Waterfail

I think all experienced hikers have been there at least once before, found yourself with some extra time on your hands and what better way to fill it than a spontaneous adventure to a waterfall! If you’re like me you think that hearing the roar of the water flowing over the edge cascading down to create a splash in the pool below is the ultimate pay out for any hike. So you’ve done the drive, left the trailhead behind, put in the distance and you know you’re close when you can hear the water. But the hastened steps of anticipation lead to dreary eyes of disappointment, because instead of a waterfall you have reached a water-fail. The roar is as fierce as a yawn, the flow is more like a dribble, the splash is reduced to a plop in a puddle barely big enough to soak your feet in. You’ve learned the hard way that late summer is not the best time to do some waterfall chasing. 

But it is not impossible, you just need to know where to look. My quick tip is to look up, literally, look up. Seek higher altitude on your hikes because most the waterfalls that have decent flow late in the season are fed by some glacier run-off. Mt. Hood and Crater Lake areas may be the best. Ramona Falls and Umbrella Falls near Mt. Hood I think are more picturesque with lesser flow as it brings out more detail in the natural staircase underneath. Another tip is to go for high volume waterfalls supported by rivers or larger creeks like Abiqua Falls, Salt Creek Falls or Toketee Falls. 

Another option would be to plan an adventure to a place where the waterfall isn’t the highlight, but rather the great swimming hole attached to it is. Some of the lesser falls like Steelhead Falls, Wildwood Falls and Coquille River Falls might not be awe inspiring themselves but they provide a scenic backdrop to some of the best places to escape the summer heat. 

The dry season is also a great time to embark on adventures where there isn’t a waterfall. So if you’re itching to check some more off your list hitting the peaks of mountains is easier without a lot of snow in the way and the clearer skies provide fantastic views. This is a good time to explore some of the caves in Oregon (don’t forget your back up flashlight) or to visit the coast to see some of the many spectacular rock formations. If you’re one those people who spends most the summer outdoors like me with adventure after adventure then this could also be a good time for some down time to recoup. Because some hikes are best in the autumn colors and after the fall, you know winter is coming…