Washington State has many wonderful features but is best known for its really big coniferous trees. Many of the largest, oldest and tallest of the conifers can be found here.  Almost all of them remain dark green throughout the year giving Washington its nickname "The Evergreen State".  But there’s a very unusual conifer tucked away in the high alpine basins of the Cascade Range. Each October when fall comes to the high country, this unusual conifer’s needles change from green to glowing gold before they drop from the tree.

The Alpine Larch tree is a deciduous conifer.  Like other deciduous trees that drop their leaves every fall, the Larch drops its needles. The Alpine Larch grows in sparse pockets near treeline at 6000 to 7000 feet above sea level.  The short, soft needles begin changing colors in late September and usually turn gold around early October. The window of opportunity to see fall colored larches is short and unpredictable.  Autumn storms can strip the trees of their needles overnight or dump snow on the trails, making access difficult.

There are few good places in the state to find the Alpine Larch and getting to them is not easy.  Most places require hiking into remote back-country.  Headlight Basin, in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness northeast of Cle Elum, has one of the largest concentrations of larches in the state.

Ingalls Pass, above the basin, has stunning views of the larches and also the rugged south face of Mount Stuart, Washington’s tallest non-volcanic peak.  Ingalls Pass and nearby Lake Ingalls are very popular hiking destinations throughout the summer.  In the fall this area becomes a magnet for hikers wishing to view the magnificent colored larches.  Headlight Basin also has a resident population of mountain goats which are very fun to watch and photograph.

To see more pictures from this area go to my Alpine Lakes Wilderness Gallery on Istockphoto.  Signed fine art prints from many of my photographs are available for purchase on Fine Art America.  For special offers and to follow my photographic journey please Join My Email List​.​

The Palouse is a rich agricultural area encompassing much of southeastern Washington State and parts of Idaho.  It is characterized by low rolling hills mostly devoid of trees.  Although many crops including barley, lentils and chick peas are produced in the area, much of the winter wheat production in the United States comes from the Palouse.  Wheat grown in the rich silty loess soil yields up to 100 bushels an acre, twice the national average.  And much of this production is done without benefit of irrigation.  Winter wheat is planted in the fall.  It germinates after planting and then remains dormant through the winter.  Growth resumes in the spring after the snow melts.  Harvesting is usually done in the summer or early fall after the wheat turns a rich gold color.

Photographers are drawn to the Palouse for its wide open landscapes and ever changing colors.  In the spring it is a visual mosaic of green.  By late summer the green changes to "amber waves of grain" before and during the harvest.  In the winter, deep snow carpets the landscape with a brilliant white.  The area is mostly rural and sparsely populated, punctuated by quaint historic towns like Colfax, Walla Walla, Palouse and Pomeroy.

For an overview of the Palouse, the best place to visit is Steptoe Butte.  This quartzite "island" at 3612 feet above sea level is one of the highest points in the area and provides a 360 degree ever-changing view of the Palouse Hills.  Steptoe Butte is a Washington state park about 12 miles north of Colfax.  There is a narrow paved but rough road leading to a parking area at the summit.  A Washington State Discover Pass is required to park in the lot.  Expect to see other sightseers and photographers except when the road closes during the winter snows.

Other great possibilities for photography include driving the backroads around Colfax, Palouse and Pullman.  The mostly gravel roads are in amazingly good shape and take you through endless fields of rolling hills with very few farmhouses.  You won't see very many other cars either.  Just don't get lost.  I found my way from Colfax to Palouse using the backroads and eventually turned on my GPS to get to Pullman.  Even these remote backroads are on my GPS map.

To see more Palouse Region pictures go to my Palouse Gallery on Istockphoto.  Signed fine art prints from many of my photographs are available for purchase on Fine Art America.  For special offers and to follow my photographic journey please Join My Email List​.​

Oregon has one of the most beautiful and unspoiled stretches of coastline in the United States.  Oregon's Pacific Coast extends 363 miles from the Columbia River to the California border.  The 1967 Oregon Beach Bill declared that the people of Oregon own all land within sixteen vertical feet of the average low tide.  This law guarantees that the public has free and uninterrupted use of the beaches along the entire Oregon coastline. 

