We parked in the orchard by the trailhead.
Nick signed us in on the registry.
We entered a grove of immense Douglas Fir and second growth Redwood.
The reserve is in a large volcanic area that was active about 3 million years ago. This volcanic rock tumbled down from above.
Quite a jumble of boulders in the the stream, here.
Because of the darkness, my camera was unable to capture the vivid contrasts in color that we saw.
We came across several massings of ladybugs.
Turkey tail shelf mushroom.
Recycling going on.
Vine maples, I believe.
A banana slug and its chapstick.
Seconds later, Nick spotted a Pacific Giant salamander in this pool at the bottom of the waterfall. It swam under a rock before I could get a look or take a picture. They grow to almost a foot in length, and have been known to eat mice and garter snakes. 
Behind Nick is the bottom 25 foot section of the falls which are 110 feet in height altogether. The falls will carry much more water after a few rains.
CONTEST! The best guess of what this is earns a big shout out. (Hint - a Nick photo)The Devil's Well
Sorry, I just learned that videos taken with a vertical orientation cannot be rotated. About half way up the waterfall is a ledge where the falling water has made a hole that is deeper than this branch is long. We read later that the hole is about 20 feet deep. It is a spectacular spot with views down the falls below and sheer lava walls on three sides.
An odd fungus surrounding these little trees.
Nick embracing some big wild grape vines.
Manzanita above the ravine.
An underside view of a fungus on a fallen tree above the trail. Well, that's all for this trip. I definitely plan to return again and try to do the reserve more justice photographically.
4 comments:
Wow! Not surprising - another California gem. You guys are so lucky. We are a bit starved for this kind of stuff in southwestern Illinois. What a neat arrangement of geology and tree life. Wish I could have seen that Pacific Giant salamander. Thanks for the post, Bob.
Wow! I think the "mystery photo" is a rock, with a small pool of water in it, and the reflected sky. Do I win a prize??
Looks like a neat place. Wish we could have been along!
Wait, I correct my guess on the mystery photo. It's not a rock, it's a fallen tree/log. Perhaps the one Nick's sitting on in the photo above it??
He's lucky he still has all his toes, it sounds like, after that Giant Salamander crossed his path! ;)
And the winner is...... ANDRIA! Excellent deduction. The picture is of the hole in the fallen tree Nick is squatting on. The sky and trees above are reflected in blood red water stained by the tannins of fallen leaves. Of all the responses, yours was the closest. Nice job, Andria!
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