Painted Hills Unit - John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

The Painted Hills Unit of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is one of the most popular subjects in Oregon for landscape photographers. It is also the most well known of the unique formations within the monument.

Located near Mitchell, Oregon, the Painted Hills are a photographer's dream. They are colorful, patterned, contrasting, unique and extremely fascinating. Their colors change throughout the day and with even the most subtle change in light. They consist of stratifications of yellow, gold, black, and red as a result of layers of fallen volcanic ash from ancient volcanoes.

I had planned my trip for early May in hopes of hitting the flowers at their prime. But it has been a strange year with flowers running about two weeks late in many areas, and I missed out on the show. Next time!

I did not miss out on some special light and memories however. My first evening photographing the Painted Hills was under a cloudless sky. I was mostly alone. I focused on isolating various patterns and shapes in my compositions. It was a lot of fun!

My second night was not by design. I was actually photographing in the Sheep Rock Unit when clouds and scattered showers moved in. When late light looked doubtful, I jumped in my truck and raced back to the Painted Hills Unit in hopes of having dark storm clouds above my subject as rays of light breached thru. Well, the clouds had come and gone by the time of my arrival - it was a quick storm. But some clouds did linger and made the evening light very interesting. There were more photographers present, and all were fun to talk with.

I made friends with two photographers in particular; Jeff Chen and Long Nguyen. Jeff is a very successful medium format panoramic landscape photographer from San Francisco. Long is a local photographer from Seattle with big asperations and much talent. I hope to connect with both of them again in the future.

The small town of Mitchell is very close to the Painted Hills and offers gas, food and lodging. The locals were as friendly as could be to me and I made a point to gas up and do my shopping there rather than making the longer trip to Prineville. It feels good to know you are helping the local economy, as well as saying Thank You for their generous hospitality and helpful recommendations on the area.

Camping is available in the city park - which offers nice picnic tables and barbeques. Just pitch your tent next to the table you wish and you are good to go!

There are also several National Forest Service campgrounds in the area, though they are a bit longer drive and as such, not as convenient.

I found the best camping to be along the road to the entrance of the Painted Hills Unit. They offer nothing more than a fire pit (no immenities), but are convenient and relatively private. By the way, there is no camping allowed within the Painted Hills Unit - despite what some locals might tell you.

This is my last entry on my visit to John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, though not from my trip (yes, there is more to come!). The John Day area is certainly a destination, not just a stop-over. Plan to spend 2-3 days there to get the most from your visit!

In closing I would like to give another shout to Greg Vaughn and his book Photographing Oregon. The book really helped me with my photography planning, and he personally volunteered additional information in hopes of making my trip even more successful.

Sheep Rock Unit - John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

The Sheep Rock Unit offers extremely interesting geological formations, mostly of volcanic ash that has turned to claystone. The main attractions can be found along OR 19, north of its junction with US 26.

Pictured on the left is Cathedral Rock, a prominent landmark to the west of the highway, just across the John Day River. Its multi-colored horizontal layers catch your eye in the early morning hours and is a sight to behold.

Further south is my favorite attraction of the Sheep Rock Unit - Blue Basin. The Island in Time trail is an easy 1 mile hike that takes you into an amphitheater of blue-green and pink claystone. Greg Vaughn describes it as "one of the most unusual geological formations I've ever seen" in his new book Photographing Oregon, and I would have to agree. It's an amazing place with colors I have never witnessed in a natural landscape environment before. Especially under neutral light, the colors appear as beautiful pastels.

I spent both an early morning and late afternoon here, and enjoyed every minute of it. People came and went during my visit, spending only a couple of moments to take group pictures and self portraits in front of the formations, then retreat back to their cars. With clouds in the sky, the light during my afternoon visit was forever changing. A bench at trail's end allows the visitor to sit down and enjoy the performance unfolding before them. And that is exactly what I did.

The Overlook Trail is a more strenuous option for those wishing for a vista of the landscape, as well as the John Day River Valley. Time did not allow me to sample this hike, unfortunately.

A funny thing about this trail was explained to me by a park service employee. The Overlook Trail is meant to be hiked in a clockwise direction. Technically, it is illegal to leave the Island in Time trail and ascend the Overlook Trail in a counterclockwise direction (and is signed as such).
The reason being? Well, it was stated to me that kicking steps into the sensitive soil to ascend the trail is more damaging than descending the trail. Interesting. I always thought plunge-stepping on the descent with gravity pulling all your weight was a higher impact.

In closing, I found the Sheep Rock Unit to be the most fascinating portion of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. In my opinion, the camera really does not do the area justice. I would encourage you to find time in late April or early May to experience it for yourself and discover what I'm talking about.

Clarno Unit - John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

The Clarno Unit in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in Central Oregon is located near the town of Fossil. The area is very desert like, with vegetation consisting of a variety of grasses and sagebrush. In his new book Photographing Oregon, Greg Vaughn advises his readers to also consider rattlesnakes part of the fauna! (I ran into Greg at Stonehenge - very nice guy with a wealth of knowledge about his home state - I encourage you to buy the book!)

