Everywhere on Earth holds beauty of some kind.
The view from the bus one morning
Last spring was a bit reluctant to fully get rolling. We had our share of nice days, and on one of them the sun was shining its warmth over the barren-looking landscape, inviting the greenery to make its appearance. I wanted to enjoy the day and a photographer friend of mine also wanted to get outside so we went together to Fort Snelling State Park to walk around and take a look at the flooding Mississippi waters. Unfortunately the park was closed, and we had a close call with a park ranger when we walked down the hill to take a closer look (there was no trespassing sign like he said, I swear!) so we decided to head to Minnehaha Falls instead.
A short drive later and we're there walking down the steps to come alongside the rushing waters. Despite my trepidation from our run-in with the park authorities earlier, my buddy convinces me that we should hop the fence once again and make our way around the side of the falls. There, we can go behind the ice flows that are frozen over the hallowed out cave behind the waterfall. I hesitated for a minute but being able to say I had walked on a waterfall was too hard a tempation to resist.
I am so glad I listened and dared to do it!
He's a fledgling photographer and he got a great pic of our trip behind the waterfall that day.
He's taken some great pics--you should check out his Facebook page if you like this one.
My friend's finishing technique allows him to really capture the depth and beauty of the colors when compared to my cell phone camera (as well it should!)
My own pathetic cell phone was all I had, yet the scene was too gorgeous to be held back too much by that and I managed to get a handful of fun shots.
It was insane and wonderful at the same time, sliding on the shelf of ice behind the falls. In warmer months there is a very narrow ledge behind the falls, but nothing as substantial as this. As we progressed further around the falls, the level of the ice shelf dropped and we had to slide down a mini hill at one point.
The whole time the thunder of the falls is all around you and at certain points you could see quite clearly though gaps in the ice.
I'd love to go again this year, but with the weather so unseasonably nice (temps have been in at or above freezing for what feels like forever now, and what little snow we have gotten is continually melted soon after it falls) I have my doubts whether conditions will be right for another expedition.
I sure hope so, though. I'd love to bring my dad and show him this.
He's a fledgling photographer and he got a great pic of our trip behind the waterfall that day.
He's taken some great pics--you should check out his Facebook page if you like this one.
My friend's finishing technique allows him to really capture the depth and beauty of the colors when compared to my cell phone camera (as well it should!)
My own pathetic cell phone was all I had, yet the scene was too gorgeous to be held back too much by that and I managed to get a handful of fun shots.
It was insane and wonderful at the same time, sliding on the shelf of ice behind the falls. In warmer months there is a very narrow ledge behind the falls, but nothing as substantial as this. As we progressed further around the falls, the level of the ice shelf dropped and we had to slide down a mini hill at one point.
The whole time the thunder of the falls is all around you and at certain points you could see quite clearly though gaps in the ice.
See those people, waaaaaay down there? That's where we hopped the fence.
I even managed to slip into a cold cylindrical cell, hanging way out in the empty space above the waterfall pool. I'll admit it made me a bit nervous, but exhilirated too.
While we were horsing around a wiry, slightly nefarious-looking guy came rushing up, shrieking and woo-hooing in delight.
"Isn't this the most freakin' cool thing you've ever seen? We're on top of a waterfall for god's sake! A friggin' waterfall!"
His enthusiam was easy to understand.
Eventually we had to make our way back. I'll never forget that short but otherworldly beautiful trip in a city park.
I'd love to go again this year, but with the weather so unseasonably nice (temps have been in at or above freezing for what feels like forever now, and what little snow we have gotten is continually melted soon after it falls) I have my doubts whether conditions will be right for another expedition.
I sure hope so, though. I'd love to bring my dad and show him this.
