Recent New and Latest Information
New Content...Finally!
September 13, 2011
Its taken seemingly forever to deal with the server switch, but it looks like we're finally good to go for the most part. All pictures and content for this website will now be hosted by the World Waterfall Database, so anything you see here will also be available over there (plus additional info in some situations). Over the next week, we'll be shifting to the new database and a whole bunch of newly content will start showing up in the Updates page.
Additionally, due to the differing design of the WWD database and the old one, there have been some changes to the site as a whole as well. First of all, because we're trying to standardize as much data as possible, it will no longer be possible to search by Watershed. This may be something we bring back in the future, but for the time being it was too much work to make it function with the new system.
Secondly, we've had some trouble integrating the adjusted rating system in the new database (and by proxy in the World Waterfall Database) to this server, so for the time being changes to the ratings and new entries which end up with high scores will not show up on the Top 100 list until we can get this fixed (the Top 100 list will not change until the problem is resolved). Additionally, the search feature is limited for the time being to being able to search for the name of waterfalls - searching by strings was causing some strange issues and is likewise temporarily out of commission.
Third, because the database has in essence moved, the URLs for every waterfall have changed as well. We've set up automatic redirects if anybody has direct links from pages around the interwebs, so there shouldn't be much trouble. However, if you do see any problems such as links not going to the right page, please let us know ASAP so we can fix them.
For the Academy's consideration
April 19, 2011
While you're waiting for the months and months worth of new stuff I've got sitting in my backlogged inbox, here's a little video I shot a couple weeks ago at Kamikaze Falls near North Bend. First time I had been there, and the first time I properly shot with my camcorder, so progress on both parts. Information about the falls isn't posted yet (won't be up until the server migration is complete, and I've been busy enough that I haven't been able to do much lately), but its a good one - worth seeing while its still flowing.
2011 Workshop Schedule Posted
March 01, 2011
For those of you interested (and paying attention), the schedule for my 2011 workshops has been posted. I'm only able to hold four this year due to scheduling limitations in June and August, but I've expanded the capacity of each to six people per class, with the locations split between Oregon and Washington. Hurry and sign up ASAP because space goes fast!
Forthcoming changes and 2011 Workshops
January 26, 2011
Just want to address a couple points. Those of you who have sent me emails or pictures, your messages are not being ignored. I'm just focused on transitioning the site to the other server right now and will deal with those when I can. As far as the transition goes, I hope to have the changes complete within the next 2-3 weeks (knock on wood), which means potentially the official switch could take place as soon as the end of February. When this happens, however, not all the pictures may be ready to go, so there may be a period of catch-up.
The whole reason for this server switch is so I can administer the data for this website jointly with the World Waterfall Database. Both websites will be hosted on the same server and the eventual idea is to seamlessly merge the two entirely. I will be keeping this URL indefinitely, but will use it primarily as a more focused outlet of information while the actual waterfall data and pages will be the domain of the World Waterfall Database. For the immediate future, the two sites will still visually look independent.
I do still have a huge backlog of additions to get up from this past summer, and when the server switch goes down, that data will become available (but again the pictures may not be ready right away), so don't fret the shrinking "Recently Updated" box on the home page.
Some of you have also asked me whether I plan to conduct any Photography Workshops this year. The answer is YES, but I haven't laid out the groundwork for the classes yet. There will be at least four of them, the cost will be the same as last year ($150 / person) and I hope to have the schedule and locations posted by the end of February at the latest (at this point, all I can say is there will be at least one in Oregon, but where I haven't yet decided). The earliest class will be in May, so there is still plenty of time to plan.
The Reason for Measuring
October 30, 2010
Measuring a waterfall may not necessarily have any practical application (at least where hydroelectric development isn't involved), other than bragging rights and sometimes for use in tourism information. But humans like to quantify things, and waterfalls have been pretty poorly quantified as a whole. Take Oregon's Watson Falls for example. For the longest time it had been suggested to stand 272 feet tall. Where this measurement came from is unknown, but upon visiting the falls in 2009, we measured it and came up with a figure of 302 feet. Thirty feet of discrepancy isn't exactly huge, but it's significant in that Watson Falls was shown to be much closer to 300 feet tall than originally thought.
