Wallalute Falls

Wallalute Falls and other falls near it on Mt. Hood

I stumbled upon this waterfall via google maps on the north side of Mt. Hood labeled ‘Ogin Falls’. After doing a little research and trying to figure out the trail to it there seemed to be no trail, years of mis-labeled maps and books citing it on the Eliot Branch of the West Fork Hood River which is actually known as Stranahan Falls. From 1890 to 2011 no other photo existed to match the falls know as ‘Wallalute Falls’ which is where google maps marker for ‘Ogin Falls’ sits. In 2011 ‘Wallalute Falls was photographed under the alias simple as Compass Creek Falls and Lower Compass Creek Falls (Canon Ball Falls). Side-by-side photos of Wallalute Falls tumbling down a dark gorge

Debris from fires and floods have washed out much of the basin, to the right there is a sizable cascade that was active in May. Asides from the Wallalute Falls there are also a number of others that can be covered in a large loop. Having hiked Silver Falls the bushwhacking and remoteness was a nice change to the chatter of people on the trail.

Topographic map marking the route to Wallalute Falls on Mount Hood

These are the main falls we saw on our long loop – bushwhacking thru lots of dead timber from fires, pricker bushes and steep ravines.

Snow-capped Mount Hood above a burned forest on the hike to Wallalute Falls

Shortly from here is where we left the trail down to Coe Branch

Hiker on a trail through burned forest toward Wallalute Falls

Burned trees and fallen logs with Mount Hood in the distance on the Wallalute Falls trail

Managed to avoid for snow for 99% of the hike

Burnt sticks from Dollar Lake fire

The leftovers of Dollar Mountain fire of 2011

Wallalute Falls dropping through a narrow rocky gorge on Mount Hood

Upper Cove Creek Falls

Hand holding a yellow wildflower with snowy Mount Hood behind it

Glacier Lily – Wapiti Falls in the background & Mt. Hood

Wallalute Falls cascading through a green canyon on Mount Hood

Wapiti Falls

Black-and-white photo of Wallalute Falls tumbling over rocks

Wapiti Falls
Burned snags on a ridge under a blue sky on the Wallalute Falls trail
Heading down to the Coe Branch River

Wallalute Falls framed by autumn larches in a rocky canyon

Approaching Coe Branch Falls – to the Left is Kalakwahtie Falls

Shadowed gorge below Wallalute Falls on Mount Hood

Kalakwahtie Falls

Waterfall pouring down cliffs above a snowfield near Wallalute Falls

Coe Branch Falls & Kalakwahtie Falls

Glacial stream rushing through a boulder-filled canyon on Mount Hood

Found these rocks balancing – leaving Coe Branch & Kalakwahtie Falls

Hiker resting on a rocky ridge with forest and distant views on Mount Hood

Walking to Canon Ball Falls from the Coe Branch

Hiker standing below Wallalute Falls in a mossy forest

Canon Ball Falls – Walking across to take a photo of the falls

Tall view of Wallalute Falls spilling over a rock wall

Canon Ball Falls

Steep forested canyon below Wallalute Falls

Approaching Wallalute Falls

Waterfall and stream cascading through dark rocks near Wallalute Falls

Wallalute Falls

Sunlit waterfall streaming down a rock face near Wallalute Falls

Noname falls directly to right of Wallalute Falls ( seasonal? )

Golden meadow grass under a blue sky with puffy clouds on Mount Hood

Walking back past Stranahan Ridge toward Cove Creek Falls

Wide view of Wallalute Falls cascading through the forest

Cove Creek Falls

At the end of it the nomenclature for the falls are not the important thing but it was a nice way to go explore some more of Mt. Hood and see a few more waterfalls. A long hike – with few stops and challenging lighting conditions for some of the falls due to time of the day – will have to return for another go. We had to park 2 miles from Laurence Lake due to road closure/flood washout so that added an additional 3 miles in and out to the trail head.

 


Useful info: www.oregonhikers.org

www.waterfallsnorthwest.com

https://en.wikipedia.org

Posted on by — 2 Comments

2 thoughts on “Wallalute Falls”

  1. Tim Burke

    The no name waterfall to the right of Wallalute is named Ogin Falls and it flows all summer. It does get lower near the end of September. If you look up Wallalute Falls on the Portland Hikers website there are a few trip reports from there. Nice pictures!

    1. clisle

      Thanks, yeah its been fun exploring some of the more off-piste waterfalls at Mt. Hood.

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