Believe the View: October Photo of the Month

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Written & Photographed by Barbara Joan

I had the great fortune of growing up outside. Thanks to my dad's love for and appreciation of the mountains, my earliest and fondest childhood memories involve summers spent foraging for native berries and morel mushrooms, camping under the stars in the Umatilla National Forest, and swimming in remote wilderness rivers. I made houses from sword fern fronds, learned to recognize where the dolly varden were hiding, and took naps in the shade of old growth forests.

Last fall, the depression I experienced in my 20s surprised me by reviving itself the same way I've seen beetles return from the dead when they believe danger has passed. I didn't see it coming and wasn't prepared to manage the familiar feelings and uninvited distorted thinking that invaded my world like noxious weeds.  I knew I needed to go outside again and so began my quest to find the beauty in my local public lands and, in the process, remember the beauty in me.

This was a view I found in the first days of August, 2016. Starting in the early afternoon, my husband, my three-year-old and I hiked past Mount Rainier's Frozen Lake to Second Burroughs Mountain. We lingered at the crest for some time in an effort to identify the many wildflower blooms and backcountry birds that fluttered about. We've completed many hikes in and around Mount Rainier, but this was our first time in the alpine tundra and there was so much determination, resilience and hope to take in. What at first glance seemed like a barren wasteland was actually replete with life and I was mesmerized. The parallel to my own internal journey was clear.

I took this photo on our way back down the mountain. Instead of returning as we'd come, we opted for the slightly longer route down the Sunrise Rim Trail. In the early evening glow of the setting sun I heard my son say, "Wow! Mommy! Look at this view!"  

I stopped and turned and looked back behind me at this big, glorious, patient mountain. "Son," I said. "Can you believe you own a part of this view?"

He looked at me curiously. "I do?"

"You do. And so does daddy and so do I."

And without a pause, his eyes large and bright and smiling, he said, "We're RICH!"

And we are, aren't we?

Barbara takes and posts pictures of public lands to inspire others to go outside and experience our blessed inheritance and advocate for its protection and preservation. You can see more of her images on her Twitter feed: @publiclandlvr.

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Good Morning Mount Rainier: November Photo of the Month

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The perfect place for sunrise in Washington: Tolmie Peak Fire Lookout

Written and Photographed by Riley Beck, Northwest Photographer

        My friends and I decided to drive down to Tolmie Peak Fire Lookout at Mount Rainer National Park for a sunrise. We didn't sleep (being that the drive was a little over a three hour drive from home). We got coffee from the 24 hour coffee stand and left around one in the morning. 
        After hours of driving, followed by 17 miles of potholes and washboard, we arrived at the trailhead and took off with headlamps excited for what was ahead. It was my first time that close to Mount Rainer and it was stunning. You reach Eunice Lake a couple miles in and see Rainer for the first time in all of its glory and a fire lookout perched high above the lake. 
       Some moderate switchbacks lead you above Eunice Lake until you reach the fire lookout. If there is possibly a perfect sunrise spot in Washington this is it. An unobstructed view of Rainer lit up by the golden sun with Eunice Lake below is the perfect setting. It was a very long night and morning, but well worth the hours of driving and lack of sleep. The trip and view are one I will not soon forget. 

Riley Beck has lived in Washington his whole life. He enjoys hiking and backpacking with his friends and spends every day off possible on the trails. See more of his photos.

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Sunrise at Mount Rainier: The April Photo of the Month

Written and Photographed by Ian Phelps, Northwest Photographer

I grew up in Wisconsin. And I love Wisconsin.  The people are amazing and we have some pretty good cheese.  But the wild landscape of the west was calling me and in 2008 I packed my life into my car and moved to Seattle.

Shortly after moving to Seattle, I recall seeing a photograph of an astonishing subalpine meadow with Mt. Rainier looming in the background.  I had never seen anything like it and knew I had to experience the splendor of the wildflower bloom at Mt. Rainier for myself.  

Over the years I’ve tried on several occasions to capture the glory of Mt. Rainier’s wildflowers, but the conditions just didn’t come together (a very common experience in nature photography!). However that changed one gorgeous Sunday morning in late August.

Around 1:00 a.m., after a solid two hours of sleep, I left Seattle for the Paradise area of Mt. Rainier. My destination was Mazama Ridge, located just east of the main Paradise area. Since this was my first trip to Mazama Ridge, aside from the location, I didn’t really know where I was going. As an aside, when trying to photograph wildflowers, I highly recommend a visit during the day to scout the location to find a picturesque area of the meadow before the rising (or setting) sun transforms the scene.  Nonetheless, in this case I didn’t follow my own advice and arrived at 4:00 a.m.

After a failed attempt at hiking the ridge from the Lakes Trail starting near Reflection Lakes (I told you I didn’t know where I was going!), I opted to try a more direct route from the Fourth Crossing Trailhead. As I stepped out of the car, immediately my senses were jolted to life. The invigorating scent of Subalpine fir and Western hemlock combine with the sweet fragrance of a multitude of blooming wildflowers in the cool the mountain air. As I begin hiking, I become increasingly heartened with each breath of this refreshing mixture.

After 20 minutes I reached the junction with the Lakes Trail atop Mazama Ridge.  

As I continued down the ridge, I was overwhelmed by the abundance and diversity of wildflowers along the trail. Soon the clouds began to transform as first rays of morning light painted beautiful hues of pink and orange across the sky, creating a warm glow to fall across the scene. I found a gorgeous area of the meadow and started to take photographs as a small lenticular cloud began to form over the summit of Mt. Rainier. After about 15 minutes, most of the color had faded and I decided to search for another location as I waited for the sun to rise.  

I came upon an incredible field of vibrant purple Subalpine Lupine and Magenta Paintbrush. Soon the soft morning light began to stream in across the landscape, illuminating the meadow and producing a riot of color. The small lenticular cloud had grown and now shrouded the entire summit. This was it, the scene I had tried so many times to capture! I soaked in the moment. It was not long after, as the sun continued to rise, that the light became too harsh to produce pleasing images and I was done shooting. It was an incredible experience and one that will remain with me the rest of my life.

About the shot:  I took this photograph using a Canon 5D Mark II and Canon 17-40mm f/4 lens with a circular polarizer and a graduated neutral density filter to balance the bright sky and darker foreground. Since I was using a wide-angle lens, I chose a small aperture (high f-stop) to create as much depth of field as possible.  

Ian Phelps is a nature photographer based in the Pacific Northwest. Website coming soon! Contact info@ianphelpsphotography.com with any inquires.