Forked Mountain Cascade - 12'
We hit a patch or two of ice on the road, but mostly just encountered very cold rain.
Our first stop was at the edge of the Flatside Wilderness Area just off of Hwy. 7, near the base of Forked Mountain - one of my favorite places in the world. I had been told about a couple of waterfalls there by journal readers (thanks guys!), but had never been to either one of them. I did have map and GPS info, so locating them would be no problem.
When we reached our parking spot it was obvious that the water was not running very well, even after the rain. The rain had not been as heavy as had been shown on the maps. But we were there and I wanted to go have a look. Since it was really nasty outside - about 40 degrees with light rain - I left the ladies in the truck.
The first waterfall was located right next to an old road that had been closed since it was inside the wilderness area. I had been told it was 30 feet wide, but there wasn't nearly that much water there today. The falls did pour into a really nice emerald pool though, and it was certainly a delightful spot. I radioed back to the truck and told the ladies to start hiking. In the meantime, I would go find the second waterfall and see if it was worth a photo.
This second falls was easy to locate as well, although the route was really grown up and blocked with ice damage from the terrible storm they had last year. This second falls was not running much either, but when the water was higher it certainly would be worth a look. It too was much smaller than I was hoping for - a cascade of only about 12 feet tall. We've got hundreds of these in the Ozarks, but there aren't too many down in the Ouachitas. I set up the camera and snapped a photo or two. The ice damage from last year is really evident around this falls.
The ladies had radioed that they were at the first waterfalls waiting for me, so I quickly packed up and headed back their direction. As I started out I walked right up on Aspen who was actually "pointing" something on the ground (he is not a pointer, but rather a "springer" - springers are supposed to work with other dogs - the other dogs point, and the springers go in and flush the bird).
I could not tell at first what the heck he was pointing, but I could see some beautiful black and white color patterns on the forest floor. As I got closer, so did Aspen. And then WOW!, Aspen's nose was about a foot from a woodcock. And this bird appeared to be sitting on a NEST!!! What, a nest in the middle of winter? OK, it was actually the first of March, but NESTING?
A few tense moments followed - mostly from me trying to keep Aspen from eating this bird - I was successful. I got to get a very close look at this bird myself - she was laid as flat on the ground as she could get, trying to be less conspicuous. And man that LONG bill really looked strange - it was about half the length of her body. Aspen did flush the bird, and sure enough she was sitting on four of the LARGEST wild bird eggs that I had ever seen (not counting turkey eggs, of course). These things were nearly as large a chicken eggs. The color and patterns resembled the bird itself. She did not fly far, and Aspen and I quickly backed off and away so that she could get back to the business of protecting them.
When I arrived back at the first waterfall I found my two ladies (plus Lucy) enjoying the view. They were jumping up and down and waving and smiling - obviously oblivious to the nasty weather conditions they were standing in!
And then near disaster struck, and they both had to endure a horrible sight. As I was making my way across the creek to them, my feet slipped out from under me and I took a terrible fall. It all happened in an instant, and all of a sudden I was down, part of me in the water, and parts of me throbbing from severe pain.
It was a very strange feeling - not necessarily being hurt like I was - but being hurt like I was right in front of my wife and daughter, who I knew were about to have a cow right over on the other side of the creek. As I lay there in the frigid water, all I could think about was that I really needed to stand up, or at the very least to MOVE some part of my body to show them that I was indeed alive, otherwise I could see Pam racing over to help and getting into trouble herself. But it was rather difficult for me to move - I was in extreme pain. My head throbbed, the breath had been knocked out of me and I was gasping for air, and the right side of my lower back hurt a great deal - I had fallen on my back, and apparently had come down on a sharp part of rock that protruded up from the rest. I was also aware that my fanny pack was underwater - with my camera and GPS gear inside.
Move man, roll over, get UP! I remember throwing my tripod out of the way - it also had come down underneath me. I was able to roll over, up and onto some rock that was sticking up out of the water. None of this was very deep, but the exposed rock was extremely slick, and so apparently was the rock surfaces underwater too. I got up on all fours, trying to steady myself to keep from falling in again.
Funny how you notice some things - just then I noticed that my hat was floating downstream and headed for the waterfall! Somehow that gave me the necessary strength to finally get up on my feet and steady myself. You see I love my hat, and the thought of losing it must have meant more to me than the pain I was in. I turned to go after it and finally came to my senses - I was in no shape to go charging in after my poor hat - I still had to get across the rest of the creek.
I'm sure I have stated here before that I married the right lady, and she showed me once again today just how lucky I was to have found her. She knew how important that hat was to me, and once she felt secure that I was indeed alive and moving, she went right out into the middle of the creek - after my hat!
Once I arrived on the other side I felt the most important thing was to show Pam, and more importantly Amber, that I was OK. So I quickly set up the photo - using Amber as my model. I wasn't too concerned about my throbbing head, but the fact that every single movement sent shockwaves of pain from my kidney area did concern me a bit. Being out in the middle of nowhere I could only finish up the photo shoot and send everyone back to the truck.
Neither of these waterfalls have names. For now I am simply going to name them Forked Mountain Falls and Forked Mountain Cascade - there is no mistake about where they are located!
By the way, Forked Mountain is indeed one of the most special places in all of Arkansas. It reminds me of a peak in the Rocky Mountains. I first fell in love with it way back in the 1970's when I brought a hiking class I was teaching at the University of Arkansas down to the Ouachitas to hike. I have since visited it many times, to photograph from the summit (there are images either of it or shot from it in both the ARKANSAS PORTFOLIO and ARKANSAS SPRING picture books), or to simply scramble up its talus slopes. The view from on top is wonderful, and there is even a small cave up there. I have thought about doing a book some day about special places in Arkansas that most people don't know about - Forked Mountain would certainly be on that list.
It was nearly dark when we got back to the truck, so we had to give up our waterfall hunt for the day, and drove on through the rain to a motel room in Glenwood.
3/2/02 We were up and on the road well before daylight, this time heading for Cossatot Falls. I knew the rapids would not be up and running too well, but thought at least we would have enough water for a good photo for the guidebook. I was wrong. In fact I could hardly believe how low the water level was! But we hiked/scrambled on down the river to the middle of the cascade falls area anyway, but it didn't take long for me to realize I would have to come back during high water. It was really nasty out, with cold temps and a driving rain going on. I was glad for the rain, but it probably wouldn't help out this photo anytime soon. I took a few snapshots and then we all headed back to the truck, with Amber in the lead.
This place is certainly one of the top-ten most beautiful water features in the state, with lots of interesting and colorful rock formations. But as a black and white photo for the guidebook it just didn't cut it today. I would return where there is lots of thrashing whitewater!
One thing we noticed as we drive through the countryside this morning was an incredible number of wildlife out - especially deer and turkey. I know this area has a lot of them, but man they were all on the move today. That was because of the approaching winter storm no doubt.
We next visited Little Missouri Falls. The weather had begun to get really nasty - 33 degrees with a rain/sleet mix. I left Pam and Amber in the truck and went down to try to get some sort of photo for the book. Once again the water was not running all that well, but probably enough for a photo. I had to get out into the middle of the creek and climb up on top of a very slick rock to get a good angle. Every step brought new pains in my back, and thoughts of my fall the day before.
Seems like everything went wrong on this shoot - my batteries in the camera went dead and I had to open up the bottom of the camera in all that weather, the wind blew my umbrella away a couple of times (I had to use an umbrella to shelter the camera from the blowing rain), and my wet fingers were about to freeze off. But I did manage to get a photo, and that was the whole point. But then just as I had packed everything back up again and was walking away I looked back and saw an even better photo, so I repeated the entire process, although I did not have to go out into the middle of the river and balance myself and the tripod on a small rock!
When I got back to the car I found out that even though the weather was TERRIBLE outside, Amber had been out in it collecting pop can pull tabs from the ground and the trash can. You see there is a little girl in Harrison that needs a kidney transplant and is on a dialysis machine (I think that is correct), and a doctor has said that he will pay for the treatment if kids will collect enough pop can tabs. He isn't asking for the CANS, just the tabs. So Amber and her fellow students at Jasper have been rummaging through trash cans at school and elsewhere looking for these tabs. She told us Thursday that they need an additional 900. That is a wonderful thing that some doctor is doing, but even more so what these kids are doing!
As we drove on to our next waterfall the rains began to come down heavier, and the temp dropped considerably. But the creeks did not seem to be picking up any of that increased rainfall - I guess it was all being soaked up into the ground. But I just had to have one more falls before we went home.
This last waterfall is located right outside of Little Rock, near the intersection of highways 9 and 10. I had found it on a topo map when looking around for waterfalls one day. It is right on the Big Maumelle River, and is called Sausemman Falls (that spelling may not be correct).
I hiked across paper company land until I got to the spot on the river indicated by the topo map (and in my GPS), but there was no waterfall. I continued upstream for a pretty good ways and finally came to the falls. It was a pretty nice little area, but once again a very low waterfall. I had thought that the falls were located on a tiny part of forest service land that ran through the area, but was beginning to have my doubts. The falls area was mostly untouched, but everything else around it had been logged recently and appeared to be paper company land. I would have to do further research before being able to include it in the guidebook.
I had three choices when it came time to go back to the truck - retrace my steps through some pretty thick brush, climb up onto a small ridge and hike through the woods back to the highway, or cut straight across the lowlands back to the highway - for some insane reason I choose the last one. Not only was the lowland route right through the middle the thickest part of the logged area - containing solid walls of greenbriers - but much of it was also swampland! Seemed like every single decision that I made about direction through that place was a wrong one. It took me nearly 30 minutes to cover about 1/4 mile! And, of course, each and every step brought new and exciting pains to my backside. Man, I was REALLY glad to see the truck!
The rains turned to snow as we made our way back north to the cabin, although we had missed most of the snowstorm. When we arrived back at the cabin there was about four inches of the white stuff on the ground. Amber and I built a fire and in no time we had the place toasty warm.
Later in the evening I hiked on up to the office to process the photos that I had taken (by "process" I mean download them from the camera to the computer, then burn them onto a CD - I have to do this in order to get the pictures into the computer at the cabin where I write the journal). It was a wonderful hike through the very dark grey winter wonderland. This snow was SOOO dry! The clouds above must have been still quite thick because I could hardly see to hike. Normally you can easily walk around at night when there is snow on the ground.
When I left the office and started back down to the cabin I could hear loud noises coming from the direction of the Faddis cabin. The wind was really blowing across that open meadow. And then that very same wind hit me dead on, instantly freezing the whiskers on my face. While the temp was around 15, and that wind certainly sent the chill factor well below zero, it was actually quite nice and comfortable outside. Had it not been for my continuing pains, I would have loved to have hiked for an hour in the snow - perhaps another time).
3/3/02 At some point in the night, the cloud cover went away and I was awakened by bright moonlight coming into my window. Without that cloud cover, the temp would certainly fall - it was 3 degrees just before first light - the lowest so far this year, and kind of chilly for March.
Nothing but blue skies above and white below. The wilderness is beautiful today, as I guess it is everyday. We have a great deal of bird activity around the cabin. The feeders are getting empty, so I guess I will have to venture upstairs and get Pam out of bed to go fill them...
Oops, before I could get to Pam I was informed by Amber that both Pam and Aspen have sore throats this morning, and that we needed to serve them breakfast up in the loft. Amber dug out the blueberry pancake mix and put little smokies in the microwave. I must go do my duty and eat my share...
3/4/02 Amber and I had a fun time getting to her big bus down in Boxley Valley this morning. Most of the road was OK, but there were a few steep areas that were solid ice. A lot of folks think that since you have four-wheel drive you can go anywhere, but that is really not the case. Especially with ice. And ESPECIALLY when you are going down the hill. Fortunately both of our 4wd vehicles have low range, which makes it possible for us to creep down icy slopes no matter how steep.
Bright sunshine and blue skies helped to melt away much of the snow today, although the north-facing hillsides are still white.
I had newsletter business to do in town so I didn't get to enjoy the warming temps and sunshine much. One of these days I must take a day off and just go wander around in the wilderness...
A new crop of mice have invaded my office, and I discovered this morning that they like my color posters. The posters are stored in a large flat metal file, two stacks of posters side by side in a drawer. The mouse/mice decided to eat the top poster from each stack. Well, actually they only consumed the entire poster on two stacks - the other six posters they only snacked on, eating about 1/4 of each. Seems like this mouse/mice has some sort of photographic preference, or at least a color one. The two posters that they ate entirely were the fall river poster (mostly orange) and the Mountain Sunset poster (mostly pink, red, and orange). They used much of the shredded posters, along with a bit of yellow insulation, to make a nest. This had to be the most colorful mouse nest on the mountain!
I just made a little hike up to the office and back tonight in the darkness, and I found out that it really wasn't all that dark outside. The moon won't be up for another several hours yet, but for some reason the starlight was really bright tonight. I could see to hike around easily without a flashlight - even in the deep woods. The was clear for sure, but there must be something special in the air tonight to allow so much starlight.
Whoever wrote that tune "Twinkle, twinkle, little star..." must have been wandering around in the forest on a night like tonight. As you move through the woods the many hundreds of branches passing in front of the stars create one heck of a twinkle!
It is rather balmy outside right now - the temp is holding steady around 31 degrees, and the winds are calm. Quite a change from last night. It was zero in Fayetteville this morning, and supposed to be in the low 60's tomorrow. We only hit a low of 7 this morning. Hum, sounds like winter in the Ozarks!
A number of you have noted how much I seem to fall and get into serious situations while out working in the woods. That is really just part of the job. However, in my case it seems that many of those falls have come while traversing easy terrain. That is quite true. I am one of the most nimble and sure-footed folks who ever walked the earth. And when I face an impossible situation, I will often glide right on through without even breathing heavy. But when it comes to walking across level ground, I do get into trouble sometimes. I think it is because when the ground is safe I tend to let my mind wander and forget where I am putting my feet. When faced with a rough scramble, I can focus and concentrate on doing that and usually scoot right on through. So I guess I can lead you up the steepest mountain, but you might need to hold my hand across the parking lot.
Pam and Amber built a nice fire in the fireplace to welcome me home. That warmth penetrates deep, and the aroma of the log cabin settles into my soul. There is a fuzzy pooch at my feet, millions of stars just outside the window, and my glass of homemade sassafras liqueur is full and close at hand. Life continues at a rapid pace here in the wilderness...
3/7/02 In order for you to
understand today I have to go back to yesterday. It was a bright, sunny
and warming day. At least that's what it was outside. Inside I was having
a terrible day, and the longer the day went on, the worse it got. First
off, my back was killing me. That fall that I took nearly a week ago has
been getting worse each day, and now there are multi-colored, deep-purple
bruises that keep getting darker and larger. I've not had much sleep all
week because every single movement sends sharp pains through my body, and
I move around a lot at night. And during the day, the only position that
seems to give me any relief is flat on my back in the couch. I can't get
too much work done that way - and believe me I have tried. I guess I might
have done a little more damage to my insides than just a simple bruise
with that fall, perhaps even a cracked rib or two.
The pain in
my back expanded to a number of pains in the neck - and I'm talking about
other people here. I had to deal with a lot of idiots on the phone and
via e-mail and each one brought on a new level of frustration. I won't
bore you with the details, but suffice it to say that I was not too pleasant
to be around all day, as my wife told me a number of times. When it came
time to go to bed, I took a handful of Tylenol PM's and a slug of cheap
wine, which actually did a pretty good job, and I was able to get a few
hours of sleep.
By daylight
today I was ready to get up and face the world again, although the pain
in my back was worse than ever. It was really foggy outside - nearly a
white out, and the temp was in the low 50's. Amber had gone off to school
and Pam was in town delivering a pair of unhappy cats to the "fix-it" clinic
in Jasper. My brain was still tied up in knots from yesterday, so I decided
to begin my day with a hike out to wherever my boots led me to see if I
could unravel it a bit.
