Leon Turnbull Photography

I was back up north again this past weekend because I had to go back to my father-in-law the dentist again (part 2 of 3). It was Sunday evening, and I met up with my friend Brian again to go out shooting. We didn’t really have too much time before dark, but I had heard of a lower waterfall on Battle Creek near Mineral, and thought we might have time to try finding it before dark. I kinda had my doubts though. The person who told me about it said it was about a mile scramble downstream on the creek. I figured we might be hiking back in the dark. But Brian was game so we went for it.

When we arrived at the creek, we started hiking down the south side of Battle Creek. The going was very easy. After a short while though, the road we were following started heading up and away from the creek. We figured we’d better find a way down to the creekside, and so we found a steep path leading down, and scrambled and tumbled down the bank to the creek. Once down at the creek, we realized we were at the top of the very waterfall that we were looking for! It wasn’t a mile downstream, but only about a quarter mile. And it was a dandy of a waterfall, 30 ft. high, plunging off a steep cliff into a fabulous pool below. But we quickly realized we were on the wrong side of the creek. There was no way down to the bottom from the south side of Battle Creek. But it looked like there was a path, albeit a steep one, on the other side, where we could get down to the bottom of the falls. But how to get there? We started going back upstream of the waterfall, looking for a way across the creek. The creek was flowing pretty strong and deep but we found a potential spot. I got on my water shoes, and Brian got on his bare feet. And thus, we forded across the creek. It was almost waist high at the deepest point. I was crossing very tentatively because I was afraid of slipping and drowning my camera. But I finally made it across. I looked back and Brian (in his bare feet) came whipping up quickly behind me like it was no big deal. It must be because he is so much taller than me (or something). Anyway, we got our hiking boots back on and went back downstream, and down the path to the bottom of the falls. It was quite steep, but it was do-able. And it was really a fabulous waterfall. I was very pleased, and especially, that it was not too difficult to reach. (and more importantly, that we wouldn’t be hiking back in the dark). We both got back on our water shoes (or bare feet, in Brian’s case) and promptly got back in the water for picture taking.

On the return trip, we stayed on the north side of the creek, where there was a nice little trail leading all the way back to the bridge at the campground. Easy as pie! Along the way, we came across a grave stone, for some one named Steven Callahan (or something like that). I guess maybe it was some kid who died here, maybe going over the waterfall. Who knows.