From an Angel to a Devil all in one trip

September started out with a bang, Laina and I headed up the gorge again on the 1st to hike up Angels Rest and then continue on to Devils Rest.   This whole hike is supposed to be about 11 miles and 2770 ft in elevation.  As we approached the trail head the parking lot was packed so we parked in the overflow lot and got our new packs on to head on up the trail. We made the decision that if we were going to continue with this hiking thing we needed to make things a bit easier so we each bought backpacks that can hold a water bladder with a tube we can drink from and this would allow us to free up our hands.  So needless to say with any new toy we were excited to try them out.  Off we go up the hill....

Although the day was cloudy when we started we were hopeful that by the time we got to the top that things would clear up.  This first part of the hike was supposed to be about 2.4 miles and about 1450 ft in elevation gain.  As with any hike we do in the gorge the view is always wonderful and I personally never get tired of looking at it.

 And with the beauty of the Northwest there were many things for us to admire along the way:

  A cool hole in a tree it was just above our head height and I wondered what could be hiding in the hole.

Bridges across the stream

  Fungus growing on the trees

And as we popped out we could see Cape Horn on the WA side of the river (keep this in mind as it will be important in a future blog to come)

As we continue on up the hill the we catch glimpses of where we are headed:

  Yep you guessed it we are headed to the that rock  note the shape it will hep you identify where we are headed

As the clouds are beginning to part we are getting more excited and noticing all the details of our journey

Red berries

  A small wholly bear in the middle of the trail - no we didn't step on him we took pictures and kept on hiking.

  I know this rock doesn't look like much but it was so tall it came up to about my chest level

We continued to get glimpses of the river and road below. 

We turn the corner and see the stair steps of rocks we think this must be it.

  Wow who knew we were going to have to scramble across the rocks.  Do you see the trail?  That's the way we have to go.

Wow what a view - then Laina tells me I don't think this is it....lol

  Here I am at what I thought was the top..lol  but nope.

  Check out my new water tube on my backpack so I can drink easier.

  A cool little fort someone made out of the rocks, some people have a lot of time

More berries

Oh this is where we are supposed to go - do you see the people out there?

  How about now?

  Layered rock that we pass on our way out to the point

  Yep the trail keeps going out over the gorge

Hey does this rock look familiar????  Yep you guessed it just from the other side and from the top instead of the bottom this time.

A 180 degree view of the gorge

A view looking up the hill -- because as you know use by now you know we go higher

A view of me at Angels Rest and yes that is sweat on my shoulders

 We decided that this would be a perfect place to sit and eat our lunch and refuel before we head up the trail to Devils Rest.  As I was sitting here eating a I see something out of the corner of my eye and I let out a scream as a chipmunk comes from the edge of the rocks and runs over to a tree...I was so shocked I am surprised I didn't fall when I screamed and jumped.  Can you see him in the picture below?

I am always in awe when I look up the gorge and see the pure beauty and watch the barges and trailing on the river.  I felt like we were in heaven which is probably how this rest stop got it's name.

After a little rest and our lunch we continue on up the trail to see if we can find Devils Rest it is supposed to be  about another 2 miles and about 1300 ft in elevation increase.

When we get to the fork in the trail we head left - this might be where we went wrong. 





We kept walking and walking and walking. 











 


Finally we came upon some other hikers and we asked did you come from Devil's Rest and they said they couldn't find it.  They told us that they had turned around because of time and then they found a sign high up on a tree designating where they should go.  They also said there was something on the trail ahead that they couldn't identify so we should be careful.  This is when we got the bells and whistles out just in case.

 Again we keep looking at the details for the forest.

  Pretty red leaves on some ferns in the woods

  This tree does not look like it in this picture but it was huge so I thought it was a prefect time for a picture with the tree.

And a quick picture of my new backpack - which by this point in the hike I am really loving.

Finally we too come upon the sign on the tree - thank goodness they told us to look up for it because we would have missed it too.

 And then the trail gets worse not due to rocks but just the amount of foliage over the trail.

And I know that going underneath limbs in the trail doesn't seem like much but about 6 miles in and after climbing about 2000 ft in elevation it was just enough to get the giggles going.

Another water way to cross and as you can see no bridges this time...where they heck are we headed.

Another sign up in the trees and as you can see not too easy to read - I certainly can see why it's called Devil's Rest because no Angel would want to go up there....lol

Finally we come across a gnome in the middle of the trail and we decide that it is time to turn around we are close to 6 miles into the hike and it is getting late in the afternoon so we decide to turn around...I guess after seeing the heavenly sights at Angels Rest we don't need to see the Devil that day.