The Other "Two-fer Tuesday" Falls

When I left off yesterday, I was hiking back from the Upper Snow Falls to the fork in the trail that would take me down to the Lower Snow Falls. It was pretty much a steep drop down along switchbacks until finally arriving at viewing platforms at two levels. This is looking back up the trail from the lower platform.

There it is - the lower falls, looking even better than the upper one which is supposed to be the better of the two. Well, not this time of year.

Is it wrong of me to be mad at nature for blocking my view? Dang, I could not get a shot without trees and limbs in the way.

Ok, if you're going to be that way, I'll take my video shot anyway.

Here's a closeup of the top section. Check out the lichen and moss on the rocks.

A peak through more nature in the way at the creek flowing away from the falls. Click for a large version where you can see the slabs of rock under the water near the top.



And I finally maneuvered to take a relatively unobstructed pan from where the creek empties from the pool the falls drops into back to the falls where I zoomed in on them. I really wanted to lop some branches off that one tree!

But I did have one unobstructed view directly across from me - of a tree with exposed roots clinging on to the rocks, and thick thick moss covering that outcrop.

Ok, time to gird my loins for the climb out. As I said in yesterday's post, this country is famous for its steep and deep gullies and I was at the bottom of one. Even climbing up those steep platform stairs was looking daunting. It's only a mile, I reassured myself. I walk a mile every day (albeit on mostly flat ground). And there's that bench at about the 3/4 mile mark . . .

And there were places that weren't as steep as others. I looked down a side trail I'd been told had more benches and places to explore along Quiet Creek, but the tree fallen over the entrance seemed a sign that I should save that for another day. Yeah, don't need any more ups and downs added to this hike.

Huff, puff, where's that bench? Was definitely ready for a sit down by the time I reached it. I took some time to study my surroundings, take in the sights and sounds and smells, and spotted this very curvy tree. You know how I anthropomorphize trees. This one I imagined was doing an erotic dance to get the other trees attention. Hey boys, wanna have a good time?

Giggles over, I did what everyone should do (and many do) when sitting in a grove of trees. I tipped my head back and looked up . . . WAY up to the top of the trees, or as near the top as I could see. These are some TALL trees.

At last I reached the trailhead, and heard the one sound you don't want to hear on a logging road: the unmistakable growl of a logging truck's jake brakes. I admit, I panicked just a bit, trying to determine just how far up the road he was and how far the car was from the trailhead, not much shoulder before the turnout. I started for the car, then realized he was RIGHT THERE about to round the corner just up from where I stood. So I darted back down the trail a bit, realizing I was going to get caught up in a billowing of dust as he passed. I just managed this shot as he rounded the corner just beyond the turnout. Well, better he go by now than as I was coming up or going down the road in my car.

One last look at the view before heading down the mountain and home.

Shortly after getting back on the main road home, there's a turnout with historical markers. I've been wanting to stop but there's always been a line of cars behind me, getting up to speed to climb a hill and not much chance to slow down and pull off until you are right on top of the turnout, a little nerve wracking at 60 mph. But this day, on my 4th day by, no one was behind me and I dived in. This sign tells about the geography of the area, our famous ice age story. The red star shows you just how far up the panhandle I am. Click on the picture for a readable view.

Here's the view to go with the explanation. Much of this is farmed, and the wildlife refuge is just beyond. "Is it wrong to be mad at nature?" I found myself thinking again. That tree in the middle is blocking the view!

I had spent the day somewhere off to the left in this shot, in those mountains chasing waterfalls.

Here are the other two historical markers which may or may not be of interest to you. I appreciated the memory jog as I've forgotten a lot of the details of the history of this area. And frankly, the Wild Horse Trail is one I hadn't heard about.

Glorious day, glorious waterfalls, glorious test of my stamina! Really made up for last week.