours later. Once I got home, I looked up the facts on Latourell Falls and this is what I learned:

• Distance: 2.1 miles roundtrip
• Elevation: 650 ft
• Hike Time: 1.5 hours
• Hike Type: Loop

My ankle did well, did turn it funny a few times but the terrain on this hike was not paved, it was quite rocky and plenty of dirt. The path in many areas were very narrow (even for one person), and there were times where I had to squat or sit just to work my way down. From time to time I'd catch up with someone else on the trail or cross paths with someone, but otherwise I was solo for the majority of the time. You could hear the water from the Falls the whole time and birds chirping. At one point something jumped on my left shoulder and then off, it happened so quickly that I didn't really get a chance to see what it was or get scared, but I think it was a small frog. I feel better, mentally and physically.  I will treat my ankle well with some elevation, icing, and ibuprofen tonight (thank you ankle for not giving out on me!). I think I will definitely check out another hiking spot next Sunday! Hiking is a great substitute for time being...