Today: Hiking in the gorge... back into Oneonta Gorge and up Multnomah Falls.
Oneonta Gorge is probably one of my favorite places in the world... long, narrow mossy canyon full of cold water and river rocks and huge boulders, and a giant logjam, water running down the sides throughout... it's a giant obstacle course and a huge challenge just to make it to the back. (and especially to try and make it back there halfway dry, which is impossible for many months in the year, depending on water level.)
Multnomah Falls, on the other hand, isn't as interesting. It's where all the tourists go. It's a mile hike straight uphill to an observation platform. Trails are generally full, as is the base and observation deck. In Oneonta Gorge there might be one other person in the canyon at the same time.
Unfortunately my companions (
jproulx, iseebi, and dina) had had enough about 1/3 of the way back (right past the treacherous logjam, for which there are signs warning of death if you play on it) and we didn't make it to the secret waterfall at the end, mostly because they didn't feel like braving the thigh-high, fast-moving, freezing water. (it was one of those times of the year where it's impossible to make it all the way dry.... not that we managed to stayed dry as it was.)