Dawn approaches as a group of silent deer stand at the roads edge. The sound of car doors closing followed by boots quietly crunching on dirt falls away into soft thuds. Watchful eyes of the deer track the couples movements through the dense trees as they disappear from sight. The moss clinging to the trees creates a haunting sight like the forests arms reaching out to pull the hikers into their dark tomb. Bright green ferns and fallen reddish logs act as a border of safety from the thick undergrowth, still in the mornings windless embrace. Noise is squelched in the deep grove of trees as sunlight tries in vain to penetrate the evergreen canopy. The smell of rich petrichor fills the air after a recent rainfall as the two spot the hidden waterfall in the distance. The suffocating eeriness to the forest offers one question for them…is this heaven?
Cutting a long story short of the previous beginnings of past trips through corn and flat wastelands, our first destination on this years trip was a brief roadside visit to a park named after the founder of the park service. What was once clear skies not long ago was now a gloomy overcast sky and something not expected this time of year for us. Snow. High winds whipped the frozen sting across our faces as we quickly took some cell phone shots and retreated back to the car to head to our hotel for the night. A long drive awaited the next day and we need rest after 3 twelve hour days in a row with a quick stop at one parks waterfall and another parks sand dunes bordering our neighbors to the north.
We set out the next morning hours before sunrise in hopes to spend some more time in the next park. Dodging deer and coyotes along the highway we took our exit into no mans lands. More deer greeted us at the stop sign and along the roadside with only their eyes glowing in the deep shadows of night. Gripping the wheel I drove us along the hills and curves of empty land as the sun finally rose. Thankfully it did or else we would have plowed right into the giant golden eagle feasting on some large animal in the middle of the road. Ten hours from leaving the hotel we arrived at the mighty peaks in the northern mountains. We were excited to finally be here to shoot our favorite type of scenes in a new place for both of us. Only our frustratingly bad luck had other plans, after driving along a quarter of the death defying mountain road we were greeted with what we thought was fog. Only fog isn’t this dense and white, because we were driving through clouds. A light storm front had moved in blanketing almost the entire park in very low clouds making visibility past 200 feet impossible. Stopping at the visitor center to grab our ritual fridge magnet we heard from a ranger that the clouds were going to be sticking around till the day after we had to leave.
We were pretty bummed to not be able to see anything so we very slowly drove down the cloud covered road as headlights appeared from the white blanket and panicked each time they passed. Our lodging for the night was a lakeside hotel surrounded by what was supposed to be tall wondrous peaks. With the expensive room already paid for we decided to just walk along the lakes edge to salvage some semblance of fun and I took this shot to document a mountain when the clouds briefly gave us a peek.
All that appeared in the low thick clouds.
The next day we had another drive ahead of us so we quickly hung around to try and see the biggest mountain outside our room to no avail before heading across the border to the north. The rain has picked up as we drove further and further past endless fence posts with dozens of large hawks miserably sitting on them trying to spread their wings to dry them. We reached the next hotel and visited the local MEC store where I bought a new black beanie and watched TV in our room till it was time for bed. A two hour drive for sunrise was waiting.
We left early the next day in hopes to get a nice sunrise at a lake with a popular mountain behind it. Only the low clouds were all the way up here as well. Instead we drove into town and waited for the park headquarters to open to purchase our park pass for the day and grab a coffee. Deciding that the woods were a good place to be when the sky was full of thick white cotton we hiked along a long path to a waterfall sitting deep in the canyon. This time we had bear spray with us so we felt much safer compared to last year. After our morning hike we drove around in hopes to see whatever was visible and passed under the wildlife bridges built in this area to prevent the animals from getting hit. A tall fence runs along the entire highway before an overpass full of vegetation and bushes breaks it up to encourage wildlife to cross there instead of the dangerous roadway. Its nice to see a country that cares about its local wildlife.
