I made my way on the mound of soft snow, hoping to catch a peek of the snow-capped peak before last light. My feet sank in in the loose snow, and I was unsure of my footing, but I trudged on. I was determined to not miss what was about to happen.

I had driven up to this mountainous wilderness in the northern part of Washington hoping to cash in the fabulous weather. Two days of heavy snow was followed by a weekend of glorious sunshine and bluebird skies, and I was ready to flex my new camera in this winter wonderland. I spent the day trudging up steep trails to spectacular vista points whose panoramic views were unforgettable. Mt Baker stood valiantly under the bright sun with an thick coating of white, while on the other side, photogenic Mt Shuksan's glaciers were indistinguishable in the snow.

I hurried back down the 3 miles of trail, hoping to get back to the trailhead before dark. And just before the last turn, I spied Mt Shuksan again, ready to catch the last light. I stopped on that mound, waiting for the colors to turn, the alpenglow to appear, and the belt of venus to rise. And when they all did, the result was this beautiful image of the last light on Mt Shuksan

North Cascades National Park
WA USA