Mid-Week Waterfall Hiking

Well since I'm getting out of work early and the sun is setting late, I decided I'm not going to waste the rest of the afternoons so I been going hiking locally in the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River (tomorrow I'm going to head up the the middle fork). My first hike was Monday and I told myself I was going to get a pic of Twin Falls from the opposite side of the river; that was my main goal along with getting a cleaner pic of Upper Twin Falls, and last but not least get a picture of what I know is a waterfall hidding above Upper Twin Falls (I'm not the only one who thinks there is waterfalls hiding above Upper Twin Falls- http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/waterfall.php?num=1037&p=0).



Twin Falls

So I started by heading down to the river bank and jumping over boulders to where I have gotten my best pictures of Twin Falls. I know the water level there is lower so I didn't need to worry about being swept by the river and ending up going over Snoqualmie Falls 15 miles away. I've tried boulder hoping, but I always have gotten stuck, so this time I was going to cross the river and not get wet, sort of like Jesus walking over water, except, I was going to walk in the water! How you may ask? Simple with 25 gallon garbage bags! Put a bag over each leg and go for it. Well I made it 1/3 across the river and my Garbage Bag Leg Protection System started failing and water started getting in. So I made a run back to the river bank. I was almost there!!!! Well that didn't stop me, I figure I'll do what the Titanic's hull couldn't do - I put two garbage bags over each leg and across I went, except this time I ended up like the Titanic and my bags started leaking and realize that getting back across I was going to get really wet so I abandon my mission. I did manage to get to a rock about 1/3 across the river and take some pictures, but still don't have the picture I want! My next attempt is to cross the bridge over Twin Falls and somehow bushwhack to the bottom of the river or try it again, except this time with 3 or 4 garbage bags over each leg. Trust me I will succeed!



Middle Twin Falls

After my failed mission, I decided to go off the trail right where the bridge goes over Twin Falls and follow this obvious path off to the side. Now I have done this once before and I got a picture of Upper Twin Falls that nobody knew could be taken (this is the classic view - http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/waterfall.php?num=1037&p=0). I know this because after I posted that picture, everyone started asking how to get there and nobody had ever thought of that. The truth is some people have to know or otherwise I wouldn't have found a swimsuit bra right near the waterfall (anyone who would have gone swimming there must be out of there mind unless the have a death wish that involves tumbling 30 feet down Middle Twin Falls, then 15 feet and 135 feet down Twin Falls). Well this time I got some great pics that where clear and just the way I wanted them with my new Canon S3 IS. Then I took some pics of these giant boulders with water coming out of them. It's just surreal. They look as if they were "crying"; that spring is impressive and the surrounding area is greener than anything I have seeing.




Upper Twin Falls

When I got done with that I figured what the heck, since I'm here already I'm going to look for that fifth waterfall that I know is there. Here I really had to bushwhack, but I had one problem, I forgot to bring my hiking clothes with me and I had my work khakis. Well, I didn't get as far as I did the first time since I didn't want to destroy my pants, plus I decided to go with safety (it was close to 7:30 pm) and come back with a friend, or earlier in the day. My other choice is go across the river via the bridge, then spot Upper Twin Falls, and then go off the trail and find some view point.

Now tomorrow I plan of going to Dingford Falls which I found by accident on Google Earth while surveying the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River. Sunday I'm going to find Florence Falls. I also found it on Google Earth and I have to say these waterfalls that are labeled on Google Earth that I have seeing are impressive so I don't expect anything less than that. I have read on many trail reports that the bridge where Dingford Falls is shakes and the falls are violently loud. Now Florence Falls I found when I was looking to see how deep in the mountains I was when I went to the Taylor River and I found out I was half way to Stevens Pass Hwy from I-90. I can't find any pictures, yet they are listed on the Washington State Tourism website (but no pic) and are mentioned on many USGS maps and charts. It's on the Miller River off Stevens Pass Hwy and they were only mentioned once on this obscured website as being this impressive 300 ft waterfall (waterfallsnorthwest.com doesn't even know where on the river it is since there are supposedly many falls along the river, but if it has a name it must be impressive.). So I went back on Google Earth and punched in its GPS coordinates and told it to show me how to get there... it did, it got me to within 23 ft of the falls from the forest road. Now to get a picture of it!