Friday, August 8, 2014

Once again, it was a chilly morning, 4.6C at 6:30. Marcel didn't want to go back to Crater Lake, so we hung around for a couple of hours.

Finally, at 9:30, we set off for a drive to search out some nearby waterfalls. The lady in the campground office lent me a brochure which listed the waterfalls in the area.

The first one (the sign for it) we came across was called Lemolo Falls.  It turned out to be a 4.2 mile drive in, then another 1.75 miles on a gravel road. Parked on the road and walked in on the trail. However, after a 1.5 mile descent, we could hear the water, but not see anything. Turned back and returned to the truck.

We had better luck with the next one, Clearwater Falls, a segmented” falls, which means that it descends as the stream diverges into 2 or 3 parts.

It has warmed up nicely to 21C in the sunshine.

Next along the highway was Watson Falls, a “plunge” falls, which descends vertically, losing contact with the bedrock surface. With a stunning 293 foot drop, it is the tallest waterfall in south-eastern Oregon. The loop trail, with a spur that takes you to the upper viewpoint, is just over a mile and has an elevation gain of 370 feet. 

Further along, we came across Toketee Falls, a “tired” falls, which descends from a distinct series of separate falls. The hike to the falls takes you through an old-growth forest of Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, Big Leaf Maple and Pacific Yew. The trail to the viewing platform is ½ mile one way, but is rated ‘more difficult’ due to the elevation gain/loss. There are 97 steps up and 125 steps down. There were some HUGE trees!

The falls plunges 40 feet over a hidden ledge into a secluded cavity, then suddenly plummets another 80 feet through a gaping notch into a large plunge pool.

Last, but not least, we arrived at Whitehorse Falls, a “punch-bowl” falls, which descends from a constricted width of a stream into a pool below. There was no hike required to view the falls, as it was visible from the parking lot! 

After driving back to the RV park, we stopped at the Diamond Lake Café for a pizza for lunch. (late lunch at 2:30) Best pizza we have had since Papa Murphy’s!

The truck was quite dusty and dirty, so Marcel washed it while I typed up the account of our day.