WATERFALLS R Searching for Sublime Waters in the Cascades
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HOLAND S ON WATERFALLS R Searching for sublime waters in the Cascades By Andrew Engelson Pilgrimage is an appropriate aren’t visible through thickets of term, since so many of us treat Douglas fir, devil’s club and ferns If you’re searching for a de- waterfalls with a special kind of surrounding them. But here the scription of why many of us enjoy reverence. There’s something endless stream of white is very waterfalls so much, look no fur- hypnotic about a waterfall. The visible and inspiring. ther than William Wordsworth. incessant white noise tends to There were plenty of other In “Lines Composed a Few Miles drown out flitting thoughts and hikers gawking at the spectacle Above Tintern Abbey,” the Eng- provide a moment for contempla- on a balmy March afternoon, but lish poet wrote in 1798: tion. But there’s also a raw power that didn’t diminish the force of The sounding cataract and danger about them. It’s that its beauty. The Upper Falls is my Haunted me like a passion: mix of beauty and awe the poets favorite—and not just because the tall rock, called the sublime. the higher elevation tends to The mountain, and the deep There’s a good reason that weed out the exhausted masses. and gloomy wood, Wordsworth is quoted on a It’s a novel perspective, peering Their colours and their sign at the start of the trail to down into the bowl of the falls forms, were then to me Wallace Falls, outside the town opposite. At eye level with the An appetite; a feeling and a of Gold Bar. “Come forth into plummet of water, you’re more love… the light of things. Let nature aware of gravity at work here. In Washington’s deep and be your teacher,” it reads. On Gripping the smooth, peeled- gloomy woods (and also in its a recent weekend, I decided to log railing, I felt it shudder from arid, rolling hills), you’ll find an take that advice and savor the the impact of falling water. The abundance of “cataracts,” from falls. What I learned was that upwelling mist shook the mosses subtle cascading streams to thun- you can experience the sublime and ferns hanging precariously dering falls that shake the stones even on a trail packed with fellow from the black cliffs, and as it to their foundations. In fact, our bootsteppers. rose, it cooled my face. mountains—the Cascades—are Broken into three tiers, Wal- If nothing else, all that falling named for the multitudes of fall- lace Falls can be observed from a water makes a hiker thirsty. After ing waters you’ll find here. number of rest stops at the upper a steep and quick climb to the One of the joys of waterfall end of the 2.7-mile Woody Trail. top of the falls, I finished off the viewing in the Northwest is that Railings provide a small comfort last drops in my water bottle, as you’ll always find at least one as you peer into the chasm of the a bead of sweat trickled down my flowing any time of year. Some Wallace River. In late winter, the arm. All this falling water makes are perennial, falling year-round. falls were surging with rainwater you glad to be alive. Others are seasonal. Some stream and sending out a roar worthy of from glaciers heating in the sum- the space shuttle. mer sun, some are fed by winter The 265-foot Middle Falls is rains, and others course from the most impressive, if for no Photo: Feature Show Falls melting snow packs in spring. other reason than this is the along the Boulder River Many can be reached by car, but clearest view you’ll get of the Trail, Boulder River Wilder- the most rewarding are those three falls. Many remote falls ness. Waterfalls combine requiring a hike—either a short in the Pacific Northwest might the beautiful and the wander through the woods, or a be equally as popular as Wal- powerful in a compelling grueling multi-day backpacking lace—if not for the fact that they combination. pilgrimage. April 2006 WASHINGTON TRAILS WATERFALLS Searching for sublime waters in the Cascades ON S tion on Northwest falls. Over AUL P 3,000 falls in Washington OWAN R ON D state alone are cataloged, OBIN described, and sometimes R photographed. Each list- ing includes height, width, magnitude (volume of water flow), seasonality, source, and GPS coordinates. As comprehensive as the site is, Swan insists he’s only scratched the surface. “I’ve got approximately 3,000 inventoried in Wash- ington. I imagine that’s prob- ably less than 20 percent of Wallace Falls, a great year-round the total count.” hike near the town of Gold Bar. Swan is