It was absolutely
beautiful in the forest this morning. I love foggy days anyway, but this
one was especially nice. The trees take on new personalities and seem to
dance with one another in the fog. As I walked along slowly there was no
sound at all. The air was still, the leaves underfoot wet and silent. If
I moved slow enough, my passing would never be noticed.
I wandered a
while and then took up a position on the forest floor, laid back onto the
soft hillside, closed my eyes, and just let the fog settle in while the
rest of the world drifted away. Slowly a breeze came up and made music
in the treetops. It sounded like harp music to me, with just a tad of Native
American flute along the edges. The cobwebs inside my brain went away.
Then the breeze
stopped and the quiet returned. The air was so wet that every now and then
enough of that fog would gather together and form an actual raindrop, then
would fall to earth and land softly in the leaves. Regular raindrops are
great to listen to, but "fogdrops" are especially nice indeed. There is
barely any sound at all. The only sound in the forest that is quieter is
perhaps the landing of snowflakes. It was a wonderful symphony.
No telling how
long I laid there in the leaves - it really didn't matter. My soul had
been refreshed and I was good as new again. Well, almost. My back still
hurt a lot. I could not simply lean forward and stand up. The only way
I could move was to roll over on my side, then tuck into the fetal position
and try to work my way up onto my feet. I rolled over and paused for a
moment to survey the forest from ground level. And son of a gun, within
just a few inches of my nose was a trout lily - the very first wildflower
of the new spring at Cloudland! You could not imagine the rush of joy that
consumed me. What a wonderful sight! The poor little guy had survived the
bitter cold of just a couple of days ago, and now had pushed his way up
through the leaves and was about to open up and show the world a little
bit of heaven.
I pulled out
my camera and spent the next ten minutes making a portrait of this first
flower of spring. Since I was already down on the ground it was no trouble
at all to crawl around at the same level as the flower to get a good picture.
And a funny thing happened while I was down there on the ground - my back
never hurt a bit. While I was totally concentrated on this delicate spot
of natural wonder I was completely oblivious to the pain. Of course, it
all came back to me when I tried to stand up!
It is a couple
of hours later now and the fog is even thicker. I am down at the cabin
and have the doors and windows open, trying to raise the humidity inside.
There are actually clouds of fog blowing in the back door - I can SEE the
clouds as they come in, swirl around, and then dissipate into the air.
Not a good day to fly, but a wonderful day to be out in the woods - I think
I'll go take my aching back and return to the forest in search of more
wildflowers.
3/9/02 My day
began just after midnight. Like most of the state we had a ton of rumblings
all night - thunder and lightning and my clunking up and down the stairs
to monitor the national weather service maps on the internet and the weather
channel on the TV. Long about 3:30am I had seen enough, and loaded up the
green truck and sped off into the night, hot on the trail of waterfalls!
Three hours
later I pulled off a gravel road and parked on the edge of the Leatherwood
Wilderness area in Baxter county. This would be a big experiment today.
I had received snapshots and GPS coordinates of several waterfalls from
Helen Elsner (she did a wonderful little pocket picture book with L.R.
Alexander that shows places all up and down the Buffalo River area where
they have ridden their horses to - some really neat places, complete with
GPS coordinates and map locations - http://www.buffaloriverbook.com). I
put the coordinates into a computer program which placed them on topo maps,
then uploaded the coordinates into my own GPS unit. The test was to see
if I could actually find these waterfalls with this info, having never
been to any of them before. Most of these waterfalls are not in the book
of theirs, but Helen has been just about everywhere in this country, so
I had asked her for a few recommendations.
Well, son of
a gun, the first waterfall showed up on the GPS and I pulled the rig over
and shut off the engine. The temp was 31 degrees, and I had been fighting
a strong wind the entire drive. This first waterfall was not too far off
of the road, so I didn't bother to take any water or food with me (I had
also left the cabin in a rush and forgot to bring any of either with me!).
It was rather
brisk outside to say the least. The thunderstorms had dumped a couple of
inches or more during the night, but they weren't calling for any more
today. In fact they were calling for "partly cloudy" skies later in the
afternoon - I needed to get to all of these waterfalls before the sun came
out!
Within just
a few minutes I was standing at the top of one of the most scenic waterfalls
I have visited this year - Cougar Falls. The height was 77 feet in three
drops - quite an impressive falls. I looked around and found a clear spot
to shoot a picture that would show all three levels of the waterfall, and
got my shot lickety-split.
3/11/02 "Looks like it is cloudy outside." What? Cloudy? Yikes, I need to get up out of bed and hit the waterfall trail! It was just breaking daylight when Pam noticed the colorful clouds on the eastern horizon. I had not planned on clouds this morning, but jumped up out of bed and hit the ground running.
Within a couple of hours I had parked at a trailhead at the edge of the Richland Creek Wilderness Area and was on my way in to Twin Falls, one of the most scenic and a "classic" Arkansas waterfall. I had my trusty dog Aspen with me today, and LOTS of snacks and water. The water was running great, even after no rain the last three days - that is an indication that the ground is saturated.
When I reached Twin Falls it was as beautiful as I had ever seen it - plenty of water over both falls, and an emerald pool below. I set up and shot it from three different angles, although it stretched me to the limit having to run and get into the photo myself (one of these days I will have to train Aspen to push the camera shutter button!).
Next stop was Richland Falls, just 1/2 mile away. While I had made it through the entire day on Friday without my back hurting one bit, I was feeling it right away today. And my feet hurt.
Richland Falls is not all that tall - less than ten feet - but it spans the entire Richland Creek, more than 100 feet. It was running full tilt today, but I found it difficult to photograph because it was SO wide!
I finally found a spot up on top of a pile of driftwood, set up the tripod, and got ready to fire away. I noticed a white stick in the lower part of the view, so I went out in front of the camera to get it out of the way. Just as I reached down to pick it up I saw dark spots on the wood - raindrops. Before I was able to jump back to the camera, the sky opened up and it began to pour. I grabbed the camera, and GPS unit (which was sitting on a nearby rock trying to find satellites), and ran for cover. Fortunately there was a bluff just a few feet away where we could get in out of the rain.
It didn't rain all that much, and I was able to get the photo without too much delay.
On the way back out the rain picked up again - it really didn't matter though - I was soaked from head to toe and chilled to the bone. But at least I had a granola bar to snack on!
I stopped to take refuge under this one bluffline, and when I looked out from there I noticed this wonderful cascade and waterfall just across on the opposite bluffline. And the waterfall spilled over the edge and landed at the base of one of several giant, moss-covered boulders. It was a really neat location, one that I could have stood and marveled at all day. But time was a flying, and I had much to do.
I was only able to make it a couple hundred more yards upstream before being stopped again - this time it was a programmed stop. I had remembered this one waterfall from a visit to the area several years ago, and it was running nicely today. Back behind the camera position there is a flat rock that stick out from the top of the bluffline - it goes 12, perhaps 14 feet straight out into the air, and appears to be held up by a tree that has grown attached to the rock. Now I am sure that rock was there eons before the tree, but I looks like the rock would come tumbling down if the tree were to get knocked over. I guess we will know for sure in about 50 years when the tree dies of old age. I decided to name this falls Gangplank Falls after this rock. (I will get a photo of the rock the next time I am in town.)
OK, back to the trailhead and on to my next stop. Man, I was really soaked. It was raining a little bit outside, but the inside of the truck was really wet, especially after I took off all of my rain gear and hung it up over the seats - I turned the air conditioner on to try to get the stuff dried out a bit. I normally carry two or three raincoats so that I can always start out a new hike with a dry one.
My next parking spot was near a place called Stack Rock, which is a real interesting rock formation. I would not be going to it today, but would try to find and photograph a waterfall nearby that I planned to call Stack Rock Falls.
The rain continued at a rapid pace, and I sat in the truck munching on my lunch (beanie weenies, cheetos, and gator aid), and listening to the weather forecast - hoping for more rain!
Another set of dry clothes and I was out the door. It was a downhill hike all the way to the first waterfall. It is located along the Ozark Highlands Trail at a place where there used to be a pioneer homestead. There has always been something about this particular spot that I rather like. The old cabin site (just a stone chimney and a couple of foundation logs left now) is perched near the edge of this steep hillside - the pioneer probably had a stunning view of the lower Richland Creek Valley way back then. And right down below the view is this waterfall - I know the pioneer had to have picked this spot because of the waterfall!
When I went on down to the top of the falls I landed in a garden of Eden - a GREEN garden! Every single rock, stone, and boulder was covered with bright, green moss. It was LUSH!
It took me a few minutes to find a way down to near the bottom of the waterfall (I measured it at 35 feet - pretty tall for this area), where I found a nice overhang that I could get under and stay dry (it was still raining). Click, Click (actually the digital camera makes a "beep" sound when it takes the picture, but few of us are used to that sound yet). I had the picture in no time, and was ready to press on to another waterfall in the bottom of the valley that I had discovered on an exploration trip many years ago.
Since I was already nearly 100 feet below the trail, I decided to go ahead and follow this lovely stream down the hillside and see where it took me. Man oh man, what an incredible sight! That green moss continued down the hillside, as the creek formed one waterfall and cascade after another. And then right in the middle of the steepest part of the hill, the water vanished - I mean the streambed went completely dry! Just a few feet above there was a ten foot waterfall.
A little ways further on down I came to an old logging road and decided to follow it for a while. It was still raining, and I was once again soaked to the bone and ready for a bit of easy hiking. My little detour had thrown off my plans entirely - I had wanted to follow the normal hiking trail on down to this other creek, then follow the creek downstream until I came to the waterfall that I had found years ago. Now I was off of the route and really did not know for sure what part of the hillside I was on. The GPS was not of much help - it did not show the details that I needed. But this old road went past some incredible springs though that simply burst out of the hillside and cascaded down solid-green moss-covered rocks.
There was fog rolling in and I had trouble seeing the hills around me, which threw me off even more. I knew the creek I had wanted was running just down below me, but I had no idea how far downstream I was. The old road came to a point where I could hear the creek below making a lot of noise, so I decided to go ahead and hike on down to it and see what I could find.
HOLY SMOKES, this was on beautiful stream! Lots of wild water, boulders, bluffs on either side. I started downstream and passed one delightful sight after another. There were waterfalls coming in on both sides, large boulders in the creek with water crashing over them. And then I came to two or three really large and powerful cascades - they were 12-16 feet tall and ran for probably 100 feet or more, and emptied into emerald pools. And then at last, when I was about to give up and turn around, I came to a spot where the river disappeared over the edge - this was the spot I was looking for!
This waterfall on Dry Creek is not really all that tall - only 20 feet - but its location in this extremely rugged streambed, with the cascades above it, and the large pool that it emptied into - when I got my first view over the edge it looked like a Hawaiian scene for sure!
But now I had a problem. The only access to the base of the falls was down a nearly vertical slide. Thank goodness I had Aspen with me - I sent him down first. Then I would crawl on behind him, trying not to slip and slide too much. A couple of times he came to a spot where he would not even go, then I had to take the lead. We worked pretty well together - he would often show me the best route to go. And sometimes I would have to go ahead and show him - I would pound on the ground and look him straight in the eyes, then he would wag his tail and jump and hit that spot every time.
We finally made it to the bottom and found a cave off to one side. I was really glad to see that because I was getting chilled pretty bad, soaked through and through, and needed a spot to unpack my camera and try to set it up without getting it soaked too.
Aspen explored the back of the cave while I dug out the camera gear. The rains had let up a little bit, but I still had to fasten my umbrella to the tripod to keep the camera dry. Aspen looked at me like I was a fool (deep down inside though I'm sure he really wanted that umbrella for himself!). Click, click. I mean beep, beep. When you look at these images you must understand the sacrifices that I go through! It was 36 degrees and raining, and here I am stripping down to a thin pair of nylon shorts and top. Yikes it was cold!
OK, I got the picture, but then the really hard part was putting all of those SOAKED clothes back on again! But I survived, and we both managed to make it back up the steep slope again, and eventually all the way back to the truck. Daylight started to fade just as we drove off and headed back to the cabin.
It was well after dark when I got home. Pam and Amber were up in Missouri so I had the place to myself. The routine that I get into when I return from a day of waterfall chasing takes several hours, and that after a long day in the woods. My first stop is to the office, where I download all of the images into the big computer. Then I make a copy of all of them on a CD. I unload the truck, set camera gear out to dry, load jackets and socks and other clothes in the washing machine, then take a shower and eat dinner (tonight, ramen and peas!). I fire up Pam's computer and download all of the info from the GPS unit into the topo map software. Sometimes I never know exactly where I have been until I see those waypoints pop up on the computer screen on the topo map. A GPS screen is just way too small to get a really good picture of it all. I print a list of all that GPS info for backup, and the locations on the map. Then I fire up my computer at the cabin (they don't make topo software for my computer - a very sad state of affairs), make a quick edit of the photos and select some for the journal, and process each image for uploading - that often takes five or ten minutes for each image. And finally I sit down and write in the journal - often an hour or more - and upload everything to the web server in Fayetteville. Tonight it is already giving me fits and has not allowed me to upload the photos - but I will beat on the keyboard and scream at the monitor until it all works! It is after 10:30pm now, and I am about to shut the cabin down and try to get a few hours sleep before I get up and do it all over again tomorrow (well, perhaps only a couple of hours worth - supposed to be sunny!).
So there you have it - another great day chasing waterfalls in the Ozarks! Keep those rain dances coming...
Oh, by the way, as of today I am no longer able to give out specific directions to any of these waterfalls, at least not until I get more into the production of the guidebook. I made the mistake of giving a guy directions the other day from memory and somehow got one of the road numbers wrong (I was doing it from memory since I have not transcribed any of my tapes yet, which is how I make sure the info in the guidebooks is correct with little chance for error). Anyway, I would prefer to wait until I have the stuff in writing before giving out any further details, so please refrain from asking. Looks like it will be sometime this summer before the book is printed - journal readers will be the first to know when it is available!
2/13/02 Sunshine today so no waterfall chasing. It would be a day for Amber, for it is her spring break all of this week. Monday she had to go to the dentist. Tuesday she was very sick and had to go to the doctor. So today would be the first true day of her vacation.
Our morning goal was to install a tether ball pole and court out next to the fort. Amber loves to play tether ball at school, and requested one here so that she could practice. It just so happens that her old man loves this game too, although he only got to play it for a one-year period when he was just a little kid. As I was pounding the base of the pole into the ground I wondered if this was more for Amber or me!
Little did I realize that the biggest tether ball fan and player in the world was also living under our roof. Turns out that Pam is not only a big player, but she is actually a near-expert at the game, and beat the pants off of me every single game!
What a delightful morning we all had, out there in the sunshine, with all the livestock. The dogs, of course, were there, but so too were the cats, and the four of them actually had a pretty good time together. The cats seem to have adapted to life at Cloudland well, even after their recent surgeries. They spend much of the day out in the sunshine playing, or simply hanging around up on the log ends of the cabin and on the roof - they like high places (fewer dogs up there I guess).
Once I got a number of things faxed back and forth about the selling of my mom's house in town (interrupted our tether ball games but sometimes you just have to let the outside world in), we got down to the REAL business of the day - a FISHING trip!
We got Amber a purple fishing pole for Christmas, and today would be the first day she would get to use it. Little did I know that she also loves to fish also.
We left the cats at home but the rest of us spent the entire afternoon on a sandy beach next to the Buffalo River. Oh yea, but first we had to dig a few worms. Amber got a kick out of that too, and we were able to find some big, fat, juicy grubs, as well as the regular kind.
The river was spectacular - that beautiful deep green color, and running full. So many have tried to explain that color. Both Pam and I noticed that the color was different this week. One of the explanations seems to make a lot of sense, and especially so after all of the recent high water. I've heard that when we have a ton of rain and the river is churned up a great deal, that the water grinds off a lot of tiny sandstone particles from the rocks, which eventually get suspended in the water. Once things calm down and settle a bit, some of those particles remain suspended in the water. All of that extra matter in the water reflects or absorbs certain wavelengths of light, thus producing the green color. Makes sense to me.
