Angel's Rest direct (bowl to the east)

[Chip Down]

Just east of Angels Rest is a large bowl that drains into a smaller bowl that cuts through the cliffs that run parallel to the river at about 700'. I've wondered if that breach would allow access to Angels Rest straight up from the highway.

A straight line from the highway to the breach passes through residential properties, so I continued east a little more, towards Dalton Falls. Because the highway was closed due to a landslide, I had to walk from Angels Rest TH, but that's okay, it just meant a shorter walk at the end, assuming I was successful and wanted to take the trail down.

I was worried the approach to the base of the cliffs would be terribly brushy, but it worked out just fine. I also wondered if the vegetation would make it hard spot the breach, but no, it was obvious, especially considering the large talus field just west of the breach. I wasn't surprised to see a stream draining through the breach; that bowl is big, and all that water has to go somewhere.

Followed the stream up through moderately steep rugged terrain until I came around a bend to face a little cliff, the creek tumbling over. Impossible to get past. The walls of the little mini-canyon weren't impossibly steep, but there was no dirt, just thin moss concealing rock of unknown character. So back down I went, until I could gain solid footing.

There were a few parallel spines and gullies, so I took the first, knowing I might have to try a few. Worked out well; my first ridge was a sloppy brushy steep scratch-and-claw event, but it was never really scary. When I could see it was about to broaden and steepen considerably, I found a place where it was safe to drop into the gully to my right and up to the next ridge over. From there I was pretty much on the western edge of the lower bowl. Must have been at about 800'. Followed the top of the cliffs west a bit, exploring viewpoints along the way, then back east to the edge of the lower bowl. Climbed up to a pair of mossy knobs, and realized they form the bottom of a clear easy ridge that curves up to Angels Rest. I should have taken it, but somehow I was under the impression there was good stuff to the west, so went bushwhacking into the burn zone. Awful, miserable, endless. Hit a rocky outcropping, but turned into nothing interesting. Continued up to the west end of the band of outcroppings that runs east/west just below AR. Fun, interesting, challenging! This is the prominent rocky area that you can't help noticing from the north end of AR, maybe just slightly east of the bench (I mean the bench as in a manmade long seat, not a geographical feature). Later I'd explore to the east, but my first goal was the top of AR.

Above the band of outcroppings, a little more bushwhacking took me to the base of the cliffs. I knew I was getting close when I had to tolerate the incessant yipping of some horrible little ratdog, and a shocking amount of garbage. Beer cans, bottles of water, balls for tennis and soccer, Bodykey brand berry-crisp bar, bong, brillo pad, bag from MRE...and those are just the B's! But strangely, no balloons. Sorry Jerry. Anyway, there are several scramble routes up the last few feet. I picked one, and as I was clawing my way up I heard "hey, are you okay down there"? I wanted to say "I've fallen and I can't get up", but that might not be the best time to be a smartass. At the top, right at the benchmark, I surveyed my ascent route. I must have been a sight, all wet and muddy, full gaiters, axe in hand, among the flipfloppers. "Which way did you come up"? I just pointed. Didn't mean to be antisocial. Maybe I should have chatted a bit.

After a quick rest and repack, I scampered along the trail on the edge of the escarpment, looking for the first opportunity for an easy drop back into the bowl. It didn't take long. Soon I was going back the other direction but at the bottom of the cliffs. My immediate goal was a verdant spur ridge that runs eastish from the bottom of the AR escarpment. In conjunction with the escarpment, it essentially defines the western boundary of the upper bowl. Felt weird out there, knowing I was being watched. I was headed for the falls in the eastern half of the bowl, big enough to be heard from AR, barely visible through the trees. Probably more like a series of big cascades, but still, judging by the noise, I bet it's an impressive sight. But from the abrupt end of the flat ridge, I could see it was probably navigable below, and it looked fascinating, and there was another clear ridge to me left (northwestish) so I decided to go ridge exploring instead of waterfall hunting.

My ridge eventually ended abruptly, as did the next one to my left as I descended, but then there was another clear ridge to the west, so I went back up until I could get across the intervening gully at the top of a little headwall. Once on the new ridge, I suspected it was the ridge I had declined to ascend in the morning, when I foolishly went schwacking to the west. Sure enough, I eventually ended up in sight of the "pair of mossy knobs" I mentioned earlier, where I spotted this clean ridge headed up. Okay, that was satisfying.

I didn't want to deal with dropping back through the breach and through the brush to the highway where I'd walk pavement back to the TH, so I turned and ascended the ridge. Amazing how much faster it was than the burn-zone ordeal to the west. When I returned to the point where I gained this ridge coming down, I continued straight up until it got broad and brushy below the AR cliffs, and then I traversed around to the east, where I was surprised to immediately find myself below the level mossy spur ridge where I started, the one that's prominently visible from AR. What a relief. I was a little worried I'd cliff out on that traverse and be forced back down. Looped around the step on the ridge, up the other side, paused on the flat mossy ridgecrest because it was beer:30, then started exploring the band of outcroppings that run to the west below AR, until I was nearly at the west end where I had ascended earlier. The rain started, but I didn't care. (I picked this hike because I wanted a quick easy rain-friendly route, so I was prepared. Actually was surprised it started so late. As predicted, it was raining as I headed out from Troutdale, but on my hike I'd experienced no more than a few light sprinkles.) After scrambling back up to AR again, I found it desolate. Shocking. It was a zoo earlier. I saw three people, a couple adults and a child (who yelled and screamed behind me all the way down the trail). I was dry and warm in my coat and fleece pants, but my hood was up and I was considering getting gloves out, so I wondered about tee-shirt-and-shorts guy. On the way down it started to get dark, and I realized why AR wasn't crowded on my second visit. I hadn't really been watching the time closely, after I reached the point where I knew I'd be able to get to the trail by dark. And the clouds meant I wasn't aware that the sun was nearing the horizon.

[Chip Down]

a few general pics (more to follow)

[Chip Down]

This window was a fun discovery, probably the most exciting part of the hike.

[Chip Down]

I've been meaning to bring my Aunt Sally on a hike. She managed to keep up with me, but I did feel like she was on my back all day. Sally is small and light, so I brought her curmudgeon husband too.

[Chip Down]

Ran across a wyeast blog post that refers to my waterfall as Foxglove Falls. Sure, makes sense.

The Northwest Waterfall Survey at waterfallsnorthwest.com says

The falls are not accessible by any trail and access is both difficult and dangerous.

"Difficult and dangerous"? Oh hell yeah, that's going on my to-do list!

[Webfoot]

I hope some day I have the pleasure of seeing you in action.

[Peder]

That looks like a lot of fun!

[Don Nelsen]

Excellent TR, Chip! I really enjoyed the reading taking a vicarious trip with you.

What kind of gloves do you wear for these outings? I have a problem tearing gloves to pieces on trips like that.

dn

[Chip Down]

Webfoot: You'd probably be disappointed. There are others here much more capable, but they keep a low profile.

Peder: Yes, much fun, more than expected. Really one of the great surprises in recent months.

Don: Thanks, glad you liked it. Regarding gloves, I started a topic in the equipment forum.

Oh, an afterthought that I forgot to mention: my first flower sighting of the year was columbia kittentail. I've noticed it's often the first to bloom, but got a late start this year.