Mountain Goats in the Enchantments

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Andy Porter

The Enchantments are a small series of peaks and lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, near Leavenworth, Washington. Here are a few images from last weekends encounter with mountain goats while hiking!

Enchantments and Mountain Goats

Prusik Peak in the Enchantments, Alpine Lakes Wilderness

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Andy Porter

Prusik Peak in the fall is an alluring sight. The larches turn bright orange and if the weather co-operates the blue skies punctuate the landscape.
I luckily won the lottery for a permit this fall and last week I spent 5 days in the Enchantments, exploring and ogling the colors.

Prusik Peak above Perfection Lake

Prusik Peak and Gnome Tarn

Prusik Peak Reflected

Prusik Peak and Stones

Looking up at the Overlook

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Andy Porter

Last two nights and two sets of photos, first on Friday night, Sept. 19th, at the Diablo Lake Overlook, on the North Cascades Highway…

Milky Way over Colonial and Pyramid Peaks

Starry night over Diablo Dam

and then on Saturday night at the Samish Overlook near Blanchard Mountain.

Skagit Valley, Northern Hemisphere, Planet Earth, in the outer rim of the Milky Way Galaxy

We don’t often get the confluence ot no moon and clear skies here in Western Washington so I am counting my blessings!

Wilderness Photo Exhibition at the Smithsonian

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Andy Porter

To commemorate 50th anniversary of the signing of the Wilderness Act the Wilderness 50 Coalition established a photo contest. The winners and honorable mentions, more than 100 images in all, are now on display at the Smithsonian!
Here is the link to the Wilderness Forever site.

I was lucky enough to have an image chosen as an honorable mention! Here it is.

Sunrise, Steven Mather Wilderness – North Cascades National Park

I have never had any images win any thing or get chosen for any exhibition, and I must say its quite an honor. The winning images are really stunning. My favorite is the Milky Way shot over Second Beach in Olympic National Park. But have a look for yourself!

And here is a link to the Smithsonian web site where you can vote for your favorites!

Fall Sunset Images

Posted on September 17, 2014 by Andy Porter

Grandy Lake is a few miles north of the North Cascades Highway (Highway 20) along the Baker Lake Road. These images are from a few years ago, some really stunning clouds, reflections and colors…

Grandy Lake Sunset, Skagit County

The Wilderness Act Turns 50 !

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Andy Porter

On September 3rd, 1964 President Johnson signed into law the Wilderness Act. This watershed piece of legislation has been a cornerstone in preserving the wild lands of America.

The Wilderness Act provides a definition for wilderness: “A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”

I have been lucky enough to visit many wilderness areas and enjoy their majesty and solitude. Here are a few images from my travels.

Sahale Camp, Steven Mather Wilderness

Pasayten Wilderness

Milky Way, Glacier Peak Wilderness

Point of the Arches, Olympic Wilderness

Mount Rainier and Avalanche Lillys, Goat Rock Wilderness

Left Fork Canyon, Zion Wilderness

Steeple Peak and Lost Temple Spire, Bridger-Teton Wilderness

Enchantments, Alpine Lakes Wilderness

Mount Olympus, Olympic Wilderness

Amphitheater Mountain, Pasayten Wilderness

Upper Lyman Lake, Glacier Peak Wilderness

Mount Baker and the Park Butte Lookout, Mount Baker Wilderness

Sunrise, Steven Mather Wilderness – This image will be displayed in the Smithsonian Museum as a part of the Wilderness 50 Celebration starting on Sept. 3rd, 2014

Glacier Peak Wilderness: Spider Meadows – Buck Creek Pass Loop

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Andy Porter

Always looking for new adventures in the North Cascades I had heard for years about this loop. Its about 40 miles and covers some very striking terrain. The Glacier Peak Wilderness in in the North Cascades of Washington State, nestled between Highway 2 (Stevens Pass Highway) and Highway 20 (North Cascades Highway) its one of the most rugged parts of the state. We did the loop in 6 days and here are a few pictures!

Start of the trail

We hiked the first day about 5 miles to Spider Meadows. There were many people camped here (it was on a Saturday) but not hard to find a wonderful camp in the endless green meadows. The sky was filled with wonderful clouds…

Spider Meadows

The next days hike took us up steep switchbacks above the valley, to the narrow defile of Spider Gap.

