Well this Spring Break was one to remember. From hiking searching for waterfalls to going to Los Angeles to coming back and hiking, this was a Spring Break I thought was going to go wasted. I'll just dedicate this post on the hiking only and post my LA trip on another post, but I have to say I got call today and something big just happen on my case involving that car accident, more details to follow!
It all started great when Leah and I went off to Deception Falls
near Stevens Pass. I was so excited to be able to see the waterfall at full blast from all that melting snow, but when we got there, Deception Falls was closed due to storm damage from the November Storms. However, that didn't stop me, we went up this service road right next to the park and parked Leah's car and headed down to the waterfall. I wanted to walk on the trail even though it was taped off, but Leah wouldn't go so I decided not to go. I took some nice pictures and we headed back home to get ready break Passover at her parents; which was one of the best Passover Seders I have had! The on Tuesday I decided I was going to find some new waterfalls and go back to Deception Pass. I first went looking for Olney Falls near Monroe, but gave up after I couldn't figure out which logging road to hike to get to the falls. I was a bit disappointed because they were supposed to be really nice, but I decided to come back later and head of and see some other falls.
My first stop was to look for Sunset Falls, every guide had taken off directions to how to get there because to get to a good view you need to drive up a private road and people there had asked to get directions there removed. Well, I found the falls on Google Earth and told myself to hell with the private road, as long as my taxes are paying for repairing the road, then the road is public to me. So I went. When I saw the falls, my jaw dropped. I knew it was big, over a hundred feet tall, but I didn't realize how big it was from pictures and when you see it in person, it hits you that the entire Snohomish River is is tumbling down the cascade. I took my pictures and decided to go looking for Canyon Falls, another impressive waterfall on the Snohomish River. Again, this one was on a private road and their were a lot of warnings not to go see them. Well I went anyways. Lets just say I never got out of my car, I had an idea of where the falls were and when I arrived to the end of the road, just looking at the trailers and cars littered around told me to stay in my car, make a U-turn and make a run for it. I could just picture a bunch Billy Bobs with beer cans coming after me with their riffle if I would have made any attempt to see the falls. Well then I made my way back to Deception Falls. I decided to go walk the 1 mile trail that Leah didn't want to walk on. I took pictures of Upper and Lower Deception Falls and started heading to the trail to take pictures of Monkey Cage Falls and Crack-in-the-Ground Falls, but I heard Leah's voice in my head telling me not to go there and I told myself, not to risk it, so I left them for another time.
Upper Deception Fall (L) and Lower Deception Falls (R)
Then I headed down the Tye River looking for Alpine Falls. The falls were nice and bigger again than what I expected and I got some really nice shots. Then I was off to find Log Choke Falls. They are supposed to be 35 feet tall, but they look way bigger in person and I have no idea how these falls are not shown on any maps when this fall is way bigger and more impressive than Alpine Falls (I also have no idea how Deception Falls are rated lower than Alpine Falls, I like Alpine Falls, but every review makes Deceptions Falls seem as they aren't impressive, and none except a website mention Log Choke Falls). So I started Driving up and down US 2 looking for a place to pull over and look over the side of the highway. Well I gave up and decided to find it by the alternative way which is to drive on Old Cascade Hwy and stop 1/4 mile past Martin Creek and go down the side of the road.
Well let me start by saying, that Old Cascade Hwy is just one beautiful road. I have no idea how to describe it. It's just so green and the forest seems to swallow you whole. Martin Creek goes under the bridge and I knew I was close (to me Martin Creek is a waterfall where the road goes over on the bridge). So I started driving up and down and I found a waterfall, and darn nice one too! The only problem is I can't find it on any map or guide. It's looks like something that belongs in Hawaii. It was just beautiful and I spent about half an hour shooting pictures after having bushwhacked my way down about half a mile
alongside the river (another reason I knew this wasn't Log Choke Falls). I backtracked and started looking for it again, got in my car and drove up about a mile back and I found another waterfall. Again I can't believe this isn't documented anywhere and I'm pretty sure I wasn't the first to see them. I seen smaller waterfalls with far less power and this definitely had a water show on display, but again, this wasn't Log Choke Falls, so I decided to go try finding it off Hwy US 2 again (I did find campsites back on Old Cascade Hwy and I plan to camp there this summer, who wouldn't want to camp next to a rushing river and a waterfall?).
alongside the river (another reason I knew this wasn't Log Choke Falls). I backtracked and started looking for it again, got in my car and drove up about a mile back and I found another waterfall. Again I can't believe this isn't documented anywhere and I'm pretty sure I wasn't the first to see them. I seen smaller waterfalls with far less power and this definitely had a water show on display, but again, this wasn't Log Choke Falls, so I decided to go try finding it off Hwy US 2 again (I did find campsites back on Old Cascade Hwy and I plan to camp there this summer, who wouldn't want to camp next to a rushing river and a waterfall?).Well this time I did find Log Choke Falls and it was starting to get dark so the 
lighting made this perfect for taking pictures. The bad thing was I had to go down the side of the hwy about 70 feet below on a very steep side. Well I did anyways and all I can say is wow. You can't even hear the traffic above you on Steven Pass Hwy and the falls are just amazing, how there is no rest stop or sign posting them is beyond me. I have to thank Bryan Swan for pointing those falls out.
