Backpack Section
Loma Prieta Chapter
Sierra Club
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Backpack Section |
Falls Creek Trip Leader: Matt Hahne Melting snows and raging streams created many challenges for the four of us, but Matt Hahne is in his element when leading off trail, bushwhacking through manzanita and briar shrubs. Dangerous river crossings only forced us to instead do what Matt loves most-venture cross country! Tom Driscoll, John Rothermel, Carol MacFarlane, and Matt began their 4-day adventure at the Lake Eleanor trailhead, a few miles from the Cherry Lake dam. The warm sun made the lake look very enticing, but it was too early in the day for a swim, so we resisted and plodded onward. Pink with yellow lupine abounded as we hiked up the old road to Miguel Meadows for lunch. Our plan to take in Laurel Lake on our way to camp was thwarted by the high water rushing down Frog Creek. John was all for crawling across the log on hands and knees (which he did without pack to check it out), but Carol and Tom didn't like the prospect of falling into the class 4 rapids, should the backpack force us to lose our balance. Matt suggested the alternative route over the ridge, bypassing the lake altogether. We now know that Matt loves any excuse to get off trail! He bounded up that hillside, clearly in his element. We made camp in a wooded area beside the now gentle flowing Frog Creek. "Hot water!!" drew the last of the sleepy-eyed campers from their tents the next morning. After breaking camp, we headed through the woods to join the trail. Shortly after the junction to Vernon Lake, we met two hikers who warned us against attempting to cross Falls Creek (which we needed to do to reach our destination of Branigan Lake). They said it was waist deep with a strong current, and a slip would mean instant death! Matt suggested that there was no longer any reason for us to head toward the lake, so we went back to the junction to take the trail up and over the moraine. It was a slow and steady rise, bringing us within view of Vernon Lake and Falls Creek below. (Just the sound of the raging water miles below was frightening!) After lunch we continued on in snow to the top at 8100'. Matt led us down through the snow, until we came to a tributary of Falls Creek set between two rock walls. Steep snow covered not only the trail, but part of the stream, making our descent on the right impossible. So we crossed the stream and maneuvered down by holding on (for dear life!) to the alder that narrowly separated the creek from the rock wall. It was at this point that John, who loves his external frame pack dearly, began having second thoughts. His bear canister, tied to the very top of his pack, kept rolling forward and knocking him on the head. We tried to convince him that bushwhacking can be really fun if you have the proper equipment, but John said he'd rather stay on trails than convert to an internal frame pack! It was at this point also, that Carol and Tom gave up hiking in shorts. Scratches on calves and thighs sadly necessitated the donning of long pants. At the bottom of this treacherous descent, we reached the raging Falls Creek and proceeded alongside it up Jack Main Canyon. Water poured down the canyon walls from above to add to the torrent of the river. We set up camp on flat sandy areas amongst the granite. After dinner we wandered around on the granite and snow before heading into our tents. Bright sunshine before 7 am brought some of us out of our tents early (never Matt!) to find that the cold night air had hardened the snow. We were in for another beautiful day! We retreated to the trail junction, where we crossed the tributary and proceeded down along Falls Creek through the briars and manzanita. The creek was indeed frighteningly spectacular with the incredible force of white water raging downhill. The bushwhacking caused John to continually get beaned on the head by his bear canister; Tom and Carol once again gave up on hiking in shorts, as briars tore at their legs. John slipped on a rock jumping across a small tributary and got dunked. Although he was dry again in no time, his camera was not! Meanwhile, Matt was in his element--leading us over rock, through bushes, hopping streams, so that we could have a great view of Falls Creek the whole way down!! Our lunch spot was below Vernon Lake where the footbridge crosses Falls Creek (or part of the creek). What a sight! People were congregating here from many divergent trails, all enjoying the spectacular sight of this river. It was hard to pull ourselves away, but we did. Graying skies and the sound of distant thunder dominated the afternoon hike to another camp in the woods, not far (but far enough) from the boy scouts at the Beehive spring. After dinner a beautiful young buck dropped by to forage around the outskirts of our environs. He circumnavigated our site many times, eating continually, before heading off (for a handout from the boy scouts? We hope not!). On Monday we never strayed from the trail, much to
Matt's disappointment, for sure. We thoroughly enjoyed
the views of Hetch Hetchy below us as we descended to an
old road back to Miguel Meadows. From there we retraced
our steps to Lake Eleanor and the trailhead. It was a
great trip. Some of us appreciated the off trail
adventure, some of us realize how much we appreciate
trails. All of us appreciated the camaraderie (and our
soft, level beds that night!). |