Cape Horn — Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012

Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA

A weather forecast for a day without rain meant a day for hiking. With an evening meeting on the agenda, we chose the Cape Horn Trail since it is only 30 minutes from Vancouver to the trailhead -- and it is on the sunny side of the Columbia River Gorge. Except for a couple taking their cat (on a leash) for a walk, we had this popular trail to ourselves for the day. The trailhead was sunny, but fog hung over the Cape Horn cliff tops, so we didn't get any views until we were halfway through the hike. By then the fog had evaporated and we found a sunny, wind-sheltered cliff edge overlooking the river for our lunch spot. The peregrine falcons, whose nest site causes the lower portion of this trail to be closed between February 1 and July 15 each year, called and flew by several times. At Cape Horn Falls, we did some binocular botany and discovered the rare Columbia Gorge Daisy growing in cracks in the cliff face. Several clumps were blooming! Winter is a good time to look at mosses, ferns and lichens. Revived by fall rains and sunlight filtering through the now-bare trees, they now catch the eye. My favorite was the Electrified Cat's Tail Moss (Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus). We also identified Palm Tree Moss and Fern Moss. The approach of winter doesn't seem so dreadful when we are given these bonus days on a sunny trail.