Free Fall

​Multnomah Falls, Corbett, Oregon

One of arguably the best and tallest waterfalls in Oregon was the destination for Greg and me last month during our cross-country drive to Portland. Multnomah Falls, along the Columbia River, is probably the most photographed waterfalls in the northwest. The falls drop in two-section steps, with the upper falls dropping 542 feet and the lower falls dropping 69 feet. The falls are fed year-round by underground springs from Larch Mountain. A hiking trail leading from the parking lot to the Benson Footbridge allows visitors to cross above the lower falls. The trail continues beyond the falls and ultimately to the top of the upper falls, where hikers get a panoramic view of the Columbia River Gorge.

Normally the falls are packed with visitors and the footbridge is crowded with people. The day I shot this image, it was quite rainy and only the adventurous (or photographers with an early morning flight the next morning) were out.