Visiting Comet Falls in Mount Rainier National Park

Comet Falls amid the destruction of 2012.

While visiting Mount Rainier last week, I revisited one of my favorite waterfalls in the park - Comet Falls.  I have always held a special place for Comet and Spray Falls.
I hadn't visited this waterfall since the devastating slide of 2012 which closed the trail for an extended period of time.

As I climbed thru the trees and emerged into the open basin of Comet Falls, my heart sank.  Trees were sheared off below the trail, and the banks of Van Trump creek are littered with fallen trees and dead undergrowth, making a most unsightly foreground, and forming a barrier to accessing the creek for creative compositions down low.  It was a sad scene to decipher.  There was certainly some awesome forces at play here.

On previous visits, I had included the creek below the waterfall in my images, creating an interesting composition that wasn't just "another pretty waterfall".  You would really have to work for such a shot now, and I'm not sure you could entirely eliminate the devastation no matter how you composed the shot.

Comet Falls prior to the devastating slide.

Sporting a bad wheel, I was reluctant to try and negotiate all the downed trees to access the creek or work for a composition that didn't include the destruction.  From the scouting I did (including hiking several of the switchbacks up toward Van Trump Park), it didn't seem possible.

I've included a pre-slide image to the right.  It's an unorthodox composition, mind you.  Traditionally, photographers would only include the unobstructed double waterfall, which was easy to attain.  Such is no longer the case.

Hopefully, time will heal these wounds and Comet Falls will once again be a waterfall that photographers seek from far and wide.  It's deserving.  Just not today.

Palouse Falls, the Official State Waterfall of Washington State!

Palouse Falls is a magnificent waterfall located along the Palouse River in the southwest region of Washington State, about 4 miles upstream from its confluence with the Snake River.  It resides in Palouse Falls State Park, a park that provides full viewing access to the falls from a viewing platform and a paved path along the canyon rim.

The falls are 198 feet in height, and owe their history to the great Missoula Floods that swept across the Columbia River Plateau periodically.  Previously, the river flowed through the Washtucna Coulee to the Columbia River.  This coulee is now dry.  During the Pleistocene epoch, the Missoula Floods diverted the river over the south valley wall of the original canyon, channeling a new course to the Snake River, and creating Palouse Falls in the process.

The waterfall seems to be rapidly gaining in popularity in recent years.  A primitive road full of pot holes used to access the park.  That road has been graded and oiled now, and RVs and tour buses can be commonly seen in the parking lot.  Thanks to some Washtucna elementary school students who lobbied the state legislature, Palouse Falls became the official state waterfall of Washington State earlier this year – February 12, 2014 to be exact.  This will surely pick the curiosity of Washington residents who have not yet visited this waterfall.

 I find the waterfall is best viewed and photographed in the spring time when water volume is at its peak – April and May are ideal.  Early May brings the addition of wildflowers to the area.  Snakes are also common beginning in mid-April or so (be careful!).  By summer the falls can be but a trickle in comparison.

On sunny spring days, a beautiful rainbow forms at the base of the waterfall in mid afternoon.  This is my favorite time to photograph the falls.  You can position the rainbow where you wish simply by changing your vantage point.  Of course, the rainbow also moves as the angle of the sun changes.  Definitely bring a polarizing filter to capture the vibrant colors of this light spectrum.

If you are fortunate to have interesting clouds in the sky in the morning or evening, you’ll have a great opportunity to compose a panoramic image encompassing the waterfall, entire pool and even the canyon downstream if you choose.  In order to capture the full dynamic range, you will need to bring split neutral density filters for this, shoot HDR, or employ the method of stacking images in Photoshop.

I attempted some night photography during my last visit in April, but there was too much light pollution nearby to pull this off.  I would love to hear if anyone has been successful with this.

Finally, don't forget to check out the periodic trains, best viewed from the bridge before the parking lot.  The trains run pretty regularly and you can usually hear their low rumble well in advance if you pay attention.  Watching the nearby train traffic light can tip you off as to the direction of the next train.

