Uploads from Coop Photography, tagged mountain, with geodata

Waist Deep

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:50:52 -0700

Must View Large!
This is a photo of me waist deep in the snow in the meadow just above Timberline Lodge with Mount Hood in the background. The weather was perfectly clear and a warm 28 degrees Fahrenheit. :) The snow was so fresh and powdery that without snowshoes, I sank in up to just above my knee with every step. So in a particularly soft spot, I decided it would be smart to jump straight up and see how deep I would sink... Scratch that, it was a terrible idea! I was in deeper than my waist and had a heck of a time getting out, but hey, it made for a great photo!

I have always wanted to go and photograph the wonderful, deep snow that falls in the mountains every winter, but living in the Tri-Cities, we are lucky to see an inch of snow all winter long. This year, I convinced my dad to go up to Mount Hood with me so see some serious snow. So this turned into our New Year's Day celebration. The perfect, bluebird day and feet upon feet of fresh powder was a great way to kick off the new year.
Thanks for viewing!

Please do NOT use my photos on personal/professional websites, blogs, or any other form of digital media without my explicit permission.
If you would like to purchase any of my photos, check out my profile to get my contact information and get your prints!

Taken on January 1, 2013
Nikon D90
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens
Tiffen UV filter
Exposure Bias: 0EV
Exposure: 1/1000 sec.
Aperture: f/10
ISO: 200
16mm

Mt. Hood - Bluebird Day

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:01:00 -0700

Coop Photography posted a photo:

Must View Large!
This is a photo of Mount Hood from the meadow just above Timberline Lodge. The weather was perfectly clear and a warm 28 degrees Fahrenheit. :)

I have always wanted to go and photograph the wonderful, deep snow that falls in the mountains every winter, but living in the Tri-Cities, we are lucky to see an inch of snow all winter long. This year, I convinced my dad to go up to Mount Hood with me so see some serious snow. So this turned into our New Year's Day celebration. The perfect, bluebird day and feet upon feet of fresh powder was a great way to kick off the new year.
Thanks for viewing!

Please do NOT use my photos on personal/professional websites, blogs, or any other form of digital media without my explicit permission.
If you would like to purchase any of my photos, check out my profile to get my contact information and get your prints!

Taken on January 1, 2013
Nikon D90
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens
Tiffen UV filter
Exposure Bias: 0EV
Exposure: 1/1000 sec.
Aperture: f/16
ISO: 200
16mm

Winter Wheat Ablaze

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 19:41:00 -0700

Coop Photography posted a photo:

Must View Large!
This is a shot of an epic sunset from up on the back roads behind Jump Off Joe. This particular spot is at the intersection of Nine Canyon Road and Kirk Road. It is nice to have gravel roads and wheat fields so close to home. I love taking the 20 minute drive up to just spend time driving around on the network of gravel roads navigating through the wheat fields. It is really relaxing and nice to just go, clear your mind and leave the stress of the day behind. And hey, you never know how awesome the sunset it going to be! :)
Thanks for viewing!

Please do NOT use my photos on personal/professional websites, blogs, or any other form of digital media without my explicit permission.
If you would like to purchase any of my photos, check out my profile to get my contact information and get your prints!

Taken on December 22, 2012
Nikon D90
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens
Tiffen UV filter
Exposure Bias: 0EV
Exposure: 1/30 sec.
Aperture: f/8
ISO: 400
11mm

Day's End On The Gravel

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:19:00 -0700

Coop Photography posted a photo:

This is a shot of a pretty great sunset from up on the back roads behind Jump Off Joe. This particular spot is on Nine Canyon Road. It is nice to have gravel roads and wheat fields so close to home. I love taking the 20 minute drive up to just spend time driving around on the network of gravel roads navigating through the wheat fields. It is really relaxing. And hey, you never know how awesome the sunset it going to be! :)
Thanks for viewing!

Please do NOT use my photos on personal/professional websites, blogs, or any other form of digital media without my explicit permission.
If you would like to purchase any of my photos, check out my profile to get my contact information and get your prints!

Taken on December 22, 2012
Nikon D90
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens
Tiffen UV filter
Exposure Bias: 0EV
Exposure: 1/8 sec.
Aperture: f/8
ISO: 400
16mm

Red Mountain

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 21:15:00 -0800

Coop Photography posted a photo:

This is a shot of the view from up on top of McBee hill outside of Benton City. This is Red Mountain, which has a bunch of wineries at the base of it, including the popular one, Terra Blanca. The color in the vineyards was incredible that afternoon. I decided to scope out the place on a relatively clear afternoon in hopes of seeing fantastic fall colors of all of the area vineyards. It was a pretty awesome view, but I got there a little later than I wanted, since the sun began to dip behind the hill. The last bit of the road is a bit bumpy, but it is worth the view. I'll be back on the next clear afternoon...
Thanks for viewing!

Please do NOT use my photos on personal/professional websites, blogs, or any other form of digital media without my explicit permission.
If you would like to purchase any of my photos, check out my profile to get my contact information and get your prints!

Taken on November 7, 2012
Nikon D90
Nikkor 18-105mm VR lens
Dolica UV filter
Exposure Bias: 0EV
Exposure: 1/125 sec.
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 200
62mm

Cascade Pass Northwest View

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:53:00 -0800

Coop Photography posted a photo:

Must View Large!
This is a shot of Cascade Pass looking northwest. This was taken on the way down with a more favorable sun angle on this side of the pass, the reds had really faded. I'm missing this place right about now...
This panorama is 4 horizontal images stitched horizontally together.

Finally, I had gotten my trip to the North Cascades... Dad and I have wanted to do a hiking trip in the North Cascades for years and this year we finally made it happen. The plan was to leave home after I got home from school on the afternoon of Friday, October 5, 2012. We would take the interstate over Snoqualmie Pass and then go to Seattle. I needed to pick up my signed copy of "Classic Hikes of North America" by Peter Potterfield. I had four of my photos published in the book, so I recommend that you check it out. :) From there, since it would be after dark, I wanted to stop at Kerry Park to take a few night photos of the city. After that, we would drive up to our hotel just north of Mt. Vernon. There, we would spend the night and get up early Saturday morning to hit the road for Cascade Pass. The morning drive was wonderful. Fall colors were making their appearance as we climbed up into the mountains. It was so nice to drive the scenic, winding road that morning. The dirt road up to the parking lot for Cascade Pass isn't too bad... the worst part is that in spots it had horrible washboards... I mean horrible! I'm pretty sure the truck caught air before I could ram on the brakes a few times... All went well though. Even from the parking lot, Cascade Pass and the valley that it resides in is just breathtaking. The hike was a nice, short, 3.7 miles with about 1800 feet of elevation gain. It really was a nice leisurely hike. Once you reach the pass, two things happen. First, you are confronted with a howling wind right in your face and second, you get an amazing view of the valley with sharp peaks on either side and in my particular case, vibrant reds lining the valley from the wild blueberry bushes. Armed with a windproof outer shell, I could put the wind aside and focus on the sheer beauty of the place. At 11 am when we reached the pass, lighting isn't exactly optimal this time of year... the fall colors are for sure, but not really the light angle. So I didn't take many photos initially. Dad and I decided to continue on up the Sahale Arm trail, which was more difficult and steep. Still worth it though! :) We hiked through the blood-red blueberry bushes, scrounging a couple of blueberries that were left as we went. Our goal wasn't to reach the glacier, but to just get on top of a ridge that would allow us a 360 degree view of the North Cascades. On the way up, we passed Doubtful Lake, which was a wonderful sea green color due to glacial silt deposits. Not too much further, about an additional mile and a half and a lot of vertical feet from Cascade Pass, we reached a nice ridge that offers an incredible view all around. It was windy as heck up there, but the view was so worth it! The climb down wasn't too bad at all either. And by the time we arrived at Cascade Pass again, it was about 1pm and the light angle had greatly improved. I spent some time taking in the beauty and shooting some photos, but had to get a move on again to get back to the parking lot and hit the road again. Dad and I had decided to take the North Cascades Highway through the heart of the North Cascades to get home instead of going back to Seattle to drive the interstate again. The drive was another amazing experience. Driving the winding roads up into the mountains is just so soothing and fun. On the way down the eastern side, you approach Winthrop. As you enter the Mazama area, there are signs posting the current deer death count on the highway. It was at 196 when we went through there... we shortly found out why. Herds of deer just meander along the road and the fields along it. So be very careful driving this stretch! I wouldn't want to do it in the dark... just before sunset was more than late enough. :) I was bummed that we didn't get to stop in the tiny town of Winthrop.. The town had quite a lot of old time charm with a lot going on and it sure looked like a lot of fun. I would recommend seeing that sometime too. The rest of the drive home was long and pretty uneventful. It became another one of those awesome twenty hour days with at least eight hours of driving that I could check off the bucket list. :) The North Cascades sure is something unlike much else we have here in North America. To me, it is a must-see if you live anywhere in the US. My dad said it was a lot like the Swiss Alps... in our own backyard. And I think that is pretty cool.
Thanks for viewing!

