Leon Turnbull Photography

We had a very late start to the winter this season, definitely the latest start that I can ever remember. I suppose that does not bode well for the snow pack this year, but wait. Last year we also had a very late start, and look what happened that year: our snow pack was about 164% of average at the end of the season. With only one big storm under our belts this year, the numbers for Dec. 1 are now in: rainfall is 50% of average (northern CA), 68% (central Sierra), and 75% (southern Sierra). Snow pack is 76% (north), 94% (central), and 107% (south). So we still have a ways to go to catch up, but hope is not all lost yet. More storms are on the way.

Usually, every Black Friday I go out hiking. It is my thing. It is my favorite day of the year to hike. So I had big plans to hike on Friday, to a couple different places. But … I slept awful on Thursday night and turned my alarm off. I spent the day with family, and figured I would hike on Saturday instead. But … I slept awful on Friday night as well. I almost turned my alarm off again! However, this time I forced myself to get up and out of bed.

I drove up to Oroville and once more back to Bear Ranch Creek. I was really wanting to get up to the upper falls this time, and more than that. I know of only a couple other people that have been up to this upper falls. I have tried before, but it is extremely brushy and difficult. After the Camp Fire decimated this area last year, I thought it would be a lot easier now. Looking at Google Earth, I could see the fire hit this area, and it did not look very brushy anymore. I wanted to try to climb the ridge, instead of going up from the lower falls (which is what you are supposed to do – but that route is very brushy and poison oak as well). The ridge looked like a better option to me. Two problems: One, there was snow! I was not expecting this at all, since this is low elevation (1500 ft.). I was not prepared for snow whatsoever. There would be a huge, steep, and possibly dangerous descent down to the creek. With snow on the ground, it would be very treacherous (I imagined). I figured there was a 90 percent chance I would not make it because of the snow, so this kinda bummed me out since I drove all the way out here to attempt this waterfall, and I had no alternative options. Two, it was too brushy! Indeed, it did not look like there had been a fire at all. It was still just as brushy as before, and there was absolutely no getting through it. It makes no sense because Google Earth clearly shows the fire scorched this area.

I went back down to the trail, and decided to try the other way: Climb up from the lower falls. I have tried this way before, and found it too brushy as well. Well, I will try it again today. It was not very long, and then it dawned on me that I was up much higher than I had made it previously, and I was still going strong. I made it all the way up, and got over to the other side where you need to drop back down to the creek. It was not bad at all, and not dangerous, even in the snow. I made it all the way down, and could see the upper falls before me. It looked amazing! I can’t believe I actually made it all the way this time. I was stoked!

It is really a very gorgeous waterfall, and it is bigger than it looks in photos. I measured the main drop to be 30 ft. high exactly. It is an incredible place. Technically, this should be called the middle falls, not the upper falls. There is definitely another drop above this one. Someday I will get to it. But not today.

It was very tough getting here and took a long time. I was very cold, very wet, and very tired. I still had to climb back up the mountain and down the other side. I made it back down to the car about noon.

But it is not a madman adventure until you have some sort of casualty, and today I had two casualties: I managed to somehow lose my backpack raincover, and I broke my hiking pole. In other words, it was a fantastic day in Plumas National Forest.