We were fishing next to an especially green pool of water that had a nice set of whitewater just upstream, and the sound of the waves bounced off of a small bluff on the other side of the creek. The big green hole had three large boulders out in the middle, which is where we directed Amber's bait. High water is not the best time to fish, and she didn't catch anything, but she sure did have a lot of fun with the worms!
All three of us wound up down on the ground making sand castles. We each built our own little kingdom, and made a pact that they were all peaceful people, so no wars. For some reason neither Aspen nor Lucy got that message, and they ended up terrorizing the neighborhood!
Sunshine, warm breezes, the sound of whitewater, the company of two beautiful ladies, and no faxes, phones, or computers in sight - I was in heaven, and really enjoying our little wilderness. All of the cares of the world floated on downstream.
3/15/02 Dark and dreary at first light today, but there was a promise of some rain, so I packed up my camera gear and hit the door running. I had several waterfall locations to check out back over on the Sylamore Ranger District of the forest, plus a brand new one that my waterfall guru Helen Elsner had e-mailed me last night. Today taking pictures would be secondary - it was a day for exploration!
I immediately headed for the new waterfall location, and was able to hike right to it thanks to Helen's GPS info and directions. It was a double, no actually triple-decker waterfall. The very top falls were only 6 feet tall, but the second and third drops were together and totalled 47 feet. The location of this waterfall was quite scenic. And while the water was not running all that much, it would be super scenic with good water. There is a horse trail of sorts that runs right along the top of this falls and follows an old road down the side all the way to Big Creek. That trail made it easy to find my way down to the bottom of the falls. I would have to return to this spot during high water for a good picture, but I shot some anyway, just in case I never got back.
Right above this falls there is the stone foundation of an old house. What a great location that must have been way back when! And today there was a yucca plant there and a small batch of daffodils in bloom. Man that rich yellow color sure does add SO much to the landscape!
On the way down to this waterfall I passed by a cave that is known locally as the Blow Cave. There is a small spring that comes out of it and flows over a smooth slab of rock. Helen tells me that in the summertime, when the temps soar, you can actually lay down on that rock slab and catch the cool breezes that "blow" out of the cave entrance. Many caves around here will exhale in the summer like that, but most of them go up instead of out like this one does.
Once I made my way back up to the main road I was in for a real treat. I looked down the lane and saw a pair of horses approaching with women riders. One of the riders had a little dog standing behind her in the saddle. Son of a gun it was Helen Elsner herself! (the rider, not the little dog) She said she recognized me from the big scratch down the side of the truck from my last visit to this area. Helen has certainly made her mark in the world with the little picture book that she did with L.R. Alexander. She us a relative new comer to the area, but has now explored more of the Buffalo than anyone other than Neil Compton himself.
Helen had just come from another waterfall that was on my list, and she said it was running pretty good. So I was off in hot pursuit.
This second falls turned out to be the only one that I could get a good picture of today. It was a beautiful 43-foot leap into this neat canyon. I had a bit of trouble finding a spot in the bluffline that would allow access to the bottom of the falls, but finally did manage to make my way down - I had to explore nearly a quarter mile downstream - it was a long, solid bluff!
This one is called Victory Falls, and I felt like I had won a minor victory after finding a way down the bluffline. It is the sort of place where you could linger around all day, but I had more waterfalls to chase, so took a few pictures and made a quick exit.
On the way out I traveled along the opposite side of the canyon that I had come in by. This side of the canyon was covered with little wildflowers peaking their heads out for a look. The first side was bare of flowers for now. Both sides had many giant trees that had fallen down recently. In fact my route down through the bluffline was via a downed tree.
Next stop was Blanchard Springs. Hardly a major waterfall, but it is unique enough that I want to include it in the book. This is, of course, the river that flows through Blanchard Springs Caverns and can be seen inside on the lower level cave tour. This spot has special meaning for me - I am one of only five people who has been through the route from the main cave out to the spring. I got to scuba dive with two of the three original divers when I worked at Blanchard back in the mid-1970's. My diving buddy and roommate at the time Peter van den Heuvel made the trip to photograph things for a slide program we were producing at the cave. That certainly ranks as one of the most incredible moments of my entire life - you simply would not believe some of the things that are locked away in the air-filled rooms that you have to scuba dive to! I have since explored many wild springs and underground rivers with scuba gear, but that one still takes the cake.
Anyway, Blanchard Springs was running nicely today, I shot a few pictures, paid my respects, and moved on. On my way out I made a quick stop at the cave visitor center to get a map or two at the bookstore there. I tried to sneak in without being noticed, and thought I had done so, until someone in a forest service uniform grabbed my arm (I worked at the cave for the first four years they were open from 73-76). It was the Reverend Arnold Hearn. He performed my first wedding ceremony way back when (while standing at the edge of a tall bluff - he remembers that well because he nearly fell off while I was saying I do!). He knew that the marriage had not taken, but I informed him of my new bride and family, and that this one did indeed have a lifetime guarantee!
Black clouds were swirling overhead, but still no actual rain. Even if the skies opened up it was getting late in the day so I probably would not get any more good pictures. But I still had several places to check out, so I motored on.
My next stop was at a place called Tassel Springs - it is shown on most maps, and in Helen's book. It is famous because of a long bunch of moss that is attached to the root of a tree that is growing at the very top of the falls - the moss is the "tassel." This spring comes out of the mountain side, goes about 50 feet, then goes over the edge of a 44 foot tall bluff. A long time ago the tassel actually went all the way to the ground and must have been a sight to behold. Someone in modern times has shot off parts of the tassel, although I found that it is not growing back. The tassel is perhaps 30 feet long now, and still looks quite interesting. Not enough water going over the falls for a great picture, but here is a look at the famous tassel.
My next stop would prove to be a really great one. Helen and another guy had told me about this box canyon that is located right next to the highway (the other guy would not revel the location of this falls, buy only bragged that he knew about it - I don't care too much for people like him who won't share the beauty of the natural world with the rest of us). Finding it was easy, and within five minutes I was standing at the edge of one of the most scenic spots in the entire state of Arkansas. It really was a box canyon, with very tall canyon walls of limestone, and three waterfalls. After measuring the main waterfall, I discovered it had just taken up residence as the THIRD TALLEST IN ARKANSAS at 90 feet! That was an unexpected development for sure. Not enough water for a good picture - I simply had to stand there in awe and admire. Right next to the big falls is another, double-decker falls that spills over an upper bluff, and then down the main one. It would have to count as two separate falls, although the total drop might put it as number two in the state (Kings Bluff Falls is number two at 114 feet). Certainly an incredible spot that I would return to many times.
As I was hiking back and was 100 yards from the truck, the sky opened up and it began to pour. I was soaked in an instant - I lingered just a little bit too long at the box canyon. Actually nope - I enjoyed every second of the canyon, and the heavy downpour felt great!
The next waterfall location required a little bit of four-wheel driving down an old logging road. I pulled over at a spot where I felt I could go no farther, and made a couple of phone calls while seeing if the rains would let up. As I was sitting there in my truck talking on the phone, quite literally out there in the middle of nowhere, a bright red Toyota pickup truck zoomed right on past me! Turns out these folks were headed to the same waterfall that I was (although they did not know of the box canyon just a half mile away).
Turned out to be two waterfalls at this spot - one 45 feet tall and the second 23 feet. The both poured into a triangle-shaped canyon. The tall one looked a lot like Cougar Falls, with only two segments. There was an interesting dome of rock at the top of the shorter falls. The water levels were too low for a good picture, and the rain was coming down pretty good, so I took my measurements and GPS readings and headed back to the truck.
My last stop for the day was also right next to the highway. It was a steep but short hike down into this neat little narrow canyon. The falls there were in three segments of about 12 feet each, but it turned out to be the canyon itself that I really enjoyed. I followed along the top of the canyon walls - which were perhaps 20-30 feet tall on both sides of the creek. The canyon went on for more than a quarter mile, past another waterfall in the bottom, until it merged with a second canyon. This second one was a mirror image of the first, and the two combined to form a "V" shaped total canyon. This second canyon also had a smaller waterfall about half way up, plus a multi-teared falls at the upper end. None of the waterfalls were really spectacular in themselves, but I probably come back and photograph them and include in the book - this is one special place indeed.
It was beginning to get dusky dark when I reached the truck, and my day of waterfall hunting was over. As I drove back to the cabin it poured some more, and the fog rolled in. I do believe that the fog up on Gaither Mountain between Harrison and Compton was the thickest fog I have ever seen! Driving through it in the dark was slow going. Little did I know it but Pam was just ahead of me a couple of miles, coming back from delivering Amber to Missouri for the weekend.
3/16/02 Today will be a very important day in Arkansas waterfall history. The sun rose quickly into a clear blue sky, so no good pictures for me (even though some of the creeks were running high from the rains last night). But today we will FINALLY get to measure the true height of the tallest waterfall in Arkansas - Hemmed-In Hollow. It has been touted as the tallest falls between the Rockies and the Appalachians, but no one has actually measured it with a proper tape. Roy and Norma will be helping us - actually doing the hard part. They will have to repel down a slick bluff face to reach the very top of the falls. You can actually get there without ropes, but you have to go through a slot canyon, and swim across a deep pool to reach it. Going in with ropes is easier, and a lot safer because one of them will have to stand right near the edge next to the thundering falls and work the measuring tape. I have a 300 foot tape purchased just for this single waterfall, and will be at the bottom of the falls, making proper placement of the tape, and talking with Roy and Norma via radio. It will be an exciting day for me, and one that I have looked forward to ever since I first laid eyes on Hemmed-In Hollow many moons ago.
We were supposed to meet Roy and Norma at the trailhead at 10am. We were there at 9, and they showed up at 9:15 - just a hint of the excitement that we all felt. It was actually a bit chilly out, with the temp around 40 and a brisk wind. But it didn't take long for us to warm up as we hiked on down the hillside.
We left the main trail that goes down into Hemmed In Hollow and took off through the woods heading nearly straight down the hillside - literally going from tree to tree at some points, it was that steep. Before long we landed on top of the giant bluff that creates Hemmed-In Hollow and stopped to admire the view. Right next to us we could see another really tall waterfall, and one that few people ever visit. We would measure it later in the day. I have always expected this waterfall to be the second tallest one in the Arkansas, but it has never been measured.
We followed the narrow goat trail along the top of the bluff that lead over to Hemmed-In Hollow proper. There are a few spots along this path where if you sneezed and lost your balance you would die - but it would take about 300 feet of free-fall before you hit. I think I would certainly be dead of a heart attack before hitting the ground. Being just a few feet from the edge and up on a very steep and slick bank will certainly get your attention.
The very edge of the bluffline is lined with old, twisted cedar trees. And I do mean "old." Many of them have had core samples taken and aged by Dave Stahley, a professor from the University of Arkansas who is the world's leading authority on aging trees. He found many of them along this bluff to be some of the oldest trees in Arkansas, at more than 500 years. They are not towering trees, but are often only several inches in diameter at the base, preferring personality in their character to height.
We carefully crossed the upper canyon, which is a really neat slot canyon of sorts that feeds the very top of the big waterfall. I have gone down this canyon several times - right on out to the edge of the falls - but it is quite slick and hazardous, and you have to swim through a hole of water, which is always COLD!
We stopped along the far wall of the canyon, which is where Roy and Norma would rope up for the short descent into the canyon and the top of the falls. I spotted Pam on the opposite wall so that she could take a few pictures with Norma's camera to mark the event. Then I headed on back the same way that we came to make my way down to the very bottom of the bluff and falls to secure the tape for an accurate measurement.
My route took me down through a crack in the bluffline at a spot where the bluff is only 20-30 feet tall. It was easy going down, but would prove to be difficult getting back up through.
Once at the bottom of the bluff I passed underneath the second falls that we would measure, then made my away through a number of large, twisted cedar trees and finally to the base of Hemmed-In Hollow falls itself. Few sights in the United States are as awe-inspiring as this area, and it would be that even if there was no water. The giant limestone bluff is streaked with eons of water and mineral stains, and it arches up and out over its base. I hiked behind the thundering falls (where I took the January picture for the Arkansas Waterfall Calendar) and finally down to the bottom in front of the falls.
I was sort of surprised that there was NO ONE else at the falls! On any normal spring weekend you can see dozens of folks here, and even hundreds throughout the day. I guess everyone was out enjoying the river, which was up and running and beautiful. There was only one small group that showed up the entire time we were there (we did see two other hikers on the upper trail) - a family of three, including a SIX year old girl! It had been a long and tough hike in for her, and I know it must have been a terrible trip out, although I suspect that dad had to carry her much of the way.
OK, everything was set. Norma had repelled down to the very top of the falls and was standing at the very edge, still roped up for safety. When she got down there she realized that there were not small rocks to fill the bag I had at the end of the measuring tape to aid in lowering it. At first she thought about having Roy toss down some rocks, but since she did not have a hard hat on, decided that might not be a good idea. She managed to find a waterlogged stick to use that would fill the bill.
The bag came slowly down over the edge, and I awaited below, wearing my rain jacket because I was being soaked by spray from the falls. I carefully stepped on the very end of the tape while Norma took up all the slack. I would end up making two measurements - the first being the actual vertical height from the top of the falls to the ground. But that was not the actual height of the waterfall, because it was and normally does hit farther out, and its power has cut into the rock layers. So I also measured the difference between the big measurement and the actual spot where the falls hit. I was in radio contact with Roy above, and he sent down the first measurement. I took the second measurement, and then for the very first time in history announced the official height of the tallest waterfall in Arkansas. This height has been reported and touted to be as tall as 300 feet and even taller. I was told by the National Park Service that is was 177 feet, although it had only been measured with a rope and not a measuring tape. I turned to the little family who was anxiously awaiting our finding and yelled out: 211 feet! Son of a gun, it really IS the tallest waterfall between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians! This actual number has eluded me for more than 30 years, ever since I first gazed up at this wonderful sight as a teenager while floating the Buffalo River. And now there it was.
With the big job done, Norma climbed out of the canyon and we all headed over to the other waterfall. It would be easier to get to because there was no canyon at the top. But Norma still had to rope up because she would be standing right at the edge of a 200 foot plus dropoff.
This second waterfall runs just about all the time that Hemmed-In Hollow does, but it is hidden from view and the only people who ever see it are those who make the trip around the base of the bluff to climb up on top of the bluff - something I do not recommend that anyone do because of the extreme danger up there. The volume of water is less though, and often it is blown into spray by swirling winds against the bluff. The same was true today, and I got soaked while waiting for Norma to get into place, even though I was 100 feet off to one side!
I put my rain jacket on once again, and down came the tape, this time with the bag filled with small rocks. I had to go out into the very middle of the falls to secure the tape, and got drenched. I didn't mind though - it was history in the making. I knew that this waterfall would be a tall one because of the bluff that it pours over, but not nearly as tall as Hemmed In Hollow. I was a bit surprised when it measured out as tall as it did - 148 feet - making it officially the second tallest waterfall in Arkansas.
Two problems with this waterfall remained. First, to get a good picture of it. While it was running today, there was not enough water to make a good photo for the guidebook. I have learned that the taller the waterfall, the more water I need for a good photo that will show up in the book (they will only be small black and white photos). Also the space is very cramped at the base of this falls - I would not be able to get back far enough to include the entire falls in the photo. Doing that at Hemmed-In Hollow is not such a big problem because there is lots of space at the bottom. But this one would be tougher, something I have to return for later this spring to figure out.
