March 23, 2008

 

 

Yesterday was World Water Day.  What better way to spend it than hiking eight miles with friends into the backcountry behind Lake Oroville to the majestic temple of water itself, Feather Falls.  Located on the Middle Fork of the Feather River upstream from Oroville Dam, the falls are a magnificent example of the power of Mother Nature. 

 

This would be my fifth time to hit the trail, the first back in 1970 or so, with subsequent treks in 2000, 2001, 2004 and now this latest attempt.  Judy had been there twice before, both times with me.  We went with Larry and Sharon, good friends of ours who have more than a dozen visits to the falls between them. 

 

I use the word “attempt” because many years have passed since 1970, and NONE of us expected it to be easy.  With all of us except Sharon pushing our late 50’s, some of us, in fact, didn’t expect to make it up the mountain.  Worse yet, maybe we would make it in, but not have the strength to hike out.  That could leave us stranded in the mountains, forced to eat fruits and nuts while living off the land like primitive hairy cave people. 

 

About a week before our trip, Judy’s son Bob called one night to ask if he was going to have to bury us after this hike.  We told him to stand by.  Even Larry was starting to have second thoughts, and this was his idea.  Me?  I was initially very concerned, but became pretty jazzed about it as the time got nearer. 

 

The morning of the hike was simply beautiful.  We took off walking on the trail with Larry and Sharon at about 10:30am.  Judy and I both carried enough food and frozen water bottles to accommodate every possible person we might meet on this trail.  And talk about people!  The trailhead parking lot was crowded with other hikers making the same trip as us.  Thank goodness, I thought.  We won’t die alone.

 

We took the shorter and more rugged 3.3 mile path into the falls, since it was mostly downhill in the beginning.  Piece of cake.  Everybody took their time, with no running allowed.  Other hikers were passing us like the Autobahn, and we marveled at their early determination.  Perhaps they were first time visitors, and didn’t know what was in store.  We certainly thought we did, but were pleasantly surprised at the condition of the trail this early in spring.  This day before Easter was the earliest I had ever been there, and that made all the difference in the world.  Locations along the way like “Mosquito Grove”, “Snake Pit” and even the infamous “Dead Man’s Curve” were no problem this time. 

 

But just wait.  There was a lot more in store for us.

 

It took about three hours at our pace to make it to the overlook.  A bit long and we were all pretty winded.  Still, it seemed easier than before although we were certainly starting to show our age.  An hour for lunch and pictures, then it was time to hit the road again.  What slopes down must go up, so we took the longer and gentler 4.5 mile route back to the parking lot.  We laughed as others took the shorter 3.3 mile route back – straight up!  I wondered silently if anyone would ever see those people again.

 

If it took three hours to go 3.3 miles into the falls, imagine how long we took to come out the longer trail.  The sheer exhaustion of going up and down the hills wore out our legs and feet.  As the miles piled on, it seemed to never end.  Larry told us he was never going to make this hike again.  Fittingly, he said this at about the same spot on the trail he always says it.  Moreover, how many times have they been there? 

 

I figured there was no sense in simply collapsing on the trail.  Can you imagine how long it would take Butte County Search and Rescue to get us out?  There is no cell service for TENS OF MILES around there.  Strangely, I kept thinking about Rocky Balboa and all the painful trials he went thru.  What would Rocky do in my place here on the hike?  Probably put one foot in front of another and just keep walking.

 

It was close to 6:30pm before we finally reached the end of our rope and the hiking trail.  Judy was the first one out and across the parking lot to the car.  I had dreamed about this moment for weeks previous.  We had finally made it, and lived to see another day.  Do you know what we were going to do next?

 

Go to Fosters Freeze for our traditional victory celebration, of course! 

 

We entered the place looking like, well, people who just got back from a LONG hike.  The food was great and the seats were comfortable.  At the end, Larry thanked all of us for going on this little adventure.  This was his last, he said.  I remember his words well.  “If you ever want to go back to the falls again, talk to some body else”.

 

I look forward to Larry making plans for another hike again in a few years.

 

 

SCR