Jenny Creek Falls (Northern California) 24-Apr-2018

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VanMarmot
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Jenny Creek Falls (Northern California) 24-Apr-2018

Post by VanMarmot » April 25th, 2018, 3:14 pm

These falls are just over the border in Northern California but since they get all of their water from Oregon, I thought they're fair game for a trip report.

Jenny Creek - which has been proposed for designation as a Wild and Scenic River - flows south out of Howard Prairie Reservoir in southwestern Oregon for approximately 22 miles until it empties into Iron Gate Reservoir on the Klamath River in northern California. Along the way, the creek passes through the eastern edges of both the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument and the Soda Mountain Wilderness. Jenny Creek and its tributaries (Keene, Corral, Johnson, and Beaver Creeks) are separated from the Klamath River by two waterfalls (a 15-foot lower and a 40-foot upper) that were created as the creek carved through a lava flow that occurred approximately 5 million years ago. By separating the upper reaches of the watershed from the river, these falls have given rise to the Jenny Creek redband trout, a unique lineage of trout found only in the upper creek. Hence many good reasons to appreciate these falls in person. Only one tiny problem - how to reach them?

Local groups occasionally lead hikes to the falls but the route (or routes) they take are only sketchily described (if at all).  So, after a lot of map gazing and Google Earth twirling, I came up with two options: from the north via powerline and other old roads plus cross-country (this route is used by kayakers and (I think) those local group hikes) or from the south via other powerline roads plus cross-country. The northern route, although longer, has the benefit of being (mostly) on public lands, while the shorter southern route crosses some private land (or at least land under powerlines) and may not be fully legal. Despite these concerns (but buoyed by the lack of "no" signs), I was willing to assume that no one was going to get too upset if I walked through cow pies on an old road under a powerline.

Whether you approach from the north, south, or west (more private land), your real challenge is getting down into the canyon where the falls are. The sides of the canyon are STEEP, but not impossibly so. But they consist of loose dirt, unstable rocks, a lava field, slick grass, voracious ticks, bountious poison oak, and (possibly) a shy rattlesnake (or two), so travel along them is not easy and requires lots of caution.

But your reward for negotiating these hardships are a pair of falls that benefit for being spectacular, remote, and creators of a unique line of trout.
Image
The lower falls
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Jenny Creek and the upper falls
Image
The upper falls
Image
Jenny Creek redband trout (ODFW photo)

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bobcat
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Re: Jenny Creek Falls (Northern California) 24-Apr-2018

Post by bobcat » April 28th, 2018, 11:43 am

Interesting destination! I assume the scramble is short but rough?

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VanMarmot
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Re: Jenny Creek Falls (Northern California) 24-Apr-2018

Post by VanMarmot » April 28th, 2018, 1:27 pm

bobcat wrote:
April 28th, 2018, 11:43 am
Interesting destination! I assume the scramble is short but rough?
From the eastern rim (however you get to it) it's 400-600 feet down a steep slope with a mix of veg, loose dirt, and unstable rocks. And, like any good basalt formation, it's a mix of slopes and rock bands, so you have to watch you don't step off one going down :o or get headwalled going up. Certainly doable but you have to be real careful the whole time. Best in Spring or Fall as it is usually punishingly hot in summer.

I've heard rumors about coming in via some powerline roads to the west since the western slope of the canyon is less steep (relatively speaking). But there's private land to cross over there too (whose owners may be less forgiving than Pacific Power) and lots of lava rock, so I didn't explore that route at all.

Certainly a tough hike, but I doubt you'd be plagued by crowds... ;)

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