Emerald Park. Photo by Bob Gunning.
Tiger Lilies, Lookout Mtn. trail above N. Fork, Cascade River. Photo by Bob Gunning.
Beaver pond, Beaver Creek Valley. Photo by Bob Gunning.
N. wall of Mt Johannesburg, Cascade Peak from Cascade Pass trail. Photo by Bob Gunning.
Spider Meadow, Glacier Peak Wilderness. Photo by Bob Gunning.
Diablo & Ross Lakes from high camp near Colonial Peak. Photo by Bob Gunning.
Forest, Big Beaver Valley. Photo by Bob Gunning.
Newhalem, Wa. Photo by Bob Gunning.
McCallister Cr, Eldorado from summit of Snowfield Pk. Photo by Bob Gunning.
Big Beaver Valley, Luna - Fury cirque. Photo by Bob Gunning.
S Fork Cascade River. Photo by Bob Gunning.
Sulphide Creek. Photo by Bob Gunning.
Forest, Baker River trail. Photo by Bob Gunning.
Photo by Bob Gunning.
Aaron Hossack and Valerie Wall hike past an emerging patch of Yellow Glacier Lilies below Tomyhoi Peak in the Mount Baker Wilderness, WA. (c) Ethan Welty, 2010 www.weltyphotography.com
Jim Prager ascends the Eldorado Glacier below Eldorado Peak, past a large bergschrund, in North Cascades National Park, Washington. (c) Ethan Welty, 2010 www.weltyphotography.com
Unusual lenticular clouds build over the sawtooth ridges of the Washington Cascades as they form and peel off from the top of Mount Baker, as seen from Mount Shuksan, North Cascades National Park, Washington. (c) Ethan Welty, 2010 www.weltyphotography.com
Kevin Steffa leads a climbing team across the Sulphide Glacier below the summit pyramid of Mount Shuksan, North Cascades National Park, Washington. (c) Ethan Welty, 2010 www.weltyphotography.com
Sunset over Mount Baker viewed from below the summit of Mount Shuksan, North Cascades National Park, Washington. (c) Ethan Welty, 2010 www.weltyphotography.com
Early morning sun rays shine through the fog and mist enveloping a pine forest on a Winter morning, Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington. (c) Ethan Welty, 2010 www.weltyphotography.com
Climber Brian Polagye reads peak names off his topo map as he stands on the summit of Wallaby Peak, Okanogan National Forest, Washington. (c) Ethan Welty, 2010 www.weltyphotography.com
Michelle Hickner looks out over Cedar Falls, surrounded by Fall colors, on a forest hike near Mazama, Methow Valley, Washington. (c) Ethan Welty, 2010 www.weltyphotography.com
A series of waterfalls fall into the Boulder River in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington. (c) Ethan Welty, 2010 www.weltyphotography.com
A sparkling sun is reflected by water in the beautiful alpine basin at Tapto Lakes, North Cascades National Park, Washington. (c) Ethan Welty, 2010 www.weltyphotography.com
Whatcom Peak disappears from view as smoke from a nearby forest fire envelopes the beautiful alpine basin of Tapto Lakes, North Cascades National Park, Washington. (c) Ethan Welty, 2010 www.weltyphotography.com
Seen from Luna Peak, The Roost (l-r) and West McMillan Spire, towering above a thick fog layer, are illuminated at sunrise in North Cascades National Park, Washington. (c) Ethan Welty, 2010 www.weltyphotography.com
Jim Prager scrambles up Luna Peak at sunrise in the Northern Picket Range, North Cascades National Park, Washington. The view from the summit of Luna Peak is considered by those who have ventured there the most spectacular scenery of the Cascade Range. (c) Ethan Welty, 2010 www.weltyphotography.com
Ice on pond, Thunder Knob trail. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Picket Range from Thunder Knob. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Bacon Creek. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Mt. Index. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Cornice on Mt. Index. Photo by Philip Fenner.
San Juan Islands from Blanchard Mtn. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Anderson Lake. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Mt. Baker from near Anderson Lake. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Mt. Baker from upper slopes of Mt. Watson. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Heather near Watson Lake. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Lesser Watson Lake. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Bald Eagle, upper Methow River. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Winter sunset, ponderosa pine forest, Methow valley. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Goat Wall, Methow Valley. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Sloan Peak north face from Bedal Basin. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Trillium. Photo by Philip Fenner.
The Tooth from Red Pass above Commonwealth Basin. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Deep green, North Fork Sauk River valley. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Grouse near White Pass, Glacier Peak Wilderness. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Camp near White Pass, Glacier Peak Wilderness. Photo by Philip Fenner.
