Smith Rock in Winter

It all started with a calendar photo.  Nearly every year, I try and get some type of "Scenic Oregon" calendar for my computer desk.  Not only providing fantastic images of my home state, they also give me ideas of places to photograph.

First light on the rocks

This year's was better than ever, chock-full of gorgeous scenery.  Flipping to January, I gasped at a stunning shot of snow-covered Smith Rock State Park.  The photo was so amazing, it got the wheels turning in my brain.  In late January, I was traveling to Bend to visit my brother.  Smith Rock was on the way.  Perfect opportunity to capture that image for myself!

Lovely golden reflections

Of course with the dismal winter we'd been having, there was no chance of seeing any snow at Smith Rock (thus, no chance of recreating that calendar photo).  But I love visiting Smith Rock State Park. There's no shortage of great photo subjects here.  The seed had been planted, and lack of snow wasn't going to deter me. 

A river of gold

My grand plan was to leave super-early Saturday morning, and arrive in time to catch the sunrise.  On the last day of January, I rose at o-dark-thirty, and left my home in Portland 'burbs.  The drive was fairly uneventful, until I hit thick fog on the back side of Mt. Hood.  The cloud bank stayed with me through the rest of my trip.  I was beginning to get worried.  What if Smith Rock was cloaked in this?  Did I get up early for nothing?

Steep trail to canyon's bottom

Luckily, about five miles from the park turnoff, the sky miraculously began to clear, revealing a fast-brightening sky.  Although it appeared I'd miss the sunrise, at least Smith Rock's incredible scenery would now be visible.

Fog rolling in

Reaching the parking lot by 8 am, I had my choice of spots.  Trudging to the canyon's rim, I looked over and saw the rising sun illuminating the tall rock columns a bright golden-orange.  Perfect!

The sky begins to fog up

Smith Rock State Park is a scenic canyon comprised of multicolored rock spires rising from Central Oregon's high desert.  The towering rock formations were created from volcanic eruptions.  Volcanic ash erupting under extreme heat and pressure, welded together to form "tuff."  This tuff created a layer over a half mile thick, which over time, became eroded into tall, columnar spires of rock.  The Crooked River makes a lazy loop through the center of these formations, creating some dramatic landscapes.

Ultra-steep walls

Besides jaw-dropping scenery, Smith Rock State Park is also a rock climbing mecca.  The tall, nearly-vertical rock spires create perfect climbing walls.  The park provides many defined routes, including the famous "Monkey Face."

View from near the canyon bottom

At the rim overlook, I set up my tripod and got to work.  Although sunlight hadn't yet reached the canyon bottom, first light on the rock formations was too lovely to miss.  The orangeish color from these rocky walls reflected in the Crooked River below.  Although still in shadow, the river's reflections made an interesting subject.

River reflections from the bridge

Slowly, I worked my way down the steep path to the canyon's bottom.  Every bend and switchback provided yet another perspective on the grand scene before me.  As the morning sun climbed higher in the sky, more of the canyon became illuminated.

Riverside trail

On the footbridge across the Crooked River, I stopped to admire the tall wall of rock before me.  It's brown and green colors reflected nicely in the river's still waters.

River view from bridge

And the view from the bridge's other side wasn't too shabby either.  Small, foggy clouds were beginning to drift over the far canyon.  A mother Canada goose and her babies floated in the river's calm waters.

Perfect morning light along the river

A wide well-used trail led visitors around the tallest rock spire, following the river bank.  I meandered along this path, stopping frequently when something photo-worthy caught my eye.  Looking behind me, I discovered an amazing scene.  The light was so perfect, the colors so vibrant, the reflections drop-dead gorgeous.  It was here I captured my best image of the day.

Following the trail

Continuing on the trail, it led me through the heart of Smith Rock's deep canyon.  Walls of multicolored rock rose from all sides.

Looking up at these enormous rock formations

Although the views down the canyon bottom were great, looking upwards from the trail also gave some interesting perspectives.

Lots of Canada Geese here

Wildlife abounded.  Birds flitted about the river bank, chirping happy songs.  A huge flock of Canada geese had apparently taken up residence in the park.  Their chorus of honks filled the canyon walls.  I wasn't expecting to see so much animal activity in the dead of winter.

Rock climbers

About an hour after my arrival, people began streaming into the park.  Large groups of rock climbers were continuously marching down the trail, ropes dangling off their backpacks.  A few groups of trail runners sped by, and I encountered a good number of people out walking their dogs, enjoying this sunny January day.  I wasn't expecting this place to be so busy in the dead of winter!

