The Last Falls-North Carolina-June 2018

On our last day, we had planned a big event, a whitewater rafting trip down the Nantahala. I had called the day before and it was still on. They were supposed to close the dam Thursday night and the river should have leveled out Friday, but it didn’t. The river was still out of its banks and they cancelled all rafting trips. Well, back up plan. We asked the kids of everything we had done during the week, what would they want to redo? They said the tubing down the mountain! So, that’s what we decided to do, however, I had done it the first time and rolling my big butt out of that tube did not entertain me a great deal, even though everyone else watching got a great kick out of it including Phyllis! Since Beast and I would just be sitting and watching, I decided to have our own side trip. There were 2 more falls down a road right by the tubing place that we could go see while Phyllis and the kids did the tubing! How hard could that be?

After we dropped Phyllis and the kids off, Beast and I headed into the wilderness. Holcomb Falls and Ammon Falls were much more remote than the others we had seen in the week. They were in an area just like the Cohutta, so from the minute we left the pavement, I loved the scenery! The drive into the falls was on forestry service dirt roads, but most of the road was in pretty good shape. I had to be more careful because I was driving Phyllis’ van and not my truck! After all the rain, the wilderness was dripping wet. Water trails ran down the road and off all the rocks along the road. The water had worn a rut down the center of the road so I had to straddle it most of the way. I only passed one other person on the way in, a large truck that I came hood to hood with going around a curve. After we maneuvered around each other, Beast and I continued down the road.

I had a book that gave me some land mark points, but when you get into the wilderness, matching those points isn’t as easy as it sounds. I found Holcomb Creek Trail at an intersection of 2 forest roads, but I wasn’t 100% sure that was the right trail because I did not hear any falls or rushing water. I decided to go a short way down each road. The first road, I went down about a mile and didn’t find any other trails so I turned around in an open spot and went back to the intersection. I started down the other road. After about a half a mile, I ran slap into a major problem! There was a huge tree laying across the road! It looked like it had come down within the last 24 hours. Oooooooops!

Beast and I got out of the car and surveyed our situation! The tree blocked our forward progress, but on either side of the car was a steep rise with a small drainage ditch at the bottom. The road was only maybe 5-6 feet wide one lane road. Beast was stumped on how we could get out so he jumped back in the car and laid down to relax, leaving the hard part to me. Oh, a dog’s life! I gave a three-point turn one try, but the van was just too long. If I could have been sure I could pull out of the drainage ditch, I might have been able to make it. It would have given me 2 more feet to turn. I could have done it in the truck, but I was afraid I’d get the van stuck. Did I mention I had no cell service and hadn’t had any for miles? It would have been a long hike out and I don’t think Phyllis would have appreciated me walking back without her van! 
After my failed three-point turn, I lined the van up in the center of the road and prepared to carry out my final option: Back the half mile to the intersection! I am not a great backer, but for the first time, I really appreciated Phyllis’ back-up camera. I don’t totally trust them, but with it and with lining my front tire up with my side of the road, I thought Beast and I were in a pretty good position. I started backing up, but I also had to avoid a rut and holes in the road, so it wasn’t just straight backing up! It took a few minutes, but I managed to get backed all the way to the intersection and turn the van around. At this point, I was almost ready to give up on the falls, but I just hate to quit. Beast and I had a drink, non-alcoholic, and relaxed for a few minutes. I pulled out one of my back-up books and found that the Holcomb Creek Trail had been the right one all along! Well, I wish I had read that the first time!

So, we would find these falls if it killed us! I unloaded Beast, but kept him on a short leash. The trail was only about a foot wide and it was closed in on both sides. I wanted to make sure Beast didn’t find a snake or bear before I did! We took about 10 steps down the trail and it dropped almost straight down. My book said this trail was steep and a hard trail, but coming out was much harder than going in. We were going to find out. The whole trail was only supposed to be about a mile in, so how hard could a 2 mile hike be? I wish I had not asked that question!!!!

The trail was absolutely beautiful! It was like the Cohutta, but almost even more of a wilderness! Mountain laurel and huge trees closed in both sides of the trail and formed a tunnel above! Water was oozing out of every part of the trail. It was a little muddy, but the rocks and the roots gave us some traction. Since I had my camera in one hand and Beast’s leash in the other, I could not carry my walking stick. I used to think walking sticks were silly, but I found that on a downhill hike, there is nothing better. I stumbled over more roots than I could count as we went down the trail. The only thing that saved me from busting my butt were the trees on the side of the trail that I grabbed to break my fall!

We went down, down, down, until we started hearing rushing water. We could not see anything because we were in a tunnel of laurel and trees! On down we went! The water got louder and louder until we popped out of the tunnel and saw a HUGE fall towering above a wooden bridge going across the base. Normally, according to my book, this is just a tall, average fall, but with all of the rain, this fall was incredible! As Beast and I walked out on the bridge, the spray of mist washed over us! The water was no more than a foot from the bridge platform! As we looked up, Holcomb Falls towered above us! I was blown away! Beast, not so much! He laid down on the cool wet bridge and rested for a while! I think he loves to hike, but I am not sure he is impressed with waterfalls.

