#214 [P] The Falls Trail - I Made IT! I Lived!

Daughter and I did the falls trail on Saturday, and today I am stiff and sore, but very happy.   We took the west branch from the top all the way down.  Jay and I had once made a circle from the west branch to where it meets the east branch and then back up, and several times we had walked up to the "Meeting of the Waters" from the bottom and then back down.  But it had been at least 14 years or more since I'd walked from the top all the way to the bottom. 

I am proud of myself.  I remember when it was nothing to walk down and then back up!, back when I thought nothing of 30 mile bicycle trips (no gears!) up and down mountains, back when there was no path along the falls, and only ropes tied to trees to help you up the steep spots.   But I'm 45 years older now, and 60 pounds heavier, with shot knees and 40 years of cigarettes to contend with.

When Daughter and I came to the first falls, my heart fell.  Standing at the top of the drop, two feet from the series of flat stones the state had imbedded to get folks down the cliff, I couldn't see the series of steps ahead of me.  It was just a dropoff after that first step.  Ahead was a deep gorge, down down down.  I was looking at the tops of 300+year-old trees.  I'd forgotten how steep it was.  I wondered if I'd made a bad mistake. 

I had brought a 3-foot walking stick with a large knob on the end, and planned to help my knees by planting the stick down each step, and using it to take my upper body weight.  I now wondered if that was going to work.  It would help to take the strain off my knees, but it wasn't going to prevent a fall.  The trail is mostly right up against the falls, with a sheer dropoff to the left.  If a knee gave, it would give without warning, and I'd go down.  Down down down.   Down.

I took me about three seconds to decide that yes, it was that important to me.

My right knee did give out twice, but both times I caught it going and snapped it back.  We moved slowly, but that was fine with Daughter.  There was lots to look at: trees, rocks, moss, ferns, and she appreciates all.  I am proud that I didn't need rest stops.  The worst trouble I had was that my feet kept slipping forward in my shoes, no matter how tight I pulled them, and my big toes were getting painfully squished. 

Daughter brought a digital camera, and she will be emailing me pictures.  Our route took us past 13 of the 22 waterfalls. Until I get the photos from Daughter, here are some postcards:

Mohawk Falls. Height 37 feet.

Ganoga Falls. Height 94 feet.

Jay's ashes are beside Murray Reynolds Falls, near the bottom of the trail.  I was shocked at the difference since I'd last seen Murray Reynolds.  It looks like the cliff was undermined, and the large rock shelf that the water used to go over has shifted and dropped a lot more.  The cliff to the side has collapsed into rubble.  Several large trees have fallen from the top down across the bottom.  My comment was that it looked like Jay had done some redecorating!  Maybe he was angry because I hadn't visited last fall?  Daughter pointed out that the fallen trees had young leaves, so it must had happened this spring.  Now that I think about it, it still could have been any time since last fall.  The buds for the new leaves, complete with starter food, would have set late in the fall, and the tree won't know it's been uprooted until it tries to draw more water to grow the leaves further.   

Next entry - Amazing changes on and under the mountain!