Majestic Snoqualmie Falls
The rocks beneath Snoqualmie Falls in Washington are about 23 million years old. However, the falls themselves were created by glaciers that receded about 5,000 years ago. The glaciers left behind a fertile plain and the almost 300-foot waterfall.
“Sah-Koh-Koh” or “Sdob-dwahibbluh” are the Salish pronunciations of Snoqualmie, meaning moon. The Snoqualmie Tribe believes that Snoqualm, or Moon of the Transformer, created the world, and after that created Snoqualmie Falls out of a fish trap, considering the falls to be humanity’s place of origin. He transformed the trap into a waterfall with the hopes of allowing the salmon to swim upstream. Unfortunately, to this day, salmon never swim upstream because the 276-foot waterfalls keep salmons from spawning in the upper valley. This is one of the stories that contribute to Snoqualmie Falls being a sacred site to the native tribes. The Snoqualmie Tribe continues to be an active steward of the Falls.
Although the Native Americans arrived several thousand years ago, the second half of the 1800’s was really the area’s time of growth in the entire Snoqualmie Valley . The white people started coming to the Falls in 1848. when Washington Hall was the first white man visiting the Falls guided by Indians. Hall was followed by Samuel Hancock who published the first account of the Falls in 1851. There were also some daredevils attracted to the falls. Mr. Bondin successfully walked a tightrope over the falls, but Charlie Anderson was not so fortunate when he parachuted into the canyon and was caught in the updraft and dropped onto a large boulder. which took his life.
Snoqualmie Falls is the second most visited location in Washington State, second only to Mount Rainier. I had not been to the Falls since sometime in the late 1980’s when I was showing one part of our beautiful state to a visitor from out of town. The entire park had since been updated with a bridge for crossing the street from the parking lot, paved walking trails, great directional signage and educational signage that explains in great detail the history of the Falls and the role of the falls in creating electrical energy, and much more. And throughout the park, chairs and tables seem to appear out of nowhere for you to take a break or maybe have a snack. The observation decks are larger and designed to maximize the number of people who can stand close to the railings. Back then the trail down to the river was more narrow and muddy than I remember. Since then so much work has been done on the entire park ; It feels so much more welcoming.
The first day I went up to the mountains to photograph Snoqualmie Falls was very, very foggy. Particularly, views from the top were almost fully hididenbehind the falls. Despite the fog there were dozens of curious visitors, especially at the lookout areas. Soon afterward it started to rain. Cold and slightly wet I walked over to the Salish Lodge, had lunch, and waited for the rain to stop – which it did within the hour.
After talking a few more photos at the top, I headed down the trail to the Snoqualmie River. The 0.7-mile broad, graveled nature trail descends through old trees, native wildlife, and in some areas the wires with their electrical energy pass above on their way to places beyond. The trail continues behind Powerhouse #2, which is enclosed with fencing, to a boardwalk leading toward the base of the falls. You can look through the windows of the powerhouse and see the turbines generating power. The boardwalk protects visitors from falling in the water, and the views of the falls upstream and the river downstream are unobstructed. Fortunately, there was no flood watch at the time, but you can see how rapid the water flows in the river. The higher the river gets, it becomes more dangerous for those who prefer to take chances.
Since 1898 the Snoqualmie River’s long and powerful drop has been used to generate electricity that reaching Seattle and Tacoma. The site is now managed by Puget Sound Energy (PSE). This hydroelectric project of PSE consists of a dam 150 feet upstream from the falls and two powerhouses. Powerhouse 1 is located in a cavern 270 feet beneath the surface, encased in bedrock and was the world’s first completely underground power plant. Plant 2, about a one quarter-mile downstream from Plant 1, was built in 1910 and expanded in 1957. Operating for over a century, the powerplant still produces clean, renewable electricity for PSE customers. The Snoqualmie Falls Hydroelectric Museum, is open very limited hours, only between Memorial Day and Labor Day each year. When it’s not open it is well hidden behind gates.
A week later, with only three hours before sundown, I returned to the Falls. The weather was dry, sunny, and clear. It was so much more crowded than my previous visit, and everyone was having a wonderful time as they discovered the falls and the rest of the park.
After reaching the bottom of the lower trail, I turned right instead of left as I had done before. Rather than seeing a protected trail, there I saw rocks - great big, smooth rocks, sitting at the edge of the rapidly flowing Snoqualmie River. A woman was sitting quietly sitting on a rock reading. Others were climbing all over the rocks, taking pictures and enjoying themselves. I was hoping no one would fall in, and I was so glad to have returned , even for a quick visit.
