Photograph Ketchum Falls

...After spending my 3 days exploring and capturing the partial lunar eclipse at North Cascades National Park in Washington, I was eager to find another adventure that I haven't done yet or others didn't know much about. As I was driving East leaving Gorge Creek Falls, .9 miles on my left I spotted a dark area that looked to be either another gorge, slot canyon or waterfall. Pulling over instantaneously on my right in a large turnout, I walked across the street to check it out. Tucked back in the canyon was a towering 160+ ft. waterfall! So I walked back to my truck to gather my camera and tripod to go back and photograph it.

The falls took a little bit of effort to get back to, climbing over some rocks and scrambling through some brush, but nothing too strenuous that didn't make it worth it. Once making it to the base of the 160+ ft. fall, I stood there in pure amazement! It was truly a hidden beauty in this park! Actually, out of all the falls I visited in the park, this was without a doubt my favorite and was the most photogenic. This is an epic waterfall that at least deserves a pull off sign for people to view. I actually had no idea of the name of the fall until I stopped at the Visitor Center to ask a Ranger. If I wasn't mistaken, I'd say this fall doesn't receive the recognition it deserves. It was nice that I had it all to myself, but if you're not paying attention, you can miss it in a flash. The falls sits in a corner of a canyon as the road curves right, so it's super easy to miss. If you're not looking for it, you'll miss it.

Depending on the time of year that you go, will ultimately depend on the amount of water flowing over the falls. I went in mid August and what you see in the pictures above is what I saw. I can only imagine what this beauty would look like if it was raging! So if you plan to view this fall earlier in the year, or after a heavy rainstorm, I'd recommend a pair of GORE-TEX (waterproof) hiking boots and a rain shell (waterproof jacket). Overall, although I wasn't purposely looking for this adventure, this met my needs for what I was looking for!

As always, be smart, be careful and use proper judgement when you're out in nature or doing something that inquires a bit of danger. Pack out what you pack in and have a good time! Happy Trails!