Saturday, May 14, 2011

Waterfall Hunting

It starts raining in the Pacific Northwest around late November and may not stop for 6 months. This kind of weather may sound less than ideal for most outdoor enthusiasts, but as a kayaker, it is my favorite time of year to go waterfall hunting. All the rivers and creeks fill up with water, creating a giant playground. There are falls hidden all throughout the woods. Most of them I hear about from other kayakers or fishermen. Sometimes I just start hiking up a steep river bank and see what I can find.

Even after living in the Mount Hood area for four years, I still discovered a handful of new drops this winter. Many of them I decided not to run because of their size, but here are few of the findings:


The hike into Butte Creek

Drew Eastman, in search of the falls

Bringing in the New Year on Upper Butte Creek Falls (22 ft.)

January 1, 2011


Just downstream is Lower Butte Creeks Falls (78 ft.)

(First successful descent by Chris Korbulic)


Just a short drive away is Abiqua Falls (94 ft.)

(First successful descent by Jesse Coombs)

Susan Hollingsworth on Little Klickitat Falls, WA


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