Ascend.
A waterfall in the desert! This was such a fantastic find at the end of what turned out to be an amazing hike and a memorable day. I had started early in the morning, hoping for a colorful sunrise in the California desert. I was on the Rainbow rock canyon trail. I had never been here before, and it was beautiful. The day started with heavy clouds and some light rain. There was the smell of desert rain in the air. It was a perfect start to the day. The landscape was tremendous, desert mountains rising in the distance, lush bushes growing on the hillsides, and the skeletal remains of some trees caught in a recent fire. I don’t know if anything could have been better at that moment.
I started this hike the same way I started most of my hikes; I had no plans or specific photographs in mind. I just picked a trail and started walking. I knew there were some brightly colored rocks in the canyon, hence the name Rainbow Rock Canyon, but other than that, I had no idea what was in store ahead. As I entered the canyon, there was a small stream, not much to speak of, just a tiny trickle. The further into the canyon I went, the less noticeable the trail became. There were moments of some true bushwhacking to be able to continue. But it was all worth it in the end. As I emerged from the bushes to find the traces of the trail, I could hear the water rushing in the distance. Once I came around the bend, the canyon was very narrow, and the canyon walls suddenly towered over my head. But I could hear the rushing water just ahead of me. I did not expect to find a waterfall, and I certainly did not expect to find one of this size. There were three levels to this beauty that I could see. As it climbed the canyon wall, it rounded the corner and was out of sight.
A rope was attached at the top of the falls, and three sections of ladders were placed there for those brave enough to continue up the canyon. I chose not to continue, as the water flow was pretty intense, not to mention cold, and with my camera bag and current clothing choice, I would have ended up a cold, wet miserable mess. But this was a magnificent find in a slot canyon in the desert, and I was more than happy to be at the base of it and able to create this image.
