CASCADE LOCKS, Ore. — The Forest Service is asking visitors to Eagle Creek trail No. 440 in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area to stop jumping off Punchbowl Falls.
The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office responds to an average of 10 search and rescue events annually in the Eagle Creek area, but the number jumped to 17 in 2013.
The fine for jumping or diving off the falls is $300.
Jumpers off the 80-foot waterfall suffer neck and back injuries and succumb to undercurrents. The water is shallower than it appears and Eagle Creek stays cold year-round.
“Jumping from Punchbowl Falls is prohibited for good reason,” said Hood River County Sheriff Matt English. “Yet we continue to see tragic, avoidable incidents at that location every year.”
