mount rainier

Snowdrifts

Looking back at this scene brings sharp memories of the freezing conditions I endured to catch sunrise atop this windswept knoll. I still remember fiddling with my camera with cold numb hands, shivering despite wearing multiple layers, feeling nauseated from the lack of sleep the prior night, and most importantly, of being disappointed after the predicted sunrise did not pan out.

Sometimes these are part and parcel of the experience of the photographer. Even after putting the best effort into getting everything right, it is impossible to predict factors that lie beyond the photographer's control. I have faced many such disappointments, but persevere and shoot despite that.

And on this day, I was glad I continued shooting even after the sunrise didn't pan out, because I allowed me to enjoy the peaceful winter solitude for just a little bit longer.

Mount Tahoma State Forest
WA USA

Remnants of Winter

The false summer that the PNW underwent over the last week certainly gave a taste of the next few months. But in the mountains, the winter is still hanging around. The higher elevations still hides pristine snow-capped landscapes that would continue to draw winter adventurers up to the mountains for a few more weeks.

Mount Rainier National Park
WA USA

Horizon Blues

The thick fog of the cold morning dispersed slowly into the valleys as the sun rose, highlighting the jagged ridges of innumerable ranges. The icy summit of Glacier peak stood alone in the distance, and yet so near I almost could touch it.

Scenes like these are the perks of being able to get here early in the morning. And they far outweigh the effort of waking up and driving in the lonely pitch black night. Here is to hoping I can make it out to these places once again this summer.

Mount Rainier National Park
WA USA

Summer in Rainier

Summer hiking in Mount Rainier can take one from lush old-growth lowland forests to subalpine wildflower meadows and to the high alpine reaches strewn with old volcanic debris. It is one of the few places in the world where you can experience the varied ecology of all the three life zones within just a few miles. No wonder crowds of tourists throng the Park in the summer.

It was for this reason that the Park instituted a reservation system to control the visitation numbers, and ensure that the fragile ecology is preserved for a long time to come.

Reservations open up 3 months in advance. Make sure to snag one to capture the beauty of summer in Mount Rainier. Read more about it here.

Mount Rainier National Park
WA USA

Winter escapes

In a PNW winter, the high summits of the Cascades or the Olympics beckon us to hike through wooded lowland trails, cross deep banks of snow, traverse icy ridges and reach rocky summits. And if you are lucky, you would be the first person of the day to break trail. When the conditions are right, the PNW rewards you with a remarkable experience: traversing through powder snow under bluebird skies to guide you to panoramic vistas of icy peaks, sun-kissed summits and rocky ridges. Higher up, conical edifices of conifers that braved the winter storms dot the soft embankments of white, resembling ancient creatures traversing slowly through the snow.

This year is quite unlike any other. With higher than average temperatures, the snowline and snowpack have receded to historically unprecedented levels. Whether it is a temporary quirk of nature or a symptom of a longer-term climactic pattern, the coldest month in the PNW has proved not to be. So here are scenes from prior years of the blue and white jewels of the PNW.

National Parks of Washington
USA

Starlight magic

The transformation of the PNW in the summer is a sight to behold. Snow-covered winter landscapes become sun-drenched. Long nights transform to long days. And dreary grey days are replaced with a beautiful tapestry of sunlight during the day and a bejeweled carpet of stars at night. For long, I had visualized, in my minds eye, of a scene where the bright arc of the Milky Way draws out over the snow-capped summit of Mt Rainier while streaks of a meteor show dazzle in a starry spectacle.

This image, featured in the July month of my 2024 calendar, is a realization of such a scene. You can purchase my 2024 calendar at this link.

Mount Rainier National Park
WA USA

Alone with the Stars

It was silent up there. Every rustle from the pine trees, every hoofbeat on the meadow, every chirp of the grasshopper were as loud as the crack of a bullet. But this silence let me focus on the beautiful night sky above me.

The sky glittered with the light of a million stars. The occasional meteor from the Perseid shower sped across this sparkling dome in a brilliant scintillating flash. And behind this, the bright band of the Milky Way arched across, a highway from earth to the heavens above.

Moments like these make me realize that we are but an insignificant mote in the vastness of space. And out here, in the PNW, such moments are rare to come by. I am glad I could be in wilderness on nights like these to enjoy its dazzling splendor.

Mount Rainier National Park
WA USA

Summer Trails

During the long days of summer, I often find myself heading to this one spot to watch the sun set over the endless mountain ranges. At places like these, I often wonder which trails wander through innumerable valleys and meadows, which ones climb to the mountaintops for panoramic views, and which ones hide my very own wilderness.

Mount Rainier National Park
WA USA

Lost in the Maelstrom

One of the challenges with winter hiking above the treeline is the impact of ground level fog and clouds that impair visibility. Tracks and ski lines made in the pure white snow disappear into nothingness, while the treeless landscapes feature very few landmarks to mark the direction. I found myself in one such terrain while snowshoeing in Rainier where I had to descend through the clouds. And for many minutes, I was walking in a featureless landscape of alpine white. I found other skiers experiencing the very same predicament that afternoon.

Mount Rainier National Park
WA USA

The March to Spring

The snow-covered landscape is a blanket of white and silence.
But underneath, the plants and seeds are waiting for sun's guidance.
As winter moves to spring and the days grow longer,
The mountain landscape transitions to a climate more warmer.

It is bittersweet to be at the end of winter. While I know that a delightful summer is about to descend onto the PNW and reveal its true colors, there is something about a snow-covered landscape on a crisp and sunny winter day that I will sorely miss.

Mount Rainier National Park
WA USA