The railroad tracks are quite the engineering feat.  Since trains require relatively flat track, they can't handle the rolling hills, bluffs and ravines of the Palouse very well.  So instead, a route was carved (blasted) into the plateau to form an open top tunnel.

As I wrote about in a recent post, yellow-bellied marmots are everywhere around the falls and very fun to watch and photograph.  If you missed it and don't see it below, you can find the post here.

You may view more images of Palouse Falls, the rolling hills around the Palouse, and more in my Central and Eastern Washington Gallery.

In the meantime, here are a few images from my recent visit.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

Snoqualmie Falls in Winter

Snoqualmie Falls and an ice filled basin in winter.

One of my favorite winter destinations in western Washington when the temps dip into the teens is Snoqualmie Falls.  The splash from the falls coats the cliffs and rocks in the area and instantly freezes, creating a winter wonderland for the eyes!

Typically, the most common time for this to happen is the month of December.  But it can take place in January and February as well.  Whenever the cold snap happens, I jump in my vehicle and make the half hour drive from my house to the falls, commonly in the dark so as to be there before sunrise.



Snoqualmie Falls in winter.

The facility at Snoqualmie Falls has had a recent face lift.  Previous visitors might remember the gazebo-like platform for viewing the falls from the cliff edge.  This is gone.  A new platform without a roof has taken its place. 

Also installed are some new spot lights that are pointed at the upper falls.  I think this is a pretty cool feature, both for casual tourists and photographers.  See the color highlights at the top of the falls in the image to the left?  Evening light as the sun is about to set?  Nope.  The illumination is actually coming from the new lights.  Pretty soft and natural looking, isn't it?

There have been other changes made as well.  I really like the upgrade.

There are a couple of different places to enjoy the falls.  The most obvious is the platform high up on the cliff edge near the Salish Lodge.  This vantage offers a bird's eye view of the falls and is the most famous.

However, curious and adventurous photographers will want to investigate the base of the falls.  There is a trail which from the platform area that leads down to the base of the falls.  This was closed due to ice during my visit.  My advise?  Do what most people do and drive down the road a little further to find parking at the lower TH.




Rime ice beside Snoqualmie Falls.

For photographers, there is a lot to do here!  The obvious subject is the falls, of course.  And one can play with both horizontal and vertical compositions.  You can include a lot of the area with a wide angle lens, or come in tight with a medium lens.

Ah, but there are even more opportunities with 200mm lens or greater.  You can isolate some of the ice formations, working with patterns and natural features.

While photographing the falls, don't forget to play with shutter speeds for a completely different look.  You can shoot fast to freeze (almost, in this case) the water, or shoot slower to get the smooth, ribbon effect.  Each tell a much different story.  What is your preference?  Many photographers follow the rule that powerful, turbulent waterfalls are best frozen, while smaller, lighter streams should be shot slower for more artistic effect.  What do I think?  I think every rule is meant to be broken, and that it is up to artistic perception and interpretation.

Here is a top-bottom comparison of what I am talking about - same composition, different shutter speeds.  Which do you like?


f 2.8, 1/80th second.




f 22, 0.8 second.

Most people equate the choice to, artistic or dramatic? I'll let you be the judge.

For more images of Snoqualmie Falls, check out an older post I did.  You may also view more images in my Snoqualmie Falls Gallery.

As always, thanks for looking!

Haystack Falls in Glacier National Park

Haystack Falls

After spending extended time down on the Oregon coast, I am trying to get caught up on print orders and other business matters.

Here is one of the images I am creating a print of.  It's an evening picture of Haystack Creek Falls along the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park, taken just as the sun was highlighting the peaks of the Garden Wall above.

This beautiful waterfall cascades down the western side of the Garden Wall, and spills under a stone bridge.  It is seems terraced, as if it were man made (it's not).

The Going-to-the-Sun Road is voted one of America's most scenic roads year after year.  If you haven't visited the area, I highly recommend you do so.  And don't forget to take your camera!

You will need a wide angle lens (this was shot at 24mm), and if shooting in evening light as I did, a 2-stop graduated neutral density filter.

More images of this area can be viewed on my website at www.mountainscenes.com/glacier.html.

