The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-06-09
SIGHTS IN THE SIERRAS.
The Great Sisquoc Falls, the Thunder Of
Which Rarely Strikes Mans Ear.

The Great Sisquoc Falls, the Thunder Of
/ Which Rarely Strikes Mans lar.
! Having heard so many conflicting
reports about the wonderful scenery at
the headwaters of the Sisquoc creek,
we, in company with Messrs. Wheat
and Forester. concluded to make a
thorough exploration of that section,
which has, until lately. been almost a
terra incOgnita to even the oldest set
tiers, owing to the dense chaparral
/ which covered the mountains on all
sides and made it almost inaccessible
until an extensive fire swept over sew
eral hundred square miles about three
years ago, making it possible to get in
there. We supplied ourselves with
necessary outfit. mainly blankets. Win
chester rifle and salt, mounted the hur-
ricane deck of our favOrite caballo and
the first day reached Mr.. Wheat's
ranch, thirty-tive miles from Santa
Maria. After passing the narrOws wa
had to cut trail for miles until reao>-
ing the burned country above the main
forks of the river, Ascending the
the river we came to Ventura Fall-aS
We named it-from the great number
of them about there. The gorge at the
foot of the fall was wild and pictur-
esque in the extreme. Huge bOulderS
and fallen trees, with occasionally a
cascade varying in height from ten to
one hundred feet to climb around.
Grizzly bear tracks were quite plenty,
but no grizzlies came in sight on the
top, nor were we hunting any. We
climbed above and measured the main
fall and found it to be 40 feet in
height-a sheer descent. with about
30 miners inches of water flowing over
it. The stream falls about 1000 feet in
two miles and half. making a great
number of beautiful cascades. The
pool below the fall is 80 feet long, 40
feet wide and upwards of thirty feet in
depth, clear and cold as ice, and so
sheltered by the overhanging bluffs
that the sun rarely shines in it.
Climbing the mountain above the fall
we found to be terrific work; the dense
chaparral, partly burned and partly
grown up again, was impossible to get
through without chOpping for miles.
The slope is so steep that we could find
no place level enough TO spread our
blankets without shOveling, except at
the extreme summit of the mountain.
There we had a magnificent view of
the whole surrounding country. To
the south and west lay the Santa Bar
bara Islands. Far out across the Mo-
have desert, upwards of two hundred
miles distant, the Providence Noun
tains were plainly seen. To the north
west the wide sweep of the San Joaquin
Valley, on the further side the Sierra
Nevadas, the snow-capped summit of
Mt. Whitney and other lesser peaks.
while in the northwest lay the coast
range, a succession of sharp ridges and
deep canOns, covered with dense
chaparral for hundreds of miles, with
here and there beautiful valley nest
ling below. The day was exceptionally
clear and the prospect we'll repaid US
for all the trouble of getting there.
The following day we tried to ascend
the main south fork of the creek, which
is even a rougher and wider gorge than
the other, if possible. After climbing
q mile and a-half we came in sight of
another fall from two hundred and fifty
to three hundred feet high, consider
able water flowing over it. We had to
give it up as a bad job that day, and
we advise any one undertaking the trip
to take along a sheet-iron suit of |
clothes. Those falls are about sixty |
FIVE miles from Santa Maria. and the |
timber belt spoken of about seventy |
miles. On coming back TO camp we |
found one of the party, Mr.. Roberts,
in chasing wounded deer had broken |
a bone in his foot. compelling us to
start out as soon as pOssible.-SGfstG
Maria Times.