![]() ![]() We named the falls “Sugar Falls” since this is the only falls I know of in the Big Sur/Ventana region near a grove of Sugar Pines and the water appears like falling sugar as it passes through the mineral-encrusted channel. This thick mineral accumulation provides the basis for vegetation to grow next to the falls, channels the watercourse and creates the spectacular turquoise color in the plunge pool. There is heavy mineral accumulation on everything submerged in water and especially on the face of the waterfall. The falls has an extremely lush setting of hanging green vegetation and a deep turquoise pool that is magical. Sugar Falls (40 ft): Sugar Falls was a splendid discovery.Video of Hellhole Falls is in the last minute of the Devils Falls video above. However, the falls is not a true impasse since a very steep and loose gully downstream of the falls can be used to gain the cliffs where a bushwhacking traverse leads back to the creek upstream of the falls. I dubbed the falls “Hellhole” since it fits with the naming of the canyon and also because of the impasse that this falls presents to the adventurer to continuing upstream. Behind the falls is a distinguished spire-like Santa Lucia Fir epitomizing the Ventana. The lead up to Hellhole Falls is just as striking as the falls itself with a number of cascades and waterfalls over smooth bedrock. Together with Canogas Falls and a half dozen other smaller falls within a relatively short distance, this is arguably the most rugged and impressive stretch of canyon in all of Big Sur. ![]() Hellhole Falls (40 ft est): Hellhole Falls tumbles from a V-shaped notch into a chasm and ultimately into a large turquoise pool.The ephemeral nature of Last Chance Falls makes it particularly special and requires planning, or more accurately, waiting for the ideal conditions which occur during a small window after heavy rains. A natural amphitheater of cliffs surrounds the falls and the setting surrounding the falls is fit for a scene out of Jurassic Park. The falls flow over an overhanging precipice in an impressive free fall with a large cavern behind the falls. Last Chance Falls (120 ft): When in flow, Last Chance Falls is arguably the most dramatic waterfall in the Ventana Wilderness.It should be noted that many falls require substantial rainfall for optimal viewing which may not happen until winter rains. This post will be updated as additional waterfalls are visited and/or discovered. ![]() While this is a fairly comprehensive catalog of the major waterfalls in the Big Sur region, including the Silver Peak and Ventana Wilderness, there is a growing list of falls the author has yet to visit. Where I have made a video of a falls I have also included the video footage as I have come to discover that video is a particular great medium to capture the movement of water. This list includes photos of each falls I have visited along with a short description. Other intricacies include varying degrees and type of mineral calcification and the depth and size of plunge pools. The setting of the falls is equally varied including coastal falls, lush redwood-filled canyons, rocky slopes with Santa Lucia Firs and ephemeral falls in the drier chaparral zones. The list of falls range from delicate 15 ft falls to towering 200 ft falls. The Big Sur region has incredible topographical relief from the summits of the Santa Lucia Mountains down to the rocky shores of the Pacific Ocean so it should come as no surprise that the rugged canyons draining the peaks hold many amazing waterfalls. This special post includes a description and photos from a few dozen waterfalls I have visited in the Big Sur region, from cataracts deep in the most remote and wild corners of the Ventana Wilderness to the easily accessible falls near the highway. While most of the content on this blog is based on photography and experiences from specific trips, I occasionally like to produce special posts that gather my thoughts from numerous experiences into a cohesive list. For latest updates and complete list of waterfalls (138 as of May 26, 2018), see the Waterfalls Project Page. ![]()
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