Splintercat:

Thanks, Jamie - I meant to do that this week. Damned real life interfering with fun stuff again! Some observations on the before/after pics: (a) the conifer above the left side of the falls has either died or completely fallen off the cliff between photos, (2) the lowest Western red cedar on the cliff above the right side of the falls has at least doubled in size between photos and (d) the smaller Western red cedar in front of the falls has tripled in height between photos. Based on the above, I think you can date the earlier picture to be 20-30 years old, perhaps more. -Tom

Tom, here's the shot I took from what I believe is the same spot Brian's mystery pic was taken. Sorry about the quality - both the camera and the photographer were below standards. I agree with your assessment above.

As for going above this falls by climbing around: The slope is above my tolerance level for steepness, loose rocks, slipperyness and exposure. That's not to say someone can't do it, but I'm going to try it from the top side and drop down from the Ruckel Creek Trail first. Volunteers?

Don

So I am I understanding you guys correctly that the upper part of Ruckel - the two miles or so from Benson Plateau down have yet to be explored for falls?

-Zach

I'm in - just name the day!

dn

jaimito:

    I'll start planning out some options as far as days and post them later or send to everyone off the thread. Zach are you in or will you have a trip report posted tomorrow on this area? LOL

Jamie

Great! I'll e-mail a couple of folks who could do this and might like to join if the rest of you don't mind.

Chameleon: Looking forward to meeting you - hope we can all get together!

BTW, I got bored today and had a little time so I got off my lazy butt and posted a page on Summitpost.org for Archer Mountain.  It's an interesting place and I thought you would be interested:

http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/388020/archer-mountain.html

Don

jaimito:

    Wow Don I had no idea that area was holding so many gems, I especially like the shot of Uppermost Cable Creek Falls, reminds me of Big Creek Falls in GPNF…

So I guess most of that is game trail from what I can tell, hows the whacking in there? If you ever go again let me know.

Are these falls mapped by the USGS or were these your discoveries (in modern time)?

Even the creek hasn't a name as far as the USGS is concerned. The canyon is so deep and steep the aerial pics do not show it - but wow, what a collection of falls! I owe this find to cluain on portlandhikers and a few others not on this forum whom I met at High Valley and other spots. They either gave me directions or guided me in to the best spots. (Cluain, especially). There's an especially knowledgeable group of folks out there who really have this off-trail stuff dialed!- of course, you have to get off-trail to find them.

Brian Swan, Jessbee, my son Paul and I went in there last year and suffered greatly due to a late season snowstorm. I'm not sure any of them has forgiven me to this day! I'm up for it anytime as it's a great place and there's even more I haven't revealed on the map!

don 

AlexanderSupertramp:

Great stuff Don. I particularly enjoyed the portrait!

Thanks for the compliment! - I gave up on the Jack Daniels but the maple bars and the Charnonay have been great! - (the dance hall ladies have helped a bit, too)

Congratulations on a revisit to Ruckel Creek!
I recommend the 3rd falls be named Evans Falls.
I met Mr. Evans in that very drainage in the 1990's sometime.
He had mentioned going up there from bottom up... at least 15 times.
He even described the hunters campsite under the cedar tree (the one with the fire grate) and how to pass each of the falls.
Is the drinking cup still there on the fire grate? He mentioned that his Dad, Uncle, and even grandfather had been up there mainly to use it as a hunting campsite. There is a fairly major deer path that crosses there.
Mr. S recommends we call one of the falls 'Riley Falls' because when he and I went all the way past the 3rd falls we brought his British Spaniel dog on the adventure. Most of it is not impossible, even for a dog...but then again...lot's of thrashing hours and very tired knees.
Let's NOT put a trail in there. Not every vertical cliff needs a bolt, and not every creek needs a trail.
There is literally a perfect punch bowl falls right under our nose in this wild Columbia Gorge (where the water tumbles into a perfect circular pool and tumbles out another lip and the pool is round like a ball and deeeep). But you don't need a trail even to that one...just adventure.
Please! This Gorge is full of wild off-trail sense of adventure and we all enjoy it that way.
Cheers!