The two popular lakes here have parking lots that fill up almost immediately every day so we hung around killing time until the evening by hiking up a steep path to a wooden overlook. Below us ran a long range of mountains with a sapphire blue lake at its base. Something you expect to be faked for social media was indeed real and beautiful. With our lungs in overdrive after the steep hike up in high altitude we took a rest and sat taking it all in for a short while before heading back down the trail to try finding a spot in the probably full parking lot.
Our luck had seemingly turned around partially since there was actually some space now and the road was open for us to park our car and see this over popular lake in person. It didn’t take long for the same beautiful blue water from the other lake to make itself visible and the postcard mountains revealed themselves. My wife had enough hiking for the day and opted to stay the the lakeside while I climbed the rock pile that offers the same view everyone knows this lake for. I try to stay away from the same popular compositions on these trips in hopes for something vaguely more original but this scene is just too good to pass up. After finding a spot on the rocks away from the crowd and without tall pines blocking the shot I set up my tripod and camera and took this image. While some actual sunlight or color in the sky would have been nice, this was better than nothing and at least the whole scene wasn’t covered in clouds.
Blue waters fed from the glaciers in the mountains.
From there I climbed back down then rock pile and eventually found my wife and her new chipmunk friend by the lakeside. While I waited for her to finish up her shots I noticed a small rock in the water that sort of mimicked the mountains behind it so I carefully balanced on the two small rocks behind it and shot this photo.
Smaller cousin to the big brothers beyond.
Happy to have witness this cerulean wonder and to actually get photos of it we took one last inhale of cool mountain air and headed back to the car. We had a nice little log cabin waiting for us not far down the road and we were tired from the days grind. One last scene made itself known about 400 feet from the cabin driveway so we quickly pulled over as some actual sunlight was coming through the evening clouds. A mountain range that resembles a castle was getting some nice dappled lighting on its face and I quickly took a panorama of the vista before the light was snuffed out. After that we checked into our cabin, showered and ate our freeze dried beef stew that I’ve grown to loathe and started a fire in the small fireplace to keep warm under it was time to sleep. The smell of the cabin was a rustic earthly smell and the smokey fire added to the western frontier feel of the perfect little cabin. Of course I picked a not so perfect log for the fire and it created much more smoke than the rest my wife chose. After airing out the smoke we went to bed for another long 12 hour driving day.
A castle in the clouds.
The following morning we left the cabin in the cold dark morning at 3am and headed down the highway in search for a gas station. It seemed that the gas pumps in this area aren’t functional 24/7 like they are in the US, but thankfully the first 2 hours were mostly downhill and our quarter tank of gas was enough to get us to a pump that was on. We drove up and down the winding mountain roads and through some parks we wished we had time to stop and visit as Stellar Jays zipped across the road. Daylight was in full effect when we reached the continental divide and the high altitude made all our bags of snacks and chips inflate to the point of almost popping. Brief altitude sickness started to show itself just as we started the long decent down the other side of the divide. Hours of distant mountains gave way to flatter pine forests and cities and small towns as we approached the border. The border agent here was friendly enough and commented that we had nothing healthy in our car for food and said “welcome home”. Only we were technically 3200 miles from home and the deep green of the northwest made that exceptionally apparent.
We arrived at our hotel for the night just as the sun was setting and the distant 14,000 foot mountain we were going to visit in a few days loomed in the distance even being 150 miles away.
Early the next morning we ate the quick breakfast the hotel offered and saw a colorful sunrise over that mountain in the distance and wished we were there instead of the parking lot much further away. Today though we had a day planned to visit the rainforests of the northwest. We parked our car at an empty lot not far from the hotel and were amazed by the dense green forest with tree limbs draped in thick moss. Ferns nearly covering the forest floor and plant leaves twice the size of my hand. If Jurassic Park needed at fitting location, this would be it. As we walked down the path we spotted a small group of deer quietly nibbling on flora as they kept a close eye on us. Further on down the trail a small brook ran alongside us and a little wooden bridge guided us to what we could now hear in the distance. A hidden waterfall cascading down the rock wall enclosing this area laid nestled amongst the ancient trees and growth. A wooden fence kept unruly visitors from trampling the fragile soil around it so I stuck my lens through the slots and crouched down to get this photo.