White Pass, Glacier Peak Wilderness. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Monte Cristo Range and Sloan Peak from near White Pass, Glacier Peak Wilderness. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Marmot near White Pass, Glacier Peak Wilderness. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Glacier Peak from Portal Peak. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Avalanche lilies near White Pass, Glacier Peak Wilderness. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Upper Lyman Lake, Glacier Peak Wilderness. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Lyman Lake, Glacier Peak Wilderness. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Hart Lake, Glacier Peak Wilderness. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Dumbbell Mtn, Glacier Peak Wilderness. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Bonanza Peak, Glacier Peak Wilderness. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Near Spider Gap, Glacier Peak Wilderness. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Deer near Lyman Lake, Glacier Peak Wilderness. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Black Bear near Bridge Creek. Photo by Philip Fenner.
"Blonde" black bear near Easy Pass. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Black bear in Fisher Basin. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Pine marten in Fisher Basin. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Grasshopper near Easy Pass. Photo by Philip Fenner.
Granite Creek (and Hwy 20) runs left-to-right in this image. This entire area is protected as "Scenic Highway Corridor", which is really no protection at all. It is worthy of status as National Park. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
Lake Ann is one of the most accessible areas of the North Cascades, sitting close to Hwy 20. Amazingly, despite it's receational and ecological values, this area is protected simply as part of the "scenic highway corridor", a designation that didn't stop a fuel tanker from dumping 6,000 gallons of diesel close by. Headwaters of the Skagit River via Granite Creek. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
Low camp in the high Cascades. Prime (that is, safe) avalanche viewing area. Camping, snowshoeing and cross country/back country skiing are favorite activities in the North Cascades. The sightseeing is pretty good too! Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
The ring around the sun is known as a sun dog, and is formed by ice crystals high in the atmosphere. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
Mix-UP, Triplets and Cascade Peak (l-r) loom above low camp, below Cascade Pass. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
Tower Creek marks the headwaters of the Methow River. Think of how many farmers, orchards, fish, critters and of course people depend on this river for our very livlihoods. Peaks on the horizon are in the Pasayten Wilderness, those in the middle and near distance are part of unprotected US Forest Service land (administrative designation of "Inventoried Roadless" in some instances). Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
Nugget Lakes nestle on the N side of Golden Horn. These lakes mark the true headwaters of the Methow River, and are far more valuable as a source of clean water for all who live downstream than any minerals that might be present. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
The E face of Golden Horn. Closely NW of here is Azurite mine--a superfund site. The need for formal congressional protection is obvious, be it National Park or Forest Service Wilderness. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
North Cascades sunset, June 30, 2008. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
Mt. Hardy sits above the W Fork Methow River--true headwaters. Upper Snowy Lake is seen on the lower left, and marks the headwaters of the Skagit River in the United States. This entire area falls outside formal federal protection--peaks in the background/distance are in North Cascades National Park. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
Resting along Swamp Creek. Aptly named, Swamp Creek gathers itself through a series of bogs and streamlets-snowmelt percolating through an intact forest, ultimately forming the headwaters of the Skagit River in the United States. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
A view of the Methow Mountains and Granite Creek trench. Note Hwy 20 cutting through the valley on left. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
Sunset on the Methow Mountains. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
Mesahchie Peak (l) and Kimtah Peak (r)--two fo the giants that form Ragged Ridge. Note the spectacular flying buttress off the N side of Kimtah. These peaks are in North Cascades National Park. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
Wide format shot of the Fisher Valley, North Cascades National Park. Note the buttress featured in previous photo, below Mt. Logan. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
Approaching Sibley Pass. The larger blocks in this image are the size of small cars. They are composed of dense, hard snow/ice. I ascended the "clean line" right up the center. I would not venture here if the peaks on the left were covered, and am actually glad to see the avalanches had occured--such "scrubbing" makes things a bit safer. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
Cutting the cornice. The crest peaks visible here are in Glacier Peak Wilderness, though in a curious line on the map, the burned section along the S side of Johannesburg Mountain (Pincer Creek) is outside National Park and Wilderness. We seek to correct this, and include it, along with the left side of the foreground ridge in North Cascades National Park. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
The Cascade River flows a vertical mile below Hidden Lake Lookout. Snowking Mountain with the Snowking Glacier beyond, with Three Fingers and Whitehorse seen in distance on right. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
Yes, there really is a lovely little house cabled to the top of this fang of rock in the North Cascades. Friends of Hidden Lake Lookout are to be commended for their efforts in maintaining this amazing structure. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
Nanny and I overlook the headwaters of Early Winters Creek--a principal tributary of the Methow River. This area is congressionally unprotected--see Americanalps.org. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
Golden Horn batholith (a rock formation that was laid down some 47 million years ago) extends from Golden Horn (far left) all the way to Liberty Bell and Early Winters Spires, and beyond (to the right and behind me). This entire area, including the very headwaters of the Skagit River, the Methow River, the Stehekin River and the Twisp River is outside congressional protection at this time. See Americanalps.org. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
Sunset, crest of the North Cascades June 12, 2010. See Americanalps.org. Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
Photo (c) 2010 by Tom Hammond.
Note there are at least five waves of mountains in this telephoto shot. Golden Horn (l), Tower Mountain (one of my favorites!) and the lovely colors of the Golden Horn batholith displayed on Liberty Bell.
Venus setting over Cutthroat Peak.
