[Sore Feet]

See 4 posts below for pics Not having had the time to check this area out last time Bushwacker and I were up the Middle Fork, we decided it was time for another go. The original plan was to go all the way up to Derrick Lake. This was, however, contingent on BW's knees holding up, and with 2000'+ in 1 1/2 miles, I wasn't expecting we'd get past the falls. Started at the Dingford trailhead around 10:00, quickly blazed down and across the Middle Fork, then downstream to Cripple Creek in about 1/2 hour. After admiring the pretty waterfall next to the trail, we started up the path to Derrick, just to the right of the bridge. The "trail" starts off kind of amorphous, climbing up next to the falls in a narrow gorge on Cripple Creek (side note - at one place I checked out, the creek squeezed into a 1 foot wide crack). After about 5 minutes, the trail levels off and becomes way more obvious. Another 45 minutes or so put us near the ford to continue up to Derrick Lake. The creek is really low right now, so crossing isn't a problem at all. However, before venturing up, we opted to check out the Tin Cup Joe Falls from the bottom first. Aside from glimpses of white dashing down the tall cliffs above and ahead of us, we could only see a 50 foot waterfall splashing into a small pool. So, after locating a rock slide chute next to the creek, we scrambled up in hopes of getting above the lower part of the falls for better views. We were able to see probably the top 250 feet of the 450 foot tall falls from points along our short scramble, but the brush between us and the creek looked downright heinous, so we opted to check to see if we could get closer by following the trail up to Derrick. After crossing the creek, and bashing through the now much brushier trail for a few minutes, BW's knee locked up, so he opted to stay put while I checked out the falls. I made it up to the bottom of the top tier of both segments (can't be seen together from this perspective though) of the falls. Not being gone for more than 1/2 an hour, I returned to BW's position only to hear of a close encounter of the Bobcat kind. I'll let him explain, but it sounds freekishly like stories I saw on Discovery about Cougar attacks. So after the cat came and went, I informed BW that I'd seen a place where we should be able to see all of the main part of the falls from the base. This, however, involved bashing through that heinous brush I mentioned earlier. We dropped back down and crossed the creek, and climbed back up our slide chute, then started smashing through vine maple and sticker bushes to a small part of Cripple Creek that was sheeting over mossy, wet (from rain), slippery rocks, where we'd have to cross to get closer. After both of us nearly took a spill, we finally crossed and achieved great views of the falls; two segments dropping side-by-side, similar to Bridal Veil Falls @ Lake Serene, for over 400 feet. After snapping pictures, and downing some grub, we found a way down that wouldn't involve risking catching a rogue sticker bush in the crotch. Once back down on the main tread, I chugged back down the trail, while BW hobbled on his bad knee, getting back to the car around 4:30. Dispite the ugly brush, and not making it to Derrick, this was a very satisfying trip.

[Backpacker Joe]

Pics SF, pics. TB

[Sore Feet]

I know I know. I just got hosed on my website (account got terminated due to resource abuse that I was unaware of), so I'm trying to sort some stuff out. I'll ul some later.

[Tom]

Er, sorry about that SF. I should have warned you that webhost prides itself in taking names and asking questions later, but hey, it keeps out the riff raff. So what were you doing, hosting nroP on the side?

[Sore Feet]

I wasn't but maybe I should, that way I could afford a dedicated server. I think the problem was I put a pagination script at the bottom of my browse page, and when the page is pulled up without sorting by a letter, the script has to loop like 300 times to get all the pages to show up. I'd bet most of the visitors to my site go straight to the browse page, so run that a few times an hour, and wham, server is locked up. I found another host that has a bigger package with better support and statistics, so I'm moving. The old host was only 55 bucks for a year, so it's not that painful to lose it. Anyway... Pics:

Pretty little cascade on Cripple Creek

Left segment of the falls. Probably 2/3 of the creek was coming down this side (it's probably more even when the creek is high). The very top of the right segment can be seen on the top right.

Right segment of the falls. Harder to photograph from the bottom, but it could be seen easily from up near the top. Top of the left segment on the left.

Looking down the left side of the falls on the fall colors that we had to smash our way through to get to the base of the falls.

[Backpacker Joe]

Damn, another good photographer. Good shots SF. i've been into Derrick via Cripple Creek four times. Good route. The last part being semi rock climbing is cool. TB

[Sore Feet]

I'm definitely going back in next June / July to get the falls when they're high, and if the creek isn't too trecherous to cross, I'll definitely head up to Derrick. I'm no friend of elevation gain, but I like it when the trail doesn't mess around and goes straight up the hill, though some of the wet brush that I waded through was not fun to deal with. Maybe I'll have to do the Snow / Gem / Wildcats / Derrick traverse.

[Bushwacker]

This being only my second time into the MFK, I can only think of why did I wait so long before hiking in this area. It was a day of route finding, scrambling, bushwhacking, and all-around slipping and sliding. We got somewhat beat up and it was great. Then there was the bobcat! SF took off to check out a better view of the upper falls, while I stayed back to give my knee a break. I'm taking in the surroundings and the views across the creek, when I turn around to see a bobcat sitting on a large boulder, about 30-40 feet away from me. I instantly froze against the tree I was standing next to and remained fairly motionless, while I grabbed my knife off my belt. The cat didn't seem threatening, just curious, so we just kinda looked at each other for a short time. I slowly reached for my camera and squeezed off a quick shot. As soon as the shutter cycled, the kitty bolted. Getting myself together, I just started thinking about why this cat was so close and what it was up to. Until SF showed back up, my head was on a swivel. Telling him what had just happened, he proceeds to tell me about some things he had seen on the predatory nature of cougars. I was glad to hear the info after the encounter, instead of before. A bobcat is just a smaller version of a cougar, right? Saved me from diving into the creek below!!! Photos are being processed and I have my fingers crossed that the hasty pic turns out. It was great day and want to go back again for sure. BW

[Backpacker Joe]

What kind of camera were you using? Mr., you need a Canon digital (read quiet) TB

[Bushwacker]

I'm getting there, BPJ. I'm still using my Canon A2E 35mm, but I got my eye on either a G3 or the EOS 300D. It's gonna happen soon!!! BW

[Tom]

BW, assuming you're not going to wait until spring, a camera I would add to that list would be the Minolta A1. It has an excellent 7x zoom lens, 28 mm wide ange, tilting viewfinder / LCD, and image stabilization thanks to the innovative anti-shake CCD. The latter will allow you to shoot handheld and leave the tripod at home.