if you don't know, now you know.

Webber Falls was a place I had tried to get to previously. That failed journey resulted in the photos from my previous post “Truckee Adventure,” which I am quite happy with.

The road not being closed this time, I was able to make it to the unmarked dirt road turn-off for Webber Falls, which happened to be an unmarked snowbank instead.  Taking it on foot, I meandered through the snowy woods towards the sound of the falls and was able to find it with very little trouble.

I had read that Spring was a good time to visit the falls due to the above average flow during this time. I planned it right, and the falls was raging!  Coming up on the falls from above was a great site.

From Above

Traversing the slope on the left-hand side of the falls was a little more difficult, not to mention super sketchy.  The ground was saturated by the snowmelt and multiple small streams of water flowing down to meet the river. Obviously, I had to get down to get a full frontal view of the falls, so I continued cautiously.

Over and Over Again

Needless to say, the waterfall was a site to see, and I was the only one there to see it.

Moving Down

Checking It Out

This was another time to utilize both my neutral density filter and my intervalometer. While I wasn’t doing an timelapse shots, the intervalometer was good for delay. My camera timer only has a 10 second delay, and with this terrain that just wasn’t enough time. Being able to select the delay I wanted was useful, especially for the above shot.

Misty Rainbow

Water Power

Waterfall Cakes

I loved the ice that was building up from the mist coming off the waterfall. It was sunny and in the high 40s, but the water was so cold and cooled the air around it so much that ice was forming some 50 feet downstream on the walls and trees.

Impressed

Opposite View

I know everyone has different opinions about what photography is about and I am no different. For me, much of photography is about being willing to get the shot. Being willing to bear through cold fingers, cold and wet and muddy feet and hands, long hours, long hikes with heavy gear, and just about anything else encountered.  By the end of this trek I was muddy, my feet were numb while I myself was overheating, and obviously one slip could have ended a lot more than just my day.  Because of all those things, it was an amazing experience. Photos don’t just capture the moment, they capture what the photographer was feeling. And I know coming back to these I will remember how awesome this trip was. Just being out there alone on an adventure to a spot I had never been and which had eluded me previously. 

I attended a conference for the Society of American Archaeology this past weekend in Memphis, TN (and also gave my first presentation at one of these conferences) and took the opportunity to explore the city a bit and take some photos as well.  Here are just a few:

The Dream.

This is a sign outside of the Civil Rights Museum, located in the hotel where Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.  This quote is from the day before he was shot.

The Hotel

Also the current location of the Civil Rights Museum, the Lorraine Motel was the location where the dream ended for MLK Jr. and began for many others.  A wreath hangs on the second floor balcony above the cars in the background, marking the location of the event.

“I guess it’s in the blood.”

Nosy

I really like the contrast between the derelict buildings and the lush greenery growing in the empty lot.

Main Street Memphis

When going to Memphis, I really didn’t know what to expect. Now that I have visited there, I would like to go back to explore more. The city was nothing like I expected. The BBQ (obviously) was amazing, and the culture is thriving. Until next time, Memphis.

I decided to go on a little photo adventure today that went very off-track due to the snowfall the past few days. Despite not being able to reach my actual destination, I was happy with the product. Here are a few of the photos:

I think this guy might have been caught off-guard by the late winter storm

Snow makes everything beautiful.

Truckee River flow.  Testing my neutral density filter was the point of my adventure. I am happy with the results.

Man-made waterfall.

Water in motion.

The American Flats Mill near Virginia City, NV was, at one point, the largest concrete mill in the United States; it has since become a graffiti-laden monolith used for parties and paintball wars.

Opened in 1922, the mill processed low-grade silver and gold ore using a unique cyanide vat-leaching method.  After various owners, the mill closed only a few years later and everything was recycled except for the concrete skeleton, which now stands.

American Flats Mill ca. 1925

American Flats Mill ca 2012

In recent years there has been the threat of deconstruction from the BLM. The mill site is disintegrating and many floors and walls have crumbled to their rebar cores.

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Some underground portions have since filled with water that has no outlet, creating possible health issues. 

Arguments against the removal of the mill ruins point to the historical significance (largest concrete mill in the USA for a time) of the site and a nomination to the National Register of Historic Places may be sought.  Whether or not there is any integrity to the mill remains to be argued.

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the vats

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