Plan “C”
When my friends come hiking with me, they know that they may not always get what is advertised. Plans can change on a dime. Strike outs happen. My friend Rob knows this, or at least I hope he does by now.
The plan was to hike down to Heath Falls from Soda Springs. It was going to be an epic hike. However, when we got to Soda Springs we found that the road was snowed in! We were forced to turn around or risk getting very stuck. This snow was from the big storm a couple weeks ago, and it was still not melted. I was shocked. I figured for sure the road would be clear by now. Not so, and I was quite disappointed. I think Rob was disappointed as well, especially since I made him get up at such an ungodly hour to go on this hike with me in the dark.
Plan B was suggested by Rob, to go on a different hike at Blue Canyon (which I had been on before, but Rob had not). It was a very good idea, however, I did not have my maps with me for this hike, and I could not remember exactly how to get to the trailhead. There was a very tricky turnoff, and I did not know where it was, and I could not find it in the dark. Strike two.
Plan C was to go back to the South Yuba River, and down to the Emerald Pools waterfalls. I knew I could get to these waterfalls again. Secretly though, I was not sure I could find them without my maps. I had only been down this route once before, and I had some doubts as we hiked along, though I did not share those doubts with Rob because I did not want to have a complete strike out this morning. In the end, I found the spot, thankfully. The river was flowing at about 80 cfs, which is quite low compared to when I was here before. Even yesterday (after the rain this week), it was flowing at about 150 cfs, and it dropped by about half in just one day. But at least it was flowing, and at least we had something to photograph. No strikeout.