Apparently, they just discovered a giant 400-foot waterfall. In California:
Dick McDermott knows these parts as well as any man can. But McDermott says he’s never laid eyes on the nearly 400-foot waterfall that park officials recently discovered in a remote corner of the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, 43,000 acres of wilderness in northern California.
The 92-year-old used to earn a meager living mining the creeks that meander through the deeply wooded hills. He has slogged through the brush and hiked overgrown logging roads, hunting deer and gathering wood for his homemade fiddles.
“Sure, I was surprised,” he said from his home in the park, where he’s lived for more than 70 years. “I’ve been all around that place, I never seen ’em.”
Until recently, very few had seen the roaring water that tumbles three tiers before pouring neatly into Crystal Creek. That such a spectacle should evade even park officials for nearly 40 years is remarkable, said park superintendent Jim Milestone.
Interesting.
KC
Out of all the times I’ve been camping in that area, I have to say, I never once heard about that waterfall. Already, I’ve talked to some friends about taking a weekend trip up there just to see it.
buckaroo
In most of the wilderness areas I’ve visited, I have “found” things that I treasure and in general do my best to keep secret. All of them have been off of the trail where only idiots (and myself) would dare to trek.
Unfortunatly they wil probably plow and pave a road to this place after all the national attention…
capelza
I grew up in that country (after leaving the Ozarks), Humboldt and Trinity Coutnies. Basically straddled that whole region.
It doesn’t suprise me at all. It is a vast area. It really is a wilderness area, though probably less than when I was there. I really, really miss it.
Like the article said, though, folks have been there before, like the loggers. If you go off into the wilderness areas you’ll come across abandoned homesteads, mining and logging operations that are so old people have forgotten they were ever there. It seems that the Park Service has “discovered” it, but others knew it was there, just never bothered to realise they should have announced it’s existence to all them folk that didn’t know about it.
It’s like a certain very lovely warm spring in the Umpqua area of the Cascades. Ain’t on no map, but we know where it is, and we ain’t tellin’!!!
Wow, the minute I start talking about mountains I revert back to my native tongue…
goonie bird
You mean to tell me that after all these hundred years of having calfornia as a state they just found a 400 foot waterfall? it sure did a good hiding job
Geoduck
Are they sure it’s been there for 40+ years? Rivers sometimes do change their courses…
StupidityRules
I’m guessing Bigfoot is hiding behind the waterfall. Has anyone looked?
DougJ
Does anyone know if Ryan Adams’ early band Whiskeytown took its name from this town? I’m curious.
bains
Cool, but not that surprising for northern Cal. or other places where the natural tourist draw is miles away and of contrary nature. As you know, John, the western parts of Virginia and Maryland are alien to many residents.
On a different note, I notice your getting Kos-like numbers of commentary when posting on certain political issues. Kinda funny, I’d think that your new “friends” would enjoy this kind of thing…
bains
ps I cant stand anything “buffy” or “angel” – eat Kaka and choke…
(because, you know, you’re here for our benefit…)
Mr Furious
All that thing needs now is a couple’a natural gas wells…