More rock climbers (can you spot them?)

I had fun watching some of the rock climbers, perched high on the canyon's walls.  Multiple trails branched off this main one, each leading to a designated climbing route.

Lazy river

I hung out along the riverbank, watching both climbers and geese. 

Clearing fog

Foggy clouds started drifting back around the tallest rock towers.  But instead of detracting from the landscape, they actually made for some interesting shots.  At least I thought so.

Looking back down on the Crooked River

After trekking around the trail for a good two hours, my foot, although nearly healed, began to protest a bit.  Carrying a bunch of heavy photography equipment, and the fact that this was the first "real" hike since my October surgery probably overtaxed it a bit.  Listening to my body, I began the steep climb back out of the canyon to my car.

Zig-zag fence

Oh, was I out of shape!  The trail, although steep, wasn't very long.  I was winded before reaching the halfway point.  Oh well, good excuse to stop and take a few parting shots of this classic view of Smith Rock.  Now about 11 am, it was interesting to see the difference midday light made on these rock faces.  No more vibrant golden hues.

The canyon in midday light

Although I've visited Smith Rock in the summer, (see a past blog post here) this was my first winter trip.  I was impressed by how beautiful this place is, even when all the vegetation is brown.  And I was surprised by the crowds of people who flock here in the off season (when I returned to my car, the parking lot was packed!)

A good break in my journey and a wonderful way to spend a sunny January morning.  Although I didn't capture the coveted calendar image, I did come away with a bunch of great shots.  And maybe I'll get lucky and visit after a snowstorm next winter (I've already written off this year...)


Sharing with:  Our World Tuesday and Wednesday Around the World and Good Fences.

The Critters of Banff National Park

This is an ongoing series recapping my 2008 trip to Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada.

Right next to the campground where we stayed was a large clearing named "Moose Meadows."  Twice daily - morning and evening - we'd pass right by.  Every time, Roger insisted on stopping to look for wildlife.  A name like "Moose Meadows" practically guaranteed a moose sighting, right?

See any wildlife?

Our first couple of days in the park, our only wildlife encounters were with dozens of chipmunks.  Roger kept looking for moose and elk, but there were none to be found.  Then, we went into the town of Banff.  Up on a high bank above the main road we spotted a small herd of elk.  We'd been looking in the wrong places.  Instead of roaming the forests of the park, the elk were all hanging out in town!

Our first bear sighting!

The morning we drove the Icefields Parkway, my hubby and I rose early to get a jump on the tourist crowd.  After our usual morning wildlife check at Moose Meadows, we headed down an empty park road.  Noticing a couple of cars pulled over up ahead, Roger slowed down as we passed by.  Turns out a bear was foraging in some bushes right next to the shoulder.  We stopped immediatly.  The bear was on my side of the car, not more than 20 feet away.  Excited, Roger rolled down my window, urging me to "take a picture!"

Okay - there was a bear very close by and my window was open!  I stammered "What are you doing?  There's a b-b-bear out there!"  Quickly slapping on my longest lens, I stuck it out the window and fired off a few quick shots before Mr. Yogi, not wanting to be a paparazzi subject, abruptly ended his breakfast and lumbered into the forest.

Our second bear sighting about an hour later

Wow - a real life bear sighting!  Roger and I were jazzed.  Then, not an hour later, stopped at one of the many overlooks, I spotted another bear.  It was a small black bear, hanging out in a flower field.  Just like the first one, this guy took one look at me and my long camera lens, and hightailed it out of there.

An overly friendly chipmunk

Although those turned out to be the only two bears we'd see, it was still plenty exciting.  Of course, the most up-close and personal wildlife encounter was when Roger was the victim of an ambitious chipmunk.  (If you missed that post, click on the hyperlink)

Animal crossing bridge

Driving the main highway to and from the town of Banff, Roger and I noticed an unusual overpass.  It's upper surface was thickly landscaped with plants and trees.  Upon closer inspection, we realized this was an animal crossing.  A tall chain-link fence paralleled the highway on both sides, keeping animals off the road, and directing them to their special bridge.  Collisions with elk and moose must've been a huge problem for the local government to finance such an elaborate structure.

Elk!

We never saw any elk in the park until our very last day.  Packed up, and driving towards the south exit, we came upon a huge herd nonchalantly crossing the road.  They had traffic at a standstill.