Please do NOT use my photos on personal/professional websites, blogs, or any other form of digital media without my explicit permission.
If you would like to purchase any of my photos, check out my profile to get my contact information and get your prints!

Taken on October 5, 2012
Nikon D90
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens
Tiffen UV filter
Exposure Bias: 0EV
Exposure: 1/200 sec.
Aperture: f/10
ISO: 200
11mm

Fall On Cascade Pass

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 22:12:00 -0700

Coop Photography posted a photo:

Must View Large!
This is a shot of Cascade Pass looking southeast. This was taken on the way down with a more favorable sun angle. The reds were really popping in the afternoon light which just made it even more enjoyable. I'm missing this place right about now...

Finally, I had gotten my trip to the North Cascades... Dad and I have wanted to do a hiking trip in the North Cascades for years and this year we finally made it happen. The plan was to leave home after I got home from school on the afternoon of Friday, October 5, 2012. We would take the interstate over Snoqualmie Pass and then go to Seattle. I needed to pick up my signed copy of "Classic Hikes of North America" by Peter Potterfield. I had four of my photos published in the book, so I recommend that you check it out. :) From there, since it would be after dark, I wanted to stop at Kerry Park to take a few night photos of the city. After that, we would drive up to our hotel just north of Mt. Vernon. There, we would spend the night and get up early Saturday morning to hit the road for Cascade Pass. The morning drive was wonderful. Fall colors were making their appearance as we climbed up into the mountains. It was so nice to drive the scenic, winding road that morning. The dirt road up to the parking lot for Cascade Pass isn't too bad... the worst part is that in spots it had horrible washboards... I mean horrible! I'm pretty sure the truck caught air before I could ram on the brakes a few times... All went well though. Even from the parking lot, Cascade Pass and the valley that it resides in is just breathtaking. The hike was a nice, short, 3.7 miles with about 1800 feet of elevation gain. It really was a nice leisurely hike. Once you reach the pass, two things happen. First, you are confronted with a howling wind right in your face and second, you get an amazing view of the valley with sharp peaks on either side and in my particular case, vibrant reds lining the valley from the wild blueberry bushes. Armed with a windproof outer shell, I could put the wind aside and focus on the sheer beauty of the place. At 11 am when we reached the pass, lighting isn't exactly optimal this time of year... the fall colors are for sure, but not really the light angle. So I didn't take many photos initially. Dad and I decided to continue on up the Sahale Arm trail, which was more difficult and steep. Still worth it though! :) We hiked through the blood-red blueberry bushes, scrounging a couple of blueberries that were left as we went. Our goal wasn't to reach the glacier, but to just get on top of a ridge that would allow us a 360 degree view of the North Cascades. On the way up, we passed Doubtful Lake, which was a wonderful sea green color due to glacial silt deposits. Not too much further, about an additional mile and a half and a lot of vertical feet from Cascade Pass, we reached a nice ridge that offers an incredible view all around. It was windy as heck up there, but the view was so worth it! The climb down wasn't too bad at all either. And by the time we arrived at Cascade Pass again, it was about 1pm and the light angle had greatly improved. I spent some time taking in the beauty and shooting some photos, but had to get a move on again to get back to the parking lot and hit the road again. Dad and I had decided to take the North Cascades Highway through the heart of the North Cascades to get home instead of going back to Seattle to drive the interstate again. The drive was another amazing experience. Driving the winding roads up into the mountains is just so soothing and fun. On the way down the eastern side, you approach Winthrop. As you enter the Mazama area, there are signs posting the current deer death count on the highway. It was at 196 when we went through there... we shortly found out why. Herds of deer just meander along the road and the fields along it. So be very careful driving this stretch! I wouldn't want to do it in the dark... just before sunset was more than late enough. :) I was bummed that we didn't get to stop in the tiny town of Winthrop.. The town had quite a lot of old time charm with a lot going on and it sure looked like a lot of fun. I would recommend seeing that sometime too. The rest of the drive home was long and pretty uneventful. It became another one of those awesome twenty hour days with at least eight hours of driving that I could check off the bucket list. :) The North Cascades sure is something unlike much else we have here in North America. To me, it is a must-see if you live anywhere in the US. My dad said it was a lot like the Swiss Alps... in our own backyard. And I think that is pretty cool.
Thanks for viewing!

Please do NOT use my photos on personal/professional websites, blogs, or any other form of digital media without my explicit permission.
If you would like to purchase any of my photos, check out my profile to get my contact information and get your prints!

Taken on October 5, 2012
Nikon D90
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens
Tiffen UV filter
Exposure Bias: 0EV
Exposure: 1/200 sec.
Aperture: f/10
ISO: 200
16mm

Blazing Trail

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 12:44:00 -0700

Coop Photography posted a photo:

Must View Large!
This is a shot of the trail that goes up to the Sahale Arm and Doubtful Lake in the North Cascades above Cascade Pass. I took this on my way back down to Cascade Pass. The view was just breathtaking. My dad said that the area resembles the Swiss Alps. It was an amazing hike! I think it is something that everybody should do at least once! I didn't take any photos of Cascade Pass on the way up due to poor light angle... but on the way down, I got quite a few. :)