As always, thanks for viewing!

Western Byways, Wyoming Edition

Western Byways, Wyoming Edition.

Wyoming became one of my favorite states to visit long ago, after just a few trips. It offers Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, as well as my favorite - the Wind River Range.  Of course it offers much more, demanding further exlploration.

But, it goes beyond destinations. You can't escape the history and culture while visiting. Wyoming is cowboy country as I like to call it. It's not a tourism angle, it's a way of life. And it's a refreshing experience both for "city slickers" looking to escape as well as history buffs interested in Native American culture and/or settlers of the west. 

Did I also mention how much it has to offer for the outdoor enthusiast?  Mountain climbing, backpacking, hiking, horseback riding, rafting, fishing, hunting - the list goes on.

So when I was approached by Western Byways about photos for both the front and back cover of their Wyoming edition, I was intrigued. When I discovered both images they were interested in were from the Wind River Range, well, they had my attention!

If you are thinking of enjoying the experience of Wyoming, and I highly encourage you to do so, make sure to pick up a copy of this magazine. I have visited numerous times - more than I can count. And I will be back. I will always be back.

If you need some eye candy to understand what I am talking about, feel free to visit my Wyoming galleries at www.mountainscenes.com.

As always, thanks for reading!

Snoqualmie Falls and Flooding in the Snoqualmie Valley

It's that time of year again. It's the rainy season in the Pacific Northwest, and the time of year that rivers crest near or even above their banks. The Snoqualmie River is one of such rivers, as is the nearby Tolt River.

Yesterday the Snoqualmie River crested above flood stage, measuring 33,600 cubic feet per second at Snoqualmie Falls (46,000 cubic feet per second in the lower valley).

Of course, this is not even close to the river's volume during record flooding in 2009 when I composed this night image of the falls from the observation deck. Access to the falls was difficult with many road closures, and the drive a little unnerving while driving over a bridge very nearly at the level of the rushing water!

December typically marks another fun time to see the falls as well - during cold, freezing temperatures! Of course, this can happen in January and February too.

Unfortunately, the lower trail to the viewpoint near the base of the falls is now closed for reconstruction, and will be until 2013. However, I think the best views of the falls are from the upper observation deck anyway, which are still accessible.

Snoqualmie Falls is impressive to see at any time of year, plummeting 268' with shear power and strength. It is one of many waterfalls along the three forks of the Snoqualmie River, which also include Kanim Falls (200'), Nellie Falls (150'), Twin Falls (135'), Franklin Falls (135'), and many, many more.

Snoqualmie Falls is the most accessible of all the falls, with a paved trail from the parking lot and restrooms and gift shop. When was the last time you visited? Might it be time?

For more images, be sure and check out my Snoqualmie Falls Gallery on my web site!

Olympic National Park in June

June is a wonderful time to visit Olympic National Park, especially for rain forests and waterfalls. New growth has plants colored in a fresh light green, temperatures are warm enough that snow is melting in the higher elevations to create larger volume flow in streams, and lets face it - chances of rain in June is excellent (especially this year) making for wonderful photographs of such subject matter!

A couple weeks ago I visited two of my favorite waterfalls in the park: Marymere Falls and Sol Duc (or Soleduck, depending on your preference) Falls. Neither one disappointed!

Marymere Falls is accessed from the the Fairholm Ranger Station on Lake Crescent. It's a short trail that begins with a tunnel under Highway 101, then proceeds to travel through the lush forest of the Barnes Creek drainage. It's a beautiful rain forest full of moss and ferns.

The Sol Duc trail head is probably my favorite trail head in Olympic National Park. It serves as the starting point for such high aspirations as High Divide, Appleton Pass and the Bailey Range - all incredible high country destinations and some of the best the park has to offer.

However, it also offers one of the parks most beautiful waterfalls: Sol Duc Falls.

Sol Duc Falls is reached in a short 3/4 mile hike and is absolutely stunning - especially in June when the snow is melting in the high country. The falls are turbulent and exciting to witness. Many vantages exist, whether from the bridge crossing, one of the observation decks, or a more creative angle.

