Washington – A Darker View

Waterfall

So… I assembled something from all of the video I took at Falls Creek Falls and Panther Falls. A small taste of a waterfall hike in the forests of Southern Washington.

Two goals… Get out and enjoy a proper PNW forest hike. Yes, we have waterfalls in Hawaii, just not quite the same. Second… Take a pile of photos and video. I do enjoy a day set aside for photography.

The drone made a huge difference. Falls Creek Falls is particular is quite large and impossible to properly capture from the ground. The drone made all the difference, able to sweep along the waterfall from the air or fly right up to unreachable locations and shoot at lovely angles.

Waterfall Day

Falls Creek Falls drops into a large plunge pool

For the most part I was just spending time with the folks, a week hanging out and even doing some chores around the house.

I did have one day planned in an otherwise unplanned week… A hike somewhere, a chance to enjoy a bit of summer in a classic Pacific Northwest sort of way. This year it would be waterfalls.

I had two waterfalls picked out… Falls Creek Falls and Panther Falls, both located in the hills above Carson, on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge.

Along with the waterfalls I had one other stop planned, a quick excursion to the new Mitchell Point Tunnel. Add a lunch somewhere along the way and I had a full day.

An important part of the plan was an early start. I left the house at 4am for a dark drive up the gorge for a planned dawn arrival at the trailhead.

The morning dawned clear and beautiful… It should be a great day.

An M3A1 Stuart

Driving through the quiet rural town of Pe Ell, Washington on the way to Tokeland I was a bit surprised to see a small tank along the highway. A little M3 that is currently serving as a veteran’s memorial.

M3A1 light tank serving as a war memorial in Pe Ell, Washington

Having played a few tank based wargames I immediately recognized the tank and we took a few minutes to check it out.

I did need to check a few references to identify which variation this example was, the vertical glacis and lack of a raised engine deck identify this as the M3A1 version.

Gold Mine

So… One of those random things that get suggested by the YouTube algorithm is a guy mining gold in the Mount Baker area. I watch a one, interesting enough to kill a few minutes while I wait for a 3D render to complete.

The second video I watch is about his “New gold mine“. While he is very quiet about the mine’s location and never once mentions the name of the mine, it does look very familiar indeed… High on the side of a mountain with spectacular scenery in the background… Yes, I have been there…

An adit of the Lulu Mine looking out the side of a mountian

The Eclipse Petroglyph

Among the petroglyphs at Horsethief Lake is one that has always caused me to wonder. Of course the site is home to the famous Tsagaglalal or She-Who-Watches image. This is not the one I refer to, rather a somewhat smaller and usually overlooked image.

To me this petroglyph is obviously a total solar eclipse.

To my eye the image is clearly that of the solar corona surrounding the black shadow of the Moon against the Sun. The image is all the more striking to me personally… In 1979 I witnessed a total solar eclipse, my first, just a short distance from here, from the bluffs above Maryhill.

Continue reading “The Eclipse Petroglyph”

Horsethief Lake Petroglyphs

The Horsethief petroglyphs are something special to me, wrapped in childhood memories. This is also where I proposed to Deborah, in front of the magnificent Tsagaglalal, She Who Watches. Traveling to eastern Oregon to visit family we had made a point to stop by and see this place again.

In my youth visiting was easy, the petroglyphs were were almost forgotten and sat quietly along the river, visited by those few who knew they were there.

The Horsethief recreational area was a lightly used picnic area and campground, one of many along the river. If you knew where the little trail was you could simply park by the rail tracks and walk out to the images. Among my earliest memories I remember swimming in the lake and visiting these petroglyphs.

Continue reading “Horsethief Lake Petroglyphs”

Tsagaglalal

Steam Surprise

We stopped by to see the petroglyphs. The Horsethief petroglyphs are something special to me, wrapped in childhood memories. This is also where I proposed to Deborah, in front of the magnificent Tsagaglalal, or She-Who-Watches. Traveling to eastern Oregon to visit family we had made a point to stop by and see this place again.

Locomotive 4449 under steam at Horsethief Lake — Steam locomotive 4449 under steam at Horsethief Lake near The Dalles in transit to Bend

As we were getting out of the vehicle a lady was walking by, she called out to us…

“Are you here to see the steam engine?”

“Uhh? What steam engine?”

This is a bit of a surprise. The petroglyphs are located just above the riverside tracks. When visiting you park in a small gravel lot just beside a train crossing that leads down to the river and a boat launch.

Not having any clue we had to ask… She let us know that a steam engine is about half an hour out and headed this way. Looking about again I realize we are amongst a group of train spotters… Cameras, tripods set up by the tracks, VHF radios… OK. I can be a train spotter today. Putting petroglyph viewing aside for the moment we join the group by the crossing waiting for a train.

Continue reading “Steam Surprise”