American Alps — Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington, USA.

Taken during my first solo backpacking trip ever, and also my single best day of photography, this image is a reminder to me of why they refer to the North Cascade mountains as the “American Alps”. With jagged peaks, tall cascading waterfalls, and lush greens, this looked to me more like say, Switzerland, than anywhere else I’ve been in the US.

Sunset Ridge — Olympic National Park, Washington, USA.

Although this is a relatively popular day-hike, it was probably the “closest” wildlife encounter I’ve had on any of my hikes. Until recently, this area to be overrun with mountain goats, and they were quite aggressive towards people. As I was hiking up, I noticed a family of them up ahead on the trail.

I decided to stop, keep a safe distance, and wait to see if they would get off the trail. While I was waiting, another group of goats came down onto the trail behind me, so I was trapped! And one of the goats started jogging towards me.

I decided to go off the side of the trail, down a scree slope, which wasn’t in of itself dangerous, but I knew if the goat followed me off the trail, I would not be able to move fast. Fortunately the goat stopped right where I had been, and looked down at me, as if to taunt me or mark its territory.

I’ve since heard, and this may be apocryphal, that mountain goats were introduced to Olympic NP by humans in order to hunt them. Because the mountains in Olympic don’t have enough natural salt licks, they are attracted to the sweat and urine of people. At the time, I was covered in sweat, hiking uphill aggressively to make it in time for sunset, so it makes sense why the goat came towards me. Of course, I made it for sunset, with the help of some other hikers who scared the goats off, and I was treated to one of the best mountain views I’d ever seen.

Since then, the goats have been helicoptered from Olympic NP to North Cascades NP.

Sunset in the North Cascades — Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington, USA.

Another image taken on my first solo backpacking trip, and “best day of photography” ever, from the same location as the others, but facing a different direction!

Flowers and Mountains— Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington, USA.

This is probably my favorite image taken from my first solo backpacking trip and best ever day of photography. To me this shows the absolute best of the North Cascades, and why they are tied with Glacier National Park for my favorite mountains in the continental US.

Sunrise in the American Alps — Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington, USA.

Another image from my best day of photography ever, this one of sunrise. I woke up about 30 minutes before sunrise, to a completely clear sky, but this planar sheet of cloud FLEW in at incredible speeds just in time to catch all the light! As I saw this happening, I was literally laughing out loud, I couldn’t believe my luck after such a great afternoon and evening of shooting the previous day.

Mount Judge Howay at Dusk — Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington, USA.

Another image from my first solo backpacking trip, looking over the Canadian border at the distinctive twin peaks of Mount Judge Howay, 50 miles away.

Mount Baker — Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington, USA.