LAKE ENGALLS EQUALS LARCH HEAVEN

Very fall i always come across numerous pictures of the beautiful larch tree on FB, Twitter and Instragram from fellow hikers. But not once have i ever seen for myself their pure beauty.
This year changed that and it was about time.  I've been hiking since 2006 finally the long foolish Larch holdout ended.
My first adventure into larch territory was in the amazing Enchampments. My second adventure was the modest but short day hike to Lake Engalls.
If your a hiker or outdoor photographer Lake Engalls is a must.
The day my friend Hannah and I hiked the trail was not the best fall day to say the least but worth it all. 
We were hoping to catch the weather between storms and hoping we were far enough east the weather would hold out!
Not the case. I've never been so cold and wet, and I'm sure i can speak for Hannah also, as we got caught on the hike out in a blustery rain storm which blew down a few trees along the trail. 
All in all though, we discovered an amazing spot that we'll definitely have to explore in further detail in 2016.

Lake Engalls

Lake Engalls

Links:
Washington Trail Association trail report
 Google Maps Seattle to trailhead
Info about Larches

TOLMIE PEAK LOOKOUT

At least once a year a I have to visit Mt Rainier if not more. The majestic mountain is so prominent looming above it's surroundings that it's a joy to get high and just relax your eyes on it's snow capped slopes.
It was my first time up to Rainier this year and i wanted to get some time lapse videos of moving clouds over Rainier.
So i headed up to Mowich lake on Mt Rainier National park's NW side. From Mowhich lake there's a short 7.5 mile round trip hike up to Tolmie Peak lookout. From the lookout you have a great vantage point to gaze upon Rainier. 
Most people stop at the lookout but the true Tolmie Peak is just a little farther and offered me solitude.

The clouds were finally clearing at dusk

I set up shop on Tolmie Peak as the clouds slowly started to dissipate. The weather called for the clouds to clear in the evening. The clouds were doing just that but slower than i wanted. So i took a short relaxing nap.
Upon waking up I took several videos hoping the mountain would reveal it's self ......but nothing. On my last video my battery died just as the tip of Rainier was being revealed. Bummer!!!!!!
On the hike out, which was earlier than i planned, i hiked by a fellow photographer who's camera was humming away. He also was capturing some time lapses.
All in all a great beautiful relaxing day!! 
The below pictures were taken mostly with my camera phone.

Fresh Huckleberries from the trail

Eunice lake with the lookout above

Looking down on Eunice lake

A Gray Jay hanging out giving me photography tips

Tolmie Fire Lookout

Mt Rainier finally revealing itself

Mt Rainier from up in the lookout

Mt Rainier from the lookout

Indian Paintbrush

Indian Paintbrush

The trail just above Lake Eunice

Tolmie fire
lookout from Tolmie Peak

Our Story of Conquering Mt Shasta (youtube video)

I had the privilege to climb along with the FANTASTIC FOUR  to the top of 14,162 foot Mt Shasta this year in June. 

I couldn't have made it up without each one of them!! Thanks Ben, Debbie, Kelly and David!!


Thanks to David "man thighs" Smith for putting in the time to make this awesome video slideshow so all can share in our journey to the top! 

David.... your a close brother, best friend, accountability partner, childhood friend and with high alpine air now within our lungs we'll conquer the next mountain together!!


Let the story begin

Mt Shasta via two timelapses

On a recent trip to summit Mt Shasta i fooled around with my camera, and fooling around is all it really is, with the time lapse function. 

Then yet again i fooled around at home making this cheesy video slideshow. 

But hey i enjoy fooling around!

Enjoy

Music artist in slideshow: The Appleseed cast

                    Album: Sagarmatha

                      Song: Like the locust (shake hands                                 with the dead)

   Check them out: 

http://greenkansas.wix.com/theappleseedcast

A Pictorial Journey to the top of Mt Shasta

Conquering Mt Shasta this year was simply amazing. I can't wait to write a couple blog posts about it! So here's to the first one. Its simply pictures taken along the epic journey. Enjoy!
Thanks to David Smith, my best friend along with Ben, Kelly and Debbie. Without you guys the whole trip would have never went as well, as epic, as it did! Thanks!!

Hope these  pics inspire everyone to go climb something!!!!!!!

Heading up from Horse Camp... with no horses..drat!! I guess i just gained 35 lbs for 3 days!

The first snow patch among many patches and annual snow fields on the trail

Being last on the trail has it's benefits...pictures and more pictures

Starting up Avalanche Gulch....with no avalanche's hopefully

At this point i told the whole group that.....most of the trail is covered in snow but they continued to go barefoot.....

Base camp was just above the rock eyebrow in the middle right of the pic

Heading to Lake Helen our base camp

The wet slushy slug of a hike continues

Evidence of spring avalanche's (the rocks on the right) remind us to be alert

100 yards to base camp

Looking down from base camp at where we started

Base camp at last!

Looking up Avalanche Gulch at the route for the next day, summit day!

Our home for the night

Base camp at Helen Lake

Sunset at 10,433 ft

The early morning summit hike from base camp

Heading up at first light

There's nothing like climbing at sunrise

The CREW!!!

Shasta's shadow

David a.k.a "man thighs" leading the way

Follow the leader... follow the dots

Entering the Red Banks

Can you see base camp?

Red Banks 

The slow pokes behind us

Just above Red Banks with David giving the team "the look" to get going

 Thumb Rock 12,923 ft

Our world is VAST!

At last we can see the summit block

Looking down at 12,330 ft Shastina

Taking a break before the summit push

Add caption

Putting our names in the summit register

Ben, Kelly and Debbie claiming their share of the 14,162 Mt Shasta

David claiming his share as i nervously take photos hoping a wind gust doesn't surprise us

Go COUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go HAWKS!!!!!!

Heading down from being on top of the world

    IF WE CAN CLIMB MT. SHASTA THEN                                YOU CAN!!!