Hidden waterfall in the lush green forest.
On the walk back I found my wife shooting near the little bridge and I spotted a fallen tree that would make a great foreground object and set up my tripod near it. The heavy moss and fern lead my eye into the scene towards the moss covered trees and forest beyond and really showed what this dark forest was like. Needless to say I took the shot.
Jurassic park or an ordinary northwest forest?
After that we went back to the car to the next lot of another popular waterfall, only this time we didn’t have the place to ourselves. Everyone we passed was friendly and looking around in awe like we were and after passing more giant leaves and endless green both high and low we reached the popular falls. Before setting up the same shot everyone else has taken we continued a short ways to the end of the path and I spotted a broken tree in the distance that looked like a great subject. The mossy branches on the left of it looked like they were reaching towards their half dead friend so I switched to my zoom lens and shot it. Going back to the obvious viewpoint of the triple waterfall I set up next to two other photographers that were getting the same shot and I came away with an unoriginal photo, which is fine by me.
Mossy hands trying to console their fallen friend.
Not very original but original to me.
As rain clouds started to move in we headed deeper into the park and down a dirt road leading to the rainforest area. It took quite a while to drive since I kept pulling over to shoot things here and there. Branches encased in soft velvety moss hung over the damp road and that eerie silence took over the forest. A scream would be muffled in this dense dark army of emerald ancients. We reached the packed rainforest parking lot just as the rain started to come down so we chose to just head back to the main road and skip that section. On the way back we stopped at a small little gift shop on the secluded road and bought a little stuffed bear to be our traveling mascot for the trip. Not too far from the gift I stopped again to shoot some branches that looked like fingers reaching across a small open section of forest. My wife stayed in the car to not get wet but the thick and lush canopy blocked most of the rain like a natural umbrella. A sudden wave of feeling like I was being watched from somewhere in the woods in front of me took over and I slowly made my way back to the car. Not sure if it was a deer, a mountain lion or Bigfoot but something was definitely out there.
Mossy fingers reach out to pull in innocent photographers.
The beach was our next stop and it was close to the park. Unfortunately the rain had picked up quite a bit so we donned some rainproof pants, jacket and umbrellas and trekked down the winding pathway to the beach. Sea stacks stood tall on the waters edge defiantly breaking the waves and the strong winds that were down here. The umbrellas became useless and the rain nearly horizontal made our “waterproof” clothing soaked and we quickly raced back to the car. Thankfully we brought towels and it was a rental because we had never been so wet. The ride to the hotel that night gave us a quick peek at that tall mountain from the morning where we were headed the next day. The hotel was a dry welcome comfort after the cold rainy afternoon and we ate our freeze dried chicken fajita bowl and went to bed for another early morning.
Leaving 2 hours before sunrise we drove up the curvy mountain roads passing quaint cabins and lodgings you see in movies and passed several deer by the roadside. Another intimidating forest greeted us as we drove on and on until reaching the sunrise spot for the day. A calm little lake known for its reflections of the mountain this new park was named after. Only there was no mountain. More clouds had followed us and everything in the area was nice and clear, except for the mountain we came to shoot. The morning before would have been a brilliant sunrise here and I was kicking myself for not seeing into the future and planning the whole trip 1 day earlier. Disappointed we decided to drive up to the mountains visitor center anyways. More steep winding roads and tall beautiful trees lay everywhere and that old ancient feeling loomed here like the day before. The calm quiet embraced us like crawling into a thick cool blanket as we reached the end of the road and a light fog lingered on the hillsides. Killing time for the visitor center to open we opted to take a short walk down a path and came across very large ground squirrels that looked more akin to our tiny chipmunks back home than a squirrel. Not too far down the path a doe and its fawn stood in our path. We stopped dead and watched them from a distance as the mother bound up the hill and out of sight. The baby hung back and we heard a sound of a deer crying out seemingly in pain. The fawn stood still and cried out in return and we feared the worst for its mother. We thought a bear or mountain lion had grabbed the doe leaving the fawn to die alone in the woods. Our lack of wildlife knowledge was a blessing because we saw about ten more deer where the mother had went and sound we heard was another fawn calling the one in front of us and the baby chased after it and reunited with its mother. Thankful we didn’t just hear a nature documentary in person we went back to the visitor center and on our way to a waterfall about two hours away.
