The past is a candle at great distance: too close to let you quit, too far to comfort you.
This quote comes to my mind when I look back at the amazing summer in the Pacific Northwest; an ephemeral wisp of thought for a short fleeting season. This nostalgia towards the short and sweet summer spent tramping around the mountains of the Pacific Northwest may not comfort me through the long grey winter, but will definitely make me yearn for the glorious sunrises and sunsets in this wonderland.
Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
WA USA
After the Storm
I was not expecting to see this that day. I was not even expecting to make it out alive .
.
.
It was barely an hour earlier when I left the safety of the rifugio in the French alps under moody skies. The wind was picking up, but nothing to deter from hiking. A couple of far-away lightning strikes signaled an approaching storm. A light drizzle started, that turned to a torrential downpour in a matter of minutes. And the strikes came nearer and more frequent, the accompanying thunder reverberating across the entire valley.
I passed a couple of hikers coming the other way, and they urged me to turn around. I wish I had heeded their advice. For what lay ahead of me was a vast open stretch of trail in rocky terrain with nary a protective zone. And I was in the heart of the storm.
The gale-force winds gripped my tangled poncho, eager to yank away my only barrier to the rain. I held on, fighting the wind and the rain, slowly trudging forward. I had given up all hope of seeing the light after a storm; my only focus was on taking the next step.
And without warning, the clouds parted, the sun shone, and I was treated to dramatic view of the glacier-capped slopes of Mont Blanc.
Courmayeur
Italy
From Fall to Winter
It doesn't take much to bring winter to the mountains - a little of cold weather and moisture-laden winds, and the dramatic terrain of North Cascades gets covered with powdery white snow. But the unique geography of the Cascadian range can result in some remarkable sights such as this, where precipitation is directed to only one side of the valley.
I yearn for landscapes like this, where the fall splendor of the mountainous Pacific Northwest gets showcased in a unique way.
North Cascades National Park
WA USA
Fire and Ice
Fire and ice are not brethren that occur frequently together, and after a day of gloomy grey skies, I was not expecting the fiery sunset glow appear on the icy glaciers on the steep slopes Mt Shuksan. But a gut instinct drove me to hike to that lookout that was blasted by freezing winds and sub-zero temperatures.
And for that few moments when fire and ice appeared together, I was thankful for that photographer's instinct and wishful yearning for a colorful sunset.
Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
WA USA
Above the Turmoil
I stared at the everchanging cloudscape below me, sweeping over rugged peaks and covering deep valleys, pondering over the beauty of this spellbinding landscape. I cautiously stepped in front of my camera, giving in to the draw of this dynamic panorama around Mt Rainier.
Mt Rainier National Park
WA USA
A Sea of Clouds
The trail ahead disappeared into the fog barely a few yards in front of me. The moving clouds of mist clung to the slope, marring any views of the surrounding landscape even as I approached within striking distance of the fire lookout that was to be my abode for the next few hours.
I was ready to give up, turn back and go home, but I decided to wait the fog out. And barely an hour before sunset, the fog finally did give in, as it slowly dropped below the lookout, exposing a vista of endless clouds.
I waited until twilight to capture the serenity above the tumultuous clouds swirling all around.
Mt Rainier National Park
WA USA
Return to Nature
There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more”
Nothing connects me with nature more than witnessing an alpine scenery like this one, a boundless vista of mountains, lakes and greenery. Here is to one last whiff before winter takes over this life-giving landscape.
Banff National Park
AB USA
Once upon a time...
Once upon a time, I found myself roaming around the vast green fields of the Palouse, searching for pastoral scenes with rustic farmsteads, hidden barns and picturesque landscapes under a bluebird sky filled with sweeping white curves. That was earlier this year, and the summer I spent roaming in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest is almost over.
Here is one image to rejig my memory of the Palouse region of Cascadia.
Uniontown
WA USA
Oh Garibaldi
The thought ran in my mind on the seemingly endless rocky ascent. In the distance, I spied the summit, people like ants. The gentle sun sprayed warmth, while the draft from a nearby glacier spattered cool air. The trail disappeared into a rockfall, with nary a cairn to mark the way up.
It became steeper near what I thought was the end, but just like every black cloud has a silver lining, every steep ascent ends with remarkable views, like this one of Garibaldi Lake just outside Whistler.
Garibaldi Provincial Park
BC Canada
Bird's Eye Switzerland
Seven days of hiking up and down the mountains of the French Alps went without the occurrence of a single injury. And a mere 10 minutes after taking the historic cogweel to this magnificent vista near the town of Montreaux, I twisted my ankle while daydreaming and walking around. Cursing myself, I limped up to this ridgeline to capture this expansive view of the eastern terminus of Lac Leman .
Moral of the story: if you want to twist your ankle, wait until you finish your vacation so you can "work from home".
Rochers de Naye
Switzerland