Water Falling Over Things 2008: The Prologue

[regnaD kciN]

Whane that April with his shoures sote
The camera-manne desyreth Waterfalles to shoote...

...and so it was that I set off on this year's first installment of WFOT. Not to the mountains, though (probably still snow-bound) and not to the Columbia Gorge (too far away for a weekday excursion), but in search of that rarity...the Urban Waterfall. In other words, to places right in the greater Seattle area. For example, consider this spot, just across the street from a housing tract along the shore of Lake Sammammish in Bellevue:



True story: this wild space was originally going to be sold off for development, until the neighbors successfully petitioned the parks department to acquire the strip of land and keep it in its natural state. When people in the neighborhood found out the good news, they realized that "we own a park!" -- and thus the place became officially named Weowna Park. (No, I'm not making that up!)

In Weowna Park, Phantom Creek tumbles over a couple of fifteen-foot drops. First off is Upper Weowna Falls:



(The guide to these waterfalls mentions that, to get a good view of Upper Weowna Falls, "you'll have to hop the fence." I think I found the spot where people used to hop the fence. The fence has since been rebuilt. If I was an Olympic pole-vaulting champion, I might be able to hop that fence. ;-) )

A better view can be had of Lower Weowna Falls from an observation deck built high over the falls:



This is a waterfall to which I plan to return, as it appears possible to get down to the base via a spur off the main trail; unfortunately, at this rainy time of year, the somewhat-steep trail was pretty much a mud-slick from this point on. Although I paid a bargain price for my Alpha 100, I still don't consider it a "disposable camera!"

A view of Phantom Creek further upstream, taken from the footbridge over Upper Weowna Falls:



Then it was on to North Fork Falls and Coal Creek Falls, in the Cougar Mountain Regional Wildlife Park, abutting acres upon acres of McMansions south of Bellevue.

Well, almost...





:-(

Don't worry, though...as you can see, FEMA is on the case! Therefore, I can confidently say that I'll have photos of these two falls ready in time for Water Falling Over Things 2024...

[Blue_In_AK]

1. You've really got this WFOT down pat.

These are beautiful. I love the name of the falls. :rofl:

[FreeState]

2. Hey! Thats where I grew up!

I know this is an old post but I was doing a search on my parents house and this came up. I grew up literally just up the street from the Park and falls. All though I was never allowed by my parents to see them - there were no trails there when I was a kid. There use to be a Seattle Times paper shack right were the trail is now - I can remember someone breaking there leg going down there when I was about 8 - that must be the reason my parents would not let me go there... next time I go home I am so going on a hike in my back yard! :)