September in the PNW is truly the best time to explore the vast hinterlands of the Cascades. The temperatures are a bit cooler, the bugs are gone, fires usually die down, and the occasional storms provide for some photogenic cloudscapes. And it comes with the added bonus of delicious ripe blueberries and huckleberries waiting to be picked up. The stark changes in the hues of the landscape towards the end of the month is just icing on the cake.
I can't wait for the next year to see such mountaintop vistas once again.
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Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
WA USA
Fall in the Cascades
High in the eastern slopes of the cascades, the larches break out in a brilliant orange color in unison, transforming the dry green landscape to a vibrant gold. And in the right locations, this is a scene to behold.
Okanogan Wenatchee National Fores
WA USA
Floral Wonderland
In some years, spring is muted, and in some years, the mountainsides explode in color as wildflowers bloom enmasse, blanketing the sun-drenched slopes of the Cascades. This year, it was the turn for the eastern side of the Cascades to greet visitors with a fresh coat of balsamroot, phlox, lupines and many other varieties of flora. Normally a drab sun-baked brown for the rest of the year, the lush green slopes get carpeted with tiny shrubs and plants from different flowering species competing for space and attention from the pollinators which have a field day. Watching the flowers dance and sway with the cool winds from the Cascades blowing down these slopes is a mesmerizing experience.
What makes it even more special is the ephemeral nature of this phenomenon: blooms like these rarely occur every year, and even if they do, last more than a few weeks before they fade away and are taken over by the dry summer browns. Hence, it is worthwhile to go seek out these special places at the right time, all the while make sure not to trample on these delicate blossoms.
Wenatchee
WA USA
Shimmering Cascades of the Smokies
If you are always racing to the next moment, what happens to the one you are in?
It had been a hectic trip until then, driving miles and miles around the Appalachian foothills, and enjoying the vast difference in scenery this place had to offer. It was easy to get the big picture, but it was hard to slow down, stop, and enjoy the little creeks, the tiny cabins, the mellow wildlife, and the gentle colors of the forest.
I did want to slow down, but in the pursuit of "seeing everything" in a limited time, I was on the verge of missing all. And so I did. I found this lovely little creek cascading under the canopy of the golden leaves of fall. And I plonked myself right in the middle, just to enjoy its gentle gurgles.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
NC USA
Hidden in the Forest
One of the hidden gems of the PNW is catching the vibrant cascades in the innumerable creeks cutting through the forested slopes of the Cascades. As the heavy winter snow starts to melt, the tiny brooks become flush with snowmelt and breathe life into the surrounding vegetation.
I noticed this creek while hiking up to a glistening lake in the Cascades. While from afar the cascades were loud, up close, I could spend time and admire the tiny rivulets coursing through the rocks, and small plants hanging on for dear life. It was a breath of fresh air in the hazy days of the pandemic.
Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
WA USA
Light of the Night
"As dark as the night sky": the fairly common phrase ran through my mind as the bright band of the Milky Way stretched from horizon to horizon. Thousands of dazzling specks of light illuminating a dark canvas, interrupted here and there by scintillating flashes of a meteor, the steady pulse of a transpacific flight and the long slow march of the communication satellites. The mercury continued to drop as night settled in deep in the heart of the Central Cascades of Washington, but I continued my obsession with the ethereal dark night sky.
The night sky is something we all take for granted. Only when you experience the light of the night and see the Milk Way traverse the sky, however, do you realize the importance of a wilderness where you can really feel that the earth is but a mere mote of dusk floating through the vastness of space. It is a treasure that helps you experience the cosmic perspective. And every few weeks, I yearn to return to such a wilderness.
Goat Rocks Wilderness
WA USA
Mystic mornings in the Pacific Northwest
It was eerily silent on the trail. The dense forest seemed to wrap around ever so closer with every step. The rustle of the wind stopped, the chirp of the bird silenced, and the faint early morning light dimmed. An odd feeling sunk down my spine, sending shivers down every muscle in my body. I wanted to turn back on that pre-dawn hike up Rattlesnake ledge, but the pursuit of photography persevered, and I endured that momentary lapse of rational thoughts. Hauling all of my camera gear, I continued onward, gingerly stepping over the unruly trail in the wee hours of the morning.
And I was glad I did, for the landscape I encountered was like nothing else. Smoke from the forest fires hung low and dark in the valley, while the clouds above were starting to turn yellow, heralding the rising sun. And like clockwork, it crested a distant ridge, a bright glowing ball of orange still suffering from the particulates in the air. The deep blues of the valleys transformed to warmer tones, while the rising mist from the lake below were set aglow by the morning light. And all around, the signs of life were slowly emerging: chimneys on the log cabins below emitting, the birds in the forests around chirping, and sounds of hikers on the trail rising.
Here is one such image of an anonymous hiker enjoying this serene vista.
Rattlesnake Mountain Scenic Area
WA USA
A Bend in the River II
As I came across this bend in the river, ensconced in the vibrant coniferous greenery of the Canadian Rockies, I was reminded of another similar bend in the Colorado river near the town of Page, AZ. While the contrast couldn't be more different, there was common thread that connected these two natural wonders, ie, water.
It was water that carved away the deep gorge in the red sandstone layers of the desert Southwest, and it was water that carved away these layers of sedimentary rock of the geologically young Canadian Rockies. While one region was a waterless desert, this one had all the markings of a lush rainforest, signifying the over-abundance of water.
I enjoyed walking in this forest, even as I was getting soaked in the misty rain that was so typical of this breath-taking region of Canada
Banff National Park
AB Canada
The Greens of the Pacific Northwest
Barely 24hrs prior, I was slogging along an uneven ridge on the High Divide in Olympic National Park, with views of Mt Olympus on one side, and an amalgamation of green valleys and mountain ranges leading to the Pacific on the other side. The hot late summer day and the lack of shade made hauling a 35lb pack all the more excruciating, but the scenery more than made up for it.
But the very next day, I found myself in a green haven, hiking through lush vegetation down one of the valleys along a leafy trail that followed the gurgling sounds of a life-giving creek. Tall conifers shared the canopy with vine maples and broad-leaved oaks while the undergrowth was dense with idyllic ferns and vanilla leaves, with huckleberry shrub loaded with juicy ripe berries spread all over.
A few hours in, the sound of rushing water, far more intense than the gurgle, caught my attention. Following it through the undergrowth, I came across this beautiful cascade where the creek wound its way through a leafy canyon. Barely any light filtered through, leading to a soft and mellow scene. It was a welcome respite from the prior twos of hiking in unbearably hot weather.
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Olympic National Park
WA USA