Fall Color in North Cascades National Park

Gorge Creek Falls sits in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area of North Cascades National Park. The main vantage point of these falls are a metal bridge that sways and shudders when traffic goes over it – and it doesn’t have the sort of surface you could put a tripod on. I have found this spot to not be very hospitable to photography, though the views are excellent. I had a bit better luck earlier this year while trying a vertical “panorama”.

gorge creek falls upper gorge creek falls hwy 20 near north cascades national park

The first photo here is of the Gorge Dam just outside of Newhalem, Wa.

gorge dam on the skagit river gorge lake ross lake national recreation area skagit river

Washington Pass

In May I took the long route from the Vancouver area to Kelowna, via North Cascades National Park and Hwy 20. This is Washington Pass (elevation 5477 feet / 1669 m) which is just east of the park boundary.

The mountain peaks/ridges from left to right are: Hinkhouse Peak, Delancy Ridge (end of valley), Vasiliki Ridge, Kangaroo Ridge, Wallaby Peak, Unnamed Ridge, Early Winter Spire North and South (party of Liberty Bell Mountain).

25 exposures stitched, Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM @ 17mm

Click for larger version…
washington pass just outside north cascades national park

Invasion!

A few shots from my backyard when I was still testing out the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM. I love the colors the oak leaves turn in the fall and I will have to pay closer attention later this year when they turn again. The squirrel is actually a fairly invasive species around Southwestern British Columbia – the melanistic variety of the Eastern Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). They out compete the smaller, native Douglas Squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii) and have been spreading since their release in Stanley Park. Finally, a much less sinister animal – the Golden-Crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla).

oak leaves in fall melanistic variety of easter grey squirrel

golden crowned sparrow zonotrichia atricapilla

Colonial Peak

Colonial Peak in North Cascades National Park.

4 exposures stitched, Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM @ 70mm

Click for larger version…
colonial peak in the north cascades national park

Chilliwack Lake

Some fall color at Chilliwack Lake. The mountain at the end of the lake is Mt Redoubt, but is actually in North Cascades National Park in Washington State.

chillwack lake mt redoubt at chillwack lake beach rocks at chillwack lake

mt redoubt at chillwack lake chillwack lake beach

Chilliwack Lake Panorama

Mt. Redoubt from Chilliwack Lake.

7 exposures stitched, Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro

Click for larger version…
mt redoubt at chillwack lake

Fall at Chilliwack Lake

Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park last October.

fall color at chillwack lake mt redoubt at chillwack lake chillwack lake beach rock

chillwack lake beach mt redoubt at chillwack lake

mt redoubt at chillwack lake

Nisqually Glacier on Mt. Rainier

The Nisqually Glacier on the southern face of Mt. Rainier. While the terminus of the Nisqually Glacier has actually been retreating in recent years, it has been thickening significantly.

nisqually glacier on mt rainier nisqually glacier and cowlitz cleaver on mt rainier

nisqually glacier and wapowety cleaver on mt rainier nisqually glacier on mt rainier

Mt. Shuksan Sunset

Mt. Shuksan and a still frozen Picture Lake. Almost exactly a year ago I in much the same location but the ice was off the lake already and there was little snow around. This year there is still much snow, the trail around Picture Lake is not accessible, and I bet I will have to wait until at least late July before getting up to Artist Point.

9 exposures stitched, Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM @ 28mm

Click for larger version…
mt shuskan

Twisp

On Hwy 20 just outside the town of Twisp in Washington State.

7 exposures stitched, Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM @ 17mm

Click for larger version…
just outside of twisp washington

Gorge Creek Falls – North Cascades National Park

gorge creek falls in north cascades national park

I enjoy making panoramas. I am often in a place where a single photo, even at a wide angle, cannot convey the scope of the scenery around me. A panorama cannot often do justice to it either, but it does come a bit closer.

I’ve started doing vertical “panoramas”, sometimes called just verticals I guess. Spotting places in which to try this successfully is not as easy as a panorama, but this shot of Gorge Creek Falls in North Cascades National Park was an easy one.

11 exposures stitched, Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM @ 33mm

Click for larger version…

.

.

Ohanapecosh River at Grove of the Patriarchs

The Ohanapecosh River next to the bridge to the Grove of the Patriarchs.

ohanapecosh river in grove of the patriarchs

ohanapecosh river in grove of the patriarchs ohanapecosh river in grove of the patriarchs ohanapecosh river in grove of the patriarchs

Stevens Canyon

Lenticular Cloud (Altocumulus lenticularis) over Mt. Rainier in Stevens Canyon.

mt rainier stevens canyon mt rainier stevens canyon lenticular cloud

mt rainier stevens canyon lenticular cloud mt rainier stevens canyon lenticular cloud

Little Tahoma Peak from Stevens Canyon.

little tahoma peak

Looking Up (Again)

Looking up in the Grove of the Patriarchs in Mt. Rainier National Park.

douglas fir - pseudotsuga menziesii - in grove of the patriarchs western red cedar thuja plicata in grove of the patriarchs

Grove of the Patriarchs Trail

The trail from the parking lot to the Grove of the Patriarchs in Mt. Rainier National Park.

fallen tree along trail to grove of the patriarchs fallen trees along trail to grove of the patriarchs trail to grove of the patriarchs