2nd Training Hike - Multnomah/Wahkeena Falls Loop Feb 27, 2010

Once again, the climbers gathered in the same grocery store parking lot as the last time around 7:45am to hike Multmomah Falls - Wahkeena Falls Loop this time. For those of you not familiar, Multhomah Falls is probably one of the most popular destinations among both the locals and the out-of-towners. The water plunges from the height of of 620" down this multi level falls providing a post-card picture perfect scenery. Our hike would take us to a ridge above the falls via a series of steep switch backs to gain roughly 1600'. From there the trail would follow the ridge westbound for about 1/2 mile or so until we hike down along Wahkeena Falls.


I couldn't believe the luck we had two weekends in a row - the weather was once again gorgeous! Sunny with few clouds with the temperature starting in the 40s, reaching the 60s by midday. What were the chances of that happening in this area!! I was expecting that it would be a wet day so I even left home with my rain pants on!

This time I carpooled with a fellow climber, Charles, who lived in Downtown Portland. I picked him up around 6:45am and we were in the grocery store parking lot by 7am, leaving us enough time to get some breakfast before the hike, and time for me to shed the rain pants and change into a pair of regular nylon hiking pants. Like the last time, we split up into three groups, the faster group, intermediate group, and the "endurance" group. I selected the faster group as a subscriber of the principle that said one should keep pounding harder until the pain went away.


The small detail was probably left out though - the pain might not actually go away. This time, I could not blame it on my heavy pack as I left home the extra water container that I carried last time to weight my pack for training purpose. My pack came in at about 22lbs this time, as opposed to 30lbs.

Like the last time, after about 10 minutes into the hike, I was once again struggling to keep up with the group. There is no doubt I would need to bring the level of my cardio work out up a notch in the coming weeks. I started out in the middle of the group but I was slowly slipping back to the rear of the pack as we went higher. It got to the point where I had to take a minute to catch my breath few switch-backs before we got to the top of the ridge. Leisa (Left in the photo), one of the Training Hike Assistants, stayed with me to make sure that I was with the group.


As we got to the top of the switch-backs, we found ourselves by a creek that had gorgeous water cascading down the boulders. Having been a fly fisher, I couldn't help looking at the water habitually. There was a small vista point that looked over the Columbia River Gorge where we snapped few photos each. From there the hike became fairly moderate for the next a mile and a half until we got to the top of the ridge.


The group took a quick lunch break at a junction where several trails came together. Even though it was a very simple meal, it tasted 10 times better outdoors as always. From there it was all down hill. We continued on the ridge for another few tenth of a mile to pick up a trail that followed down Wahkeena Falls. Though this fall was not as big in scale and imposing as Multhomah Falls, it provided us with another opportunity to take some pictures and enjoy the incredible weather before we concluded our training hike.


Next weekend, we will be hitting Hamilton Loop in Columbia Gorge. Stay tuned!!