Similar to Little Falls, Big Falls is also located in what I call "Avalanche Alley." After the winter snows start to melt, the forces of Mother Nature are clearly visible in the avalanche areas.
This is one of those hikes that was historically not published in any hiking books and the location was only shared with a few of your closest friends. However, since the advent of social media, the secret location of Big Falls is out and the hike can now be found on numerous web sites.
I remember the first time I hiked up to Big Falls -- It was in early May and I didn't even take a camera with me. Arriving at the frozen water fall I found a nice rock to sit on and while eating my lunch I heard a lot of loud cracking sounds and then the entire frozen water fall detached from the headwall and fell into the snow below. I was so amazed that I happened to be there at that precise moment in time and was able to witness such a dramatic event. And, it did make a sound, regardless of what philosopher George Berkeley thinks! I will never forget that experience. As I later discovered, the rock that I was sitting on was actually the top of a pinnacle that was about 30 feet high.
I returned again in June when water was flowing over the falls and as the water fell it sculptured various designs in the snow around the headwall and created tunnels under the ice pack. This time I had my camera with me.
During the first week in August I returned again and the snow was still melting. However, this time I could see the ground under the falls and there were several ice bridges and tunnels that had formed downstream from the falls.
I am not sure it there were fewer butterflies and flowers on this trip, or if I just did not take as many pictures.
BONUS PICTURE (Sunset in the Spring Mountains)
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