We started off this years camping trip with our friends Dave & Sandy to Lincoln City, OR (located along the Oregon Coast), and stayed for the first time at the Devils Lake RV Park. If you ever make plans to stay in or near this area of the coast, I highly recommend this very nice (and clean) park. They are currently offering a "3 nights for the price of 2" special until the end of April. Best of all, there is a traffic light off of Hwy 101 that allows you to make the left-hand turn into this park (located next to Devils Lake). During the busy weekends, you won't have to wait hours to try and cross safely across the on-coming traffic.
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Site #37
Devils Lake in the background taken from our site
Devils Lake in the background taken from our site
Those of you that have read about our past camping experiences, or for those of you who refuse (wisely) not to even camp with us, are used to our tales of whoa. We like to call them "Thurlacki Adventures", but this camping excursion almost surpassed all of our past camping trips combined, and nearly involved cannibalism (shades of the Donnar Party)!
Due to the abnormally cold weather while we were camping (even though we were at sea level), we woke up on Friday morning to snow showers at the RV Park. This slowly changed over to "thick rain" (rain and snow mixed). Not really thinking much about it, we shopped at the local "Outlet Mall", and allowed our dogs to run on the beaches during the short clear breaks. The next day however proved to be one of the most interesting days we've had together (to say the least).
Saturday turned out to be beautiful with blue skies and sunshine. It was still very cold (below freezing), but just being able to be out in the sun made it all worth while. I had recently purchased the book "Photographing Oregon" - By Greg Vaughn, and was interested in taking pictures of the Drift Creek Waterfall (located about thirteen miles away). So we loaded up the trucks and dogs, and off we went. The first stop was the Drift Creek Covered Bridge.
Drift Creek Covered Bridge
Saturday turned out to be beautiful with blue skies and sunshine. It was still very cold (below freezing), but just being able to be out in the sun made it all worth while. I had recently purchased the book "Photographing Oregon" - By Greg Vaughn, and was interested in taking pictures of the Drift Creek Waterfall (located about thirteen miles away). So we loaded up the trucks and dogs, and off we went. The first stop was the Drift Creek Covered Bridge.
Drift Creek Covered Bridge
The Drift Creek covered bridge was actually at one time located on "Drift Creek", but was about to demolished, so it was purchased by a private family and moved to their farm, and rebuilt over Bear Creek which runs by their property. The bridge is still graciously open for the public, so pictures can be taken of Oregon's covered bridges that still exist today. After a few photo's, we continued our journey towards the waterfall about 9 miles away.
Soon the bare roadway started to show signs of snow, and as we slowly climbed higher and higher, it became apparent that yesterdays snowfall at the lower elevations, really dumped a LOT of fresh snow up here in the Coastal Mountains (hmmm, funny how that happens).
What a beautiful sunny day
The snow seems to be getting deeper Dave
Soon the bare roadway started to show signs of snow, and as we slowly climbed higher and higher, it became apparent that yesterdays snowfall at the lower elevations, really dumped a LOT of fresh snow up here in the Coastal Mountains (hmmm, funny how that happens).
What a beautiful sunny day
The snow seems to be getting deeper Dave
The idle chit-chat between Karen and I (and I'm sure it was the same for Dave & Sandy), soon gave way to silence, only to be broken by an occasional scream (or cuss word). Try as hard as she could, Karen's leaning in towards me (and gasps of sucking in air), didn't move the truck farther away from the steep loooooong drop-offs to "her" side of the truck. And the deeper the snow got (with hidden ice underneath), only added to the depletion of the oxygen still remaining inside the cab of our truck, as the ledges along the roadway got higher and steeper as we climbed. Over the "walkie-talkies" that we shared with Dave & Sandy, we heard Dave say that they no longer thought they could make it, and that they were going to turn around. Karen told them that we'd just meet back up with them at the RV Park... and onward we continued.
Finally, the roadway began to level off and we started to drop in elevation, and we soon discovered what we'd been looking for all this time... the trail parking lot for the Drift Creek Waterfall! As Karen and I prepared for the 1 1/2 mile hike down to the falls, we looked up to find Dave & Sandy pulling in and parking beside us. We asked what had happened, and they told us that the roadway was so slick with ice under the snow, that they couldn't turn around without getting stuck, so they reluctantly continued forward up the road (their only choice).
As we took off down the trail towards the waterfall, Dave mentioned to us that "they" (Dave & Sandy), were not going to return the same way they came up, but were instead going to continue down the road we were on, and follow it toward its eventual ending at Hwy 101 (thus being closer to the lower side of the mountain (meaning less snow) and a shorter nerve racking trip to paved clear roads and back home). It sure sounded good in theory.
When you arrive at the end of the Drift Creek Waterfall trail, you get cross the largest suspension bridge in Oregon. It's 240ft. across a small canyon that contains Drift Creek and the Waterfall. In fact, you can actually look down (if you want) at the waterfall as you cross above it. The bridge itself is hanging some 100+ ft. above the ground. I wasn't too sure if Karen was up for this (she's not a heights kinda gal), but as you can see, even with snow and ice on the 3 ft. wide walk, she and Abby did just fine... even when the bridge swayed... a little. :-)
Karen and Abby crossing the suspension bridge
(Note: The dent in the handrail was caused by a falling tree)
Finally, the roadway began to level off and we started to drop in elevation, and we soon discovered what we'd been looking for all this time... the trail parking lot for the Drift Creek Waterfall! As Karen and I prepared for the 1 1/2 mile hike down to the falls, we looked up to find Dave & Sandy pulling in and parking beside us. We asked what had happened, and they told us that the roadway was so slick with ice under the snow, that they couldn't turn around without getting stuck, so they reluctantly continued forward up the road (their only choice).