The other problem is what to name the falls. It had never had a name that I know of (I've never even seen this falls mentioned in anything printed, even by Neil Compton or Ken Smith). Hemmed-In Hollow Junior? Bridesmaid Falls (because it always come in SECOND)? Wild Vic Falls (after the guy whose tiny cabin is high above the falls)? Actually, because of the way the wind tosses it around much of the time a good name would be Bridal Veil Falls, but that name is already taken by a waterfall near Heber Springs (it is on private property and the owner does not want it advertised so it won't be in the guidebook). Heck, Hemmed-In Hollow probably should have been named Bridal Veil because the wind really catches it, but I like the name it has just fine. So I really don't know what to call this waterfall, although I will have to name it pretty quick now that we have an official height for it.
My trip back up through the bluffline was not a pleasant one. The bottom half was not a problem. In the upper part you have to sort of wedge your body into a crack, and inch your way up. That was difficult to do because I had my bulky day pack w/tripod on, and also because my back was still hurting quite a bit from the nasty fall I had taken down in the Ouachitas a while ago. I was literally just a few feet from the top when I got stuck, and could not go any further - up or down. And my hat kept getting in the way. I finally had to remove my hat and throw it up on top, then I was able to muster up enough strength to simply lunge upward to get one more foothold and then I pulled myself out.
The four of us gathered on top of the bluff to have a bite to eat and admire the incredible view before us. Towards the end of lunch I started making noises about another waterfall that was "just over that ridge over there." Hum, Pam has heard that phrase way too many times already this spring, and knew full well what to expect, and she could only roll her eyes. Roy was packing a really heavy pack with a small ton of rope gear, and he was not looking forward to the steep, hand over fist climb out of here (I have no idea how he managed to pack it all back up). But before he could even voice his opinion Norma jumped up and said "let's go!" Before the other two had a chance to speak out we were headed along the bluffline goat trail once again towards the new waterfall location.
The goat trail that we were following turned into a coon trail, and then a rat trail as we passed along the top of the tallest part of the bluff. I had to hold my breath more than once and try not to look down while "leaning left" as I scurried along the side of the hill. Really and truly one slip and you die up here. I tried not to sneeze.
But the views from up there are unequalled anywhere in this part of the country. And we eventually made our way around to where we had a great view of the big falls, and could see right up into the slot canyon that was feeding it. We could see the bridesmaid falls too. (You know, that name is sounding better all the time.) One last look and then we were around the corner and out of sight.
But we had a terrific view of the Buffalo River below, and could hear the shouts of happy folks riding canoes through the whitewater. Above it was just dark clouds, and a bit of rumbling here and there.
We continued along the top of the bluff past a number of interesting features, including three more waterfalls (that were not running too well today). Finally we reached the edge of Fish Trap Hollow, and worked our way up to the head of the canyon. This is one marvelous and scenic place for sure, but once again not one for the faint of heart. The only view is right near the top edge of the canyon, and if you slip, you are toast.
One really neat thing about this box canyon is that there is a small rock arch at the top of the bluff, and an unusually-shaped one at that - it arched up instead of out, sort of shaped like the eye of a needle. The actual opening in it only a few feet tall, and the view of it is blocked by a couple of trees growing right next to it. But it is a wonderful feature anyway.
The waterfall here is actually a twin falls - two streams of water come together just as they leap over the edge of the bluff at the head of the canyon. It reminded me of the slickrock country of southern Utah, although the limestone was more yellow and grey than the bright red rocks there.
While Norma roped up, I made my way down to the far end of the bluff and back along the base to the bottom of the waterfall. I must say that getting to the bottom of this falls was pretty tough - especially the last few feet where I had to cross an earth ledge that was less than a foot wide and sloping. I was comforted in the fact that if I slipped and fell I would probably only break a leg or ankle, and end up in a pool of chilly water instead of my remains being splattered at the base of the big bluff at Hemmed In Hollow.
It took us a while to get the bag of rocks and the measuring tape to the bottom of the waterfall, but we made it, and found the falls to be 71 feet tall. That is the measurement after the two streams came together - the height of the right-hand falls is actually much taller than that, but we will use 71 feet as the measurement.
I must say two things about this waterfall. While it was not running too well today, when it is running full blast it will be one of the most scenic waterfalls I have ever seen. It appears to me that the stream of water would bounce off of several different ledges on its way down, changing direction each time. That will make for an incredible sight! The other thing is that because of the tightness and inaccessibility of the canyon, it is going to be a real female dog getting a photo of the falls! I have no idea how I am going to do it, and once again may have to settle for showing just part of the falls.
Once we were done with the measuring, I asked Norma if she was going to repel down. "No, I can find a way out from up here." I reminded her that not only was this WORK, but it was also supposed to be FUN! She instantly yelled out "Yyyyeeeeessssss, I'm coming down!" And she did, right on through the waterfall. Good thing she had a rain jacket on. (Good thing too that her rope was long enough!)
We packed everything up and began the long and tedious process of climbing out. We often have to pay a price for the good things in life, and this was no exception. Up and up and UP we went, finally landing on an old road that is used as the Bench Trail for horses - it was a delightful sight to behold - LEVEL hiking!
We passed by an old homesite area that had been carved out of a rock hillside. Unbelievable the amount of labor that must have gone into removing enough rocks to make this place livable - I mean farm-able (is that a word?). They had moved tons and tons of rocks out of the way and stacked them neatly on the UPhill side of this narrow bench. Wow, thanks DAD that you did not live in this place! I'm sure it would have been a breathtaking place to live, but the toil of everyday life would have been difficult.
Pam and Norma stopped to inspect Wild Vic's little cabin next to the trail, and we all made the final climb up and out to the trailhead. Norma made a comment about how she was not able to see quite as well as on the way in. Then she looked at her watch and realized it was getting DARK! It had been a long day, but was a glorious one for us all!
And to top it off, we stopped and ordered up fat cheeseburgers at the little store in Compton - man, they were wonderful! Of course, I'm sure the SPAM factor had kicked in.
So there you have it - the number one and number two tallest waterfalls in Arkansas, now officially at 211 and 148 feet tall. At some point I will get good images of each posted here, and a name for the bridesmaid one...
3/17/02 No rain during the night. We are socked in at first light this morning with heavy fog. Oh how I LOVE days like this! And there is no wind at all. While I do wish it would open up and pour all day so that I can run out after more waterfalls, it might be nice to have a slow day at the cabin. Both Pam and I have a great deal of work to do here.
I don't know if I mentioned it or not, but Pam is working on a brand new web site that will be up and running soon. The cornerstone of the site will be a listing of every hiking trail in Arkansas, complete with some location info, length, difficulty, contact info, and guidebook/map availability. I'm talking about EVERY single official hiking trail on public land in Arkansas - which will be more than 250 of them! It has been quite an undertaking, and Pam is doing all the work. The trails will be listed by geographical region, and then by agency (national forest, state park, etc.), and finally by length. Plus there will be a list of the longest trails in the state. Each trail listing will have a link to the land managing agency - for instance to the state park web page where the trail is located, or to the forest service web page. This will enable folks to do a great deal of research before heading out on a trip. My part in all of this is to design the web site so that is loads FAST and is easy to get around in. We do not plan to have ANY of those irritating banners or other advertising that make load times so long and take away from the information that you came to the site to find. We will also have a link page for, well, just about every link that you can think of, and then some. The page will also be the home for the Ozark Highlands Trail Association web page, plus there will be links back to this journal, to the ARKANSAS WATERFALLS page, and to our business site for guidebook and map information and sales. This site will not be meant to replace guidebooks or maps, but it will give the reader a great deal of information, and help out a lot.
One funny story about some of the research that we are doing for this new web page. There are several state parks that we know have hiking trails but who do not list their trails on their web pages (Arkansas State Parks have a great system of web sites). So we have been sending e-mails to them asking for basic trail information. When we contacted Cane Creek State Park the assistant superintendent got right back with us. She said that she would have to "get approval from Central Office in Little Rock" before giving out any trail information. WHAT? Now talk about a waste of taxpayer money! Needless to say we got the information that we needed.
So Pam has a fulltime job here this month - on top of everything else that she does already. It has been sort of like me working on the Haley Book - every time that I walk through the cabin she has books and maps all laid out and is typing away, day and night. I have been helping out some with the ratings and locations for some of the trails. It has been fun to sit down and go through in my mind so many of these trails that I have not hiked in many years.
Putting this web page together is a monumental task, but I think it will be a tremendous benefit to the hiking public in Arkansas, and especially to those who come in from out of state. Once we get everything set up and running, it will be the only web site address that you will need to know in order to get necessary info for hiking in Arkansas. And, of course, we will continually update the site with new information and links as time goes on. Hum, I can see t-shirts and coffee mugs in the future....www.HikeArkansas.com....
3/18/02 Wow, what an amazing week we have just been through. It is actually Friday when I have finally found a few minutes (hours) to sit down and catch up. We have had a great deal of rain this week - THANKS to all of your rain dances! But today there is nothing but sunshine so I will be able to spend some time catching up, and recycle everything and gear up for another round next week - I hope!
I had been watching the radar all evening and it showed rain across all of southwest Arkansas. There was nothing up in the Ozarks. I decided my best bet for waterfalls would be down in the Ouachitas, so I got up early to leave. One last check of my e-mail was a bit disheartening - a friend down south had said the rain was nothing but a heavy mist and there really wasn't much on the ground. Darn, that really popped my balloon. But I was up at 3am, all packed, and ready to go, so what the heck -they were calling for rain all day down there once again, so I might as well give it a try.
It was just breaking daylight as I got near my first destination - a new waterfall near Forked Mountain. But as I crossed the first creek it was obvious the radar I had been watching was indeed wrong - the creek was running clear and not much at all. I was really disappointed, but not entirely deflated. I decided to press on and go further south to see if they had received any more rain.
Another hour later found me standing at the base of Falls Creek Falls at Lake Catherine State Park. This falls is really low in the watershed, and was actually running pretty good. I quickly set up and got a photo of it. This is one of the most photographed waterfalls in Arkansas, mainly because it is an easy hike on a state park trail to get to it - you see this falls pictured in a lot of tourism brochures and ads.
My next stop was to Garvin Woodland Gardens south of Hot Springs. This is a wonderful place to visit - they have many trails that wind through hillsides packed with tens of thousands of flowers of all sorts. It is owned by the University of Arkansas, but managed by private folks and there is a $7 entrance fee - WELL worth the price, especially when things are in bloom. Pam and I were here last fall. Anyway, I got there a full two hours before they opened, so I had to bushwhack my way about a half mile along the lake sure and through the woods to make it to the fall. I don't like to put commercial places in my guidebook, but this one is such a treat I wanted to put it in.
Right after I hike back to the truck the sky opened up and it began to pour - yea!!! The rains continued for a while, in fact would keep coming down most of the day. My next destination was to a little falls near a spring back in the woods south of Mt. Ida. I was told it was a ten foot tall falls, but it turned out to be more like two or three feet tall. I didn't bother with it, and pressed on.
The next stop was along Crooked Creek, to a falls I had photographed many years ago. It was not running all that much, but it WAS running, so I set up and took a few photos. Only problem with this falls was the fact that the only way I could get myself in the picture for scale was for me to splash through knee-deep water! Man that stuff was cold!!!
Little Missouri Falls was not running too well, so I passed on by it and headed for the only real named waterfall in a wilderness area in the entire Ouachitas - Katy Falls. It is located right in the middle of the Caney Creek Wilderness Area, and would require a bit of a hike, and a lot of time. But what the heck - water levels were very low and the rains did not seem to be helping out any, so I decided to bit the bullet and spend the time to go visit this little waterfall.
Caney Creek is the oldest wilderness in Arkansas, and was the only hiking trail in the entire state way back in the mid-1970's when I was teaching backpacking at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. We would come down and hike this trail several times during the semester. (I was not really a professor - in fact I was only 18 or 19 years old at the time and a student myself, but it was a real backpacking class sponsored by the university.) Boy, we had some fun and wild times way back then! The trails in Arkansas have come a very long way since then for sure.
It was still raining when I suited up and headed out on the trail. I don't mind hiking in the rain, and in fact rather enjoy it. This trip would be a little bit different through because I would put into high gear and hike as fast as I could to get in, shoot a photo, and get out - I had many more places to get to today!
The first half mile of the trail was lined on both sides with beautiful wildflowers in bloom (I was speeding by them so fast I did not make a positive ID, but they looked like wake robins to me - there were hundreds, perhaps thousands of them in bloom!). No time to stop and photograph, so I pressed on.
The hike through Caney Creek is a delightful one, and my legs covered the four miles to the waterfall in a hurry, and soon I was standing at the base of Katy Falls. It was pouring down rain, and I was about to get really wet. No matter - I was soaked to the bone anyway, even tough I was covered head to toe with expensive rain gear. There is nothing available today that will keep you dry while you are hiking in the rain - NOTHING. Yea, I know, they all say that their fabric "breathes," but I'm here to tell ya they are wrong. I was wearing a near-new $500 gore-tex rain jacket and I was soaked. That stuff only works they way they claim in their dreams.
I set up the tripod, taped my umbrella to it, and attached the camera and shot away. I had to run across the creek, jump up onto a rock formation, and make my way across several slippery and sharp rocks over to the photo spot. All in ten seconds. No problem. Each time I took a photo the rain seemed to come down just a little bit harder. After I shot about 20 pictures, it was raining very hard! I packed everything up and headed on back.
This wilderness area is literally pounded by folks from Texas, and it has taken a great deal of abuse over the years. Some parts of it are very un-wilderness like - the forest service had hand-lettered orange signs up all over the place with "No Camping" on them, and even bright yellow flagging tape stretched across trees. While I know the forest service has to use a heavy hand to keep this place from being completely destroyed, I could not believe some of their tactics. Heck, they encourage folks to not wear bright clothing so as not to disturb the wilderness character, and yet they have orange signs and flagging tape plastered all over the place!
My bones and muscles were beginning to ache as I headed back to the truck. And the rains continued on - YEA! I had covered the eight miles to and from the waterfall, plus spent about 30 minutes shooting pictures there in less than three total. This is the longest hike to get to any named waterfall in the state.
As luck would have it, about the time I arrived back at the truck the rains stopped. Oh well, it had been a good day anyway, especially considering the low water levels.
I decided to go take a look at one waterfall that a guy had e-mailed me about - it was supposed to be a tall one, which there are none of in the Ouachtias. He told me it would take a great deal of rain for it to run, which we did not have today, but I wanted to go have a look anyway.
Along the route I stopped to look at another spot that I had been e-mailed about. This one was REALLY nice! I was delighted to find this cascade just a few feet off of the road, right where he told me it would be. Actually it is next to the dam and spillway of Shady Lake, but the rocks appear to be perfectly natural. Some engineer way back when had a terrific idea and vision of beauty when he designed an overflow pipe to spill out on top of these rocks, allowing this beautiful cascade. Only problem with me photographing it was the fact that the spray created some incredible SLIPPERY rocks at the bottom, right were I had to set up the camera! I managed to get my job done without any major mishaps, but I slipped a few times in the process.
The next stop was the tall falls at a place called Panther Bluff. I really didn't have much hope for this on, but son of a gun when I arrived I found an honest to goodness NICE waterfall! And it was over 30 feet tall!!! AND it was right next to the highway to boot.
The light was beginning to fade so I worked my way down to the base of the falls and set up my gear quickly. I was standing right at the edge of a second drop, and wanted to get as far back as possible to get the entire waterfall in the picture frame. I guess I got just a LITTLE bit too close to the edge of the twelve-foot drop below me. Just as I reached out to snap the shutter, my feet slipped out from under me and in an instant I was dangling in mid air, grasping onto a rock that I had managed to catch on the way down. The camera and tripod were already over the edge and had smashed on the rocks below me. While my camera gear being destroyed was not a happy thought, it was not the most pressing issue at the time - I was still hanging there and about to go smashing at any moment. My only thought was how pissed my dear wife would be if I hit those rocks below!
It was a very helpless feeling indeed, although I did realized that if I fell I probably would not die since it was only a twelve-foot fall, but it would be onto sharp rock, and no telling how much damage there would be or how long I would lay there before someone came to rescue me - probably all night. Could I survive out in the rain and cold? If I broke a leg or other major body parts, perhaps not. It was a really steep climb/crawl back up the slope. Not a pleasant thought.
