Ramona Falls river crossing

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BaileyBoy
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Joined: March 25th, 2009, 12:15 pm

Ramona Falls river crossing

Post by BaileyBoy » June 13th, 2018, 12:29 pm

I know there won't be a bridge up there at least this year but my friend and I plus my dog are considering heading up if there are any good logs to cross. Pretty early in the year for us to consider entering the river.

Thanks for any intel

squeakytree
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Joined: November 1st, 2017, 6:55 am

Re: Ramona Falls river crossing

Post by squeakytree » June 20th, 2018, 12:51 pm

The Sandy River changed course slightly after a rain storm last October. The high bank on the right side as you approach the crossing eroded throughout the winter, and all the trees on the edge of it are now across the river. It seems like there are even more usable logs than last year.

squidvicious
Posts: 524
Joined: May 11th, 2015, 8:41 pm
Location: Troutdale

Re: Ramona Falls river crossing

Post by squidvicious » June 27th, 2018, 1:31 pm

I'm going to add an asterisk to that reply. I figure that a good percentage of people looking for info on the crossing are asking specifically because they're not so comfortable with river crossings. As someone in that camp, this year's crossing makes me more anxious than previous ones.

I somehow managed to turn my heels to blistery hamburger recently, but I was hoping they were scabbed and bandaged enough today to try an easy hike to Ramona Falls today. It quickly became clear my feet weren't on board with that, but I did press on just enough to see what the crossing looked like.

There were pretty many logs, and the crossing seems to have narrowed, so you're not on them so long. But the logs all seemed a lot smaller/skinnier, and not as conveniently arranged as before. If you're happy to just walk out on a log like a balance beam, you're fine. But for me with a fear of falling, I would definitely prefer to have the logs of the last couple years back, nice and wide underfoot with a higher partner to brace your hands.

Specifically: I saw two spots marked with cairns. The first looked like it was meant to just be a rock hop, though the water was a bit high for that today. The second was a collection of a few logs that was obviously where most people were crossing. It started out fine, with a skinny-but-sturdy-enough log for your feet and a higher one to hold on to. But that lower log petered out to nothing and disappeared beneath the upper one. OK, but then there was another low log (also skinny) a few feet upstream from that you could step onto. And from there...

From there is where it lost me. The second log seemed a bit too far and a bit too high to continue in hands-and-feet mode. There were some additional logs added into the jumble on the far side, but from where I stood I didn't see an obvious idiot-proof foot-and-handhold way to finish on those either. I had visions of me slipping and tumbling into the water.

Even though there were a ton of people out, I somehow managed to hit the river in a wide gap between them, so I never got to see anyone go across. If I'd had the chance to watch a couple people I probably would have felt better about it. And had I been planning to continue I'm sure I would have figured it out. But if I'm honest it did make me feel better about the blisters cutting my hike short.

I wish I'd stopped to take some pictures or video. Anyone have video of people going across?

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retired jerry
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Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: Ramona Falls river crossing

Post by retired jerry » June 27th, 2018, 2:10 pm

no video but I have this
DSCF1766.JPG
The people ahead of me scooted across this log, sitting down, so that's what I did

I saw this huge crowd of Muslim women. I figured that would be the end of the hike for them. Then they all just walked across. How embarrassing. I hope they didn't see me scooting across :)

Webfoot
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Joined: November 25th, 2015, 11:06 am
Location: Troutdale

Re: Ramona Falls river crossing

Post by Webfoot » June 27th, 2018, 6:21 pm

:lol: I know how that feels.

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