As we took off down the trail towards the waterfall, Dave mentioned to us that "they" (Dave & Sandy), were not going to return the same way they came up, but were instead going to continue down the road we were on, and follow it toward its eventual ending at Hwy 101 (thus being closer to the lower side of the mountain (meaning less snow) and a shorter nerve racking trip to paved clear roads and back home). It sure sounded good in theory.
When you arrive at the end of the Drift Creek Waterfall trail, you get cross the largest suspension bridge in Oregon. It's 240ft. across a small canyon that contains Drift Creek and the Waterfall. In fact, you can actually look down (if you want) at the waterfall as you cross above it. The bridge itself is hanging some 100+ ft. above the ground. I wasn't too sure if Karen was up for this (she's not a heights kinda gal), but as you can see, even with snow and ice on the 3 ft. wide walk, she and Abby did just fine... even when the bridge swayed... a little. :-)
Karen and Abby crossing the suspension bridge
(Note: The dent in the handrail was caused by a falling tree)
After crossing myself, I continued another 1/4 mile to the bottom of the creek, while Dave & Karen waited behind with the dogs. I took a few photographs of the falls, and joined back up with them for the hike back up to the trucks.
Drift Creek Waterfall
(Note: in the upper right-hand area behind the angled tree, you can see the suspension bridge we crossed over)
Another shot of the Falls, with a longer exposure to make the water look "milky"
Drift Creek Waterfall
(Note: in the upper right-hand area behind the angled tree, you can see the suspension bridge we crossed over)
Another shot of the Falls, with a longer exposure to make the water look "milky"
You would think that this would be a great time to end this BLOG (on such a beautiful note), but alas... we are talking about the "Thurlacki" factor.
After returning back to the trail-head parking lot, the decision was made NOT to return home the same way we'd come. We decided to continue on down the road towards (what we thought), would be the shorter and quicker way home. In short... we turned out to be wrong! The road at first led downward with less snow, but it soon turned upward again gaining elevation and depth of snow. Six miles later, we came to a 3-Way intersection with the road signs only pointing in two directions. Back towards where we'd come from, and going forward towards a Forestry Camp of some type. The road to the right was not marked. Thinking that the Forestry Camp must be close by to Hwy 101, we continued forward (now in 4-Wheel Drive), towards our escape of the slipping and sliding hell. Another six miles later... the road came to an abrupt end! We had come to the "Forestry Camp" (which was now a Mennonite Camp), and after asking a man at the camp for directions, discovered that we should have taken the third (unmarked) road back from where we'd just come from. Karen and Sandy were not too happy (to say the least), but we had no other options. Our only thoughts were of making it back to civilization, and in doing so, hopefully nothing would happen (like getting stranded), and we'd have to eat each other to survive (much like the Donner Pass story). As Karen put it over the "walkie-talkie" to Dave and Sandy: "Who ever dies first will be eaten!" :-) Yes... sometimes even at the worst of moments in time, even a sickening thought can bring a smile to the face.
As you've all probably figured out, we safely made it back to the RV Park, thus ending another chapter in our looooooong history of adventures. Later that night (while eating dinner at Pier 101 in Lincoln City), we all lamented over our day of hell, laughing and sharing thoughts as close friends do. It's only just a guess, but I have a feeling that our "snow" adventures are over in any future escapades. :-)
Lincoln City beaches
And brighter skies ahead
Gary & Karen, and Abby Too!
After returning back to the trail-head parking lot, the decision was made NOT to return home the same way we'd come. We decided to continue on down the road towards (what we thought), would be the shorter and quicker way home. In short... we turned out to be wrong! The road at first led downward with less snow, but it soon turned upward again gaining elevation and depth of snow. Six miles later, we came to a 3-Way intersection with the road signs only pointing in two directions. Back towards where we'd come from, and going forward towards a Forestry Camp of some type. The road to the right was not marked. Thinking that the Forestry Camp must be close by to Hwy 101, we continued forward (now in 4-Wheel Drive), towards our escape of the slipping and sliding hell. Another six miles later... the road came to an abrupt end! We had come to the "Forestry Camp" (which was now a Mennonite Camp), and after asking a man at the camp for directions, discovered that we should have taken the third (unmarked) road back from where we'd just come from. Karen and Sandy were not too happy (to say the least), but we had no other options. Our only thoughts were of making it back to civilization, and in doing so, hopefully nothing would happen (like getting stranded), and we'd have to eat each other to survive (much like the Donner Pass story). As Karen put it over the "walkie-talkie" to Dave and Sandy: "Who ever dies first will be eaten!" :-) Yes... sometimes even at the worst of moments in time, even a sickening thought can bring a smile to the face.
As you've all probably figured out, we safely made it back to the RV Park, thus ending another chapter in our looooooong history of adventures. Later that night (while eating dinner at Pier 101 in Lincoln City), we all lamented over our day of hell, laughing and sharing thoughts as close friends do. It's only just a guess, but I have a feeling that our "snow" adventures are over in any future escapades. :-)
Lincoln City beaches
And brighter skies ahead
If you are interested in learning more about Drift Creek Falls (and how to get there), click on this link: Drift Creek Falls Information.
Thanks for taking the time to share our adventures with us... and until the next time, Happy Trails to you during your travels through life.
Thanks for taking the time to share our adventures with us... and until the next time, Happy Trails to you during your travels through life.
