Water Falling Over Things 2008: Part I

[regnaD kciN]

I have to be honest: this has been a rotten year for waterfall photography. Part of this was due to family matters that kept me in arid southern California for a goodly chunk of the prime waterfall season of May. But the rest has been due to the truly lousy weather in this neck of the woods, which has alternated between sun and downpour, with little of the dry overcast that is best for capturing waterfalls. So, when a Saturday loomed with only the prospect of some showers, I was off to Snoqualmie Pass, the closest area from home where waterfalls would be plentiful...sort of.

My first (and, as it turns out, only) stop was at Weeks Falls. I've been to Weeks several times before, but, each time, so much of the river was being diverted to a nearby hydroelectric plant that the waterfall was rather underpowered. This time, fueled by the spring snow-melt, it was anything but that.



Although it was nice to see Weeks running at full strength, one drawback of such activity was that the river had shifted several of the logs framing the falls to new and un-photogenic positions. In particular, note the large log/tree-trunk along the bottom of the frame; having been shifted to right up against the viewing platform, it effectivly blocked off the lower part of the falls which had been visible on previous visits.

Here we have the lowest part of Weeks, viewed from the lower platform on the hydroelectric plant -- normally, this is nothing but a trickle.



A bit of rainforest in the parking lot:



Leaving Weeks, I stopped at the spot where Mine Creek cascades down under the road. While not exactly a waterfall, this location offered much better shots. (The second of these was my favorite of the day's images.)






Next up on the schedule were supposed to be Franklin Falls, Fall-Into-The-Wall Falls (don't ask) and Denny Camp Falls, all accessed by the same road up to Denny Creek Camp. I had tried this road a month ago, but found it still blocked by snow. But, of course, it was now June, only two weeks before the summer solstice, and surely the snow would be gone by now, right? Wrong! While I was able to get further up the road that on my previous visit, and could probably have continued had I owned a high-clearance pickup or SUV instead of a Honda Accord, it still meant I had to turn back short of any of the three falls yet again. Oh, well. Maybe July will be the charm...

[Callalily]

1. These are just beautiful.

I can almost hear the sound of the rushing water, feel the coolness of the woods and smell the moss.

Please keep sharing!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. These are amazing!

Just gorgeous!

I adore waterfalls, and don't live anywhere near any, sob!

Keep 'em coming, I say!

Thank you!

:bounce: :bounce:

[regnaD kciN]

6. If you're still living in Manhattan Beach...

I adore waterfalls, and don't live anywhere near any, sob!

...you might want to check out this link. Plus, you can always take a long weekend and drive up to Yosemite (where I last visited when I was six years old...and owned a Kodak Brownie that I only used to take family snapshots :-( ).

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. I do still live there, and thanks for the link!

I'll need to be in better shape to hike than I am now, though...

Thanks!

:hi:

[livvy]

3. Lovely! Water and lots of green...just plain luscious!

I like all of them, but the second to last is my favorite.

[Eurobabe]

4. Serene. I love Snoqualmie area

But I was too much of a woosie to hike to the bottom of the falls. :rofl:

[DS1]

5. I must see this greenery in person

[JeffR]

8. Even when you're disappointed by a photo outing

you still bring back wondrous things to look at. Now get back out there and shoot some more!