I started the day today high in the clouds with a fairly strong wind. Packing up quickly, I headed 10 min up the trail for breakfast at a sheltered campsite. After breakfast, I began the very steep descent down to Eagle Creek on the blue-blaze alternate trail to Cascade Locks. This trail takes us past Tunnel Falls and several other waterfalls through the steep and rocky canyon out to the Columbia River on the border of Washington. When I got to the trailhead, I was lucky to be picked up by 3 day hikers heading to Cascade Locks for beers and food at Thunder Island Brewing. Today I covered 12.2 miles, 19.6 km.

When I woke up this morning, my camp was engulfed in mist and a strong wind was blowing. My tent held strong through the night, and I only really knew about the wind after I stepped outside, there was no buffeting or flapping material keeping me awake.

I packed up as fast as possible and moved down the hill. On the way down, I stopped to eat breakfast and collect water from a spring. The trail down to Eagle Creek was very steep, and I quickly found myself below the clouds.

The trail steepened even more, and I dropped into Eagle Creek. The trail was so steep in parts that the surface was a little loose and unstable, my knees took a pounding all the way down.

From Eagle Creek, the trail followed a much gentler grade. The valley walls were sheer, dropping straight into the river. As I walked downstream the ravine got deeper and deeper.

Along the way, I reached Tunnel Falls, the trail was blasted through the rock behind the falls. Walking around the bend to see the falls directly ahead of me was a dramatic reveal of an iconic piece of trail.

At the valley trailhead, I met a group of day hikers who offered to drive me into Cascade Locks. We all went to Thunder Island Brewing for lunch and beers and I tried a kimchi reuben sandwich which really hit the spot.