Feather Falls Hike

Bro John and I recently did the 7 mile round trip hike to the beautiful Feather Falls in Oroville (Plumas National Forest), reportedly the 6th or 7th tallest falls in the country. (Click here for a few photos taken during our hike, and here for a 14 second video.) I hadn't done this particular hike in about 20 years. It was even more beautiful (and pretty much just as strenuous) as I remembered. The weather was PERFECT, and there were happy hikers of all ages enjoying the day. Like most others, we saved our lunch to enjoy on the lookout deck, enjoying the view of the fabulous waterfall, complete with rainbow toward the bottom. Something unexpected was the proliferation of wildflowers--so many different types and colors; they were gorgeous! And something I definitely did NOT miss were the swarms of ladybugs we encountered on our last visit. (Did you know ladybugs sometimes bite?)

There is a path that leads to the top of the falls, which I understand is also lovely. I'll have to save THAT view for another trip--maybe after I've increased my hiking endurance. Hey--I hear the recently-rediscovered Whiskeytown Falls (near Redding, CA) is just a 3.4 mile round-trip hike. And you can check out the amazing Sundial Bridge while you're in the area!

Full Moon Float

(Photo, left to right: sis Jamie, Merryl, Lechia, me, Bejay, and bro John.)

Floating down the Sacramento River is always a treat, but going for a full moon float is extra special! Thanks to the good folks at the Sacramento River Preservation Trust (who organize these river tours as one of many efforts to educate the public and promote the health of the river) and CSUC Associated Students Adventure Outings (who provide the rafts and muscle), several friends, family and I enjoyed the beauty and tranquility of the river while learning a bit about the flora and fauna. As the moon--surrealistically huge and luminous-- rose above the treetops, our guides found a stretch of shore where they built a fire for us to sit around while we enjoyed our picnic dinners. A few "floatees" were fortunate enough to see a spectacular shooting star. We had such a great time, I hope to make this an annual event. If you'd like to try a daytime float, the Trust and AO are co-sponsoring their final Sac River float of the season on Sun., Nov. 9th from 8 - 5. The float covers 9 miles between Jellys Ferry and Bend, just north of Red Bluff. (For more info, contact Liz at (530) 345-1865; email liz@sacrivertrust.org or visit the Trust website at www.sacrivertrust.org)