Tag Archives: Washington pass

Hints of Color in the Cascades

We took a trip into the mountains to see whether the color in the trees was good. We have actually had some lovely colors in our town but a trip into the Cascades is always nice anyway. While I have seen some really colorful shots from up there, our route did not seem to be as vibrant. The leaves were actually more impressive lower down as we were driving to the mountains. However, when we were up at Washington Pass, I decided to use a longer focal length to isolate some of the areas that had color in them.

It is fair to say that things were a little less colorful than I had expected but the little bursts of color that were scattered around the hillsides did make for an interesting contrast. Only a couple of weeks later, the snow had shown up and WSDOT had closed the pass for the winter, so it was good to be there when we were!

Twisted Tree Trunks

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Two different places got me interested in this subject. When we were at Moraine Lake in Alberta, I saw a tree trunk along the shore of the lake that was stripped of its bark and showed a spiral pattern in the wood that was exposed. I was rather curious how this would come to be and took some photos of the log before moving on.

When up at Washington Pass a while later, there were some trees that were still upright but that also showed the same pattern of the wood. I wondered whether exposure to wind over time would cause the trees to twist, perhaps, resulting in this sort of pattern in the wood. Alternatively, does it naturally grow that way? Whatever the reason, it makes for some very interesting-looking wood. Anyone know how this happens?

Clouds in the Mountains

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The North Cascades Highway gets snowed in for the winter, so we decided to take a trip up there before the snow arrived. It was also a good time for fall foliage, so we wanted to see what the mountains had to offer. The colors in the trees as we drove up were very nice but, the higher you get, the more you are into the evergreens and the foliage becomes sparse. However, we had something equally attractive awaiting us.

It was an overcast day as we drove up with any hints of sun from the lower levels gone as we got higher. There were some really cool bands of clouds to see as we drove. At one point we had the valley in sight and the tops of the mountains but a band of cloud in the middle. It was while on a stretch of road with nowhere to stop so no shots of that. However, as we got up to Diablo Lake and then Washington Pass, we got plenty of mountain tops in and out of the clouds.

I experimented with both normal shots and HDR. With the shadow of the valleys and the brightness of the clouds, the dynamic range was pretty wide, and I thought HDR might give me some more processing options. I was glad I made that choice as it really helped to get detail in all parts of the images. That will be our last trip up there this year. The snows will be getting heavy before too long and then it will be a waiting game until the pass is cleared in the spring.

Summer In Washington Pass

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The high point – literally and figuratively – of the North Cascades Highway is Washington Pass. If you aren’t heading to the other side of the Cascades, this is also likely to be the point at which you turn around and head back the way you came. There is a parking area and trails at the top to allow you to wander around and take in the view of the pass including the highway far beneath you as it starts its descent.

It was July when we were there and the sun was out and the conditions warm. There were still hints of snow on some of the more sheltered slopes but the summer plant life was making its presence felt. The views up there when the air is clear are really lovely. I think I have posted images from here before but it always changes so here are some of my recent shots.

Should You Use a Polarizer When High Up?

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When listening to photographers discussing equipment and technique, I have heard several times that polarizing filters should not be used when you are high up. As you get higher, the skies get clearer and deeper blue and the idea is that the polarizer becomes too much. I was pondering this when we were up in the Washington Pass along the North Cascades Highway. We aren’t very high at this point but still a decent elevation. I thought about taking the polarizer off but I felt like it really improved the colors and vibrancy of the images. Maybe we weren’t high enough for it to matter or maybe some of you will look at these shots and think it is too much. I’m genuinely interested to hear what you think.

Washington Pass

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Our trip over the Cascades took us through Washington Pass. There was an overlook area with parking which allowed us to stop and wander around a bit. The view of the pass was gorgeous. There was snow on the peaks surrounding things and a hint of snow on the ground too. The road drops down dramatically from the pass and comes down the valley below the overlook. You were almost looking straight down on vehicles as they passed beneath.

There were plenty of places to walk. The overlook area itself was not far from the parking lot but a short trail wandered up and around the rocks to give a wide variety of views. The autumnal light was nice and low even though it was very sunny. Being quite high up meant the sun was a bit stronger than normal. The panoramic views meant standing and staring was the order of the day. We ended up staying there for quite a while. It will soon (if not already) be snowy up there. As I write this, the road is already closed for the winter. Hopefully we shall head back up that way when spring arrives.