Finally, I had gotten my trip to the North Cascades... Dad and I have wanted to do a hiking trip in the North Cascades for years and this year we finally made it happen. The plan was to leave home after I got home from school on the afternoon of Friday, October 5, 2012. We would take the interstate over Snoqualmie Pass and then go to Seattle. I needed to pick up my signed copy of "Classic Hikes of North America" by Peter Potterfield. I had four of my photos published in the book, so I recommend that you check it out. :) From there, since it would be after dark, I wanted to stop at Kerry Park to take a few night photos of the city. After that, we would drive up to our hotel just north of Mt. Vernon. There, we would spend the night and get up early Saturday morning to hit the road for Cascade Pass. The morning drive was wonderful. Fall colors were making their appearance as we climbed up into the mountains. It was so nice to drive the scenic, winding road that morning. The dirt road up to the parking lot for Cascade Pass isn't too bad... the worst part is that in spots it had horrible washboards... I mean horrible! I'm pretty sure the truck caught air before I could ram on the brakes a few times... All went well though. Even from the parking lot, Cascade Pass and the valley that it resides in is just breathtaking. The hike was a nice, short, 3.7 miles with about 1800 feet of elevation gain. It really was a nice leisurely hike. Once you reach the pass, two things happen. First, you are confronted with a howling wind right in your face and second, you get an amazing view of the valley with sharp peaks on either side and in my particular case, vibrant reds lining the valley from the wild blueberry bushes. Armed with a windproof outer shell, I could put the wind aside and focus on the sheer beauty of the place. At 11 am when we reached the pass, lighting isn't exactly optimal this time of year... the fall colors are for sure, but not really the light angle. So I didn't take many photos initially. Dad and I decided to continue on up the Sahale Arm trail, which was more difficult and steep. Still worth it though! :) We hiked through the blood-red blueberry bushes, scrounging a couple of blueberries that were left as we went. Our goal wasn't to reach the glacier, but to just get on top of a ridge that would allow us a 360 degree view of the North Cascades. On the way up, we passed Doubtful Lake, which was a wonderful sea green color due to glacial silt deposits. Not too much further, about an additional mile and a half and a lot of vertical feet from Cascade Pass, we reached a nice ridge that offers an incredible view all around. It was windy as heck up there, but the view was so worth it! The climb down wasn't too bad at all either. And by the time we arrived at Cascade Pass again, it was about 1pm and the light angle had greatly improved. I spent some time taking in the beauty and shooting some photos, but had to get a move on again to get back to the parking lot and hit the road again. Dad and I had decided to take the North Cascades Highway through the heart of the North Cascades to get home instead of going back to Seattle to drive the interstate again. The drive was another amazing experience. Driving the winding roads up into the mountains is just so soothing and fun. On the way down the eastern side, you approach Winthrop. As you enter the Mazama area, there are signs posting the current deer death count on the highway. It was at 196 when we went through there... we shortly found out why. Herds of deer just meander along the road and the fields along it. So be very careful driving this stretch! I wouldn't want to do it in the dark... just before sunset was more than late enough. :) I was bummed that we didn't get to stop in the tiny town of Winthrop.. The town had quite a lot of old time charm with a lot going on and it sure looked like a lot of fun. I would recommend seeing that sometime too. The rest of the drive home was long and pretty uneventful. It became another one of those awesome twenty hour days with at least eight hours of driving that I could check off the bucket list. :) The North Cascades sure is something unlike much else we have here in North America. To me, it is a must-see if you live anywhere in the US. My dad said it was a lot like the Swiss Alps... in our own backyard. And I think that is pretty cool.
Thanks for viewing!

Please do NOT use my photos on personal/professional websites, blogs, or any other form of digital media without my explicit permission.
If you would like to purchase any of my photos, check out my profile to get my contact information and get your prints!

Taken on October 5, 2012
Nikon D90
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens
Tiffen UV filter
Exposure Bias: 0EV
Exposure: 1/250 sec.
Aperture: f/10
ISO: 200
11mm

Glacier To Lake

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 16:48:00 -0700

Coop Photography posted a photo:

Must View Large!
This is a view of Sahale Mountain and Doubtful Lake in the North Cascades from up on the Sahale Arm, above Cascade Pass. The view was just breathtaking. My dad said that the area resembles the Swiss Alps. It was an amazing hike! I think it is something that everybody should do at least once! I didn't take any photos of Cascade Pass on the way up due to poor light angle... but on the way down, I got quite a few. :)

Finally, I had gotten my trip to the North Cascades... Dad and I have wanted to do a hiking trip in the North Cascades for years and this year we finally made it happen. The plan was to leave home after I got home from school on the afternoon of Friday, October 5, 2012. We would take the interstate over Snoqualmie Pass and then go to Seattle. I needed to pick up my signed copy of "Classic Hikes of North America" by Peter Potterfield. I had four of my photos published in the book, so I recommend that you check it out. :) From there, since it would be after dark, I wanted to stop at Kerry Park to take a few night photos of the city. After that, we would drive up to our hotel just north of Mt. Vernon. There, we would spend the night and get up early Saturday morning to hit the road for Cascade Pass. The morning drive was wonderful. Fall colors were making their appearance as we climbed up into the mountains. It was so nice to drive the scenic, winding road that morning. The dirt road up to the parking lot for Cascade Pass isn't too bad... the worst part is that in spots it had horrible washboards... I mean horrible! I'm pretty sure the truck caught air before I could ram on the brakes a few times... All went well though. Even from the parking lot, Cascade Pass and the valley that it resides in is just breathtaking. The hike was a nice, short, 3.7 miles with about 1800 feet of elevation gain. It really was a nice leisurely hike. Once you reach the pass, two things happen. First, you are confronted with a howling wind right in your face and second, you get an amazing view of the valley with sharp peaks on either side and in my particular case, vibrant reds lining the valley from the wild blueberry bushes. Armed with a windproof outer shell, I could put the wind aside and focus on the sheer beauty of the place. At 11 am when we reached the pass, lighting isn't exactly optimal this time of year... the fall colors are for sure, but not really the light angle. So I didn't take many photos initially. Dad and I decided to continue on up the Sahale Arm trail, which was more difficult and steep. Still worth it though! :) We hiked through the blood-red blueberry bushes, scrounging a couple of blueberries that were left as we went. Our goal wasn't to reach the glacier, but to just get on top of a ridge that would allow us a 360 degree view of the North Cascades. On the way up, we passed Doubtful Lake, which was a wonderful sea green color due to glacial silt deposits. Not too much further, about an additional mile and a half and a lot of vertical feet from Cascade Pass, we reached a nice ridge that offers an incredible view all around. It was windy as heck up there, but the view was so worth it! The climb down wasn't too bad at all either. And by the time we arrived at Cascade Pass again, it was about 1pm and the light angle had greatly improved. I spent some time taking in the beauty and shooting some photos, but had to get a move on again to get back to the parking lot and hit the road again. Dad and I had decided to take the North Cascades Highway through the heart of the North Cascades to get home instead of going back to Seattle to drive the interstate again. The drive was another amazing experience. Driving the winding roads up into the mountains is just so soothing and fun. On the way down the eastern side, you approach Winthrop. As you enter the Mazama area, there are signs posting the current deer death count on the highway. It was at 196 when we went through there... we shortly found out why. Herds of deer just meander along the road and the fields along it. So be very careful driving this stretch! I wouldn't want to do it in the dark... just before sunset was more than late enough. :) I was bummed that we didn't get to stop in the tiny town of Winthrop.. The town had quite a lot of old time charm with a lot going on and it sure looked like a lot of fun. I would recommend seeing that sometime too. The rest of the drive home was long and pretty uneventful. It became another one of those awesome twenty hour days with at least eight hours of driving that I could check off the bucket list. :) The North Cascades sure is something unlike much else we have here in North America. To me, it is a must-see if you live anywhere in the US. My dad said it was a lot like the Swiss Alps... in our own backyard. And I think that is pretty cool.
Thanks for viewing!

