Staring into Time | 2014 Highlights

The world looks different above 8,000 feet.

As the Easton Route up Mount Baker climbs toward its 10,781' summit, subalpine meadows teeming with wildflowers give way to ancient glaciers and barren slopes.

Life that does climb above tree line faces new obstacles. Rather than thick forest or rocky meadows, it is met with wild weather, frigid snowy winters, and deep holes in the glaciers. This is one such hole. I was the middle member of our rope team, which allowed me some safety to stop on this snow bridge to stare into this crevasse. My husband Darin was in front and my father-in-law Phil in the back, with their ice axes ready to arrest in case the bridge gave.

I find crevasses fascinating. They display recent years, potentially centuries of snow and deposits that contributed to the formation a glacier. As I stare into them I feel like I'm staring back in time. In this image the layers of ice are visible, almost like a tree ring.

That is Colfax Peak in the distance, and up and to the right is Mount Baker's summit, where we arrived a few hours later.

MESA ARCH | 2014 HIGHLIGHTS

First in a series of my favorite images of 2014, this is a late April sunrise at Mesa Arch in Utah's Canyonlands National Park. 

This shot was particularly rewarding to me, not because it was a hard hike or took lots of effort or is a rare shot, as it's none of these things, but rewarding because of the unexpected obstacles I encountered after arriving.

It was a dramatic morning, and I'm talking not only about the view, gorgeous though it was. Mesa Arch is a scene that beautifully and practically composes itself, attracting photographers both professional and amateur from all over the world. The drama of the arch, the layers of canyon, and the distant La Sal Mountains make for a landscape that could be imagined right out of a science fiction novel. I couldn't pass up the chance to see it at sunrise while we were staying in Moab. On a Tuesday morning I expected, though I don't know how I got to this assumption, to find maybe a dozen other photographers at most. After driving for a few hours from our hotel, our sleepy selves instead found a large van in the parking lot with a photography company's name on it. I started to get worried I wouldn't find a spot to set up. After the short walk to the arch, we found the class of about twenty people, and a few other photographers as well. I found the best spot I could, certainly not the spot I would have chosen had I had the view to myself, but I thought it would suffice.

I set up my equipment, and was relatively happy with the spot. The arch, and the view behind the arch, is absolutely jaw dropping from many angles. The class was crowded around the "ideal" spot, but this was the best I was going to get, so I decided to compose the best I could and get ready for the sun. Sometimes a different angle of a subject is fresh and welcome.

Around fifteen minutes before sunrise, more people started to trickle in, then a few more, then droves more. There must have been a hundred by the time the sun came up. They began to crowd around me, even holding their iPads in front of my lens. Not only was I frustrated that I had set up here, arriving an hour beforehand, but I was holding on to my tripod for dear life.

Despite it all, the result was this beautiful scene, an experience I hadn't had before, and a challenge I haven't had since.

Bagley Lakes

The trail along the Bagley Lakes is easy, accessible, and perfect for families or those seeking a leisurely stroll by the side of a few alpine lovely lakes. Even in the wet weather, this short hike was a wonderful way to enjoy the rain.

Table Mountain in the distance

Fall blueberry

A hike at Heather Meadows paired perfectly with a girls weekend stay on Silver Lake. This year we decided on this short hike, basing our decision on the ominous rainclouds, Marie's hiking boots being on their last legs (after sixteen years finally losing their soles) and the new snow at Artist Point. There was evidence of recent snowfall along the side of the trail, but we didn't hit any patches on the trail itself. The trail was, however, very wet and muddy in many places. Fall hikes tend to be.

Marie's boots are sixteen years old, and just now falling apart.

Sucia Island Paddle

My husband and I had the opportunity to do a kayak trip with our friends Beau and Kelsey this summer to Sucia Island in the San Juans. Both Darin and Beau were raving about how incredible the island was, and when we pulled up and found an idyllic campsite, Kelsey and I agreed.

Our kayak on the beach

Sucia Island is only accessible by private boat, and is a favorite among Washington boaters. We put in on Orcas Island and made the crossing to Sucia, with all our camping gear stuffed into our two double kayaks. Another family on the island who came by sailboat commented on how surprisingly roomy the kayaks must be, to be able to hold all our gear.