Three of my favorite places on the Oregon Coast are Cannon Beach, Heceta Head and Yaquina Head.

Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach may be the most iconic and often photographed feature on the Oregon Coast.  The basalt monolith stands 237 feet above the beach and its tide pools are home to  a wide variety of sea life.  The rock is also a nesting and gathering site for puffins, terns and many other seabirds.

Heceta Head Lighthouse is perched 150 feet above the Pacific Ocean on a rugged and heavily wooded headland just north of the town of Florence.  It is one of the most visited lighthouses in the United States drawing thousands of visitors each year.  Although you can get very close to the lighthouse and keepers cottage, the best views are from a pullout on Highway 101 less than a mile south of the lighthouse.

Yaquina Head is on a mile long penninsula north of the town of Newport.  The scenic area has been designated as a National Outstanding Natural Area and is managed by the US Bureau of Land Management. Standing 93 feet tall at the westernmost point of the basalt headland, the Yaquina Head Lighthouse has been guiding ships along the Oregon Coast since the light was first lit on August 20, 1873.

The offshore rocks and islands are a refuge for harbor seals and a spring-summer nesting place for thousands of seabirds. Gray whales can be spotted during their annual migration between Mexico and Alaska.

Cobble Beach below the lighthouse is scattered with millions of large and small cobble-like rocks. When the tide is low the ocean floor reveals pools of colorful animals including sea stars, sea urchins, and giant anemones. 

Check out Best Beaches in Oregon​ to find out more about the Oregon Coast.

To see more Oregon Coast pictures go to my Oregon Coast Gallery on Istockphoto.  Signed fine art prints from many of my photographs are available for purchase on Fine Art America.  For special offers and to follow my photographic journey please Join My Email List​.​

The Columbia Gorge is an area of incomparable scenic beauty that forms the border between Oregon and Washington State.  The area cuts through the mountainous Cascade Range and boasts vast forests to the west, arid shrub-steppe to the east and the mighty Columbia River throughout.  The gorge is well known for its many waterfalls on both sides of the river.

The most famous of the waterfalls is Multnomah Falls, located along the historic Columbia River Highway in Oregon between the towns of Corbett and Dodson.

I had wanted to take a picture of Multnomah Falls for a long time.  Finally the time came to take a trip in the Columbia Gorge.  When I left Eastern Oregon it was warm and sunny.  As I drove west on the old Columbia River Highway it started raining.  By the time I reached Multnomah Falls, which is on the wetter side of the Cascade Range, it was raining very hard.

I had serious doubts about getting a decent picture but went ahead and set up my tripod and camera anyway.  Typically, when I shoot waterfall pictures, I use a time exposure of 1/4 second or longer.  This gives a feathery texture to the water and suggests motion in the waterfall.  For this picture I used a very wide angle lens (10mm) so I would take in both the upper and lower falls as well as the bushes in the foreground.  As I was shooting, I was getting thoroughly wet and so was my equipment.  In reviewing the shots on my camera's screen, I noticed big water droplets in the picture.  I removed the protective filter from my lens and put my hand over the top to keep out the rain.  I snapped another series of pictures, packed up my equipment and sought shelter.  Out of the 40-50 pictures I took that day, the picture above was the only one that had the effect I was looking for and didn't have any visible water droplets.  I was very fortunate that the people were standing on the bridge to give scale and perspective to my picture.  I was also lucky that my equipment didn't get drenched beyond repair.

To see more pictures from the Columbia Gorge go to my Columbia Gorge Gallery on Istockphoto.  Signed fine art prints from many of my photographs are available for purchase on Fine Art America.  ​For special offers and to follow my photographic journey please Join My Email List​.​​

One of my favorite things to photograph is scenery reflected in still water.  Photographing a reflection creates a unique perspective by adding interest and depth to the photograph.

Early morning when the water is calm and the light is soft is usually the best time to capture a perfect reflection.  Capturing a perfect reflection is harder than it sounds because even a slight wind will cause ripples and blur the surface of the water.