After a little rest and a lot of pictures, we crossed the bridge and found a small side creek that Beast jumped in! I sat on the rocks while he played and looked at the trail, which continued. It was even more narrow and closed in, but it went straight up! It was the trail to another fall, Ammon Falls, which according to the book was not that impressive after seeing Holcomb Falls, which weren’t supposed to be that impressive themselves! It was very warm and VERY humid! Away from the falls, I had sweat running all over! As I took a few pictures of some pretty mushrooms, I almost said to heck with Ammon Falls, but it was only supposed to be another ¼ of a mile or so! We could handle that! We couldn’t come this close and not see it!

After a short rest, we started the hike up! And it was straight up! We climbed over rocks and stumps and I had to pull myself up by tree limbs on more than one occasion. Beast would jump up and then wait on me to follow. I could hear the next fall, but it was so hot and sweltering that about 2/3 of the way up, I almost turned around. My biggest thought was that this was a preview of the climb out on the other side of Holcomb Falls! As I said, I hate to quit, so we pushed on! This time, the falls were blocked from view by a cliff and trees, but when we stepped on the observation deck and walked out, Ammon Falls was much more impressive than I expected. They were only about half the size of Holcomb Falls, but they were flowing so hard they sent a plum of water high into the air almost above the platform. Beast and I walked out and had a seat to look up at the falls! They were absolutely beautiful, but also, I had the feeling that we were truly in the middle of nowhere! We took a good long break and a lot of pictures. I think I was putting off the hike back out, however, I was on a time clock. I was supposed to be back to get Phyllis and the kids in a little over an hour. I could not call and say I was going to be late, so I knew Phyllis would worry and I knew I had to get moving!

The hike back down to Holcomb Falls was deceptively easy. I stumbled over a few roots and rocks, but no major issues as we started across the bridge over Holcomb Creek! We made it down in about 10 minutes, so all was good! I took a few more pictures, rested a few, let Beast swim a few, and then for the real challenge! We started the climb out and it was even steeper than it felt coming in! While the tunnel effect is so beautiful, it holds all heat and moisture in! Within 20 steps, I was dripping sweat! We kept climbing! Even Beast seemed a little tired and would sit with me when we paused for a break! And we climbed some more! And more! We had been going for about 30 minutes and I began to think we were going to be very late and Phyllis would send in the rangers. So, we climbed some more!

Since Phyllis and I had to walk out of the Cohutta in the dark a couple of years ago, I have developed a habit! When I think we are getting near the end of a hard trail, I will start pressing the lock button on the car keys and listening intently for the horn to beep! I did that this time! The first 3 times I did it, nothing! I looked at Beast and he looked up with those sweet eyes as if to say what the hell are you looking at? We climbed some more! I was standing on the steep path, catching my breath, the 4th time I pushed the button on the car keys! That is when I heard the sweetest sound: the car horn beeped! I looked at Beast with a smug smile on my face and thought, see that’s what I was looking for! I don’t think he got it, but he also knew we were close from the sound! We sped up with a last burst of energy and all of the sudden we popped out of the woods and there was the car!!!! Yippee!

We were so tired, we couldn’t even celebrate! We did grab several bottles of cold water and sit down for a minute! It was just 15 minutes before I was supposed to be all the way back to the tubing place. Still no signal, but we had made much better time that I thought! We loaded up in the car and headed out! On the way in, we had only had one water hole that worried me a little. It was on the other side of a creek right across a one lane bridge! I wanted to make sure I didn’t get stuck, so I crossed the bridge and sped up! I knew the hole wasn’t too deep, but it was about 6 feet wide. I hit the water fast and slid across the mud to the other side! Mudding in a van is not something I would recommend, but it sure was a fun way to wrap up our adventure! I finally picked up a signal and called Phyllis to tell he I was coming! Of course, she had her own joke; she said hurry, it was pouring down rain where they were, and they were getting soaked. Then I lost the signal. With the weather we had, it could have been true, so I sped up as fast as I could on the dirt road! The next time I got signal, my sweet wife was laughing when I told her I was flying up the road to pick them up! She told me it was just a joke and I could slow down. I think I would have known that if my brain and body weren’t so tire! I did not think it was funny as I slowed down!

You’d think after about 20 falls, we’d have found enough, but there was one more I wanted to find after I picked up Phyllis and the kids. We drove right up to Mud Creek Falls which I really appreciated. It is another huge fall and it was in very heavy flow. As the kids and Phyllis looked at it, Beast and I glanced at each other and share a moment! “Yeah, this is nothing! They should have been with us for a REAL adventure and REAL falls!” But, we just enjoyed the moment and didn’t say anything!

We headed back to the house and a well-deserved restful, final night of our amazing vacation! I can honestly say I think I saw enough falls, at least until next week!