The Southern Appalachians received the first meaningful snowfall of 2025 this past weekend. Snow and ice create an adventure photographer’s paradise of scenic wonder, notably around water.
On Badger’s Friday run through North Carolina’s high country, the snowy inches piled up as the day went on. While the creeks and rocks and water were draped in sheets of frozen satin, the delineation of color was a basic white with tinges of liquid blues and greens. While lovely, skiers deem that combination of gray skies and white landscape as “flat” as visual definition was somewhat muted.
Saturday was another story as the skies finally cleared in the afternoon. Badger made his way through the Western North Carolina mountain region where the roads were a combination of snow and ice interlaced with patches of dry pavement. Not really having a plan, one developed when Soco Falls came to mind as a possibility and the route there was suddenly accessible.
The falls and its namesake creek are located on the Cherokee Indian Reservation in Jackson County, NC. Due to the topography, snowfall was significantly higher on the western side of Soco Gap which made a visit to the falls that much more enticing.
The “trail” from the parking area on US Highway 19 was a rope course down to the creek, populated by other visitors from other climates who were thrilled to find themselves in the six or more inches of snow with a twin waterfall for their viewing pleasure.
Photography at Soco Falls is challenging as the best composition is obtained with the tripod actually set up IN the creek – that meant 45 minutes of cold feet even with waterproof boots and wearing Smartwool socks. The tourists were first stunned to see a man with long gray hair standing in a flowing creek taking photos of a snowy waterfall in 15-degree F. weather. They gradually moved in and out of the way and their photos and my photo shoot were both accomplished.
At least I thought the photography was finished as I was getting ready to pack up my gear, only to have an inspired moment and climb up near the waterfall, then look back at my newly acquired tribe. Only then did I see the beauty of the setting sun’s glowing golden color on the snow-kissed rocks and trees and water. It was indeed photo time again.
You be the judge, but that downstream image has really caught the attention of my friends and fans on social media as one of my best images – and my only intention was the capture the waterfall.
Joni Mitchell once wrote and sang “and the sun poured in like butterscotch and stuck to all my senses …” In the middle of a frozen creek in the middle of winter in six inches of snow and ice, Badger never felt more alive. Photography has given me these incredible living opportunities.
[Author’s Note] Lyrics excerpt from “Chelsea Morning” written by Joni Mitchell over 50 years ago!
Thomas Mabry – Honey Badger Images
Many of the HoneyBadgerImages are on display at instagram.com/honeybadgerimages.