Obviously I did indeed survive since I am writing about it. Somehow I reached around and was able to get another handhold in the rocks there somewhere, and I managed to pull myself up to safety. Whew! That was a close one. But my poor camera equipment. And I had not even gotten a picture of this waterfall yet! I had always heard people whine about how delicate digital camera were. Heck even newspaper photographers that I know who use $5000 digital camera are afraid to take them into the woods because they are afraid something will happen to them. Well, I am here to tell ya that all of their concerns are UNFOUNDED! I have already abused this little digital camera of mine to no end, and it has continued to work. And today, even though this camera smashed onto rocks face first after that fall, and it had been torn off of the tripod mount, it WORKED PERFECTLY!!! Boy, was I relieved. The only damage was to the polarizing filter on the front of the lens - the threads were dented and all messed up.
I returned to the scene of my fall, placed the tripod right back in the same location, and quickly shot a few frames and then got the heck out of there. It really is a beautiful waterfall. Just a little bit of my blood there.
What to do next, what to do. No more waterfalls today for me, but they were calling for 4-8 inches of HEAVY rain over the next 24 hours all across the state. I wanted to make the most of these flood waters, but I had so many places that I wanted to go. I decided to go find the tallest waterfall in the Ouachitas and shoot it early the next morning, then perhaps speed back to the Buffalo River area and shoot Hemmed-In Hollow - both waterfalls would require a great deal of heavy rains to look their best on film.
I had never been anywhere near this new waterfall in the Ouachitas called Slate Falls. My friend T. Wayne Bailey from Ft. Smith had told me about it, and even sent pictures. He said it was a 70 foot tall falls, give or take. That would be far and away the biggest one in the entire Ouachitas. By the time I reached the turnoff for the forest road it was POURING rain about as hard as I had ever seen it. The trip up the muddy dirt road was slow and breathtaking - I was holding my breath around every turn hoping not to slide off the edge of the mountain!
I was actually navigating by GPS, trying to find a parking spot out there in the foggy night that T. Wayne had told me about. Son of a gun, that old GPS showed me right were it was, and I pulled over and shut down the truck. It was nearly 10pm, and had been one very long day.
3/19/02 I did not get much sleep all night - heavy rain and thunder kept me up. But I was ready to go at first light. I had a dry set of rain gear even dry boots, but none of that mattered because I was soaked to the bone once again within a few minutes of hiking - it was still pouring, and really foggy.
My route took me along an old logging road that was clogged with downed trees left over from the ice storms back in 2000. Most of the hiking was actually out in the woods and not along the road because of the trees. The ground was soaked and each time I set my foot down it sunk in - the going was VERY slow. Plus it was still raining so hard the ground was covered with standing and running water, as was the road. In fact much of that old road was more of a creek than a road.
My first "target" was a large cascade named Ruggles Cascade. I had no problem locating the correct stream (thanks to T. Wayne's GPS coordinates that he had sent me), but EVERYTHING in sight was a cascade on top of this mountain, so I did not bother to stop and photograph this specific one - I would have to return to do that at a later time.
After what seemed like an eternity I finally got to the main stream and made my way on down to the top of Slate Falls. Holey smokes this WAS indeed a large and powerful waterfall! It reminded me of the great Cedar Falls at Petit Jean State Park. And while I knew it was flooded at the moment, it was obvious this was indeed a really nice waterfall at normal water flows as well.
I tried to find a spot to measure the height of the falls - wanted to get that out of the way first. Plus, it was so foggy out that I probably would not be able to shoot a good picture anyway. At about the same time I realized there would be no way that I could safely measure this falls today by myself, the fog retreated and gave me a window of opportunity for a photo. I quickly scrambled on down to the bottom of the falls, found the only clear shot towards the falls that I could, set up the camera, and fired off a couple of shots. It was raining really hard, and that, combined with the spray from the thundering falls, kept me from taking any more photos. Plus, the fog moved right on back in. I realized that those quick snapshots would be the only thing I would get of this waterfall today. I packed up my wet gear and headed back to the truck, just as the fog got thicker and the rain came down harder. But here it is, a photo of what is far and away the tallest waterfall in the Ouachtias (I will do an official measurement later).
OK, I survived that hike, no let's get to the next one! I zoomed on towards the Hemmed-In Hollow trailhead, and while on the way called my friend and fellow photographer Glenn Wheeler from Harrison to see if he wanted to hike in with me. A few hours later we met at the trailhead, and with my third set of dry rain gear and boots on, headed on down towards the falls.
We had fog and more rain, and lots of both. I had hoped for a break in the fog though, and would end up getting it at just the right time.
Before we could take any photos we had to get down through the bluff. It was fun trying to do that with everything wet. We ended up using a rope to lower our camera gear down the bluff and then scrambling down ourselves.
Our first stop was at Bridesmaid Falls. It was running pretty good, but as I expected we had a tough time finding a good spot to shoot from. I did get a picture that will go into the guidebook, although it is not a real good one. We found a neat spot down on the creek below the falls to shoot from also, and Glenn took a few shots with his "real" camera from down there, using an umbrella to help keep the heavy rains off of his camera.
Next was Hemmed-In Hollow itself. It was running full tilt as you would expect, although not really as huge as you might think. Really tall waterfalls like this one just don't ever get to large, especially when they are way high up in the watershed like it is. But it was very impressive indeed. And what a luxury we had - we set up back under the bluff, so were able to stay out of the rain! And the fog retreated just a bit and gave us a nice window to shoot.
I took a series of photos with Glenn way over there behind the falls. He wore dark rain gear, which contrasted well against the light-colored rock on the back wall. But he is so darn small in the picture! I eventually shot this photo of myself under the falls - which makes the falls look pretty tall for sure, but if you look close you will also see Glenn back there, and he REALLY makes the waterfall look BIG, and, of course, it IS BIG!
We suited up once again and went back out into the rain to photograph a couple of waterfalls down below the big one, the last falls being quite scenic. It was nice having Glenn there to push the camera button for me so that I did not have to splash across the creek trying to get into the picture in the allotted ten seconds.
By the time we finished up the last falls photos, it was already getting dark. It was still foggy and raining. The trip out would be a tough one, especially on Glenn, who was carrying a VERY heavy pack.
By the time we had reached the half-way point up the hillside, it was nearly dark, and Glenn was having a bit of trouble with the steepness. I would hike on ahead at my normal pace, then stop and wait for him to appear in the fog below. At one stop I began to get worried when he did not appear after I had sun ten songs (I did not have a watch, but figured it had been 30 minutes at three minutes per song). I was not sure if it was my awful singing that kept him behind, or the darkness and fog, or the steepness of the hill. I finally gave up - or should I say froze out - and decided to go back and look for him. Pam had INSISTED that I take a flashlight with me on this trip, and goodness she was certainly right. It looked like I was going to need it.
I only made it a couple hundred yards back down the trail when I saw a dark figure moving up towards me. Thanks goodness - I did NOT want to go down the hillside again! Glenn was moving surprisingly well, and actually had a bit of pep in his step. He said that he had about given out and stopped to refuel, which helped out a lot. The rest of the hike up the hill went a lot better, and before long we were safe and warm inside the trucks.
It had been a great day, and one that found me at BOTH of the tallest waterfalls in the Ouachitas and the Ozarks. But the fun was just beginning - it looked like tomorrow might be the best day of waterfalls we have had in a very long time. And it would be the first day of spring! Glenn and I made plans that would put me up at 3am and out the door once again, and we would probably be gone all day and well into the night. Oops, did I say that it was the FIRST DAY OF SPRING? That meant it was also my first wedding anniversary - yikes, what's a newlywed waterfall photographer to do?
3/20/02 Obviously I am married to the best lady in the world, and there was never any talk of me NOT spending the entire day in the woods with my waterfalls - the anniversary dinner would have to wait for another day.
It was still foggy and raining when
I left the cabin, and very dark (it was, after all, still the middle of
the night). With a phone call at 1 or 2am from a dear friend in need (Sarah,
please DO call again no matter what the time - you are a priceless friend!),
I managed at least an hour of sleep and so was ready to go. 
I picked up Glenn and we streaked through the night heading for what I had hoped would be one of the more scenic spots in the state today - the Box Canyon area of the Sylamore. We arrived just after first light, and were treated to one spectacular display of waterfalls. There actually FOUR waterfalls in this little area - one of them just around the corner from the main box canyon. Incredible. Amazing Beautiful. Very tropical. And right next to the highway!
Knowing we had many waterfalls to visit today, I was torn between wanting to simply sit down and soak up this place, and wanting to hurry up and get our photographs and get the heck out of there.
We shot one falls, then the next, then the next, and the next. Man oh man it was beautiful -to say that the photos don't do this place justice is a major understatement. From one spot along the bluff you can see all three of the falls in the main Box Canyon, although trees do tend to get in the way sometimes.
Under the big bluff we found a firering - or should I say a work of art. This darn thing was at least ten feet across and several feet high. And it appeared to be built in the shape of a heart. Hum, finding a heart-shaped firering on my anniversary - that was great!
OK, on to the next waterfall. I had planned to photograph a pair of waterfalls, but it turned out that one of those waterfalls was not all that exciting. The other one was great, AND had a second set of falls up above it that was really nice. This upper falls actually comes out of the hillside just above as a large spring. In fact there are three springs that feed this falls, so unless I find an actual name for this spring, I will call this one Three Springs Falls. On to the next waterfall.
While we were driving on to the next place, a terrible thing happened - we spotted BLUE SKY! Nothing could be worse today than blue sky and sunshine. I know that sounds terrible, especially after all of the flooding across the state, but I NEEDED clouds all day today!!!
We quickly hiked on down to The Funnel, and set up and shot some images of this magical place. Just like the Box Canyon area, no way pictures could do justice here. It is simply one of those places where you can go and sit and just be amazed and refreshed and will not want to leave. The sun popped out and we were forced to sit down on the rocks and enjoy - something I rarely get to do anymore because everything is so rushed.
The sky was clear, but I had wanted to go visit one last waterfall before we left the area, just in case something would happen. Turns out we were able to get a photo of this falls - the sun was dropping behind the hillside and most of this waterfall was in the shade. I had first named this falls "Blow Cave Falls," but now have changed the name to "Rory Ridge Falls" for a reason I will explain in a minute.
This one too is a wonderful place, and we discovered there are three redbud trees right at the base of the falls that will explode with color in a week or two. Hum, another trip back to the Sylamore is in the works for sure.
As we were getting back near the truck we heard what sounded like another waterfall down below. The first time I had been here I knew there must be a waterfall there, but discounted it because I thought the land was private. I have since learned that it is indeed in the national forest, so we detoured on over to have a look. Actually we had already veered off of the route because a heavy greenbrier patch forced us to detour - I was wearing shots, and the scratches were getting plentiful.
Turns out this waterfall was really nice, a double-decker falls at that. Lots of bright green moss on the rocks too. Only problem was that the sun was hitting it and so I could not get a good photo. However, we did have a few chores to do before I could shoot anyway, and the sun was dropping, so we decided to take care of business and see what happened.
We had to go back to the truck to get the tape measure, and while doing so discovered that I had locked the keys inside. Well, actually I had not done that, but it ended up that way. You see I had put the keys under the wind deflector on top of the sunroof - I hate to carry keys into the woods, and normally hide them elsewhere, but today it just seemed easy to stick them under the deflector. Only problem was that the sunroof was open just a couple of inches, and the keys fell right on down inside. We managed to figure out a way to get them up and out through the narrow slot, and were back in business.
Of course, all of the extra time it took to get the keys out actually helped out our situation - the sun had been moving all that time, and by the time we got back to the waterfall most of the sun was off of it! We measured the falls, then set up the camera and got all set to shoot. We had to wait about ten minutes for the sun to move entirely off of the falls, and then we had our shot.
This waterfall is now officially named "Blow Cave Falls" because the water that feeds it comes directly from Blow Cave - a spring actually.
It was after 9pm before I arrived back at the cabin. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY dear! Both of my ladies were there with open arms waiting to greet me.
3/21/02 I got to sleep in today - at least until 6am - because the sky was clear blue and filled with sunshine. Man, the waterfalls all over the state were running great today still, but I could not do a thing about it because of the sunshine. Of course, I had a PILE of mail and e-mails to deal with, not to mention book order to fill and a ton of other chores waiting for me, so it was probably a good thing we had a break. But I could hear all of those waterfalls out there just calling my name!
Sometime about mid-morning as Pam and I were working up at the office, we both looked out the window and discovered that it was completely OVERCAST outside! What!!! They were calling for clear blue skies for the next three days! I quite literally dropped what I was doing and raced down the hill to the cabin, packed up my camera gear, and sped off, leaving Pam to deal with all of the chores.
I had planned to explore a new batch of waterfalls down hear Horsehead Lake that I had been told about, but along the way I realized that the overcast skies were nothing more than a bit of haze above, and that the sun would probably burn it all off in no time. I made a quick detour on over to the closest waterfalls that I could think of.
I had first hiked down into this part of the Upper Buffalo Wilderness Area way back in 1980. It was right after a 12 inch snowfall, and the place was simply gorgeous. It was my first real backpack trip in really cold weather - I learned a grew up a great deal on that trip. For instance, I did not take a sleeping pad with me, nor cleared off the snow under my tent. By the first hour of "sleep" on night #1 all of that snow had melted and then refroze - I was actually sleeping on a solid bed of ice, with no padding under me at all! I wound up putting my wool sweater under my sleeping bag and managed a bit of sleep (actually not). Anyway, I shot some great scenes on that trip (including my all-time favorite ice formation picture), and got to explore around the Adkins Creek and Buffalo River area.
Later that same year I wrote an article about my experience, including the great beauty that I found, and the terrible conditions that I put myself through because of my own stupidity. I remember writing the article while riding a bus from Arkansas up to Minnesota to pick up my mom and drive her car home. It was a LONG bus ride, but gave me the time to write what would be the very first story that I ever wrote. I'm not sure if I ever finished that bit of writing, and it certainly was never published anywhere - perhaps I will dig it out some day and present it here - with a good bit of editing.
Today would be my first trip back into Adkins Creek since that snowy hike. My friend Taos had sent me the GPS coordinates to this waterfall, so I knew exactly where I was going.
Just about the time I had made my way down the steep hillside opposite the waterfall and could actually look across the creek and see it, a ray of sunshine broke through the clouds and lit up the forest floor - YIKES, I had to get to that waterfall! Only problem was that I still had to negotiate a very tricky and steep hillside, get across a raging river somehow, and then work my way up into this narrow canyon to the falls.
You should have seen me getting down that hillside - every time I would try to take my time and be very careful and precise about where I put my feet, another ray of sunshine would pop through, which would send me hopping and sliding on down the hill! I just HAD to make it over to the falls before the sun came out!
I did manage to get down to the creek, then decided to forgo any thoughts of trying to find a dry crossing, and simply plowed on across the creek, getting my feet soaked in the process.
While standing at the entrance to this little shale canyon you can see THREE waterfalls all lined up one after another. The first one is only 6 or 7 feet tall. The middle one is 17 feet tall and pours into an emerald pool. Up above that one there is a 42' tall falls that enters a hanging canyon of sorts, and into another simply beautiful pool of green - all in all this is one amazing and magical spot, perhaps one of the top two or three most incredible spots in the entire wilderness area.
But that darn sun was popping out more! I scrambled here and there and eventually made my was up to the big falls and got a single photo before the sun came out for good. Whew, what a place!
I made my way back down to the creek, then decided to return to the truck via a different route that would be an easy corridor for others to follow. I went back upstream to a drainage that would take me all the way back up to the top of the ridge to a road near where I had parked.
