Darrell Duke
A Lousy Photograph - Click & Read
A lousy photo of Crabtree Falls NC published here only to set the record straight. This has to be the most over-rated waterfall that the old man has dared to hike. I have only seen a handful of photos from here worthy of publishing. The way the light filters in, no matter what time of day, makes proper white balance an undefined pipe dream. Composition is almost impossible except for head on shots as seen here. The are no really good perches to shoot from. Maybe it is just because I am a lousy photographer shooting lousy pictures. And the word hike is a big word at this one. Stay away unless you are a young Billy Goat. For the Old Guy it is a 1 mile (1.25 from the parkway when the campground is closed ) grinding 45 minute trek over roots, rocks, boulders, switchbacks, and steep stairs going straight down the mountain. The dreaded return trip is an hour and a half for us seniors and if you survive you won't be able to walk for three days. The return trip seemed like 17 miles and garnered my MBADB highest rating. ( MUST BE A DAMN BILLYGOAT ) Save your time and limited energy visiting falls like the beautiful Roaring Fork Falls just down the road with an fairly easy hike for the old folks. Last words of advice: If you hike Crabtree make sure to take water and a candy bar to keep your sugar and energy level up. And to the young buck in Little Switzerland that told us this was an easy hike: As soon as I can walk again I'm coming back to punch you in the mouth !
A Lousy Photograph - Click & Read
A lousy photo of Crabtree Falls NC published here only to set the record straight. This has to be the most over-rated waterfall that the old man has dared to hike. I have only seen a handful of photos from here worthy of publishing. The way the light filters in, no matter what time of day, makes proper white balance an undefined pipe dream. Composition is almost impossible except for head on shots as seen here. The are no really good perches to shoot from. Maybe it is just because I am a lousy photographer shooting lousy pictures. And the word hike is a big word at this one. Stay away unless you are a young Billy Goat. For the Old Guy it is a 1 mile (1.25 from the parkway when the campground is closed ) grinding 45 minute trek over roots, rocks, boulders, switchbacks, and steep stairs going straight down the mountain. The dreaded return trip is an hour and a half for us seniors and if you survive you won't be able to walk for three days. The return trip seemed like 17 miles and garnered my MBADB highest rating. ( MUST BE A DAMN BILLYGOAT ) Save your time and limited energy visiting falls like the beautiful Roaring Fork Falls just down the road with an fairly easy hike for the old folks. Last words of advice: If you hike Crabtree make sure to take water and a candy bar to keep your sugar and energy level up. And to the young buck in Little Switzerland that told us this was an easy hike: As soon as I can walk again I'm coming back to punch you in the mouth !