Leon Turnbull Photography

I said I would figure out a way to get to this one. This is the lower section of Lower Horsetail Falls. It is 56 ft high which makes the total height of Lower Horsetail 91 ft high. I know you’re wondering how I did it, right? So how did I do it?

I said I was happy happy on my last post after getting to the bottom of upper Horsetail Falls. Part of that was also that I got to this lower slide on the same day. With Pyramid Creek flowing so much stronger this week I was positive that I would not be able to cross it. Nonetheless I decided to go check it out anyway and thus arrived at the top of Lower Horsetail. Funny that. It actually looked cross-able. The creek was flowing swiftly at the top of the falls but it was not deep, so I decided to give it a go and donned my water shoes. I made it across without any difficulty. In actuality, this is probably THE only safe crossing place on the entire length of the creek up to the very top of Horsetail Falls; nonetheless if the creek was flowing any stronger I would not have been able to do it. After the crossing I left my water shoes on and made my way down the granite rock on the other side. It was very easy until I reached the bottom of the cascade. There was one very tricky, wet, steep, and slippery part that I needed to cross in order to get over to the falls. I slipped on the wet rock but I caught myself. Whew. Once over beside the creek I was able to make my way to a great viewpoint looking up at the waterfall and setup my tripod and my feet partially in the cold rushing stream. It is a terrific cascade and I was very happy to get here.

I have been to Horsetail Falls probably nine or ten times before, yet I (surprisingly) had never been to the very bottom of the falls before. From the spot of my previous photo (of the upper falls) there is still one more drop below that, a 35 foot cascade. After shooting the main upper section first, I set out to remedy this calamity on my way back down. There is a path through the bushes leading down to this lower section but the final part is a bit on the steep and slippery side. I decided I could butt slide down it because it was not really too bad and I was pretty sure I could easily get back up since there were plenty of bushes to grab onto (and indeed it was easy getting back up). Well I made it down and imagine my surprise when I found a waterwheel here (a waterwheel is formed when the fast rushing water collides with rocks or holes, then sprays out and upwards in a large arc). I had no idea Horsetail Falls had a waterwheel. I have never seen any photos from this location before but it is certainly an incredibly sweet place. Discover something new every time, that may be my new motto.

I took some photos but I was not happy with them, so I returned here again the next week (yesterday), anxious to explore this area more intently. There was actually quite a bit more water flowing in the waterfall than the previous week, and more bugs (but not mosquitoes). Strange. Anyway, I put my water shoes on so I could make my way down right to the bottom of the falls, then crossed over the rocks to the far side, as far as I could possibly get. The stream was rushing too fast to cross completely or even get in the middle of it, but I was able to get some fantastic perspectives. This is an amazing secret little spot. So remarkable. So beautiful. Who would’ve thunk that Horsetail Falls had so much more to offer. Once again, I was the last one off the mountain, and I returned home happy happy happy.

The Robbers Fire is currently burning out of control in one of my favorite stomping grounds near Colfax and Foresthill, only about 20 percent contained as I write this. I’m not sure exactly what has burned, but I believe up to six waterfalls may be burning right now: Devils Falls, Shirtail Creek Falls, Mexican Gulch Falls, Indian Creek Falls, Upper/Lower Chamberlain Creek Falls, not to mention the fabulous wildflowers on Windy Point. Once this fire is out, it will be interesting to see what has burned or not. I maintain that forest fires are a healthy and natural thing (though I have heard that this fire may not have started naturally, which is very bad), and among other things they clear out all the brush and undergrowth, which is desperately needed; but of course we certainly pray that no one will lose their homes because of this fire, and they say this could happen if the fire jumps the river, and I also sure don’t want to see that beautiful wildflower area burned up, which would also be sad.

Anyway, back to Horsetail Falls. After shooting the main section of Horsetail Falls I retreated back down the mountain semi quickly because I wanted to get back to Lower Horsetail Falls, which I have only been to once before.

I like that whenever I am here I am always the last one off the mountain. Considering how very busy this trail is during the day it is not so easy to accomplish. It is like a special bond or something I have with this mountain, always being the last one down. Well I did end up being the last one down again but I had to battle it out with some other people this time. I passed up a couple older people coming down from the top of Horsetail firstly (then they passed me when I took a detour to the lower falls). When I arrived at the lower falls there was (very surprisingly) another photographer there shooting the falls. I do not normally see other photographers unless I am in a popular location such as Yosemite. He was in my way so I had to wait for him and he was taking a sweet old time but I waited patiently, and while I waited I thought hard about how I could possibly get down to the lower section of this waterfall. The upper part (shown here) is 35 ft high but there is a lower part as well, which is just as big or bigger. The only way to get to it would be to cross the creek but this is impossible to do when the creek flows strong (which is most of the year). Perhaps in late summer? I’m not sure but I’ll figure out a way. Well all that thought strained my brain but the other photographer finally moved out of the way so I made my way down to creek level and started taking some photos of this cool looking slide. It was a great evening in the Desolation Wilderness.

This weekend I did not feel much like going out in the heat for a long difficult hike, or getting up super early. Heck, I did not even feel like going out at all, but I forced myself to go out Saturday afternoon for at least an easy hike. Horsetail Falls was a good ticket. I have been here many times before of course, and have some good photos of it already, so I told myself I would look for a different shot of this falls this time.

The trail was very busy as per usual as I hiked up to the falls on Saturday evening, with lots of people coming back down. It was hot, very hot. There were no mosquitoes, well not too many. I did have to don bug juice for the hike back down later that evening. The waterfall was flowing pretty good, as I expected. Horsetail Falls has great flow for most of the summer, even in a bad snow year.

I arrived at the waterfall probably a bit later than I should have. The falls was already in shade at 5:30PM, and the best light is really immediately after it first goes into shade, so I should have been there a bit earlier, but I think I got a few good photos while it was still in some good warm light.

The trouble with finding a different composition of Horsetail Falls is that there is none. The comps I was examining that I liked were just far too dangerous to try to get to. The rocks are slick around this waterfall, and this is not a waterfall where you want to go swimming.  I tried this composition a bit further back. I think I have photographed from here before, but did not get anything I liked, so I tried again, and I do like this shot this time around.

I was the last one off the mountain at the end of the day, though I did encounter a few latecomers on the way back down. I took my time on the way down, went to Lower Horsetail Falls as well. It was a lovely day, and I was glad to get out and enjoy it.

It has been a busy week in our house with our littlest one. Nekoda (only 7 years old) is on the Senior Dance Company team at Tricks Dance Studio. She had performances this week at the Placer County Fair, as well as four dance performances at their summer recital on Tuesday, and another two dances on Wednesday. It was a crazy week (especially for Dance Mom Tara), but she and her group did very awesome! I did not have my video camera (5D MK II) back for the performance on Saturday, but I did have it back for the recital on Tuesday, which I was very happy about.

This is Upper Tadpole Canyon Falls, one of two or three small waterfalls on this creek before you get to the big one. It is only about 15 ft. high, but it is a pretty one, and especially moody with the fog in the background.