"He wanted to be with my other daughter and he wanted Rhonda out of the picture," Julia Simmons told Van Sant. The mountainous, wooded wilderness soaring above Oregon's Columbia River Gorge draws thousands of hikers every year to trek along its narrow trails. It took four years, but in 2013, Nichols was ready for a new chapter in his life. "Magical moment. All rights reserved. Mike Arnold: So you kinda hard up on money in 2009? This spectacular cliffsidehike passes through a forested basalt cliff overlooking Eagle Creek. A spur leads down to some campsites, and the view up the creek is of a lush green canyon with living trees! Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 2023 www.statesmanjournal.com. Wear some good shoes, hiking boots are best if you are walking more than 1 mile. On many sections, there is a steep cliff to one side of the trail. You're a witness. Her autopsy seemed to support Nichols' claim that she may have been high that day. The Eagle Creek Trail runs 13.1 miles one way, from the main trailhead to a junction with the Pacific Crest Trail at Wahtum Lake, though few hike the whole thing. Please also be mindful of your pets and be sure to wear proper footwear. In fact, you'll soon pass a large fossil tree stump, now much diminished because of the depredations of decades of souvenir snatchers. It's like a mini trial, with witnesses called. Then you'll negotiate another cable-railed cliff face on hexagonal "paving stones", actually columns of basalt sheared off by the original trail builders. Maps: Oregon Hikers Maps Google Maps. "She was funny," friend Jessica Colburn said. Past Tenas Camp, the forest was heavily burned in the 2017 fire. "It was always easy to be around her 'cause you kind of became that way as well.". "He started to verbally abuse Rhonda by calling her stupid and a bunch of other names," she said. Suite 200 View All Newspapers in Oregon About Trail Search the largest collection of Trail obituaries and condolences, hosted by Legacy.com in partnership with funeral homes and newspapers. No shade on most of the trail since all the trees are burned. She was my rock, my sidekick, my everything," Simmons told Van Sant. One key to the prosecution's case will be the credibility of the woman making so many of the accusations--Rhonda's mother, Julia Simmons: Mike Arnold: What do you do for a living, ma'am? She broke into a run and, according to Nichols, she slipped on the wet path and fell more than 150 feet to her death. Nichols cooperated with police, answering all of their questions. We hiked out expecting to stay there, but we had to hike back because the site wasn't viable. Arnold has some questions about the scientific rigor of DeHaven's tests, including laughter in the background: Michael Arnold: Was that person laughing part of the scientific experiment? In August 2015, Stephen Nichols was in court for a bail hearing. Van Sant asked Arnold. Van Sant asked. Indian mount summit was worth the day hike for the views of hood. You should cross-check against other references before planning a hike. And then I go to the shower, cry a little bit over my daughter. Van Sant asked. But something was about to happen. Meads headed out on a Gorge hike in May 2015, that soon became a struggle to survive. Here you will cross a high bridge just past Loowit falls and just over 3 miles into the trip. "They'd go to a movie or they'd go play Frisbee golf. There's another view of Punch Bowl Falls just beyond that viewpoint as you continue along the Eagle Creek Trail, and then you'll cross the Tish Creek Bridge, this version installed in 2017 and miraculously a survivor of the fire later that year. beautiful trail lake is gorgeous would do it again next year. I don't think I've ever threatened anybody with physical harm," said Nichols. "No. If you still feel like you still have some energy, the last two major waterfalls, both on the West Fork Eagle Creek, can be seen in the next half mile. You'll reach the location of Tenas Camp, the first area of permitted camping on the Eagle Creek Trail (but campfires are not allowed). Later, the trail enters forest that has been more severely burned. To support his work, subscribe to the Statesman Journal. Thankfully, in some sketchy areas a cable has been bolted to the cliff wall to hang on to while hiking. I love Rhonda. Crampons/good micro spikes are a must, there are cliff sections where the ice covers the trail and become extremely dangerous if not crossed carefully. Rhonda was in a great mood and jokingly she'd put a towel around her shoulders and was calling herself Supergirl. Arnold questions the man who organized the dummy experiment, Deputy Daniel DeHaven. Elevation: 110 feet. About 6 miles from the trailhead, hikers will reach Tunnel Falls, the most impressive waterfall on Eagle Creek, and one of Oregons best. A bridge marks the beginning of the Eagle Creek Trail, just past the parking area at the trailhead. Luckily, several hikers happened by. Day passes can be purchased on site for $5 per vehicle. Simmons became suspicious when she learned that Nichols had taken out a million-dollar life insurance policy on Rhonda just months before her death. Start by hiking up the Eagle Creek Trail 13.3 miles to Wahtum Lake. "You don't think about your friend's name being said and saying that she has died by falling off a cliff," Brandi Arneson said in tears. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian. Just last week, Judge John Olsen denied the defense's motion to dismiss. Once you exit the highway, drive the short ways up Eagle Creek Loop, past the salmon hatchery, to find the trailhead parking. Any further questions hit me up on @ Prodigallad on Insta. on official, secure websites. Loowit Falls is named after an old Indian woman of the same name who supposedly took care of an everlasting fire on the Bridge of the Gods over the Columbia before transforming into Mt. Just past Twister Falls is a sloping rocky bank that makes a great place to rest. "Attraction right away?" A tree fell over, taking a section of trail with it. "Everything about her was impressive. Even in the places that are burned and the impact is clear the burn scar is not overwhelming for much of the hike. Nichols and his daughter, now 5, moved to Wuxi, about 75 miles from Shanghai. On some sections of the trail, hikers are forced to either plunge into a puddle or step around it and walk along the edge of a cliff (many, perhaps reflexively, choose the latter). There are six sections where cable handrails will give you a sense of security as you pass above vertical drops. "They were a delight together. "Must've been so horrifying. In a nutshell: One of Oregons most scenic trails, located in the Columbia River Gorge near Cascade Locks. (The Eagle Creek Trail didn't reopen until 2021, however.). Arnold spells out "the Jackson connection" by calling Deputy District Attorney Carrie Rasmussen to the stand, stunning the courtroom. "I saw something pop up on my phone. The burnt areas are still unsightly, but beginning to recover. Around milepost 5, hikers must register and issue themselves a permit. I will always love Rhonda. Please stay inside the guardrails. I love you. Cables are still bolted into rock walls at some points, but thats about all the help youll get. Moderate 4.7 (1786) Mount Hood National Forest. After crossing the High Bridge, walk high above the creek to get a good view, more open since the fire, of 50-foot Skoonichuck Falls, which plunges in two big tiers below a 400-foot cliff. "She was, like, it for me. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. ", Mike Arnold: "Perhaps it's time to see what a panel of citizens will decide?". 2.4M views 5 years ago Join us on this amazing backpacking trip into the hills bordering the Columbia River Gorge! But every now and again you hear it the loud crack and crash of a fire-weakened tree splitting and plummeting down the canyon. "If you're a young couple with a kid you should have life insurance," Arnold said. St. Helens upon dying. That's something that can't be outlawyered, it can't be confused with rumor and innuendo," he continued. United States. And I about jumped out of my seat," said Brandi Arneson. Narrow trail with anchored cables into rock in some areas to hold onto for support away from cliff edge. Suddenly, disaster struck. Arnold isn't buying the timing of the grand jury: Judge John Olsen: Miss Rasmussen, you can't object. "Then I turn around and I look at her and my tongue pretty much hit the floor," he told Van Sant. Nichols and Rhonda each had a policy on the other for the same amount of money. Beyond, the next 3 miles to Tunnel Falls do have some landslides that make for tricky hiking, and at least one semi-difficult creek crossing, but it does remain open and doable. Immediately off the exit at the stop sign, take a right and continue down Eagle Creek Lane past the Eagle Creek Fish Hatchery, keeping right down Eagle Creek Loop which ends at the trailhead. There are moments on the Eagle Creek Trail when you completely forget that it was the birthplace of one . "I sort of wanted a fresh start," he said. This is a nice out and back hike with great scenery of waterfalls, ferns, and rocky outcroppings. "And as their relationship evolved, honestly, did she love Stephen more for what was inside him, or what was in his wallet?" End point: Punch Bowl Falls. "I spend probably 80 percent of my waking hours just reading. As Stephen Nichols waited in jail, police gathered evidence for the murder trial on their theory that it was no accident. It is not safe to pass at this time. Heavy rains only compound the issue. Jessica Colburn first met Rhonda when they were in high school. Also there are plenty of campsites at Indian springs. "It turns out the reason that indictment came up is because of pressure from a book author!" Area. Wild flowers and butterflies. There are rock benches on the stream here where you can take a break, and small drops above on the creek where there are swimming holes. Looking across the gorge, you can see different layers of basalt entablature separated by narrower bands of colonnade. Hikers have been rediscovering the beauty of Eagle Creek since it reopened on Jan. 1, more than three years after closing due to the Eagle Creek fire. This trail follows a cliff for portions and can be very dangerous when slippery. Starting at the trailhead, pass a weir, and then follow the wide well-groomed trail above the creek for a stretch. Longitude: -121.91970. The trail was the site of the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire, leaving burn. "And I kept saying, 'I don't even know who you are, but you are the most amazing man I've ever met. Either way, it's a wonderful thing to return to Eagle Creek Trail. It was a cold day rain off and on. She was taking Tae Kwon Do. What a pretty hike! Even on a dry day, the Eagle Creek Trail is extremely wet, as water constantly runs downhill over cliffs onto the trail. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Mike Arnold: And did you have a suspect in those criminal acts? His father, also named Stephen Nichols, remembers it as a happy time. The trail reopened in . And Arnold says accidents like Rhonda's are more frequent than people realize. Your physical evidence could disappear within hours or days," Arnold explained. The Eagle Creek Trail is a GREAT hike. Difficulty: moderate to difficult Length: 4.4 miles round-trip.