The Palisades are the main attraction in the Clarno Unit. They were formed over 44 million years ago by a series of mudflows called lahars. As a result, a great variety of fossils were preserved. The Trail of the Fossils is a 1/4 mile trail that offers viewing of fossils in the rocks.

Pictured here are images from the Clarno Arch Trail, a 1/4 mile trail that climbs up to the base of The Palisades and the natural arch. Above the trail in the rocks are petrified logs. No rattlesnakes were seen on this day, likely because it was nearly noon on a very warm day.

To get to the Clarno Unit, follow Highway 218 east from Highway 97 towards the town of Fossil. Highway 218 is a very scenic route and worth the drive all on its own!

Stonehenge

On a recent trip down to Central Oregon, I found myself driving past the town of Maryhill on the Columbia River and had to stop to visit their famous landmark.

Stonehenge sits on a bluff overlooking the Columbia River and the small town of Maryhill. It's a full-size replica of the more famous English Stonehenge, and is nearly identical.

The American version was built by Sam Hill, a local road builder, as a memorial to those who died in World War I. It was dedicated in 1918, but not completed until 1930. Sadly, Hill passed away soon after he saw this memorial completed. He was burried at the base of the bluff. But don't bother trying to look for it; Hill was a private man and wished to be left alone. There is no easy path to his resting place.

The project actually began as the result of a misunderstanding. Hill was incorrectly informed that the original Stonehenge had been used as a sacraficial site. Hills message was that "humanity is still being sacraficed to the god of war". And it was with this message in mind that he constructed this replica.

If you find yourself traveling down Highway 97 towards Oregon, don't miss visiting this amazing site. Follow the highway as it descends steeply from the town of Goldendale to the Columbia River and the town of Maryhill. The memorial is well signed and easy to find. In fact, you can't miss seeing it from the highway.

Sam Hill's Mansion, as well as the concrete American Stonehenge, are part of the Maryhill Museum of Art. This museum also includes monuments to our beloved soldiers of Klickitat County who died in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

There is no admission fee to visit the memorial; however donations are welcome and appreciated.

These funds are used for maintenance funding.

Also an attention getter is the view from the bluff down to the Columbia River and the Biggs Rapids-Sam Hill Bridge (see above). On a clear day, views extand all the way to Mt. Hood!

So do yourself a favor. Get out and see some of our state's rich cultural history. And make sure that Stonehenge is on your list of places to visit!

Washington State Capital

Our State Capital in Olympia is a wonderful place to visit in all seasons, but was especially spectacular recently with both the daffodils and cherry blossoms in bloom.

I arrived early in the morning before the crowds and enjoyed walking around the campus taking in all the wonderful sights. The few people I did run into went out of their way to be friendly. It was truly a memorable experience.

The grounds are kept immaculate, as some of these images should attest to. What a lot of work it must be!

To get there from the Seattle area, take I-5 south to the 105A exit and go west for 0.8 miles. Continue on 14th Ave. for 0.4 miles to the Visitor Information Center. There is plenty of parking to be found, especially if arriving early.

New Postcards

Last winter I enjoyed a quiet morning down on a pier in Seattle with my daughter. We arrived well before sunrise in temps barely above freezing, and waited for the sunrise. Dang it was cold!

Sunrise came and it was quite nice. It caught the low lying clouds over Elliott Bay and helped me capture images such as this one of the state ferry's coming in and out of dock.

We finished our morning with a warm breakfast and a hot cup of cocoa before retreating. It was a pretty special morning, and one that she still remembers to this day.

So it is with a special pleasure that I get to announce a new line of postcards featuring an image from that memorable morning. They are now available at a store near you!

Meridian Art Show 'Thank You'

A quick 'Thank You' to everyone who stopped by our table at the Meridian Elementary Arts & Crafts Show! We had a lot of fun talking to everyone!

This will probably be our last show until next fall. We are working on locations around the south Puget Sound area, and possibly more. I will update you as our fall/winter schedule begins to take shape!

Art Show

Spring is here and it is time for my last art show until fall. Hey, hiking/climbing season is almost here!

This Saturday, April 25th, I will have a display at Meridian Elementary School in Kent, Washington for their Spring Arts & Crafts Show.

My daughter is a Kindegarten student there, so it is my way of supporting the school, getting to know more of the community, and of course, making some of my publishings and prints available for purchase.

Items I will have available will include my book Mount Rainier, my 2009 wall calendars Wild West and Reflections (both half price), my new line of note cards, and matted prints in various sizes.

The show runs from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm this Saturday. If you find yourself in the area, come on by and say hello - I would love to meet you!

Here is a Google Map.

New Note Cards!

