Phantom Falls at Storm Break
North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, Oroville, CA
Braving the Storm to Photography the Elusive Phantom Falls:
There is something special about storm clouds coming apart. The potential for a dramatic event is high. Hopes of being in one of these moments can have me driving into storms and showing up to empty parking lots. In this case, that’s exactly what happened.
On this day, my wife and kids as well as my brother and his family were all together and ready for a hike. With the rain forecasted to stop in the afternoon, everyone was excited to see the falls. After arriving, we sat in the cars eating lunch waiting out the worst of the storm. When things settled into a light mist, everyone was ready to go.
Because of the weather, we had the entire hike and falls to ourselves. As we got closer, I was getting a little worried the storm might clear out too fast. Those concerns were laid to rest as rain drops started to fall when my camera came out. For the next 30 minutes, the sky constantly changed with the sun coming in and out and nature putting on a show. Moments like this are often solitary events for me. Having so much family with me made it extra special!