You don't necessarily need a calm mountain lake to take a reflection picture.  I have shot many mirror-images in calm rivers, ponds and even wet glistening sand.  Mountains are a typical reflection subject but I have also successfully shot people, wildlife and buildings reflected in water or sand.

I spend a lot of time in Mount Rainier National Park and I have a couple of favorite spots to shoot Mount Rainier reflected in water.  Reflection Lakes which is a few miles below the Paradise visitor center is appropriately named.  The lakes provide an iconic view of the mountain.  In the summer during wildflower season and in fall when the grasses turn to gold are especially lovely times.  Mirror Lake near Indian Henry's Hunting Ground, also appropriately named, is another nice place for a late afternoon or early evening shot.

Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park has two of the best spots to get the rugged Teton Range reflected in the Snake River.  Oxbow Bend has stunning views of Mount Moran framed in the fall by golden aspen trees.  The challenge at Oxbow Bend is finding a spot on the riverbank that is not already occupied by photographers and tripods.  Schwabacher Landing is another popular spot for an early morning photograph.  Both places are best visited in the early morning when the sunrise is illuminating the Tetons.

When shooting reflections in the early morning I like to have both background and foreground in focus.  This means using a small aperture (f16 or f22) to give me maximum depth of field.  Use of a small aperture in low light also means using a slow shutter speed and necessitates the use of a tripod.

More reflection pictures can be seen in my Reflections Gallery.  Signed fine art prints from many of my photographs are available for purchase on Fine Art America.  ​For special offers and to follow my photographic journey please Join My Email List​.​​

When my daughter was in college near Pittsburgh, I spent many days roaming the backroads of Western Pennsylvania, enjoying the rural countryside and rolling woodlands.  One day I happened upon the small town of Punxsutawney, northeast of Pittsburgh.  Punxsutawney is typical of the small towns in Western Pennsylvania.  It's a quaint town in a small river valley surrounded by rolling hills.  Gobbler's Knob is one of these hills and it's where the locals and tourists celebrate Groundhog Day every February 2nd.  According to legend, Punxsutawney Phil the groundhog emerges from his burrow on this day and if he sees his shadow we are in for six more weeks of winter.  If he doesn't see his shadow, there will be an early spring.

The whole premise of a groundhog being able to predict the weather was intriguing so I decided to drive up Gobblers Knob, look for groundhogs and check things out.  Along the way I passed a group of wild turkeys (gobblers) which seemed promising considering I was on Gobbler's Knob.  Reaching the top of the knob I drove into a large park that's used for the Groundhog Day celebration.  There was nobody around to answer questions and I didn't see any groundhogs either.  Information on a sign said that Punxsutawney Phil and his "wife" Phyllis actually lived back in town at the library.  So back to town I headed and found the library.  Sure enough, I was able to see Phil and Phyllis from the outside of the library through the viewing window.  Disappointed that I was unable to see a groundhog in the wild, I left town and continued my travels.

Years later, when I started selling my photography through Getty Images and Istockphoto I noticed a sales trend.  Every January there would be a sudden spike in volume, especially in pictures of marmots.  

Puzzled by all the sales of marmot pictures, I decided to find out how my pictures were being used.  After a few Google searches I found that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) had used my picture of an Olympic Marmot to represent a groundhog.  That got me thinking.  The groundhog must look a lot like a marmot.  Obviously, it was time for more research.

Marmots are large furry members of the squirrel family.  They are about the size of a small dog.  I see them a lot and photograph them when I'm hiking.  Marmots typically live in burrows dug from the soil or within rockpiles.  They hibernate in their burrows through the winter. Marmots are highly social animals and may be seen in families.  To communicate, they whistle loudly, especially when alarmed.  

In my home state of Washington we have three distinct varieties of marmot.  The Hoary Marmot (Marmota caligata) lives in the Cascade Range, the Olympic Marmot (Marmota olympus) is endemic to the mountains of the Olympic Peninsula and the Yellow-Bellied Marmot (Marmota flaviventris) dominates the "desert" of central and eastern Washington. Marmots are mainly herbivorous.  Their diet consists of grasses, berries, lichens, mosses, roots, and flowers.

