Secondly, on Saturday I hiked up into the Cascades with my grandpa, who--even at 67--has the energy to hike all over the place and probably a higher level of stamina than I do. He belongs to a hiking club that recently built a lodge halfway up Larch Mountain in the Cascades. We went up there, and it took all morning.
We began at the base of Multnomah Falls, and after making our way up steep, punishing switchbacks, reached the top of the cliff and continued inwards, up a long trail that wound through the forest, through several small streams that cut directly across the path, across a river, up many slopes, down an unpaved road, and finally to the lodge at about 1800 feet. Going up took about two hours and was a good three miles or so.
I found the lodge was quite well-stocked, with a gas stove, refrigerator, and electric lights. We hung out there for about an hour, enjoying the scenery and eating my grandpa's patent Slimy Noodle Soup, which is basically instant ramen with all the ingredients removed except the noodles and broth. It's actually pretty decent.
The way down seemed to take even longer than the way up, and by the time I got back I was only semiconscious. It was 4:00 pm, and we had been at it for five hours. I was totally worn out, but nonetheless, it was a nice way to spend a Saturday.
Here are some pictures I took.
Multnomah Falls. Cloudy days are awesome.
A rock overhang above the trail. I stood with my back to the rock wall and took this picture, which ended up being awesome.
The forest is so very green.
A stream and a log, directly across the path.
There was an impressive viewpoint near the lodge. We were this high up. The picture blurred a little, unfortunately.
You could see for miles.
There was one place where two creeks joined together at funny angles, and it was one of the most amazing places I've ever seen.
