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| Red sky in the morning, sailor's warning |
A
cascading stream was pushing me into a log jam.
My hiking pants were snagged on branches. My boots were filling with water. A good sized sliver lodged into my hand as I
tried to grab onto something, anything, to regain control. It was around that time that I realized this
probably was not the best idea I had ever had.
The
Three Falls Trail in Manning Park has been one of my favourite short hikes for
several years. The trail leaves from
Strawberry Flats and follows the northern side of Shadow and Nepopekum Creeks,
passing by three waterfalls (who would have thought?). For a couple of years I had been curious
about the possibility of getting to the bottom of Nepopekum Falls. With a 70 metre drop, it is easily the most
impressive of the titular three falls.
However, it is also the furthest from the trail, only seen from a view
point about half a kilometer from the base of the falls.
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| Nepopekum Falls from the viewpoint on the trail |
As
soon as the snow began melting, I started trekking the trail on an almost daily
basis, trying to find a way to the falls.
Contending with lingering patches of snow, as well as a deep flood on
the trail, I got about as familiar with the area as a person could.
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| A grouse completely oblivious that I'm walking by |
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| Healthy snow pack in Strawberry Flats in late May |
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| Red Mountain late in the day |
In
an effort to scan the valley, I made my way onto a precipice on top of Shadow
Falls. I achieved little other than
giving myself vertigo and an overwhelming rush of adrenaline as soon as I got
back on the trail.
I got to the bottom of Shadow Falls, the least appreciated of the three falls given that most of it is not visible from the trail. I was surprised after all of the years of walking by it to see how spectacular it was.
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| Hello vertigo my old friend |
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| The top of Shadow Falls |
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| The top of Shadow Falls |
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| The base of Shadow Falls |
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| Shadow Falls |
A
few treks later, I ended up on top of Derek Falls, once again managing to give
myself vertigo, and once again not having found a good route to Nepopekum.
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| Top of Derek Falls |
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| Derek Falls |
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| View from the top of Derek Falls |
I
tried to give up on the whole thought, but it became a lingering obsession in
the back of my mind, and before I could say “bad idea”, I found myself being
pushed into a log jam, trying to cross Shadow Creek.
I
made it across, but it was pointless. I
hiked up as far as I could before I reached what seemed like an impassable
area, surrounded by steep cliffs.
A
few days later I was dumping water out of my boots again, having (sort of)
successfully crossed the creek once more.
My plan was to try to cross Nepopekum Creek and try to find a route on
the other side.
This
did not work. With spring runoff, the
creek was too powerful to cross. So I
gave up again.
I inevitably returned to try and cross again, beginning to feel like Nepopekum Falls was deliberately tormenting me. I ended up having an incredibly
cold involuntary swim.
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| Nepopekum Creek |
At
this point I was beyond giving up. I
returned a day or two after my “swim” and tried my original route again,
finding a way around the rock cliff I thought was impassable. It wasn’t fun to find out my tumble into the
creek was entirely unnecessary, but the bottom of the falls ultimately made up
for the frustration, sweat, and blood.
It
did not, however, make up for having the smell of wet boot in my house for a
week.
I made a video with footage I collected on the trail that you can watch here.
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| Nepopekum Falls, with high water, up close |