Groundhogs (Marmota monax), also called woodchucks, land-beaver or whistle-pigs are a very close relative of the marmot and are similar in size and appearance.  As I found out, it is very easy to use a picture of a marmot and call it a groundhog.

I've given up looking for groundhogs these days.  However, when I am hiking in the mountains, I always enjoy listening for marmots and watching their antics among the rocks and meadows.

More pictures of these fascinating animals can be seen in my Marmot Gallery. Signed fine art prints from many of my photographs are available for purchase on Fine Art America.  For special offers and to follow my photographic journey please Join My Email List​.​

August 16, 2013 - Our plan to leave early for Many Glacier and hike to Iceberg Lake did not go as expected.  Jeff had extreme allergies this morning with lots of snorting and sneezing.  It was like a bear joined us during the night.  Even though we arrived at the land of many glaciers around 11AM, we decided to hike the Iceberg Lake trail anyway and at least get to Ptarmigan Falls.  After a tail-gate snack of granola and banana, we were off.  Jeff was not feeling his usual strong self, but I was ready for our last hike in the Park, 10.4 miles round trip but only 1200 feet of elevation gain .

In bear country again, we sighted many bear spray containers on other hikers.  But I had my bear song that Jeff composed yesterday.  Bears do not like noise, especially my off-tune melody.  The meadows and mountains rising to the heavens were spectacular.  So much of it untouched and there for the hiker to enjoy and renew one's spirits and dedication to make this world a better place.  We ambled through more miles of God's garden in the high country.  We arrived at Ptarmigan Falls, both of us hot and tired from hiking in the mid-day sun.  We agreed that in spite of Jeff's headache, his back ache, and allergies, and my slower hiking speed, that we were too close to an experience that we have never encountered (icebergs in a glacial fed lake) to not take advantage.  And so we moved on and up into more pristine forests and meadows.

Finally we reached Iceberg Lake.  I'm so thrilled that I made it --- 5.2 miles one way.  Sitting here on one of nature's chairs marveling at the icebergs floating in the lake and the emerald green water glistening in the sunshine.  The mountains rise high above, forming a cozy little cirque for hikers to relax and ponder the beauty of creation.  A breeze pushes the mini icebergs across the lake and cools my sunlit body.  I found another "forever" place to rest my tired body when I leave this Earth. The the ice clinging to the rocks is not going to break off and crash into the lake during my short visit here.  From what others have told me, there are more icebergs in the lake this year than in previous years.  This has been a hot summer at Glacier National Park.

What I value so much about our experiences is that we are in an environment where war and human pain and suffering  do not exist; where peace can be experienced as it should be, where we know and accept that we must return to that "other" world to share our gifts and talents in a place where peace and joy are hard to find or identify.  I am forever grateful for these opportunities to enjoy God's many creations and so cognizant of the moral response they demand.

On the way back, Jeff went exploring off-trail for a bit and found a small unnamed lake surrounded by grasses and reflecting the surrounding mountains.  He quickly radioed for me to join him.  It was totally worth the extra time and distance to experience this perfect gem of a lake and take pictures in the evening light.  After taking dozens of pictures we decided we better move on if we were to finish the hike before dark.  

We returned to the car after the sun had set and felt good about accepting today's challenges.  This called for pizza and beer at a nearby restaurant in the park.

To see more of my pictures from Glacier National Park, visit Glacier National Park Gallery.  Signed fine art prints from many of my photographs are available for purchase on Fine Art America.  For special offers and to follow my photographic journey please Join My Email List​.​​

August 15, 2013 - Jeff was up very early today to photograph Wild Goose Island located in the middle of Saint Mary Lake.  The tiny island is composed of limestone that somehow avoided being compressed during the glacial age.  All the rock at the bottom of the lake and the mountains on either side are compressed limestone.  Due to its geological rarity and scenic beauty, this iconic scene is one of the most photographed in the park.

After Jeff returned, we enjoyed a nice breakfast at the restaurant, then drove to the visitor center to get help with hiking plans for the last two days in the park.  We decided to enjoy a boat tour of the lake combined with a 3 mile hike to Saint Mary Falls.  This was a good choice because a ranger naturalist accompanied us on the boat and was our hike leader.  With a degree in geology she had a lot of interesting information to share.  While we were safely in the boat we spotted a black bear walking along the shore.

