Throwback to a gorgeous summer spent hiking in the amazing mountainscapes of the Pacific Northwest
Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
WA USA
The Delicate Log
A weathered log that washed up on the sandy shores of coastal Oregon made for a photogenic subject on a sunny evening.
Cape Lookout State Park
OR USA
Morning in the Mountains
One of those rare sunny bluebird winter days earlier in the year yielded this wonderful view of Mount Rainier
Tahoma State Forest
WA USA
Sunset on the Coast
A rare sunny weekend on the coast gave us the change to see the sun for one last time before the winter sets in
Cape Lookout State Park
OR USA
Last of the Alpine light
Smoky skies led to gentle lighting and soft hues on a late summer evening in the granite mountains of Oregon
Wallowa National Forest
OR USA
Last leaves of Fall
Gentle pink hues highlight the sky in this beautiful lakeside scene from larch central in the eastern slopes of the Cascades
Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest
WA USA
Lakeside Alaska
A typical lake in the hinterlands of Alaska, mired under a grey sky and moody conditions. But these conditions lend an element of serenity to this scene
Lake Clark National park
AK USA
Summer in the Cascades
Mt Baker shines on a glorious summer day in the North Cascades. Hikes like these won't be open for another six months.
Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
WA USA
The Endless Larches
High up in the dry eastern ranges of the North Cascades lie groves of larches that put on a spectacular show every fall. It requires a bit of effort to get into the hinterlands, but once up here, you are greeted with views of endless larches. These conifers, which covering every alpine slope above a certain elevation, change to a brilliant yellow, and flow like golden lava over the rocky landscape.
While climbing over one such mountain pass in this area, I came across this grand vista of the larches showing off their peak autumnal shade. And nestled amidst the golden valley was a blissful alpine alpine pond. Surrounded by a marsh of drying grass, the lake was shrunken from its summer days but still was a pleasant sight for sore eyes.
I could not get over the tranquility of this silent morning, disturbed by nothing but the wind rustling through the golden needles. But I knew this wouldn't last forever. In a few more days, those larches will be bare, waiting for the arrival of spring to sprout again.
Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest
WA USA
Not your typical tundra
When I was planning the trip to Lake Clark, I was told I would be hiking through the Alaska tundra. When I imagined the tundra, I expected a mosquito-filled boggy marsh, interspersed with thick dense bush, all moist from a perennially cold summer drizzle that would never stop. But when I arrived there, the marsh I expected was still there, sans mosquitoes. Grey moody skies and cold rain were replaced by balmy weather, bluebird skies and puffy white clouds, straight out of a New England summer.
It was not your typical tundra, at least not for another three days after which a powerful thunderstorm slammed the region with torrential rain and copious water. But until then, the tundra I enjoyed out at Lake Clark National Park was sublime.
Lake Clark National Park
AK USA