Sundance and Caesura (sp?) falls

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chameleon
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Sundance and Caesura (sp?) falls

Post by chameleon » November 4th, 2008, 6:38 pm

Well, while the weekend was exceptionally wet and cold, I decided to head out to Tanner Crk anyway on Monday, just resigning myself to getting thoroughly soaked.
It was a lot of fun, but does anyone know why there seems to be less oxygen when walking by those huge power lines in a dense fog when they are hissing and spitting in the wet air? Maybe its my imagination, but it often seems harder to breathe when walking directly under them on super wet days.
Anyway, I made it down to the stream and got some good photos of Sundance falls, the top of swaawa and one of Caesura falls. Though it was raining lightly the entire time, I still had fun, wading up and down Tanner which was high and cold, getting the umbrella out for the occasional picture.
I ended up leaving the stream a bit late with daylight running out, and decided to climb directly up to the road, rather than the way I usually go and know well, leading almost directly to Volition falls. It was a strenous @1,000 ft vertical climb, and I eventually came out right at the very highest point of the road, under the top viewpoint power line structure. And was I ever glad to find the road. By that point it was dark, foggy, and getting steeper on both sides of the slope I was following.
Overall it was a very good time. Here are a few photos of the journey.
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That's the Tanner Creek road.
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While not a waterfall, this is one of my favorite cascades on Tanner - this is only a half of it. The whole stream broadens and falls 4 feet or so.
Caesura ph.jpg
This is the falls named by Andy's girlfriend, Lindsay - Caesura falls I believe? A tree has fallen obstructing the view a bit with this lovely falls. This wide shot shows the neat section of water just below the falls.
sundance ph.jpg
This is the falls named by Don Nelson. While difficult to photograph, this is a serious waterfall - about 25 feet wide by 35 feet tall.
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Here is the top of Swaawa falls. I believe this falls is @ 95 feet, and leads into a deep chasm that is probably 140feet down at places.
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This is looking down the chasm from the top of Swaawa. Tom, look at the log spanning the top of gorge. This is the log I took that front view of Swaawa from. I set my little tripod right next to that baby tree sprouting out of the log a few feet out. While the log is definately larger than it looks, from this angle I can see that my position was a bit more precarious than I realized at the time. I had no idea that I was above an overhang! I'll post some more pics later.
-Zach

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Re: Sundance and Caesura (sp?) falls

Post by weathercrazy » November 5th, 2008, 4:28 pm

Wow! Gorgeous photos! I especially like the very first one...of the old road with the fall colors.

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Re: Sundance and Caesura (sp?) falls

Post by Splintercat » November 5th, 2008, 8:02 pm

Thanks, Zach - more great photos! That last shot of Swaawa Falls made my heart sink, even before I read the details in your post... I knew that had to be the log you crawled out on..!! :shock: Yowsa!

I'm looking forward to that TKO trail in the future that will take me to these waterfalls without risk to life, limb and camera equipment... :D

Tom

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Re: Sundance and Caesura (sp?) falls

Post by The C-Ws » November 6th, 2008, 9:51 pm

For the possible route of a trail into upper Tanner Creek, have you considered following the rim of Tanner Creek's gorge all the way to Wahclella Falls? Last May I tried that route and found a very prominent animal path following a bench of sorts between the inner gorge and another set of cliffs. There was a lot of poison oak, and the route eventually became pretty exposed. Because of these factors and time constraints, I turned around a bit over half way to Wahclella Falls (I think I was almost to where Pipe Organ Alley comes in). However, the animal trail continued and was very distinct. I highly doubt that there would be such a defined path there if it wasn't a way to bypass the canyon. I doubt I'll be trying it again because I get bad cases of poison oak, but it's definitely a possibility.

BTW, great photos of Tanner Creek. I especially like the one of the small cascade. That log looks a bit too high for my liking.
Casey

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Re: Sundance and Caesura (sp?) falls

Post by chameleon » November 7th, 2008, 1:49 pm

Hi CW's,
Which side of the canyon were you on? (east or west)
-Zach

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Re: Sundance and Caesura (sp?) falls

Post by The C-Ws » November 7th, 2008, 8:31 pm

West side (opposite FR 777).
Casey

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Re: Sundance and Caesura (sp?) falls

Post by Splintercat » November 7th, 2008, 8:47 pm

Hey Casey,
Here's what I've envisioned -- just in daydream mode, of course -- a trail that splits off the upper part of the existing loop, and then passed above Wahclella with the aid of a Tunnel-Falls-length tunnel to get past a short vertical section. Think Upper McCord Creek approach + Tunnel Falls, and you get the idea. From there, I'd install a High Bridge style crossing above Wahclella, and another at Sundance, back to the east side of the canyon, with both bridges sited for maximum waterfall view..!

Hey, I can dream, can't I..? :D

Here's a schematic of the traverse/tunnel concept, plus a reprise of the working names for the waterfalls, courtesy Zach, Don, Andy and Lindsey:

Image

Image

Lots of options in the Tanner Creek canyon, thanks to the powerlines and road keeping the area out of the wilderness bills, thus far. Bridges are definitely an option, as you can see with the new bridge on the loop trail.

-Tom

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Re: Sundance and Caesura (sp?) falls

Post by chameleon » November 8th, 2008, 1:06 pm

Hey Casey,
If you made it to where Pipe Organ Alley comes in, good job - from there its not that much further - though the foliage is MUCH worse going that way as opposed to the FSR 777 side of the canyon. Though I love the Alley route, I've come to conlude that it is just too dangerous on wet days (which is half of the year). It is afterall the sight of that landslide in the recent past. So I definately reccomend the road and then down the more gentle hillsides of the East side of the canyon.
And with Tom's proposed route, I think it is certainly possible, but would require about 200 feet of blasting in Eagle creek style.
-Zach

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Re: Sundance and Caesura (sp?) falls

Post by justpeachy » November 9th, 2008, 8:10 am

Great photos! I especially love that first shot of the leaves on the old road. That is gorgeous!

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