Mount Baker and the Park Butte Lookout

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Park Butte Lookout Under the Big Dipper

Park Butte Lookout Under the Big Dipper


The Park Butte Lookout is perched atop a ridge on the south side of Mount Baker.
The 4 mile trail switchbacks up the slopes, breaking out into Morovitz Meadows and traversing along the mountain to a last steep climb to the Lookout.
Park Butte Lookout

Park Butte Lookout


Open to the public to stay the night the Lookout provides some spectacular views.
View from inside

View from inside


On this particular night I waited for the new moon so the stars would be out and managed to arrive there just as the sun set.
Mount Baker. Te ridge on the right is Railroad Grade

Mount Baker. The ridge on the right is Railroad Grade

Lookout at Sunset

Lookout at Sunset


The twilight set the place aglow. Bellingham in the distance created almost too much light!
Twilight

Twilight

Big Dipper, Park Butte Lookout and Bellingham

Park Butte Lookout and Bellingham


Luck was with me, the Milky Way aligned with the summit, looking as if Mount Baker was spewing stars.
Mount Baker and the Milky Way

Mount Baker and the Milky Way

Mount Baker and the Milky Way

Mount Baker and the Milky Way


We left at midnight to hike back down and made it home at about 3am.
Lookout at night

Lookout at night

A very satisfying night!

Bill McKibben at WWU in Bellingham, May 17th

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For some time now I have donated use of my images to various groups. Washington Trails Association, North Cascades Institute, The Sierra Club, Washington Wild, National Resources Defense Fund, National Park Foundation, Cascade Loop Magazine and others have all used my images to help promote their message(s) of conservation, environmental protection and tourism.
This the first time one of my images has been used directly to promote something very important to me, namely, Global Warming and Climate Change! I am excited to attend the event.
This image is of Mount Baker and the Coleman Glacier from the Heliotrope Trail, on the north side of Mount Baker, in the North Cascades, in Washington State.
McKibben

Nighttime Imaging Along Baker Lake Road

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Baker Lake Road heads north from Highway 20. Skirting Lake Shannon, Baker Lake and finally the Baker River the road leads to darkness! About 20 miles up the road makes a sweeping curve over a cement bridge and this view of Mount Baker opens up.

Mount Baker and the Big Dipper Mount Baker under the Big Dipper

The roads end soon follows and a short hike in the darkness offered this view of Baker River.

Baker River under starlight Baker River, North Cascades

North Cascades Book

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I just got word that these three images will be included in a new book about the North Cascades, due out in the Fall of 2014.
More details coming soon!

Camping-under-the-stars-NCNP Camping under the stars

Mt-Baker-and-Coleman-Glacier Mount Baker and Coleman Glacier

Sahale-Hiker-NCNP Hikers on Sahale Arm

Mount Baker

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Mount Baker
These images of Mount Baker were captured from the Park Butte Trail, on the south side of the mountain.

Mount Baker
I had stayed overnight at the lookout tower and was on the way down at sunrise.

Mount Baker
The rock formations on the left side of Mount Baker are called the Black Buttes.

Mount Baker
Merry Christmas!

New Moon Night Imaging Along Baker Lake Road

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Last night, December 3rd, was the New Moon. It was also a crystal clear sky…and cold! I considered several destinations for image capture and decided for the Baker Lake Road. The road heads north from the North Cascades Highway, passing from Skagit County into Whatcom, the road ends after 26 miles (21 paved, 5 gravel) at the trail head for the Baker River Trail.

Right at the end of the paved section the road crosses a large concrete bridge as it curves east. Here are superb views of Mount Baker. We stopped to admire the night sky…
stars 7em

stars 8em

The parking area was, not surprisingly, empty and we made the short stroll up to the suspension bridge crossing the river.

I started under the bridge, clambering over the gravel bars, trying a place to set up and capture the arc of the Milky Way and the bridge.
stars 5em

stars 4em

The wind was so strong at times that I needed extra weight/pressure on the tripod to ensure it did not topple.

In this image I flashed the lower side of the bridge with one swipe of my head lamp set to red.
stars 3em

The camera settings were f/4 (widest aperture), 10 to 13 seconds shutter speed and between 10,000 to 20,000 ISO. I was using a 24mm lens and the camera (Canon 6D) has a full sized sensor.

Of course I mounted the camera on a tripod and used a cable release. This was the extent of my photographic equipment and settings.

My last stop was atop the bridge, attempting to capture the tower silhouetted in front o the stars.
stars 2em

Nighttime imaging is very exciting! I hope to get out again in the next two days…

Mount Baker, Washington

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Mount Baker From Artist Point

Mount Baker in the Morning Light, taken from the South on the Park Butte Trail Mount Baker in the Morning Light, taken from the South on the Park Butte Trail

Mount Baker in the Fall From Baker Lake Road

Mt Baker and Coleman Glacier From the Heliotrope Ridge Trail

Mount Baker from North, South and West

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Mount Baker in the North Cascades is quite a magnificent mountain. Standing guard over north Puget Sound like a white sentinel the mountain dominates the horizon. Each season her countenance changes. Here are three very different images of her personality.


Mount Baker, Western Flank, from Baker Lake Road


Mount Baker in the Morning Light, taken from the South on the Park Butte Trail


Mt Baker and Coleman Glacier, taken from Heliotrope Ridge on the North Slope