These elk wanted a bus ride

Lots of folks had gotten out of their vehicles, cameras in hand.  Since these elk had large horns, I opted to get my shots through the car window.

This big elk stopped traffic

The elk even had a tour bus stopped in it's tracks.  I got a kick out of the passengers lined up next to the driver, clicking away with their cameras.  This was one of my favorite animal photos from our trip.

Mama and baby mountain sheep

Continuing on with our journey south, we followed the Kananaskis River into Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.  It was beautiful country, with more tall snow-capped mountains, sparkling clear streams, and lush green forests.

Shaggy mountain sheep

It was here my hubby and I ran into a large herd of mountain sheep.  They were standing next to a campground entrance, nibbling away at the grass, paying no attention to the small cluster of people they were attracting.  There were several baby sheep in the herd, keeping their mothers close by.  With their small, fuzzy ears, and large dark eyes, these little guys stole the show. 

This one stuck his tongue out at me

While clicking away, I inadvertently captured a sheep sticking his tongue out.  (Or maybe it was intentional on the sheep's part?)

What you looking at?

We drove a little further down the highway and came upon some more sheep.  These guys were all males, and had long, curved horns.  Those horns looked like they could do some damage.  I stayed inside the car for all my photos.  Thank goodness for zoom lenses!

Moose-less Meadows

On our last morning in the park, we made one final stop to our now-familiar hangout, Moose Meadows.  Roger really, really hoped this would be the day he'd spot the elusive moose.  But, alas, it was not to be.  The entire week we'd never seen a slight sign of any wildlife in this meadow.  Driving away for the last time, Roger remarked that  this place should be renamed "Moose-LESS Meadows."  And from then on, that's what he and I called it.

This is the last of my Banff National Park posts.  I hope you enjoyed them.  I've got more photos of Glacier National Park (which we passed through on our way home).  If there's another blogging lull, I'll share those.


Sharing with:  Saturday's Critters

Juneuary Again.....

The snow situation on Mt. Hood and throughout the Pacific Northwest is looking mighty thin.  Apart from a series of storms during Christmas, and a small dusting on MLK Day, we've seen no white stuff the entire month of January.  Adding to our mountain's misery, the weather has been either a streak of unseasonably warm days, or torrential rain - neither of which are good for a dwindling snowpack.  For the third consecutive year, we're experiencing "Juneuary" once again.

Panoramic group shot

Now finally able to ski, and making up for lost time, I've been taking every opportunity to get on the mountain.  On the last Thursday of Juneuary, (oops, I mean January!) though the weather called for toasty temps, and the snow base was minimal, I decided to ride the ski bus up to Mt. Hood anyway.  Hey - it beats being at work!  (I always say, a crummy day skiing is better than the best day working.)

Poor Mt. Hood is looking bare

Due to the poor conditions, my usual ski buddies all stayed home.  All by my lonesome, sliding down a slope, I met up with a group of ladies from my bus.  I knew most of them from past ski lessons.  Seeing my single situation, they invited me to tag along.

Conditions were downright awful.  Our local ski area (ahem **Mt. Hood Meadows**) must've thought no one would be skiing that day, because they didn't bother grooming anything except the bunny slope.  Bumping over frozen mounds of cut-up snow was challenging, to say the least.  One poor lady in our group kept falling on the same run.  Trying to banish the bad ju-ju, she kept going back up and trying again.  But when not only her, but yours truly suffered a wipeout, we decided it was time to break for lunch.  (Luckily, no injuries - nothing was hurt but our pride.) 

I captured my grand biff on the GoPro and posted it here for you to enjoy.  I really don't know what  happened - one minute I was skiing along, and the next I was sliding face first down the hill.  I blame a snow snake!  (And if you don't know what a snow snake is, check out this post)

We decide to try Vista Ridge

Our group sat down to lunch, grousing about the poor conditions, trying to decide if we should go back out for the afternoon.  Now finally able to ski, I didn't want to sit in the lodge for the rest of the day.  I convinced the ladies to try a couple more runs before hanging it up.

We find the best run of the day on Vista!

Someone suggested we try a run off the Vista Lift.  Normally not one of my favorite places to ski at Meadows, but I figured, what the heck.  As my group ascended to the top, we noticed the sky clearing.  By the time we started down Vista Ridge, blue patches were elbowing out the gray clouds.

