Lower Starvation Loop & Wind Mountain - 11/14/09

[Guy]

Though I've gone up & down the Mt. Defiance & Starvation Ridge Trails I've never really checked out the waterfalls along the way. So we planned a short hike to check out the 4 Waterfalls on the lower Starvation Ridge trail loop & the dry Warren Falls. Lots has already been written about this area so I don't have much to add! I think Starvation Creek Falls is by far my favorite of the bunch & since we had the place to ourselves there was plenty of time for a good poke & scramble around.



Next was Cabin Creek Falls & the now Dry Warren Falls which I had wanted to see since reading about it here.



Then Hole in Wall Falls. Chiyoko took this photo (as I'm in it!)



Finally the famous & elusive Lancaster falls of which you can only see the Lower 20'! I've read a few reports of a scramble trial up past this first 20' & I've seen great photos posted by Zach & others but I couldn't seem to see any obvious scramble trail. Can someone give me a few pointers, it it just to the West up a narrow gap in the rock wall?



We came back the top way and were treated to a flyby of 4 big helicopters as we sat on the view point just past the Starvation Ridge Cutoff trail.



Were we back at the car before 12:00 & since we had enjoyed some great views of Wind Mountain we decided to head over there for the afternoon. The Wind Mountain Field Guide does a good job of telling you where the trailhead is. The only thing I would add is if you are in a low clearance car stop in the open area where the pavement ends and walk the last 10th of a mile or so to the trailhead.
The trail is in great shape, & seemingly popular we past 4 other groups on the trail. This would be a great hike for your visiting non hiking out of town friends, only 1 mile long & a 1000 feet up to great views and some old Native American History.



We were careful not to intrude on the old Indian Terraces but I was able to grab this photo from the side.



A great little hike - 20 minutes later we were back at the car!

As always a few more photos here

[anna in boots]

We came back the top way and were treated to a flyby of 4 big helicopters

Guy, yosemite hiker and I saw those choppers, too, on our way out to Tom McCall. Sikorsky's? Definitely military and moving slow. Very cool.

anna in boots

[greglief]

Hi!

In response to your question about scrambling up to the higher portion of Lancaster Falls, Tom, Jamie, and I did that last year. If I recall correctly, we trudged up the hill starting slightly before (east of) the lower tier. It is demanding, but doable. If you are interested, you can see my photos here. Here is one of them:

[Splintercat]

That's about right, Greg -- basically, we headed up the hill about 100 feet east of the lower tier, working our up the slope (from tree to tree) until a shallow ravine became apparent east of the stream, separate from the falls by a rocky ridge. As you reach the top of the slope, the brushiest part was traversing across the ravine to the ridge, where the upper tier comes into view. BTW, I looked hard for poison oak, and only saw a very small amount at the top of the slope, near the falls.

Tom

[Guy]

Thanks guys, something to check out on my next trip up there!

[fallsfreak]

"Warren Creek Falls ceased to flow in 1938 when someone decided that Warren Creek was causing too much damage to the Old Columbia Highway. They blasted a tunnel through rock to divert the creek with the result that Warren Falls dies & Hole in the Wall Falls was born. No if you walk up the dry creek bed from Hole in the Wall falls you arrive at this dry waterfall."
Is the dry creek bed to Warren Falls west of Hole-in-the-Wall Falls? Do you walk along the rocky area west of the falls at the fork of the trail back to the parking lot and that one rocky area?
Interesting picture of the dry waterfall.

[Guy]

Is the dry creek bed to Warren Falls west of Hole-in-the-Wall Falls? Do you walk along the rocky area west of the falls, instead of going back to the trail?
Interesting picture of the dry waterfall.

No, as you approach Hole in the Wall Falls & see it in front of you you will cross the dry creek bed. Turn left here and follow the creek bed up to the dry falls. (So it's just East of Hole in the Wall Falls).

Cheers