Good ol' Stuff You Should Know just did an interesting podcast about the "hum'. I heard something similar from time to time out in the Noatak up in Alaska. There are a few different theories, and if it even exists is still open for debate. A solid podcast to check out regardless.
Here you go, Stuff You Should Know. How the hum works.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Columbia River Gorge and Southern Oregon
With everything I owned soaking like a sponge and my car smelling like a wet dog, I rolled into Columbia River Gorge in Northern Oregon. Rain gently patted against my window while I ate some lunch and then again turned into a full downpour as I did some scout hiking. I hiked up Multnomah Falls as water ran down the switchbacks and formed impromptu ponds at each turn. Just couldn't get out of the rain.
Crater Lake itself is immense. It is hard to grasp the scale of the place even when you are standing on its rim. Being all precipitation feed is impressive too. A giant rain gage that is much more scenic. I meandered around the edge, taking my time and enjoying the quiet and the cold. Crater Lake is at a significant higher elevation than the surrounding forest. There where little piles of snow littering the parking area to prove this. This is a place I'll need to return when the rim road is open. I considered hopping the fence and quickly scurrying my bike over too but a park ranger kept a good eye on the blockade, turning away an enthusiastic group who had the same plans as I.
Electing not to drive the entire distance to Northern California in one day, Oregon Caves National Monument was a nice pit stop. Visiting later in the season has it downfalls, as with closed roads at Crater, but it has it perks to in the form of zero, yes zero, people at 90% of parks I visited. Oregon Caves was no exception. I nearly had a private tour of the cave system before a family sprinted up the pathway to catch up with the guide and I. Again, I'll let you wikipedia fill your brain with any fact you would like to know about the caves. Well worth my detour, the caves were full of fast rooms, stalagmites and tites, and all the bizarre formations akin to a cave. Yes, there is a black list in the middle photo below that causes one for the cave formations to glow. Just like that Grateful Dead poster many of you hippies have hanging proudly on your wall.
I spent a few days in Portland and Oregon city with friends and family and to dry out. I think my feet still squished when I walked even though I had no water in my shoes. It had permeated and waterlogged my skin.
Before heading south, Nick joined me in heading back to the Columbia River Gorge. Allowing access to Multnomah and the handful of falls above the gorge's visual centerpiece, loop #2 (shown left) gave relief from crowds and noise of the highway below.
Before heading south, Nick joined me in heading back to the Columbia River Gorge. Allowing access to Multnomah and the handful of falls above the gorge's visual centerpiece, loop #2 (shown left) gave relief from crowds and noise of the highway below.
Wahkeena Falls, winding through a v-shaped gouge in the rock, was the first view following a half dozen or so swithcbacks. The trail plateaus for a short stretch before shooting back into uphill climbing and denser forests. Wahkeena Springs (below on left) cascades through the trees and winds next to the trail for the next mile as you climb up the well worn trail to Fairy Falls. The trail was empty and the small group that started ahead of Nick and I turned around shortly after the first set of switchbacks. The sound of rushing water and treading feet were the only sounds. A Quick note about this hike. Yes, seeing the waterfalls during springtime runoff is preferred, the trail Nick and I took is crossed numerous times by Wahkeena Springs and could be more difficult to navigate in higher runoff. If you don't mind getting wet and are confident in your footing however, there should be no issues and would further limit crowds accessing the upper trail areas.
Ecola and Weisendanger Falls are more tucked from the trail than Wahkeena and Fairy. The views here however are much more scenic and grand due to the falls cutting a small canyon, with the trail following it's edge down before depositing you to a perfect view of the lower Weisendanger Falls (below on right). Every surface is covered with lush mosses from constant misting.
Below Weisendanger falls, the trail cuts underneath a rock overhang and tucks itself next to a spring that is feed by underground springs from Larch Mountain. I expected a larger feeder stream to Multnomah falls but inputs further down and constant runoff from steep surrounding slopes continue to grow the spring until it plummets over 600 feet. Multnomah Falls is divided into the upper (540 ft) and lower (70 ft) with a concrete arch foot bridge visually dividing the two sections.
Before reaching the base of Multnomah, twelve switchbacks separate you and your pounding shins from the view. Two things are common on this part of the trail; 1) People being dressed more for a leisurely stroll to the bar in a smattering of hipster apparel, fancy shoes, and makeup that had begun to run due to sweating profusely and 2) people sucking wind in a fashion similar to someone trying to out compete for the only remaining air left on earth. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to see a wide variety of people enjoying the outdoors, but maybe wear the tennis shoes instead of your fancy heals.
Walking over the foot bridge, you are blasted with a constant downdraft of wind and spray, making it pretty difficult to take a nice, droplet free photo. I got frustrated after five or so attempts and gave up. Everyone with glasses were drying them with their shirt in a little huddled group on the bridges far side.
