Hiking Marymere Falls
Sep. 10th, 2021 03:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
canyonwalkerOlympic Peninsula Travelog #16
Lake Crescent, WA - Sun, 5 Sep 2021. 1pm.
Marymere Falls is one of several waterfall hikes that were in our plan for today. One or two got chopped off the list because of the bridge out over the Elwha River, but Marymere was open. And busy. The parking lot was full, with people vulturing for spots. (Actually it was more like perch hunting instead of vulturing. Vultures circle in the sky on thermal air currents. Perch hunters sit nearby and swoop in when they see prey.)
The crowds were thick on the trail as in the parking lot. And all despite the gloomy weather. You're not going to travel all the way out here and not go hiking just because it's gloomy. Plus, if you're familiar with the Pacific Northwest you understand that gloomy = normal.
I remember Marymere being busy when we visited 13 years ago, too. Yes, we're hiking it again. It's awesome enough that it's worth visiting twice in 13 years. And yes, it was gloomy then, too. Gloomy = normal.
I'll cut to the chase... er, the falls. They're about a mile in on a relatively easy trail. The trail is nice. There are mossy, rain-forest trees, a steel footbridge over a creek, a single-file wooden footbridge over a side creek, and even a side falls; but these are all window dressing on the way to Marymere Falls.
I lugged my camera with three lenses plus my tripod on this hike. At times during the walk I regretted the extra weight and bulk, but when I arrived at the falls I was glad I did. As I set up my tripod I noticed that the photographer standing next to me had a lens filter with a recognizable brass ring on his kit. "Hey, do we have the same filter?" I asked, referring to the ND filter I use to shoot waterfalls.
He laughed and said yes, though as we started talking tech for a moment I noted he owns my filter's counterpart. Mine's a Peter McKinnon 2-5 stop adjustable filter. The other guy had the 6-9 stop adjustable filter. But still, it's hilarious that two strangers can meet in the wilderness, notice brass rings on a camera, and start talking about some photographer with a popular YouTube channel.
Up next: another waterfall! Read about Sol Duc Falls.
Lake Crescent, WA - Sun, 5 Sep 2021. 1pm.
Marymere Falls is one of several waterfall hikes that were in our plan for today. One or two got chopped off the list because of the bridge out over the Elwha River, but Marymere was open. And busy. The parking lot was full, with people vulturing for spots. (Actually it was more like perch hunting instead of vulturing. Vultures circle in the sky on thermal air currents. Perch hunters sit nearby and swoop in when they see prey.)
The crowds were thick on the trail as in the parking lot. And all despite the gloomy weather. You're not going to travel all the way out here and not go hiking just because it's gloomy. Plus, if you're familiar with the Pacific Northwest you understand that gloomy = normal.
I remember Marymere being busy when we visited 13 years ago, too. Yes, we're hiking it again. It's awesome enough that it's worth visiting twice in 13 years. And yes, it was gloomy then, too. Gloomy = normal.
I'll cut to the chase... er, the falls. They're about a mile in on a relatively easy trail. The trail is nice. There are mossy, rain-forest trees, a steel footbridge over a creek, a single-file wooden footbridge over a side creek, and even a side falls; but these are all window dressing on the way to Marymere Falls.
I lugged my camera with three lenses plus my tripod on this hike. At times during the walk I regretted the extra weight and bulk, but when I arrived at the falls I was glad I did. As I set up my tripod I noticed that the photographer standing next to me had a lens filter with a recognizable brass ring on his kit. "Hey, do we have the same filter?" I asked, referring to the ND filter I use to shoot waterfalls.
He laughed and said yes, though as we started talking tech for a moment I noted he owns my filter's counterpart. Mine's a Peter McKinnon 2-5 stop adjustable filter. The other guy had the 6-9 stop adjustable filter. But still, it's hilarious that two strangers can meet in the wilderness, notice brass rings on a camera, and start talking about some photographer with a popular YouTube channel.
Up next: another waterfall! Read about Sol Duc Falls.
