Above, unedited, low res cloud back-up video from March 22, 2014.

January 7, 2020:

In the spring of 2014, I did explore and photograph this segment in some detail. Apparently, I never posted those photos to the website. I'll need to locate them, if they still exist, and flesh out this section.

Highlights of this fragment include Jack Falls (not as impressive as Little Jack), and an abandoned bridge.

In 2014, crossing the washout at the falls to get to the lower Prescott Point fragment was possible, but a bit treacherous. Six years later, I am not sure if it is possible at all, so to access the lower fragment, it is probably best to come in from the east end where it connects with the current alignment of Highway 30.

This photo was shot from just past Little Jack Falls, with the end of the stonework around the falls visible at the right side of the picture.

Below, the view across the ravine to the Upper Prescott Point Fragment.

Prescott Point Cribbin

"Cribbins (or crib walls) were a durable, less expensive and labor-intensive remedy to reinforcement and slippage. At this time, they were constructed of timber, concrete, or reinforced concrete lengths that were banked and stacked. Because of its design, natural drainage was possible with the open cribbin."

"...a massive concrete cribbin forty-one feet long, fifteen feet high, and seven feet wide was built in Rainier, hauled to the location, and filled with large rock."

Jack Falls

Northwest Waterfall Survey: Jack Falls

Highway 30 was the original Columbia River Highway, stretching from Astoria to the east side of the Cascade Mountains. While the extension through the Columbia River Gorge was clearly the most famous stretch, it wasn't the only location that sported lacy waterfalls along the route. Jack Falls was once a prime attraction along old Highway 30 near Rainier, but since the road has been realigned, the falls are seldom noticed. While Jack Falls Creek has a minuscule drainage area and will run dry in the summer (part of the reason nobody knows of this feature), the falls are nice while they flow in the winter, spraying about 75 feet down the hillside, hitting a few rocks on the way down, before cascading under the former roadbed. Stinging Nettles and wild Blackberry brambles have done their best to reclaim the old roadbed, so be sure to wear long pants when visiting this one.

This one will be pretty difficult to photograph when the trees are in leaf. Climbing up alongside the cascading creek to the bottom of the actual falls may yield better results. The falls face east and are surrounded by many trees, so expect high contrast until mid-afternoon.

Total Height 70 feet

Num of Drops 1

Avg. Width 3 feet

Pitch 77 degrees

Run 50 feet

Form Horsetail

Watershed Columbia River (below Portland)

Stream Jack Falls Creek

Avg. Volume 0.5 cu ft/sec

Jack Falls Creek Bridge

Built: 1915

The old, "ten-foot concrete bridge" bridge is still there.

Links

CLICK HERE to continue exploring the highway