Fortunately, there is no problem making it safely back down to the bottom of the hill. What a difference a little elevation can make, down here there is far less snow and the roads are just wet. I head for the Red House entrance; there should be no problem getting into the park that way, the road is wider and the elevation lower.
As I approach the Red House Lake area, I am stunned; it’s a surreal world of fall colors and snow; it’s breathtaking. Better get to work while these conditions last. I shoot various pretty scenes around the lake then decide to hike into the woods to see what the snow accent around Allegany’s only real waterfall, Bridal Falls. By now, the temperature is beginning to warm up and snow rains down from the trees, pummeling me as if I am on the receiving end of a snowball barrage from above. A few times, a heavy blob manages to land squarely on the back of my neck, making its way inside my jacket and shirt, sliding down the skin of my back; brrrrrrr.
The waterfall is just a trickle; I had assumed with all the wet weather we’d been having that there would be more to it; disappointing. As I look around for something else interesting to shoot, I hear the crack! of a gunshot. I am momentarily confused, I know that bow-hunting season begins the next day, but no one should be in the woods hunting today, much less with a gun. Only it’s not a gunshot, it’s a tree limb, cracking off under the weight of the snow and crashing down about 20 feet away in a maelstrom of flying snow and leaves. Yikes! Nevertheless, I soon find myself absorbed in the composition of an interesting scene, forgetting all about the danger of falling limbs and trees when I hear more cracking. This time a whole tree comes crashing down off the embankment down which the waterfall cascades, its roots ripped right out of the cliff by the burden of the incredibly heavy snow. O.K., it’s time to leave, no image is worth being killed for.
As I approach the Red House Lake area, I am stunned; it’s a surreal world of fall colors and snow; it’s breathtaking. Better get to work while these conditions last. I shoot various pretty scenes around the lake then decide to hike into the woods to see what the snow accent around Allegany’s only real waterfall, Bridal Falls. By now, the temperature is beginning to warm up and snow rains down from the trees, pummeling me as if I am on the receiving end of a snowball barrage from above. A few times, a heavy blob manages to land squarely on the back of my neck, making its way inside my jacket and shirt, sliding down the skin of my back; brrrrrrr.
The waterfall is just a trickle; I had assumed with all the wet weather we’d been having that there would be more to it; disappointing. As I look around for something else interesting to shoot, I hear the crack! of a gunshot. I am momentarily confused, I know that bow-hunting season begins the next day, but no one should be in the woods hunting today, much less with a gun. Only it’s not a gunshot, it’s a tree limb, cracking off under the weight of the snow and crashing down about 20 feet away in a maelstrom of flying snow and leaves. Yikes! Nevertheless, I soon find myself absorbed in the composition of an interesting scene, forgetting all about the danger of falling limbs and trees when I hear more cracking. This time a whole tree comes crashing down off the embankment down which the waterfall cascades, its roots ripped right out of the cliff by the burden of the incredibly heavy snow. O.K., it’s time to leave, no image is worth being killed for.
As I make my way back, the snow rains down from the trees even harder than before and, by the time I pop out of the woods, I am thoroughly soaked and shivering. Only one solution to this problem, I jump into the truck and blast the heater - ahhhhh, that feels so good. By now, the snow has turned to all rain and the magic has melted. I head home, wet, warm and happy, for I have once again been fortunate enough to have seen the kind of beauty that most people only experience a few lucky times in their lives. Even if it did involve some danger, it was definitely worth it!
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2 comments:
Wow, what an adventure! The images are beautiful. Reading your story made me feel like I was experiencing it first hand. Thanks for sharing this!
You're welcome Bev! It's when I have an experience like this, combined with beautiful and unique conditions that I feel so fortunate to be able to do what I do - I truly love my job!
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