February Desktop Inspiration

The hike to Tews Falls is one that I try to do at least once a year, but to do it justice twice is better and a winter excursion is always rewarding.This year due to the cold weather and good amount of snow the ice build up near the base is larger than usual. An archway of icicles almost encompasses the one side of the falls and this actually helps for getting closer to take photographs as the archway cuts down on the spray. Unless you wipe off the camera constantly in these cold temperatures you will find that your camera becomes encrusted with a fine layer of ice. A few people had trudged out a trail along and on top of the frozen the creek the day before and as the temperature had fallen overnight I was fairly confident stepping on the ice above the creek. This is a bit disconcerting at times due to the fact that you can hear and feel the water running beneath your feet. During my last winter trip to these waterfalls I was rewarded with the sound and sight of large chunks of ice breaking off the cliff edges. No such luck this time which is both good and bad, good because it's a bit safer knowing that a ton of ice isn't going to hit you on the head - but bad because witnessing these huge icicles giving way is a truly awesome sight and the sound of them crashing down the cliff face is like a thunderclap during a summer storm.