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05/04/08 Lindsey Creek Falls

Last post 06-02-2008, 1:26 PM by greglief. 17 replies.
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  • 05/04/08 Lindsey Creek Falls

     05-04-2008, 2:12 PM

    Knowing how nice today was going to be, I had to get out. I wasn't looking forward to the crowds however. So I decided to go on a scramble to find Lindsey Creek Falls. I had wanted to go for sometime, but was waiting for better weather, timing, etc. I should note here that I followed the directions in Scott Cook's "Pokin Round the Gorge" guide. I have to give Mr.Cook kudos for such spot on directions!
    So I started at the turnoff at the 53.2 mile mark off of the 84. I passed by the gate and went over the old highway.



    Veer left up under the power lines, around the last tower and down to the creek.



    Once down to the creek I started up stream. The guide says you have about 8-9 minutes of creek walking till you reach the falls. This is true, I did notice that there are pretty good little paths all along the way on the right side of the creek. I only had to get in the creek a handful of times, and mostly because the creek was the path of least resistance. I wore my hiking sandals anticipating wet feet. You could probably make it with waterproof shoes and not get your feet wet. The easiest way here was to walk up the fallen tree.



    Then came the falls. This was so worth it! But aren't they almost always worth the trek?




    The road up to the trail is easy to see and follow. There is definitely some route finding involved once you get down to the creek, but there are many worn foot paths along the way. I'm still a novice at the whole bushwack / off trail sort of exploration. Given that, I was pleasantly suprised at how easy going this trip was. Not a struggle, but still challenging enough to give you that sense of pride when it is over.


  • Re: 05/04/08 Lindsey Creek Falls

     05-04-2008, 3:55 PM

    wow! nice report and i like the look of that falls. its got a nice ampitheater... how tall would you say it is? and how long do you have to go on the road before the creek?
    jamey pyles
  • Re: 05/04/08 Lindsey Creek Falls

     05-04-2008, 3:58 PM

    What is this guidebook you used? I had never seen documentation of this waterfall until I got there by scrambling around Lindsey Creek's lower falls. BTW, if you turn right instead of left at the powerline road, there's easy access to Summit Creek Falls (upper and lower).
    Casey
  • Re: 05/04/08 Lindsey Creek Falls

     05-04-2008, 4:38 PM

    Great report, Alexander! I need to get my buns up there! Love that wide view - as Jamey said, cool amphitheater..!

    -Tom
  • Re: 05/04/08 Lindsey Creek Falls

     05-04-2008, 4:41 PM

    pyles_94:
    wow! nice report and i like the look of that falls. its got a nice ampitheater... how tall would you say it is? and how long do you have to go on the road before the creek?


    Thanks Jamey. According to the guide, the main cascade is 40 feet. I'd say from where I parked it was only about half a mile to the creek. Then about 8-10  minute scramble up the creek. Maybe 25 minutes or so one way would be my guess.
    Adam
  • Re: 05/04/08 Lindsey Creek Falls

     05-04-2008, 4:46 PM

    The C-Ws:
    What is this guidebook you used? I had never seen documentation of this waterfall until I got there by scrambling around Lindsey Creek's lower falls. BTW, if you turn right instead of left at the powerline road, there's easy access to Summit Creek Falls (upper and lower).
    Casey


    Casey, Thanks for the heads up on Summit Creek Falls. I'll be sure to check it out. The guide book I used is Scott Cook's "Pokin Round the Gorge". He also wrote another wonderful guide book named "Curious Gorge". His books are only available in the Columbia River area. I picked mine up at some random coffee shop in Hood River.
  • Re: 05/04/08 Lindsey Creek Falls

     05-04-2008, 9:57 PM

    can you give me driving directions to the place where you start?

    jamey pyles
  • Re: 05/04/08 Lindsey Creek Falls

     05-04-2008, 11:04 PM

    pyles_94:
    can you give me driving directions to the place where you start?

