Landscapes

Church Mountain

Sometimes I like to revisit photos of places that I had visited in the past to help kindle that sense of nostalgia. And after California, I often go to my archives from Iceland. It has been one of the diverse landscapes I had visited, where glaciers and geysers coexist, where sheep-filled meadows end in a rocky landscape and where one can enjoy the northern lights from outdoor hot-springs.

Kirkjufell is perhaps one of the most iconic locations in the island nation, featured in every travel poster. I visited the peak during the tail end of my trip, and I still have fond memories of the beautiful sunrise I witnessed there.

Kirkjufell
Iceland

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

Morning Hues

Its March, and Spring is yet to arrive as the winter is still going on in full blast in the Pacific Northwest. But the sun rises more than an hour earlier compared to the solstice, and hikes to catch the morning glow have proven to be more challenging. And that means I won't get to see the pre-dawn colors of a winter-wonderland until the end of the year. But I do have plenty of photos from this hike late last year, and that will have to do.

Mount Tahoma State Forest
WA USA

Gunnison Canyon

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison River National Park was a majestic spectacle of nature’s contrasts: a mountainous landscape that bore the mark of the Gunnison river’s relentless carving, as well as a serene river canyon that offered a refuge of tranquility in a verdant riparian forest.

I was drawn to this awe-inspiring park by its contrast a few years ago and explored its diverse landscapes, where I felt a surge of curiosity at every turn. I wished I had delved deeper into the mysteries of geology as I gazed down from the cliff’s edge at the profound chasm, whose steep walls were adorned by intricate patterns of minerals that had emerged from the rock.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
CO USA

Footsteps to the Past

Every step you take in the sand dunes is a mark of your journey. You may not see where you are going, but you can look back and see where you have been. The wind may erase your footsteps, but it cannot erase your memories. The sand may shift and change, but it cannot change who you are.

Great Sand Dunes National Park
CO, USA


Winter Blues

It is going to be a frigid weak ahead. Icy winds from the north will push the mercury to below freezing in the latter half of the week. And it is likely going to result in conditions that create this scene over the weekend.

How are you going to prepare for the cold wave?

Olympic National Park
WA USA

Seceda

Not many have heard of a place called Seceda. However, the moment one looks at this photo of this jagged peaks, they can immediately recognize this iconic formation. I was fortunately to arrive and witness this amazing scene just in the nick of time. The valley was socked in clouds until the late afternoon, and it wasn't until 3pm did the fog descend revealing this amazing landscape.

Feathered Dust

I was exploring the snowy landscape of Mt. Baker Wilderness last week right after a fresh storm had dumped a few inches of snow. I had attempted to hike up in the dead of the night to catch a sunrise, but it was not as spectacular as I had hoped. The saving grace was observing the motion of snow as the gusts of wind picked it up and blew it around like sand.

Mt Baker Wilderness
WA USA

Glaciers in Fall

There are some photos which require a lot of planning just to get every aspect of the composition, lighting and timing just right. And then there are others which are a consequence of the circumstance of being at the right place at the right time. While on a drive in the Matanuska-Susitna Valluy (the Mat-Su as the locals call it), I spied this amazing landscape of a vast glacier descending behind a colorful meadow sporting fall foliage. I pulled over the next turnout at the right moment just before the view disappeared. The contrast between the vast greys of the glacier juxtaposed by the vibrant reds look far better in print. And you can experience it for yourself in my 2023 calendar, available for purchase at this link.

Mat-Su valley
AK USA

Alpine Meadows

The Italian Dolomit hold a special place in my heart. Its combination of rugged mountain landscape comprised of jagged peaks arising in subgroups without a pattern, interspersed by beautiful alpine meadows with cows still ringing about, and cute Tyrolean villages villages linked by scenic byways make it a haven for the hiker in me seeking better creature comforts.

And this scene from the Seceda area of the Dolomiti highlights the amazing landscape of the UNESCO World Heritage site. And this is one of the 13 photos featured in my 2023 calendar available to purchase at this link.

Val Gardena
South Tirol, Italy