Please do NOT use my photos on personal/professional websites, blogs, or any other form of digital media without my explicit permission.
If you would like to purchase any of my photos, check out my profile to get my contact information and get your prints!

Taken on October 5, 2012
Nikon D90
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens
Tiffen UV filter
Exposure Bias: 0EV
Exposure: 1/30 sec.
Aperture: f/22
ISO: 200
11mm

Sahale Arm 360 Panorama

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 18:31:00 -0700

Coop Photography posted a photo:

Must View Large!
This is a 360 degree view of the North Cascades from up on the Sahale Arm, above Cascade Pass. The view was just breathtaking. My dad said that the area resembles the Swiss Alps. It was an amazing hike! I think it is something that everybody should do at least once! I didn't take any photos of Cascade Pass on the way up due to poor light angle... but on the way down, I got quite a few. :)

Finally, I had gotten my trip to the North Cascades... Dad and I have wanted to do a hiking trip in the North Cascades for years and this year we finally made it happen. The plan was to leave home after I got home from school on the afternoon of Friday, October 5, 2012. We would take the interstate over Snoqualmie Pass and then go to Seattle. I needed to pick up my signed copy of "Classic Hikes of North America" by Peter Potterfield. I had four of my photos published in the book, so I recommend that you check it out. :) From there, since it would be after dark, I wanted to stop at Kerry Park to take a few night photos of the city. After that, we would drive up to our hotel just north of Mt. Vernon. There, we would spend the night and get up early Saturday morning to hit the road for Cascade Pass. The morning drive was wonderful. Fall colors were making their appearance as we climbed up into the mountains. It was so nice to drive the scenic, winding road that morning. The dirt road up to the parking lot for Cascade Pass isn't too bad... the worst part is that in spots it had horrible washboards... I mean horrible! I'm pretty sure the truck caught air before I could ram on the brakes a few times... All went well though. Even from the parking lot, Cascade Pass and the valley that it resides in is just breathtaking. The hike was a nice, short, 3.7 miles with about 1800 feet of elevation gain. It really was a nice leisurely hike. Once you reach the pass, two things happen. First, you are confronted with a howling wind right in your face and second, you get an amazing view of the valley with sharp peaks on either side and in my particular case, vibrant reds lining the valley from the wild blueberry bushes. Armed with a windproof outer shell, I could put the wind aside and focus on the sheer beauty of the place. At 11 am when we reached the pass, lighting isn't exactly optimal this time of year... the fall colors are for sure, but not really the light angle. So I didn't take many photos initially. Dad and I decided to continue on up the Sahale Arm trail, which was more difficult and steep. Still worth it though! :) We hiked through the blood-red blueberry bushes, scrounging a couple of blueberries that were left as we went. Our goal wasn't to reach the glacier, but to just get on top of a ridge that would allow us a 360 degree view of the North Cascades. On the way up, we passed Doubtful Lake, which was a wonderful sea green color due to glacial silt deposits. Not too much further, about an additional mile and a half and a lot of vertical feet from Cascade Pass, we reached a nice ridge that offers an incredible view all around. It was windy as heck up there, but the view was so worth it! The climb down wasn't too bad at all either. And by the time we arrived at Cascade Pass again, it was about 1pm and the light angle had greatly improved. I spent some time taking in the beauty and shooting some photos, but had to get a move on again to get back to the parking lot and hit the road again. Dad and I had decided to take the North Cascades Highway through the heart of the North Cascades to get home instead of going back to Seattle to drive the interstate again. The drive was another amazing experience. Driving the winding roads up into the mountains is just so soothing and fun. On the way down the eastern side, you approach Winthrop. As you enter the Mazama area, there are signs posting the current deer death count on the highway. It was at 196 when we went through there... we shortly found out why. Herds of deer just meander along the road and the fields along it. So be very careful driving this stretch! I wouldn't want to do it in the dark... just before sunset was more than late enough. :) I was bummed that we didn't get to stop in the tiny town of Winthrop.. The town had quite a lot of old time charm with a lot going on and it sure looked like a lot of fun. I would recommend seeing that sometime too. The rest of the drive home was long and pretty uneventful. It became another one of those awesome twenty hour days with at least eight hours of driving that I could check off the bucket list. :) The North Cascades sure is something unlike much else we have here in North America. To me, it is a must-see if you live anywhere in the US. My dad said it was a lot like the Swiss Alps... in our own backyard. And I think that is pretty cool.
Thanks for viewing!

Please do NOT use my photos on personal/professional websites, blogs, or any other form of digital media without my explicit permission.
If you would like to purchase any of my photos, check out my profile to get my contact information and get your prints!

Taken on October 5, 2012
Nikon D90
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens
Tiffen UV filter
Exposure Bias: 0EV
Exposure: 1/50 sec.
Aperture: f/22
ISO: 200
11mm

High In The Sky

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 23:04:00 -0700

Coop Photography posted a photo:

Must View Large!
This is a shot of the awesome sunrise and Mount Hood from the slopes of Mount Saint Helens near tree line. It was pretty awesome being above the clouds in the valleys with the sunrise coloring the tops of them. It was a wonderful sunrise that morning!

This year, dad and I decided to get permits to climb Mt. St. Helens. I had been itching to climb a mountain (I really wanted to go up Adams) and dad hadn't been to St. Helens in 20 years, so we decided to climb Mt. St. Helens. We got the permits early in February and ever since then I had been waiting for August 20th to arrive. We left the house in the early afternoon of the 19th and began the trip to the mountain. It is a pretty nice drive; up through the gorge to Carson and then on into the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. After about four and a half to five hours of driving, we finally reached the Climber's Bivouac and chose a campsite for the night. By this time, it was late afternoon and the sun was down on the horizon. Dad and I set up camp and then chatted with a guy working with NPS doing geological work up on the mountain. He was a very friendly guy that provided us with some good info on the mountain and current conditions. And boy did he enjoy our leftover pizza. :) As night fell and the stars came out in the night, we started to chat with a guy from South Africa and his American buddy. We exchanged stories of hiking trips all while I was taking long exposures of the stars with the tripod set up on the canopy of the truck. Around 10:30 or 11 I decided I was happy with the photos I got and headed into the back of the truck to get a few hours of rest before the big climb. I don't know what it is, but there is nothing like camping in the back of a truck with anticipation of climbing a mountain. I just love it. It was around 4:30 AM on the morning of August 20th when dad and I finally rose to get ready to set out. By 5:20 we were on the trail through the woods. Maybe a fifth of a mile in, we heard something thunder through the brush and then maul or hurriedly scamper up a tree. It is quite possible that it was a bear or cougar, though I tend to believe it was a bear because of the complete lack of stealth... but it sure scared the crap out of us. :) We ended up seeing a few herds of deer once we neared tree line and the sun began to near the horizon. By sunrise, we had mostly broken out of the trees and were on the rocky base of Mt. St. Helens. From there, it was a long, rock-hopping, and what felt like near-vertical climb. It was fun, but challenging. By the time we were off the rocks and onto the ashy final slope to the top, dad let me go ahead and finish at my own pace. Though at that point, I couldn't move that much faster.... the ash is so loose and thick that it feels like for every step up you take, you slide back a couple. The last half mile and thousand vertical feet or so took me about an hour and a half, which wiped me out. Though, it was all worth it when I reached the summit at about 9:20. Dad was about a half hour behind me and he was happy to be on top again too. We stood in awe for awhile watching the massive lava dome steam and listen to the massive rocks the size of houses plummet down into the crater. It is quite a humbling experience, yet an awesome one. I took about 500 photos on top of the mountain, including a massive 50 photo mega panorama of the crater and horizon. The hike down was just as long as the hike up. The ash was easy to come down... it was like skiing with my feet, which is like skiing anyway since I wear a size 14 boot. :) The rocks on the other hand, are slower climbing down than coming up. Part way down, my waist strap on my pack broke, putting all of the weight on my shoulders, which ended up being pretty jarring while rock hopping... So by the time we reached tree line, dad and I were both hurting. And that last 2 miles or so through the trees back to the Climber's Bivouac is a million times shorter when you are excited for the climb at four in the morning in the dark than it is at four in the afternoon after a long day of climbing. :) We finally reached the truck by about 5 in the afternoon, totally pooped. But the entire trip was totally worth it and I was still somewhat excited to have been up the mountain. It was a wonderful experience and I couldn't wait for the 5 hour drive home to just drive and relax... and to think about my next trip and processing the photos too. :)
Thanks for viewing!

