Downpour, the Sequel : Ortega Falls Provides a Mighty Scenic Getaway After All the Rainfall

Where there was once a trickle, there is now a mighty surge--a bona fide waterfall coursing through what is usually a bone-dry canyon.

The recent downpours have produced a powerful runoff that has infused the normally anemic Ortega Falls with a massive gush of cool mountain water that drops nearly 35 feet and then roars downstream.

With blue skies finally overhead Saturday after weeks of intermittent rain, some Orange County residents felt the pull of the secluded waterfall, which straddles the Orange-Riverside county line, just off the Ortega Highway. Residents drove for miles to the natural sanctuary, eager to reacquaint themselves with the outdoors and to marvel at the resurgent falls.

Charles and Cam Sleichter of San Juan Capistrano were excited to witness the storms’ effect on a favorite family hiking spot, where the 49-year-old graduate student has taken his sons for years.

“This is as big as the waterfall gets,” said Charles, snapping photos of his wife next to the veil of plummeting water. “There are very few times when the falls are this dynamic.”

For Cam Sleichter, the day trip was a chance to celebrate the disappearance of slate-colored skies.

“We made it a point to come out here after the rains,” the 41-year-old reading teacher said. “I love the rain, but even I have a threshold--and I reached it. I think it’s days like this that make the rainy days fun.

“It’s always surprising,” she added, “how just right off the path you can find such beautiful surprises.”

Even though it’s only a quarter-mile hike over dry brush and rocks, enthusiasts say the waterfall is a well-kept secret among a small group of people who return here year after year.

Saturday’s beautiful weather sent residents outdoors in many places throughout the county, breaking a steady cycle of rain and cloudy days that had dogged Southern California for nearly the entire month. For the first time this year, temperatures climbed over 70 degrees in many parts of the county.

But some people were still lured to the mountains for what they knew would be a remarkable sight. Ann Marie Ford and Dave Griffith of Huntington Beach also wanted to drink in the stillness and quiet that surround the falls.

“It’s kind of like you’re in another world. It’s so peaceful,” said Ford, 29, a computer operator. “We knew today would be a great day for it.”

Added Griffith, 26, an automotive consultant: “We’ve had a little cabin fever lately. The timing was perfect: There’s no football, the holidays are over, and finally there’s no rain. So we couldn’t wait to come out and see the falls.”

Even on less spectacular days, the waterfall for many others has long been a source of inspiration. Orange County native Dave Bourget said Saturday that he finds the area’s tranquillity a boon to his songwriting.

A few years ago, the 39-year-old carpenter penned a folk tune he called “Paradise Breeze” as he sat just steps away from the falling water, which drowns out virtually all other noise. The song, he says, is about faith.

Bourget smiled as he watched his children, Tarall, 11 and Shayley, 7, splash in the chilly pools beneath the falls.

The only concern for Tarall seemed to be a three-foot waterfall separating her and her father. The cord of water created a temporary impasse for the youngster even with her bathing suit on.

“The running water soothes me,” Bourget said. “I can think things out here. If I could plan it right, I’d like to spend my last moments here. Everything just eases on by.”