Rivers Streams and Waterfalls
Getting to Mouse Creek Falls in North Carolina requires a decent hike besides the Big Creek Cascades trail. I had the opportunity to visit this area during autumn last year. The Creek was flowing robustly and bursting with color creating some wonderful photo opportunities.
I arrived at Mouse Creek Falls after a particularly good downpour and was treated to a rushing creek. Much as I wanted, it was definitely not safe to venture into the water and I had to contend with image captured standing at the edge.
Another variation from Douglas Falls. Autumn leaves were moving slowly in the corner and a longer 30 second exposure created a nice swirl to add further ambiance to the image.
The Elakala Falls are a series of four waterfalls of Shays Run as it descends into the Blackwater Canyon in West Virginia. They are within Blackwater Falls State Park and are quite popular among photographers, with the ease of access for the first waterfall, and the relatively low traffic of the other waterfalls in the series. The first of the series of waterfalls is 35 feet in height and is easily accessible from park trails
This shot was taken at Falls Creek Falls, Washington The power and beauty of nature was something to behold at this location. However, capturing the essence of the moment proved to be truly challenging and this is probably one of the most difficult shots I have taken. The hike to the falls itself is not that difficult. However, getting to this location involved slithering down a 100ft wet steep slope, negotiating through fallen tree trunks, balancing on wet slippery rocks and then finally standing in freezing water with the tripod balanced over an unstable tree trunk. The wind and the mist from the fall made it very difficult to keep the front of the lens dry for more than a second. Imagine wiping the front of the lens constantly, removing the cloth and then instantly trying to press the shutter before mist hit the lens. After about a 100 or more attempts, multiple lens cloths soaked, body completely numb from the cold, and the lens finally fogging up it was time to quit. It was a miracle that the equipment and I survived and a couple of shots came out decent enough to be usable.
These are one my favorite waterfalls to visit and photograph.
During our travels to the northeast, my truck broke down due to a fuel pump failure. This forced a two week stay in West Virginia as the truck was repaired. To make the best of a bad situation I took the opportunity to visit some local waterfalls. This is the Sandstone Falls located on the New River near the town of Hinton.
I returned to these falls after a bigger rainfall event and was rewarded with much better flow which also made navigating the stream more interesting and challenging. Not surprisingly, the change in flow levels had also dramatically changed the look and feel of the falls.
Douglas Falls is just a short drive from the majestic Blackwater Falls in West Virginia. The falls splash down into a unique emerald-colored pool, and the sandstone colored rocks create a landscape unlike any other.
We visited West Virginia during the fall season in 2019 and got to experience some beautiful waterfalls in the Blackwater State Park area. This is the lower Elakala Falls on Shays Run.
From a hike last summer to Fairy Falls in Oregon
Toketee Falls, on the North Umpqua River located off Hwy 138, is one of Oregon's most beautiful waterfalls renowned for its graceful columnar basalt formation framing the two-stepped falls. The North Umpqua River has carved a devious and twisting narrow gorge out of the basalt lava flow, resulting in a waterfall of 113 feet in height - a 28 foot upper tier which plunges into a deep punchbowl pool flanked by a deep alcove, followed by the impressive 85 foot plunge into a large emerald pool. The main observation deck is easy to get to and involves a short 1/3 mile hike. However, getting to the bottom is different matter as there is no official trail and it took a couple of tries before I built up the courage to attempt the trip down :). The first 30-40 feet are a steep drop down a cliff and one basically has to hang on to tree roots and rocks to avoid an uncontrolled ride down. I almost gave up after the first 10-15 feet. Fortunately, I had come prepared with an extra rope which I was able to tie to a nearby root and maneuver the remaining steep drop. Once you get past the initial steep drop it is relatively easy to get to the bottom and it was definitely well worth the effort.
During my second visit to the Upper Falls in West Virginia, I decided to venture down from the main falls. It had rained and the rocks were on the slippery side. After a few slips and slides I was able to get down and was treated to some real visual treats. I could have spent hours here exploring all the nooks and crannies but the setting sun hastened my departure.
As falls colors are peaking in different parts of Maine, I decided to visit some of the waterfalls nearby. Step Falls is a spectacular long chain of descending horsetails and cascades that lies a few miles outside of the eastern border of Grafton Notch State Park. Water flow was a bit on the anemic side in spite of considerable rainfall a couple of days ago. The low flow did help create some nice swirls in the nearby tide pools.
This image was taken in Yankee Boy Basin near Ouray, a 12,000 ft. elevation alpine basin nestled in the mountains and accessed via a dicey 4WD road. This was my second attempt to visit this spot after chickening out the first time half way through the trip. For my second attempt, I used our Jeep Rubicon instead of the Chevy truck and that worked well except that I bent the tow bar in front. Anyway, the trip ended up being worthwhile as the evening drew to an end yielding this beautiful sunset by the falls.
Elakala Falls on Shays Run in West Virginia's Blackwater Falls State Park.
Punchbowl Falls in the Eagle Creek drainage in the Columbia River Gorge.
Here is a portrait image from Douglas Falls. This is another great waterfall near Blackwater Falls State Park. There are endless compositions to explore here.
I fell in love with this waterfall partly because of the challenge of getting there and also each time I visited, I had the place to myself to enjoy and appreciate. During this first visit the flow was low but it helped create these interesting swirls that I could not resist photographing.
Another perspective of the lower Elakala Falls on Shays Run in West Virginia's Blackwater Falls State Park.
It had started snowing during our drive through the Icefields Parkway in Canada. There was a brief moment of clearing and it created the opportunity to capture this beautiful creek among the snow capped trees.
The beautiful and soulful Spirt Falls are a sight to behold
This shot was taken at Falls Creek Falls, Washington The power and beauty of nature was something to behold at this location. However, capturing the essence of the moment proved to be truly challenging and this is probably one of the most difficult shots I have taken. The hike to the falls itself is not that difficult. However, getting to this location involved slithering down a 100ft wet steep slope, negotiating through fallen tree trunks, balancing on wet slippery rocks and then finally standing in freezing water with the tripod balanced over an unstable tree trunk. The wind and the mist from the fall made it very difficult to keep the front of the lens dry for more than a second. Imagine wiping the front of the lens constantly, removing the cloth and then instantly trying to press the shutter before mist hit the lens. After about a 100 or more attempts, multiple lens cloths soaked, body completely numb from the cold, and the lens finally fogging up it was time to quit. It was a miracle that the equipment and I survived and a couple of shots came out decent enough to be usable. This will remain a memorable event in my mind as I had dropped a Nikon D810/14-24mm lens in Proxy Falls a few days earlier, felt pretty gun shy and deflated but was still fool hardy enough to make this attempt with my backup camera. I am glad I did!