Gee Creek Falls with Michael

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violet growing on the Gee Creek trail 

Gee Creek Falls with Michael 

Thu. 3/19/2020

Dana Koogler & Michael Lindsey

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  I have been trying to get out to hike more. I had also been wanting to do more activities with each grandchild individually.   I finally got a chance for Michael to spend the night at our house.  We got up in the morning and went hiking opting to go to the Gee Creek Wilderness.

It had been a long time since I was there. It would be a first trip for him.   

    We stopped by Papas Pizza in Delano right across from the turn in road for Gee Creek.

We called our order in about 15 minutes up the road and pulled through their drive in window. We had our pizza at the trailhead.  Covid 19 had the dine in options closed.  We are social distancing today.   A fair number of people were enjoying the trail today, but all maintaining their distance from one another while being pleasant.   

      We hiked up the trail and I realized just how much I'd forgotten about the place between trips.    It was further out to the first bridge than I recalled, but no matter.  Once across the bridge we stopped to enjoy the scenery. I took lots of photos of the few flowers that were starting to bloom.   Michael played in the stream and threw rocks.   It was a bluebird day and we were enjoying the warm temperatures and sunshine! 

 Above: Grandson Michael starts the hike

 First  and only bridged crossing

 Long spurred violet cluster

 He brought his pocket knife.

 Playing around the creek

Many pretty cascades to see.

  We passed the old mining sluice or what is left of it.   Michael climbed out on it for me to take his picture.   I am glad I got to see it before it was dry.  It washed the ore by water.  I have gotten out on it when the water still flowed over it.  It broke and now the water is not able to reach it.

    The hike was very short, rocky and slippery in places.   We had to take our time and be careful.

Below is the stream above the mining sluice.  A series of beautiful cascades.

Below is an image of all the stream flow entering the end of the sluiceway.  It used to be that some flowed through the pipe and some flowed on top.  

    We made our way the short distance to the main falls. It was shorter than I figured.  

The falls seemed small today though the flow was really good.  It was too cold today for a swim, but I did wade in the water.   

Standing in the creek with my water shoes on.

 Above and below photos of the main falls. Gee Creek Falls.

Above. Michael sits by the falls.   Above here are lots of other pretty holes of water and cascades.  Unfortunately we were limited on time today.   Above here is a wicked creek crossing that is always over the boot tops.  

     We enjoyed the main falls and began our hike back out.  Some people passed us who had two yapping dogs.  One was really unfriendly and threatening though not a huge dog.  They had them leashed, but not fully under control.  The trail is narrow and rocky.  We were doing our best to avoid the dogs and people, while not falling.   Just past this area Michael tripped over his own feet and fell.

He scared me.   He got a black eye from where he hit is right cheek.  He was upset, but I checked him out and told him he was going to be ok.  We'd ice it and he'd look tough like he'd been in a fight. I told him to make up a story about how bad the other guy looked. 

  He calmed down and was ok again.    I made him carry one of my hiking poles for balance.

I also made him follow me instead of leading.   He slowed down and did fine coming out.  He is a kid and feels invincible sometimes like we all do.   It was a lesson learned. It was a reminder to me of how really rough that trail is past a point.   Very rocky and not much of a "trail".  It is more a scramble over boulder that are slippery and there is not much room for error. If you slip in places you are going over the edge.   I have hiked it myself solo and just gone ahead and waded for safety sake.  I can survive being wet much easier than I can a broken bone.  

     We stopped at Dollar General and went in to buy advil for Michael's aching face.  I got him some icecream and a soda to take his mind off it a little. He was a trooper.  We made up a crazy story to tell his mom and called her on the way home to see if she'd buy it.  ;^D

  We had a good day all in all, but I hope no more accidents going forward.

If you enlarge the image below.. you can see the black eye/bruise on Michael's sweet face.

Below is a short video of various scenes along the way.