On my last visit to Shenandoah National Park before the visitor services
shut down for the winter, I took the time to hike with camera gear to Dark Hollow Falls. I wanted to photograph the ice formations
along the peripheries of Hogcamp Branch, the creek that flows over Dark Hollow Falls. Here are the photos from Dark Hollow Falls and Hogcamp Branch that wonderfully cold day.
I parked at Fisher's Gap and walked down the Rose River Fire Road to the metal
bridge across Hogcamp Branch. From the bridge, I spotted an unusual circular ice formation in the creek. It was about
six inches in diameter. It reminded me of the flared tail of a male turkey. I photographed it from the bridge
from three different angles. Without reviewing the photos in the LCD display on the camera, I hiked up the trail
to the falls and began to photograph the falls.
Photo by Bob Kuhns
First view of circular ice formation.
Photo by Bob Kuhns
Second view of circular ice formation.
Photo by Bob Kuhns
Third view of circular ice formation.
Do you see the Ice Mermaid of Dark Hollow?
Photo by Bob Kuhns
A five-foot high cascade on Hogcamp Branch.
Photo by Bob Kuhns
Seventy-Foot High Dark Hollow Falls.
Photo by Bob Kuhns
Ice cauliflower formed by spray at the base of Dark Hollow Falls.
Photo by Bob Kuhns
More ice along the side of the falls.
Photo by Bob Kuhns
Many of the rocks had a thin layer of ice coating the surface,
making footing treacherous.
Photo by Bob Kuhns
A section of the falls.
Photo by Bob Kuhns
My favorite section image of Dark Hollow Falls.
Photo by Bob Kuhns
Ice encases small twigs at the water edge.
Later, I looked at the LCD display of images that I
photographed of that first ice formation from the bridge. I was truly surpised when I looked at the third image.
I zoomed in for a closer view.
Wow! I had captured the image of a mermaid's face
in the ice. Here is a close in view of just that part of the photo.
Photo by Bob Kuhns
Click on image to enlarge.
Now do you see the Ice Mermaid of Dark Hollow?
-- Bob Kuhns
