Andy, here's a stumper for you and everyone else...I was going through my photos yesterday, and I wondered if anyone would know this falls.  I don't know that it has a name - though I'm sure it must.  I'll give you a hint - it's along a very popular trail in the Gorge.

Hmmm..... well, I'm gonna guess that it's that seasonal side creek that drops into the cavern below Triple Falls. Here's my shot of that falls from the upstream side, taken last March:




...but it does look like it might be one of the Munra Creek waterfalls described here:




So I'll hedge my bet with that backup guess!

BTW, Zach - that lower drop in this Munra Creek set is quite large, albeit scary to view.... in other words, just your kind of bushwhack!

Tom :-)

Good guesses Tom...but nope, it's none of the above.  Although on a side note, Munra Creek has THE most accessible, hidden, and spectacular falls of any small stream in the Gorge.  I've been hesitant about mentioning it on the site, but since it seems other's know of them.  If you follow the Wahclella falls trail to Munra falls, and then follow the stream up, you come across some fantastic, and ultra-scenic waterfalls one after the other, eventually getting up to the Tanner Creek Road, and then there are the falls above the road too!  One of the falls even resembles an old man with flowing white hair - I'll find a photo to post of it. 

   But for this quiz - nope - this falls is on a stream that flows year-round.  I'll give you another hint.  It's on a stream west of Oneonta - a very popular stream.

-Zach

Fairy Falls? (from an odd angle)???

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May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.--E.Abbey

I'm going to have to guess Upper Coopey Falls at high water from a side angle…

Jamie

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When going back makes sense, you are going ahead.
- Wendell Berry

Nope!  Those are both excellent guesses, and there are certainly close similarities with all the falls suggested.  But nope, not on Munra Creek, not Fairy Falls, and not upper Coopey.  Here's another hint.  This stream is East of Coopey Creek in the Gorge. 

-Zach

    Upper upper upper multnomah!

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Andy

I'll put that on the list, Zach! I've been wanting to cover that mid-section of Munra. Any scary cliff-scaling involved?

Tom

Not really Tom, but it is an area that receives a lot of boulders rolling downslope from above, and you do have to scramble up slopes.  Nothing really scary however, until you get to the final falls just below Tanner Creek road.  The first falls upstream of Munra however, is really neat to visit, as you can see where there was an old trail that ran across it at the base, and there is a chain bolted down in the middle of the stream and other old items in the vicinity.  The next falls upstream from that is astounding, and my Munra favorite - then just above that is the old man looking falls, and then beyond that is the 85 foot falls that you can descend to the top of from the road.  Absolutely hidden and over-looked waterfalls - but incredibly beautiful.

Andy...be more specific...what do you mean by upper,upper,upper Multnomah falls?...getting warmer.

-Zach

    The first time I ever went hiking in the gorge, right when i got to college, I followed my friend Anthony and some other guys I didn't know and they buldozed up multnomah creek past hidden falls.  I really don't remeber where we were, but it was way upstream.  I was just following their footsteps.  My memory is so foggy because I was exhausted and just wanted to go home, but we came across something like this, it's that upper coopey/dutchman falls type look.  I don't remeber it being very big though, which is probably why I wasn't awestruck and remeber it.

My disposable camera was already out of film at the time, too...

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Andy

is it something on wahkeena creek? i have no idea really, just a guess.  or maybe.... on fairy creek above fairy falls or something??

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jamey pyles

how would you get to the munra creek falls? its all cliffs rigt along there. i think someone should start athread for the munra waterfalls

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jamey pyles

Ok,...to get to this falls, simply follow the Multnomah falls trail toward Larch mountain.  At about 2 or 2 1/2 miles you have to cross a stream.  Shortly thereafter you come to the section of trail where there is a "high water" trail alternative.  Well, this falls is just up the stream from where is crosses the trail!  From the trail it does not look entirely photogenic, but when you get up close and rub noses with it, you discover its amazing!  I simply climbed up the right hand side of it, and took this photo angling down toward the falls.  I have no idea what the name of that stream is, or what this fall's name is, but I'm certain it must have one!  If Dutchman falls has a name, this certainly must!  Does anyone know the name of it, or of the stream for that matter?

-Zach

    Ok, I doubt this is the one I remember then.  It had that same general form, but i seriously doubt we had made our way that far up the creek.

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Andy

Okay, Zach, looks like about 900 feet in a little over 1/2 mile..! Loose cobbles are the norm in this type of Gorge bushwhack, I suppose - I'm thinking Upper Bridal Veil as I type this... and from the topo, it looks like the best plan is to scale the slope just past the bridge (in front of the lower falls).

But I still wonder about the top portion, since I'd like to come back via the road/trail -- from what I could see from the road, the cliffs around the big falls just below the road formed a perfect horseshoe shape, walling off access to the falls from above. Adding to the exposure was the very steep slope dropping down to the brink, and thus my through-the-trees photo. Did you end up contouring downstream from there to reach the road?

BTW, Zach - that trail you saw is probably the continuation of a waterline/trail that is largely intact along Trail 400, near the Wahclella Trailhead, and visible in segments as you walk up the diversion dam access road along Tanner Creek. It's also might explain how this view showed up on a postcard in the 1930s:




-Tom