Crater Peak - SOOC

Crater Peak - North Cascades National Park

Straight out of the Camera (only resized)

Skywatch Friday - Sun Dogs

On our last trip home from the CDR, the conditions were perfect for some of the most awesome sun dogs I have ever seen! Combine that with the ruggedness of the North Cascades Mountains as backdrops and you'll agree, too. These two formations were taken just minutes apart as we neared Washington Pass.

While I can't guarantee I'll be able to go visiting many others this week, please click on the link above to see what others are sharing this week in Skywatch Friday.

North Cascades Highway is Open!

On May 25th, the North Cascades Highway re-opened for the season. Yay! We are able to cut an hour's drive time off our trip to the CDR, not to mention having a scenic and much more relaxing trip across the mountains.

There was still a lot of snow up there when we crossed on the 28th.

See how deep the snow is by the sign?

 

Heading down towards Boulder Creek

 

Liberty Bell with a dusting of snow

 

Driving through one of the Liberty Bell avalanche chutes at Washington Pass

 

Road cut through the "Annex" below the Liberty Bell avalanche chutes

That's All Folks! - Part 2

There are many waterfalls and areas where water drips down the rock walls along the North Cascade Highway. With temperatures hovering in the low to mid-teens last Saturday, the water was frozen in many places.

There was one area in the gorge outside of Newhalem that had an interesting ice formation. I wish I could judge how tall this ran but it was probably close to 8 or 10 stories high. We did stop to take these photographs.

Now we wait for the spring thaw.

That's All Folks! - Part 1

Yep, the North Cascades Highway has closed for the season. We were fortunate enough to drive across it on one of the last days in operation. There was a temporary closure on Monday, November 29 that turned into a permanent seasonal closure on Wednesday. Our trip across was last Saturday.

Enjoy some scenes as we drove across.

Heading into the Park

Moon Above the Ridge

Lots of Snow!

On Approach to Washington Pass

Liberty Bell in the Distance

Below Liberty Bell

Just West of Washington Pass

Heading Towards Boulder Creek

Tomorrow I will share photos of ice along the NCH.

Fall Foliage - Part 2

Your fall foliage tour continues with our trip across Loup Loup Pass west of Okanogan, through the Methow Valley and across the North Cascades Highway.

More Views Along Highway 20

Traveling up towards Loup Loup Pass, the tamarack trees were in the midst of preparing for winter. The first year I saw this, I thought the trees were dying. Evergreens weren't supposed to drop their needles like deciduous trees drop their leaves. This is one tree that does! Yellow patches dotted the surrounding evergreen forests as we journeyed westward.

Turning Tamaracks

The Methow Valley had some beautiful fall scenery.

Welcome to the Methow

Birch Stands

Magnificence in Mazama

As we entered the Park Complex, the rain began to fall so you'll have to excuse some of the raindrops that show up on the pictures.

The outside temp was dropping as we got closer and closer to the pass. We could see the fresh layer of snow at the higher elevations but we still had rain where we were. Would it be snowing at the pass?

Heading Towards Washington Pass (notice the snow in background)

As we reached the pass, the rain was just a light drizzle and the temp was 36 degrees. The road surface was clear but you could see a light accumulation on the ground itself. Washington DOT had a plow stationed at the pass and it looked like it had seen recent action by the clumps of snow still on the blade.

Liberty Bell in the Clouds

Fresh Snow Capped Mountains

Now for the fun part. Two weeks ago when we came through Newhalem, I took a few pictures. When I looked back at them versus this past weekend's shots, I could clearly see the change in colors in the foliage. Can you?

October 10, 2010 <----------> October 24, 2010

I wish the fall foliage lasted longer because I do enjoy the colorful displays Mother Nature puts on for us. I suspect our trips across the North Cascades this year are numbered based on the weather this past weekend and the forecasted 24" of snow over the next couple of days.

Skywatch Friday #45 - Cascade Sunrise

As promised earlier in the week...

Cascade Sunrise

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