My Hocking Hills!

Should you ever find yourself in southern Ohio, I beg of you to take the time to visit a beautiful state park called Hocking Hills near the small town of Logan. There is an area in Hocking Hills called Old Man's Cave. It houses three separate waterfalls. These images are of the upper and middle falls. Needless to say, after several attempts to brave the completely frozen steps leading down to the third, or lower falls, I had to give up. Or slide all the way down and that would have been painful.

UPPER FALLS, OLD MAN'S CAVE

Several years ago I spent four weeks beginning in early January closely keeping watch on the weather in Ohio. I watched and I waited. Finally, the opportunity came. On a Friday I drove to Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio and spent the night at Cedar Falls Inn. Gorgeous inn that you simply have to stay in at least once. It's an experience in and of itself. I digress.

The next morning I stopped at Walmart on my way to Old Man's Cave, realizing my gloves I had brought along wouldn't cut it if I was seriously going to get the photos I wanted. I bought some heavier gloves, had on my boots, two pair of knee hi socks, my trusty North Face jacket and a pair of ear muffs. I was ready for "the hills" and whatever it threw at me.

FROZEN, MIDDLE FALLS, OLD MAN'S CAVE

I have to tell you, I had the time of my life. I kid you not. I shot photos for two hours in 25 degree temps. As it happens, there had been a snow fall and then the temperature had dropped. So there was snow on the ground, but there was ice on all of the paths to the falls. Slick as snot ice. What you see here are the best of the images I shot that day. I hope you like them. It was hell shooting them. But I'd do it again if the notion ever struck me, and the conditions were just right.

These are the first of many images from my slide file archive that I finally took the time to have scanned so I could share them with you. ENJOY!