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Hike to Cedar Creek Falls

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I decided to put this video up I made about two years ago, because my city has only seen 0.04 inches of rain this January(and no predicted rain for the rest of the month). This, the rainiest month of the year, and yet its so dry here -- we really have not had much rain this year. San Diego is a normally sunny, arid place, averaging about 9.9 inches of rain annually. This year(the season so far: measured from July 1, 2006 to today, January 20, 2007) we've only seen 1.71 inches of total precipitation, very, very dry! I made this video in Spring of 2005 near the peak of the third rainiest season in San Diego Californias' history. That year, 22.35 inches of measured rain fell at Lindbergh Field(the main SD airport near downtown) which was the most rain seen here since 1940-1941, when 24.74 inches of rain was measured which is second only to the rain measured during the year, 1883-1884, at 25.97 inches--most rain ever recorded since rain measurements have been kept(1850). The most rainfall in over sixty years -- the most I've ever seen in San Diego, EVER in my life, so what? What happens in a once in a lifetime rainfall? Never seen before HUGE WATERFALLS! Waterfalls that my eyes, or your eyes, may never EVER see happen like this again! Cedar Creek Falls are in a remote part of San Diego County. Incredible natural beauty, but so well hidden, most locals don't even know it exists! About 10 miles from the historical gold rush town of Julian, CA, the falls can be found only after taking a long bumpy country back road where you average about 15 - 20 mph due to the poor quality of paved and unpaved roadway. From the parking lot at the end of the road, you have about an hour moderate to strenuous hike to the Cedar Creek Falls. If you ever decide to hike there it is ADVISED to BRING ENOUGH WATER WITH YOU! I usually bring a gallon just for myself. Call the rangers for the latest updated conditions and heed all warnings they give. I have only been there twice, once on March 20, 2005, and then I returned six weeks later, May 15, 2005. It was a comfortably cool time of the year and I had no problems. During the warm and hot dry time of the year people can get dangerously dehydrated, and conditions can be FATAL in some instances. It's that serious. This canyon is like the "Grand Canyon" of San Diego. It is that big and remote. In 2003, sheriff's helicopter crews rescued 30 people and one dog from the canyon. Beware: Cell phones don't work here because of the topography and remoteness. Cedar Creek Canyon(where the falls are) is the site where the infamous Cedar Creek Fire of 2003 started. The 2003 Cedar Creek Fire, THE LARGEST FIRE TO EVER BURN IN CALIFORNIA, threatened 25 communities in San Diego County and burned nearly 275,000 acres, taking 14 lives and nearly 2,300 residences. To complicate matters more, two additional fires burned 102,000 acres in the county. If you look at my pictures you will see isolated fire charred blackened trees(from the 2003 fire) scattered about the lush greenery. I discoverd the falls by chance. After reading about the falls in a local newspaper, I cut out the article and actually video edited/pasted/faded a color photo of the falls (that I shot) over the black and white photo seen in the newspaper article (as seen around 4 minutes and 30 seconds into this video). The volume of water is the key to the spectacle! I took these photos on March 20, 2005 when the cloudbursts of winter rain had just dumped the most rain on San Diego since 1940-1941! I went back six weeks later on May 15, 2005 and even though there was still many storms since the first visit(3/20/05) the volume was down and the falls had been diminished by a third already!!! The ranger at the parking lot that charged us $5.00 for the day visit said that during the summer and just before the rain season begins the falls are reduced to "just a trickle." The start of the 'road trip' part of the video animation shows the car near the mouth of the San Diego River at the Pacific Ocean. The Cedar Creek Falls flows into the upper San Diego River drainage. Mildred Falls can be seen at the start of the hike, as seen in this video. It was bigger than I'll probably ever see it again(on March 20, 2005) and its the tallest, longest waterfall in San Diego County at about 125-150 feet long, but it's volume is significantly smaller than Cedar Creek Falls. It wasn't much more than a trickle already by May 15, 2005 when I returned. The sounds of water from Mildred falls echoed for miles and miles of the Cedar Creek Falls canyons and trails, very enjoyable. The Cedar Creek Falls are tucked away and when you finally come upon them when they are raging in the full glory of the very peak of a historic rainy season it is TRULY a sight to behold. Lets Go Trippin', california sonshine

Category: Travel
Uploaded: January 21st, 2007 @ 3:23 am
Author: californiasonshine

Length: 05:56
Rating: Whole StarWhole StarWhole StarHalf Star
Views: 11,180

Tags: cedar creek diego environment epic falls giant global hike historic jurassic rainfall record river san warming waterfall

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