SHAKE, RATTLE, AND ROLL
After Donner Summit, I headed back quickly to Cisco Grove for my second hike (well, as quickly as I could without getting a speeding ticket of course). It was a 3 mile hike, but I estimated that I had plenty of time before the sun would be shining on the waterfall. Yet I was still worried about it. The sun was already high and seemingly already shining brightly in the canyon. Did I miscalculate?
There was a big no parking sign at the trailhead, so I had to drive back up the road a ways to a big turnout. Could I park here? There were no signs indicating not, but I was not sure. As I was contemplating this, a cop pulled up behind me. I was going to ask him if it was ok to park here, but he took off. I guess that means it is ok to park here? Well that is just what I did (crossing my fingers that it would be ok). As an aside, when I came back down afterwards, there were three cars parked where the signs said no parking. I wonder if I could have parked there as well? I’m not sure I would want to take that chance, though. Another strange thing I saw as I started up the road, which passes a campground. There were a ton of people tent camping there. This is winter, high elevation, and the temperatures are below freezing at night. You would think maybe one or two crazies might be camping at this time of year, but the campground was almost full. I think it was some kind of special event or something, but it was very strange to see it.
Anyway, the good news was that Rattlesnake Creek had quite a bit of water in it. I was even quite a bit surprised. I am pretty sure the creek is dam controlled, so I guess the lake above was full and spilling. I was not complaining about it, anyway. I made a quick stop at the lower falls and photographed it from the road. I didn’t take much time as I was worried I didn’t have any time. I also discovered another surprise waterfall further up the road. I did not stop at it on the way up. Again, no time. I should have stopped, but I’ll come back to it some other day. I finally made it to the upper falls. It is hidden in a canyon, blocked from the sun, and it turned out I had plenty of time to photograph it, but not an overabundance of time so it was good that I hurried up to it as I did. It is a pretty fantastic 46 ft. high waterfall, crashing over the rocks into the little canyon, and it is nice that you can pretty easily get right up close to it. I’d definitely like to come back here when the creek is going at full tilt. It would be amazing. I spent a bit of time here enjoying the falls, then made my way back down the road where I found my car still there and not towed. It was a great day in the Sierra Nevada.