The snow here was fantastic!  No bumps, sun-softened, and smooth as silk.  We enjoyed our best run of the day.  Conditions were so wonderful, we all boarded the lift, eager to do it again.

We made several trips down Vista Ridge.  Each time the sky cleared a little more, until the top of Mt. Hood towered over the horizon.  I got out my GoPro to capture the grand scenery.  I'm getting much better at holding the pole, and shot a video at an angle I really liked.  My favorite mountain stayed in the background through most of the ride down.  Check it out!

Cold beverages on the patio - great way to end a day of skiing!

My group of friends and I ended up lasting nearly until 3:00, well past our original quitting time.  The day ended with everyone enjoying sunshine and a cold beverage on the patio.

Okay, the snowpack is wearing thin, rocks and stumps are sticking out all over, and snowstorms keep missing the PNW.  But for this one sunny Juneuary day, I had a wonderful afternoon making slushy tracks in what's left of Hood's snow.  Still better than sitting in the office. 

(But, darn it weather gods, send us some snow!)

Cape Meares

Continuing my recent fascination with the Oregon coast, two Saturday afternoons ago found me again traveling west, in hopes of catching a beach sunset.

Foggy beach near Oceanside

This time a change of venue!  Instead of hitting my usual Canon Beach haunt, I instead chose to head further south, bound for the charming coastal towns of Netarts and Oceanside.

Sunbeams through the coastal forest

It was a beautiful sunny day in Portland (very rare most winters, except for this one).  I expected the same clear blue skies on the coast.  Imagine my surprise, when, a few miles from the beach, a huge fog bank rolled in, and began to blot out the sun.  What???  How was I supposed to capture the sunset now?

Ocean view from Cape Meares

On the outskirts of Oceanside, I pulled into a roadside parking area and captured a few misty beach scenes.  Then I continued past the town, climbing a steep, windy road, until a sign for the Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint came into view.

Tall cliffs

Lucky for me, Cape Meares is a tall headland rising 200 feet above the ocean.  That day, the elevation was enough to escape that murky fog shrouding Netarts and Oceanside.  Popping out of the clouds, I was treated to blue skies, and amazing ocean views.

Wave action at the cliff's base

The big attraction on Cape Meares is a historic lighthouse.  However, an overlook near the parking lot provides a killer Pacific Ocean panorama.  It was enough to keep me (and my camera) busy for several minutes.

Cape Meares lighthouse

I finally tore myself away and headed down the path to the park's main attraction.  A huge fan of lighthouses, this one did not disappoint.  The first overlook gives visitors a view looking down on this amazing bit of history.

Dramatic view from the lighthouse base

The Cape Meares Lighthouse was built in 1889, and commissioned on January 1, 1890.  The tower, standing a mere 38 feet in height, has the distinction of being the shortest lighthouse in Oregon.  It's structure consists of bricks covered with iron plates.

Fresnel Lens close-up

The lighthouse is illuminated with a first order Fresnel Lens, made in Paris, France.  The lens was shipped around Cape Horn to Cape Meares, and then hauled up the steep cliff by a wooden crane made from native timbers.  It is eight-sided, with four primary lenses, and four bulls-eye lenses covered with red panels.  The light can be seen from 21 nautical miles at sea.

Looking back on the fog bank enveloping Oceanside

A sad footnote, in 2010, a couple of local yahoos drove into this park under the cover of night, and shot up the Fresnel Lens.  The two guilty men were arrested and charged, but much time, effort, and money were poured into the restoration of the lighthouse and it's historic lens.  Happily, the lens is now repaired to it's former condition.

Oceanside beach before sunset

A return loop trail to the parking lot gave great views of Oceanside and it's beaches.  Well, if not for the fog, anyway.  Despite the thick cloud layer, I still got some great shots of the headland and sea stack tips sticking out of the gloom.

Lots of fog means minimal views

After a nice walk around Cape Meares, I headed back down to Oceanside.  One of my very favorite coastal towns, I love it's laid-back atmosphere.  There's no touristy shops, no cell phone coverage, and no ritzy resorts.  A tiny beach gives wonderful views of a group of sea stacks known as Three Arch Rocks.

Still, a peaceful place to be

But today's fog prevented any sea stack sightings.  I could barely glimpse their outlines through the mist.  Not enough for any good images.  Instead, I had to be content with photographing beach scenes.

Setting sun turns everything golden

As the sun sank lower in the sky, the fog began to lift for a couple of short minutes.  Hoping for a nice sunset, I stayed put.  But the clouds rolled back in, and I had to console myself with some shots of diffused golden light on the sand.

