Cannon Beach Reflection

Haystack Rock at sunset from Cannon Beach, Oregon.

Cannon Beach along the Oregon coast is a popular place to visit and an icon for Oregon tourism publications.  And for good reason!  Excellent lodging and restaurants abound in this tourist town, adding to the attraction of their world-famous beaches and parks.

Summer months can be pretty crazy at times as one might suspect.  But for photography and weather, summer actually isn't the best time to visit.

Summer brings warm temperatures for sure, but with it comes the heavy fog bank that often engulfs the coast during this time.  The fog is typically very localized, often dense on the beaches but nonexistent just a short way inland.

Spring and summer provide more favorable conditions.  Winter can also be quite favorable, as is the case here.  This image was taken in winter right around Christmas!

Speaking of tourism publications, that's exactly where this image was recently licensed to!

To see more images of this fabulous area, feel free to visit my Oregon Coast Gallery.

You may also view my complete website at Mountain Scenes Photography, Don Geyer, Mount Rainier, Images, (smugmug.com)

 As always, thanks for looking!

Indian Henry's Hunting Ground, Mount Rainier

Indian Henry was the adopted English name of So-To-Lick, a Klickitat or Yakima according to many tales.  He crossed the Cascade Mountains to call the Mashel Prairie home in 1864, living amongst the Mashel bands, who were thought to be a mix of Nisqually and Klickitat descent.

Henry was known as an excellent woodsman and guide, and gained fame by guiding at least one party attempting to summit Mt. Rainier.  Henry regarded the mountain as sacred and would not attempt the summit himself.  He considered ascending the glaciers to be bad luck.  But he would lead them as far as he could and watch their horses and belongings for them while they climbed.

A patrol cabin was built here in 1915 - 1916, and is still used by park staff patrolling the backcountry.  It seems to lend itself well to the area, offering a sense of history, and its front porch offering a destination for many, wishing for a place to enjoy their lunch or munch on the numerous huckleberries in the area in season.

Today Henry is most remembered by one of his most beloved destinations on the southwest slopes of Mt. Rainier, Indian Henry's Hunting Ground.  This picturesque setting is one of the most scenic areas of the park, offering breathtaking reflections, flowers in the summer, and bright red and orange colors in autumn.  It can even be a fantastic snowshoe trip in the winter for experienced winter travelers!

This reflection scene amongst the flowers of Indian Henry's Hunting Ground embraces the beauty of the park unlike any other, in my opinion.  It's a favorite of mine, and I'm proud to say that this particular image is currently appearing in a local travel magazine in my state of Washington.  I hope others enjoy it as well.

Hope to see you on the trail!

North Cascades National Park

My home state of Washington is blessed with three incredibly scenic national parks; Mount Rainier and Olympic being the most popular ones. These well known parks attract visitors in numbers from all over the world.

Though this park is traversed by the North Cascades Highway, or State Highway 20, it is best experienced from the backcountry where one can be alone on a number of long trails, remote ridges or peaks. It's paradise for those wanting to get away and is a local favorite for many.

These mountains take the full brunt of ocean storms, receiving heavy snowfall in the winter months. As a result, they are alive with life, movement and power.

They consist of a twisted, convoluted range which rises to majestic heights of over 10,000' above sea level. At their base, rivers twist through deep gorges and valleys on their way to the Puget Sound.

The North Cascades are a climbers paradise, with so many remote, rugged peaks begging to be climbed. There are too many incredible vantages to be experienced in a single summer - or perhaps many.

Along with those towering peaks are destinations to the backpacker and/or cross-country traveler seeking scenic and memorable destinations. There are many to be had.

The image above of Whatcom Peak was taken during such a trip, backpacking 17 miles to Whatcom Pass, and then traveling cross-country to a high tarn near a set of lakes with incredible views of the Northern Picket Range. Elevation gain was ~ 6,100', a taxing gain with a full pack of camera gear.

I took many photos on this trip, and they remain some of my most licensed images from this magnificent park. This reflection image was recently licensed to an international travel guide, appearing as an inside image and gracing the back cover.

Many more images from this fantastic park can be seen in my North Cascades Gallery, including more from this trip.

Thanks for reading!