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Tazz
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
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Tazz
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PostTue Apr 11, 2006 11:29 am 
Finally back in the saddle! Its funny how even the smallest little creak and waterfall hike is heaven after being cooped up recovering for 6 weeks. We wanted to take Josh on a safe hike (cause mom is over protective and always scared he will slip and fall off a cliff embarassedlaugh.gif ) and used SF’s great site and info to pick a nice waterfall hike that a 2.5 year old could do. We picked McDowell Creek Co park. McDowell creek is located in Linn county Or. just Southeast of Salem. It is an hour and a half from our house. The trail is very well maintained and has nice safe platforms, bridges and stairways to take Josh on. There are three major falls along the trails. The first trail head takes you to Royal terrace Falls 119ft. There is a bridge that takes you to the base for viewing. There are stairs that take you to a platform at the top of the falls.
"I love hiking!"
"I love hiking!"
Royal Terrace Falls
Royal Terrace Falls
from the upper deck of Royal Terrace falls
from the upper deck of Royal Terrace falls
From here the trail continues up along a ridge for another ½ mile or so. The trees are heavily covered with moss in this area. The trillium is in full bloom. We enjoyed watching Josh hike along as stop at every little thing and investigate wub.gif .
green monster
green monster
trillium
trillium
The trail ends at the road. We decided to take the road down to make a loop instead of turning around. We passed the upper parking lot and took a trail to Crystal falls. We took a break here and enjoyed watching Josh fuel up fro the rest of the hike back. He didn’t make too much farther before he got tired and needed a ride in the pack.
Crystal Falls
Crystal Falls
mmmm Chocolate milk for energy!
mmmm Chocolate milk for energy!
We returned to the road and crossed it and continued along a trail that fallows the creek. The trail has been washed out and some fallen trees for several hundred feet but has easy detoured. This trail takes you back to the bridge below Royal Terrace Falls and then back to the parking lot. In all we hiked about 2 miles. We had lunch and headed up to the upper parking lot to reach Majestic falls. A couple of hundred feet from the parking lot there is a huge viewing platform at the top of the falls. Several sets of very slick stairs lead you down to another platform at the base of the falls. Then the trail continues across a bridge and then takes you down to Crystal Falls that we already stopped at during our first hike. We hiked a ways down this trail then turned around.
McDowell creek
McDowell creek
Top of Majestic Falls
Top of Majestic Falls
Majestic falls
Majestic falls
stairs at Majestic falls
stairs at Majestic falls
"Hiking is my favorite"
"Hiking is my favorite"
We somehow missed Lower Mcdowell creek falls from the first parking lot hmm hmmm.gif . After seeing the falls we decided we would head to Green Peter lake and check it out. We tend to not spend a lot of time at lakes and reservoirs because most are geared to boaters and not hikers but it looked cool on the map. The lake is a shade of green. There was one spot we found for hiking in Whitcomb creek county park (one of the many finger peninsulas that reach into the lake). We hiked down to a rocky beach so Josh could climb around and throw rocks in the water. When the clouds lifted briefly to the east I could see snow cover peaks. We maybe hiked another ½ mile or so then headed out.
Green Peter lake
Green Peter lake
throwing rocks makes a great spoosh sound
throwing rocks makes a great spoosh sound
somehow he slowed way down when he figured out we are headed home.
somehow he slowed way down when he figured out we are headed home.
On the way out we saw some falls from the side of the road. We stopped real quick so I could try to get a shot of them. I had to beat my way through 30 ft of thick blackberry canes taller than me. After getting all cut up and bleeding I couldn’t go much further without climbing on wet slick rock. So I got the best shots I could from the spot I was at. One could probably get a good shot of the nice upper falls if they want to get wet feet and climb up slick rock.
No name falls.
No name falls.
This is a nice area to visit. We saw just a few hikers near the falls area and they just went from the parking lots to the falls and didn’t continue along the trails. What a great day with my family smile.gif
knocked out!
knocked out!
It was nice to get out again and Josh is so much fun to hike with. Can’t wait to get up high on a peak again though. My images didn’t come out the best cause I broke my camera so some of the functions like zoom along with others are not working. I am sure Mania has some good ones. If he ever gets prod.gif them developed and scanned he might add some winksmile.gif .

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l
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Joined: 24 Nov 2005
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l
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PostTue Apr 11, 2006 2:23 pm 
Tazz, good to hear you're hiking again. I like the green monster photo and, of course, the cutie of Josh zonked in the car. Wonder where they got the name Green Peter Lake? P.S. Take it easy on those blackberry thickets!

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Tazz
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Tazz
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PostWed Apr 12, 2006 10:08 am 
Thanks Jim I tried looking up the info about naming the lake. I found that there is a peak near by with the same name. They say it was a a pioneer with a vivid imagination that named it and the name stuck...hmmm LOL

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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore



Joined: 15 May 2003
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
PostWed Apr 12, 2006 10:15 am 
I don't want to sound wierd or anything....but if you tweak that "throwing rocks..." photo a little to lighten it, I'd probably make it my computer wallpaper du jour. And I don't even like kids. That photo is a keeper. Dad & kid look pretty darn serene. You oughta send it to editor@wta.org. WTA wants to encourage families in the outdoors, and that photo hits the nail on the head. [edit] On second thought, they all do.

"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate." Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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Tazz
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Tazz
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PostTue May 09, 2006 10:10 am 
doh.gif doh.gif doh.gif I just remembered I never responded to this Quark. Sorry...... Thankyou. Would it be better to send pics through the site? Do you think the guy getting the e-mail might think I am weird confused.gif Yes the shot needs more than lightning it needs to be leveled too LOL. I would love to help promote children and families in the wilderness. I believe it is one of the better educations a child can have. Again sorry for taking so long and thankyou.

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