I had intended to do this short hike a about a month ago while in El Dorado County for the annual Passport Wine Event, but the weather was not cooperative. However, I had read that the falls are spectacular in late April and Early May, while dwindling down to nearly nothing by the end of spring. I wanted to see the falls at its full glory and so, I arranged my work week in such a way to allow me to scoot out of the office a little early today. It's about a 2.5 hour drive from Reno and so, I needed all the time I could get.
Driving through South Lake Tahoe, I could clearly see there was still quite a bit of snow at the higher elevations, which of course made for some spectacular sheets of water rolling off the road-side granite, but also gave me a bit of concern about how accessible Bassi Falls would be. I wasn't deterred though and hit junction of Highway 50 and Ice House Road at about 4:30pm. The drive into the forest on this road is about 15 miles, with winding curves and spectacular views galore. Finally, crossing Big Silver Creek, I took a quick right onto Forest Service road 12N32A. After just a couple of hundred yards, I was happy to see the gate had been unlocked. When I attempted this hike a month ago, the road was closed. I had contacted the Forest Service and they confirmed that it would be opened when conditions allowed passage, but couldn't give me a date at that time. Having the rough dirt road accessible trimmed about 3 miles off of the total hike distance, which normally wouldn't be anything to be excited about, but with darkness just a couple of hours away and a 2+ hour drive back to Reno, the quicker I can get in and out, the better.
Arriving at the Tower Rocks Trailhead, I park the jeep and head out on foot. Only one other vehicle is parked here, which gets me excited about the prospect of having the falls nearly to myself. As I get just a few yards down the trail, I encounter two friendly women, who confirm that no one else is at the falls and that the vehicle is theirs. Woot! The trail to the falls is an old jeep road through a lush forested area, with lots of twists and turns, but the occasional tree marker and cairn make navigation fairly easy. I can hear Bassi Creek in the distance and take a couple of opportunities to get some shots of the rapids and smaller falls.
Encountering a pretty impressive 25ft fall, I wonder if this is Bassi, but surely not. While powerful, I can't imagine this small, broad falls as a hiking destination (at least in this part of the world). I continue on and eventually encounter a knoll of slick granite with water scouring over it in nearly all paths. There are few dry sections, which I use to make my way further up and then I see it. One would have thought to hear the 109 foot Bassi Falls before seeing it, but with the smaller falls and healthy rapids flowing so near, it all becomes a symphony of granite and snow run-off. Looking up and ahead, the falls towers over me and I must climb further up this granite hillside to reach the base.
The falls is truly impressive. The power and flow of the water coming over this drop-off is truly amazing. I've seen many waterfalls in the past few years (many taller, many broader), but this is certainly one to remember. I maneuver as best I can in and around the water-sheet covered granite to get some good shots of the mighty waterfall. Luckily, I'm here completely by myself and there is no one to get into my pictures. As I get closer, the roar of the falls starts to become a distinct voice among mother nature's orchestra.
After spending a few minutes absorbing my surroundings, I start to head back out the way I came in. While trip was little rushed and required a fair amount of driving, I feel as though it was worth it. The hike itself was just over 3 miles, but the impressive views made it a great hike.
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