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
Novarupta
While the term Katmai National Park conjures up images of Fat Bear Week and of gluttonous grizzles gorging on salmon, I found the volcanic wastelands of the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes far more fascinating. The eruption of the Novarupta volcano which deposited hundreds of feet of ash on this vast valley took place in 1912, and it was the largest eruption of the 20th century. Though news of this eruption was overshadowed by an even more titanic disaster, the sinking of the Titanic.
Hiking into this remote valley left me with an itch to explore more of this unique landscape someday.
As before, you can buy this calendar at this link.
Katmai National Park
AK USA
Pacific bliss
May of 2023 will forever remind me of the furthest distance I have ever traveled to visit a National Park. Situated 2500 mi west of Hawaii, the National Park of the American Samoa is spread across a chain of islands in the southern Pacific. Getting to American Samoa proved half the challenge. Getting to an even more remote island, which featured one of the best shoreline coral reefs, undoubtedly harder. But the effort required to get to this tropical paradise was well worth the reward. Hence, this became the featured image for May for my 2024 calendar
As before, you can buy this calendar at this link.
National Park of the American Samoa
American Samoa
Skagit blossoms
April has always been symbolic of tulips for me. From my very first visit to the tulip fields of Skagit Valley more than a decade ago, I have been fascinated by the vast carpets of vibrant reds and crimsons, bright whites and yellows, soothing rose, and vivid blues and purples. Being blessed to live less than an hour away, I try to seize every opportunity to explore the ever-changing spring patterns out here.
Earlier this year, I was lucky to capture the beginnings of a storm-front rising above the tulip fields during the late afternoon hours. I found these bright red tulips a perfect contrast to the grey and yellow clouds.
As before, you can buy this calendar at this link.
Skagit Valley
WA USA
Superbloom
While March is cold and dreary in the Pacific Northwest, signs of spring manage to squeeze in. The Cherry blossoms peak in mid-late march, and different sets of flowering plants start showing off their colors with every passing week. But for the best signs of spring, there is no better place that the wildflowers of California. The bumper rains of the winter of '22-23 meant that the spring of 2023 was going to be a superbloom year, where acres of predominantly sun-drenched dry landscapes were going to be transformed into a vast carpet of colors.
I paid a visit to central California during this time, and even though I was a week early, the scope and size of the wildflower blooms I witnessed was nothing short of extraordinary.
As before, you can buy this calendar at this link.
Carrizo Plains National Monument
CA USA
Alpine Ascents
As I was selecting the images for the calendar, I pondered over how to theme the calendar correctly. And that meant digging through the archive to find representative images of various seasons. Sometimes that works, and sometimes I have to indulge in a bit of creative licensing to find the right image. This featured image for February, for example, was shot in the middle of summer, but it still captures a slice of winter high on the slopes of Mount Adam.
Mount Adams is one of those summit attempts that requires an alpine start. But starting the summit day amidst biting cold and in the dark at 9000ft of altitude isn't an easy task. But many do, as it allows you to climb up the steep slope before the snow becomes soft. Here is one group starting their morning ascent just as the western horizon emerges from the shadows and the the first rays of light hits Mt St. Helens.
As before, you can buy this calendar at this link.
Gifford Pinchot National Forest
WA USA
Winter Wonderland
With 2024 just a month away, I decided to pencil some time to create a calendar that captured memorable places that I had the opportunity to explore over the last 12 months. They predominantly feature scenes from the Pacific Northwest which I am blessed to call as home. But it also includes many places off the beaten track for most, including the remote National Park of the American Samoa, the Caucasus mountains of Georgia and the swamps of Congaree.
And as I do every year, I want to dedicate this calendar to the incredible people at the Sierra Club Foundation which helps protect our public lands and waters. All proceeds will be donated to this organization so that their journey can continue. You can buy this calendar at this link.
This image that you see is the January photo of the calendar.
Tahoma State Forest
WA USA
The border peaks
On the rugged terrain on the border with Canada are a set of three iconic peaks: Mt Larrabee, the American Border Peak and the Canadian Border Peak. A sunset view at any time of the year is spectacular. But at the right time of the year, the juxtaposition of colors, snow and light make for a memorable scene. Hope I can get to experience this once more before the season ends.
Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
WA USA
Entering Fall
Who is ready for fall in the PNW? This transitional time of the year, though short, has some of the best color palettes. Golden larches, orange and red shurbs, grey granite and blue-white snow all come together in a wonderful symphony of colors. And even though I sometimes wish it can stay like this year around, it is the fleeting nature of the colors that make it special.
Hope you get to enjoy the colorful foliage this time of the year. Check out WTA for ideas on where to go.
Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest
WA USA
Ushguli Skies
While I was standing in the dark on top a small hill in the town of Ushguli, trying to compose this very image, I felt a small nuzzle on my legs. I turned around and it was a stray dog. Not just any stray dog, but one that I had fed a few cookies earlier in the day while hiking on a trail a couple of miles away. How it found me in the dark so far away from where I had seen it earlier is a mystery that may be hard to solve.
It just lied down beside the tripod quietly. And it didn't want anything. Just a few pets and scritches. I can still picture that scene, a mutt with floppy ears lying down and watching walk back and forth on that small hill under a moonlit sky. It was one of the friendliest strays I had ever met.
After finishing this star-trail shoot, I headed back, wondering if I would ever see that mutt again. And to my surprise, it showed up just as I was about to board the van taking me away. I almost wanted to bring it with me...
Ushguli
Georgia