Down a long dirt and treacherous road we finally found the parking lot for the trail. We set out thinking the hike was short after looking over the maps months in advance, only we found out the truth very quickly. What started as a nice easy trail gave way to a very steep nearly endless switch back trail. Not used to the higher elevations yet we were still out of breathe and my wife chose to sit on a log and let me go on ahead. I reluctantly did and gave her the bear spray just in case and continued what turned out to be a short way before reaching the falls. With my phone showing zero reception and no way to get back to her to tell her she’s almost there I took a quick shot to show her what she missed out on. Two towering falls stood high as water plunged down crashing into the small river below forming a small deep blue pool. Moss covered the walls of rock making a lush green life filled canyon. I jogged down the path to reach the log and found she had started slowly walking down the trail back to the car and got sidetracked by some ferns. I explained how she was almost to the falls but she was too tired to care now and didn’t feel like going back up the trail.
A thunderous column of water plunges into the pool below.
After getting to the car we drove another hour or so to reach another waterfall that I knew for certain this time was a short hike to. We both carefully made our way down the skinny path to a wooden boardwalk that brings you to a new overlook. Previously there used to be ways to get close to the water but thanks to irresponsible people, those trails were closed off due to damage and restoration. The cascading clear water fell over moss and rock in many small tendrils to the river below and was encased in dark green vegetation creating a prehistoric look. We took shots from the only vantage point and came away with this.
Waters creep down the cliff like a cat stalking its prey.
That night we grabbed some local pizza and truffle oil fries instead of our dehydrated meals and sat in a food coma in the hotel till morning. In the morning we stopped by a local diner for some quick pancakes and headed on to some more waterfalls along a popular corridor that had recently had a devastating forest fire. Most of the trails were closed from damage and we briefly stopped at two waterfalls before moving on to the beach. Two hours from the beach we both decided there wasn’t much point to visit on a weekend with blue bird skies and expect great photos so we ditched that idea and checked in early to the hotel. A friendly stray cat roamed the parking lot and we gave him plenty of pets and attention and a few small pieces of beef jerky. After he realized no more food was coming he meandered over to another couple whole pulled in to try flirting with them instead for food. A movie theater was close by and with nothing to do we went to see “It Part 2” and went back to rest at the hotel.
The next day we were pretty over the crowds of people and decided to make some quick visits to some waterfalls and another park. Rolling farmland and more lush forests took us to the first falls which turned out to be mostly dry and the second falls parking lot was full so that was also out. Hoping for better luck at the next park we drove on for hours until we entered the parked boundaries. Crowds of people filled all the turnouts and parking spots as we drove around the rim of a long dead and collapsed volcano. Nearly 8,000 years ago a 12,000 foot tall mountain stood here before erupting and collapsing in on itself to form the massive lake far below. A small island sits in this gargantuan body of water and people appear as ants all along the edge of the steep cliffs. With midday light we didn’t shoot any photos but were happy enough to just make a short visit before continuing on the days itinerary. A few hours later the trees started getting taller, thicker and redder. Winding roads with small boulders in them from rockfalls made the drive a slow one as we tried to beat the sunset and get to the hidden beach on time. We made a “fatal” error in timing and stopped off for very lackluster pizza and checking into the hotel. My wife wanted to stay behind and I raced to the beach in hopes of getting a nice sunset with the perfect type of clouds in the sky to make one. Four minutes before I reached the parking lot the most beautiful golden light I have ever seen appeared and quickly dipped out again. I parked the car and ran down the wet steep trail to the sea stacks and ocean waiting for me at the bottom. I set up as quickly as possible in hopes the golden light would come back or the clouds would light up. Only it never did. Mad that I wasted time on terrible pizza to miss the best light I had seen in the four years I’ve been shooting, I took this not so great image to at least show my wife the cool rock formations.
