Soaking wet, hair whipping back and forth across my face, and shouts of joy muffled by the raging water soaring 70 feet over my head. I fell in love with Sahalie Falls the moment I met her.

One day without rain, and the sun making a warm appearance, me and some of my buddies parked where we normally would for the hike. My friend knew of the rock wall here, and he had some spare harnesses and rope. We decided to spend a day on the wall, sheltered by the looming Douglas fir and incense cedars that surrounded us.

I was gassed, bleeding, and had used the last burst of energy I had to push myself out of the slot, and before me now was the final leg of the journey: a 300 foot rope climb to the top.