Waterfall Wednesday: Bechler of the Yellowstone, Part Two

Following our arrival and viewing of Terraced Falls, our trip began to go south. The rainstorm which had mercifully dissipated before we arrived at Terraced had soaked every inch of the Bechler Region down to the core. Coming back through the once pleasant woods from Terraced Falls turned into a soppy, frustrating hell. While the rest of my group would have their sanity broken somewhere else along the trip, mine snapped here. Having rapidly lost my reserves of cheerfulness to the dull wetness and constant brush battle of the off-trail travel, it all came to head when a Yellowjacket slammed its sharped pointy end of pain into the back of my knee. The result was an instant reaction of pain and rage. Screaming expletives at every living thing within 100 feet, I raced ahead of my friends, trying to get as far away from the yellow and black flying demon that had just sent my once joyous afternoon screeching to an abrupt halt.

Crossing a creek in a less than jovial mood. Photo by Ryan Maurer. 

After regaining my composure somewhat and finally arriving back onto the trail, the trip continued on a more melancholy note, trudging the remaining 5 or so miles in on and off rain to our campsite at the edge of the North Fork Mountain Ash Creek. After quickly setting up camp, we donned our daypacks and made a beeline for our second waterfall goal of the trip. about three/quarters of a mile later, we crested a rise and got a face-full of spray rising nearly 300 feet up to meet us. Across the canyon, swollen from the recent rain; Union Falls roared 260 feet into the canyon in an astounding display of chaotic whitewater.

Union Falls at Sunset, Photo by Ryan Maurer

Below the overlook, a steep and slick boot path (No longer open I believe, and if it is, don't try it) led down to the base of this titanic giant, one by one our group descended. And several minutes later I found myself standing at the base of one of the most incredible waterfalls I've ever seen in my life.

The Base of Union Falls, with Will Boekel for Scale, Photo by Ryan Maurer

Standing at the base of Union Falls is chaos. pure chaos. The force of thousands of gallons of water slamming into rhyolitic bedrock after free-falling for over 100 feet sends tempestuous winds blasting outwards. horizontal streams of water trail downwind of any object within 50 feet, Talking here is almost useless, as you have to scream at the top of your lungs to be heard. After 10 seconds of standing 50 feet. from the base, you are utterly and completely drenched and shivering. As our group stood with jaws agape, eyes squinting upwards in complete bafflement, it made the whole hellish ordeal getting here worth it. Waterfall Goal #2 was a success. After saying our goodbyes to Union and heading back to camp, we started the discussion about our final prize, 2.5 miles upriver, the fabled 60-foot thermal fall, Morning.