Please do NOT use my photos on personal/professional websites, blogs, or any other form of digital media without my explicit permission.
If you would like to purchase any of my photos, check out my profile to get my contact information and get your prints!

Taken on August 20, 2012
Nikon D90
Nikkor 18-105mm VR lens
Dolica UV filter
Exposure Bias: 0EV
Exposure: 1/250 sec.
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 200
35mm

Mount Hood Pink Cap

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 21:29:00 -0700

Coop Photography posted a photo:

Must View Large!
This is a shot of the awesome sunrise and Mount Hood from the slopes of Mount Saint Helens near tree line. It was a wonderful sunrise that morning!

This year, dad and I decided to get permits to climb Mt. St. Helens. I had been itching to climb a mountain (I really wanted to go up Adams) and dad hadn't been to St. Helens in 20 years, so we decided to climb Mt. St. Helens. We got the permits early in February and ever since then I had been waiting for August 20th to arrive. We left the house in the early afternoon of the 19th and began the trip to the mountain. It is a pretty nice drive; up through the gorge to Carson and then on into the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. After about four and a half to five hours of driving, we finally reached the Climber's Bivouac and chose a campsite for the night. By this time, it was late afternoon and the sun was down on the horizon. Dad and I set up camp and then chatted with a guy working with NPS doing geological work up on the mountain. He was a very friendly guy that provided us with some good info on the mountain and current conditions. And boy did he enjoy our leftover pizza. :) As night fell and the stars came out in the night, we started to chat with a guy from South Africa and his American buddy. We exchanged stories of hiking trips all while I was taking long exposures of the stars with the tripod set up on the canopy of the truck. Around 10:30 or 11 I decided I was happy with the photos I got and headed into the back of the truck to get a few hours of rest before the big climb. I don't know what it is, but there is nothing like camping in the back of a truck with anticipation of climbing a mountain. I just love it. It was around 4:30 AM on the morning of August 20th when dad and I finally rose to get ready to set out. By 5:20 we were on the trail through the woods. Maybe a fifth of a mile in, we heard something thunder through the brush and then maul or hurriedly scamper up a tree. It is quite possible that it was a bear or cougar, though I tend to believe it was a bear because of the complete lack of stealth... but it sure scared the crap out of us. :) We ended up seeing a few herds of deer once we neared tree line and the sun began to near the horizon. By sunrise, we had mostly broken out of the trees and were on the rocky base of Mt. St. Helens. From there, it was a long, rock-hopping, and what felt like near-vertical climb. It was fun, but challenging. By the time we were off the rocks and onto the ashy final slope to the top, dad let me go ahead and finish at my own pace. Though at that point, I couldn't move that much faster.... the ash is so loose and thick that it feels like for every step up you take, you slide back a couple. The last half mile and thousand vertical feet or so took me about an hour and a half, which wiped me out. Though, it was all worth it when I reached the summit at about 9:20. Dad was about a half hour behind me and he was happy to be on top again too. We stood in awe for awhile watching the massive lava dome steam and listen to the massive rocks the size of houses plummet down into the crater. It is quite a humbling experience, yet an awesome one. I took about 500 photos on top of the mountain, including a massive 50 photo mega panorama of the crater and horizon. The hike down was just as long as the hike up. The ash was easy to come down... it was like skiing with my feet, which is like skiing anyway since I wear a size 14 boot. :) The rocks on the other hand, are slower climbing down than coming up. Part way down, my waist strap on my pack broke, putting all of the weight on my shoulders, which ended up being pretty jarring while rock hopping... So by the time we reached tree line, dad and I were both hurting. And that last 2 miles or so through the trees back to the Climber's Bivouac is a million times shorter when you are excited for the climb at four in the morning in the dark than it is at four in the afternoon after a long day of climbing. :) We finally reached the truck by about 5 in the afternoon, totally pooped. But the entire trip was totally worth it and I was still somewhat excited to have been up the mountain. It was a wonderful experience and I couldn't wait for the 5 hour drive home to just drive and relax... and to think about my next trip and processing the photos too. :)
Thanks for viewing!

Please do NOT use my photos on personal/professional websites, blogs, or any other form of digital media without my explicit permission.
If you would like to purchase any of my photos, check out my profile to get my contact information and get your prints!

Taken on August 20, 2012
Nikon D90
Nikkor 18-105mm VR lens
Dolica UV filter
Exposure Bias: 0EV
Exposure: 1/250 sec.
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 200
35mm

Mt. St. Helens Under The Stars

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 22:07:00 -0700

Coop Photography posted a photo:

Must View Large!
This is a shot of Mt. St. Helens and the Milky Way from our campsite at the Climber's Bivouac. This was taken from the roof of the truck and is 4 vertical images horizontally stitched together.

This year, dad and I decided to get permits to climb Mt. St. Helens. I had been itching to climb a mountain (I really wanted to go up Adams) and dad hadn't been to St. Helens in 20 years, so we decided to climb Mt. St. Helens. We got the permits early in February and ever since then I had been waiting for August 20th to arrive. We left the house in the early afternoon of the 19th and began the trip to the mountain. It is a pretty nice drive; up through the gorge to Carson and then on into the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. After about four and a half to five hours of driving, we finally reached the Climber's Bivouac and chose a campsite for the night. By this time, it was late afternoon and the sun was down on the horizon. Dad and I set up camp and then chatted with a guy working with NPS doing geological work up on the mountain. He was a very friendly guy that provided us with some good info on the mountain and current conditions. And boy did he enjoy our leftover pizza. :) As night fell and the stars came out in the night, we started to chat with a guy from South Africa and his American buddy. We exchanged stories of hiking trips all while I was taking long exposures of the stars with the tripod set up on the canopy of the truck. Around 10:30 or 11 I decided I was happy with the photos I got and headed into the back of the truck to get a few hours of rest before the big climb. I don't know what it is, but there is nothing like camping in the back of a truck with anticipation of climbing a mountain. I just love it. It was around 4:30 AM on the morning of August 20th when dad and I finally rose to get ready to set out. By 5:20 we were on the trail through the woods. Maybe a fifth of a mile in, we heard something thunder through the brush and then maul or hurriedly scamper up a tree. It is quite possible that it was a bear or cougar, though I tend to believe it was a bear because of the complete lack of stealth... but it sure scared the crap out of us. :) We ended up seeing a few herds of deer once we neared tree line and the sun began to near the horizon. By sunrise, we had mostly broken out of the trees and were on the rocky base of Mt. St. Helens. From there, it was a long, rock-hopping, and what felt like near-vertical climb. It was fun, but challenging. By the time we were off the rocks and onto the ashy final slope to the top, dad let me go ahead and finish at my own pace. Though at that point, I couldn't move that much faster.... the ash is so loose and thick that it feels like for every step up you take, you slide back a couple. The last half mile and thousand vertical feet or so took me about an hour and a half, which wiped me out. Though, it was all worth it when I reached the summit at about 9:20. Dad was about a half hour behind me and he was happy to be on top again too. We stood in awe for awhile watching the massive lava dome steam and listen to the massive rocks the size of houses plummet down into the crater. It is quite a humbling experience, yet an awesome one. I took about 500 photos on top of the mountain, including a massive 50 photo mega panorama of the crater and horizon. The hike down was just as long as the hike up. The ash was easy to come down... it was like skiing with my feet, which is like skiing anyway since I wear a size 14 boot. :) The rocks on the other hand, are slower climbing down than coming up. Part way down, my waist strap on my pack broke, putting all of the weight on my shoulders, which ended up being pretty jarring while rock hopping... So by the time we reached tree line, dad and I were both hurting. And that last 2 miles or so through the trees back to the Climber's Bivouac is a million times shorter when you are excited for the climb at four in the morning in the dark than it is at four in the afternoon after a long day of climbing. :) We finally reached the truck by about 5 in the afternoon, totally pooped. But the entire trip was totally worth it and I was still somewhat excited to have been up the mountain. It was a wonderful experience and I couldn't wait for the 5 hour drive home to just drive and relax... and to think about my next trip and processing the photos too. :)
Thanks for viewing!

Please do NOT use my photos on personal/professional websites, blogs, or any other form of digital media without my explicit permission.
If you would like to purchase any of my photos, check out my profile to get my contact information and get your prints!

Taken on August 19, 2012
Nikon D90
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens
Tiffen UV filter
Exposure Bias: 0EV
Exposure: 30 sec.
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 3200
11mm

Angry Skies

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 21:52:00 -0700

Coop Photography posted a photo:

Must View Large!
This is a shot of a massive lightning flash over my house and Little Badger. This was taken from the safety of my back patio, a much safer spot than where the last photo was taken.... I almost got struck by lightning... Also, it was pouring rain at this point, so I was also dry on the patio. :)
Thanks for viewing!

Please do NOT use my photos on personal/professional websites, blogs, or any other form of digital media without my explicit permission.
If you would like to purchase any of my photos, check out my profile to get my contact information and get your prints!

Taken on July 16, 2012
Nikon D90
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens
Tiffen UV filter
Exposure Bias: 0EV
Exposure: 6 sec.
Aperture: f/13
ISO: 200
16mm

Lesson Learned...

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 21:51:00 -0700

Coop Photography posted a photo:

Must View Large!
...Sort of. :)
This is a shot of a pretty big thunderstorm that came through the Tri-Cities. I saw the storms coming on the radar and they looked like they were going to skirt across just south of town, so I decided to go to the place with one of the best views to the south, Little Badger. Only this time, I escaped the crowds and did some off road driving to get to the very top. I had just started clicking when a wind from the south hit and some light rain started. Turns out, the southern wind blew the storms straight into town, passing over Little Badger.... So there I am, standing on the highest point in the storms path, standing by a metal tripod...... This was the last shot I got before running to the truck. When I was trying to focus at the beginning, an earth-shaking clap of thunder right over my head made me jump a bit, knocking the focus ring off... I didn't realize it until I got home. Anyway, right after clicking this shot, there was a big flash of lightning and I immediately felt a shock on my left hand and then felt a heat wave from the lightning... So I bailed and went home to take photos from the back patio. :) It was a terrifying experience, but also pretty dang cool. :) So next time, I may only go to the second highest point in the storm's path. ;)
Thanks for viewing!

Please do NOT use my photos on personal/professional websites, blogs, or any other form of digital media without my explicit permission.
If you would like to purchase any of my photos, check out my profile to get my contact information and get your prints!

Taken on July 16, 2012
Nikon D90
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens
Tiffen UV filter
Exposure Bias: 0EV
Exposure: 6 sec.
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO: 200
11mm

Strike

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 23:18:00 -0700

Coop Photography posted a photo:

Must View Large!
This is a shot of a big lightning strike looking out over the Tri Cities from the top of Little Badger Mountain.
There was a few big thunderstorms rolling in, so I, like many others, had the idea to drive up to Little Badger to watch/photograph the storm. It was pretty good until I actually got there... then the hammering rain began. So this is the best photo I got before the rain sent me back to the truck. Even this photo has water on the lens....
Thanks for viewing!

Please do NOT use my photos on personal/professional websites, blogs, or any other form of digital media without my explicit permission.
If you would like to purchase any of my photos, check out my profile to get my contact information and get your prints!

Taken on July 9, 2012
Nikon D90
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens
Tiffen UV filter
Exposure Bias: 0EV
Exposure: 30 sec.
Aperture: f/16
ISO: 200
11mm

Wind Power

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 23:15:00 -0700

Coop Photography posted a photo:

Must View Large!
This is a shot of the windmills up on Jump Off Joe on the south side of town at sunset.
I like heading up Jump Off Joe because its nice to drive the dirt roads and get up there and be able to stand right next to these behemoth windmills. It's amazing how large and silent they are.
Plus I'm trying to get the cover of the Mid-Columbia phone book, so I'm just taking a ton of photos in the area. :) Also, be sure to click here.
Thanks for viewing!

Please do NOT use my photos on personal/professional websites, blogs, or any other form of digital media without my explicit permission.
If you would like to purchase any of my photos, check out my profile to get my contact information and get your prints!

Taken on June 21, 2012
Nikon D90
Nikkor 18-105mm VR lens
Dolica UV filter
Exposure Bias: 0EV
Exposure: 1/250 sec.
Aperture: f/8
ISO: 200
24mm

The Power Of Beauty

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 23:12:00 -0700

Coop Photography posted a photo:

Must View Large!
This is a shot of the windmills up on Jump Off Joe on the south side of town at sunset.
I like heading up Jump Off Joe because its nice to drive the dirt roads and get up there and be able to stand right next to these behemoth windmills. It's amazing how large and silent they are.
Plus I'm trying to get the cover of the Mid-Columbia phone book, so I'm just taking a ton of photos in the area. :)
Thanks for viewing!

Please do NOT use my photos on personal/professional websites, blogs, or any other form of digital media without my explicit permission.
If you would like to purchase any of my photos, check out my profile to get my contact information and get your prints!

Taken on June 21, 2012
Nikon D90
Nikkor 18-105mm VR lens
Dolica UV filter
Exposure Bias: 0EV
Exposure: 1/250 sec.
Aperture: f/8
ISO: 200
24mm

East Fork Waterfall

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 17:56:09 -0700

Coop Photography posted a photo:

Must View Large!

This is a shot of waterfall on the East Fork of the Lostine River. This was taken on our way back home. This little spot is a little side trail pretty close to the parking lot (maybe a mile or so out) that goes down to the water. It is well worth the side pass! The Lakes Basin and Eagle Cap are wonders of the wilderness. I encourage anyone who gets the chance to take a trip here!
Thanks for viewing!

For purchasing information, check out my profile and get your prints!

