May 5, 2023 - Lewis Creek

 

Title: May 5, 2023 - Lewis Creek
Hike Info : Description

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: Highway 41

Trail: Lewis Creek 

Destination: Corlieu Falls

Distance:  1 mile

Description:

It is a strange day. When I get up I check to see if there was any lightning yesterday. Then get ready for our Osher Book Club-were discussing a 2007 book, The Forsaken by Tim Tzouliadis. Interesting, but very depressing book about the Russian imprisonment of American immigrants during the Great Depression through the Cold War..

Looking down Corlieu Falls

When I get out of Osher, Sherri hits me with when are you going to be ready? Ready for what? To go to Lewis Creek, like I should have known this? After some discussion, we are going to go up to Lewis Creek and hike. I was not at all prepared, so it takes me about an hour to get a few things together. We leave at 12:30.

On the way up, Sherri and I discuss plans for the next couple of months. Steven wonders where to start the hike-at the lower trailhead for Lewis Creek or Highway 41. Uncertain at this point. But as we approach Oakhurst, I comment about a few drops of water on the windshield. As we go further up the road, the sprinkles turn into rain. This determines we will start at Highway 41.

When we reach the Lewis Creek Trailhead, it is raining good.So we take the opportunity to have lunch. That gives the rain a chance to calm down, but we still get some gear on-I am not prepared for rain, but we shall see how well my new jacket holds up.

Washed out trail

Clouds in Cedar Valley

Our thoughts of going to Red Rock Falls are quickly quashed. There are signs that says the bridge across Lewis Creek has been washed out with the rains this Winter.. It is still raining so we decided to go to Corlieu Falls. The question we shall answer is do we stay at the top or go to the bottom? We shall decide in a few minutes.

When we get to the top of the Falls it is a spectacular sight that we see. Lots of water coming over the top. Really good. Still raining, but we decide to go to the bottom and return to the car.

 

 

 

Manzanita

The rocks are wet, so we are careful, but they do not seem to be terribly slippery. But as we travel down the trail, it gets steeper and we are more cautious . While none of us slips, the trail is precarious. There is one place where the whole trail has been washed out. So we ended up going down what I think was a use trail last year. 

 

 

Manzanita blossoms

We get to one place where someone has strung a rope to help us down to the creek. It is steep for me and even more so for Sherri. She stays back while Steven, Korra and I go down to the creek. This puts us about 2/3’s of the way down the falls. Even with not all of the falls in view, it is spectacular-I think I said that before. I make a comment to Steven that I think this is the best and the fullest I have ever seen them. He agrees

Now we go back up the trail. Steep, but much more doable than coming down.Now it is more controlling the breathing than wondering if I am going to slide. We catch up with Sherri. Then go on up. We pass by some blossoming manzanita. In the rain, the blossoms glisten.

We get back to the top. We have met more people coming down now that the rain is ending. It is only about 3pm. A bit too early for dinner, so we head back to Fresno. Steven has driven both ways. I am tired and lay down on the couch when we get home.