Lost
Well, we are back from our week long family vacation to Oregon. It is a long story which will be relayed on following blog posts, but the short story is we got rained out in Oregon. More like blown right out of the state. I think we picked the absolute worst possible week of the year to go camping in Oregon. Nonetheless, I did manage to visit 15 waterfalls over the course of the week, and we did have a pretty fun time. Except for one rather stormy night.
This photo is not Oregon. It is California. Good old California. Nice sunny California. Which has not really been too sunny very much so far this year. And that is the way I like it. But it seems the sun and heat are here now finally. Though on this particular day, it was rather overcast. And that makes for good waterfall photography.
On our way up to Oregon, we made a pit stop in Red Bluff, where my wife’s parents live. I took the dog for a morning hike one day up towards Lassen in search of a new waterfall. I found one.
This is Lost Creek Falls, which is on a creek that is truly lost, out in the middle of almost nowhere, in Lassen National Forest. It is a rather pleasant hike out in the middle of almost nowhere. It seems there shouldn’t be a waterfall here. The landscape is so rather flat. But perseverance pays off. And eventually, you can make your way up a little canyon where Lost Creek can actually be found. And lo and behold a waterfall. A rather gorgeous little thing, 27 ft. high.
Just downstream from this falls is a powerhouse out in the middle of almost nowhere, and a small dam at the base of the falls. Although the powerhouse is private property, the falls and trail to the falls is on public land. I like that. I was standing beside the dam to take this photo. That explains the rather large pool below the falls and why I couldn’t really get any closer to the falls. Also worth mentioning is the rather grand views that can be had from this waterfall, or very near the waterfall. Views of majestic Mt. Shasta and Mt. Lassen both. It is quite a sight when both these mountains can be seen from one spot. I was actually considering taking my sunrise shoot of Mt. Lassen from Manzanita Lake. The clouds on the drive up Hwy 44 towards Lassen were looking rather potentially fabulous for sunrise. I couldn’t decide. Shoot the waterfall or shoot the mountain for sunrise. I decided on the mountain. However, when I arrived at Manzanita Lake, the clouds over Lassen were gone! The sky was completely clear. Where did the clouds go? Well, they were still there, but just in totally the wrong spot for a sunrise shot of Lassen. I decided to high tail it around and return to my original plan, that is get to the waterfall for sunrise. I thought I was going to be rather late, but the overcastness kicked into gear, and I didn’t have to worry about the sun ruining my waterfall photography plans. Such strange weather we are having this spring.
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