Tag Archives: horsetail falls

Horsetail Falls Loop Hike

Posted on September 23, 2014 | 3 comments

I took a favorite hike with a friend last week; it’s the Horsetail Falls Loop Hike, 2.6 easy miles. You’ve seen it before on this blog, here and here. Same same, but different. At the end of summer, the water flow is much lighter, but still pretty. We’ve had a hot, dry summer, and it shows in the reduced waterflow. Still pretty, though.

Horsetail Falls, which is right on the Old Columbia River Highway.

Ponytail Falls, which feeds into Horsetail Falls.

I love that you can go behind it; that’s the reason I chose this hike for this particular friend.

Middle Oneonta Falls.

Looking down at the top of Lower Oneonta Falls. There’s a big logjam, and then it goes over the edge. You can’t see this waterfall from the trail, but you can hear it!

Coming off the trail, you walk back along the Old Columbia River Highway, and pass Oneonta Gorge, which is where Oneonta Creek ends up after the waterfalls. You can hike up the creek, but we were not prepared for wet feet, so we just went a little way. I love how big the rocks are here, and how narrow the canyon is.

It looks like a knitter was leaving a trail marker for someone.

My favorite picture of the day is in the creek under the old highway. The sun was shining through the very clear water, and the shadows of the water striders really showed why they can walk on water.

On the way back home, we stopped at Multnomah Falls, because it’s right there. It’s the 100th anniversary of the Benson Bridge. I think I’ll have to do the hike to the top of Multnomah Falls this autumn. Soon!

3 Comments

Posted in Portland area fun, travel

Tagged columbia river gorge, hiking, horsetail falls, multnomah falls, oneonta falls, Pony Tail Falls, waterfall hikes

Autumn waterfall hike

Posted on October 30, 2013 | 11 comments

September was hugely rainy, and I was mourning the lack of closure to a spectacularly beautiful summer. October brought back clear skies, but cooler temperatures. I’ve been deadline knitting/designing non-stop for the past month, and feeling the need to get outdoors before the rain returns! I wanted to re-do the waterfall hike we took in July, because the twin waterfalls were a little lacking in water then. Susan and I headed there on Monday, but at the last minute I opted for the Horsetail Falls loop instead, because Pony Tail Falls is more dramatic. Same exit on the freeway, turn right instead of left! The Columbia River Gorge has many options.

The hike begins at Horsetail Falls. I used to come here a lot in the summers when the kids were little. They’d play in the splash pool; it’s nature’s air conditioning.

The trail goes upwards along five switchbacks, and then levels out. About half a mile in is Pony Tail Falls.

I love this one, because you can go behind it.

Further along the way is Middle Oneonta Falls.

We met a couple hikers who encouraged us to take a side trip to Triple Falls. This one has been on my list for the last two years, so we did it. It was an extra 1.6 miles out and back from the trail we were on.

Spectacularly beautiful! It was definitely worth the trip.

Can you see the two hikers at the top of the falls? I think they had to cross over on that log. I am not so adventurous.

The moss was really lush; this tree looks like a mossy spider.

Flowers? No, just bloomed out mushrooms.

Four waterfalls on a four mile hike, a great afternoon in the Columbia River Gorge. We’re lucky to live so close to so much beauty. And on the way home, we made a quick stop at Multnomah Falls.

Now I’m back to working on a new design project. Can I just say that I love giant graph paper?

Charts are fabulous. Do you prefer charted instructions, or line by line? What are you knitting now? Are you ready for fall?

11 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design

Tagged columbia river gorge, hike, horsetail falls, Horsetail Falls loop, Oneonta, Pony Tail Falls, Triple Falls, waterfalls

Hedging my bets

Posted on July 20, 2012 | 15 comments

I finished knitting my Raspberry Vodka Lemonade, and the entire time I was knitting the sleeves, I wondered if I had made it too small. I tend to second-guess myself when I’m nearing the end of something, and it takes all my will-power to push through. Thoughts of completely frogging the piece, or even just abandoning it, dance through my head as I knit on and on.

I’ve learned my lesson about ease in sweaters; too much ease just makes it look like my sweater is wearing me. But I was afraid that I might have gone overboard this time in my quest for a flattering fit with zero or minimal ease. I’m hoping that the seed stitch bands will relax a bit and cover just a bit more in the front.

Which they did. Now I’m just waiting for it to dry so I can try it on again. But you’ll notice that I haven’t sewn in my ends yet…in case I have to frog! But look how delicious all the subtle color shadings are in this Damson colored Luminous DK (85/15 Polwarth wool/Tussah silk) from Sincere Sheep.

While I’m waiting, I’ll show you pictures from our Tuesday hike. We did the Horsetail Falls Loop hike in the Columbia River Gorge. It’s an easy 2.6 mile hike with views of 3 waterfalls. It begins and ends at Horsetail Falls, which is 192 feet high and right off the Historic Columbia River Highway.

There’s a trail that wanders up to Ponytail Falls, which feeds Horsetail Falls.

This part of the trail goes behind the falls, which lends a great perspective.

The third waterfall on this hike is Middle Oneonta Falls. (There are three: Upper, Middle, and Lower)

Lots of greenery along the way…

…as well as some not as green things.

I like how the drops of sap look like beads on knitting. (It always comes back to knitting, doesn’t it?)

The end of the hike loops back to Horsetail Falls, where we spent some time hanging by the splash pool. I used to bring the kids here on hot summer days, a long time ago.