Warren Falls Lives..! Redux! (Feb 17)

[Splintercat]

I picked up a nice bug on Friday and spent the weekend cursing my fate (second bug this winter... ugh!) as the rain poured down. The salvation was that I-84 was closed, so kinda reassuring given that I was laying low for a couple days. But THEN ODOT reopened I-84 last night... and the wheels began to turn in my congested brain, as I really wanted to make another trip to Warren Falls -- to see even more water coming over!

So, cold but be damned, today I celebrated the holiday by heading up there -- something I'll pay for tomorrow, I'm sure! Showers rolling through, and lots of water in the streams all through the Gorge -- but almost no snow left, especially on the east end, oddly enough. Warren Creek was about the same as it was last Wednesday, when I posted this report, and the side stream from Warren Falls wasn't flowing at all...



...so I was initially a bit discouraged. But just a few feet up the boot path, and I was greeted by this:



Not nearly the amount of overflow that created this debris pile, alas:



But still a nice flow...



...and the falls was looking quite lovely -- minus the snow from five days ago:



The view from the base of the falls -- also quite lovely:





...and a little extra treat for the repeat trip? The lens cap I lost on Wednesday! I had no idea where I dropped it (in the snow), but I almost stepped on it when I was scrambling up to the falls..! Nice karma courtesy Warren Falls...



I'll post another video when I get a chance -- in the meantime, I've got a Facebook page dedicated to restoring the falls -- stop by if you'd like to get periodic updates and show your support: Restore Warren Falls! on Facebook

Tom

[-Q-]

pic #5 is awesome

looks like the falls are coming straight out of the center of a solid rockface

[BrianEdwards]

I think that's the most water yet!

[AlexanderSupertramp]

Looking good, Tom. Keep fighting the good fight. I'm working on some more publicity for the cause. I'll keep you posted

[Splintercat]

Hey, thanks Adam! It isn't over 'til it's over... plus, Nature bats last! So, just a matter of when, not if...

@ Brian - definitely for me, though a fraction of what moved all the leaves and debris around at the base last fall... so, Ahab WILL return in search of his whale...

@ Q: I like that angle, too -- though it shortchanges the waterfall by about 40 feet (the hidden portion)! I do hope to live long enough to see the full force of Warren Creek thundering over the falls... wow! That must have been a sight. While I was taking photos yesterday, the light was such that it really hit me what the natural falls must have looked like based on the polished portion of the cliff face -- the top tier that you can't see in the photo you mentioned.

I've added some arrows to this close view -- the polish on the basalt shows how Warren Creek carved away at the west side of the chute at the top of the falls, which is hidden from view in the approach to the falls:



I think the overall shape must have been much like Ponytail Falls (or perhaps Upper Latourell), but minus the cavern behind the base. I do think the volume of water was enough that it lost contact with the cliff face below the polished area. I'll have to try out a Photoshop version at some point... hmmm..

Tom

[Splintercat]

...and here's a short video from yesterday. Much greener than a few days earlier! More water, too:



..and per my earlier post, you can read more about restoring Warren Falls on this Facebook page.

(...should be better video this time... this is a second upload - but you'll have to select 720p resolution)

Tom

[Rustygoat]

Wow...really cool Tom! I was planning on heading up right after seeing your last TR but that day they closed I-84 due to the rock-slide. Thanks for the pictures and video...hopefully the freeway is open the next time there is a good downpour.