Consolation prize for a missed sunset.
When I got back to the hotel my wife had made a new friend. An injured seagull was sitting outside our beach side room staring into the glass slider at the pizza box on the table. Other than stray cats we don’t feed wildlife since its harmful and we felt bad that the seagull wouldn’t take the hint. What made matters worse is we noticed it was injured with a badly mangled foot as it flew away and probably couldn’t hunt very well on the beach and resorted to begging for food from hotel guests. Sometimes nature really sucks.
The next and last morning on the west coast brought us back to those trees from the day before and we found ourselves in the quiet grove with no other visitors. The trees were dripping with the rain we got overnight and only the sound of birds could be heard. This park is one of the most beautiful there is and we dreamed about being here since I was a little kid. Watching the Ewoks in Return of the Jedi live in these very forests made being here in person a dream come true. Expecting to see the small bear like creatures or a Stormtrooper zip by on a speeder bike was a nice boost to our imagination. The many ferns and fallen trees create a nice foreground leading into the vast grove of tall red trees. I found one tree in particular that led my eye to a small group and got nice and close to it to use as a leading line and foreground object. I took a quick shot of my wife looking even shorter than normal among these trees standing hundreds of feet high all around here and next to the car snapped one more mossy tree for the road.
A rich red trunk makes for a nice leading line.
Mist lingers among the moss covered trees.
My wife looking even shorter than normal.
Now began our long drive home. Four days of 12 hour sessions lay ahead of us and we quickly stopped at another park not long after leaving the redwoods behind. Volcanic activity in the past must have fed the soil with rich nutrients because the forests here were so lively in appearance and we were sad to not have time to explore them. We pressed one for two days driving through more forests which gave way to deserted byways. Mountains in the desert were our only company and no other cars passed us on whats known as America’s Loneliest Highway. Another quick stop and another park to see some ancient pine trees and more driving through desert wastelands led us past the city of Salt Lake and into more lonely areas.
Three stops remained on our trip and the first was home to a tower of rock. Deep in the middle of nowhere with flat landscapes all around stands a massive pillar of rock that looks like it was placed there as a scratching post for giant bears. 867 feet high this plateau of rare igneous rock breaks the horizon and left of wondering how exactly it got there. We took this shot from the nearby gift shops as hundreds of giant grasshoppers flew around our legs.
Scratch marks are what remains on the tower.
With that last photo from the trip we continued on and made our way to a certain mountain with dead presidents faces carved into them. Another with a famous Native American was much more impressive considering the bad history behind the whole area. Not far from there was another park we only had a short time to visit before heading to our cabin for the night. A large colony of prairie dogs live here and we were lucky to spend some time with them as they made their alarm calls in the distance to each other over our presence. Leaving the tunnel dwellers in peace we said goodbye to this area and headed to our cabin. Checking in we noticed the owner was a little strange and handed us our keys. When we opened the cabin door the small of death hit us in the face like a punch in the nose. Something was dead in or under the cabin and the smell was so bad and the Norman Bates vibes we got from the owner made us decide to spend the extra money and drive down the street to a Holiday Inn and pretend we checked out early from the cabin before the owner came back.
The next morning we left our safe non death scented hotel and drove to the last park of the trip to enjoy the strange rock formations in the dark. As we arrived and got out of the car, very alien looking structures broke up the view as the full moon above lit them in a pale sickly gray. Stars twinkled above the martian looking area and we stood there pretending like we had driven to another world to be the first and only visitors. The time had come to leave and the last destination of this years journey was now in our rear view mirror.
Home again with tired bodies and minds from the grueling drive with more memories in the mental bank. Visions of cloud covered mountains pushed away by the enchanting forests of green moss and red trunks. Waters falling into emerald covered forests floors were in our dreams and the missed opportunities were already forgotten with the time we shared together in the magical northwest.
Cold and wet from the soaked canopy above.