22.5 miles of hiking • 6000' elevation gain •
Got a late start, not arriving at Multnomah Falls until 10-ish, and the crowds were out in full force. Powered my way up to the top in just over 20 minutes, though, and it was clear sailing from there on up. The day was overcast, and rain was looking pretty likely. Really, the perfect day for a forest hike!
On the way up Larch, I crossed paths with quite a few SAR volunteers. Apparently, quite the training exercise was under way. Felt sorry for all the gear they were carrying, but temps in the low-60s had to help. Arriving at the summit, I was virtually alone! All along the north crater rim, I'd been walking in fog, and Sherrard Point was completely blanked in clouds. Oh well, I've seen it before, and the point was getting in the exercise in such a magnificent forest. (Beat my PR to the top by two minutes, as well!)
Heading back down the south crater rim, I crossed trail with a couple dozen folks! This explains all the cars in the parking lot -- seems they were all hiking the crater loop. Once past that cutoff, I really didn't see another soul for the next 13 miles! A bit past the Bell Creek trail cutoff, the Oneonta trail became literally overgrown with ripe huckleberries! No fair... Impossible to keep moving at a decent pace, now. So I stopped to pick a quarter-pound, or so. :-)
Franklin Ridge was, as always, a sheer delight to traverse. The sun was filtering down through the trees, magically lighting up the entire place. The overlook didn't offer much of a view, but that's okay. Rather than continue at the big hairpin turn, I took the "Bat Cave" turn off down to Nesika Lodge, and took in the views from Waespe Point. Just wonderful.
Decided to take the service road from Nesika over to Devils Rest. This added another 700' of elevation gain, or so, to the day, which rounded it all out nicely. Was surprised to have a sheriff's vehicle pass in out there, as well. Finally made it over to Devils Rest, and it was as boring as always, but offered me the Primrose Path cutoff down to Wahkeena trail. 800 feet down in just about 1/2 mile. Yeeehaw!
The rest of the journey was anticlimactic. Wahkeena Spring was gushing at full force, of course. The falls on the way down were just stunning. No people were to be seen, until the very bottom. Wow, what an incredible day in the woods!
