2013 Calendar Images



Garden Wall above Granite Park.

2012 has started nicely for me, with these three images being selected to appear in a 2013 calendar.  I hope there will be many more such stories to share this year!

The first image is from Granite Park in Glacier National Park in Montana.  It was taken on the first day of a 7 day backpack of the North Circle.  The view is looking back along the Garden Wall towards Logan Pass - our starting point.

We were fortunate to catch the flowers in bloom, albeit slightly past their peak in most instances (not all).  Granite Park, Fifty Mountain, Sue Lake Bench and Stoney Indian Lake all presented magnificent meadows in full bloom for us.  Such a treat!

This hike is available as a day hike as well for those not wishing to commit to an extended stay.  The Highline Trail along the Garden Wall can be hiked to Granite Park and back to Logan Pass, or as a one-way trip by doing The Loop and catching the park shuttle back up to Logan Pass.

Either way, it makes for a fantastic trip!

Haystack Falls

The second image is also from Glacier National Park, though a different trip.

Haystack Falls is located along the Going-to-the-Sun Road as it nears Logan Pass.  It's a beautiful waterfall that catches the eye of most motorists as they pass.  The cascade is framed by brick work as the road crosses the stream.

Care should be taken here if choosing to photograph the waterfall.  This area has a high volume of traffic for most of the day and turnouts are limited.  The best parking is a short walk away, and involves carefully walking the road back to the falls.  I recommend visiting in late afternoon when most people have returned to their campsite for dinner.  In fact, that is exactly when I took this image!

Another important consideration is to know the scheduled road closures for Going-to-the-Sun Road for road repair work.  I believe the work is scheduled to last through 2013.  Haystack Falls is beyond the gate and not accessible once the closure takes place.

To view more images from this wonderful park, including additional images of Granite Park and Haystack Falls, you may view my Glacier National Park Gallery.

Elowah Falls.

The final image is from a little closer to my home.  It's of Elowah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in Oregon.

Elowah Falls is approached via a short hike from the John B. Yeon trailhead.  It's about 0.75 miles to the falls on a pleasant forest trail.  It can easily be combined with Upper McCord Creek Falls.

Elowah Falls is located in a large basin, offering many different compositions of the falls.  Much time can be spent here, and should be.  One can include the bridge, shown here, or use many other possible foregrounds, including rocks in the stream or plentiful vegetation.

I recommend combining this hike with visits to Latourell Falls, Multnomah Falls, Ponytail Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Wahkeena Falls and more!  There is a lot to see in the Columbia River Gorge, and one can easily spend a full day doing so.  Don't forget Beacon Rock and Stonehenge on the Washington side!

You can view more images of Elowah Falls, as well as many other waterfalls of this area in my Columbia River Gorge Gallery.

Enjoy, and thanks for visiting!