Sweeney Falls - Souther Creek

[Chip Down]

Souther Creek turned into my personal Heart of Darkness: I went up that river thinking it would be quick and easy. But then things got interesting.

Getting to Sweeny Falls was much faster than expected, but I was disappointed that I couldn't get to the mine shaft. The creek is running high, and the spray at the bottom of Sweeney was tremendous. I was sure I'd get soaked getting to the mine. And there was actually a creek running out of the mine shaft! I don't know to what extent that was spray drainage and how much may have been from seepage into the shaft. In retrospect, maybe I should have budgeted a few minutes at the end of the day, when I was so wet I had nothing to lose.

I started up the creek in the rain looking for other interesting features, and there were a few, as expected. Eventually, the bank became so steep and muddy and brushy, and the creek so tame, that I didn't think it was worth continuing, so climbed out of the canyon with the intent of finding an easier way back down to the highway.

Met an abandoned road, which didn't surprise me, as I'd read of it in an old TR here. Followed the road up a bit, but there was so much storm damage, I figured it wasn't worth the bother, so turned back and descended.

On the way down, spotted a lovely emerald ridge to the west, so struck off to investigate. On the way, found much evidence of an old powerline. Reached the mossy ridge as the sun was miraculously burning through. The ground was steaming, and I had hope that I might dry out too. Continued up the ridge quite a ways, but it got brushy/thorny, the snow got deep, and the ridge broadened to the point that it was boring. I heard water to the west, and wondered if it was Nelson Creek. Investigated. It wasn't, just a tiny creeklet that was only audible because of a few little cascades of no interest.

Worked my way back east until I met up with the road I was following earlier. Strangely, although I approached from a different angle, I hit it maybe twenty yards from where I had departed earlier. Don't think I could pull that off again if I tried. Down to the highway.

Wanted to go up the east bank, basically repeating my trip on the other side of the creek. Decided to go a bit further east though, to get to the top of the striking cliffs just east of the creek. Got distracted and went far east, exploring all sorts of things, then back west and up until I was looking down the steep broad green gully that drops to the pullout. Continued uphill, parallel to the creek, on a maze of old roadbeds. Eventually came to what I thought was a major intersecting road, but was shocked when I came closer and realized it was a gas pipeline running east/west. I must have come very close to encountering this when I was working my way upstream on the west bank.

Dropped down the pipeline clearing to the creek and followed the creek downstream. This was the worst part of the day: postholing and bushwhacking in the rain is about as bad as it gets. Soon I recognized a distinctive drop/turn in the creek, which confirmed that I came very close to the pipeline earlier when I was going up the west bank. I continued down the east bank to the upper falls, at which point I decided to climb out of the canyon to find one of the old roads I could take back to the highway, but I meandered and explored after hitting the road and eventually dropped back to the creek again. Very inefficient, but I had some fun exploring the rocky ridges and outcroppings east of the creek (far east, beyond the audible range of the creek).

I virtually walked in circles at the end, exploring this and that. Maybe I should have been more systematic, but I guess it worked out okay, as I discovered some really interesting geologic features that I didn't have time for, but they're on my to-do list for a fill-in hike, or perhaps for another soggy day when I want something "quick and easy".

[Chip Down]

and the man-made stuff:

[Chip Down]

And a little bonus, an interesting spot on the south side of SR14.

[pablo]

Thx Chip for the nice report and photos.

Where did you park?

Only thing that stopped me was cowardice.

That looks like common sense to me.

I'm not familiar with the area so I looked it up, between Stevenson and Carson.

That point on the other side of the river is Indian Point, no?

--Paul

[Don Nelsen]

Thanks for the report, Chip! The gardens of poison oak have kept me from exploring much in that are and I appreciate your efforts - especially all the photos of interesting stuff in the woods. I'll have to brave the poison oak and go check out that old air compressor.

You might like to see what the falls and mine shaft looked like before the thaw when I was at the falls on Jan. 15th:







Don

[Bosterson]

At upper right, notice that horn sticking up above the lovely couloir. Looks like a fun climb, but possibly difficult to access

It's hard to tell exactly where you're facing, and other features that would answer this question are either too fuzzy in the pic or cut out of the frame, but isn't this Indian Point?

[Guy]

It's hard to tell exactly where you are facing, and other features that would answer this question are either too fuzzy in the pic or cut out of the frame, but isn't this Indian Point?

That would be my guess too Nat. Angle looks about right from Souther Creek.

I didn't know about the old mine, will have to go and check that out!

[Don Nelsen]

Definitely Indian Point.

Also, the falls and mineshaft is accessed from MP 46.6 on Hwy 14. Only 600 feet from the road. If you wear spikes, any time of the year, you can climb the bank and get to the shaft. If it is really dry, (not likely) you can climb up there easily. The shaft is about 100' deep and branches near the end.

dn

[Guy]

Thanks Don, lets get out there on a hike together soon. But not Eagle Creek

[Don Nelsen]

Thanks Don, lets get out there on a hike together soon. But not Eagle Creek

Sunday? - EC should be good to Tish Creek, too.