Bowers Hollow with snow (Saturday morning)

I had to leave Conway at 2:30 to get to Bowers and hike in before the sun ruined everything. I had to hike in the dark but is was definitely worth it. I wasn't about to miss out on some snow photos.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2577/4219295890_08a2fd5bfd_o.jpg
Here is a view from behind the falls. I was standing on solid ice and the spray was freezing on my camera and lens. I had to turn around and clean the lens then spin back around and plant the tripod on the ice as quick as possible and click the shutter before everything was covered in spray again. I ended up with only three shots that looked okay.

Wish we could have had more snow for ya - really little more than a dusting up here, not the 8" or more they had predicted. I guess we almost passed on the road in the dark - I was going to and from the fire tower to end my long exposure as you were just arriving. Real photographers don't get much sleep, ey! That is one thing I continue to find humorous - folks who can't believe some of the light and color in photographs are real since it never looks that way when they are there at noon....

Lovin the shots Matt. The water looks like bronze. Glad you got a chance to make it out.

Must have just missed ya Tim. A light dusting is better than no snow at all. You mean you don't just use a magic great light photoshop filter? That would be much easier than getting out of bed and actually being somewhere when the light is good.

Thanks Karla.

Well worth the effort! Karla's right, it has a bronze look to the water. I wished I had gotten out and about now after seeing this. Keep it up!

Beautiful shot, ditto to the comments on the water, looks great!

Matthew, great light, the effort was worth it!

thanks everyone. The effort wasn't really all that had considering the beautiful conditions I got to hike in. I drug Zach Andrews along with me. He is one of the few people dumb/adventurous enough to go on these little excursions with me.

I have been wanting to explore Bowers downstream of the main falls all the way to the Buffalo for a while now and we did go downstream quite a ways. I found Tim E's Serendipity Falls and have a whole new appreciation for the shot he captured in his Waterfall coffee table book. That is not an easy one to reach. We went pretty far downstream of that and eventually made it up the hill to the corner of the bluff and had a pretty nice view of the Upper Buffalo and we could see some buildings in Mossville, I assume. Hopefully soon I can explore the rest of that great hollow.

No need to camp Zach just get those legs in shape and get some sleep. I think it was probably more like 8 miles, uphill both ways, into the wind and we couldn't afford shoes either.

Great shot Matt. I like how you composed and cropped this, and the snow looks great covering the boulders and logs. The Beech leaves are a nice touch too.

Cool shots, Matt!

Nice work getting down into Bowers, Matthew. I'd say you were well-rewarded for your efforts. A lot to see down in there, and an overnighter might be just the ticket for some late afternoon light.

Two very nice shots Matthew. Glad to see that the trek produced some winners.

Great light and composition. Nice work Matthew.