Rainy Pass October 2011

Quest for Golden Larches in the North Cascades
  • Mountain Ash... and morning sun.
  • Only a 45-min hike to get to Heather Pass, with views of Lewis lake and Black Peak (8970-ft).
  • Hard to believe by October 8 the larches aren't near peak color, but there was a bit of gold (and rather nice scenery) to be found, nonetheless.
  • Some striking larch color, with Lake Ann and Cascade peaks as a backdrop.
  • Get up early, get first tracks on the trail...
  • Some nice fall color (blueberry) at the base of Corteo Peak. Black Peak, 8970-ft is distant by ~3-miles.
  • There's nothing like Golden Larch trees framed against a blue sky. I was lucky to get this light...
  • Looking back to the west after contouring along Maple Pass.
  • A lone larch tree sits centered on Maple Pass. Cutthroat Peak amd Whistler Mountain (and many other peaks) sit across Rainy and Washington Passes.
  • Looking south from Maple Pass into the heart of North Cascades National Park. Dome Peak, I beileve...
  • Looking east toward Washington Pass. Liberty Bell and the Early Winter Spires try to hide Kangaroo Ridge.
  • Cutthroat Peak, 8050-ft, sits across the other side of Rainy Pass.
  • The older larches seemed to turn first. The high resolution version of this image is quite striking.
  • Last night's snow highlights the detail on 8080-ft Corteo Peak.
  • A Charlie Brown larch tree. Up on the shoulder of Frisco Mountain, close to 7000-ft, I found some more color.
  • Larch needle detail and some cold October snow.
  • It really felt like Christmas with a bit of snow on the firs. Colder than I expected, too.
  • 6980-ft along side Frisco Peak, this larch kept its needles even after being loaded with snow.
  • Just one more to show off the amazing blue sky...
  • Hoary Marmot working hard to store food. The population may suffer next season after such a short summer in 2011.
  • Dropping down between Rainy Lk and Lake Ann (shown), reveals plenty of larches that haven't yet turned.
  • With afternoon light getting flat, I tried using the firs across the pass as a dark backdrop to show off the gold during my descent.
  • I carried my tripod all day, so I felt I need to use it once -- 15-min before finishing the hike.
  • After hiking, I made a quick side trip to Washington Pass to photograph the Wine Spires and Silver Star Mountain... but the light was fading.
  • OCTOBER 18, 2011 Return Hike... My favorite hiking partner stops long enough to capture her image. 6500', just below Maple Pass.
  • Larches in peak color; usually happens before the snow falls.
  • A little more snow than last week covers the heather and adds texture to the terrain.
  • The quintessential Maple Pass image: a larch above Lk Ann, Cascades distant.
  • Yvonne, fir, young larch, old larch.
  • This larch was green last week; I'm glad I made it back to see it again. Cuttthroat and Whistler Peaks make a nice backdrop.
  • A small larch turns gold just before being buried until next July.
  • Foreground, background gold.
  • The beginning of the 2011-2012 snowpack makes for some nice texture.
  • Chaotic golden needle abstract patterns.
  • Over the Frisco Mtn arm at 6900-ft, the descent is steep and icy...
  • Not all is gold and white. Moss and algea on an old snag.
  • Framing the fall gold against Liberty Bell and the Early Winter Spires.
  • Blue and Gold.
  • Golden Larches light up the talus slope below Kangaroo Ridge.
  • Some fall color in the avalanche chutes at Washinton Pass.