However, in addition to the well-known falls, there are also some hidden gems in this corner of the Finger Lakes. But Arnold would need more than luck. Stephen Nichols: I've laid everything out there. The next day, Arnold feeds the cash into the bail machine. …And she loved playing with jewelry, just like Rhonda did. © Copyright - 2019-2020 Uncovering Media, LLC - All Rights Reserved. I previously discussed Eagle Cliff Falls, which is upstream from this smaller set of waterfalls.This smaller set of falls is a set of multiple drops, each about 3-8 feet tall. Peter Van Sant [holding a photo of Rhonda]: Tell me about this. People that have to make up lies are, you know, you can obviously tell that they're guilty. My daughter will be nudging me and we'll be back to normal." Go to Natural Bridge State Park (To see the famous Skybridge). Stephen Nichols: Let me ask you, if you shoot your war buddy because you see how much pain he's in, is that murder? …We were spending a lot of time together. Still firmly believing Nichols is a murderer, Rhonda's mother Julia was allowed to address the court. Like, I'm very prim and proper. She was going down at-- almost a run pace. Luck aside, if you want to visit this waterfall without many visitors, I suggest coming on a weekday or early in the morning. Peter Van Sant: Why didn't you tell them back in the day that suicide was something she was contemplating? Rhonda snapped a photo of Stephen, which was later found on her cellphone. [Laughs] …she knew that for a reason. I'll just say that. With sheer rock cliff jumping spots, rope swings, You can reach the top of the falls by scaling the cliffs or take the easier option by following the trail. He lost like a quarter of a million dollars. I remember she wanted to have sex. It all started 11 years earlier when a stunning 20-year-old woman knocked on Nichols' bedroom door at his home just outside Portland, Oregon. Didn't run to his parents … the first person to whom he went was Melanie. Because of the constant shade, however, it can be completely vacant on cooler days. He remains on parole for three years. …Things were tough after the baby was born. She broke into a run and, according to Nichols, she slipped on the wet path and fell more than 150 feet to her death. She was taking Tae Kwon Do. What you're saying is she jumped. ... Eagle Falls Facebook. …I'm checking out. Peter Van Sant: Well, you brought this up. I was on the phone a couple of times when they were in a physical fight, actually. In November 2003, Stephen was still married to his ex, an American woman, and living in China for the first time when his spouse accused him of trying to suffocate her and throw her over the railing of their eighth floor apartment. They never even brought it up, suicide. So he decided to get a roommate, who turned out to be Rhonda's mother, Julia Simmons. Stephen Nichols: [Laughs] That part I'm not gonna take you through, because she did fall off, and I can say I had absolutely nothing to do, either directly or indirectly, with her falling off. …So that's just another one of his lies … to take the heat off of himself. Swimming holes and cliff jumping can be extremely dangerous and unpredictable outdoor activities that pose significant risks regarding personal safety. Julia Simmons: She would not be a normal child. She would be emotionally and mentally abused, and possibly physical. 135 Havana Glen Rd, Montour Falls, NY 14865. But Rhonda may have been thinking about more than their daughter. While it almost looks man-made, this waterfalls is completely natural. Nichols got a job teaching English to Chinese businessmen. With no cell service to call for help, Nichols says he made his way back to the trailhead and dialed 911. For defense attorney Mike Arnold, representing Stephen Nichols gives new meaning to the phrase "full-time job.". Eagle Cliff Falls is a 40-foot waterfall that flows almost impossibly between two towering rock walls. Hike through Red River Gorge. The waterfall is located at the end of a short and relatively easy hike, and it only takes about 5 minutes of walking to reach the base of this great waterfall. There’s a nice, low cliff for jumping into the water (and a high cliff, if you’re feeling daring). Like, seriously dangerous. Is Stephen Nichols about to admit something? Peter Van Sant: And is that what you did? What do you remember? And she knew that Steve was trying to drive a wedge between 'em. Explore and enjoy Eagle Falls. Stephen Nichols: The weather was excellent, actually. [Pauses, looks away from Van Sant]. Mike Arnold [in court]: It is something that obviously is titillating and interesting. Mike Arnold: It's still a long fight ahead. However, the main draw at the park is the incredible hike to Eagle Cliff Falls. The Eagle Lake trailhead is on State Route 89 on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe at Emerald Bay. …I said, "No." I just love it because she just looks amazing in all of those pictures. But something did happen. ", Stephen Nichols: And I go, "What are you talking about?" Since the pools are 20-feet deep, it's also a popular cliff-diving spot complete with rope swings. But Rhonda's autopsy would show that she only had traces of marijuana as well as prescription drugs for anxiety and depression in her system. Prosecutors aim to prove Casto death was no a... What really happened on model's fatal hike? Along with Steel Head being a great place to go cliff jumping during summer, it is also a good place to fish. But how exactly did Nichols and his attorney end up at this moment? The waterfall is located at the end of a short and relatively easy hike, and it only takes about 5 minutes of walking to reach the base of this great waterfall. I read a lot. In all the years they had been together, he had never put any effort into planning anything for her. Stephen Nichols: If I waited over a year to go to trial, I probably had a zero-percent chance. Let's make it work.". But in 2017, Stephen Nichols broke that silence. Mike Arnold: People have taken off work to be there to get him out. As Nichols awaits trial in the death of Rhonda Casto, he has some pleasant distraction -- visits from his fiancée, Landy. And there are allegations of another physical assault of a woman with eerie similarities to what Nichols stands accused of now -- allegations made by his ex-wife. It seems a dangerous word game. In 2005, Nichols, who was 10 years older than Rhonda and recently divorced, was working as a day trader. …Using insurance, and then four months later she's dead. While it almost looks man-made, this waterfalls is completely natural. I was like, "That's interesting.". She goes, "I'll be fine." Over the next two days, Arnold set out on a frantic mission to gather the 10 percent needed in cash to free his client. Endicott was among a group of five people from out of state who hiked up the Eagle Creek Trail to a cliff about 30 feet above the 50-foot falls on Sunday. Stephen Nichols: I decided when I got to China, this is a whole fresh start. …I'm still completely blown away by the -- the decision that was made in this. …He's lying. The entrance to Havana Glen Park is just off of St. Catherine Street (Route 14) about a five-minute drive from downtown Watkins Glen. Stephen Nichols: I hate all the suicide questions. Stephen Nichols: You'll be amazed at what you're willing to sign to stay out of prison. In this case, this is Mr. Nichols purchasing insurance. Nichols says the steep trail became slick. That's just horrible, Steve. Nichols says Rhonda was depressed and, shockingly, that she had tried to take her own life at least three times before he even met her. Medical examiner and forensic pathologist Dr. Christopher Young says Rhonda's injuries were mostly below the waist. She was learning to play the piano. There's just a footprint. What Nichols didn't know is that the entire time he was out of the country, investigators stayed on Rhonda's case and Simmons stayed on theirs. Stephen Nichols: I remember we kissed for a little bit. Stephen Nichols: I don't think I screamed anything at her. But in April 2016, with a trial date nowhere in sight, Judge John Olson reduced Nichols' bail to $250,000. After spending 5.5 years exploring Pennsylvania, Jim discovered a love for New York and is excited to spend time exploring this great state and uncovering the best things to do here. 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