Early May is the prime time for wildflower displays in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. There are a number of locations on both the Oregon and Washington side of the river that are great for finding and photographing wildflowers. Here are three of the best places for getting photos with masses of color. Tom McCall Preserve, pictured above, is a Nature Conservancy holding at Rowena on the Oregon side of the River. An easy stroll just a few [read more ...]
The folks at HostelBookers.com came up with a great idea for sharing stories and photos, and one of my online friends, travel blogger Kathryn of TravelWithKat.com encouraged me to join in the fun. So, here I am taking part in HostelBookers 7 Super Shots. 1. A photo that takes my breath away: The Na Pali Coast on the island of Kauai is truly spectacular. Fly along the coast on a helicopter tour, take a Zodiac or kayak into coves and caves, hike [read more ...]
The Seattle, Washington area is home to several beautiful Japanese Gardens, and right now they are at their very best. The fall color is at peak and the maple trees are brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow. Best known of the Seattle area gardens is the Japanese Garden at Washington Park Arboretum. This garden, part of the University of Washington Botanic Gardens, is a photographer’s delight most any time of year, but especially in fall. The ornamental maple trees [read more ...]
Interested in where to find the best autumn foliage for landscape and scenic photography in Washington State? I did a quick circuit around the Cascades last week and found quite a range of fall color. In most locations, the color was just starting to get good, so this week and the next should be optimal for making photographs, or just viewing for the pleasure of it. In the southern Cascades, around Trout Lake and Mount Adams, there were places with [read more ...]
In a year with more typical weather, the meadows in the Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park would look something like this photo around the first week of August, and the place would be swarming with photographers. This year, while much of the country suffers under sweltering heat, summer has barely arrived in the Pacific Northwest. The La Niña weather pattern brought us a long, cool and wet winter and spring, and lots of snow in the mountains. [read more ...]
I’ve been inspired by the blogs of a number of photographers who’ve recently posted their top photos for 2010, so decided to add my own to the mix. Most of the photographers post either landscape and scenic photos or travel photography. I do a mixture of both – something to do with being a Gemini perhaps? – so my selection of favorites is a combination of nature images and snaps from my travels this past year. Early in [read more ...]
On a beautiful early October morning I stood with a 40-pound pack on my back at the bottom of Aasgard Pass and exclaimed “O.M.G.!” Twice. Once for the incredible beauty of milky blue Colchuck Lake and the towering mountains above, and once for the daunting climb ahead of me – a 2,200 elevation gain in less than a mile of “trail”. Trail is in quotes because the route is basically follow-the-cairns over loose scree and chunks of granite rock after [read more ...]
September is National Wilderness Month, so proclaimed by President Obama. I’ve had the good fortune to hike and backpack in several wilderness areas recently, and firmly believe that our federally designated Wilderness areas rank right up there with our National Parks as some of the best things about the U.S.A. There are a number of new and proposed wilderness areas in the Pacific Northwest, places that are now protected, or worthy of protection, for future generations. Nationally, The Wilderness Society [read more ...]
Saturday, June 5, is National Trails Day, so let’s get out there and take a hike! This annual celebration of hiking and walking trails was started in 1993 by the American Hiking Society to help raise awareness of the benefits of, and needs for, getting outside and enjoying nature. If you want to hike with a group or participate in a trail maintenance project, many events are planned nationwide. Click on the map on this page to find what’s happening [read more ...]
This month marks the 30th anniversary of the eruption of Mount Saint Helens. On May 18, 1980 the volcano literally blew its top, spewing ash into the sky and causing a massive avalanche of debris that took 57 human lives and caused millions of dollars of damages. The blast from the eruption leveled thousands of acres of the surrounding forest, and wiped out who knows how many deer, elk, bear and other wildlife. The critters have come back and wildflowers [read more ...]
| © 2009-2012 Greg Vaughn | Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha |
