simple lessons of good woodsmanship. Timid 
ones will be amply rewarded if they venture but 
a few miles to glimpse a view of some waterfall 
hidden in a narrow cleft of the mountains and 
surrounded by forest; others, more bold, will fol- 
low the trails to the mountain top, where, with 
vision unobstructed, the eve can sweep a vast 
horizon of snowclad peaks and forested hills. 
Charming spots in the forest, carpeted with 
moss and fern and roofed overhead with canopies 
of trees, provide camping grounds for the wan- 
derer on the forest trails, where the peace of the 
woods is enhanced perhaps by the cheerful notes 
of a wren whose mate is nesting under a log 
close by. At night the hooting of an owl may 
boom over tree tops and hills in weird notes 
which startle the camper, but the murmuring 
water soon lulls him to sleep again. The sound of 
the waters is seldom lost, by night or day; for the 
trails seek the natural pathway cut by the streams. 
The Larch Mountain Trail. 
The Larch Mountain trail, the most popular 
forest trail in the Mount Hood region, begins on 
the Columbia River highway at the base of Mult- 
nomah Falls. Its prominent features are Mult- 
nomah Falls, Upper Multnomah Falls, views of 
the Columbia River from the canyon bluffs, and 
views of Mount Hood and the surrounding moun- 
tain country from the summit crag of Larch 
Mountain. The summit of the mountain is 
slightly over 6 miles from Multnomah Falls sta- 
tion. The ascent is gradual, over good trails the 
entire distance. The elevation of Larch Mountain 
is 4,050 feet. 
The Daylight Climb. 
Take the 7.30 a. m. Oregon-Washington Rail- 
road & Navigation Co. train from Portland 
Union Station for Multnomah Falls. Go up the 
trail and over Benson Bridge, from which there 
is a good view of Multnomah Falls. After pass- 
ing the bridge the trail to the summit of the river 
bluffs leads to points giving interesting views of 
the Columbia River. Leaving the bluffs, the 
trail turns back to Multnomah Creek, above the 
falls near the 1-mile board. 
Near the 1%-mile board are two upper falls, 
each about 8o feet high. At about 134 miles the 
Wahkeena trail turns right, going 4 miles westerly 
to Wahkeena Falls and to the Columbia River 
highway. The Larch Mountain trail goes left, 
follows Multnomah Creek, and ascends. 
At 234 miles cross the Palmer mountain road. 
Care must be taken to distinguish the trail from 
the road. Keep to the trail on the right. A 
sign points to the trail. Last drinking water is 
near the 5-mile board. There is no water at the 
summit of the mountain. The summit of Larch 
Mountain is a short distance beyond the 6-mile 
board. The best views are from the Forest Ser- 
vice fire-lookout tower and from Summit Crag. 
On the Larch Mountain trail 
