Teanaway Sunshine

About a week ago, I was able to revisit the Esmeralda Basin trail in the Teanaway area. It is probably one of my top ten favorite hikes - it has great views, there are plenty of wildflowers along the way, and the elevation gain is satisfying but not exhausting. After the heat we've had, I was a bit apprehensive about the wildflower situation, as I've seen anecdotal reports that flowers and foliage got fried in some areas. Thankfully, plenty of wildflowers were left, and I was doubly fortunate that there was no wildfire activity or smoke in the area. I had to contend with bright sunshine and gusty winds, but I was still able to make some pictures work.

First, a meadow of scarlet gilia (Ipomopsis aggregata) and other flowers. F/16.

Here's another meadow, with paintbrush (genus Castilleja) in the foreground. F/16.

Next, western red columbine (Aquilegia formosa) with a small stream in the background. I used a middle-ground aperture of F/8 and set the focus point to the flowers. This blurred the background while still keeping the stream recognizable (a wider aperture would have made the background a shapeless blur, and a narrow aperture would have made it too busy).

I got a closeup of a new flower! I'm thinking it's something in the orchid family, probably white orchid (Platanthera dilatata). F/6.3.

The flowers and views get all the glory in the Teanaway, but the trees are nice too. I like the scene below because, although the trees remain the highlight, the viewer still gets a sense of the surrounding terrain. F/18.

Finally, two views from the upper reaches of the trail. Below is a view back down the basin of the North Fork Teanaway River. The trail at this point is a bit narrow, and in the past I haven't stopped in this area for photos due to the difficulty of moving my tripod and gear to let another hiker pass - I'd essentially have to dismantle everything. Trail traffic was light enough this time, though, that I was able to chance it. F/13.

Next, Hawkins Mountain from the end of my hike at Fortune Creek Pass. Gusty winds were blowing at the pass, and I had to put several additional layers on to eat lunch, only to immediately shed them once I began my descent (which was leeward). F/14.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading!

Olympic Extravaganza part 2: Mountains

It's time for the long-awaited second blog post about my trip to the Olympic Peninsula! Before heading toward the coast, my girlfriend and I spent three nights at the Deer Park campground on the northeast side of the national park. The weather was very warm and sunny, but not nearly as oppressively hot as in the lowlands, and there were some shady spots in the campground to relax in during the afternoons. Deer Park is pretty high in elevation for a car campground - around 5,000 feet - and there are great views everywhere.

Deer Park to Maiden Peak

The first hike we did was the Deer Park to Maiden Peak route, heading west from the campground. Below is the view from the slopes of Maiden Peak, near our turnaround point. The lighting is harsh in this one, but I like the grand sweep of the view, and how the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Dungeness Spit, and Mount Baker are all visible in the distance. F/20.

Next, avalanche lilies blooming in the forest. F/6.3.

Deer Ridge

The next morning, we hiked east from the campground, along the Deer Ridge trail. It seemed quieter than the Deer Park to Maiden Peak route; maybe that's because it isn't really featured in day hiking guides. (More frequently, I see route descriptions that start at Slab Camp and hike steeply to Deer Ridge from the other direction). That's surprising, because the first couple miles feature amazing views with almost no elevation change. A short, easy hike fit the bill for this particular morning, as we could be back at the campground resting in the shade for the hottest part of the day.

Here's a view looking out over the Gray Wolf River valley, with paintbrush blooming in the foreground. F/14.

Below, a closeup of Olympic onion, or scalloped onion (Allium crenulatum). F/5.

Blue Mountain

A trip to Deer Park wouldn't be complete without visiting Blue Mountain, a nearby summit with an easy trail to fabulous views. If I recall correctly, it's the site of a former fire lookout; with views in every direction, it's easy to see why.

First, a mountain view with some interesting rocks in the foreground. F/18.

Next, evening sunlight streaming into a valley below. F/14.

 

We stayed on Blue Mountain until sunset. I had some trouble getting good compositions in the changing light, but I am still happy I got to see sunset up there. Here's a view out to Mount Baker, faintly visible in the haze. F/16.

I really like how the light in the next one turned out, more than I expected. Unfortunately, if you look closely, there are a couple little splotches of light where bugs caught the sunlight and became visible in the composition. Maybe they aren't too obtrusive, though. F/14.

Campground and Vicinity

The views from near the campground are noteworthy in their own right. The campground loop roads have decent vantage points, and a few short trails lead to even better viewpoints. Here are some compositions from the evenings, progressively closer to sunset. I'm not sure which I like best. The bleached wood in the second is very striking, but the sky in that one ended up a bit uneven. The first F/14 and the others F/16.

Finally, a view of the moon on our last morning there. F/16.

 

Olympic Extravaganza Part 1: Coast

I just returned from a multi-night camping trip on the Olympic Peninsula! The goal was to beat the forecast heat by seeking either high elevation or proximity to the coast. While not entirely successful - the heat and sunshine were still considerable at times - I was able to avoid the worst of it (particularly considering the fact that that my plan for the week had originally been to visit some locations in southeast Washington!).

In this post, I'll cover my time near the coast, when I stayed at Kalaloch Campground and explored the nearby trails and beaches. At Ruby Beach, the most spectacular of the beaches I visited due to its huge sea stacks, I was unable to get any pictures I liked, due to unflattering lighting and crowded conditions. I had better luck earlier in the morning at Beach 4, which has plenty of interesting features in its own right, including tidepools and rock formations. Below, some rocks showing what I believe to be evidence of honeycomb weathering. F/18.

Next, more cool rock formations just above the beach. I'm assuming that this is something sedimentary in origin, but I'm not a geologist by any means. F/16.

While staying at the Kalaloch Campground, I also checked out the short Kalaloch Nature Trail, a short loop through lush forest. Below, a view of a Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), with large burls visible. Apparently, these growths are a result of disease, infestation, or environmental stress (in the case of coastal forests like this one, salt spray from the ocean). F/16.

Next, closeups of some of the flowers along the trail. Below is salal (Gaultheria shallon), F/9.

And here is Cooley's hedge-nettle (Stachys cooleyae), F/6.3.

Coming up next, part two of my Olympic Peninsula travels, this time from the high elevations of the Deer Park area! Stay tuned.