River otter

The waters around Sucia Island are teeming with wildlife. We saw many birds, seals, even otters and porpoises. While circling the island, we came across a seal colony, being sure to leave them distance but still gawking at how adorable the harbor seals were basking on the rocks in the sunlight with their pups.

Harbor Seals

Moonrise

Our campsite on a bluff. We could not have asked for better weather.

Days in Arches

Before we left for a week in the Utah canyonlands, my husband told me that his boss suggested he bring something to keep busy with, because I was going to be taking pictures of everything. Darin's boss was so right. Utah is incredibly photogenic and so dramatically geologically different from Western Washington that I couldn't help but repeatedly ask Darin to pull over. The canyon country reminds me of Dry Falls in Eastern Washington, on a grander scale with brilliant red-orange rock.

Sun bleached tree branch against red rock wall

The days were hot and windy, so we spent our mornings and evenings in the park and the hot afternoons in town avoiding dust storms. Moab’s economy is based on tourism, but it doesn't cater to the type of tourist who spends much time poolside. Moab has wonderful art galleries and boutiques, but then there are bike racks outside nearly every building,  an expansive map store, outdoor stores selling everything from canyoneering gear to mountain bike rentals, and a person would have to stay a long while to run out of restaurants to try, nearly all with an outside seating option. It's an incredibly fun town for the outdoor inclined.

Balanced Rock with the skeleton of a tree

Arches National Park is a ten minute drive from Moab, and most of its famous formations are just a short hike from a paved parking lot. This accessible splendor makes it incredibly busy. On our first night there we circled like vultures waiting for a parking spot to become available at the trailhead for Delicate Arch. When we arrived at the arch there was a long queue of people waiting to take their picture under the iconic arch, and several other unhappy people yelling at them to move. It was worth the hike to see the arch featured on the Utah license plate, but patience can be taught waiting to get a shot.

Delicate Arch at a distance from Upper Viewpoint. There are thirteen people cloned out of this image.

There is a way to beat the crowds, however, if you get up at 4am, which Darin thankfully agreed to do. We caught the sunrise from Balanced Rock on our first morning, and our only company was a raven watching us from a gnarled tree, and a jack rabbit who ran across my path while I was scouting for a place to set up. The red rock lights up when the sun is low in the sky. Absolutely amazing.

Balanced Rock at Sunrise

Allosaurus footprint, filled with water

We spent our first morning exploring the park, which by 8 am was full of visitors. After returning to town for lunch we drove out to find dinosaur tracks just north of the park. So amazing to put our feet next to Allosaurus and Camarasaurus footprints, knowing that there once were monsters where we stood.

Evening primrose

Arches is host to an abundance of wildflowers in the spring. Most of the year the desert is barren, but in April dozens of species of flowers grace the trails and roadside. Paintbrush was the only flower I was familiar with, I had to look up the names of the rest. The fragile evening primrose seemed to blanket the desert floor wherever we went.

Scorpionweed

Indian paintrbrush

Trio of evening primrose, with heart shaped petals

The next morning we caught the sunrise from the North Window. If you scramble a few moves up to a ledge there's a view that yields a wonderful naturally composed shot - Turret Arch framed by the North Window. We had the pleasure of meeting Brad of Goldpaint Photography up on the little ledge. He had been there all night doing time lapses, and so thoughtfully offered to make room for us when we arrived an hour before sunrise. He does incredible time lapse and night sky photography.

Compare this to the photo at the top of the page. Same spot, but the low sun really brings out the red in the rock!

We had the rest of the day to explore more of the park. Landscape Arch was definitely worth the short hike. A few years ago a chunk of rock on the right side fell off, and a tourist caught the falling rock on camera. People are no longer allowed to walk under it, and its years are certainly numbered. Geologic time moves quickly with sandstone. Park Avenue was a stroll through some impressive formations such as the Three Gossips, who really do look like three women talking about someone.

Landscape Arch

The Three Gossips on Park Avenue

Ute petroglyphs on the trail to Delicate Arch. I like the dog.

On our last night in Arches we visited Delicate Arch a second time. The sky was clouded for most of the walk, but while we were up there some sunlight slipped through for a few minutes. A wonderful sight before heading back to town to prepare for an overnight hike in Canyonlands National Park the next day.

Delicate Arch just before sunset