If you spend enough time out in the wild you can find some
interesting topographical features. The Grand River Valley has such features.
Some of her river valley walls are 100 feet to 150 feet high.
Some of the Grand River’s tributaries have walls as high as
200 feet.
Paine Creek has a few tributaries that have a gorge that is
200 feet deep. A lot of these streams are ephemeral and have water falls
in them.
This video was from January
I have hiked up Paine Creek and to the high falls several
times.
The tributary I am going to explore this Saturday is one of
them that has 200 feet high walls.
The only way I have accessed it is hiking up from Indian
Point Park. The is a water-hike and your feet will be wet most of the
hike. There are many waterfalls in this gorge, and this is the main
reason I am researching it.
The above video was from March
During the winter this area is highly treacherous. I would
not advise going here in the Spring due to flash floods. In the fall it would
be doable, but again it is subject to any rainstorms in the area. A person
could lose their life if they got caught in a high-water event.
For my first time exploring I will be going up in late
spring early summer so that there is a less likely chance of me getting into
trouble because of a rainstorm.
The mouth of the tertiary stream is at coordinates
41.710822, -81.159653.
I just got back and this is a potentially dangerous area. Lots of wood in the small gorge and one could get stuck in one of the pieces of deadfall.
As you will see in the videos. Its a beautiful small gorge with about 6 waterfalls.
Navigating this with a lot of water running in it would be a bad idea. If one of those pieces of deadfall lets go it could seriously injure someone.
Well, this was one of the more humbling hiking experiences I
have had in a long time.If you spend time
outdoors doing what you love at one time or another mother nature is going to
remind you that you’re only human.
On this day like any other day I check the weather and head
out. I am wearing convertible pants, wicking long sleeves, and a wicking short
sleeve underneath.
I would be carrying 3-litres of water and in normal hiking
conditions this for me would last for a 16 – 20-mile hike. What has not been realized
yet until I have 1.5 miles left in a 13-mile hike is I will run out of water. The other sign would be my body having heat
cramps in my leg one at a time, but we will get to that later.
Starting at 41.556185, -77.375912 aka Gillespie Point Trailhead
being mile 0.0. I looked at a topo map and saw yes it would be a climb up to
the scenic view, but what I did not do was see what the average percent of
grade it would be to get there.
Starting at the trailhead and immediately started the accent
with an average grade of 18 percent I grinded it out.After ascending 932 feet I had a beautiful
view of the Pine Creek Gorge.
The next leg would be the nearly 2-mile decent into Brill
Hollow. There are two ephemeral water sources while hiking into the hollow.
After crossing Big Run Road, you will need to do a stream
crossing at mile 2.3. During this creek crossing you will see a few small and
beautiful waterfalls and the waterfall spotting will go on for about 0.70
miles.
After passing the waterfalls you will start another accent.
This ascent will be 1.12 miles long, with an average grade of 10.4%, and with
an elevation gain of 609 feet.
I had been used to grade changes, but none at this point lasted
this long. Sweat was pouring out of me. I should have right then changed up my
clothes. I knew better but pressed on. I should have converted my pants to
shorts and removed my long sleeves. This would be the start of my dehydration.
I should have also checked my water bladder level.
After that you will start your accent into Hoyt Hollow. This
hollow has several beautiful creeks in them. As has been said by others, this
is no place to be during a high-water moment.
The cold and at times chilling temperatures of the runoff
from the mountain springs can be overpowering and at times dangerous.
Trout Run was running well but nothing that would stop
someone from crossing it. I just did not want to get my boots wet on this day.
I began breaking trail along the north side of the creek to
work up to what I call Anvil Rock Falls. The rock formation looks like the
front edge of a blacksmith’s anvil.
I was walled out and needed to go to higher ground or wade
the creek. I chose to get to higher ground to traverse the walled-out section.
I was walking along a ledge that I thought was surprisingly flat-ish.
The ledge was also covered in dead leaves. The sandstone was also prime habitat
for snakes. I oddly enough did not see or hear of any snakes.