This other drainage would prove to be a special scenic spot as well, and another tight canyon guarded the entrance, complete with a 27 foot tall waterfall! Even though the sun was out this canyon was positioned so that I was able to get a shot of the falls that will work for the guidebook - only one spot of the falls was lit by the sun. I will call this one Leaning Log Falls because of the big tree that is there. Many waterfalls are clogged with fallen trees, but this had to be the longest tree I ever saw in a waterfall - you can only see perhaps 1/3 of it in this photo.
The hike out was quick and painless, although the bright sunshine reminded me that I was washed up for waterfall pictures today. I was able to get back to the cabin in time to get started with our belated anniversary dinner. We later feasted on grilled tuna and have a wonderful time. I was reminded that on our actual wedding day last March Pam was flat on her back from her serious back injury, and it would be a couple of weeks before we could, well you know, so at least we did a little bit better this year!
After dinner I spent a couple of hours getting the many waterfall pics from this week converted to jpg files and ready to be posted on the journal. It had been one heck of a week!
3/22/02 Man, I got to actually sleep for more than a couple of hours last night - what a concept!!! We were all up and busy long before sunrise, and I have been glued to this keyboard every since. Sunshine and blue skies outside, although I can see somewhat of a cloud bank out there in the distance - hum, I wonder what waterfall I can go chase today??? Oops, I forgot about the ton of work piled up on all of my desks...
It was 18 degrees here this morning - a wee bit chilly for late March. While I have seen a number of serviceberry or "sarvis" trees beginning to pop out this week, and even a tree bud or two, it seems that the forest knew that this cold snap was coming and has not really got a start of spring yet. In a normal year the serviceberry and redbuds are all popped out and looking great, plus tons of wildflowers. Other than the patches down south in Caney Creek I have not seen any batches of wildflowers to speak of - they know! But everything is poised for an explosion of color here in the next couple of weeks - it will certainly be one of the most glorious springtimes ever!!! I just stepped outside and while the Buffalo River is dropping quickly, I could hear dozens of waterfalls out there singing - what a wonderful thing to be.
The sunshine lasted all day, although by mid-afternoon I was itching to get back into the woods and just could not stand to listen to the rivers and the waterfalls out there calling to me. Pam's mom Judy arrived right after the mail, and when I returned to the cabin after getting the mail I announced that I was headed out to chase another waterfall. There were a few clouds forming over to the west, but mostly I was hoping that I could find a waterfall tucked deep enough into the hills that it would be in the shadows of the late afternoon. Now that Judy was here to take care of Amber, Pam was free to go with me, so we hurriedly packed up and sped off.
It didn't take us too long to arrive at the trailhead and start hiking. The temps were in the 40's, but there was no wind so it was actually kind of warm. We wound around several hillsides and through an area where a tornado had passed through several years ago - some giant trees laid down by that one. Within an hour or two we were standing at the top of a really nice waterfall (falls #1).
Pam helped me measure it - 54 feet tall, and very nice. This particular spot is especially scenic, with tall bluffs, lots of waterfalls, and an area that contains one of the most concentrated batches of wild azaleas that I have ever seen.
One of my intentions with this waterfall guidebook is to honor many of the great folks who have fought for protection of trails and wild places in Arkansas by naming a waterfall after them. One of them was Ken Smith, mostly famous for his book BUFFALO RIVER COUNTRY. I decided to name this waterfalls after him, and the one below it that we would visit in a little while (they would be Upper Smith Falls and Lower Smith Falls).
We could not get down to the bottom of this first falls easily, so we worked our way around the bluffline and came to another waterfall (falls #2). We measured it - 24 feet tall - then continued our hike around the bluffline, finally finding a way down through it and to the bottom of falls #2. We shot a picture, then measured another waterfall that was just below this one (falls #3 - 33 feet tall) - we would come back to photograph it later.
Our next goal was to get to the bottom of falls #1 to take the picture. But in order to get to that spot we would have to do a bit of very difficult and dangerous scrambling, climbing, and hanging on for dear life. Thank goodness my lovely wife is a rock climber!
The route on over to the base of the waterfall is via the base of one of the most incredible bluffs that I have ever laid eyes on. I have photographed in this area before, but have never even attempted to capture the great beauty of this bluff. After we got past one of the really "breathtaking" parts (we had to hold our breaths hoping to get through it alive), we landed at the base of that bluff. Besides being covered with this brilliant green lichen, there was a large beech tree clinging to the hillside and growing way on up the bluff. Pam exclaimed "I LOVE that tree!" I'm not sure if she really liked the tree or was just so glad to have made it across the bad spot!
As we were making our way around the base of this wonderful bluff, we saw the tallest waterfall in the area just down below us - it was really one incredible sight! That would be Lower Smith Falls, waterfall #4, and we would try to figure out how to get down to it later (are you confused yet?).
We finally made it to the base of falls #1, and I set the camera gear up. This spot was covered with hundreds of very sharp rocks that had fallen from the bluff-roof above. It was all a jumbled mess, as is often the case under these bluff overhangs. I did not realize it at the time, but I had set one of the tripod legs up on a rock that was actually a teter-toter. As I moved up to the camera to set the controls for Pam to take the picture, I stepped on the back end of that rock, which instantly flipped the tripod and camera up into the air and sent it tumbling down the steep embankment. Oops!
Knowing that I would need a bit of extra help on this one, I reached over and crossed Pam's fingers, then made my way down to my poor camera. Much to my surprise and delight it STILL WORKED! This darn little camera seems indestructible.
Besides getting to spend time with her in the woods, which I absolutely love to do, having Pam with me was a giant help, and I was able to put myself in the scenes for scale and have her take the pictures - I did not have to run across those sharp rocks while the self-timer was yelling at me to hurry up.
Next we headed on down to the big waterfall (#4), and measured it at 71 feet total drop. It actually is a two-part waterfall, with the very top being 27 feet, but the view of it is of the combined drop so that is the way it will be listed. We had to perch in a tricky place in order to make the measurement, but that was just the beginning - now we had to get to the bottom of the falls!
I had remembered doing this very same route in reverse once many years ago, so I knew we could do it, but I just had to find the right spot. About ten minutes later, and after a number of extremely tense moments on the side of the hill, we both made it to the bottom of the falls. One of the things that made all of this so tough was the fact that we always had these giant bluffs towering over us, and I for one had to stop and look up at them from time to time just to admire the view. It really is a wonderful place. But dangerous to get around in.
Parts of these hillsides were so steep that the only way we could get down them was to "glissade" on down. I have no idea if that is how you spell it, but that is what it sounds like to me. What you do is squat down and put all of your weight on your boots, then just let gravity take you on down the hill - works a lot better on snow, but it was actually a lot of fun on this loose shale bits that we had to deal with today. One of the hardest things to do with this is allowing yourself to let go of the control and turn it over to gravity - the key is keeping your balance, and not falling back on your backside. I do believe that I heard a laugh and perhaps even a giggle or two out of my hiking companion. Of course, there were also quite a few looks of sheer terror!
Once we got to the bottom of the creek we had to scramble up the other side, which was just as steep as what we had just come down. I went up first, and I heard a lot more laughter coming from Pam as I TRIED to work my way up the slope. At one point my feet were working overtime, but I was not making any headway - my feet were simply digging away at the hillside but not producing any upward movement. In fact I think I slid down a feet now and then. But eventually I made it up to a perch where I could get a good shot of the falls. Pam wisely decided to take a different route, and soon joined me there, and we got the picture.
OK, that left one of the four waterfalls left to shoot, so we began our climb back out a different way on back up to that one (#3). Oh yea, one thing that I have not mentioned is the lighting. All of this canyon was either facing away from the setting sun, or was deep enough in the hillside where the sun was not hitting any of the water - that allowed me to take the pictures just fine.
Before we could get back to falls #3, we had to pass through a crack in this giant boulder that was sitting on the hillside. One side of the crack was covered with a thick bed of moss. Just another one of the many neat things in this little scenic area.
We finally reached a point where we could look up into the area where waterfall #3 was and had a gorgeous view of not only it but also waterfall #2 just above it, as well as several other smaller ones and the cascading creek below - all of that was right there in front of us. Just beautiful. The canyon was filled with so many trees that there was no way to get a photo of it - one of those scenes that only our mind can capture, so we could only stand there and admire.
I told Pam that I was going to make my way on UP the hillside and come over to a vantage point about half-way up the waterfall. She did not like the idea of going UPhill more, so elected to follow the stream on up to the base of the waterfall. "I'll take the high road and you take the low road..." I arrived at my spot and had the camera all set up and ready for her by the time she finally reached me - that low route was mighty SLICK!
Just as we shot the final pictures here, we noted that the sun has gone off of all the hills around us and in the distance - hum, it was after 6pm now and the sun had set. No problem - I love to hike in twilight.
We quickly packed the camera gear up and headed out. The hiking was not too bad, and it was actually a very nice hike out. Not only did we have the beautiful forest changing tones all around us, but the sky ahead was red and orange and pink and purple. And the best part for me was the fact that I was able to slow down my pace just a little bit and have a delightful conversation with my wife as we hiked along. I normally hike at rapid speed and am always trying to get someplace in a big hurry. But today I just wanted to enjoy being with Pam, which was the highlight of my day.
By the time we reached the truck it was nearly pitch black. And as we got to the end there was a ghost of sorts out there in the forest. At first I thought it was a serviceberry tree that had popped out, but it turned out to be a young beech tree, still covered with the golden leaves of last year. I had to stop and take a picture, even though it was so dark. This little tree positively glowed out there in the darkness. I was glowing too.
3/23/02 Sometime around 3 or 4 this morning I woke up and began to toss around in bed. We had no plans to chase waterfalls this morning because it was going to be so bright and sunny. But that didn't stop me from thinking about it. After a couple hours of that I finally got up and hiked up to the office. If I could not chase waterfalls this morning at least I could write about them.
I had a bit of a scare on my short hike up to the office. Something rushed past me - ran right between my legs. I could just barely see because it was still mostly dark, but it was one of the cats, and she was following me up the trail! I've never seen such trail cats before!
So Aspen, Tiger and I have spent the last couple of hours up in the office - me typing away, tiger exploring for mice, and Aspen asleep in his leather chair. Yep, life seems all in order here.
We have had a nice lazy day at the cabin so far, and just got back from a hike around the loop to hunt for wildflowers, Amber in the lead. Didn't take us long to find a big mess of trout lilies - and they were giants, some more than two inches across.
Once we finished inspecting several dozen of the flowers, Amber decided to read up on flower identification so she took up a resting spot on top of her favorite rock. The warm afternoon sunshine felt great, although I think it was getting in her eyes a bit.
Lunch is on the stove, and the sun is dipping down just a little bit in the western sky. Hum, I hear another waterfall calling, and will fire up the truck and head out again soon. This time I plan to go explore a place I have never been to before to see what I can find.
I knew there were some great waterfalls in this area, and have three that will be included in the guidebook already. But the area is so large, I knew there just had to be others. I struck out down an old logging road until I came to the bottom of a huge sandstone bluff. When you are hunting for waterfalls in a unknown area, you want to search out all of the stream courses and all of the blufflines. Of course, where the two meet will be the most likely spot for waterfalls, but there will also be some good ones along the bluffline where a side creek comes in, or down on the main stream where it pours over a ledge. If you don't know the area firsthand, or been told by someone else, you simply have to get out there and bushwhack around. Often you will go many miles and perhaps several trips without finding something really good. But if you have done your homework and work those routes well, AND are really lucky, you will find some great waterfalls!
I followed this big bluff all the way over to where one of the main prongs of the creek went through it. I had fully expected to find a really nice waterfall there, but was a bit disappointed when all I found was the stream dancing back and forth as it crashed down through several giant boulders. No great falls there, but it was a very nice spot just the same.
I dug out the GPS and studied the map of the area, then decided to strike off across a long ridgetop and drop down into another prong of the main creek. As I hiked along I came across another stream that was headed right to the big bluff. I scurried on down to the edge, but once again did not find a thundering waterfall like I had expected. The water just sort of disappeared into the rocks.
My next trip down to the bluffline was a bit more satisfying, and I found a 27 foot tall falls that was running pretty good. There was a large overhand underneath, and it looked like a number of folks had used it as a sleeping quarters over the years - they had several small rock walls piles up, plus flat rocks laid out on the floor to walk on.
I returned to the top of the bluffline and followed it still further up into the headwaters. My goal was to get to the spot where the main creek passed through the big bluffline - there should be a large waterfall there. But before I reached that point, I veered off once again to follow a smaller stream over to the edge. Another dud. Lots of nice moss on this one, but not much of a waterfall.
The main branch split off into two segments, and before long I had reached the edge of the one to the right. The big bluff had broken completely down, and so my hopes for a big waterfall were dashed. But I saw just a flash of GREEN out of the corner of my eye, and then a streak of white. Hum, could that be a waterfall?
I dropped on down to a wonderful little ten-foot tall falls that spanned the creek and dropped into this gorgeous pool of green. The sun was just barely out and made the water shimmer and dance. The area just above the falls was clogged with several large beech trees that had fallen over during the big ice storm back in December, but the area just downstream was clear and open. I sat down on the rock ledge on one side and took in the view.
After a few quick pictures, I was anxious to hike on over to the other main branch of the stream at the same level as this little falls and see what was there. Another miss this time - what was left of the bluff had broken down into a series of short ledges, and not really much whitewater at all. Bummer.
I turned around and started to make my way on down the stream. There was another small falls right were the two branches came together, and the stream itself was really nice, but no thundering waterfalls.
The steep sides of the forest around began to close in, and before long I was half-way up one of those sides, holding on for dear life. I wanted to be up that high so that I could see both the creek below, and the bluffline above, still in hopes of finding that elusive terrific waterfall.
The sun had dropped below the ridge and the valley floor was mostly in shadow now. I began to drift higher and higher on the hillside, thinking I might check out one last drainage along that bluffline before I turned away and headed back to the truck. Just then something made me retreat and move on over and step up onto a large boulder that was sitting there on the hillside. When I did I was rewarded with an incredible sight of paradise - the creek bottom had opened up and created a lovely emerald pool of water perhaps 50-60 feet in diameter, and pouring over a 30 foot ledge on the upper end was a beautiful waterfall. That was it - that was what I had come hunting for!
I hurried on down the steep slope and measured the height at 32 feet. No way I could get myself in this picture for scale, but it looked like I could get on down one of the hillsides to the bottom to get a good picture anyway. Although that took a bit of slipping and sliding.
There was still more of this wondrous wilderness to explore, but the day was about gone so I decided to leave the canyon behind and head back towards the truck. Much to my great surprise I found a giant flat up on top of the ridge between this canyon and my truck. And there was an old log road that ran right on down the middle of it for me to follow. I was back to the truck in no time - what an easy hike out! Of course, getting UP to that flat on top was not an easy chore, but then getting around in a rugged wilderness like this one is seldom easy, and surviving it all is half the fun.
So there you have it, a small glimpse of how I go about hunting for waterfalls. I had more disappointments than I did great finds today, although even the duds were nice, and I enjoyed every minute of my trip. And I discovered a great new waterfall!
When I got home I found a big bowl of spaghetti waiting for me, and a cabin filled with ladies - what more could a guy ask for!
It is much later now, and the wind is howling outside. I'm not sure if it is blowing something in, or just trying to spit out the last remains of winter. I hope there is moisture in its voice - at last count I still had twenty-something waterfalls to visit.
3/25/02 (NOTE: I have been out of pocket and on the run all week with no time to write anything here. I will try to make a quick wrap-up from a day or two, the rest being probably uninteresting to you all. And YES, I will include more waterfall photos - so many of you have been screaming to see MORE!)
2am. I was awake and listening to the wind and thunder and rain. 3am I was awake and listening to the wind and thunder and rain. 4am. I could not stand it any longer, and got up and packed the truck and headed out. The radar indicated we would get more rain over on the western side of the state, so that is where I went.
