There must be something about the rush of spray dusting the woodland air that makes us love waterfalls.
Certainly Halfmoon Bay author Tony Greenfield has made plenty of pilgrimages the past 13 years along forest and mountain trail in what he terms a labour of love -finding those special waterfalls.
His new book, Waterfalls of British Columbia (Harbour Publishing) is a guide to B.C.'s best 100, and is presented in an easy to read format along with glorious colour photos.
Greenfield, who is better known on the Coast for his knowledge of birds and who prepares a column on the subject for Coast Reporter, is a lucid writer. He manages to blend the important guidebook details such as location, accessibility, and geophysical type, with a short, personal summary of pure poetry. Consider his description of one of the province's most magnificent sights: Helmcken Falls in Wells Gray Park. As he stood at the base of the 141 metre column of water falling from the sky, he relates that "the exploding watery supernovas around the falling water seemed to me an allegory of cosmic cataclysm or creation itself."
Helmcken is also one of the scariest falls. Fatalities have occurred. Though a viewpoint is easily reached by car, visitors to the south rim who want to peer over the precipice must beware. Instead of this easier viewpoint, Greenfield chose to hike over two hours down the trail to become the lone spectator dwarfed in the waterfall's vast, steep-sided grotto.
At a book launch last Monday evening in Sechelt, Greenfield told the audience that Helmcken is probably number one in the province's big five, a list that includes Takakkaw in Yoho Park, Hunlen near Bella Coola (a fly-in view is preferred since there are 76 switchbacks on the trail leading up to it), Kinuseo near Tumbler Ridge and the province's highest, Della Falls on Vancouver Island.
You always remember your first. One of the first waterfalls that Greenfield ever visited and still enjoys today is the Coast's own Chapman Creek Falls. He first bathed in its water when he arrived on the Coast in 1969 and writes how its cascades and plunges "became an instant icon for all that is beautiful and wild about B.C." Greenfield also rates two other Coast Range sites, Freil Falls in Hotham Sound and the famous Chatterbox Falls in Princess Louisa Inlet, as two of the province's best.
The author has personally trekked, often solo, sometimes with hiking companion Danny McGinnis or sometimes with wife Kathryn Angermeyer, into all 100 of the listed waterfalls. It made him aware, he said, of how big is this province and how short is its history. Many of the falls were not even discovered or named until the last century.
In his book, Greenfield tackles the topic of Independent Power Producers and their effect on waterfalls; he also spoke briefly on the subject at Monday's launch. His research has shown that 11 of the falls in the book could be impacted by such hydro electric projects. At this time, it's difficult to determine to what extent.
Greenfield will be doing a book signing on Saturday in the afternoon at the grand opening celebrations of the Blue Waters Book Company in Madeira Park. Waterfalls of British Columbia is available for $26.95 at Talewind Books in Sechelt. See more at www.tonyswaterfallsofbc.com.
