Skookum Falls from Above: A Different Perspective
Sometimes the best adventures are the ones we don't plan.
A few weeks back, I set out long before sunrise, hoping to ride the scenic gondola up Crystal Mountain to capture the first light spilling across Mount Rainier.
I had purchased my tickets to do so on their website, but when I arrived, I found the gondola unexpectedly closed — avalanche risk had canceled all rides for the day. It was a long, winding drive in the dark for a shot that wasn’t meant to be. The operation doesn’t have the courtesy to send you an email or phone text letting you know the ride is closed. It’s up to you to check their website the day your ride is scheduled; I learned after driving the nearly 2 hour trip.
A closer view of the falls.
Rather than pack it in, I turned the truck around and headed back down the mountain, watching the morning unfold. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Skookum Falls — a place I'd run past before but never truly stopped to capture. With the drone in the back seat and the sky finally beginning to warm with soft light, I decided to make a new plan: embrace the unexpected.
Flying the drone over Skookum Falls offered a perspective few get to see. From the air, the waterfall cuts a luminous path through the dense forest, spilling over the cliff face in a dance of mist and light. The power of the water, the stillness of the trees, the hush of the morning — all of it felt like a quiet testimony of God's faithfulness even when plans change.
As I watched the falls tumble and roar, Psalm 93:4 echoed in my heart:
"Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea—the LORD on high is mighty."
What began as a day of disappointment turned into one of my favorite captures this season — a reminder that sometimes the beauty we need to see isn't at the top of the mountain, but right where we least expect it.
The falls from a distance telling the story of the landscape overall
The two images of Skookum Falls, taken from above — simple, wild, and full of grace.
Until next time,
rob out
