My Earth Day photo is, of course...

[regnaD kciN]

...of Water Falling Over Things.



On Earth Day, I went out to try to get some images of three interesting-sounding waterfalls in the Cascade foothills northeast of Seattle. All three were promised to be easily accessible via logging roads.

In the words of Noah, "Riiiiiiiight..."

The first two were supposedly about 5 1/2 miles along the unpaved Cedar Ponds Road near Monroe. Unfortunately, about 4 1/2 miles along said road, the owners had posted their property -- and put up a large gate closing off the road -- since the directions were written. I talked to another property owner in the area, and he said that he thought there was a second way to get to the falls, but could provide no directions beyond that you had to first go on to the next town further south (and ask for directions?).

Oh, well, on to the final fall, in the hills near North Bend (or, as it is known to cult television audiences, the location for Twin Peaks, which may explain a lot about my experiences that day). This fall was supposed to be 17 1/2 miles down Middle Fork Road. Left unsaid in the directions (which came from the same source as the above) was that Middle Fork Road, like Cedar Ponds Road, was also unpaved...and that most dirt roads in the Iraqi countryside would probably be in better condition than either of them. Anyway, I made it 10.4 miles along its length before coming to a washout that gave the road a sudden (as in "cliff-like") 3-4 foot drop. A "monster truck" could probably have handled it with ease, but not so a 1991 Accord. Time to turn around again, leaving me 0-for-3 on target waterfalls visited.

The fall in the picture? It was an unnamed, almost-certainly seasonal cascade along the side of Middle Fork Road captured on the way home. As you can tell from the foliage, this one is tiny; probably no more than five feet in height. Not all that impressive, but the best I could salvage on a Tuesday when "Earth Day" could only have been a reference to the vast quantities of earth now covering my car. ;-)

Oh, and if waterfalls aren't your thing, here's a view of the forest undergrowth about midway between the washout and the mini-waterfall.

[Maestro]

1. Glad you find something to shoot.

It is very nice. You have some of the best landscapes and waterscapes. I am just thinking about which birds are in the area too. :)