Oregon Hikers

Posted: **December 13th, 2020, 10:36 am**

Hiked this back in September of 2020, just three days before the Riverside fire destroyed the entire area. I have a video of the hike up on my channel...

https://youtu.be/w5PQ2RL9HXI

I think it captures the area well, and will hopefully serve as a historical reference to what it looked liked before the fire. Planning to create a part II video, post-fire.

Overall an excellent adventure hike, complete with tunnels, ruins, and waterfalls! It's more challenging than it looks on paper so pack extra water or at least have a way to filter it. The rope repelling isn't too difficult as long as you have gloves and are in decent shape for the climb back up.

Posted: **December 13th, 2020, 12:17 pm**

tychill wrote: ↑
December 13th, 2020, 10:36 am
Hiked this back in September of 2020, just three days before the Riverside fire destroyed the entire area. I have a video of the hike up on my channel...

https://youtu.be/w5PQ2RL9HXI

I think it captures the area well, and will hopefully serve as a historical reference to what it looked liked before the fire. Planning to create a part II video, post-fire.

Overall an excellent adventure hike, complete with tunnels, ruins, and waterfalls! It's more challenging than it looks on paper so pack extra water or at least have a way to filter it. The rope repelling isn't too difficult as long as you have gloves and are in decent shape for the climb back up.

Wow - that area looks so much different than when I hiked it last. It has obviously gotten a ton of use. I was sad to tee the graffiti on the upper end of the upper tunnel. I'm glad I was able to hike it before it got ruined.

The Riverside fire is the second fire to hit that area. The 36 pit fire went thru there in 2014. Given the intensity of the Riverside fire, I'm guessing that bridge over the South Fork is either gone or horribly unsafe to cross now.

Posted: **December 13th, 2020, 12:26 pm**

Nice video, thanks, nice area

Now you'll have to repeat post fire

Posted: **December 13th, 2020, 8:39 pm**

Oh, I didn't know about the recent fire. I know that road was closed years ago due to a previous fire, of course. Can't say I'm surprised; damn near everything burned this year, it seems.

I guess that was Kate Brown in the crosshairs? Yikes. I can't stand her, but that seems a bit extreme.

I was sad to see the graffiti on the upper end of the upper tunnel.

Yeah, well, we live in an era with literally zero respect, where destruction is lauded, where spitting on history is considered noble. So yeah, no surprise that lowlife asswipes would do that. I bet they thought they were cool, bet they bragged to their friends, bet they instagrammed the eff out of it. I predict in my lifetime the statue of liberty will be covered in graffiti, and the authorities will be scared to do anything about it. Doesn't matter, since the statue will be salvaged by meth-heads no later than 2030, melted down to fund the second American "revolution".

Oh, and I also blame Brian Edwards

Given the intensity of the Riverside fire, I'm guessing that bridge over the South Fork is either gone or horribly unsafe to cross now.

Ah, interesting. If so, glad I got in there when I could. That hike may have gone from more-difficult-than-it-used-to-be, to how-the-heck-do-I-get-across-this?

Regarding the video, I strongly prefer informative narration to mood-enhancing music, but even so, I enjoyed it. Was surprised when you hopped across the lip of the upper falls.

Not that it's super scary, just didn't see it coming.

Oh, just noticed this was the debut post by OP. Welcome!

Posted: **December 14th, 2020, 5:29 am**

Well then this begs the following question(s) in my mind: How is respect taught? How's in enforced? Who's job is it to instill it? What has occurred in society that has changed it?

I'm enjoying AZ.. it's different here

I like visiting PH occasionally to see some of the green foliage...

Chip Down wrote: ↑
December 13th, 2020, 8:39 pm
Oh, I didn't know about the recent fire. I know that road was closed years ago due to a previous fire, of course. Can't say I'm surprised; damn near everything burned this year, it seems.

I guess that was Kate Brown in the crosshairs? Yikes. I can't stand her, but that seems a bit extreme.

I was sad to see the graffiti on the upper end of the upper tunnel.
Yeah, well, we live in an era with literally zero respect, where destruction is lauded, where spitting on history is considered noble. So yeah, no surprise that lowlife asswipes would do that. I bet they thought they were cool, bet they bragged to their friends, bet they instagrammed the eff out of it. I predict in my lifetime the statue of liberty will be covered in graffiti, and the authorities will be scared to do anything about it. Doesn't matter, since the statue will be salvaged by meth-heads no later than 2030, melted down to fund the second American "revolution". Oh, and I also blame Brian Edwards

Given the intensity of the Riverside fire, I'm guessing that bridge over the South Fork is either gone or horribly unsafe to cross now.
Ah, interesting. If so, glad I got in there when I could. That hike may have gone from more-difficult-than-it-used-to-be, to how-the-heck-do-I-get-across-this?

