Joseph H. Stewart State Park, OR Day 3

Mill Creek, OR

Sunday, July 1, Joseph H. Stewart State Campground, OR - 14.3 Miles Today, 9,215.9 For the Trip

Wow, it has been 2 months! Hard to believe I've been gone that long.

It looks like the internet is back; slow, but it let me post yesterday's page & today's photos. I'll have to finish this to see if today's page gets through. I saw the sign at the Mill Creek Falls parking lot that showed another trail to the "Giant Boulders", so I went back today to see what they were like. Well, they are giant boulders! The Rogue River runs through many of them as it drops into the valley below the Mill Creek Falls. You can walk (or climb) along the river, apparently all the way to the base of the falls. I only followed it a short way. There are many signs that note that the river consists of class IV rapids, including a description of what class IV rapids means. Basically, unless you are an expert, you have to be crazy to kayak the section of the river. Looking at the part near the giant boulders, I'd have to agree.

To add to the huge vertical drop, there are a couple of power plants that can instantly change the amount of water in the river. We have the same problem in Oswego. There is a power plant at the dam below which many fisherman wade the river, particularly during the October salmon run. While there are signs pointing out the problem as well as sirens that go off just before the river rises, there have been a couple of drownings. The utility running the dam tried to set up posts, rafts, signs, etc in the river, but it may have made things worse - the first time the local fire department took their rescue boat up the river it got caught on one of the posts & dumped a couple of fireman into the river.

In any case, I respect rivers that rapidly change volume! There is also a photo of the Mill Creek bridge being replaced. The view from the bridge is great, although I wonder if the house next to it has problems during Spring runoff. Photos at today's LakeshoreImages page.

Till tomorrow!