Gary-Summer: March 24, 2024 - North Falls, Silver Creek State Park

Sunday, March 24, 2024

March 24, 2024 - North Falls, Silver Creek State Park

Title: March 24, 2024 - North Falls, Silver Creek State Park
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: North Falls Parking Lot

Trail: Upper North Falls, Silver Creek, Winter Falls

Destination: Loop

Actual Destination: Winter Falls Parking Area

Distance: 4.86 miles

Start Time: 12:26

End Time: 4:06

Travel Time: 3:40 (1.32 mph)

Moving Time: 2:45 (1.77 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,073'

Descent: 1,030‘

Maximum Elevation: 1,858'

GPS Tracks

Getting ready to hike in the rain

Description:

Last night was a long night. My CGM kept alerting me to a low blood sugar level. I am suspecting most of them were false.

12:51 - reading: 62. I had a granola bar. After a few minutes, the levels rose to an acceptable level.
4:45 - reading: 54. This is really low and when I saw it, the level had gone down to 51. So I went downstairs and had a scoop of peanut butter and a scoop of Nutella. But even before I took a bite, the reading was up to 98. Was this a false low?
5:42 - Reading 64. I was pondering what to do and decided to go to the bathroom. Had to go downstairs. Got another scoop of peanut butter. Already the readings was in the 80’s
6:11 - Reading 64. Ignored and went back to sleep.

Upper North Falls

I finally got up around 7:45, definitely not rested. David had gotten up before me and went out for a walk. We had breakfast around 8:45. Lawrence and Andrea are up at 9:15. There had been a request that we not have an early start. That is fine with me,

Lawrence made French toast for those who had not eaten. David and a little bit of me worked on a jigsaw puzzle, that is until word was given that we should get packed and go. You might be asking where are we going? Back up to Silver Creek State Park is the answer. The “backup” is that Andrea and Lawrence have taken us up here before-it is a wonderful place. So it is a good choice by Lawrence and Andrea. It will be David’s first time there.

North Fork Silver Creek

It is raining-all of us grab our rain gear, including the rain pants Sherri bought yesterday. Andrea makes us lunch. We pile into our car-because there is enough room. Andrea is driving. It is only a short 40 minute, 25 mile drive to the North Falls parking area. This is our first time hiking from this trailhead.

Did I say that it was raining? And raining pretty hard? It was. There were some people at the parking lot whom this was a bit much and they just returned back to their cars. Us? Never! We are in full rain gear mode.

Trail to North Falls

Our first stop will be Upper North Falls. (Hint: keep track of which North Falls we are at throughout our adventure.) It is a short walk to these falls. As we get closer, the rocks look a bit slippery, particularly with all the rain. But the falls look pretty nice under these gray skies. This was a good set of falls to start with.

We retrace our steps, going under the road and then down the trail, following the North Fork of Silver Creek. The trail then descends about 75’ by way of stairs. This gets us level with North Falls--no elevation attribute with this one. But the trail continues on the other side of Silver Creek. The secret is that the trail goes behind the Falls so there is no bridge.

Stars to North Falls

I do not stop being amazed whenever we go behind a waterfall. Maybe it is all the times being on the Disney Safari ride and going behind Schweitzer Falls. But this is reality and so much better. This is not the first time behind a set of falls, but I have not lost how awesome it is. May I never lose this sense.

Turns out David took a picture which reminds us all of the eye of Suaron from the Lord of the Rings. All which it needs is a piercing red glow of an eyeball. We stop and have lunch here before moving on. It is a bit cool, but this large overhang keeps us well sheltered from the rain. After about 20 minutes, we move on.

Gary and North falls

We traveled down the trail for about a mile. This mile is a gentle downhill. We gawk at the little water rivulets descending down off of the steep slopes on the other side of the creek. Also, there were little moss covered creeks on our side of Silver Creek. We see the next set of falls-Twin Falls. After seeing the other falls above this one, this one is ho-hum. But if it was not set around the other falls in the area, it would be worth ranting and raving about.

North Falls

The rain is still there, but it is decreasing. And so does the trail descend. We wander past the trail to Winter Falls. The next set of falls is the Middle North Falls-remember to keep track of all of the North Falls. Each is different. This is another “go behind the falls” trail. Only this time it is an offshoot of the main trail and dead ends. Not sure if it is the rain, being tired, having been to this fall before, or we just had the behind the falls experience a little while ago, but I am not as enthralled with this one. Even though last year I thought it was pretty good.

Our next stop is Drake Falls. As I was writing this up, I was thinking that Drake was not that big of a deal. But now when I am looking at the pictures, I am thinking that Drake may not be getting its due and it is being eclipsed by the other awesome falls in this park. It has the same problems that falls around Yosemite Valley have. They are awesome in their own way, and yet compared to the Valley’s falls, they seem inconsequential.

A short distance further is a short trail to Double Falls-not another Twin Falls. This one is a single narrow fall in two steps. Last year when we were here, I thought the view, particularly of the top fall, was obscured by some trees close to us. Looks lots better today.

Double Falls

We had a small discussion among the five of us. Andrea, Lawrence and David will continue a short way down the trail and see Lower North Falls, while Sherri and I start our return trip via Winter Falls.Sherri and I do pretty good-Sherri actually gets a couple hundred yards in front of me. My excuse is I am taking pictures. But is this just an excuse for a lack of energy?

Behind Middle North Falls

Drake Falls

I caught up with her at Winter Falls. The three have already passed us and will pick up the car and bring it around to the Winter Falls Parking Area. After getting a good, long look at Winter Falls, we climb up to the rim and wait. I read while I wait. That would be about half an hour or so.

Andrea drives us back to Salem. There we rest and recuperate. Lawrence serves us the leftover curry chicken he made last night. Still good. We enjoy each other’s company and then go off to bed.