Yesterday, we decided to go exploring, and what better way than to search out waterfalls? We found 5.
As the mists cleared from the mountains, we headed out, driving north.
Our first falls was Nairn Falls (197 feet), just about a 20 minute drive from Whistler and about a 2.5 mile round trip hike along the Green river, aptly named, I might add.
The falls were a three-tiered variety, and carved out of volcanic rock. Very lovely.
After Nairn, we drove back towards Whistler to Garibaldi Provential Park to hike up to Wedgemont Falls (971 ft.) The drive up to the parking place was lovely and very bumpy in our little rental. A couple of times, the ruts were so deep that we lost traction. I know. I happened to be driving.
The trail was pretty bumpy as well.
But with lovely views along the way.
We stopped here, only a third of the way up to the falls because we decided that it was going to take us Old Farts too long to get up there, and we’d run out of time for the other falls. We plan to go there again sometime. I’d love to see all that glorious water free-falling 971 feet down.
However, if you were to walk out onto this plank and looked up, you’d see the lovely newly named AlCammy Falls (picture, below).
After our aborted venture to Wedgemont Falls, we drove to the Rainbow Lake trail head, hiked about 1/4 mile up the trail through mushroom and moss filled forests to the beautiful Rainbow Falls (137 ft.) A steep hike with some helpful tree roots took you to the base of the Falls. They didn’t seem very high because of the tiering, but the way the water flowed over the rocks was pretty darned cool.
Mesmerizing…
Hypnotizing… We stayed here awhile, just spacing out on the beauty.
The easiest falls to view are the Alexander Falls (141 feet) …just a few feet from the parking lot is a viewing platform. The Falls were lovely, but I’d stear clear of the restroom facilities available in the parking lot. Just sayin’….
On our way to our final falls, Brandywine Falls, we had a spectacular view of the Thunderbird’s Perch. It’s called by other names, but I like Thunderbird’s Perch the best. The Thunderbird was a huge, supernatural bird found in the mythologies of the local First Nations.
Brandywine Falls (261 ft.) is well marked on the Sea to Sky Highway. From the parking lot, it’s about a 15 minute hike.
If you were to walk along these railroad tracks as far as the those two golden aspens…
You get a great view of the top of the falls. The picture doesn’t do justice to the feeling–the pull–of the water as it begins its decent…
It was pretty trippy. One of those places you were glad there was a rail you could hang onto.
My, my, my. You have the BEST camera. In a couple of shots I could almost feel the mist and hear the thunder. I think I also pick the one where you two sat groking the splendor as my favorite, too.
< Written on my iPad, which has a mind of its own, and a VERY strange sense of humor!
Wow- beautiful. I can feel that cool air and mist-