These waterfalls are a short drive from one another, and definitely worth your time. For an added bonus, the Hoh Rain Forest can be added to the itinerary in the same day.

Snoqualmie Falls in Winter

Snoqualmie Falls is one of Washington state's biggest tourist attractions, attracting over 1.5 million visitors per year. It's close proximity to Seattle makes it an ideal destination of convenience. And it is a worthy destination indeed.

The Snoqualmie River drops 270 feet over the famous falls in thunderous fashion. It is truly a spectacle to behold no matter the time of season you visit.

Some seasons do offer more than others however. Spring presents high water volumes as the snow begins to melt in the high country. The summer sun lights up the falls and northwest facing cirque, creating unforgettable evenings at sunset. November rains and warm temperatures often result in flooding along the Snoqualmie River, making the falls not only thunderous and wet while observing from the deck, but sometimes difficult to get to due to road closures. December brings freezing temperatures and scenery more typically associated with Alaska or some other cold climate. The rewards can be breathtaking!

A couple of weeks ago I packed the truck up in darkness and headed over Tiger Mountain to the falls in hope of finding a winter wonderland. I was not disappointed! The spray from the falls coupled with low valley fog created a serene setting in the bowl of the falls. It was an incredible sight!

I began my morning at the observation deck, which I believe to be the best vantage for the falls. The birds eye view is second to none in my opinion.

Though others had the same idea in mind, the viewers were few early on. I spent a considerable amount of time playing with compositions. When I felt I had exhausted most all opportunities, I changed lenses for a different feel and started all over again. The wider angle lenses showed the massive waterfall in all its surroundings, while the zoom lens allowed me to isolate on certain unique features of the area that I felt told a story.

Finally it was time to move down to the viewpoint below the falls. A quick drive had me at the lower parking area and walking swiftly towards the falls. The path is interesting as it takes you past a PSE generator building on a chain link fenced boardwalk.

The view from the lower platform is quite interesting, but not on par with the observation deck above. Photographers will and do grow frustrated with it as branches interfere with prospective compositions.

So, despite the signs saying to stay on the boardwalk, visitors have created a well-worn path down the steep rock to the river's bank below, and unobstructed views to the main event.
The ice presented a lot of interesting compositions from here. I had a lot of fun isolating different elements and playing with compositions. The possibilities were endless with the various ice formations teasing me at every turn.

The area was also quite slick. Very slick in fact! Another photographer I ran into was wearing Yaktrax. As a mountain climber in ownership of several pairs of crampons, I must admit to always hoisting my nose in the air at these "wannabe" devices. Not anymore. I requested and received a pair for Christmas!

I strongly recommend visiting the falls in all seasons. And since I have yet to view them in summer, I will heed my own advice! November during flood stage is truly an incredible time to see them. Make sure you check for local road access before heading out, or your visit may be one of frustration. As you can see, winter offers a totally different perspective of the falls and surrounding area; one in which ice is the focus.

I hope you enjoy my sampling from the area, and that it motivates you to visit them for yourself. You may view more of my images from this location here if interested.

Be safe and enjoy!

Fall Colors along Box Canyon Creek

A couple of weeks ago my friend Greg Vaughn and I had planned a trip up to Rampart Lakes to experience the fall colors. The trip fell through at the last moment due to me falling ill, but it remained on my mind.

Unfortunately, Greg's schedule wouldn't allow him to join me last weekend. And it was unfortunate, because he would have thoroughly enjoyed the colors at near peak conditions!

Driving to the TH along FS Road 4936, I couldn't help but notice a waterfall with yellow vine maple above it along Box Canyon Creek. The rock around it was also very interesting. I got out and scouted the area, choosing to descend down to the creek in search of interesting foreground. I didn't find much. I played with some things, but nothing I was very excited about. I slowly began working my way back to the truck, still keeping my eyes open for potential items of interest. Then I noticed a crimson colored bush slightly below me on the down-trending slope. I knelt down to view it from knee level and liked the possibilities. I composed several compositions similar to that above - all while laying on my side and my tripod low to the ground. I like this one the best.

Then it was off to the Rachel Lake TH - coming next!