For years I, like many others, have taken sunset photos from this lovely vantage point: the fence post at the northern edge of the Double Ditch historic site. It’s just off the corner of the road as you enter the site area, it has a great view, and its elevation affords a wonderful view of the river, the sunset, and the Square Buttes to the northwest. I’ve taken photos from here as recently as Sunday night, as shown above. What I didn’t know was how risky that’s become.

Last night I wanted to take a sunset photo from a more unique perspective so I hiked down to the river at the south end of the Double Ditch road and worked my way up the shore to the north end again. I didn’t quite get the angle I wanted – the sun sets further south now than it does midsummer – but I did make an amazing discovery. As you can see above, there isn’t much left beneath that familiar fence post!

Walking along the shore I found several places where huge chunks of the cliff had let go and are now piled at the bottom along the river shore. I hiked over them on the way to the north end, and even near the pole I could see where the cliff had recently tumbled down. Now it seems that post’s days are numbered, and I would not want to be hanging out up there with my cameras when it lets go.

I’ve had a great relationship with that spot; I’ve captured sunrises, sunsets, storms, International Space Station flyovers, and more while standing next to it. Sadly, I won’t be going back. That type of soil is too unpredictable, and it looks like the erosion is now threatening to swallow up one of my all time favorite photo spots.

Please be careful when you’re out at Double Ditch! There’s more to those picturesque cliffs than meets the eye.