Ravine Sunset - Butte County

Ravine Falls in Butte County’s beloved North Table Mountain, a very popular place that attracts large crowds every winter and spring. I had already been here numerous times, for it is definitely one of the most beautiful places in Northern California, and I wanted to capture something here that truly stood out. With all the crowds that are always coming here, these waterfalls are constantly being photographed. This vantage point of Ravine Falls was one of my favorite views of the area, and as winter was coming around and I was thinking about photos I wanted to get, I thought, “how cool would it be if I could get that view of Ravine Falls with a colorful sunset?”

I came twice before and left with nothing. Plenty of clouds, but just didn’t light up for some reason. On this day, I had spent the whole day hiking and exploring around different parts of Butte County, and wasn’t really planning on coming here. But as evening was coming in, I looked up at the clouds and thought, “wow, looks like there is going to be a great sunset tonight. Maybe I should try to make it to Ravine Falls?” So I did, and I wasn’t completely sure if I would make it in time.

I drove as quickly as I could and made it to the parking lot with a little daylight left. I grabbed all my gear and tried to make the 1.5 mile hike as fast as I could, sometimes running, sometimes in a faster walk. I got to the vantage point with a little time to spare, got my camera out and waited. All of a sudden I was greeted with one of most colorful and full sunsets I have ever seen. It was nothing like anything I had ever seen before. Yellows, oranges, reds, completely filled the sky leaving not a trace of the sky untouched.

I left there completely blown away by what I had just captured. It felt like a defining moment had just occurred in my photography journey. A famiilar place seen in a new way.