We visited and took photos on Feb. 13, 2016.
The campground has a wheelchair accessible dock just downstream of the falls. Usually, an American Dipper can be seen from that spot.
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Alder Glen Falls
This falls is easily seen from the Alder Glen Campground on the Nestucca River Rd. Info from Northwest Waterfall Survey on this 30 foot veiling horsetail falls is here: http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/nws/falls.php?num=4906
We visited and took photos on Feb. 13, 2016.
The campground has a wheelchair accessible dock just downstream of the falls. Usually, an American Dipper can be seen from that spot.
We visited and took photos on Feb. 13, 2016.
The campground has a wheelchair accessible dock just downstream of the falls. Usually, an American Dipper can be seen from that spot.
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Burton Creek Falls
On March 5, we drove up Wind River to try to follow the new Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde map that Johnny picked up from the tribal forestry office. It was created for tribal members to locate wood cutting areas, and has road numbers on that are not on our old forest map. By following it, we were able to find the headwaters of Burton Creek. We stopped at an old road with the number 770B on it just past Burton Creek. I decided to hike up the road, since it paralleled Burton Creek. In a very short distance, I heard a waterfall! And soon was able to see it. Woohoo!
We hiked down so Johnny could try to figure out the height with his triangle system. He uses a clinometer to find a point exactly even with the top of the falls and another point exactly even with the bottom of the falls. We then measure the distance between those two points. With some math magic, he calculates the height of the falls. By Johnny's measurements, it is 35.5 feet high.
I just took a lot of photos. Such a pretty falls and so close to a road. It's steep to hike down to the base of the falls if one wants to get up close, but it's quite viewable from the old road 770B on top of the bank (first photo above).
Using itouch maps, I came up with virtually the same lat/long as the Northwest Waterfall Survey has so am using theirs.
45.16833
-123.586694
http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/nws/falls.php?num=4081
The reason we could not get to this point in February when we came up from Willamina was because the 750 road was blocked off. The blockade was gone today. If that road is unblocked, the falls can be reached either from Grand Ronde up Agency Creek Rd. to Wind River (200) to 770 to 700 to 750 to 770A, where 770B is located. (A guide who knows the roads is advisable.) Alternatively, one can come up from Willamina on Willamina Creek Rd. to Coast Creek Rd. to 700, 750, etc. But there is no number at the 700/750 junction and that's where the 750 was blocked when we came in Feb. The tribal map shows 760 road coming off the 700 to reach 770 but as far as we can determine, it does not in reality. The falls is on tribal land but the roads are open to the public most of the time. During last summer's drought, the reservation lands were closed because of extreme fire danger.
It is a lovely falls and we were thrilled to find it today.
We hiked down so Johnny could try to figure out the height with his triangle system. He uses a clinometer to find a point exactly even with the top of the falls and another point exactly even with the bottom of the falls. We then measure the distance between those two points. With some math magic, he calculates the height of the falls. By Johnny's measurements, it is 35.5 feet high.
I just took a lot of photos. Such a pretty falls and so close to a road. It's steep to hike down to the base of the falls if one wants to get up close, but it's quite viewable from the old road 770B on top of the bank (first photo above).
Using itouch maps, I came up with virtually the same lat/long as the Northwest Waterfall Survey has so am using theirs.
45.16833
-123.586694
http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/nws/falls.php?num=4081
The reason we could not get to this point in February when we came up from Willamina was because the 750 road was blocked off. The blockade was gone today. If that road is unblocked, the falls can be reached either from Grand Ronde up Agency Creek Rd. to Wind River (200) to 770 to 700 to 750 to 770A, where 770B is located. (A guide who knows the roads is advisable.) Alternatively, one can come up from Willamina on Willamina Creek Rd. to Coast Creek Rd. to 700, 750, etc. But there is no number at the 700/750 junction and that's where the 750 was blocked when we came in Feb. The tribal map shows 760 road coming off the 700 to reach 770 but as far as we can determine, it does not in reality. The falls is on tribal land but the roads are open to the public most of the time. During last summer's drought, the reservation lands were closed because of extreme fire danger.
