[RAW-dad]

No, I don't think you were hallucinating! Looking at your photo, we came down the Snow Finger on the far right and got onto the rocky hump that has some grass and maybe a few small shrubs. We then dropped about 40 ft on a steep ramp that angled (upper right to lower left) back down to the river bed arriving on the cobble/boulder bar in the center of your photo (the one with the bright white rock). Here is a picture looking up at the water falls from that bar.

ESF_waterfall

You'll note a fern on the boulder bar and I think that you can see the same fern (a green spot) in your photo. I think! I recall that it was bit tricky getting off the snow onto the hump and maybe that in the succeeding 3 days it got even worse. It also looks from your photo like the next (lower) part of the Snow Finger had degraded.

[Here and Now]

I see your route. I looked at that as a possibility from my vantage point where I took the picture, but I wasn't sure it would go and didn't take the time to explore it...I may though next time. Thanks!

[mdk]

I agree with RAW-dad's description of the hike-around route at that waterfall. With the caveat that the down-ramp is easy enough to do, but can be hard to see. When you reach the top of that hump, it looks bad, with a 30-ish foot near vertical wall down to the creek. You have to get right up to the edge, and look closely back towards the waterfall, to be able to spot the ramp. It drops you down on the creek bottom within a few feet of the base of the waterfall.

[Trailhead]

We took the same ramp down. It was a nice find.

[Matt Lemke]

Excellent report. I know I am changing the subject a little here, but I wish I could get in contact with Dane. Does anyone know how he's doing?

[haydenslides]

I'm keying up for a return to the Bailey's next week! You're report is feeding the stoke! "It was as if the Bailey Gods were satisfied that we had been expelled, so were saving their wrath for future trekkers." Love this!

[RAW-dad]

Haydenslides - happy to help stoke the stoke! Have a great trip and take some wrath for "the team" - I'm hoping to be back in the N Bailey's in late August and could use some help.

[Eaglecadd]

From 2 tears ago:

[Eaglecadd]

Better pics https://photos.app.goo.gl/7EpsK3odS2WH9jPHA