Spider Meadow from above

Lawrence on the trail to Spider Gap

And then onto, up and over Spider Glacier. As we gained elevation the clouds got thicker. And when we reached the top the rain and hail started.

Ascending Spider Glacier

At the top of Spider Gap

We donned rain gear and slid down the glacier on the other side, towards Upper Lyman Lake.

In the rain

The sky was very dark and as we made our way down through the rain we encountered another hiker, who passed us by, on the same loop as us. Our paths would cross several times on our hike. His name was Steve and he had hiked more trails and miles in the North Cascades than anyone I had ever met.

The stark beauty of the valley captivated me and we dallied, wishing for clearing skies…

Clearing skies

Soon our wishes were answered and the sun came out to greet us. The rocks and gray-green water of the lake were like a magnet for me.

Upper Lyman Lake

Reluctantly we left and trekked down through some wonderful grasslands towards Lyman Lake.

Looking back at Spider Gap, the low saddle on the left

Reflections in Upper Lyman Basin

On the way we passed a perfect spot to camp, and so stopped to lolly-gag in the sun while we got our wet gear dry. We had perfect views of Lower Lyman Lake and Cloudy and Bonanza Peaks.

Lower Lyman Lake

Drying out in the sun

Lower Lyman and Bonanza Peak

The next day took us down into the forest and back up to Cloudy Pass. We could look back and see where we had crossed through Spider Gap.

Upper Lyman Basin from Cloudy Pass. The sun halo was…real!

Looking north from Suiattle Pass, down Agnes Gorge

Our trail took us over Suiattle Pass and along Miners Ridge and then down to a river crossing. Here our path was along the Pacific Crest Trail and we must have met more than a dozen thru-hikers, all hurrying along to complete their 2,400 mile quest.

Buck Creek Pass was another highpoint of the trip. From here a trail climbs and rounds Liberty Cap as it heads towards High Pass.

Glacier Peak: evening light

Glacier peak: Morning Light

We camped here, with magnificent views of Glacier Peak.

Glacier Peak

The stars at night was alive.

Glacier Peak, Milky Way

Early the next morning we made our way along a wonderful ridge to High Pass. Here we could get a glimpse of the barren rocks and snow around Triad Lake.

Steve at High Pass

Triad Lake

Making it back to our camp we gathered our stuff and hiked back to the car. The wildflowers along the trail down from Buck Creek pass were beyond compare!

Glacier Peak, wildflowers

All in all one the most satisfying loop treks I have done in Washington!

Camped at Glacier Peak Wilderness

Posted on August 29, 2014 by Andy Porter

Glacier Peak Wilderness

Maple Pass – Lake Ann Loop, North Cascades

Posted on August 19, 2014 by Andy Porter

The weather forecast called for a 40% chance of thunder showers, a perfect afternoon to head up into the North Cascades.

Lake Ann, from the Maple Pass Trail.

Lake Ann framed in Fireweed

The 7-mile loop trail is perfect. The parking area is right off of the highway, at Rainy Pass which is about 4,800 ft elevation. The trail switchbacks up through thick forest, swings along side an open curved slope and climbs to the junction with a spur trail to Lake Ann. Continuing up, you break out of the trees as the path angles up, above the lake, on its way to Heather Pass. There are camping spots here, and often water. Every step from here is better than the last, the views open up: Cutthroat Peak is right across the highway, Black Peak and the spikes of Early Winter Spires and countless other peaks all adorn the horizon.

Maple Pass Trail: Switchbacks headed down

Meadows of Green and Storm Clouds

Once you reach Maple Pass you can see south, into the Glacier Peak Wilderness and beyond. Soon the trail reaches its highest point and you can see the switchbacks steeply plunging down, down to the shores of Rainy Lake.

Wildflowers along the Maple Pass Trail

Storm Clouds along Maple Pass Trail

If you start later in the day (hit the trail at 2pm or so) you’ll get some wonderful light. Just remember to bring head lamps and flashlights for the hike down in the dark!

Goat Rocks Wilderness, Washington State

Posted on August 17, 2014 by Andy Porter

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. Washington State is blessed with more than 30 Wilderness Areas, one of which is the Goat Rocks Wilderness.
The Pacific Crest Trail passes through the Goat Rocks crossing some of the most stunning terrain along the trail in Washington.
Here are a few images from the Goat Rocks Wilderness.