Franconia Notch State Park is a public recreation area and natural preserve that spans eight miles (13 km) through Franconia Notch. In New England, a ‘notch’ is simply another name for a mountain pass, in this case through the White Mountains of northern New Hampshire.
The Falling Waters Trail is a popular trail leading to the summit of Little Haystack Mountain. In summer and autumn, the 5.6-mile (9 km) trail is crowded with hikers, and the hike is considered moderately challenging. There are several waterfalls along the way, including Stairs Falls featured in this photo. Stairs Falls is the first waterfall that hikers see along the Falling Waters Trail. The modest waterfall plunges 15 feet (4.6 m) down small granite steps into a shallow pool on Dry Brook, encircled by a pristine forest.
I had photographed Stairs Falls in spring and autumn on prior visits, but wanted to capture the waterfall in winter when fewer hikers venture out on the trail. So I headed up to the White Mountains the morning after a snowstorm in late January, hoping for ideal winter conditions that would leave snow clinging to the trees. It was a cold and windless morn with bright overcast skies — perfect conditions for waterfall photography.
I hiked out to the waterfall in full winter garb, fording Dry Brook before reaching Stairs Falls. The snow was every bit as pristine as I hoped, but a significant portion of Stairs Falls was covered over with snow and ice, leaving only a narrow gap framed by blue ice and icicles.
