The great waterfalls (in far West) to drip, not gush this spring?

[Heroique]

Amazing – it's late winter, and the mountain snowpack in my local Cascade mountains is only 5-10% of normal.

Check-out the darkest red spots on the map below, the March 2015 update from the USDA's Nat'l Water and Climate Center:



I couldn’t believe it, but this weekend, in a fit of curiosity, I drove into one favorite area – southeast of Mount Rainier – and went up, up, up above 5,000 feet until I finally saw traces of snow in the dry road. And the road wasn't even south facing! Normally, I have to wait until mid-June to get up here. It was all quite disorienting, since I've never explored these well-known forests in winter time, early or late – not even before Memorial Day.

Naturally, some of my favorite springtime waterfalls are in this region. (They call these mountains "The Cascades" for a good reason!) I've posted them here over the years. Even more beloved – the snow-melt streams, which wind through mature Fir-and-Hemlock woods where owls call, cougars snarl, and black bears roam...

Looks like my personal shooting habits might trend away from the water's edge and waterfalls this spring (though dry waterfalls could provide new image opportunities) – and I might concentrate more on rocks and trees . Well, at least the "shooting season" in these higher elevations will start a lot earlier this year. I should say the season has already begun, unless the snow starts falling fast, furious, and late.

And if the map is any indication, it looks my LF peers in Oregon and California might be thinking along similar lines...

[John Kasaian]

I've got my waterless waterfall shot of the year already planned out.

[Drew Wiley]

Bring you own extra water bottle. You'll need it if you even want to photograph a trickle!

[Old-N-Feeble]

Better be prepared when a quick thaw comes.

[Heroique]

I've got my waterless waterfall shot of the year already planned out.

Now that's thinking outside the waterfall!

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Below is a form letter still in draft stage, all comments/additions welcome:

Dear Fellow LFers in Idaho/Montana,

Please consider shipping some of your bountiful mountain snow to your needy friends in the Cascades/Sierra-Nevadas.

We will gladly pay all collection and shipping expenses!

Sincerely,

Waterfall mourners of the West Coast.

[John Kasaian]

The rock, water worn over the span of the millennia even when dry can make for interesting and very rarely seen compositions.

[Heroique]

An excellent idea, and I like the optimism.

Yes, this will be a great season for creek-bed geology studies. ;^)

I'm also looking forward to hiking up dry creek beds, normally gushing in May and June, where forests are too thick to explore.

With sharp eyes, it's a great way to find fossils, arrowheads, and gem-encrusted rocks, too. (Plus multi-colored salamanders where there's a bit of moisture left.)

[Gary Tarbert]

I am in the States late May early June , We have a conference for about 4 days in Detroit , We fly into JFK on the 27th of May , I was thinking of shooting streams and waterfalls ,on the way from New york to Michigan maybe i need to rethink

[Preston]

Gary,

I don't think you'll have a problem finding water in the Northeast US this year. The region has experienced the heaviest snowfall in years. The West, however, is a whole different ball game!

--P

[Two23]

I am in the States late May early June , We have a conference for about 4 days in Detroit , We fly into JFK on the 27th of May , I was thinking of shooting streams and waterfalls ,on the way from New york to Michigan maybe i need to rethink

You will see the opposite. All the snow that normally goes West has gone East this year. Keep in mind how geographically big this country is.


Kent in SD