The more I drove the more I realized that we had already gotten a ton of rain overnight, and the creeks were high and even flooding. It rained hard as I drove. My first stop was at Artist Point, a main scenic stop on the old Highway 71 that has a terrific view out into the Boston Mountains, especially at sunrise. There is also a hiking trail there, one that drops on down the steep hillside to a series of waterfalls.
By the time I had reached the falls I was already soaked to the bone from the rain, but managed to shoot several images of the falls and cascades there - some really nice waterfalls. The hike to them is short, but kind of steep.
Before long I was out of there and parked along a forest road near the Hurricane Creek that dumps into Shores Lake. Bill Herring had told me about a neat "grotto" waterfall upstream and up a side drainage, and I had my radar locked in. The river was flooded and running muddy - it was a prime waterfall day for sure, and I was excited!
It took me a lot longer to reach the side drainage than I had expected, and even longer once I turned up into it to come to any sort of waterfall area. The rain continued.
I did find a neat falls that was in a side drainage of the side drainage, and got a quick photo of it. There was a much taller one just upstream, and I was in a hurry to get up to it.
This second falls was really nice, with a big overhang. I set up my gear and got prepared to run and get into the picture. I shot a couple of quick shots, and then all of a sudden the sky got real dark, and it began to pour, HEAVY! I was able to keep my gear dry under the overhang, for a while at least. I waited out the storm under there, but got increasingly chilled since I did not have much on other than shorts and rain gear.
I got to thinking about all of that rain, and wondered how many gallons an inch of rain was that covered a square mile. The key is figuring out how many cubic inches of water there is in a gallon. (Later in the week I posed this question to Scott Crook who owns the Pack Rat and is a mathematical wiz - both he and one of his bright employees worked on the problem using two different calculators and came up with an answer - it was fun to watch them work!) If you have an answer to this question I would love to hear it.
I finally decided that it was going to continue to rain, and since I had many places to go, I suited up and headed on out from my dry refuge. Within a few minutes the rains let up and the sky got lighter. I pressed on.
Following along the upper a bluffline I found another nice waterfall, which was even taller than the previous one. But it appeared to only run during very high water, like today, so I decided to skip it.
Just upstream a little further I FINALLY came to the object of my search - a very nice thundering waterfall in a grotto of sorts - a beautiful spot indeed!
Something just didn't feel right, and while I wasn't sure what was going on, I've been doing this long enough to know that I needed to get my fanny in gear and get a picture taken while I had the opportunity.
I found a good spot and got everything set up. Only problem was that the waterfall was running so much that it kicked up a great deal of spray, and the front of the camera lens was being constantly misted. Digging through my camera bag I found only ONE piece of lens tissue. That would have to do. I wiped the polarizing filter clean and ran off to get into the picture.
That one picture would turn out to be the only one I would get of this waterfall. While I was sprinting back to the camera, the last thing that I expected to happened did - the SUN came out!!! You just cannot imagine how demoralizing that was. There I was, at this incredible waterfall spot, with high water all around and the entire day before me to shoot waterfalls, and boom, sunshine, which shut me down in an instant.
I stood around for awhile thinking the heavy cloud cover would return, but nothing happened. Oh well, I thought, I did get one good picture, so what the heck. I packed up my gear and began to make my way around to the top of the waterfall to get a measurement.
It was extremely difficult going up there, and time after time I slipped and slid and went nowhere. Several times I had to use an emergency tree to stop me from going over the edge. One little technique that I have picked up from doing so much of this steep-country bushwhacking on slippery slopes is to always try to have a tree or rock of some sort below me just in case I do slip and begin to slide towards the edge. Sometimes those trees are few and far between - that is when you hold your breath!
Once I got out of danger I tried to work my way down to the creek that was feeding the waterfall, and I don't know, but for some reason I was just having a terrible time getting anyplace, and it seemed like every time I slid I rammed into something and tore open a new hole in my rain pants, and also my legs. (Later on in the week, I counted more than 75 scratches, rips, gouges, and misc. fresh scars on my legs - it has been a FUN couple of week of waterfall chasing!)
By the time I reached the bottom of the canyon, I was beat up, soaked to the bone, tired, and just plain not having a good time. Quite frankly at one point I was about ready to give up, or at least take a few days off from this hunt - my body and mind had been battered and shaken and were weary. My spirits had reached a low point. But I still had a great deal of work to do today, so I tried to focus on the job at hand instead of the thought of the tough bushwhack hike back out to the truck.
I was rather stunned at how tall this waterfall was - or at how SHORT it was! Only 36 feet, just a few feet taller than the previous waterfall. I was expecting it to be over 50 feet. That just goes to show you how the "appearance" of a waterfall really has little to do with the actual height, and that most people cannot estimate the height of a waterfall, often not even close.
Behind me there was not one, two, or even three more waterfalls in sight, but FIVE or six! All of them thundering and foaming and looking just wonderful. I simply did not have the strength nor desire to photograph them, so I decided to turn around and head back to the truck. Oh yea, just about the time I reached the top of that big waterfall, dark clouds moved in again - that was great, but I just didn't feel like getting out the camera. Besides, that big falls was the main attraction, and I had one good image of that.
After studying the GPS screen (and the topo map it showed), I opted to take a different route back to the truck - one that I knew would be a lot steeper, but shorter, and I needed to sit down and get out of the rain (it started to rain again, which was great!).
My route took me UP to the very top of the drainage, passing a couple more small but scenic waterfalls. Once I got up there I was actually right next to the forest road, but I knew it would be a two-mile hike back to the truck along that road, and while it would be easy and all downhill, I did not like the idea of walking on a road. Road walking can beat you up faster than just about anything. I walked half-way across the United States back in 1980-81, and much of that was on backroads, and I think my feet still hurt from that trip. No, I would not walk the road today, but instead make a beeline down the hillside and through the woods for the truck.
The going was tough, and I had to wade through a really bad stretch of briars, which further shredded my legs. But beyond that I dropped down into a little drainage that didn't even show up on the map. This drainage would prove to be a life saver for me, would make my spirits soar, and take me out of my self-imposed funk.
There was not a single waterfall in this little drainage, but there were many sights to delight the eye. It was a canyon of sorts, barely ten feet wide at the base. It's steep walls twisted and turned back and forth sharply. The going was really easy most of the time, with the soft earth underfoot providing a nice path. Once in a while the canyon would be blocked with a large boulder or two - always moss covered and rounded. And wildflowers and ferns covered those steep walls. Something about this little canyon made me smile, and life was good once again. And best of all, it led me just about all the way back to my truck.
That blast of fresh air pushed me on to the next stop, which was actually an unexpected one. I had always wanted to go back into Spirits Creek and photograph two waterfalls in a side drainage there, but the water levels were low when Pam and I were there a month or two ago, and I had not wanted to take the time to hike the couple of miles in and then back out again since. But today I realized that the falls were really pretty close to the forest road I was on, and with hardly any elevation gain. So I pulled over and parked, put on my rain gear set #2, and headed off.
It was an easy stroll on over to the waterfalls, and I had the pictures in the bag in no time. It continued to rain, but there were periods when it stopped for a few minutes to allow me to take the picture. Although I had to use an umbrella over the camera anyway, which I did at every stop today.
When I first discovered these two waterfalls I was with Bob and Dawna Robinson. I think we were down in there looking at some possible trail relocations for the Ozark Highlands Trail. It was a beautiful spring day in April, and the wildflowers were simply going wild. Right in the middle of our hike, the sky darkened, and it opened up with a downpour of the likes I have seldom seen. Neither Bob nor I had any rain gear at all - just our shorts and t-shirts. Of course, the smart one in the bunch had full rain gear, and she just smiled and looked over at us. Anyway, we stumbled on these waterfalls quite by accident, and they were looking fine. As I hiked out from taking their pictures today I decided to name them after Bob and Dawna, two folks who have done such a great deal for the Ozark Highlands Trail over the years, and for hiking in general in Arkansas. Robinson Falls will be a great name, and one for each - one falls is up above the other. I'm not sure if Bob should be on top though - I will have to ask them which position they prefer!
It was a quick trip back to the truck, and before long I was parked and all ready to hike into another waterfall along the Ozark Highlands Trail. This one would have historical significance as well as being a beauty. But while I changed clothes in the truck it really began to pour big time, and I decided to sit back and wait it out, at least until the drops got a little bit smaller.
Within minutes my third set of rain gear was soaked inside and out, but no matter, because I was standing next to an extremely rich and vibrant scene, and I could hardly believe my eyes. It was a waterfall, but not the one I was after, nor one that I will include in the guidebook. I had been to this spot before, but not when it was so BEAUTIFUL! This little creek tumbles out of the steep hillside above, then pours over a four or five foot ledge before continuing on its way. There are thousands of similar spots in the Ozarks. But what makes this one so special is the fact that every single stone in the creek, and the trees that grow nearby, are COVERED with bright green moss! There is one boulder about three feet in diameter right at the top of the little falls and it too was completely green. It was just, well, simply gorgeous. It would make a wonderful photo in full color, but all of that brilliant green would be lost in the black and white of the guidebook. I pressed on.
Just about the time I arrived at the big waterfall, the sky darkened once again and it looked like another downpour was on the way. I hurried on down the steep slope to the base of the waterfall, set up the camera, and got my shot. And none too soon, as the downpour began and man it really came a gushing this time!
All around me the hillside was covered with trout lilies, although none of them were in bloom. Man in a week or two it would really be a spectacular place.
This was also a neat historical spot, as it was the sight of a towering log train trestle nearly 100 years ago. This Train Trestle Falls is located along the Combs-Cass Spur of a little railroad that was built way back when to collect the big trees that were being cut from the surrounding forest. The tracks have long since been taken up, and there are very large trees growing right in the middle of where the tracks used to run - trees will ALWAYS win I think!
At the base of the trestle there are still concrete foundations, plus a ton of steel bolts that used to hold the timbers of the trestle together. I think this particular trestle was burned many years ago for safety reasons - the timbers were rotting and the forest service did not want people climbing all over it and getting hurt. I remember as a kid hiking this old railroad route and seeing part of the trestle - that was back in the early 1960's. The Ozark Highlands Trail runs along several miles of the route now, and right past this beautiful waterfall.
Rain, rain, come on down - I was soaked and got my picture and didn't care! The hike out was easy, although I did not like to pass that beautiful GREEN oasis twice in one day without taking a single picture, but I pressed on.
After a GIANT sandwich from Turner's Bend store, I drove on up and parked near the Spy Rock loop trail, put on wet rain gear, and hiked on over to the last waterfall of the day. It was still raining, and the falls were running pretty good. I got my picture, measured it, then hiked back to the truck.
It was well after dark by the time I got back home, and really late once I downloaded all my images and GPS info to the computer, did a load of laundry, and answered the pile of e-mails that were waiting for me.
It had been a great day of waterfalls, although I kind of wish I had known the rain would have been so heavy because there were so many other waterfalls that I need to get pictures of, and that need heavy rainfall like that. I think we ended up getting four or five inches of rain today - they were only predicting a half inch or less. Oops.
3/26/02 Waterfalls would still be running full tilt today, but a couple of things kept me from being out shooting. First, the temp was way below freezing, and it was snowing outside at first light. And secondly, I had domestic chores to do today - we had a PTA fund-raiser at school in Jasper tonight and I had a few things to take care of for it, including going to Berryville to get all of the chicken and a big propane cooker that Tyson had donated to the cause (family will always come first with me). But that didn't keep my mind from working overtime, and I didn't get much sleep.
By 3am I had had enough and decided to hike up to the office and try to get some work done. It was light enough outside that I did not need a flashlight, but it was dim. Crunch, crunch, crunch. The leaves were frozen, and I made a lot of noise. About half way up to the office I was startled when something soft and fluffy shot through between my legs - one of the darn cats had followed me up to the office!
It would be nearly 5pm before I had an hour free, and knowing there were all of those waterfalls out there just waiting to be shot, I could not resist any longer and headed out into the forest to see what I could find.
And the waterfall that I did get to turned out to be really nice. It is 43 feet tall, and right next to a main road along the Buffalo River Trail. After getting the photo and measuring it, I thought about the guy from the National Park Service who had done so much to build hiking trails in the park - Jim Liles. He certainly was a breath of fresh air in this park who we have been doing battle with for the past several years over construction of the Ozark Highlands Trail (they flat out stopped the construction several years ago, and have not allowed us to do anything since - it is now being "studied" to see if they will ever approve it - a huge waste of your tax dollars). Anyway, Jim is a great guy (now retired) and so I decided to name this beautiful waterfall after him, especially since it is just a few feet away from one of the trails that he built!
The fund raiser later that night at the school went great, and we raised a good bit of money for the PTA. Pam is their treasurer, and has been able to devote a great deal of time to the cause despite having at least two full-time jobs at Cloudland.
Something happened after the activities tonight that I would like to share with you. My child Amber is an extremely intelligent and bright kid (she gets that from Pam). Her teacher at school this year has been a pure joy, and we all wish she could remain Amber's teacher for the next ten years (Sandra Farmer, who grew up in Boxley). But the school year will be over soon, and Amber will move up to the next grade. Amber has had her eye on this one particular teacher, and in fact really looks up to him and really wants him for her next teacher. I think that is great when a kid cares about their own education so much. Anyway, as she and Pam were getting into the truck at school after the PTA function Amber looked up at Pam and said "I don't want HIM as my teacher anymore." Wow, what a 180 degree turn! Pam asked why, and Amber replied "he is right over there in the parking lot smoking." I was sort of stunned, no pissed, to discover that teachers were allowed to - or at least thought so little of their students - to smoke on school property and right in front of their students.
But what a bright moment in Amber's life - this child of nine is already smarter than a teacher that she used to look up to. I was very proud of her.
(One other note about Amber - later in the week she got three awards at a school ceremony - Honor Roll, Perfect Attendance, and TERRIFIC KID for her entire class!)
3/27/02 It was another sleepless night, this time aided by the near-full moon illuminating the cloudbank that spread out in the canyons below the cabin. Every time I would roll over I had to look out the window and take in this marvelous scene.
By 4am I was back up at the office working, and an hour later was driving off to yet another waterfall location. The sun would be out today, and I had more PTA chores to do, but I wanted to squeeze in one waterfall.
Before long I was standing on top of one of the most beautiful blufflines in all of Arkansas - Home Valley Bluff. I knew of the waterfalls there, but had never been down below the massive bluff to take a good look at them.
The first falls comes out of a slot canyon high above. It is a tall waterfall, but lives in a tight spot along the bluffline and I could not get a good angle for a shot with my camera. I took a few snapshots, and vowed to return later with a new digital camera I was about to order that had a wider-angle lens. Below me this falls took another leap - the bluffline there was actually split in two, with the lower drop being about half of what the upper one was. I'm going to call this falls Tea Table Falls because of the famous rock formation up on top of the bluff near here.
My route in the middle of the two bluffs ran out and I had to backtrack in order to continue along the bluffline.
The second waterfall that I came to was a straight pouroff over the ledge, and it was a might fine one at that. Once again I was not able to get a good angle with the camera that I had, so I put it on my list to come back to.
The real prize today was not the waterfalls, but the Latin (?) inscription nearby that had been etched into a boulder tucked back into one of the main overhangs of this big bluff. I had always heard about this inscription, but never visited it before.
The overhang was a really neat place, complete with a little spring in the back than ran right on past the inscription. I'm not sure if anyone has ever done a study to verify if this inscription was made by the early explorers of the area, or merely Latin (?) words carved in by a late adventurer. No matter - they have a bit of historical significance anyway, and I was glad to finally have seen them.
Further along the bluffline I came to a third waterfall, and one that I was able to get a photo of. Its probably the most scenic of the three to my eye, at least photographically. I was not able to measure any of these waterfalls today, but will do so on my return trip.
The cloud bank that had been sitting in the huge Home Valley below me was beginning to rise up as the sun warmed it all. Within minutes I was engulfed in this thick fog as I made my way back along the base of the bluffline. It was all sort of spooky, and very scenic - giant chunks of the bluff that had fallen off long ago actually disappeared up into the fog, as did the giant trees growing at the base of the bluff.
