Aerial Map of Route

 "We have nothing to fear from Love.  But it does not depend on God. It depends entirely upon us, and this is the whole tragedy. God wants us to be in his image, eternally free. He respects us absolutely. This is love. Without respect, we cannot speak of love. We are men because we are free. If we were not free we would be clever animals, not men. God will never take back this gift of freedom which renders us what we are."

Dr. Alexandre Kalomiros, The River of Fire

First Hike Reminder:

Orthodox Hikers: please join us for our first hike on June 1, Wahclella Falls near Bonneville Dam.  We will meet at church at 9 am and expect to return by 3 pm.  Pack a lunch, appropriate hiking gear, and comboschini!  We would like to make carpooling available; there is also a $5 parking fee at the trailhead.  Please RSVP at genevieve0524@gmail.com so we can get a head count and indicate if you can help with carpooling.

USDA Forest Service - Trail Difficulty Ratings (Hiking Trails)

Easy:
Grade: 20%
Trail Width: 18-24"
Trail Surface: Spot Gravel

Moderate:
Grade: 30%
Trail Width: 12-18"
Trail Surface: Roots, imbedded rocks, some logs

Difficult:
Grade: 30% or more
Trail Width: 12"
Trail Surface: No graded tread

[fs.usda.gov]

A little about Wahclella Falls, Trail # 436...

This trail begins on an old, gated road alongside Tanner Creek. Pass a small intake dam for the Bonneville Fish Hatchery and continue into the narrowing canyon. A tributary stream creates a dramatic waterfall at the first bridge, and the trail forks after 0.7 mile. If you have small children it is advisable to stay on the lower trail and avoid the sheer-sided return loop. Wahclella Falls is one of the more spectacular waterfalls in the gorge-a 350-foot two-tiered plunge with the final 60-foot section providing a powerful horsetail fall into an enormous splash pool. The trail winds past house-sized boulders left behind by a 1973 landslide. Watch for water ouzels bobbing and diving on the side of the stream, and for spawning salmon at the base of the falls during late fall.

Fees: $5/vehicle/day, payable at the trailhead, or NW Forest Pass
Usage: Heavy
Restrictions: motor vehicles and bikes prohibited. Fires not allowed within 200 ft. of trail.
Closest Towns: Forest Service
Operated By: Cascade Locks, OR

Driving Directions [for those who wish to meet us at the trail]: Eastbound or westbound I-84 – Take Bonneville Dam exit #40. Turn south and find paved parking area.

Level: Easy

[text taken from fs.usda.gov]

"The world in which we now live, no matter how beautiful it may be, is like a veil that separates us from both the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. There are times, however, when the shadow of the kingdom of darkness is cast over us; sometimes, we receive the luminous rays of the kingdom of light, which console us and sustain us. We must simply keep the gift of God in our heart, so as to be able to stand in that day when the Lord will shake heaven and earth. Then all those things which are created will pass away, and only those things that are marked by the uncreated grace of His Cross and Resurrection will remain forever."

Archimandrite Zacharias
Homily given during the Divine Liturgy on the last day of the Clergy Brotherhood Retreat, Friday, February 9, 2007.

Orthodox Hikers: please join us for our first hike on June 1, Wahclella Falls near Bonneville Dam.  We will meet at church at 9 am and expect to return by 3 pm.  Pack a lunch, appropriate hiking gear, and comboschini!  Carpooling available but please be prepared to contribute for gas.