Fast forward to the summer of 2010. We were contacted by some folks in the Umpqua National Forest with whom this sparked a significant level of interest, because their data had always said the falls were 272 feet tall. After dispatching a professional survey team to the falls to take much more accurate measurements than we are able to do, they determined the falls to drop 292.7 feet - 21 feet further than originally thought, and only 9 feet shy of the measurements we took - which, for a waterfall of this size, is pretty accurate considering the consumer level tools we have at our disposal.
Even though this really doesn't have any relevant bearing on anything, its still gratifying to see our work paying off in helping to further understand the natural world in ways we thought we already knew and understood. Hopefully this will not be the last time we inspire such influence and curiosity.
Waterfalls of Washington Guidebooks
September 11, 2010
I may or may not have alluded to it in the past but I am in the process of authoring a series of guidebooks to the Waterfalls in Washington State. Since I have a graphic design background, my initial plan was to go the Print-On-Demand route and do all the work myself. However, the cost of printing may limit the scope of each volume to the point where it won't be what I envisioned. So I'd like to get some feedback from you all. Please take this two-question survey to help me gauge the interest levels of those of you who would buy my books. Based on your feedback I may end up publishing through different methods - but rest assured one way or another these books WILL be published.
September Workshop Openings
September 06, 2010
There have been a couple of cancellations for the September 19th Columbia River Gorge workshop and two spots are currently available. If you are interested in attending, there is now room. If you'd like to sign up, contact me as soon as possible to reserve a spot since the class is less than two weeks away.
The Summer Season Begins
July 15, 2010
As if someone flipped a switch, as soon as July hit summer seemingly did to here in the Pacific Northwest. While we were enjoying (or not) consistently mild, overcast and sometimes drizzly weather during most of June, the first week of July brought sunny skies and 90 degree heat. Snow in the mountains is still rather profuse thanks to the cool June, so the high country waterfalls will be flowing well for a while still, though this may delay the wildflowers a bit on the converse.
If its looked a bit quiet here recently, that's because it has been. I had little time to get out through June and I've added and updated the handful of falls I visited over the last month. The good news is over the next two months, I will be out in the mountains virtually non-stop. The bad news is you'll have to wait two months to see most of that content because I won't have time to deal with the updating, and when I do have time, I hope to be able to finish up the updated version of the World Waterfall Database so that project can finally expand as it needs to. Lots of stuff to look forward to this summer, so stay tuned!
Abiqua Falls is open again
July 04, 2010
Abiqua Falls near the town of Scotts Mills, Oregon had been closed off to the public by the owner of the land, the Mount Angel Abbey starting in April of 2010 out of liability concerns after a death at nearby Silver Falls State Park. Many in the hiking communities around the northwest were concerned over the future access to this site and urged the landowners to reconsider. Well fortunately for all who have or wish to enjoy the magnificent waterfall, the Abbey has once again opened the land to access as of July 2010. They plan on removing the sign warning that the land is privately owned and that access is not allowed and posting one stating the public is allowed to proceed at their own risk. So often private landowners would be much less willing to extend the effort and I, for one, applaud the Abbey for being so willing to work to continue to allow public visitation to the falls.
3-months worth of updates
May 31, 2010
Well I just discovered a whole slew of problems in transferring the Northwest Waterfall Survey data over to the World Waterfall Database, so that process has been halted entirely for the time being. That means that the three months worth of updates to this site that I've been sitting on will go up now instead of waiting until the transfer was finished. I've started the process of adding the new stuff and should have it completed by weeks end at the latest. Updates will be online for over 30 waterfalls, so check the Updates page to see the full list.