As I stood there admiring the eerie view, a red tailed hawk screamed a cry that echoed on and on. A few seconds later he came into view - looked like he was suspended up there in the fog, and he moved slowly in my direction. It was like life was happening in slow motion. He drifted right on overhead and let out another terrific scream, which sent a chill down my spine. And he looked right down at me. Then he dipped his wings a time or two and reversed direction, and drifted on out of sight up ahead. I guess he was just stopped by to say hello, or to make sure that I could find my way out!
Oh yea, one funny story from a day or two that reflects the power of fate. I had gone back to measure one neat waterfall in the upper portion of Indian Creek in the Buffalo River park - 43 feet tall, and it is a beauty. As I was standing there admiring the view, I decided that this waterfall had to be named after one great gentleman that did a great deal to insure that Buffalo National Park became a reality, and in fact led the legislative part of it all through congress - our longtime but now retired congressman from this district John Paul Hammerschmidt of Harrison. It would be a fitting tribute to him, and one that many folks could get to easily because it is very close to the highway. Well, son of a gun, as I was coming out of the post office in Harrison later that very same day, who was parked right next to me but good old JPH himself. He has many buildings, a highway, and no telling what all else named after him, but this is probably the first waterfall or other natural feature that will now bear his name.
3/29/02 We spent much of today at Bedfords Camera & Video in Ft. Smith buying two new cameras. One of them is a digital point-and-shoot that I will be shooting the rest of the waterfall book with (a Minolta Diamage 7, 5 megapixel). My old trusty Olympus 3030 is still doing just fine, but I have found that the 32mm lens on it is just simply not wide enough for some shots. The new Minolta has a 28mm lens, which is wide enough to cover the rest of the waterfalls (I hope).
The other camera is a digital one too, but this one a video camera, a Canon GL-1. It is capable of shooting broadcast-quality video, but it is also small and light and easy enough to use for everyday stuff too (like Amber's events at school). I just could not face going into another prime springtime in Arkansas without a good video camera. Eventually I will gravitate more towards video, and will produce scenic videos of Arkansas (and DVD's too).
Once we escaped the big city, we made our way back into the national forest. I had gotten word that the forest service had flagged out a new road and timber harvest area that was right next to one of the neat scenic spots along the Ozark Highlands Trail - Slot Rock. This is a very unique spot, and while the forest service has every right to cut all of the trees around it, it would certainly be in poor taste if the report was correct.
We were able to drive pretty close to Slot Rock, and sure enough, the forest service had a bunch of giant pine trees and others very near the creek and within 100 yards of Slot Rock marked for cutting. Boy, that was really too bad, and I was a bit surprised that they would do such a stupid thing. The national forest is here to produce things such as timber, so cutting down the big pine trees is no big deal, but doing so without regard to this scenic spot is really in poor taste. And these very same forest service folks can't believe it and whine about the fact that the public has a negative opinion of them. Heck, they could have moved their timber cut just a little bit and missed the entire area. Even if they had deleted that spot altogether it would only have cost the United States government a couple hundred dollars in lost revenue.
But Slot Rock itself was a joy to visit once again. This is a very small spot, perhaps only 100 feet square, but I know of no other spot like it in Arkansas. The creek has eaten down into a slab of rock, creating a "slot" in the rock layer. Then the creek spills into a deep pool of water. The waterfall there is not very tall - only about six or eight feet if that, but the pool of water is eight feet deep or more, and almost completely surrounded by the smooth-rock layer above. One of the three or four BEST swimming holes I know of anyplace!
As long as we were in the area, I wanted to measure one waterfall that I already had a photo of, but not a height. We followed Lick Creek upstream and then broke off and bushwhacked up into a side valley until we came to two waterfalls. I sent Pam on over to the base of the really tall one while I made my way up through the bluffline above it, passing a third and really nice waterfall along the way. I also found a couple of other smaller waterfalls up there - this is a secluded and very nice little waterfall canyon, and is typical of many that will be included in the waterfall guidebook.
It was great to have Pam along on this trip, and she was a big help making sure the tape was in the proper location. The height was 69 feet 8 inches. I had wanted to name the falls "Pam's 69" but that got voted out immediately by my partner.
As was the case the last time that I had visited this waterfall, the sun was setting when I was leaving, and the view to the west was really nice. I decided to name the waterfall Sunset Falls because of this. The official height will be 70 feet.
When I got over to the bluffline and was trying to find my way down through it, Pam radioed up to me that she had come on around and was down there somewhere waiting for me - "I am right in between two trees so you shouldn't have any trouble finding me." Ha, ha. I'm afraid that my twisted sense of humor is rubbing off on this lady!
We had a delightful hike out, which included getting to wade in the creek several times. The water was warm and felt great - so did the evening breezes. We were bothered though by swarms of pesky no-see-ums. I have a feeling that since we still did not have much of a cold winter, that the bugs will be thick in Arkansas this summer.
3/30/02 I spent much of the night up at the computer and in front of the TV screen once again looking at weather maps. Looked like it had been raining down in the Ouachitas much of the night, and would continue so for the next day or so. "Come on honey, we're going to case some waterfalls!" I'm sure Pam was thrilled.
We drove through rain most of the way, which I was delighted to see. We took a bit of a detour and went up to Petit Jean State Park to photograph the big Cedar Falls there. We were surprised to see so many folks out on the trail in what was surely miserable weather to them (I LOVED it!).
The falls was running just perfect, and I got a great shot of Pam back underneath it. The spray got her rather wet though, and I'm sure it was cold standing there in the chilled air with only shorts and a light shirt on. She is turning into a pretty tough little hiker.
I am a bit at odds with the state park about the height of this waterfall. They tell me that it is 95 feet tall, making it the 4th tallest in Arkansas. However, they also tell me that the falls has never been measured - that 95 feet is only a guess. It certainly is one of the most beautiful and powerful of all the waterfalls in Arkansas, but it did not look 95 feet tall to me. People are not allowed up around the top of the falls, so I was not able to measure it on this trip. But I am going to do my best to convince them to let our crack team of waterfall measuring experts have a go of it.
There were a couple of other nice waterfalls along this same trail, but it looked like the park did not want folks getting too close to them, so we did not photograph them. I will mention them in the guidebook with their locations placed on the map.
We went over to check on another waterfall that is one of the three most photographed waterfalls in the state. One of the reasons for that is because it is right next to the highway, and access is very easy, even in the wintertime when the snows are deep. You see pictures of this waterfall all the time in parks and tourism ads. I have never photographed it before, so was anxious to finally get to do so. I was really disappointed when we got to it to find that it is not natural at all, but rather a spillway for a small lake there. I will make note of it in the guidebook too, but won't include a picture since it is man-made.
Our next stop was to a little two-tier waterfall along Brown Creek just east of the famous Flatside Pinnacle. This wasn't an impressive falls, but the easy stroll over to it was lined with thousands of wildflowers in bloom, and the falls themselves were nice, but on a very small scale. This one may make it into the book just because there are so few waterfalls in the Ouachitas, and it is near Little Rock and so easy to get to. I kept calling it the "kiddy" falls because it would be a great one to take a little kid to.
Next we pulled into the parking spot at the base of Forked Mountain on the far end of the Flatside Wilderness Area. I had been told about a third waterfall in that area and wanted to go take a look. We were kind of surprised to find that even though it had been raining for nearly 24 hours down there, the streams were very low. It took us a bit of bushwhacking through ice damaged trees to reach this falls. It wasn't very tall either - actually only about six or seven feet - but the ledge that it spills over is quite unique. It is a solid block of stone turned on edge. I was thinking about naming this waterfall after a guy who presents himself as a big defender of wilderness (although I have not really ever known him to actually do anything except whine and complain), and who is actually against the construction of the Ozark Highlands Trail, Kirk Wasson. I was going to call it "Blockhead Falls," but probably won't. In fact, it really is too small of a waterfall to include in the guidebook, although I will mention it in the text and mark it on the map.
Our final stop for the day took us high up nearly to Ouachita Pinnacle up on Big Blue Mountain to the very headwaters of Blocker Creek (one of several named that in the Ouachitas). It was getting dark, and was still raining, but it didn't take me long to find this surprisingly nice waterfall tucked into a steep ravine that I had been told about. It measured out at 18 feet, including all of the drops, and was running nice even though the water levels were really quite low - that is due to the fact that it is fed by a spring upstream. The only problem with this particular waterfall is that the immediate area around was devastated by the ice storm a couple of years ago, and there are a number of large trees blocking the view. It would probably take someone a couple of hours to cut all of them up, otherwise it may be ten years before they rot away.
The rains got heavier as we drove further south to a much-needed hotel room in Glenwood. All of our rain gear was soaked, as were all four pair of boots. Luckily we brought along two pairs of electric boot driers, so at least we would each have a dry pair in the morning.
3/31/02 It had rained hard and thundered most of the night, and was still coming down pretty good when we headed out well before daylight today. We returned to the falls on Crooked Creek and found it flowing nicely, but not muddy. That falls is one of the best that you can drive right up next to and practically see from the car. Poor Pam - I had her out there in the driving rain and cold temps in her shorts and thin shirt. That would turn out to be the easiest job she had all day.
The Little Missouri River was up and running too when we stopped there for another picture. I hiked on downstream on the near side of the creek while Pam attempted to cross the river to get to the other side. I had told her over the radio that the water was probably only "knee deep" - oops, I really messed up on that one! She ended up wading through waist-deep water, and very cold water at that. "You are going to owe me BIG time" came the reply over the radio after she had made it safely across.
I had problems of my own. The best spot for an overall shot of the falls area was part way up this giant boulder that was on my side of the creek. The rock itself was quite slick, and there weren't many good hand or foot holds for me to latch onto. But I made it up onto this little platform that stuck out over the river. I was clinging on for dear life, trying to hold an umbrella to shield the camera from the rains, also clutching the tripod to keep from it sliding off into the water, and all the while trying to figure out how to use my brand new camera.
As Pam was making her way down the far side of the creek bank we communicated via our little radios that have become a major tool for us. She stripped off her rain gear once again and I had her move on out on top of some slick rocks in the middle of the raging rapids. After the first couple of steps I saw something black fall from her pocket and disappear into the deep water below. Oops. I think that was her RADIO! Yep, it was, and that was the end of our radio conversations for the trip. No problem - my main concern was that she was OK, and that we got a good shot, which we did.
So while Pam had returned to safety and was putting her rain gear back on again, I had to pack my stuff up and still keep from slipping off into the river. I realized that falling off was a real possibility, so I was careful to package the camera in disks in a zip lock bag and seal it closed. If I did fall off of the rock I probably would not be injured, but would fall into water that would be nearly over my head, and the camera bag around my waist would be submerged, hence the precautionary zip lock bag.
I don't mind climbing UP stuff all that much, but I am just like a cat I guess when it comes to getting back DOWN something - I hate it, and am not too good at it. This little climb down would prove to be a bad one, and before it was all over Pam had to turn away because she could not watch. First my hat went. Then my tripod. All that was left was me clinging with all fours to the side of this boulder. Aspen and Lucy were on the ground just ahead of me - and I could HEAR their laughter! I finally did make it down, and began to breathe once again. Pam had to cross that waist-deep water for a second time, but she did not complain. Well, at least not too much.
We had planned to visit a couple of more waterfalls to take advantage of the high water conditions, but when it looked like the clouds overhead were going to break up and turn to blue skies and sunshine, we made a beeline to Cossatot Falls to make sure we got that one before the light was ruined by the sunshine. I had been to this magnificent place several times this past couple of years, but never when the water was running high.
There was patch blue sky above as we arrived at the parking lot. The sun could come out at any minute - time was critical. We both jumped out and jogged on down the trail. The water was high - just perfect for my picture - but it was so high that we didn't think we could make it all the way down the bank to the spot were I needed to be. So I decided to climb UP this very steep hillside right next to the river and follow a hiking trail that had been laid out a couple of years ago but never built. The first 1/4 mile of the trail is supposed to be steps because it is so steep, but today it was just UP.
Pam is a real trooper. The hill was nothing to me - especially since I was running on adrenaline from the excitement of the great picture possibility with the high water, combined with the threat of it all being ruined by the clearing sky above. And I flew up the hill. But Pam did not have the same adrenaline rush working inside her, and it was a tough climb, especially because she had to keep up with me or get lost on that thickly-wooded hillside. We finally made it up to the top, and then scampered down the steep hillside to the side of the river. I had her move out onto a rock slab in the river while I rushed to set up the camera and snapped a few shots.
This area is really an incredible place, and I realized that my picture would not do it justice at all. I waved Pam on back to the shore while I tried to seek out a different place to shoot. The sun was going in and out of the clouds all the while. My route further downstream was blocked by a near-vertical rock outcrop, so I had to climb back up to near the top of the hill once again to get around it. I did find another spot to shoot, but it still wasn't the one I wanted. I waved Pam on so she could begin to make her way back to the truck.
After shooting about 60 images, I had given up, and began the steep climb back up the hillside for a third time. I stopped and turned around to take one last look at this incredible place, and there it was - the perfect viewpoint! It was just down below me on another rock outcrop, so I scrambled on down and set up the camera great and fired away. GOT IT! At last.
I had one more target for the day - Shale Falls, the tallest waterfall in the Ouachitas. But from the looks of the radar screen we could not tell if it had gotten the heavy rains overnight or not - the line was right along there somewhere. And it looked like the edge of the front would certainly be past it by the time we arrived, making a photo impossible (because the sky would have cleared). But I thought, what the heck, the worst thing that would happen is that we would get in a nice five mile hike on a sunny spring afternoon, AND we would get to measure the waterfall to see just exactly how tall it was. So we loaded up and sped on north towards the Poteau Mountain Wilderness Area.
By the time we arrived at the parking spot the sky overhead was blue, and it was obvious from the streams and ditches in the area that no rain had fallen here in quite some time - perhaps since my last visit during the big flood. But we packed up anyway and took off for a nice afternoon stroll.
The hiking was mostly level - just a few ups and downs - but the old road we were following was filled with downed timber from the ice storm. I won't go into all of the details of her comments, but I will say that after we reached the waterfall that Pam told me to say in the guidebook that guys had better NOT take their girlfriends to this spot unless they didn't ever want to speak to them again! Oops, it was a tough hike - having to bushwhack around all of those downed trees. I'm hoping that they will get cut out in the future, and then this will be a very nice stroll through the woods.
As expected the waterfall was not running much at all, but it WAS running, and was one of only two live streams that we crossed. And we were able to measure it - the total height counting an upper drop is 54 feet. That is shorter than I had expected, but after taking a close look at it from below, seemed about right (the only other time I had been here was in the driving rain, and I only got a quick glance at it).
The location of this waterfall is really nice - the ledge that it pours over is formed by many short (an inch tall) layers of rock stacked on top of one another. Some layers were grey or brown, but others were bright red - it was very colorful.
As we sat there in the sunshine and enjoyed the afternoon, I looked across and spotted something that T. Wayne Bailey had told me about but that I had forgotten. Tucked away into the base of the opposite wall was the stone foundation of a house. I immediately got up and scrambled over there to have a look. There were hundreds of rock slabs carefully piled up to form a 12 x 16 foot structure with a door opening on one end. There was still one ceiling timber on the floor. It all reminded me of the Anasazi ruins in southern Colorado. The little building was about covered up with vines of some sort. Next to the stone building there was a spring pouring right out of the canyon! It was a rugged place to live, but I'm sure it was an oasis for some folks.
So there you have it, the end of March. It has been one heck of a ride this month, and the heavy rains have helped out a great deal - THANKS to all of you for doing your rain dances! I have been getting the waterfalls steadily marked off of my list, although I have also been adding a lot of new ones. Looks like it will take about five or six more days of shooting with high water levels, and I will have most of them taken care off. So KEEP up that dancing, and lets hope for an equally wet April!
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