Regarding the video, I strongly prefer informative narration to mood-enhancing music, but even so, I enjoyed it. Was surprised when you hopped across the lip of the upper falls. Not that it's super scary, just didn't see it coming.

Oh, just noticed this was the debut post by OP. Welcome!

Posted: **December 14th, 2020, 6:59 am**

Those are good questions Mark, I wonder how we got here

I love governor Brown, Chip, we are the 5th best state when it comes to infections or deaths per capita.

I kind of ignored her stay at home order in April, but I have stayed away from other people to avoid trading any virus particles. Driving to a nearby location to backpack by myself is the same as staying at home. Overall, her message has been right on. A little bit slow to respond at times, like a month ago, but it's so difficult for officials to figure out just what to say, when.

Correct that, we're now the 4th best state for infections per capita, just moved ahead of New Hampshire

Posted: **December 14th, 2020, 8:12 am**

retired jerry wrote: ↑
December 13th, 2020, 12:26 pm
Nice video, thanks, nice area

Now you'll have to repeat post fire

Thank you

Hoping to get a part ii done this winter!

Posted: **December 14th, 2020, 8:23 am**

Chip Down wrote: ↑
December 13th, 2020, 8:39 pm
Oh, I didn't know about the recent fire. I know that road was closed years ago due to a previous fire, of course. Can't say I'm surprised; damn near everything burned this year, it seems.

I guess that was Kate Brown in the crosshairs? Yikes. I can't stand her, but that seems a bit extreme.

I was sad to see the graffiti on the upper end of the upper tunnel.
Yeah, well, we live in an era with literally zero respect, where destruction is lauded, where spitting on history is considered noble. So yeah, no surprise that lowlife asswipes would do that. I bet they thought they were cool, bet they bragged to their friends, bet they instagrammed the eff out of it. I predict in my lifetime the statue of liberty will be covered in graffiti, and the authorities will be scared to do anything about it. Doesn't matter, since the statue will be salvaged by meth-heads no later than 2030, melted down to fund the second American "revolution". Oh, and I also blame Brian Edwards

Given the intensity of the Riverside fire, I'm guessing that bridge over the South Fork is either gone or horribly unsafe to cross now.
Ah, interesting. If so, glad I got in there when I could. That hike may have gone from more-difficult-than-it-used-to-be, to how-the-heck-do-I-get-across-this?

Regarding the video, I strongly prefer informative narration to mood-enhancing music, but even so, I enjoyed it. Was surprised when you hopped across the lip of the upper falls. Not that it's super scary, just didn't see it coming.

Oh, just noticed this was the debut post by OP. Welcome!

Hey Chip, thanks for the welcome. Long time viewer/hiker, first time post. I hiked this same spot many years ago, before the first fire, which you can see evidence of in my vid. When I returned I wasn't surprised to see it hammered by humans. These days most of the trails within an hour or so of Portland are.

Posted: **January 6th, 2021, 10:49 am**

Anyone knows what happened to the other log on the bridge to the tunnel to Clackamas falls? Did it collapse? I remember crossing the double log on a rainy day and almost slipped off them on the way back because I didn't spot the way around it back then. Would be scary to think that it could've collapsed while I was on them.

This is one of my favorite areas, and I've explored different parts of it over more than 10 trips in 2019. The start of the trail was covered by bullet shells in early 2019 (not sure if it was the case when you first hiked it), but I can proudly say that I was the one who cleaned them up.

Memaloose Falls (the one you were on the lip of towards the end of the video) was the waterfall that made me find out canyoneering is a thing and was the first waterfall I rappeled. I was planning on trying to jump it from various height to see how safe it is to jump from the top (the pool below was clear and deep, the waterfall is not very tall, but I'm not an experienced jumper), but then the fire happened.

Oregon Hikers

Memaloose and Clackamas Falls - before the fire

Memaloose and Clackamas Falls - before the fire

Re: Memaloose and Clackamas Falls - before the fire

Re: Memaloose and Clackamas Falls - before the fire

Re: Memaloose and Clackamas Falls - before the fire

Re: Memaloose and Clackamas Falls - before the fire

Re: Memaloose and Clackamas Falls - before the fire

Re: Memaloose and Clackamas Falls - before the fire

Re: Memaloose and Clackamas Falls - before the fire

Re: Memaloose and Clackamas Falls - before the fire