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!