Post by GaliWalker on May 8, 2022 15:10:21 GMT -8
High Falls of the Cheat River
It had rained continuously all of Friday and through the night, and was forecast to rain through the majority of Saturday, hike day. My 3.5hr long early morning drive to the trailhead for High Falls was slow and stressful, due to waterlogged roads and poor visibility from the rain.
I began the hike at 6:15am, with my umbrella unfurled to ward off the steady rain. As anticipated the trails were extremely soggy. For a large portion of the 3.4mi over Shavers Mountain and down to the Shavers Fork of the Cheat River the hike was akin to walking through a creek bed, with parts in which the water level was ankle deep. After a final 0.8mi walk alongside the railway tracks paralleling the Cheat River I reached High Falls, 1.7hrs after starting.
The falls were roaring! The shelf over which the Cheat River drops has been beautifully sculpted by the water, and portions of this artwork is typically visible. Not on this day! The river spanned the entire breadth of the shelf. However, the shape of the sculpted rocks was reflected by the twists and turns the river took in its plunge. The color of the muddy water was a spectacular reddish brown. Nature at its furious best.
After a little more than an hour enjoying the falls in lonely splendor, I retraced my steps back to the car. I saw no one else on the entire hike. Given that it rained throughout that wasn’t much of a surprise.
Stats: 8.2mi, 1500ft gain, 4.5hrs
Two Springs Run
After High Falls I drove 45min to the Horton Trailhead, with hopes of hiking up to Seneca Creek Falls. It was still raining, though only lightly, as I made my way up the mountainside alongside Two Springs Run. Right from the beginning I was unsure if I could make it to Seneca Creek Falls, because Seneca Creek needs to be forded before one can get to the falls. In these conditions it was quite possible that the crossing would be undoable. What I wasn’t expecting was that I would have to ford Two Springs Run too! Usually, the eight crossings of Two Springs Run are simple rock-hops. As I came upon the first crossing, I realized that the water was knee deep and flowing fast. I would have to switch to my water shoes for the crossing, and potentially repeat this a further seven times, before I even got to the Seneca Creek ford. Nope, I didn’t sign up for this. I decided to take a few shots of Two Springs Run and call it good.
It had rained continuously all of Friday and through the night, and was forecast to rain through the majority of Saturday, hike day. My 3.5hr long early morning drive to the trailhead for High Falls was slow and stressful, due to waterlogged roads and poor visibility from the rain.
I began the hike at 6:15am, with my umbrella unfurled to ward off the steady rain. As anticipated the trails were extremely soggy. For a large portion of the 3.4mi over Shavers Mountain and down to the Shavers Fork of the Cheat River the hike was akin to walking through a creek bed, with parts in which the water level was ankle deep. After a final 0.8mi walk alongside the railway tracks paralleling the Cheat River I reached High Falls, 1.7hrs after starting.
The falls were roaring! The shelf over which the Cheat River drops has been beautifully sculpted by the water, and portions of this artwork is typically visible. Not on this day! The river spanned the entire breadth of the shelf. However, the shape of the sculpted rocks was reflected by the twists and turns the river took in its plunge. The color of the muddy water was a spectacular reddish brown. Nature at its furious best.
After a little more than an hour enjoying the falls in lonely splendor, I retraced my steps back to the car. I saw no one else on the entire hike. Given that it rained throughout that wasn’t much of a surprise.
Stats: 8.2mi, 1500ft gain, 4.5hrs
Two Springs Run
After High Falls I drove 45min to the Horton Trailhead, with hopes of hiking up to Seneca Creek Falls. It was still raining, though only lightly, as I made my way up the mountainside alongside Two Springs Run. Right from the beginning I was unsure if I could make it to Seneca Creek Falls, because Seneca Creek needs to be forded before one can get to the falls. In these conditions it was quite possible that the crossing would be undoable. What I wasn’t expecting was that I would have to ford Two Springs Run too! Usually, the eight crossings of Two Springs Run are simple rock-hops. As I came upon the first crossing, I realized that the water was knee deep and flowing fast. I would have to switch to my water shoes for the crossing, and potentially repeat this a further seven times, before I even got to the Seneca Creek ford. Nope, I didn’t sign up for this. I decided to take a few shots of Two Springs Run and call it good.