Hike Photo Journal 1.16.2022

Down Stream of Brandywine Falls, Ohio

Well, it’s been two weeks since I got outside, and I could not take anymore! I got out to Brandywine Falls, Ohio. Except this time, I put my waders on to traverse into the gorge and hike up the creek. Now first and foremost this is very dangerous folks! A lot of the ice has a lot of air in it and is very brittle. 

I have a great pair of trekking poles that I use and took my sweet ole time to get to the falls. I accented 375 feet into the gorge. I created my own switch back trail to get down to the bottom. I waded through some anchor ice. Anchor Ice is formed by super cold water and as the ice chucks come down after being dislodged for else where this is where they come to rest. This will lead eventually to a solid ice sheet across the creek and that’s providing it does not thaw.

Like a prospector I probed each step through the ice. If the ice has entrained air, it will be brittle. This is a huge safety concerned for what I was doing.  I worked up the creek and although I have been here several times I had never bee on its creek bottom.

I wore my waders and my wading belt because you never know when you’re going to fall. My great grandfather always said to me. There are two types of fishermen those who have fallen and those who will fall.

I worked my way up to the partially frozen falls. I saw some enormous ice stalactites. I got into the gorge before the sun had a chance start her melt. With all the shale this would be a Nantucket Sleighride type of issue (minus the whale and harpoon) if there was a flash runoff / flash flood. I was in the most dangerous spot I the bottom of the gorge. I spent thirty minutes down in the bottom taking photos.

I began my traversing out of the gorge bottom.  The total elevation change was 352 feet, and it was not pretty! I used tree roots and counterbalancing my own weight. I even had to even know it’s been a while use a hand and arm lock to climb some rocks in waders also!

I hope you enjoy the photos and video.

Sonder

 

A dumb place to stand!