Of course I did. There was no other way to get back to the other side, and that was where my clothes were. Besides, plunge pools tend to be deep, and the bigger rocks tend to be closer to the falls. Les took the photograph. I wore sneakers this first time across. _______ But I never attempted anything like what the guy below did after I had returned to this side of the creek.
Unfortunately, access to the gorge and to the falls is now prohibited; for there have been a couple or more deaths in this area.
This is unfortunate on at least two levels. The first level is the tragedy of the loss of life. The second is the future loss to many people who now have been barred from a rewarding experience. They are those who appreciated (or could appreciate if they were to have the opportunity) the beauty of the area, the knowledge that it offers (it is a deep cut through mostly Ordovician shale offering many interesting exposures), and the adventure of a wild spot that simply requires care and reasonably good sense to avoid danger.
By trying to create a riskless society, we lose much -- including, perhaps, a sense of adventure seasoned by a dash of caution .
