blue lake

Entering Fall

Who is ready for fall in the PNW? This transitional time of the year, though short, has some of the best color palettes. Golden larches, orange and red shurbs, grey granite and blue-white snow all come together in a wonderful symphony of colors. And even though I sometimes wish it can stay like this year around, it is the fleeting nature of the colors that make it special.

Hope you get to enjoy the colorful foliage this time of the year. Check out WTA for ideas on where to go.

Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest
WA USA

Gold Rush

The morning sun shone through the dense conifers, a warm respite on that freezing morning. The 50s when I had left home at dawn had dropped to freezing, an unnerving temperature drop. I continued climbing, hoping to find the promised larches.

I was hiking up the Blue Lakes trail in the eastern side of North Cascades. Having missed the opportunity last year to capture the golden larches, this year, I was determined not to. And that determination motivated me to do the 3 hour drive to the cold reaches of Cascadia the past weekend. And hike in search of larches.

And they were waiting. Golden larches glowing in that morning sun along the shores of the glistening alpine lake against the backdrop of the lightly-dusted Cascades and a window of blue skies. A photographer's Gold Rush

Okanogan National Forest

WA USA