This is a waterfall that has been able to hide from me ever since my first attempt at it. The firs attempt I only made as far a Keekwulee Falls and got stump by the snow and couldn't go further. It turns out that was a good thing. I had no idea the Avalanche level was high and when I came back again about 1 1/2 months later I realized I was on the brink of death. The snow was so deep I had no idea I as literally on top of trees on the edge of a gorge. Well on my second attempt, I made it to the top of Keekwulee Falls were Denny Creek comes out of a narrow gorge. Well there to greet me was a snow cave and I had no death plans in my future so I didn't attempt to go under it or over it. The third time I went at it around August again I was stomped by that ice cave. This time it had partially collapse and it was too dangerous to go over it. Then my fourth time back up there again the water level level was so low It wasn't even worth it.
Then came the lovely Fall rains. it's rained a good amount that when I saw on TV a live picture of Snoqualmie Falls and saw that the falls where roaring I knew the other waterfalls must be coming back to life so I went for it.
When I go to the trail head I could hear Denny Creek roaring again and I knew this was it. I went passed the Denny Creek Cascades and the water was rushing nicely and that told me Snowshoe would be OK. When I got to Keekwulee Falls any doubt that I had about the conditions of Snowshoe Falls diminished.
I entered the narrow gorge and started climbing over boulders and fording the creek My destination was only less than .8km but going over the rocks and water was slow. One thing I quickly learned was not to trust putting my feet on logs since they were too slippery. I just went for rocks. Then my old little friends showed up - Devils Club. Once again it gave me a little gift on my lower legs. As I went around the gorge I past to small gorges on the side and could only imagine what they would look like with the full force of melting snow. Then out of nowhere it appeared, Snowshoe Falls!
It was definitely worth the scrambled over rocks and fording the creek. Snowshoe Falls was not at full force but still was just beautiful. As I started taking pictures it started to drizzle making it hard to take a picture. Then it started to sprinkle and then I noticed something going on with the creek... the water level started rising. Well I wanted to spend more time in their alone with just the roar of the falls but the last thing I wanted was to get caught in a flash flood and be flushed out the gorge. So I decided it was time to go. Getting out was easy. I stopped at the top of Keekwulee Falls to have lunch and then made my way back to my car. Once I got in, the sprinkle became rain and it starting raining heavily. Good thing I left the gorge when I did!
Well it was definitely worth the wait. My next stop next week, go back to change Creek and find the upper half of Change Creek Falls which I saw from I-90 on the way back home and if I have time, go (the waterfall is ranked the 7th best in the state by my fellow waterfall hunter) to the back trail of Snow Lake to see Rock Creek Falls which are almost 1200 ft tall!
