For those of y'all who know me well, you're probably aware of my extreme risk-aversion. If there's…read moreany chance of danger, no matter how big or small, my anxiety alarm will flash and I'll be like NOPE!
So you may find it surprising that there have been a couple instances where the stupid region of my frontal cortex has taken over and put me in precarious situations. Not coincidentally, most have involved hiking.
Most recently, my friends and I made plans to visit Feather Falls in the Plumas National Forest. If you haven't been living under a rock, you'll know that the tragic Carr and Mendocino Complex Fires have been ravaging NorCal - pretty much ~100-200 miles from where our trail was. Despite guaranteed exposure to ash and thick air, we went anyway; because this was considered one of the tallest and most beautiful waterfalls in the U.S., we weren't about to pass.
Getting to the parking lot wasn't all that bad for us. The trailhead was about an hour or so from where we stayed in Marysville, and all we pretty much had to do was drive dead east and follow signs for Feather Falls. Since most people stayed indoors due to the fires, we encountered very minimal traffic on the way there. Once we arrived at the gigantic parking lot, we braced ourselves for the arduous adventure that was about to come. Oh yea, and we made sure to avoid the vault toilets. Looked and SMELLED like they hadn't been cleaned for months.
The trail(s) to Feather Falls consisted of about 4.5 miles of diverse scenery and wildlife. One moment we were crawling through thick brush and another we found ourselves amongst a field of massive trees. There were deer, lots of squirrels, and butterflies as well! About 10 minutes into the hike, our main path split into two trails: Upper (right) and lower (left) trails. We ended up taking the upper one, and overall it was pretty chill. I would say 90 percent of it was flat, and we also saw some pretty cool stuff such as a mini waterfall (not Feather Falls) and Bald Rock Down - essentially Butte County's version of Half Dome!
Around 2 hours later, we came across it. I can't even describe in words how magnificent Feather Falls was. I've chased waterfalls all along the Pacific Northwest, seeing beasts such as Multnomah and Metlako Falls, but few have come close to what we encountered. In short, Feather Falls was spectacular. It was taller than anything I've ever seen, the crashing of water on water was deafening, and I felt so spellbound watching the rainbow form at the bottom of the falls. It was awesome that the trail included a walkway and an overlook that was safe, yet provided an amazing view of the waterfall.
But it didn't end there. Thanks to some advice from a couple of chill bros, we took a 10-minute detour uphill and reached the actual TOP OF THE WATERFALL. Who knew this was possible? Apparently, lots of hikers come to Feather Falls not knowing that you could be literally NEXT to Feather Falls. All we had to do was head left instead of going back the way we came after leaving the walkway. This path took us to a watering hole which would lead to the start of the waterfall. We probably spent around 1-2 hours here swimming in cold water, eating, and chilling. It was bliss; we pretty much forgot about the hike and the fires during these peaceful moments.
As all things must come to an end, so we eventually took the lower trail back. Though it was the same distance, the return journey was DIFFICULT. Kind of regretted going this way because it was mostly uphill. There was more sunlight and plenty of rocks to climb over. So if you're looking for an easier time getting to and from Feather Falls, I suggest taking the upper trail there and back. Or at least, take the upper trail back. Nevertheless, we persevered and eventually made it back to the car.
So how much did the fires and the ashen-filled air hinder our trip? Looking back, it was a STUPID mistake. Regardless of how amazing the experience was, I'm pretty sure we lost a few years off of our lives. Though we encountered many hikers along the way, it was pretty difficult to breathe - especially on the way back. Poor air quality or not, if you are planning on checking out this experience I HIGHLY RECOMMEND keeping in mind a few things: First off, bring bug spray and first aid. Lots of inspects bit us, and we tried SO HARD to avoid the poison ivy. "Leaves of 3, let it be." Secondly, bring double the water you need cause you WILL need it. Third, COME EARLY because it got SO HOT later on. Fourth, be very careful in the water at the top of the waterfall, as the current WILL push you off.
Since Yelp limits my character count, I'll just end by saying this. If you get the chance, please check out Feather Falls. It's truly one of the coolest things I have ever done. Pictures can only do so much justice; you have to go yourself. I give it an "Omg, I'd travel 2 hours for this" rating.
Have fun and prosper,