As we walked up a short hill to view Baring Falls, a large black bear was spotted near the tour boat by some hikers.  They said he was heading up the trail to Saint Mary Falls, our main destination.  Our fearless leader took her bear spray in her hands and led us up the hill chanting and clapping hands all the way.  The only part of that bear we saw was his scat filled with berries, some not even digested.  Jeff was hoping to photograph a bear so he made up a jingle to sing while hiking.

Of course, singing the jingle would only scare the bear away so we never did see this particular bear.

After hiking for an hour and listening to more naturalist talk, we arrived at the falls.  Its rushing waters empty into Saint Mary Lake.  We were only able to spend 15 minutes at the falls because we had to meet the next boat at 5PM.  I could  have stayed so much longer to appreciate the beauty and grandeur and to lose myself in pondering the importance of water as it relates to the existence of this planet.

The hike back to the boat took in some grand views of Saint Mary Lake.  The lake has that beautiful emerald green color because of the glacial silt that flows into the lake and reflects the light.  Any glacial body of water will have that reflection of light that creates the emerald green color.

We learned a lot from our volunteer ranger during the return boat trip.  In 1910 there were 150 glaciers in this park. Today there are 25 and those could be gone in 15-20 years.  Not only the glaciers, but life that co-exists with them, Iike the insects and bugs . . . And life that depends on the insects and bugs . . . And all the way up the food chain.   We are all interconnected and depend on one another.

Tomorrow we are planning another hike into Glacier's high country to Iceberg Lake.  Icebergs in a lake . . . Really??

To see more of my pictures from Glacier National Park, visit Glacier National Park Gallery.  Signed fine art prints from many of my photographs are available for purchase on Fine Art America.  For special offers and to follow my photographic journey please Join My Email List​.​

August 14, 2013 - We enjoyed our higher elevation hike to Hidden Lake so much that we planned another one from Logan Pass.  This time though, we packed up our gear early, and arrived at the visitor center around 9:20.  Even at that, there were only a few spots left in the parking lot.  Before hiking we had a "tailgate" breakfast of home made granola, our friend Phyllis' blueberries and the last two pieces of banana bread which my sister gave us for the trip.  Then we were off for a 6.6 mile hike.

The Highline Trail along the Garden Wall was constructed similarly to the GTTS (Going to the Sun) Highway.  It was literally blasted out of the rock wall face.  For a quarter mile of the trail, we hugged the wall of the cliff high above the highway.  A hose-covered-cable was secured into the rock wall for hikers to hold onto for safety and/or emotional support.  It was a good trail though! 

Then we entered the "garden" with flowers gracing both sides of the path and climbing high on the rocky cliffs above as well as hanging onto the cliff sides below.  So peaceful with time for personal thought and appreciation for the gifts that Nature provides.

The trail meanders through a couple of small forested areas only to reappear in the "garden"again.  The waterfalls cascaded from the peaks above, shedding the last vestiges of snow, and rushing to the road below.  The trail paralleled the road with steep and dangerous cliffs separating the two.  Dangerous only if one chooses to hike off trail.

Lots of hikers on the trail; most younger and faster than I.  Aware of that fact, I stopped and moved to the side so they could pass.  And every time the thought occurred to me that I used to be one of them.  And even more so as I was still hiking uphill and they passed me going down!

There wasn't much elevation gain, but it was hot and I tend to hike slowly now watching every placement of my feet to avoid tripping and/or falling.  Jeff of course was far ahead of me, but our 2-way radios keep us in close contact.

Staying so far ahead is not always beneficial for Jeff since I usually carry the food.  So when he arrived at the saddle below Haystack Mountain, he had to wait patiently for his lunch.  Lots of "seating" below the Haystack; not restaurant chairs like in Switzerland, but Nature-made ones.   Even with lots of hikers in the "saddle", there was plenty of room to spread out.

