Punchbowl Falls

Way back on April 28th, we took a hike up to Punchbowl Falls.  This hike is part of the Eagle Creek Trail and is located in the Columbia River Gorge.  We had a great time on this hike.  It is a very popular hike so it was pretty busy, but everyone on the trail was friendly so all in all it was a great day.

Below are three pictures of us at the first waterfall on the trail.  Metlako Falls.

Marlee the Wonder Dog!

Ryan & Owen taking pictures of Metlako Fall.

The whole gang at Metlako Falls.

The next pictures of us are at our lunch spot.  We are at the bedrock beach alongside the creek at the bottom of Punchbowl Falls.  Owen was not too sure what to think about the rocks so he stayed pretty close to me the whole time.  Lindy, however, was loving it.  She was crawling all over the place and having a blast.

Owen staying close to his Mama.

Lindy exploring the rocks and the creeks.

Me and the twinners enjoying our lunch.

The next pictures were all taken by Ryan on his Canon 30D SLR.  They are all HDR pictures, which stands for high dynamic range.  This is done with a program that takes three pictures of the same object in different exposures, then when Ryan uploads the three pictures onto his computer it combines the three exposures for a pretty amazing photo.

This is of the creek at the foot of the falls.

 Also of the creek at the foot of the falls.  (This one is my favorite.)

 

 Punchbowl Falls.

This was a great hike.  It was 4.2 miles total, and only 400ft. elevation gain, so it was just right for taking the babies out in their packs.  Any longer then that and they get a little restless.  Also, did you notice we have new packs?  We went and traded in our Kelty's for Deuter's.  I love my Deuter.  My Kelty was an uncomfortable fit on me, and neither Owen or Lindy ever looked very comfy in it.  If you are in the market for a kid carrier, I highly recommend the Deuter.

Aldrich Butte

On April 7th, Ryan and I went on a hike to celebrate his b-day.  Owen & Lindy got to hang out with Grandma & Grandpa Bradstreet, Aunt Amy, and Uncle Cross while we were hiking so it was a very nice date day for me & Ryan.

Aldrich Butte is located on the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge.  The hike is 3.6 mile round trip, and it takes you up to Aldrich Butte which offers views of the Gorge including The Bonneville Dam, Dog Mountain, & Table Mountain.  To get to the trail head from Portland, take I-84 east to exit  44.  Cross the Bridge of the Gods and turn left on Hwy. 14.  Turn right toward Bonneville Hot Springs Resort between mile 38 & 39.  Park behind the Bonneville Springs hotel, and then you can see the trail from there.  

The view from Aldrich Butte looking out on the Columbia River and the Bonneville Dam.

Marlee enjoying some quality Mom and Dad time at the top of the Butte.

A view of Table Mountain from Aldrich Butte.  Ryan and I plan to go to the top of Table Mountain someday.

Enjoying ourselves at the top of the Butte.

 Another view of Table Mountain.  This time from Carpenter Lake.

We enjoyed this hike, and would do it again.  Afterward, we went to Solstice Wood Fire Cafe in Bingen, WA (right across the river from Hood River, OR).  We had some of the best pizza I've ever had there, and I highly recommend this place to anyone who is close to the area.  We had the Cremini Mushroom pizza with goat cheese & thyme.  It was awesome and I think I have had a craving for it everyday since eating it.