A Hidden Beauty

  I heard about a hike ten years ago when I first moved to Portland that sounded like something out of a fairytale... a hike down a creek bed through a luscious slot canyon full of ferns and moss that ends at a "secret" 100 ft waterfall and I couldn't wait to go, but after doing more research I found out that in order to start the hike you have to climb up a pretty gnarly two story log jam, and since Sophie was just a babe when we first started exploring the Gorge I never really considered it an option unless I went alone. I am pretty sure I have mentioned it to everyone who has moved out here in the last 10 years but still never managed to find a hiking partner(besides my husband) or thought it worthy enough to get a babysitter for...... and after adding two more children to our tribe we don't have a sitter for more than an hour at a time and it is usually Grandpa. This hike is mentioned in a kids hiking book I have, but who ever wrote the book is NUTS  to recommend it for kids in my opinion..I couldn't imagine even having my eldest who is now 11 even try it...actually I would be scared for her to do it anytime, but I am a mama who worries quite a bit anyway. Well after ten years I finally got to go with my adventurous mama friend Taryn this past Sunday. It really was quite the adventure for this stay at home out of shape still pretty postpartum mama and ended up involving rock climbing skills I didn't know I had and scaling a pretty terrifying log jam that was way taller and harder to cross than my photos could capture. In all honesty I could have avoided the rock wall scaling and could have swam up the creek had I not been carrying my camera in my cleavage. But for as long as  I have waited to visit this place there is no way I would have left my camera behind. It was a short hike despite all the obstacles but I was so tired when I got home. It was quite exhilarating and I managed to do it with only a few scrapes but also a few gorgeous pictures to show for it. Crossing that one off my Oregon bucket list! So what is next? Perhaps this?