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
A Diverse Park
My first impression of Olympics was at the Hoh rainforest. I was enchanted by the dense ecosystem of towering conifers lending a beautiful green canopy to the mosses and ferns that blanketed the rugged terrain. It was when I moved to the PNW that I got to explore the different climactic zones of the park in different seasons. From a snow-covered winter landscape at Hurricane Ridge, the dense rainforests of Hoh, the beautiful seastacks lining sandy beaches, to ridge-top vistas in its many sub-ranges, Olympics has it all. It is a place that would truly take a lifetime to explore and appreciate it.
Olympic 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
The lollipop swirl
The ferris wheel in Seattle often features patterns relevant to current affairs. On Valentines day, it featured a red heart, and for the majority of 2022, it featured the Ukrainian flag. But on this day, it featured a pattern I had never seen before - a spiral pattern that reminded me of a lollipop with a swirl. And so, even though the sunset burn wasn't as colorful, the ferris wheel more than made up for it.
Seattle
WA 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