NOT RECOMMENDED
I knew there was an upper falls on Swamp Creek and this seemed like a great day to try it. It was supposed to be cloudy all morning at least, if not all day. One forecast said the clouds would break in the afternoon. Of course by 10AM I could see the clouds breaking and the sun came out. I was not even close to the waterfall. But I did not doubt this time. God would provide the cloud cover for me (and He did! thank you Lord!)
The first problem with this hike is that it is a 2000 ft. climb UP THE MOUNTAIN! There is NO TRAIL. I was not really sure how excited I was to do this hike. On the one hand I wanted to do it. On the other hand I was intimidated by the elevation gain. Let’s climb a 2000 ft. mountain with no trail whatsoever. Or let’s go back to bed. What would you choose? Also, as I mentioned I injured my foot the previous day. How would that hold up on a very very strenuous hike? Actually, the foot did very well once I got off the rocky railroad tracks and started climbing. Good news. Also good news, it was not cliffy, it was not brushy, and there was no poison oak. Bad news, it was a 2000 ft. climb straight up. But other than that, it was easy! Ha ha. I was hiking up through the Camp Fire devastation of 2018, which is probably the reason it was not brushy and there was no oak. Interestingly, I saw a huge water hose that was left by the firefighters. It was probably almost a mile long. I hit the snow line at about 3900 ft. elevation and from that point it was a bit hard to hike because the snow was soft and about a foot deep. The snow might make it too dangerous to get down to the waterfall. But that was the least of my worries.
I thought it would be quite easy to get down to the creek at the waterfall. Nope! In fact, it was horribly cliffy and sketchy. I used my rope to descend the last 100 ft. or so to the waterfall viewpoint. I should not have done this. It was quite stupid. However, when you have climbed up 2000 ft. to see a waterfall, you really really really do not want to be shut out. It would have been extremely disappointing. So … I got out my rope (I used all three ropes that I brought) and descended down the cliff side very very carefully, very very slowly, one step at a time. I came down to a spot where I could finally see the waterfall and set up my tripod on top of a sketchy rock beside a sketchy burned tree on top of a huge dropoff. The mist from the falls additionally made it even more difficult to take a photo. But I made it!
Upper Swamp Creek Falls is a gorgeous 46 foot drop. I just wish it was easier to get to! I climbed back up to the top, had my lunch, and then descended the 2000 ft. back down to the railroad tracks. It was much easier going down, believe me! It was another wild and crazy day in Plumas National Forest.
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