Kitsap Waterfall Survey: Social Media.

The Kitsap Waterfall Survey is now on social media!

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram: @Geologicadventures

These accounts will be updated whenever something new happens in the survey, probably once every one or two weeks. With another quarter at Olympic College beginning on Monday, the survey will be slowing down, with waterfall searches and research happening on weekends or days off after school and work has been taken care of. 

Happy New Year! Here's to discovering some more of Kitsap's hidden wonders in the future! 

Kitsap Waterfall Survey: "Beaver Dam Lake Falls"

It's been almost a year since I've surveyed any portion of Dickerson Creek in the Ueland Tree Farm. The lower portion of this creek has three major waterfalls after it exits Beaver Dam Lake; these have been described here and here.

However, Dickerson Creek doesn't start at Beaver Dam Lake, it's source is much further south in another small unnamed lake higher in the hills near the southwestern boundary of the tree farm. Using Google Earth software I determined that the creek most likely has two falls or cascades between its headwaters and Beaver Dam Lake. On Christmas day I confirmed one of these.

The lower tier of "Beaver Dam Lake Falls." Photo by Micah K. 

Shortly before entering Beaver Dam Lake, Dickerson Creek crosses an old logging road. Just north of this road, the creek drops 22 feet in 3 steps over a basalt formation, creating a beautiful tiered cascading waterfall. 

Kitsap Waterfall Survey: Tin Mine Creek Revisit 12/13/15

The week prior to December 13, the Kitsap Peninsula had enjoyed a thorough and much needed dousing of steady rain. The creeks predictably swelled in response, and I knew exactly where I wanted to go first. It had been nearly eight months since the last time I visited "Tin Mine Falls" back in March, and it was time to go see the survey's largest waterfall again.

Tin Mine Falls 12/13/15
Photo by Micah K.

Hiking up the dampened GM-1 road, it became quickly apparent there was going to be a lot of water in the creek. Every little side gully and low spot had water in it, and the branches were still dripping. 40 minutes after parking the car, My hiking partner and I finally arrived at the creek. When my friend Spencer and I had first discovered Tin Mine in January 2015, it was full of water, crashing through the basalt canyon. I didn't think it would be possible for the creek to get any more filled, but apparently it is; the swollen spectacle that greeted us on December 13 was nothing short of astounding. The creek was absolutely thundering through the canyon. Arriving at the best spot for viewing I like to call "The Overlook" I came face to face with the entire display.

It became readily apparent to me that we weren't going to be able to make it to the bottom of the largest tier, which requires scrambling up and over the lowest tier of the falls. The amount of water made it nearly impossible, if not downright dangerous. So after watching and photographing "Tin Mine Falls" for a few minutes, we moved towards "Echo Falls," and got another shock.

Usually I access "Echo Falls" by rock hopping across the creek about 50 feet upstream of the falls. This is no longer possible. It appears one of the many windstorms that has slammed the peninsula recently caused 3-4 large pine trees to fall into the creek, shattering and creating a natural dam. The creek has pooled up 3-4 feet deep behind this dam, inundating the once perfect crossing, it's now wade across, or cross a log a little bit more upstream.

Once we successfully crossed to the other side, we scrambled down to "Echo Falls". For the first time I have seen, It was completely full. Words can almost not do it justice.

Echo Falls 12/13/15
Photo by Micah K.