After hiking with Nick, I left early the next morning heading south towards Crater Lake, making a pit stop in Umpqua National Forest. I camped off a forest road way back into the trees. Just the soft drip of water fro man early morning rain and that was it. An eerie quiet had settled over the forest. Side not, yes a tree does make a noise if it falls in the forest when "nobody" is around to hear it. I had set up camp and was taking my bike down for a ride when an enormous tree branch (really the top 1/3 of the tree) broke free and crashed down making a loud bang. Absolute quiet, then BANG! I haven't been that frightened in a long time. Good thing I was getting out of there and hitting the road on my bike. I followed the twisting downhill road, turning onto a dirt path after passing a sign for hot springs. The road was pretty rutted out but the bike handled it ok.
A quick hike over a bridge and up a steep path to the hot springs. The springs themselves were divided up into three pools cascading down into one another, with the pools decreasing in temperature as the water worked it's way from pool to pool. The choice was tough. I could join the naked guy smoking a joint in the hottest pool, squeeze in among three other soakers in the middle pool, or be the third wheel in the bottom pool while a couple, naked as well, were expressing their feelings to put it nicely. I chose the top pool. People continued to arrive and leave and soon I met a Chancy from Ashland and two other ladies from Alaska and Washington. Good company and they each had great stories to share. I finished soaking and headed for my bike to make the long uphill journey back to camp. Chancy passed me in his car and offered me a place to stay if I was coming through Ashland. The two ladies honked and waved as they drove by easily up the steep uphill.
Packing up early, Crater Lake was calling. I was squeaking this part of the trip in before snow could sock in the park and make it impassible except to the dedicated cross country skier. I wanted to bike around the rim but the road was closed, so instead I settle for making breakfast with the Subaru's hatch opened to a pretty good view. Not too bad. My usual has been a breakfast scramble with eggs, red peppers, beans, celery, salsa, and whatever else needs to be eaten. I think I eat better on the road than I do at home. Food seems to be much more important when so many of the other comforts are stripped away. A good breakfast with hot coffee is a simple pleasure I can have anywhere.
Walking over the foot bridge, you are blasted with a constant downdraft of wind and spray, making it pretty difficult to take a nice, droplet free photo. I got frustrated after five or so attempts and gave up. Everyone with glasses were drying them with their shirt in a little huddled group on the bridges far side.
After hiking with Nick, I left early the next morning heading south towards Crater Lake, making a pit stop in Umpqua National Forest. I camped off a forest road way back into the trees. Just the soft drip of water fro man early morning rain and that was it. An eerie quiet had settled over the forest. Side not, yes a tree does make a noise if it falls in the forest when "nobody" is around to hear it. I had set up camp and was taking my bike down for a ride when an enormous tree branch (really the top 1/3 of the tree) broke free and crashed down making a loud bang. Absolute quiet, then BANG! I haven't been that frightened in a long time. Good thing I was getting out of there and hitting the road on my bike. I followed the twisting downhill road, turning onto a dirt path after passing a sign for hot springs. The road was pretty rutted out but the bike handled it ok.
Crater Lake itself is immense. It is hard to grasp the scale of the place even when you are standing on its rim. Being all precipitation feed is impressive too. A giant rain gage that is much more scenic. I meandered around the edge, taking my time and enjoying the quiet and the cold. Crater Lake is at a significant higher elevation than the surrounding forest. There where little piles of snow littering the parking area to prove this. This is a place I'll need to return when the rim road is open. I considered hopping the fence and quickly scurrying my bike over too but a park ranger kept a good eye on the blockade, turning away an enthusiastic group who had the same plans as I.
Electing not to drive the entire distance to Northern California in one day, Oregon Caves National Monument was a nice pit stop. Visiting later in the season has it downfalls, as with closed roads at Crater, but it has it perks to in the form of zero, yes zero, people at 90% of parks I visited. Oregon Caves was no exception. I nearly had a private tour of the cave system before a family sprinted up the pathway to catch up with the guide and I. Again, I'll let you wikipedia fill your brain with any fact you would like to know about the caves. Well worth my detour, the caves were full of fast rooms, stalagmites and tites, and all the bizarre formations akin to a cave. Yes, there is a black list in the middle photo below that causes one for the cave formations to glow. Just like that Grateful Dead poster many of you hippies have hanging proudly on your wall.
I highly recommend taking the cave tour if you ever visit Oregon Caves. The most money I've spend in a National Park in a good while ($9.00 for the tour) but well worth it. It is the only way you are allowed into the main cave system. I joined part of the family group for a quick hike, taking the long way around to the parking lot. I scored with a camping spot for the night, as the tour guide let me in on a secret spot he and the other rangers frequent. I plopped myself below the park's radio tower and had perfect views of the sun setting behind the hills and clouds rolling low among the hill tops. Stars made their way out too to finish off the evening. A little chilly due to elevation but I slept like a baby, waking to do a quick yoga stretch and enjoy the view before continuing on to California.
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