Proxy Falls

Proxy Falls in the Willamette National Forest is one of the most photographed waterfalls in the state. That's saying a lot because we certainly have many waterfalls.  It is outrageously beautiful. But it's a bit ironic that it's so popular with photographers, because it's hard to imagine how anyone could do justice to it with a photograph.  To get there, you walk across the weird landscape of a lava field and into lush forest.  The lava field really ought to be a prime study site for the Friends of Lichen.  Without much topsoil, a few thin trees reached down below the boulders, but moss and lichen decorated every rock with no competition from plants.  I've never seen so many different kinds of lichen in one place before. We were lucky on the day we went, a rainy but warm weekday which  gave us more solitude than we expected at this popular spot.  

Candystick.

Prince's pine.

Lipstick lichen.

Western coralroot orchid.

Bear grass.

Bunchberry.

Lipstick lichen.

Spotted coralroot orchid.

Jasper dashed on ahead to find the falls, and this is how I found him, just sitting and gazing at them.

Proxy Falls. Photo by Jasper.

Wild rhododendron.

Upper Proxy Falls.  The water forms a shallow pool and then disappears underground.

Trillium.

Foamflower.

Black gooseberry.