One fall/cliff in a potential seasonal watercourse wasn’t listed and I couldn’t find anything on but I figured now would be a good time to see if there is any above ground flow. It was also in the area northeast of Forlorn Lakes around Dry Creek Falls and Lost Creek Falls, so the perfect excuse for an adventure.
I headed out 14 Nov early morning, temperatures up there just above freezing with ice in the potholes and sun in the sky making the remaining foliage on the larches glow wonderfully. I first trekked the short off trail from 6035 to the delightful and icy Lost Creek Falls. Important to layer up in red/orange for the wandering, hunters out there now, although I saw no one all day and just passed a few trucks parked near the lakes.
Dry Creek Falls on LiDAR
Dry Creek Falls
Then I headed back and parked at the south end where 6030 heads north. The crossing of Dry Creek is on a concreted slab in the creek, with about 8 inches of flow over, immediately after which the road is dramatically rutted with water damage heading uphill that only very high clearance vehicles should attempt. But I was on my gravel bike, which I’ve started to utilize for exploring the roads here where the Subaru doesn’t happily go.
My route and destinations of Gaia GPS
The mystery seasonal falls was off a spur road 6030-061, so I headed there first, dropped the bike and went downhill to enter the small canyon below where the falls would be. It was dry there, with pockets of still water, but scrambling up the canyon cut through some nice exposed water carved lava flow and I could hear water moving higher up. Finally, the drop came into view, and a nice large log offered a climb up to the base of the largest fall/cascade section. Not a heavy flow, but a nice little two tier bouncing along the wall of lava flow of maybe 24 feet or so, with a small pool at the bottom before another short drop into the canyon. Up at the top of the falls the creek has a couple nice small pools. Signs of higher flow from earlier in the month evident. Not a super exciting fall, but cute and a fun exploration. Anyone ever visited this one?
Mystery tiny fall on LiDAR
Looking down at the first, largest tier from the side
Up on top of the little fall
I then biked to 080 road, which is still open for about a third of a mile before it’s decommissioned. Dropped the bike and headed the rest of the way along the overgrown road bed to Lost Creek, explored uphill a bit through the nice somewhat open forest and in the creek checking out for interesting rocks before heading down the top of the falls. Really fun view standing from the top, and then a scramble around and down to the bottom.
Wow! Stunningly beautiful fall and pool, alight in the sun. An instant favorite.
Lost Creek Falls on LiDAR
Lost Creek Falls from the top
Observing the falls down by the pool
I last went to Lost 6/12/22.