I made it back to where I started to break trail. I began my
hike out of the creek bottom. For the next nearly 2-miles I would be going up
hill with an average grade of 6.4%.
On the hike back at nearly mile 9 I felt something I had not
experienced in decades. I felt heat cramps in my left leg and at first it was
just a nagging feeling. This would get worse to the point I needed to lay on
the trail.
I made every attempt to rub it out and stretch it out. It
nearly migrated to my crotch.
I then realized I was in the starting stages of heat
exhaustion. I was ok for now and knew I needed to drink more water “but really
it was already too late”.
I also needed to cool my core temp down slowly and not allow
myself to go into any type of shock.
I got up and pressed on to find a water source for cooling.
I found a shallow source of water. I took off my pack and stowed all the non-essential
gear. I soaked the long-sleeved wicking shirt and began with my head to cool my
core.
I did this for my neck as well as armpits. The cool water
that came out of the water seep was a life saver. I did this until I felt confident, I made a
good choice to press on for the remaining 2-miles.
I was already out of water “big miscalculation”. I held off drinking the remaining two tablespoons
of water left in the bladder.I would
need to reach Gillespie Point before taking this drink of water.
The next 0.78 miles, percent of grade being average of
13.7%, and the final push up the steep grade with an elevation gain of 562 I
rested again. At the top of the gorge it provided a nice breeze and further
helped my core cool.
After what seemed like forever I put my pack on and made my
final descent.
I had already thought
I would not be able to make the 2-hour car ride back to camp and might have to
stay in a motel for the night.
Last thing I needed to do was pass out at the wheel. So, I
took it step by step down the hill for nearly a mile and 900 feet down. I also
was motivated by the fact that I knew I had packed extra water bottles and left
them in the car.
I got back to the car and had not been as happy as I was in
that moment for a while seeing the car. I did not hop in automatically I took
my pack off and got one water bottle. While still walking a little I drank the
water slowly.
I felt better than I thought and I would drive but still
stayed on high alert if I needed to pull over.
I was lucky because this all could have been much worse.
I relearned that just because it’s called Wilderness and it’s
not in Montana, Maine, or Michigan it should not be discounted.
I have seen Hell Hollow a few times on an Ohio Map, but
again I discounted it.I never gave it a
fair shake.Information for the park can
be found here and here
I strapped on my waders and unlike the last time I was here
in February Paine Creek was flowing with no ice jambs.
I arrived and people were at the pavilion having a little
family picnic celebrating graduation.
I hiked in my waders and wading boots to the high falls that
be found here N41° 40.953' W81° 06.915'. This is a double waterfall. This has
two waterfalls that have been created through water erosion done differently.
A lot of the shale was covered in brown algae. This stuff
grew where the water was not constantly moving over it.This stuff was slick so slick I fell once
while not really paying attention to where my feet were going.
I walked back 1.2 miles in the creek to the main falls that
everyone sees and the bottom of the stairs after you walk through the woods, I
am guessing 300 yards.
This creek was primarily a exposed limestone bed and
extremely smooth.It has several smooth
potholes in the creek bottom from water erosion.
I remembered seeing other waterfalls downstream from the aerial
photos I have seen. I continued my creek
hiking downstream. I saw two more
waterfalls after this one and I could hear another. This waterfall can be found here N41° 41.880'
W81° 07.483'
I looked downstream and the riverbed looked to had dropped
15 feet vertically downstream.I could also
hear another waterfall.This waterfall
was higher than the other one at the north most end of my hike.
This southern waterfall can be found here N41° 41.919' W81°
07.461'
This waterfall, like the more northerly one, has a great
swimming hole at the bottom of it.
I climbed out of the creek and jumped onto the trail. The
trail was established but it was hard to follow them as you get closer to the
bottom of stairs to climb out of the gorge.
I ended my hike after climbing out of the gorge.Hell Hollow Wilderness is an amazing little
gem. This area would be great to watch birds.The other time of year that would be great would be fall. All the hardwood
trees with a mix of hemlock trees would be a great mix of fall colors and
greens.
