Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park, Washington

The Hoh Rainforest is one of the wettest places in all of the continental United States, and has been on my bucket list for years after moving to Washington. The Hoh Rainforest wasn’t dry per se, but it was definitely experiencing a drought, much like most of the west this year. The rangers had posted that it had received 5-7 inches less rain than previous years. It’s a bit of a drive to get here (although one of the prettiest I have ever driven), and it can become a crowded experience, especially during a weekend. However, it was still great to visit and a wonderful spot to see. Hopefully it will survive the implications of climate change, because it’s a gorgeous place in the world. This was taken towards the end of the Spruce Nature Trail. It was definitely one of the highlights within our visit of Olympic National Park. My inner critique would be, get low and get close (again)!

Taken with my 3D World TL-120, and again with Fuji Provia 100f film.

Old Rag Mountain Views

Ektachrome 200 (I think, check slide mount notation). A little over exposed, handheld with a Sputnik on loan from Chuck Holzner.

Old Rag Mountain is about a five hour hike in the foothills of the Shenandoah (8.5 miles), north of Charlottesville. Here’s a picture of my betrothed Michele as we near the summit, with the ridge along which we climbed in the background. In some places, the trail involves some surprisingly challenging rock-scrambling (I would jest, “we forgot our ropes!”).

Ektachrome 200 (I think, check slide mount notation). A little under exposed, handheld with a Sputnik on loan from Chuck Holzner.

This is the view from the summit at Old Rag Mt., again looking back from the way we came. Off in the distance, you can see the rocks upon which the earlier image was made – notice the other hikers there? Getting from there to the summit took about a half hour. It was crowded and hot when we did this hike in the summer of 2010. I rather like the under-exposure in this view, as it gives detail to the sky.