Salt Creek Falls and Vivian Lake 09-11-17

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bobcat
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Joined: August 1st, 2011, 7:51 am
Location: SW Portland

Salt Creek Falls and Vivian Lake 09-11-17

Post by bobcat » September 15th, 2017, 11:28 am

I took off for a four-day excursion to the central Cascades based at my sister’s place in Sunriver. With the fire haze coming and going and numerous closures, it was tricky finding good places to stretch my legs. My first choice on the trip over was Diamond Peak, but the Rockpile Trail is closed, so I did an in and out excursion from Salt Creek Falls instead.

Salt Creek Falls is billed at the observation point at the second-highest waterfall in Oregon, but according to the Northwest Waterfall Survey, it is really a lowly 14th! Nonetheless, it’s always a spectacular sight plunging full force into its deep canyon even after a very dry summer. I then hiked the Diamond Creek Falls Loop above the canyon, getting a partial glimpse of Lower Diamond Creek Falls plunging into the Salt Creek Canyon. I also stopped in at Too Much Bear Lake, where there was too much of nothing and not enough bear. Farther up the trail, a spur led to (upper) Diamond Creek Falls, a lovely veil that splashes 120 feet into a cool, shady defile.
Salt Creek Falls, Willamette N.F..jpg
Looking down Salt Creek towards Judd Mountain, Salt Creek Falls.jpg
Footbridge over Salt Creek, Salt Creek Falls.jpg
Too Much Bear Lake, Diamond Creek Falls Trail.jpg
Below Diamond Creek Falls, Diamond Creek.jpg
From the above the falls, I branched off on the Vivian Lake Trail, crossing the Southern Pacific Railroad, entering the Diamond Peak Wilderness, and then hiking up Fall Creek to a viewpoint over the upper tier of Fall Creek Falls. From there, it was the ‘magic mile’ of huckleberries all the way to Vivian Lake. Each little bush was loaded down with luscious fruits, and I thoroughly indulged in smearing purple stains all over my hands and face.
Trail sign near Diamond Creek crossing, Vivian Lake Trail.jpg
Train, Southern Pacific Railroad, Vivian Lake Trail.jpg
Leafy aster (Symphyotrichum foliaceum var. parryi), Vivian Lake Trail.jpg
Fall Creek, Vivian Lake Trail.jpg
Upper Fall Creek Falls, Vivian Lake Trail.jpg
Above Fall Creek Falls, Vivian Lake Trail.jpg
Black huckleberry (Vaccinium membranaceum), Vivian Lake Trail.jpg
Bear scat, Vivian Lake Trail.jpg
Vivian Lake itself was a tranquil scene. I hiked along the east shore to get a view through a slight fire haze towards Mt. Yoran to the south. Dragonflies buzzed among the shoreline sedges, and newts floated in the shallows. From there, it was a steady downhill lope back to civilization. I took the switchbacking lower trail down for a head on view of Salt Creek Falls, but declined the last loose, rubbly descent on scree to the base of the waterfall. A couple of teenagers showed me how it was done, though, kicking up a cloud of dust worthy of a respectable landslide.
East arm, Vivian Lake.jpg
South shore of Vivian Lake.jpg
Mt. Yoran from Vivian Lake.jpg
North end of Vivian Lake.jpg
Mt. Yoran and Vivian Lake.jpg
Salt Creek Falls from lower viewpoint.jpg

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