Tag Archives: Columbia River Gorge

Fear & the Falls

The scene right above Multnomah Falls

This is one of those pictures that means a lot more to me than it will to you, for its one of the most difficult pictures I’ve ever taken.

I was rather moved by this tranquil scene but I’m terrified of heights and just a few feet away the water plunged over the top of Multnomah Falls. I was in no danger, for not only is there a railing around the viewing platform but I was also back a bit from the edge of the falls. But irrational fears are not calmed by rational explanations.

I could at least steady my camera if not myself, so I set up my tripod and tried to ignore the roar of the falls that flooded my ears. I started taking pictures, not too successfully at first but I kept at it until the fear subsided. I wanted a wider view but this is as wide as my lens would go, I’ll have to return when I have a better solution.

For reference, this is Multnomah Falls, not in all her glory for the water levels were low, but the viewing platform where I was standing is up on the left just back from the top of the falls.

Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge

Little

A close-up view of Fairy Falls in the Columbia River Gorge

While visiting family this summer, my return flight got canceled and when the airline rebooked me for the next day, I ended up with three legs instead of two. At first disappointed but just happy to be going home, I was rather delighted when I discovered they put me in first class for the longest leg of the flight. At the point where the flight attendant brings out the hot towels, the woman beside me leaned over and said, “To be honest, this is my favorite part of flying first class.”

I wanted to say that my favorite part was when they let you go back and kick the people in coach, but I just nodded my head. I understood what she meant, sometimes in life it’s the little things that make such a difference.

The Columbia River Gorge is home to a variety of beautiful and majestic waterfalls, including the famous Multnomah Falls, but sometimes I think tiny little Fairy Falls is my favorite of the bunch. It isn’t, Ponytail Falls (the upper part of Horsetail Falls) is probably my favorite, but I love hiking the trail and coming upon this little jewel where the water tumbles down beside you and runs underneath your feet.

What I love most is photographing the little falls within the little fall.

A Little Quiet

A mountain stream flows over moss-covered rocks in the Columbia River Gorge

If things get a little quiet around here for the next month, it’s because I signed up for NaNoWriMo again this year. I reached the 50,000 word goal the previous two times I participated in 2005 and 2009 but I think it’s unlikely I’ll get that far this year. Partly because in previous years I had a better idea of what I wanted to write and partly because there are other things I’d like to do this month, especially taking pictures, editing pictures, and updating my site. Goodness am I behind.

And partly because I haven’t been sleeping as well lately and am often tired at the end of the day, normally my favorite time to write. The other day I fell asleep as soon as I finished eating dinner, for a night owl like me that’s rather embarrassing so let’s just keep that between us, shall we.

In the meantime enjoy this lovely mountain stream flowing over moss-covered rocks, taken on the trail above Wahkeena Falls in the Columbia River Gorge. I went hiking a couple of times in the Gorge in the weeks before my Wyoming trip, trying to get myself back in hiking shape while lugging the camera gear around.