Kaaterskill Falls was blown away yesterday

[Mark Schaefer]

It even happened more than once. OK, Now that I got your attention.

Friday, October 12, 2007 was a very windy day in the Catskill Mountains. I have photographed these waterfalls many times before. I have often gotten wet from the spray on windy days, but I had never seen or felt a display like this. The waterfall literally disappeared several times. But it did come back each time. So it is still there in case you were planning a visit. A few trees near the falls are in fall color, but most are still green.

The Kaaterskill Falls is a double waterfall, and the best known in the Catskills. 175' upper falls and a 85' lower falls. Both may be viewed together at the base of the lower falls. It is a short half mile hike up from the horseshoe bend on NY Route 23A. The former trail up to the base of the upper falls has been closed for years, but the adventurous still scramble up the badly eroded slope to see this wonder known to Natty Bumppo and Rip Van Winkle. A large hollow amphitheater surrounds the upper falls, and it is possible to walk behind the upper falls on a narrow ledge. It is necessary to duck in places as there is very minimal head room.

I have just started to use a dSLR in the last 10 days, and so I am still very new to digital photography. The quality is not to my usual standards as the focus is a bit soft in the images. But I could not resist sharing three sequences of the upper falls disappearing; 14 photos here.

edit: 3 days later I went back to photograph the waterfall under more optimal light and with better foliage. There are 12 additional photos in this photo album. This is the same link as a subsequent post.

This is a waterfalls infamous for accidents. Be careful if you go. It is slippery and the climb beyond the end of the marked trail is very treacherous. The scramble route has eroded considerably in the past year. Another trail from near North Lake State Park and a third parking area provide access to the top of the upper falls. Accidents occur there also as visitors seek out good views. The most incredible was probably this 2004 accident. I later heard from the woman's college roommate that she had recovered well after a long recuperation.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Friday, October 12, 2007 was a very windy day in the Catskill Mountains. I have photographed these waterfalls many times before. I have often gotten wet from the spray on windy days, but I had never seen or felt a display like this. The waterfall literally disappeared several times. But it did come back each time. So it is still there in case you were planning a visit. A few trees near the falls are in fall color, but most are still green.
...
I have just started to use a dSLR in the last 10 days, and so I am still very new to digital photography. The quality is not to my usual standards as the focus is a bit soft in the images. But I could not resist sharing three sequences of the upper falls disappearing; 14 photos here.

This is a waterfalls infamous for accidents. Be careful if you go. It is slippery and the climb beyond the end of the marked trail is very treacherous. The scramble route has eroded considerably in the past year. Another trail from near North Lake State Park and a third parking area provide access to the top of the upper falls. Accidents occur there also as visitors seek out good views. The most incredible was probably this 2004 accident. I later heard from the woman's college roommate that she had recovered well after a long recuperation.

Nice pics!

I know a Rev. Rankin (no relation) who fell there a few years ago. Amazingly, his wife had cell service down in the gully to report the accident. But, he is now permanently disabled, and he now ministers to the disabled. So, a small silver lining to a dark cloud...

 

[pudgy_groundhog]

That's pretty cool! Nice set of pictures.

A visit to the falls is always nice. I think my favorite was when we scrambled up in the winter time to find what we dubbed "Krakatoa" underneath the falls.

 

[keb]

Very cool Mark, thanks.

 

[MattC]

That's really interesting; thanks for sharing Mark. I recently experienced a disappearing waterfall, not from wind, but rather from a lack of rain. Until last week, it had been extremely dry around here for weeks. On Sunday the 7th, a friend and I visited Stony Kill Falls in the Shawangunks and it was almost non-existent, as was the brook below.

Matt

 

[Mark Schaefer]

Kaaterskill Falls Redux

Thanks for the comments. I returned to the falls again this past Monday, October 15. The foliage was more colorful, but not yet peak. It was also more cloudy which provided more even light to photograph waterfalls. There are a total of 12 photos in this photo album. It begins with two shots of Bastion Falls which is at the start of the Kaaterskill Falls trail. There are images of the upper and lower Kaaterskill Falls from a variety of viewing levels.

There will still be color around the falls this weekend, October 20-21. Water levels are currently down again, but may be refilled later today.

 

[Gandalf]

Gorgeous pictures there, Mark! I'm glad the falls have returned.