01/25/09 - Week 110 Lower Proxy Falls In last weeks post I was talking about Highway 242 and said I would post Proxy Falls this week. This image is first of the two falls you come to along the Proxy Falls Trail. It is the "Lower" falls. Some day I'll get a shot of the "Upper" falls that I am happy with and post it. The Lower falls is, in my opinion, the prettier of the two. The Upper Falls is interesting in that the falls dumps into a pool and then the water just goes away so to speak. It dumps into a pool at the base of the falls with no creek or river for an outlet. The pool drains into a lava tube and vanishes under ground to come out somewhere down the mountain. As I said last week, the road closes with the first snow of winter, normally some time in November, and opens again in May or June when the snow melts. Proxy Falls trail is a 1.5 mile loop trail that I would call "easy to moderate" as far as the hike goes. My dad and I walked it a few years ago and he was in his 70's and had a bad knee. The hardest part is the beginning of the trail up and across the lava bed. It is a little steep in places and you need to keep an eye open for loose rocks. After that point you drop down into old growth timber and it's pretty easy going. There is a second lava bed as you come out of the loop and drop back down to the trail head but it is a more gradual drop and pretty easy going. In the spring you can keep an eye out for the little wild flowers and the big mosquitoes. In the fall as the vine maple begins to change you won't have to look far for the bright yellows and reds. If you look close you may see some mushrooms but I'm not going to tell you what kind are there. Yes, I'm selfish about them. If you make it to Oregon in the summer months this is a scenic drive that you really shouldn't miss. More information on it can be found here. Hope you enjoy. Have a great week! |
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