Another hike with my roommate’s dog, this time just a short jaunt in the Gorge past Elowah Falls. I was so happy to be out stretching my legs with the dog that I didn’t even notice the spiders for quite awhile. We hiked down to Elowah Falls from John B. Yeon with incident. The falls are small and wispy, as always for this time of year. I stopped and set up my tripod and took some pictures while Besa sniffed and explored. Then we continued on along the Gorge Trail, my goal being Moffet Creek, which would make for a nice 4.5 mile round trip outing.
The only problem is that this trail isn’t hiked as much as the portion between the parking lot and the waterfall. It’s a lot more brushy and there were a lot of spiders! Webs across the trail at every height, and all amongst the bushes on the side too. After inadvertently walking into a few (despite trying to keep my eyes open for them), I found a big stick and started knocking them all down. Nevertheless, I still found myself with stray webs brushing against my face and arms. After half a mile of this, I couldn’t take it anymore. I have a HORRIBLE fear of spiders, and the great abundance of them was really starting to creep me out.
So we turned around and headed back. The funny thing is that now that my brain was in full spider-alert mode, I spotted all sorts of them (high up and in the bushes along the trail) between Elowah Falls and the parking lot that I hadn’t even noticed on the way in! Ugh. So if you’re out in the Gorge this season, carry a stick or be prepared to be webbed!
In general, I love autumn, but the big downside is the abundance of spiders. Those bastards are everywhere this time of year!
Here’s how Elowah Falls looks right now:
