Eagle Creek

Yesterday our troop did a day hike at Eagle Creek as part of the preparations for the 50 mile hike we will be doing in a little over a month. All in all, we covered 13 miles yesterday, with full packs. That's fairly close to our hardest day on the trek.

Eagle Creek is only about an hour away from where we live, which is why we chose it. I had never been there before, but I have heard endless praise of the beauty found there. It started to get a little ridiculous, in fact. I thought, for sure, that I would be let down by the reality of the place after all the hype I have been exposed to. That was not the case. This has to be one of the most amazing places I have ever experienced. The trail winds along a cliff that, in several locations, had to be carved out of vertical basalt, leaving you only three options for travel: up the trail, down the trail, and straight down 400 feet into a raging river that ate boulders for breakfast and is picking it's teeth with a Douglas Fir. One of the most epic of these sections is Tunnel Falls. As the name implies, it is a tunnel that goes behind a waterfall. Awesome. The trail also includes the famous Punch Bowl Falls (which we didn't get to see from the ideal spot) and countless other waterfalls, bridges and points of interest. If you get a chance, I would recommend it. Unless you're afraid of heights.