After reading the weather forecast for Saturday, which called for thunderstorms most of the day, Tom K., Matthew K., Dottie and Stan L., and I decided on Friday to try it today. I watched the radar (the only real way to forecast the weather) Saturday morning, so after nothing major developed behind the cold front, I decided to call the others to let them know I was headed for Bowers. This is what it was supposed to look like today...
We still made the trip this morning but couldn't beat the sun, so the bright and windy conditions were horrible for any kind of waterfall photography, but we all had a great time I think.
Your correct, Bill, Saturday was the day. Fantastic shot, your perspective with the ferns in the FG is perfect. Thanks for leading us in today. It was great to get to see this area even though we did not get the fog we had hoped for and I now know why Tim Ernst calls this a magical place. I will make sure to go back on a cloudy day like you had on Saturday.
The downed trees from the ice storm on the trail and the mud may rachet this hike to a slightly higher rating than "difficult bushwack," but still worth the effort to see this place. My bluejeans were so dirty that my wife made me hose them down outside before putting them in the washing machine.
Yep...This is nice...I also love the FG...The ferns really set it off. Great work as usual.
Mike and I wanted to come up, but since Saturday was going to be a bust, we went to his Mom and Dad's in London...Luckily we brought the equipment and were able to salvage the day at Longpool Falls.
Sorry to hear your group excursion got "sunned" out but it sounds like you had fun anyway. If this shot is any indication the area is worth seeing no matter how much effort is involved. Thanks for sharing Bill.
Bill beautiful shot. The green color and the ferns really are great. I thought Sat would be the day (as I said in my e-mail). I really wish I could of shot this weekend, but my family must come first. The falls will come up again but my daughters senior events only happen once in a lifetime.This has been an exceptional spring for waterfalls and it looks like things will be moving toward a summer pattern (at least for this week). Anyway congrats on the great shot and like Wayne said another Bill Dark waterfall classic.
Gale - sorry you weren't able to make it over, but you're right, these falls will be up again.. As far as a Bill Dark waterfall goes, it's actually more of a Tim Ernst waterfall, if anyone's. I know he has shot this location many times, and he's the one that inspired me to go here in the first place. Because of the arrangement of natural features, there are two or three "iconic" setups for this waterfall, this being my favorite I think. I should also mention that folks need to be extra careful where they walk here. There is a lot of beautiful green moss and hundreds of ferns that are starting to get beat down up behind the falls.
Ed, even though the weather sometimes looks like a bust around here, I've often seen some pretty nice fog in the creek and river areas. There was actually a pretty good patch of it around the War Eagle Creek/Huntsville area going over Sunday, but it never developed in Bowers. Sometimes you just have to be there to find out. We stopped at the mud hole and walked from there. It really doesn't make much difference, at least starting out.
Actually is it Neil Compton's waterfall, like most in this area. He told me about it one morning while we were having breakfast out on my back deck - talked about the "great falls of Bowers!" I had to go see it, and have loved it ever since. The very same view that Bill shot above is on page 134 in my Arkansas Landscapes picture book, and the other view he talked about and others shot this year is on the cover of my Arkansas Waterfalls picture book. Billy McNamara has a painting of this falls and he laughed when he first told me about it - saying that the view he painted could never be photographed since it was a combination of being at ground level below the falls and the view from being up near the top of the falls.
The waterfalls nearby in Hawk Hollow are pretty darn nice too, as is Serendipity Falls that I discovered a couple of years ago on my birthday just downstream in Bowers Hollow - Neil never made it to that one.
It is great to see you guys out shooting the waterfalls in the guidebook, but there are still many great ones out there to be photographed that have never been photographed before. One of the "most scenic" waterfalls in Arkansas (according to one waterfall expert that I respect) is less than a 1/2 mile from my cabin, and I've never been to it! Maybe next time...
Funny that you mention all the other waterfalls that have never been photographed - we had a discussion on the same topic at the sign-in board as we finished Sunday. Bowers has to be the most beautiful place I've ever seen, and it was sad to pack up and leave. I always want to stay just a little bit longer.
Your shot truly brings out the magic of the place. Stan and I did have an awesome time and it was great meeting you, Tom and Matthew and thanks again for letting us tag along. The hike was a little tough but well worth it. We stayed in the area another night and visited a couple of other falls and really had a great weekend in all.
Posted by Larry Redmon on May 20, 2009 at 12:41 PM
What an inspiring shot, Bill! Very nice...looks like a gorgeous place. My list of places to visit keeps growing.
Discussion
12 repliesWe still made the trip this morning but couldn't beat the sun, so the bright and windy conditions were horrible for any kind of waterfall photography, but we all had a great time I think.
D2x; 12-24mm; 5 frame stitch
By the way my legs are a bit worn out
The downed trees from the ice storm on the trail and the mud may rachet this hike to a slightly higher rating than "difficult bushwack," but still worth the effort to see this place. My bluejeans were so dirty that my wife made me hose them down outside before putting them in the washing machine.
Mike and I wanted to come up, but since Saturday was going to be a bust, we went to his Mom and Dad's in London...Luckily we brought the equipment and were able to salvage the day at Longpool Falls.
Were you able to drive past the mud hole or did you stop there and walk the rest of the way?
Gale - sorry you weren't able to make it over, but you're right, these falls will be up again.. As far as a Bill Dark waterfall goes, it's actually more of a Tim Ernst waterfall, if anyone's. I know he has shot this location many times, and he's the one that inspired me to go here in the first place. Because of the arrangement of natural features, there are two or three "iconic" setups for this waterfall, this being my favorite I think. I should also mention that folks need to be extra careful where they walk here. There is a lot of beautiful green moss and hundreds of ferns that are starting to get beat down up behind the falls.
Ed, even though the weather sometimes looks like a bust around here, I've often seen some pretty nice fog in the creek and river areas. There was actually a pretty good patch of it around the War Eagle Creek/Huntsville area going over Sunday, but it never developed in Bowers. Sometimes you just have to be there to find out. We stopped at the mud hole and walked from there. It really doesn't make much difference, at least starting out.
The waterfalls nearby in Hawk Hollow are pretty darn nice too, as is Serendipity Falls that I discovered a couple of years ago on my birthday just downstream in Bowers Hollow - Neil never made it to that one.
It is great to see you guys out shooting the waterfalls in the guidebook, but there are still many great ones out there to be photographed that have never been photographed before. One of the "most scenic" waterfalls in Arkansas (according to one waterfall expert that I respect) is less than a 1/2 mile from my cabin, and I've never been to it! Maybe next time...
Your shot truly brings out the magic of the place. Stan and I did have an awesome time and it was great meeting you, Tom and Matthew and thanks again for letting us tag along. The hike was a little tough but well worth it. We stayed in the area another night and visited a couple of other falls and really had a great weekend in all.