    Yeah, no problem Jamey. I'll quote "Pokin Round the Gorge" again, as I don't think I can improve on the directions.

    "Tricky to find, the access is eastbound only between exits 51 and 55, exactly at milemark 53.2. You can only park on the eastbound shoulder of I-84 - at milemark 53.2. Driving east from Wyeth exit 51, in two miles you'll see a high metal retaining wall with milepost 53 mounted on it - slow down here and notice the lower cement wall that begins immediately after the metal wall. In .2 miles, exactly at the end of this cement wall, there's a dirt 90-degree pulloff that you need to turn into and park up off the shoulder.

    Begin around the gate and up the road. Cross the scenic highway remnant then soon veer left (east) and up under the powerlines. Follow the doubletrack to the last tower, cut left around it then swing to the right, under the lines and over the sticks into the forest. Pick your way on the old roadbed for a minute until you see a rough trail down to the left. Follow this down then angle upstream and bushwack over to the creek....and take note of where you are so you can find it on the way back! Now you begin to splash, bob, weave, and hop for 8-9 minutes to the falls".
  • Re: 05/04/08 Lindsey Creek Falls

     05-05-2008, 11:00 AM

    • Joined on 08-01-2006
    • Willamette Valley
    • Posts 190
    • Top 50 Contributor
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    Thank you very much for the report and the wonderful photos!

    Greg Lief
    LiefPhotos.com
    OregonWildflowers.org
  • Re: 05/04/08 Lindsey Creek Falls

     05-12-2008, 8:35 PM

    Thanks, Alexander - your instructions came in handy on Sunday. Greg Lief, Jamie and I headed up there for a photo shoot. It's a really cool falls, albeit with a grove of red alder RIGHT in front of the falls! Also, a ton of spray during the current level of runoff, but that ought to become more manageable in a few weeks. The stream below the falls is very photogenic - we shall return!

    Here's the only clear view we could find outside the spray zone - this is way up on the west slope, and I can't really recommend it, since we left some pretty good bootprints in getting here:




    Thanks again for the excellent instructions!

    Tom
  • Re: 05/04/08 Lindsey Creek Falls

     05-12-2008, 9:13 PM

    Wow, great picture Tom! I'm glad you guys found it easily. Again, all praise for the directions go to Mr. Cook. I think I'll come back sometime when it warms up for a dip in that pool at the base of the falls.
  • Re: 05/04/08 Lindsey Creek Falls

     05-12-2008, 9:46 PM

    Be sure to take some pics when you do! The high flow right now is hiding some really interesting angles at the top of the falls. You can pick them out as criss-crossing patterns in this photo, but I'll bet it gets more interesting when the volume drops a bit.

    Oddly enough, we were fighting sun yesterday when shooting this - despite getting soaked on the trip out. Classic spring in Oregon!

    BTW, the log in your photo is a very handy ramp. The rock wall is close enough that I was able to plant a hiking pole against the wall for most of the trip up the log for added balance. It reminded me a lot of Cast Creek.

    Tom
  • Re: 05/04/08 Lindsey Creek Falls

     05-13-2008, 5:35 PM

    it will probably look like apparition falls on cast creek when in low water, but much easier to reach!  that is so cool!  and great shot tom!

    jamey pyles
  • Re: 05/04/08 Lindsey Creek Falls

     05-15-2008, 8:10 PM

    Thanks, Jamey. Here's a crappy video version that I shot from below the falls. With a bit less water (and sun), this would be a pretty nice angle for a photo!

    Tom
  • Re: 05/04/08 Lindsey Creek Falls

     05-15-2008, 9:36 PM

    • Joined on 08-16-2007
    • Portland / Kenton
    • Posts 544
    • Top 25 Contributor
      Male
        Great video Tom, really captures that spray coming off the falls… next time I think we need to hit it at dawn, seems to me the best time to catch the spray at its least…

    as we used to say during my surfing days… we need to DP… (dawn patrol)

    cheers… JC

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