Hidden on Dog Mountain
Recently a couple of us got together for a ‘guys’ weekend and ended up finding the spectacular Cathedral Falls. I knew this was something that I wanted to share with Theresa, so we came back to the area for our own weekend. I knew she would be as excited about the falls as I was, but I wasn’t counting on us stumbling over stunning views of Riffe Lake from the summit of Dog Mountain.
Dog Mountain isn’t particularly high (my topo maps show a height of 2133’) but it is right on the east edge of Riffe Lake and it has a large flat meadow that borders the shoreline. This combination makes it very popular with the hang gliding and paragliding groups. In addition to the lake, you have a great view of Glenoma Valley to the north.
We hiked up the dirt track whose entrance is locked with a gate. This is private land but the owners make it accessible to members of the Cloudbase Country Club. Apparently, if you pay your fees and sign waivers you get a key to the gate. We’d rather walk. For those of you who might be interested in membership, you can find information here.
Wild and scenic rivers
wild and scenic rivers project a huge success
As a team, we more than tripled the amount of data to date. We’ve received 573 completed surveys from 91 rivers this year, compared to 183 surveys from 41 rivers in 2020.
We’re proud to have been a part of this effort! We’re working on articles and videos so stay tuned.
advertisement
Member of the following
Latest Instagram
We’re having a very chill weekend in Vantage but decided to walk up to the State Park after dinner to stretch our legs when this happened. Lasted for about 10 minutes then was gone.⠀ ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
We’ve had to scale back our weekend plans, but last night’s sunset on the Columbia River Gorge. Our camp is on the left at the top of the cliffs. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
Falls colors starting to show just below Barlow Pass on Elliot Creek. We had a very short window of clear weather this weekend to get out and explore.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #YourShotPhotographer #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
It was impossible trying to keep the raindrops off the lens today, but here’s a first pass at the Boulder Falls we hiked out to this morning. We kept hoping the rain would let up for just a bit but no such luck. Welcome to the Pacific Northwest. :-)⠀ ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
Just published our latest adventure; "Searching for Walupt Creek Falls" You can find the link in my bio up top.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #YourShotPhotographer #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler #WildOlympics #wastateparks
This use to be Lake Mills. Removal of the Glines Canyon Dam drained the lake back to its original state. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #YourShotPhotographer #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler #WildOlympics
Got a late start, but took our RAD power bikes up pass the wash out on the old Elwha River road up to the spillway. Turned out to be a beautiful afternoon.⠀ ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #YourShotPhotographer #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler #WildOlympics
Looking across the Snoqualmie National Forest from above our basecamp on Bear Canyon.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #YourShotPhotographer #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
Taking a break along South Prairie Creek recently. Excited to feel fall in the air. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #YourShotPhotographer #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
Theresa enjoying the serenity to do a bit of reading on the banks of the Tilton River. We hiked into Bear Canyon to find this little gem. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #YourShotPhotographer #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
This weekend we camped on the rim of Bear Canyon. Here's an aerial shot from above our camp across rich farmland into the Snoqualmie National Forest.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #YourShotPhotographer #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
I can’t remember the last time we had rain, but we’re enjoying sitting in camp watching the clouds roll over the hills like waves.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
A misty morning on Skate Creek deep within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #YourShotPhotographer #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
This wasn't the easiest waterfall to find, but the scramble was worth the effort; Walupt Creek Falls is over 200' in height. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #YourShotPhotographer #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
Just published our latest adventure; "Record Heat and Nowhere to Run". You can find the link in my bio up top.⠀ ....#pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #YourShotPhotographer #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler #WildOlympics #wastateparks
Whether we find any birds during our #COASST bird surveys or not, the beauty of the Pacific Northwest always makes the trips worthwhile. Another stunning weekend at the coast conducting citizen science. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnw #washington #washingtonstate #pacificnorthwest #pnwonderland #nature #optoutside #washingtonexplored #science #upperleftusa #olympicpeninsula #beach #cascadiaexplored #wildlife #explorewashington #YourShotPhotographer #conservation #pnwlife #washingtonweed #wacoast #washingtonstatefair #naturephotography #washingtonnationals #washingtontrails #wander #hiking #olympicnationalpark @washingtondiscovered #WildOlympics @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
Creepy Night in Mossyrock
We decided to try and beat any ‘weekend’ camping crowds as there’s been a noticeable uptick in off-season camping this year. I needed to be able to work from the campsite so that meant picking a spot that had cellular connectivity. So we decided to use Tacoma Powers’ Mossyrock Campgrounds as our basecamp.
Pulling in on Thursday afternoon, I had a moment when I thought that perhaps I had made a terrible mistake. There was absolutely no one in the campground. The gate had been opened and checking one of the sites there was water and power so we went ahead a chose a site. The funny thing was that we’ve never been confronted with so many options and we had a hard time choosing that ‘one perfect spot.
I felt sure we’d have company before the sunset. That was not the case. It was wonderful sitting around the fire watching the mist form over the lake and hillsides, but as the evening wore on, it got decidedly creepy. I had to laugh at my reaction. It’s been some time since I’ve been spooked while camping!
advertisement
all article photographs
Return to Cathedral Falls
As mentioned earlier, this was my second trip out to the falls, and I wrote about it here. What was different this time was the colder temperatures and snow on the ground. It gave everything quite a different feel. Even the drive up to the trailhead was much more gnarly. Bigger rocks had come down since last time, a few trees, snow patches on the trail, and a washout tree combination that had you committed to driving right on the cliff edge! Plenty of adventure even before you hit the trail.
We were joined by some friends, Erin and Connally, who were interested in seeing the falls. Due to our day jobs, we had all received our COVID-19 vaccinations so felt comfortable hiking together.
Once on the trail, we quickly made our way to falls and everyone’s jaw dropped; mine included. If you look at my previous articles photos you’ll see that the falls actually drop on a large granite boulder. Cool. This time it was very cool. That boulder was completely encased in layers of ice. It made for some interesting photos and a lot of excited conversation.
I’m already contemplating returning in the spring to see what the falls will look like with the spring melt coming over the edge.