Lovely light on the sand

A high sneaker wave caught me while I was concentrating on a photo, soaking my legs below the knees (note to self...never turn your back on the sea!).  After that, I was ready for a hot cup of tea.  So I didn't bother sticking around for the sunset, and instead decided to beat the darkness back home.

Still not a bad way to spend a winter's afternoon.  I've bookmarked this location for a return trip.  Hopefully next time will be a sunny day!


Sharing with:  Scenic Weekends and Our World Tuesday

Back on the Bus

My weekly ski bus started January 8th.  But still recuperating from foot surgery, I had to sit out the first two weeks.  Oh, it nearly killed me being at work, knowing my friends were up on the mountain having fun in the snow! 

All smiles on a sunny morning!

But after the doc's blessing, and trial run on MLK Day, I was ready for a triumphant return.  Nervously watching the weather all week, things weren't looking good for ski bus Thursday.  The weatherman predicted rain on the mountain.  Nooooo!  If it's raining at the ski area, the bus is usually cancelled.  I was afraid I'd be spending yet another Thursday stuck at the office.

Glen waves "hi" for the camera

The big day dawned.  Rising early, I checked the weather at our local ski resort.  Conditions didn't look good.  They were reporting drizzle, fog, and warm temperatures.  I kept expecting a cancellation phone call from my bus mom.

But no call came.  The ski area website said nothing about bus cancellations.  Okay.....it appeared to be all systems go!  I packed up my gear and headed to the bus stop.

Glen, Judy and I ready to ski

Sure enough, the bus was waiting.  It was great to see all of my friends again.  Everyone expressed doubts about the weather (and some folks did cancel), but the rest of us had made our plans and decided to stick with them.  Whatever the conditions, it was better than being at work!

My group in action

All the way up the mountain, I fretted about skiing in the rain.  Imagine my surprise when, rounding the final turn into the parking lot, I glimpsed sun peeping out from behind the clouds.  A tiny patch of blue sky was starting to show.  Maybe we'd have a good day after all!

I met up with friends Glen and Judy.  We were all jazzed about the unexpected dry weather.  And the snow was soft and wonderful.  Without further ado, we hit the slopes.

Action selfie

This time, I remembered to bring my selfie pole, and attached my GoPro camera.  Time for some action videos!  It was great fun practicing skiing while holding the camera on a long pole.  Glen was a gentleman and offered to take my extra ski pole, so I didn't have to hold them both in the other hand.  But after a few runs, I got the hang of things, and took both poles back.

All of the photos in this post, except for the first one, are screen shots from videos.  I was proud of myself for figuring out how to capture still screen shots from a video.  (Hopefully no one is sick of all these selfies!)

And, of course I had to include a short clip from my grand video experiment.  Although I still need practice, it didn't turn out too shabby!

Our nice day turned into foggy snain

Sadly, by late morning, clouds enveloped the mountain, and soggy flakes began to fall.  The snow became wetter and wetter, until it was more water than ice (the folks in the ski resort business refer to this as "snain.")  The warm precip made the snow wet and sticky.  It wasn't much fun to ski, as everyone worried about the grabby conditions causing sudden stops.

This isn't fun anymore

So we decided to take an early lunch.  My foot was beginning to bother me, so I was ready for a break.  After sitting around the lodge for a good hour, Glen and another guy decided to go back out.  But with the lousy snow conditions, I didn't want to risk an injury, so I spent the afternoon in the bar with Judy.  We each nursed a glass of beer and caught each other up on our lives.

Time to hit the bar!

The weather turned wetter, and huge raindrops began to fall.  More and more skiers came into the lodge, all shaking water from their jackets.  Pretty soon, we had a large crowd around our table.  Nearly everyone from our ski bus had gathered for drinks and conversation.  A pleasant way to pass the rest of the afternoon.

The "back of the bus" gang

On the way home, I hung out with the "back of the bus gang" enjoying some more liquid refreshment.  And I learned a GoPro camera, although great for outside action shots, doesn't do so well capturing indoor images.  Oh well, I had fun trying!

Although I only held up for half a day, it was still great to be back on the bus.  Missing all my skiing friends, it was wonderful to reconnect.  Here's to more fun Thursdays - and a huge dump of snow on our mountains! 


Sharing with:  Our World Tuesday and Wednesday Around the World.