Since I was one of the last ones arriving, we lingered to give me time to rest before heading down.  Fortunate for that, since we were "treated" to a visit by three bighorn sheep, 2 rams and one ewe. This was such an exciting experience for both of us since the bighorns don't populate the areas we usually hike.  Of course we used a lot of digital film.  And then we really did need to head down the trail, in spite of the afternoon heat.

The meadows maintained their peaceful tranquility and beauty as we departed the "saddle" to return via the same trail to Logan Pass.  In the heat of the day, I anticipated the two biggest waterfalls, where I filled my hat with water and poured it over my head.  Dipping my hiking handkerchief in the cold water to wipe my face and arms seemed to revive me for the remainder of the hike.  Even Jeff relished the cold water on his face.  Many years ago we could even drink that cold flowing water and satisfy our thirst.  Drinking the warm water in our water bottles today maintained our hydration but was not satisfying like a  swig of cold mountain water.

Another day in the high country to renew ourselves and to be continually thankful and appreciative for this part of our world.  We have seen a great deal of wildlife on this trip.  Deer, antelope, and bison at the National Bison Range.  And in Glacier National Park, we had up-close experiences with mountain goats, bighorn sheep, marmots, ground squirrels and even bear poop on the trail.  Jeff spotted a bear on Tuesday at such a long distance, he didn't even attempt a picture.  So I guess the bear poop will have to count!

Tomorrow, Thursday, Jeff will be up at 6am to get pictures of Wild Goose Island which sits in the middle of Saint Mary Lake.  And I'd like an easier day of hiking.

To see more of my pictures from Glacier National Park, visit Glacier National Park Gallery.  Signed fine art prints from many of my photographs are available for purchase on Fine Art America.  For special offers and to follow my photographic journey please Join My Email List​.​​

August 13, 2013 - Altars  of rock surrounded by grasses and flowers.  Meadows are lush and green and full of color.  It was like walking in God's Garden with wildflowers, rushing waterfalls and erratics strewn through the meadows left by the glacial flows.  And a pilgrimage of hikers walking up the mountain was an incredible scene to view.  And  there was never a lull.  As some returned on the trail others replaced them.  As I joined the "pilgrims", I pondered the many reasons for taking this pilgrimage into Nature's paradise. I was so thankful to be hiking after seeing a woman in a wheelchair at the end of the paved trail.  She could go no further, but her face told me that she was completely enjoying the beauty from her chair.  I was so thankful that I could hike and take in all the sights and sounds that she would miss.

In the higher meadows and rocky areas, I met a nanny goat and her baby walking towards me on the side of the trail.  Such a treat.  Neither feared me, but the baby picked up momemtum as it passed me trying to keep up with mom.  More goats as I arrived at the overlook above Hidden Lake.  All this time as I was slowly ambling up the trail, Jeff had been searching for and finding goats to photograph.  I settled on a rock outcropping with several others who were enjoying one another in the spaciousness of these grandeur peaks and the meadows dressed in  their vibrant colors.  

And now I'm all alone.  Jeff is searching for that perfect shot with colorful meadows against a backdrop of mountains shedding their rocky scree.  And Nature is my only companion.  If this could be my eternity, there is no doubt that I would stay. And while Jeff was focused on his meadow shot, a goat snuck up behind him to within 15 feet.  A bit of a surprise to turn around to greet a mountain goat bearing down on him .  According to Jeff it was more like a staring contest, with the goat retreating first.

On our trip down, we met a group of Mennonites awed with the beauty of the mountains and the lake below.  Apparently a little girl was taken with their dress and I overhead her mother's discussion with her about different ways and different cultures and everyone has gifts to offer.  And down further, a little boy started to dig in the meadow.  His mother immediately snatched him onto her lap to explain the reason we need to show care and respect to the flowers and meadows.  "They don't have much time to grow and bloom and share their beauty with us, so we need to protect them."  She used the word 'environment' several times so that little boy will grow to understand.

Many good moments of life today.  Tomorrow another hike at Logan Pass.

To see more of my pictures from Glacier National Park, visit Glacier National Park Gallery. Signed fine art prints from many of my photographs are available for purchase on Fine Art America.  For special offers and to follow my photographic journey please Join My Email List​.​