Introducing my new line of note cards for 2009! I'm excited about this new project after months of research and production. The cards are acid free - 100% cotton, and may be purchased individually or in sets of 12.

The sets include Mount Rainier National Park, Olympic National Park, North Cascades National Park (and surrounding area), Mount Baker, and Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. More sets are planned.

Many of these images have appeared in calendars, books, magazines and other publications.

I hope to have these available for purchase on the web site soon. They will be available at my shows immediately, beginning this weekend (more to follow on that!).

Here are samples of the sets:

Seattle Center

The Seattle Center is always a fun place to visit!

There is so much to do, whether it is visiting the Space Needle, Experience Music Project, Pacific Science Center, Fun Forest Amusement Park, riding the Monorail, or just walking around and enjoying such sights as the International Fountain.

In fact, I had forgotten just how much there was to do! We arrived early last Sunday and enjoyed some quiet time as we strolled around the grounds. It was quite peaceful.

It's still early to catch spring blossoms. The trees are still bare, awaiting their spring foliage. Only daffodils greeted us on this day.

Of course, it didn't take long for visitors to start arriving. After a quick ride on the monorail to Westlake Center and back, we ventured over to the Space Needle and waited our turn in line for tickets.

It's only April, yet the number of foreign visitors standing in line were numerous. All seemed quite excited to visit this Seattle icon.

We secured our tickets and made our way up the ramp to the entrance to the elevators. Of course, my backpack full of camera gear immediately caught the interest of security and I was called over to a desk for a quick inspection. I emphasize quick and must add very polite and extremely friendly in describing the security officer.

The views that awaited us from the top were superlative. Conditions were pleasant out on the deck and Mt. Rainier could be seen in the distance behind the city skyline.

To the west, snow-covered Olympic Mountains stood majestic over Puget Sound while ships navigated their way to and fro.

Below us, the rides of the Fun Forest Amusement Park began to come to life, as did the fountains around the park.

Unfortunately, prior commitments dictated that it was time for us to leave. Oh, but there was so much more to do. Another time - and soon!

Now is an excellent time to visit the Seattle Center, before the real crowds arrive. Pack the family and plan a full day to visit this city treasure. Any less and you will be disappointed!

P-I Farewell Party

Last Friday night I attended the P-I Farewell Party at the Ballard Elks Club with my good friend Karen Sykes. We really weren't sure what to expect. Initially, I was excited at the thought of getting to meet some of the people I've admired over the many years I have enjoyed the paper. I also looked forward to meeting up with some of the individuals I have worked and conversed with in recent years.

As the date approached, a certain uneasiness set in. I began to feel awkward about it. Most of these people were now unemployed and probably didn't have a whole lot to be happy about. This was a goodbye party. It was personal for them. If they wanted to cry over a beer or two or five, they deserved to do so amongst the privacy of friends and colleagues.

Well, the worry was much ado about nothing. What a festival! Karen and I arrived and were immediately greeted by John Engstrom, whom Karen has worked with for years. While we chatted, David Horsey's laugh caught my ears as he joked nearby. He was in a tux and enjoying mingling with others.

Art Thiel also sported a tux and seemed to be enjoying himself as he shook hands with old acquaintances. As an avid sports fan, I have read Art's columns for as long as I can remember. Of course, as I peered up at his 6'7"ish frame, all preconceived notions about what he looked like went out the window! All except his mug, of course.

Greg Johns and John Hickey were also present. Probably not a good time to talk about the M's and spring training though. Rain check?

As Karen and I made our way through the crowd, John Owen politely grabbed her arm to chat. Wow, John Owen! His smile was infectious.

Jean Godden was there too. What a powerful presence she had. She seemed a goddess amongst her own, and attracted a crowd wherever she went.

Soon the band started up and it was David Horsey belting out the Ramone's "I Wanna be Sedated", followed by "Twist and Shout". You could see how much fun he was having with the room!

What an event! I would estimate attendance around 1,200 - 1,500, and most all seemed to just be enjoying the evening and the opportunity to reacquaint with old co-workers. If there was anyone missing in attendance, I have no idea who.

As we continued to work our way through the crowd, I was proud to witness several people approach Karen and exclaim, "So you're Karen Sykes! I'm so glad to finally meet you! I've been reading about your hikes for years...." Karen was quite taken back. As a freelancer, she had no idea she had built such a following within the walls of the P-I. I was incredibly happy for her.

Karen and I eventually met up with Greg Johnston and his lovely wife Lorna. We chatted with them at their table until it was time for us to leave. Greg and I hope to hook up on some hikes this spring and summer, and have some specific ones in mind.

I feel very fortunate to have attended this event. No, I feel very fortunate to have witnessed this event. This was a celebration, and it blew away all my expectations. The looks on the many faces I saw, and the happiness they projected at an event marking the demise of their livelihood will last with me for a long, long time.

I wish everyone from the P-I success in whatever endeavors they choose to pursue, and I have no doubt that they will find success.