comfortable ei- ther driving, hiking, or When’s the best time bushwhacking to follow his obsession. He’s never had a to view waterfalls? mishap at a falls, although For waterfalls that aren’t fed by one time he was so fixated glaciers, April to June is prime on trying to get a glimpse of time, while glacier-fed falls a falls in British Columbia he tend to peak between June and neglected to notice the rear September. A hiker contemplates Comet Falls, Mount Rainier end of an elk not more than a How should I National Park. In addition to the 320-foot falls, few feet from his nose. photograph waterfalls coming out of Rainier’s glaciers are He’s recently started to waterfalls? another reason to check out this trail in mid- venture off-trail to some of Swan suggests using a polarizing summer. the more remote and spec- filter to help make the falling water tacular falls in the state. He stand out from the surrounding recently had the opportunity cliffs. He also recommends shoot- to see Depot Creek Falls, a ing pictures on an overcast day to 975-foot falls in Washing- The Waterfall Guy reduce contrast, and better bal- ton’s North Cascades that’s Bryan Swan knows Washington’s ance the white of the falls with the only accessible by crossing waterfalls inside and out dark of the surrounding rocks. south over the border from By Andrew Engelson British Columbia. He describes it as “pos- Where can I f ind sibly the most impressive waterfall I’ve more information? Just about as long as he can remem- been to in person. Possibly only Yosemite Swan’s website www.waterfalls- ber, Bryan Swan has had a thing for Falls tops it.” On his list to see firsthand: northwest.com is an invaluable waterfalls. Sulphide Creek Falls on the southeast resource. “One of my first memories,” he says, flank of Mount Shuksan and Green Lake For information on falls in “was hiking to Rainy Lake with my par- Falls at the headwaters of Bacon Creek Washington, Oregon, and Idaho ents when I was maybe 3 or 4 and seeing in the North Cascades. Both probably consult Gregory Plumb’s book the waterfall on the far end.” exceed 2,000 feet in height, and both Waterfall Lovers Guide Pacific Since then, he has made an avocation require battling what he dubs “class 5 Northwest (Mountaineers Books, of waterfall spotting in the Northwest. brush” to reach them. $18.95, 2005) In 1998 he started a website cataloguing But you don’t have wrestle devil’s club the region’s waterfalls. In February 2005 and slide alder to see many of the state’s For information on waterfalls fur- it underwent a major transformation and impressive waterfalls. See the following ther afield, consult Bryan Swan’s www.waterfallsnorthwest.com is now the page for a brief list of some of Swan’s World Waterfall Database at www. most impressive collection of informa- favorites in Washington. world-waterfalls.com. WASHINGTON TRAILS April 2006 WATERFALLS Searching for sublime waters in the Cascades ON S Nine great waterfall hikes AUL P ON Boulder River Lewis River D 9 miles RT, Elevation gain: 600 feet Trail Hikeable most of the year Gifford Pinchot Green Trails 77 Oso, 109 Granite Falls National Forest This lovely trail into the Boulder River Wilder- Mileage varies, ness is a great hike for kids, and has several total one way notable waterfalls to offer. Most prominent trip: 18.5 miles, is Feature Show Falls, a wedding-cake of a Elevation gain: falls across the river from the trail. It’s at its 900 feet peak flow in winter and spring. Hikeable March- Foss Lakes Nov. Alpine Lakes Wilderness If you can arrange 8 miles RT, Elev. gain: 2,300 feet to have a car at Hikeable July-Oct. both the Lewis Green Trails 175 Skykomish, River and Quartz 176 Stevens Pass Creek trailheads, Middle Lewis River Falls. The 18.5-mile Lewis River Trail you’ll be treated is packed with waterfalls large and small. This trail abounds with lacy tributary falls and to rolling, 18.5- a string of high lakes in this classic Alpine mile trek past some of the state’s loveliest Taylor River Lakes landscape. The capping attraction is waterfalls, including Curly Creek, the Lower, Middle Fork Snoqualmie River Malachite Falls, 600-foot magnitude 74 falls Middle and Upper Falls of the Lewis River, 10 miles RT, Elev. gain: 500 feet at the outlet of Copper Lake. and plenty of other unnamed falls along the Hikeable April-Oct. way. Or pick and chose your favorite stretches Green Trails 174 Mount Si, 175 Skykomish Lava Canyon to day hike, as there are numerous trailheads On this road-to-trail you’ll find access to three Mount St.