Observations at Bluff Creek

Observations from Bluff Creek in October 2017 from my perspective.

First, I want to say I was there for not nearly long enough. Being there 1/2 a day was poor planning on my part. However, I still learned a lot. While others in all the groups present rushed and wrestled with trying to find where the iconic photo was obtained. I studied the place.

The first thing I noticed was the foliage. Our Oct 2017 visit was in the same time frame as the photo in October 1967 and the colors popped just the same. They were the same as in the photos from 1967. This told me the photo was properly dated.

The second thing that struck me was the remoteness of the place, the solitude of the place and how steep the terrain was overall. This was not an easy place to obtain a photo in 1967 logistically and it remains that way today.

The third thing I did was look for signs of their presence. I listened, I observed and I stayed above the noise from the people below listening and watching just like a Sasquatch would. I hoped I might intercept one curious of the ruckus below. I did have a few rocks slide down from the upper ridges, but that could be deer, so it was inconclusive. I listened and heard very little, which I expected in the daytime there.

The most important thing of note was a bat box. I went slightly upstream and found one bent over at the base. This is an enormous feat. The poles are heavy. I could not more it at all even standing on it. The thing of note the bat box was still intact indicating to me it wasn’t an abrupt fall.

Also, it was bent up stream, so flood related damages are out of the question. It was bent the wrong way. Something or someone was interested in the prize on top. I have my theories on how that someone might have been since I was in Bluff Creek.

I enjoyed my brief visit there, I will return someday and spend some quality time there doing what I do. Observing, learning, listening and enjoying the majesty, history and grandeur that is Bluff Creek.

Michael Johnson