I cannot begin to tell you the emotions that surface when standing in front of Multnomah Falls. The roar of the rushing water. The curtain of lacy water drops. The cool mist blowing off the falls. The Pacific Northwest foliage covering the area. The sheer majesty of all 620 feet (189 m) of cascading water dropping off the cliff-face. Not to mention the views from the ascent to the top. Or the gorgeous stream that feeds the falls.

Yes, I hiked all the way to the top. I had done the climb once before in my college days. All 11 switchbacks-worth, so I "knew" what I was getting into. Still. Wowzers. The first two tenths of a mile to the bridge are at an incline, yes, so they take some exertion. By the time you get to that point you start thinking, "That wasn't too bad. I think I'll keep going and go all the way to the top." And then. Imagine going to the gym and getting on the treadmill. Now crank the incline all the way to it's highest level. Add one more tweak for good measure. Now take away the railings on the treadmill and add a near-vertical drop off of one side. Make the paving crumbly at some spots, so you really have to pay attention to your footing. And start walking. For the rest of the mile. On a warm day. I didn't win any awards for speed. It took me almost an hour and a half to make the climb (obviously there were some breaks along the way), but I made it!! And slept reeeeally well that night. (Yes, there was definitely some ibuprofen involved before bed.)

After making it back down in time to catch the next shuttle back to my car, I grabbed some supper and drove toward the coast. I stopped and spent the night at a lovely rest area just shy of Seaside, Oregon.

Gallery

Camping Must-Haves of the Day

Bungee Cords

While you may not need to bring the entire set, I have so far used four different sizes for various things from creating a temporary clothes line to keeping shoes from getting loose.

Clothes Pins

Speaking of a clothes line, these clothes pins are nice and light but nice and strong too. From hanging a towel to dry to keeping a garbage bag from flying away to clipping a tent flap back where you want it or even clipping a snack bag closed, these guys have been super helpful to have on this journey.

Get in touch