I took Andy Prahl's advice, and headed up to Warren Falls today, to see if the heavy rain had managed to overcome the weir at the top of the falls that has diverted Warren Creek into a bypass tunnel since the 1930s. I could see water pushing over the weir from a distant spot on the approach, and then was VERY excited to see the autumn leaves scoured out of the old stream bed when I reached Hole--in-the-Wall Falls. Sure enough, there was still water flowing over Warren Falls... it lives!
Though no water was flowing in the stream bed where it meet the trail, the upper section was flowing -- plus, it was evident that a lot more water had been flowing at some point earlier this fall, so that's pretty exciting! I would guess that the flow visible in this photo is maybe one quarter or even less of what was coming over at high water.
If you missed it, I wrote this proposal for restoring the falls, and have since led a couple of potential non-profit advocates for the project to site. The ODOT project managers for this section of the scenic highway restoration project were equally jazzed when I suggested it to them last summer, so I think it's in the realm of the possible to see the full force of Warren Creek coming over this cliff at some point in the future... and won't that be cool?
I took quite a bit of video, and will post it here once I've compiled something.
-Tom
Warren Falls... LIVES!
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Re: Warren Falls... LIVES!
That's awesome Tom! Good luck with getting something going to restore it!
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Re: Warren Falls... LIVES!
Keeping my fingers cross, Zach...
You know, seeing water in the falls made me view the whole columnar basalt display in a new light. For starters, it's kind of a jumbo version of Dry Creek Falls (also has lots of columnar formation). But the whole overhang area to the right of the falls must have been a spectacular icicle display back when this falls thundered through the winter cold spells -- I won't try to photoshop that one, but it must have been impressive!
The other part that struck me with water flowing down from the base of the falls to the stream bed is that the huge pile of cobbles at the base of the falls could be (a) accumulated debris from periodic overflows over 80 years, OR (b) blasting debris from the tunnel, simply tossed over the side of the falls. Either way, there's no question in my mind that if you added the full force of Warren Creek to this pile, it would quickly move a lot of it downstream, adding a good 20 feet to the height of the falls. More food for thought...
-Tom
You know, seeing water in the falls made me view the whole columnar basalt display in a new light. For starters, it's kind of a jumbo version of Dry Creek Falls (also has lots of columnar formation). But the whole overhang area to the right of the falls must have been a spectacular icicle display back when this falls thundered through the winter cold spells -- I won't try to photoshop that one, but it must have been impressive!
The other part that struck me with water flowing down from the base of the falls to the stream bed is that the huge pile of cobbles at the base of the falls could be (a) accumulated debris from periodic overflows over 80 years, OR (b) blasting debris from the tunnel, simply tossed over the side of the falls. Either way, there's no question in my mind that if you added the full force of Warren Creek to this pile, it would quickly move a lot of it downstream, adding a good 20 feet to the height of the falls. More food for thought...
-Tom
Re: Warren Falls... LIVES!
woohoo!! I cant wait to see it someday. I sure hope your plan works out and people go for it. Hole in the wall falls is just ugly to me... This one looks far more impressive. How tall is it?
Jamey Pyles
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Re: Warren Falls... LIVES!
Sweet find Tom. That could be a very photogenic spot with more water falling down the cliff.
Clackamas River Waterfall Project - 95 Documented, 18 to go.
Re: Warren Falls... LIVES!
AWESOME Tom, so glad you went out there. I was just a missed alarm away from running into you. I had my alarm set so I would be out there about 8am today (Sunday) but a long night of twenty-something-ish social events led me to sleep right through that wake up signal, doh!
Ah well, I am really glad you made it out there and captured them. I'm sure you also got some cool pics of the other nearby waterfalls in very high flow.
Ah well, I am really glad you made it out there and captured them. I'm sure you also got some cool pics of the other nearby waterfalls in very high flow.
Andy
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Re: Warren Falls... LIVES!
Hey, Andy -- weird, because I had this feeling you had been up there on Saturday. I followed some footprints near the falls that looked to have been made after the temporary stream had subsided... so, we're not the only Warren Falls fans!
Okay, here's my video version...
You might want to grab some popcorn... this is a 6+ minute video, strictly for waterfall nerds... a quick bathroom stop wouldn't be a bad idea, either, given the subject matter and audio...
Enjoy!
-Tom
Okay, here's my video version...
You might want to grab some popcorn... this is a 6+ minute video, strictly for waterfall nerds... a quick bathroom stop wouldn't be a bad idea, either, given the subject matter and audio...
Enjoy!
-Tom
Re: Warren Falls... LIVES!
If you missed it, I wrote this proposal for restoring the falls, and have since led a couple of potential non-profit advocates for the project to site. The ODOT project managers for this section of the scenic highway restoration project were equally jazzed when I suggested it to them last summer, so I think it's in the realm of the possible to see the full force of Warren Creek coming over this cliff at some point in the future... and won't that be cool?
I took quite a bit of video, and will post it here once I've compiled something.
-Tom [/quote]
AWESOMMMMMME!! Tom I think I feel a Logo and website coming on!! Maybe we should chat about setting something up maybe via Wordpress.
Jamie
I took quite a bit of video, and will post it here once I've compiled something.
-Tom [/quote]
AWESOMMMMMME!! Tom I think I feel a Logo and website coming on!! Maybe we should chat about setting something up maybe via Wordpress.
Jamie