I saw some great landscapes and birds on the Cape Horn loop. On this seven-mile hike I led a friend out beyond his physical capabilities and he got hurt. From his moaning and blood I learned to be a better aide and companion on the trail.

Landscapes 

Diverse landscapes crowd this loop, including two waterfalls, a prairie, and many vistas overlooking the gorge. The river water looked very green in contrast to the distant bluish mountains.

We checked out Phoca Rock, which changed dramatically in luster and hue as the sun set. I can’t verify, but the thing must be named after the French phoque, for seal (the marine mammal). In fact there is a user-submitted Google Maps image of a big ol’ fat sea lion lounging on this conspicuous rock in the middle of the Columbia.

Being out there on a sunny day on one of the shortest days of the year was special. Newly built overlooks were put in place in 2020.

Birds

The trail opens into a small prairie. We watched a northern harrier hunting buoyantly in a steady wind. I think it was a juvenile because of its brown coloration. I look forward to seeing this hawk again and studying its appearance, including the “gray ghost” adult male.

We observed ravens, spotted towhees, a red-tailed hawk, a kinglet (could not tell whether ruby-crowned or golden-crowned), hairy woodpecker, nuthatches and chickadees. 

I need some help distinguishing the chestnut-backed chickadee from the Pacific plumage variant of the black-capped chickadee. I think I may have seen this richly colored brown bird, but I couldn’t be certain without getting back home to my Sibley guide. Next time I see one, I will know.

Part of the trail is closed February to July to protect peregrine falcon nests. If I saw one of these falcons hunting in the gorge I would lose my shit.

My companion got hurt

He complained of “debilitating pain” in his toes on the many descents over rock-strewn parts of the trail. I waited as he improvised by stuffing gloves into the toe section of his shoes. Inexplicably, he had worn steel-toed shoes.

Shortly after this he fell and cut his hand right at the knuckle where a vein was split open and bled profusely onto his light-colored jacket. He struggled to apply pressure properly, continually disrupting the coagulation process while accusing me of leading him on an extra-long leg of the trail that he didn’t know about.

I made a few mistakes. Next time, I will judge the physical conditioning of my trail buddy beforehand, and err on the side of caution because of the risks of being out there during covid and wintertime. I will state specifically what gear and clothing they should bring. I will do a quick readiness check before we even leave the city. And during the hike, I will continually communicate where we are at. I won’t make the assumption that they saw and understood the trail markers and maps that I did.

Lastly, I will be more patient when a buddy is flailing, and I will put blame aside.

We got enchiladas once back in town

They were OK. I think once the pandemic is over I’ll continue to avoid eating out. Because most bars and restaurants suck at their jobs and serve you crap.