The labor Day long weekend we went to Oneonta Gorge, a very beautiful place. At the time we had no idea that the fire started in Eagle Creek at about the same time. Last Wednesday the news said that the tunnel in Oneonta Gorge had burn out. I showed the pictures to my little boys. Both of them were very sad and the younger one even cried. He said that he didn't want it all gone. In any case tragedy had happened and nobody could change the result.
Please follow me to visit this fantastic place.
去 Oneonta George 源于一年前看到的一张网络照片，当时的确被惊艳了。我喜欢 hiking，曾经有一年跟着这边的 hiking club 去过 Columbia River Gorge 好些 trails， 但是我却不知道还有这么一个地方。今年劳动节长假，我们全家决定趁着娃开学前务必走访一次，没想到竟成了绝唱。
当我们还在惊叹这里神奇的美景，享受戏水的乐趣时，在一个小时车程外的景区 Eagle Creek， 那已经烧起了山火。三天后我们得知这个刚刚去过的仙境也未能幸免，景区前的隧道已经全部烧毁。孩子们看见烧着大火的隧道，伤心极了，他们很难接受这个刚刚带给他们快乐的地方怎么就一下子没了。弟弟还哭了起来。我告诉他们熊孩子的做法是要受到强烈谴责的，很多过失几十年都无法弥补。孩子们说，如果他们以后看见有人在树林里点火，放鞭，他们一定会制止，如果制止不了，他们会选择报警，哪怕是他们最好的朋友。
悲剧已经发生，时间也没办法倒流，还是让我们再次体会这里的美吧，跟 steemit 的朋友们一起分享这个地方，再过个十几年，她又生机勃勃了。
I have been to a lot of trails in Columbia River Gorge but somehow I missed Oneonta Gorge. Last year I saw a picture from internet I was shocked by the stunning scenery. It is like a fairy land. I was told the best visiting time was summer because there is no trail and you have to wade in water, which can be from ankle deep to chest high depending on the season. Summer is not a rain season in Portland and the highest water just reach to waist and most important of all you can tolerant the cold water which comes from the melting snow.
(I saw this picture from internet. Cliffs are covered by the moss.)
这是84号公路上哥伦比亚河谷里众多景区中的一个，不知道山体如何在这里断裂，形成了一个窄窄的峡谷，很短，雨季岩上会有水流倾泻而下，峡谷的尽头是一个很高的瀑布，岩石上布满了各种青苔，我第一次看到照片时，还以为是动画片的配图呢，真是不敢相信还有这样的地方。这里离波特兰地标景区 Multnomach Fall只有一个高速口，距离我家车程也仅仅四十分钟。
I was afraid of the cold water so I decided to go there in the afternoon. It is a 40 minutes drive from our home, and it is next to the Multnomah Fall which is one of the landmarks of Oregon.
In the summer it is always crowded. Tourists from all around the world come to explore this area. But when I saw so many people there I was shocked too.
因为夏季是枯水季，也成了走到 trail 尽头最容易的季节。每年夏季这里总是熙熙攘攘，不分节假日，可见受欢迎的程度。虽然有心理准备，但当我们到达时，面对排着长龙等待通过的人群还是跟惊到了，完全出乎我的意料。
We had to climb over the rocks and logs. The waterfall was not far but the walk was hard. There were two big piles of logs we had to clime up. People were all queued up for their turn to pass. Some narrow places could only let one person pass by at one time.
峡谷有石头跟倒掉的树木拦截，所以我们必须爬过这些障碍物。短短的 trail， 必须经过两堆这样的障碍物，很多地方只允许每次过一个人，所以很多游人都必须耐心等待。如果你是一个人去，又不擅长攀爬，没关系，遇到困难，路上的人都不会吝惜帮上你一把。有人等不及排队，打算从另一边过去，那里水没过胸了。
大家都在小心翼翼的攀爬，寻找可以放稳脚的地方。
I overcame the first pile of logs and I thought maybe the water was not deep. I probably could wear my shorts to go through it. My kids and husband went first to test and told me swim pant was definitely needed. Luckily I wore my swim pant under the shorts. You have to come prepared for this place! Water at the deepest place was over my waist. Fortunately It was cold but not freezing cold.
我们征服了第一堆，我暗自庆幸，自己的短裤也没湿。我开始选择尽量不涉水的地方，从倒掉的独木上如同走平衡木一样往前走，从山崖边的岩石上走，期望自己可以无碍到底。当我走到木头的尽头，看见娃爹跟娃扑通下水，回头跟我说，泳裤必须的啊。我只好当场脱下短裤，跟他们一样拼了。我事先穿好了泳裤，以备不时之需，如此看来，没有啥“不时”的，要来玩的朋友，直接穿泳衣进来即可，不可能出现不湿衣的可能性。雪山上的水很冷，不过我觉得夏天在里面走也还ok，并不比Oregon海边的海水冷。
上图右边的那根木头，我就是从上面一直走到底，以为前面的水位会低点，没想到打错了算盘。
走到尽头还是得下水，越往前走水越深。记得把自己的 T 稍微往上搂一下，不然等会衣服都会湿。
望着走进去的人都跟我一样小心翼翼，而走出来的人都大大咧咧，不走边角，直接水里淌，我偷偷地笑了。走过的人知道再怎么挣扎都一样，那不妨就洒脱些吧。
Kids were very excited. Just half an hour ago my younger boy said he wouldn't go there because his friend couldn't go with him for some reason. Now he laughed, ran into the water back and forth and said: "Mom, I love this place! Shall we go here again next year?"
孩子们兴奋极了。刚刚弟弟还因为他好朋友没能跟他一起来而赌气不要来，这下比谁都玩得欢。还央求我明年再带他来这玩。
Even it was not easy to climb over those logs we finally arrived the end of the slot canyon. There was an amazing waterfall in front of us. I couldn't move away my eyes from it. It was really beautiful.
终于我们排除万难走到了尽头，一条飞瀑挂前川，有游到瀑布底下玩得更high的人，到处都是笑声。一对情侣站在我眼前，这里拍婚纱哦照也还真不错。
On the way back we found a stone frog. If you weren't looking carefully you would have easily missed it.
Today when I am writing those above I hope the little frog could survival from this fire.
The beauty of Oneonta Gorge will in my mind forever.
回来的路上，我们发现了这只小青蛙，很可爱。写这些文字时，我不知道它是不是能在这场大火里劫后余生，但愿吧。
朋友们都说我们很幸运，在被毁前能够去到这里。那些没能去的也都十分后悔。其中一个朋友因为每次都怕水冷，没带孩子去，结果她自嘲说，现在她已经成为全家的罪人了。
Oneonta Gorge的美丽永远留在我们的记忆里，也许只有失去才会觉得更珍贵。