Hoover Wilderness
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Lundy Canyon Hoover Wilderness |
August 29, 2011
In 2008, when I arrived at this trailhead at 5 p.m., enough sunlight remained
for only a short walk to the first falls; so a complete exploration of this
canyon is overdue. It is quite hot, however — 77 degrees
as I begin the trek at just about noon.
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Also at the trailhead is this unusual message:
Well, I'm not planning to go that far anyway. As it is, the trail is relatively rough for the first mile or so, up to the first set of falls on Mill Creek.
It gets better later
First canyon view
I can see exciting stuff at the far end of the canyon.
Mill Creek drains the Twenty Lakes Basin
The eastern terminus of Shepherd Crest
The first creek crossing
As expected, quite a few flowers are out today.
Mountain Monardella -aka- Pennyroyal
California Thistle
On both sides of the canyon are thousand-foot cascades. None are named on the map excepting Mill Creek itself.
Unnamed crags to the north
Mill Creek
The second crossing
Chinquapin
It looks like Labrador Tea
Aspen groves make for pleasant walking. This would be a great place to visit in the fall, when the leaves have changed color.
One of several aspen groves
Trapper's cabin
Easier walking after the first mile
I have counted no fewer than six high cascades in the canyon today; three at most are visible at one time, however.
The first fall on the right
Where the main trail heads up and to the left toward those advertised
switchbacks, I veer toward the creek. It looks like a non-stop
series of cascades from here on.
Several hikers have stopped for lunch nearby, and it is easy to see why.
Waterfalls galore
Looking downstream
Alpine Lilies and Monkshood
It goes all the way up
Up near the end of the canyon, there is little more to be seen.
There is no lake at the head of this canyon — just a lot of
scree. I am able to get a close-up the big cascade blasting
its way down from Lake Helen far above. This is the same Mill Creek
which headwaters I visited two weeks ago during the Conness Lakes hike.
The switchback route is just left of the falls
The end of Lundy Canyon
Proceeding farther up into the Twenty Lakes Basin was not in today's plan, so it is time to turn back. Remaining on the main trail this time, above the water, provides a new perspective on the canyon.
The sun already is setting on the cascades in Mill Creek. It is good that I got onto the trail as early as I did. Several hikers coming up after a late start will miss out on the best views of the various falls.
Lots of color
More Alpine Lilies hover over the creek
Beaver Pond #1
An interesting cross-country options suggest itself. Scrambling and bushwhacking beside the cascade into the hanging valley under those crags could be very interesting. Perhaps I will do that the next time I am feeling masochistic.
It would be a 2,000-foot scramble up to Burro Lake
Eastward view
The south canyon wall
Last look at the canyon
Beaver Pond #2
On the road back toward Lundy Resort, I stop to pay my respects to the local icon, which appears unchanged after three years:
Chief Blockhead is stoned!
§: This is the year for late-summer falling water, and Lundy
Canyon is the place to find it. I cannot think of another area that
sports half a dozen high cascades packed into such a small space.
My map suggests that there could be as many as nine or ten cliff-side
falls in the early season.
| Scenery |  |
| Difficulty |  |
| Personality |  |
| Solitude | |
