Leon Turnbull Photography

My hike last weekend was a bust. It was killer difficult and I almost bonked, but did I find a waterfall? No sir. You can’t always get what you want.

This weekend would be different. I needed a sure thing. Something that I knew I could get to. Something that I knew would be flowing decent. Something that I knew would be good. Enter East Fork Falls. Returning yet again to the East Fork of the North Fork of the North Fork American River. EFNFNFAR for short. Just go east, old man. I’ve been to East Fork Falls twice before, this would be the third time. I had hoped to get to a second waterfall as well, but that did not pan out. It took much too long to get down to the first waterfall and I was very tired by the end of it. I had no energy or time to go to the second waterfall. That’s all right. I’ll be back again.

There was a tiny bit of fresh snow on the ground when I started. The first storm of the season is underway. It is almost mid November. Another late start to the season, but much more to come in the near future. We hope. The overnight snow meant that all the brush was very wet, and of course the hike to East Fork Falls is off trail and through a lot of brush. My pants and boots were soaked by the time I got down to the river, but that wasn’t the big problem. Once down at the river, you need to cross it, and then wade up to the waterfall. Crossing the river was not difficult, but the water was cold! Then … when you get up to the waterfall, the best place to photograph it is accomplished by standing in the water! The freezing cold water. For a good 15  minutes or so! My feet were uncomfortably numb by the time I was finished. Dang!

Well, it was certainly worth it. East Fork Falls is an absolutely magnificent 32 ft. high waterfall dropping into a gorgeous emerald green pool, surrounded on all sides by massive cliffs. It is stunning. It was surely an amazing day in Tahoe National Forest.