The Plan:
Ever since my 2009 trip to Eagle Cap and the Lakes Basin, I have wanted to go back. Finally my dad and I got a trip planned for the end of August 2011. It was going to be my dad, his friend Wade, and me. The plan was to drive up to the trailhead on August 25th, then camp there. On the morning of the 26th, we were to begin the hike to Mirror Lake, set up camp and relax. We would spend the night at the lake on the 26th. My dad and I were going to get up on the 27th to climb Eagle Cap while Wade relaxed and did some fishing. We would again camp at the lake on the night of the 27th. We would begin our journey out and home early on the morning of the 28th.

The Story:
Day One: It was about mid-afternoon on Thursday, August 25th, 2011 when my mom came and got me from the fairgrounds so that dad, Wade and I could begin our trip to Eagle Cap. I got home and dad and I packed up the Durango and went off to Wade’s house so he could pack his stuff in. From there, we headed off into the afternoon just like last time. This time was a little different though, because I was driving. :) I don’t know what it is, but I just love to drive everywhere. My parents hardly ever drive anymore because of me. :) We made good time and arrived in Lostine, Oregon late in the afternoon. We ate a big and delicious dinner at the Lostine Tavern and started up the road toward the trailhead. Let me tell you, that 11 miles of dirt road was just as rough as I remembered it. We arrived at the parking lot awhile after sunset, so it was getting dark fast. I scouted out a nice spot down on the East fork of the Lostine River…. Funny thing is, it was the same spot that we had intended to camp on last time… But don’t worry! This time we had the tent poles! :) We set up camp and I got a fire going… everything was a bit damp, so I had help from some lighter fluid. :) Before long, we were all tired and the fire was going out, so we hit the sack for the night.
Day Two: We were up bright and early on the 26th. It was time to begin the 7 and a half mile hike up the East fork of the Lostine River to the Lakes Basin. The hike started off pretty well. I’d say we were probably the first ones on the trail and were making good time. It seemed like no time and we were up into the meadow with Eagle Cap in our sights. We started to pass people who were on their way out. One lady we talked to had been up there for five days and she said she had had an interesting trip. She said that Wednesday night (the 24th) some massive thunderstorms had rolled in with tons of rain, lightning, thunder and howling winds. I remember that night I was at the fairgrounds and could see all the lightning to the south. It must have been quite a storm! We continued on and decided to take a lunch break at the little bridge that crosses the Lostine River, which at this point is little more than a creek. It is also at the fork of the trail. The old trail (which has big rocks and logs hastily thrown into it in attempt to keep hikers away) is to the right and the new one to the left. While eating our lunch, a group of friends from the Tri-Cities as well came up. It was a pretty cool surprise. After lunch, it was time for the final push. We decided that since we took the new trail last time, we would take the old one this time. Dad and Wade were slowing down, and I was given permission to go my own pace. So I started on up the trail and soon lost everyone behind me. It is quite something to be hiking alone down an old trail, eventually over a bunch a granite rocks, guessing where the trail goes over those rocks. I found it quite serene and enjoyable at that. It really puts life into perspective. I loved it and arrived at the lake about a half hour or so ahead of the others. I went and scouted out the camp we stayed at back in ’09 then went backwards on the trail until I met up with dad and Wade. We all went and set up camp, got the stove going and relaxed a bit. I was soon running to the outlet stream to go get water to clean. It was so clear. Not a single floater in sight. We used a UV filter and never got sick. While hanging out at camp, a forest ranger wandered into camp. He was a really nice guy. He was just making sure we were keeping our garbage and gear where it should be and making sure we had a stove and didn’t plan on have a fire close to the lake. We talked for about an hour just exchanging hiking stories and making fun of freeze dried meals. :) He soon had to move on and complete his rounds though. I then went down to the lake and broke out the camera. I love taking pictures. There are so many angles to take one from and each is so different. It is quite relaxing to me. It was soon sunset and Mirror Lake really took to its name and went glassy smooth. After the last glow faded, I went up to camp and make myself some hot chocolate and watched as the stars came out. The stars out there at 7200 feet, crystal clear night air, and no light pollution are indescribable. You really just have to see it to comprehend it. The pictures I have don’t do it justice. As night fell, I started clicking away. I did continuous shots for about 2 hours before calling it a night.
Day Three: The next morning (the 27th) was D-day. I got all set to head up the mountain early in the morning. My dad and I set off with light packs while Wade went down to the lake to try some fishing. I was feeling good with such a light load, which was still a lot more than anybody else we saw because I had four bottles of water, too many snacks and 8 or so pounds of camera gear, but it was still good for me. :) The climb up isn’t too bad. You start off with a lot of switchbacks up to the Horton Pass area where is flattens out a bit. Then you quickly start on up the back of Eagle Cap. By this point, I was ready to go for it, but dad wasn’t quite as ready. I was again given permission to go on up the mountain. I met up with a group of guys from Spokane and some of their friends from Georgia. They were a great group of guys and were moving at my pace so I climbed with them. The guy from Georgia was amazed at us crazy westerners climbing our crazy mountains. Apparently The Great Smoky Mountains aren’t very steep…. Haha I’m not a fan of much on the east coast. The Smokies failed to impress me on my visit entirely. Before long… okay, who am I kidding? It was a long haul… we summited. Let me tell you, the view from up there is incredible. You have a wonderful 360 degree view for miles and miles around. I started clicking off panoramas and everything else I felt necessary while munching on a Nature Valley bar. When my dad summited, he checked his phone to find that he had some service. So we both made calls and talked to my mom a bit. Then I decided to make a call to my girlfriend who was back in the Tri-Cities at the fair riding horses. Also, there are a ton of ground squirrels up at the summit….. They are cheap entertainment if you have a few almonds to spare. :) The hike back to camp actually wasn’t bad at all. And let me tell you, it was nice to go dip my feet in the freezing cold lake, seeing as it was in the mid 80’s or so the days we were there. It was good to be back at camp to relax again. After eating some dinner, I once again broke out the camera and spent the remaining daylight down by the lake. I was glad to have shot so many photos of the lake the previous night because the water was less smooth this time around. While I was shooting, Wade, who was about 70 feet down the shoreline from me, caught a fish. It was only about 6 or 7 inches long, but a cool catch nonetheless. When night fell, I was a little less enthusiastic about taking more night shots considering I had more than 250 of them from the previous night. But I still spent about an hour or so trying some light painting on the trees and stuff like that. After that, it was time to hit the sack.
Day Four: The next morning, the 28th, everybody was a bit slow to get up and pack up. I didn’t really want to leave such a wonderful place, but it was time to reunite with civilization. The hike out went pretty smoothly and we were back to the Durango by midday. In the daylight, the dirt road was a little more fun too. The drive home was nice and it was also great to be home. I feel that we had a very successful trip.

Taken on August 28, 2011
Nikon D90
Nikkor 18-105mm VR lens
Dolica UV filter
Dolica 0.3 ND Neutral Density Filter
Exposure Bias: -5EV
Exposure: 1/4 sec.
Aperture: f/22
ISO: 200
18mm

East Fork Lupine

nobody@flickr.com (Coop Photography) — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 20:44:03 -0700

Coop Photography posted a photo:

Must View Large! Happy Waterfall Wednesday!
This photo (and two others of mine) will be featured in Classic Hikes of North America, a book coming out at the end of August by Peter Potterfield.
I must say I'm pretty proud. :)

And be sure to check out the vertical version!