lighting made this perfect for taking pictures. The bad thing was I had to go down the side of the hwy about 70 feet below on a very steep side. Well I did anyways and all I can say is wow. You can't even hear the traffic above you on Steven Pass Hwy and the falls are just amazing, how there is no rest stop or sign posting them is beyond me. I have to thank Bryan Swan for pointing those falls out. Well the day was over and headed home to get ready to leave for LA and pack.
My next waterfall excursion day was on Saturday. Saturday was the day I was going to find Olney Falls which showed up on Google Earth and I went over Topo maps and decided to go for it. This time I went up the correct logging road which was confirm when I found the falls. but not with out a little sucker punch by Mother Nature! I was already a bit worried that I was on the wrong road, a light sprinkle started coming and I didn't let that stop me, but then I felt something slap me. Then again and again and my hands felt like they were being pinch. No it wasn't a swarm of wasp attacking me as they did 3 tears ago in Oregon, it was hail the size of quarters! I had no where to run and get under shelter and I just kept going. I knew I was close to the falls because I could feel them. All of a sudden I heard a roar and saw a bridge and made a run for it; it was Olney Falls!!! My goodness where they awesome and again I'm shocked not a lot of people know about it, but at that time I didn't care, I made my way under the bridge and waited for the storm to pass. Ate my sandwich and shot away with my camera. After that, I went off looking for McCoy Falls which also sh
ows up on Google Earth. They weren't hard to find, but they were sure hard to take a picture of! Lets just say I decide to forget I had a phobia of snakes or nasty bugs and I scrambled down the side of a steep, and I mean steep hill in this gorge covered in so much vegetation I felt I was in the Amazon Jungle. It felt dark, but I made it about half way down and my 6th sense told me that was as far as I should go down and if I ever came down here again, to do it early in the day, not at 6 in the evening. I took my pictures and basically had to improvise like Tarzan to make it back up again.Then I decided to go look for my two last waterfalls before calling it a day. Well I ended up nearby in a park I never knew exsisted. It was Marckworth State Park. My first stop was Young Creeks Falls, they were one of the most unique falls I seeing recently and the lighting was just perfect. Well I got on one of the two huge logs that were side by side spanning the creek and started taking pictures from this nice vantage point, but then I have no idea what happen to me 
but I ended up getting Vertigo. I have no idea how I got off that log and didn't fall 4o feet to the bottom, but that feeling was scary. I basically just froze and couldn't move or look to my sides other than straight ahead. If I tried as much as take a peek over my shoulder I felt as if I was gong to fall off. It was terrifying. I fought the fear and inch by inch just feeling with my feet kept crawling backwards knowing the logs were straight. I finally hit solid ground and I didn't feel safe until my hands were on that ground too, to make things worse, there were giant slugs on that log and I just kept freaking out. I don't know where or how I was able to block my fear of those giants slugs at McCoy Falls, but here I was just terrified...but you all know me, that didn't stop me from seeing my last waterfall for that evening.
but I ended up getting Vertigo. I have no idea how I got off that log and didn't fall 4o feet to the bottom, but that feeling was scary. I basically just froze and couldn't move or look to my sides other than straight ahead. If I tried as much as take a peek over my shoulder I felt as if I was gong to fall off. It was terrifying. I fought the fear and inch by inch just feeling with my feet kept crawling backwards knowing the logs were straight. I finally hit solid ground and I didn't feel safe until my hands were on that ground too, to make things worse, there were giant slugs on that log and I just kept freaking out. I don't know where or how I was able to block my fear of those giants slugs at McCoy Falls, but here I was just terrified...but you all know me, that didn't stop me from seeing my last waterfall for that evening. Well it was already about 7:15 or so, but I was so close to Marckworth Falls I had to go see them. So I drove about half a mile and found it going right under a bridge. All I can say was this is the first time I have gotten pictures with that surreal look of water looking like cotton candy swirls. I would have gone under the bridge and taken better pics, but it was now dark (yes I had a flashlight just incase) and decided to call it a day, specially after getting that Vertigo just 10 minutes earlier. I just hope it doesn't appear again. I swear it felt 10 times worse than the vertigo I would get when I would go on the San Diego (I-405) interchange over to the Santa Monica Fwy (I-10) where for almost 2 years I would actually get off the freeway and take surface streets to get on to the other fwy even if my friends teased me about it.
Well till next week when I go on to far less adventures hike to go see Otter Falls which is over 487 meters (for those of you who don't know your metric, that's 1600 ft), Marten Creek Falls, and Big Creek Falls on a 9 mile round trip hike on a very flat old logging road.
