First up, Jon at the Wahkeena approach -- not much has changed here over the years:
Okay, one big change, I suppose -- the giant, ugly stump that has been adorning the falls since the mid-70s was still growing up on the canyon walls in 1988 (still can't figure out why the USFS didn't cut the entire stump out when they cleared the trail), making for a much nicer view from the bridge:
Jon relaxing on the stone wall, probably thinking about 80s stuff... like moused hair, clove cigarettes and Banarama:
Looking down from the falls toward the trailhead -- and this does look different to me. I think the brush on the west side of the creek has filled in a LOT since this was taken, since it now obscures the view somewhat from below:
Okay, now we're over at McCord Creek, and Jon is standing at the base of Elowah Falls - it even looks like the same bridge, 23 years later. It might have been built when Trail 400 was constructed, so may have been relatively new in this photo:
I don't actually recognize this spot, but its somewhere in the Elowah vicinity -- maybe on the east side of the bridge?
...and finally, from the upper trail -- this is the section of railing that was repaired recently, after years of missing a couple sections. I would say that the falls was more visible then from the trail, too -- I think you have to lean over the edge quite a bit, now, to actually see the entire falls:
I like the fact that the McCord Creek trail, in particular, has been so well cared for by volunteers and the USFS -- it looks better today than it did back in 1988, IMO. It's also more traveled, but that's a good thing - also IMO. The main difference is the trailhead, which had a major makeover sometime in the 1990s, as part of the Columbia River National Scenic Area phasing in.
Okay... there's your trip back into time for 1988..!
