In recent geologic times, the upper McKenzie river was savaged by three separate lava flows that entered the McKenzie river valley and changed the course of the river. The first of these flows dammed the river creating a deep blue lake that is now called Clear Lake. At the bottom of clear lake, 100 feet down, dead trees can still be seen preserved throughout time by the extremely cold water. This same flow made the first of the waterfalls we will hike past today. The volcanic flow deposited a layer of basalt rock hundreds of feet thick and the river, when it finally won its way clear again, must flow off of that ledge to make its way to the Willamette valley. The second flow did a similar thing up higher on the river and made the second of the falls we will see today. The third flow created the lava that we hiked through yesterday and was so broken that the river, when not running at flood, flows through the broken rock underground to emerge once more at the Blue Pool, a sort of second start to the McKenzie river.
The loop we are going to do today can be joined at either of the viewpoints for the two big waterfalls. The East side of the river has a trail that has a lot casual observers walking a short ways from their cars. The West side of the river has a more difficult trail that is also the trail that is shared with the many bikers that ride down the McKensize River Trail. I am pretty sure that the bikers only ride down the trail…. Not back up.
Today we are starting at the top fall (called Sahalie) and hiking down past the second (Koosah). There is a bridge at the top and bottom of this stretch of river that allows for the loop around the area. This allows for good views of the falls, the many big cascades, and rapids from different points of view.
If you do a lot of hiking, or even walking around, in Oregon, sooner or later you are going to have to decide if you are a fair weather hiker. Not just the ‘oh, it may rain today, I had better stay in’. If you do that you probably don’t even go outside except in the summer. The kind that says “Well, it is going to be raining pretty much all day and I had planned this hike, am I going?”. Today was sort of that second kind of persons day. Normally I would get around this by planning my activities a few days in advance and trying to steer around the weather. But today, we are in a quaint little cabin on the banks of Clear Lake and the rain is coming down in a constant drizzle so our choices are brave the rain or sit in the one room no WIFI, no TV, no Radio, No Telephone, no Water, cabin. Yes, that is what I meant by ‘quaint’. So we are going hiking. Good thing we have good rain gear. This means rain pants, a Gortex-like jacket, and water proof hiking boots. Also, it helps to have some warm half gloves or something like that. Rain in the fall can be cold.
You know what the problem with hiking in Rain gear is? Heat. If you are going uphill or doing some semi difficult walking (like we are today) you generate some heat. On a cold day (like below 45) you may be able to stay at a reasonable temperature, but today is more like 55 and our rain gear makes for great insulation. You stand the risk of getting more water inside the gear from sweat and condensation than outside from the drizzle. Oh well. Dress in layers. Take time to remove inner layers when you get hot. Abandon the rain coat if the rain lets up for a while. Have dry clothes and a towel in the car. Have a blast.
Have I got us out of the parking lot yet? No?
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| This is that natural canal thing. |
The river here is wild and cold. The lava rocks that the river is flowing over are still relatively young and sharp and there are a lot of strange formations that the river has to negotiate. For instance: At one point there is what appears to be a wall going out into the river. It makes a partial canal that cuts across the river and makes a nice little side flow. This is not man made, it is a lava edge sticking up into the river. I took a lot of pictures which I include here but they really can’t do much justice to the majesty of this wild stretch of river.
I would like to call attention to a couple aspects of the vegetation. The East side of the river is very wet. It was raining on us today, but it also seems like the spray generated by the falls and the many rapids make for a lusher and mossier than usual terrain here close to the river. Then there are the plants growing in the river and on the rocks on the sides of the river. A short green moss or perhaps algae is on the banks, on the rocks, and growing deep into the river even under the fast moving water. I will try and look up this plant name. Maybe I can find a Ranger that knows that it is.
We are hiking down the East side first and it ends at a road and a bridge across the river right at the first reservoir on the river. We are now hiking back up the river on the west side. The trail is much more challenging on this side. I know we are walking uphill, but there are also a lot more rocks and twists and turns and such. We have to quickly go back up the cliff to the top of the fall and that accounts for some of it. I can’t imagine someone riding a bicycle down this stretch of trail, but I guess it is a pretty common thing to do. I am guessing that bicycles have changed somewhat since I was 12. I do have a bike that I ride. But in the city or on easy flat paths. Nothing like this.
This West side of the river is up on a higher cliff than the East side. This is the reverse of the situation of the section of the river further down near Blue Pool that we hiked yesterday. In many places the trail wanders close enough to the edge that side trails and impromptu viewing platforms have been made on the cliff edge. There are a number of great views of the river, rapids, and falls from up there. It is worth the little extra effort to walk off the trail a few feet for the sights. You are right on the cliffs though, so watch your step. If you were making a list of great places to commit suicide by jumping to your death, I would add this one. Not that I am making such a list, mind you. That would be crazy. Even to talk about it in a blog would be sort of strange. The sort of ramblings you might expect from a person that had spent a couple of nights in a quaint cabin in the woods with no running water or WIFI. But I digress.
We hike up past the first fall and then to the up-river bridge. This is a new and strong foot bridge over the start of the wild part of the river. From there it is a right turn and a not to difficult return to the parking lot via the last viewing platform for Sahalie falls. I might add that at this point you will be offered a choice of hiking on the rock strewn trail along the top of the river gorge or a wide old dirt road that runs along parallel. Such an inviting pleasant wide flat path. Don’t fall for it. It runs out into the woods, makes you negotiate several old tree falls and then just ends at an old campsite. Dammit.
We did a little exploring of the area before we did the hike and I wanted to mention our side trip to a place called Fish Lake. There is a historic site there where there has been a stage coach station. A place to change horses on your wagon when making the run between the central valley and the Willamette valley. It is now a interpretive site and a NPS ranger base.
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| Sahalie Falls from platform |
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| Looking down river from Shale. Note the green |
Fish Lake, at this time of year, is a big green meadow. It is in the middle of a big jumble of lava flow. In the winter and early Spring, when the local creek is flowing hard, the water can’t escape through the rock fast enough and a lake forms. The trout in the creek move into the lake. I assume there is good fishing there at that time and thus the name, though I can’t imagine enough trout live in the creek to make it worthwhile for fishermen. As the rains stop and the creek flow slows, the water quickly drains out of the lake and the grass that was dormant underwater reasserts itself as a meadow. The fish swim back to the mouth of the creek and stay up the creek for the summer. This is not a unique situation, I know of at least one other lake, up in Washington, that has a similar life cycle.
I really enjoy hiking through the lava country. Many unexpected and thought evoking sites to see. Might I suggest a few other stories about Lava areas:
Hike around a big Volcano Crater in the Galapagos
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