It is a lovely falls and we were thrilled to find it today.
The Real Gilbert Creek Falls
After stumbling upon Burton Creek Falls (another post) on March 5, 2016, we drove down to Coast Creek and past the falls we had seen in Feb. that turned out not to be Gilbert Creek Falls. This time we took a logging road that paralelled the creek we thought was Gilbert Creek, which turned out to be Canada Creek, parked at the gate and walked a mile plus looking for a waterfall. None was to be found.
So we hiked back to the van and drove on down Coast Creek past a house that Johnny had, back in February, thought probably had a waterfall behind it, but we could not see past the line of trees along the road. As we passed there were two people standing by the driveway and one hollered "Johnny Fink!" We thought he must know Johnny so we backed up. He had read the side of Johnny's Roustmobile (Dodge Van) with his name on it and wanted to know who Johnny Fink was and what a Roustmobile was. So Johnny explained that a Roustmobile was what a Roustabout drives and Johnny calls himself a Roustabout since he did odd jobs plus roofing. The guy wanted to know if we lived up the road. We explained that we were out looking for waterfalls and had heard about Gilbert Creek Falls but could not find it. He told us the only way to see it was from behind his house... or from his living room. And invited us to walk back and take a look while he and his friend hiked up the road a piece. So we did!
Wow. What a beautiful falls.
And what a spectacular house Harold Miller built himself twelve years ago. He said a lot of people were annoyed that he built a house right in front of the waterfall, blocking their view. He planted evergreens along the road, too, so it's difficult to even get a peek anymore. But he was quite friendly and invited us to take a look and even, when he and his friend returned, come in and view it from his living room. We declined the latter invite but I'm sure the view is spectacular. Standing by the waterfall, his living room looks right down the path he maintains and would have a wonderful view of the falls.
So, Gilbert Creek Falls is right where it says it is on maps, but is totally on private property, so I'll not post directions. Nor did we try to measure it. Our guesstimate is about 30 feet high and at least that wide. We are grateful to Harold Miller for inviting us to view it today.
http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/nws/falls.php?num=4082
So we hiked back to the van and drove on down Coast Creek past a house that Johnny had, back in February, thought probably had a waterfall behind it, but we could not see past the line of trees along the road. As we passed there were two people standing by the driveway and one hollered "Johnny Fink!" We thought he must know Johnny so we backed up. He had read the side of Johnny's Roustmobile (Dodge Van) with his name on it and wanted to know who Johnny Fink was and what a Roustmobile was. So Johnny explained that a Roustmobile was what a Roustabout drives and Johnny calls himself a Roustabout since he did odd jobs plus roofing. The guy wanted to know if we lived up the road. We explained that we were out looking for waterfalls and had heard about Gilbert Creek Falls but could not find it. He told us the only way to see it was from behind his house... or from his living room. And invited us to walk back and take a look while he and his friend hiked up the road a piece. So we did!
Wow. What a beautiful falls.
And what a spectacular house Harold Miller built himself twelve years ago. He said a lot of people were annoyed that he built a house right in front of the waterfall, blocking their view. He planted evergreens along the road, too, so it's difficult to even get a peek anymore. But he was quite friendly and invited us to take a look and even, when he and his friend returned, come in and view it from his living room. We declined the latter invite but I'm sure the view is spectacular. Standing by the waterfall, his living room looks right down the path he maintains and would have a wonderful view of the falls.
So, Gilbert Creek Falls is right where it says it is on maps, but is totally on private property, so I'll not post directions. Nor did we try to measure it. Our guesstimate is about 30 feet high and at least that wide. We are grateful to Harold Miller for inviting us to view it today.
http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/nws/falls.php?num=4082
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