I spent most of this afternoon exploring a little creek near Longpool. I forgot how incredible this place really is - magical, amazing, awe inspiring. And the water level was not really all that high. This is the longest "Ozark canyon" that I know of, a place where the bottom and side walls are solid rock and almost unbroken for more than a half mile (actually more like thin rock layers, but still solid rock with only a couple of places where you can climb in or out). Sometimes the walls are as little as ten feet apart; most of it being 25-50 feet apart, but the creek in the bottom is pretty narrow, with the walls from 10-30 feet tall, sometimes taller. The main attraction is Forever Falls, plus another pair of side waterfalls that dump over the edge and into the canyon. I got to wade and splash around for a good long while and stopped to take a few photos along the way. This photo was the last scene I saw, a little cascade that was making quite a bit of noise - the sky above was beginning to break up and the sun tried to come out, but it did not last for long. I got at least five or six "shots of the day" at this place (do I get to sleep in tomorow?), and hope to return again soon when the water levels are up.
Speaking of that, we are finally getting some heavy rains here tonight so it looks like Thursday will be a great waterfall hunting day! (supposed to be sunshine on Friday and Saturday, bummer)...
Tim sounds like a really cool area, glad you got some good images. Alot of hail in Fort Smith that was pretty bad, our vehicles seam OK so far tonight. The state should get an inch or 2 by morning I bet. So stuff will be pumpin in the morning.
Looks like we got about three inches in the upper buffalo area so far overnight. and of course more heavy rain is on the way. We are in a situation right now where the waters are much too high for good waterfall photos and it will probably be Friday before things run down enough. Flooding is more of a concern today, with even severe flooding possible up here in the mountains. One scene that does need flood conditions for a good photo is the little stone spring house in Boxley - I think I'll head that direction this morning after I deliver my child to the bus stop! Hope you guys in Ft. Smith make it through all this - looks like you are getting pounded with the heavy hail again this morning...
Beautiful scene, it looks very peaceful, the soft light works well--we're finally getting some rain here in Kansas, but not the extreme amounts it sounds like you folks are getting
That's really a beautiful shot, Tim. And I'm looking at it on my crappy monitor at work (keeping everything unplugged at home). The blue reflection is gorgeous!
Rained all night here in Rogers (and still raining), but luckily no hail. Now they're saying a few showers/wind on Saturday, but party cloudy on Sunday. Who knows what it'll be like for sure...
I'm glad I wasn't around the bridge at Ponca between 3 and 4 this morning. The gage shows the river rose almost 10 feet in an hour. Looks like it's crested there and starting to fall now. I've heard of more than one horror story of people who camp/park too close to the water, only to find everything washed away when they returned from a hike.
It is tailing off here now with about four inches overnight. The gov't rain gauge at Buffalo Fire Tower shows .08 of an inch in the past 24 hours - got to love those government stats, they are right on! They just brought my daughter back - one of the main culverts across Cave Mtn. Road was upended and is now down in the woods - it is the creek that feeds the 3rd tallest waterfall in the state so I suspect that falls is running pretty good! I'm going to make an attempt to cross here in a few minutes but it will require piling up a few rocks to bridge the new canyon - just a heads up for anyone wanting to climb Cave Mtn. from Boxley today - it is possible you won't be able to make it.
Posted by John Moore on April 10, 2008 at 10:11 AM
Tim - beautiful photo from Graves Canyon. Did you access it from the south/east or north/west side? I've been down there a couple of times via the east access, and it's so pretty I never got very far.
I normally come in from the south since you can get so close and come down right on top of the big falls. I suspect that canyon is full to the brim right now - it had been a couple of weeks ago and everything was scraped clean up the canyon walls. Many of the shots I took yesterday will be underwater today, and others will be just right tomorrow when the water goes down a little bit. If the sun will stay hidden the next few days will be some pretty good waterfall hunting...(I just shot the 3rd tallest waterfall in the state and while I was standing there with camera in hand the sun popped out and created a rainbow - one of the weirdest I'd ever seen - have not seen the images yet on screen but hope to post one in the Journal later tonight or some other time, along with more from yesterday...
Discussion
8 repliesSpeaking of that, we are finally getting some heavy rains here tonight so it looks like Thursday will be a great waterfall hunting day! (supposed to be sunshine on Friday and Saturday, bummer)...
Rained all night here in Rogers (and still raining), but luckily no hail. Now they're saying a few showers/wind on Saturday, but party cloudy on Sunday. Who knows what it'll be like for sure...
I'm glad I wasn't around the bridge at Ponca between 3 and 4 this morning. The gage shows the river rose almost 10 feet in an hour. Looks like it's crested there and starting to fall now. I've heard of more than one horror story of people who camp/park too close to the water, only to find everything washed away when they returned from a hike.
I normally come in from the south since you can get so close and come down right on top of the big falls. I suspect that canyon is full to the brim right now - it had been a couple of weeks ago and everything was scraped clean up the canyon walls. Many of the shots I took yesterday will be underwater today, and others will be just right tomorrow when the water goes down a little bit. If the sun will stay hidden the next few days will be some pretty good waterfall hunting...(I just shot the 3rd tallest waterfall in the state and while I was standing there with camera in hand the sun popped out and created a rainbow - one of the weirdest I'd ever seen - have not seen the images yet on screen but hope to post one in the Journal later tonight or some other time, along with more from yesterday...