This is a shot of a small waterfall on the East Fork of the Lostine River with some lupine blooming on the foreground. This was taken on our way back home. This little spot is a little side trail pretty close to the parking lot (maybe a mile or so out) that goes down to the water. It is well worth the side pass! The Lakes Basin and Eagle Cap are wonders of the wilderness. I encourage anyone who gets the chance to take a trip here!
Thanks for viewing!

For purchasing information, check out my profile and get your prints!

The Plan:
Ever since my 2009 trip to Eagle Cap and the Lakes Basin, I have wanted to go back. Finally my dad and I got a trip planned for the end of August 2011. It was going to be my dad, his friend Wade, and me. The plan was to drive up to the trailhead on August 25th, then camp there. On the morning of the 26th, we were to begin the hike to Mirror Lake, set up camp and relax. We would spend the night at the lake on the 26th. My dad and I were going to get up on the 27th to climb Eagle Cap while Wade relaxed and did some fishing. We would again camp at the lake on the night of the 27th. We would begin our journey out and home early on the morning of the 28th.

The Story:
Day One: It was about mid-afternoon on Thursday, August 25th, 2011 when my mom came and got me from the fairgrounds so that dad, Wade and I could begin our trip to Eagle Cap. I got home and dad and I packed up the Durango and went off to Wade’s house so he could pack his stuff in. From there, we headed off into the afternoon just like last time. This time was a little different though, because I was driving. :) I don’t know what it is, but I just love to drive everywhere. My parents hardly ever drive anymore because of me. :) We made good time and arrived in Lostine, Oregon late in the afternoon. We ate a big and delicious dinner at the Lostine Tavern and started up the road toward the trailhead. Let me tell you, that 11 miles of dirt road was just as rough as I remembered it. We arrived at the parking lot awhile after sunset, so it was getting dark fast. I scouted out a nice spot down on the East fork of the Lostine River…. Funny thing is, it was the same spot that we had intended to camp on last time… But don’t worry! This time we had the tent poles! :) We set up camp and I got a fire going… everything was a bit damp, so I had help from some lighter fluid. :) Before long, we were all tired and the fire was going out, so we hit the sack for the night.
Day Two: We were up bright and early on the 26th. It was time to begin the 7 and a half mile hike up the East fork of the Lostine River to the Lakes Basin. The hike started off pretty well. I’d say we were probably the first ones on the trail and were making good time. It seemed like no time and we were up into the meadow with Eagle Cap in our sights. We started to pass people who were on their way out. One lady we talked to had been up there for five days and she said she had had an interesting trip. She said that Wednesday night (the 24th) some massive thunderstorms had rolled in with tons of rain, lightning, thunder and howling winds. I remember that night I was at the fairgrounds and could see all the lightning to the south. It must have been quite a storm! We continued on and decided to take a lunch break at the little bridge that crosses the Lostine River, which at this point is little more than a creek. It is also at the fork of the trail. The old trail (which has big rocks and logs hastily thrown into it in attempt to keep hikers away) is to the right and the new one to the left. While eating our lunch, a group of friends from the Tri-Cities as well came up. It was a pretty cool surprise. After lunch, it was time for the final push. We decided that since we took the new trail last time, we would take the old one this time. Dad and Wade were slowing down, and I was given permission to go my own pace. So I started on up the trail and soon lost everyone behind me. It is quite something to be hiking alone down an old trail, eventually over a bunch a granite rocks, guessing where the trail goes over those rocks. I found it quite serene and enjoyable at that. It really puts life into perspective. I loved it and arrived at the lake about a half hour or so ahead of the others. I went and scouted out the camp we stayed at back in ’09 then went backwards on the trail until I met up with dad and Wade. We all went and set up camp, got the stove going and relaxed a bit. I was soon running to the outlet stream to go get water to clean. It was so clear. Not a single floater in sight. We used a UV filter and never got sick. While hanging out at camp, a forest ranger wandered into camp. He was a really nice guy. He was just making sure we were keeping our garbage and gear where it should be and making sure we had a stove and didn’t plan on have a fire close to the lake. We talked for about an hour just exchanging hiking stories and making fun of freeze dried meals. :) He soon had to move on and complete his rounds though. I then went down to the lake and broke out the camera. I love taking pictures. There are so many angles to take one from and each is so different. It is quite relaxing to me. It was soon sunset and Mirror Lake really took to its name and went glassy smooth. After the last glow faded, I went up to camp and make myself some hot chocolate and watched as the stars came out. The stars out there at 7200 feet, crystal clear night air, and no light pollution are indescribable. You really just have to see it to comprehend it. The pictures I have don’t do it justice. As night fell, I started clicking away. I did continuous shots for about 2 hours before calling it a night.
Day Three: The next morning (the 27th) was D-day. I got all set to head up the mountain early in the morning. My dad and I set off with light packs while Wade went down to the lake to try some fishing. I was feeling good with such a light load, which was still a lot more than anybody else we saw because I had four bottles of water, too many snacks and 8 or so pounds of camera gear, but it was still good for me. :) The climb up isn’t too bad. You start off with a lot of switchbacks up to the Horton Pass area where is flattens out a bit. Then you quickly start on up the back of Eagle Cap. By this point, I was ready to go for it, but dad wasn’t quite as ready. I was again given permission to go on up the mountain. I met up with a group of guys from Spokane and some of their friends from Georgia. They were a great group of guys and were moving at my pace so I climbed with them. The guy from Georgia was amazed at us crazy westerners climbing our crazy mountains. Apparently The Great Smoky Mountains aren’t very steep…. Haha I’m not a fan of much on the east coast. The Smokies failed to impress me on my visit entirely. Before long… okay, who am I kidding? It was a long haul… we summited. Let me tell you, the view from up there is incredible. You have a wonderful 360 degree view for miles and miles around. I started clicking off panoramas and everything else I felt necessary while munching on a Nature Valley bar. When my dad summited, he checked his phone to find that he had some service. So we both made calls and talked to my mom a bit. Then I decided to make a call to my girlfriend who was back in the Tri-Cities at the fair riding horses. Also, there are a ton of ground squirrels up at the summit….. They are cheap entertainment if you have a few almonds to spare. :) The hike back to camp actually wasn’t bad at all. And let me tell you, it was nice to go dip my feet in the freezing cold lake, seeing as it was in the mid 80’s or so the days we were there. It was good to be back at camp to relax again. After eating some dinner, I once again broke out the camera and spent the remaining daylight down by the lake. I was glad to have shot so many photos of the lake the previous night because the water was less smooth this time around. While I was shooting, Wade, who was about 70 feet down the shoreline from me, caught a fish. It was only about 6 or 7 inches long, but a cool catch nonetheless. When night fell, I was a little less enthusiastic about taking more night shots considering I had more than 250 of them from the previous night. But I still spent about an hour or so trying some light painting on the trees and stuff like that. After that, it was time to hit the sack.
Day Four: The next morning, the 28th, everybody was a bit slow to get up and pack up. I didn’t really want to leave such a wonderful place, but it was time to reunite with civilization. The hike out went pretty smoothly and we were back to the Durango by midday. In the daylight, the dirt road was a little more fun too. The drive home was nice and it was also great to be home. I feel that we had a very successful trip.

Taken on August 28, 2011
Nikon D90
Nikkor 18-105mm VR lens
Dolica UV filter
Dolica 0.3 ND Neutral Density Filter
Exposure Bias: -5EV
Exposure: 1/4 sec.
Aperture: f/22
ISO: 200
18mm