In Ohio you can find gems in plain sight. I have been close
to this park in my travels through Ohio. I have never stopped until today.Herre is the State of Ohio Park link
With all the rain I knew the waterfalls would be running
hard. I had full access to Cascade Falls and they are getting close to wrapping
up the construction project on Minnehaha Falls.
This place has a lot of mud after it rains so be very
prepared. I wore my waders, and a wading jacket and I was dry as it continued
to rain all day.
This place is close to the road, it’s in the country but I
am sure as the water is wet it teams with people in the warmer months.
The rock formations are incredible. I want to believe with
my limited knowledge of geology and erosion patterns these have eroded by an ancient
river. This is not sitting go no plateau
or atop a mountain and constantly being bombarded by winds. The other point to make the erosion patterns
appear to be from the bottom up.Water
still runs at the bases of a lot of these huge pieces or rocks.
Here are some better sources that explain the geology of
Nelson – Kennedy Ledges:
I have been in near this park several times in my travels. Today the weather was wet and I knew the crowds woud be zero today with all the potential of alot of mud.
The rains have been relentless around the Great Lakes lately. This is our spring weather and it will help us alot during the summer months.
I went to bed at 1700 because I needed to be up at 0400!
Yea, we love what we love lol. I made breakfast and ground some fresh coffee
and headed to the Hocking Hills State Park near Logan, Ohio.
I chose the same route as I have taken before. Last time it
was a hair over 11.25 miles and this time well should be the same.
I choose this route because normally there are very few
people on it.I got on the trail 0800
and it was frosty and 27 degrees.
I purchased over Christmas a few R1 Air Zip-Neck from
Patagonia, and I am truly impressed. It has kept me warm during the day off and
one rain two weeks ago when I went hiking at Paine Creek.
The rain came and gone the other day and some of the exposed
clay was wet and you needed to be careful.
As I would pass a few small creeks I heard the water flowing
through them. This hike would turn into a waterfall extravaganza. All the
waterfalls I saw were discharging into the few gorges I walked on top of.
I would end up doing 12.9 miles on purpose and it was worth
every step.I saw a few ppl, but they
were mostly at the bottom of the gorges. I did see two rappelling classes going
on around the ridges I was hiking.
I found a beautiful waterfall this day. I have never seen a
video of it and I will be doing some recon to get into the gorge to take some
other videos of it. I will not share its location because she’s a gem.
I did something on porpoise today. I set my GoPro up today
to take videos at 30 frames per second instead of 60 frames per second. I knew
the quality would not be the best, but they still look ok, I think. I will
return and retake them in the heat of summer.
Paine Creek here in Northeast Ohio has a lot to offer if one
looks! I went on an almost 7-mile hike today in my waders on Paine Creek. I
wanted to hike up to the base of Paine Creek Falls. This is the only legal way
you can access the falls because the park has forbidden access close to the
falls because of people injuring themselves.
With all the rain we had overnight if Paine Creek was muddy,
I was not going to attempt this hike. You must cross the creek 5 or 6 times and
getting caught in a highwater moment did not appeal to me.
The creek appeared to me like it was clearing. Well, I would
be wrong, and the water level would double by the time I got to the falls.I reached the high Paine Creek Falls and put
it into high gear to get back to where I entered the creek.
A few times I had to wade across the creek with all my
weight on the balls of my feet to resist sliding and this is with carbide
studded boots mind you.
I did have one miscalculation today and had to claw myself
up a muddy bank lol.
On Paine Creek counting the high falls at the park I counted
seven total waterfalls in the creek.I
was nice to see mother nature’s handy work!
Here you are
teasing us about temperatures we have not had in months. You’re making us feel secure in your web of
lies lol. We all know you are going to snow one or two more significant times
between now and April.
I went to an
extremely small tertiary stream that discharged into the Grand River. The
elevation at the top of the gorge is about 847.4 feet and at the toe of the
falls it was 760.6 feet.
The gorge
was 86 feet deep and extremely narrow as you can see from the videos. I was
smart to hold off after the snow melt and after ice out.
I have
attached the videos below for your enjoyment.
