Taken while hiking back to the trailhead from Lake Ingalls, this view was unexpected but very welcome. We hiked the trail to the lake to then scramble up Mount Ingall's southern summit, and weren't even thinking about the fall larches until we were a few miles along the trail and started to see one, then a few, then an entire hillside of them. The day was relatively cloudy, and this was taken as we were headed home. The sun had decided to make an afternoon appearance.
We didn't originally make the trip to see the larches, but other hikers certainly did. The trail to the lake was busy, in fact it was incredibly and almost uncomfortably busy. Thankfully after turning off the main trail to scramble our way up the mountain we found some peace and quiet. As we left we found cars parked a half mile down the forest road. I don't know that I will do this hike again at this time of year, if I do it will be on a weekday, because the view is spectacular.
Shi Shi Sunset | 2014 Highlights
The coast was clear. The coast was clear and the inland was cloudy. This was taken on Martin Luther King Day, my husband was thankfully willing to accompany me on this crazy adventure. I wanted to drive out to Shi Shi, hike the muddy and sandy trail, watch the winter sunset, and then walk back in the dark, catch the last ferry, and go to work the next day. He is so amazing to do these things with me.
I had never been to this beach before. We used the northern access through the Makah Reservation, and their trail was beautifully maintained right up to the Olympic National Park boundary, where there are rope lines and a steep descent down to the beach.
We started hiking back just after the sun dropped over the horizon, and made it to work on time the next day.
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.
