Those mountains were beautiful that morning, Jeff. I thought the drive and the hike were well worthwhile. The wind that was driving those clouds was icy cold, and I had to find a sheltered place to get a heavier jacket and gloves out of my pack.
Do you recommend any good resources for hikes in these roadless areas? I have “Trails of the Wild Cabinets”, but judging by your pics that book only scratches the surface of possibilities in the Thompson River area!
Thanks for stopping by, Aaron. I sent you an email so you would have my address.
The best resource that I have found is the local Ranger Stations. I also have a book “Fire Lookouts of the Northwest” by Ray Kresek that does give information on the old lookout sites. I like to hike to those peaks because they usually have good trails (coming from the old pack trails that supplied the lookouts) and were chosen especially for their visibility of the surrounding areas.
I thought of waterfalls, or surf, too. The wind was swirling up from the valley to the east and was blowing the clouds up and over the peak and ridges. It looked as though they were boiling.
I like them too. I will post more, but just a few at a time in between other stuff. I’m hoping in the next week or so to get into the high country again and perhaps see more clouds down below.
I don’t think so, Chad, although it’s quite close to the lookout. It’s very steep right there. There is another lake that’s to the north of the peak and the map shows a trail to it, so I imagine that was the water source. I wanted to hike the trail that went the other way into the Cherry Peak area so I didn’t try to hike to that lake. Either way getting water would have provided a lot of exercise for the lookout!
Good heavens, I thought I’d commented on this one before, seems I hadn’t.
It’s wonderful – all that cloud (must make it very cold up there, though). While we don’t live in mountains here, we’re in a valley and the distant hills and further mountains are often wreathed in mist-like cloud. It’s like something out of Tolkien! – As is this. Mythical.
It was cold up there on that morning, Val. The ground was frozen. The wind-driver clouds did stage a mythical looking light show as new scenes showed up and others disappeared.
That first shot is incredible!
Comment by Jeff Lynch — October 12, 2010 @ 8:56 pm
Those mountains were beautiful that morning, Jeff. I thought the drive and the hike were well worthwhile. The wind that was driving those clouds was icy cold, and I had to find a sheltered place to get a heavier jacket and gloves out of my pack.
Comment by montucky — October 12, 2010 @ 9:24 pm
Wow. To just see the first photo, one would assume it was taken from a plane. How spectacular!
Comment by Candace — October 12, 2010 @ 10:02 pm
A plane would be the next step up from these peaks, but on foot you get to sit and enjoy the scene as long as you want.
Comment by montucky — October 13, 2010 @ 10:05 am
Do you recommend any good resources for hikes in these roadless areas? I have “Trails of the Wild Cabinets”, but judging by your pics that book only scratches the surface of possibilities in the Thompson River area!
Comment by Aaron — October 12, 2010 @ 11:05 pm
Thanks for stopping by, Aaron. I sent you an email so you would have my address.
The best resource that I have found is the local Ranger Stations. I also have a book “Fire Lookouts of the Northwest” by Ray Kresek that does give information on the old lookout sites. I like to hike to those peaks because they usually have good trails (coming from the old pack trails that supplied the lookouts) and were chosen especially for their visibility of the surrounding areas.
Comment by montucky — October 13, 2010 @ 10:22 am
Wow, you are in the clouds!
We are in the mountains tonight, too — above 7,000 feet. In Colorado. Maybe some of those clouds will hang around on this mountain top…
Comment by Bo Mackison — October 13, 2010 @ 2:40 am
I hope you’re having a good tim up there, Bo! I’ve really been enjoying the photos you have been posting!
Comment by montucky — October 13, 2010 @ 10:23 am
I’ve seen clouds like these before when I was flying in a plane and looking down upon them. Have never seen a mountain up and personal like this.
Comment by Preston — October 13, 2010 @ 3:57 am
I hope you get a chance some day to see mountains this way, Preston. I know you and Anna would just love the experience.
Comment by montucky — October 13, 2010 @ 12:03 pm
We would at that Montucky.
Comment by Preston — October 20, 2010 @ 3:46 am
You pick the most beautiful places for taking pictures.
The first gives a good impression of the range and scale.
Comment by Carsten — October 13, 2010 @ 3:58 am
Thank you Carsten. It is usually difficult to show the true scale in just photo.
Comment by montucky — October 13, 2010 @ 12:36 pm
Wow, those are amazing! The second one almost looks like a raging waterfall tumbling over the mountain.
Comment by kateri — October 13, 2010 @ 5:12 am
I thought of waterfalls, or surf, too. The wind was swirling up from the valley to the east and was blowing the clouds up and over the peak and ridges. It looked as though they were boiling.
Comment by montucky — October 13, 2010 @ 12:38 pm
Ahhhh… my favorite shots. Above the clouds!!
Comment by Robin — October 13, 2010 @ 5:31 am
I like them too. I will post more, but just a few at a time in between other stuff. I’m hoping in the next week or so to get into the high country again and perhaps see more clouds down below.
Comment by montucky — October 13, 2010 @ 12:41 pm
Wow! The first photo is amazing! Love the depth, detail, and awesome power.
Comment by Anna — October 13, 2010 @ 8:51 am
It is a pretty awesome place. I’m used to seeing them, but the mountains never fail to give me that feeling.
Comment by montucky — October 13, 2010 @ 12:42 pm
Terry:
The lake shown in the first photo would that have been the water source for Eddy Pk LO?
Chad
Comment by Chad — October 13, 2010 @ 10:27 am
I don’t think so, Chad, although it’s quite close to the lookout. It’s very steep right there. There is another lake that’s to the north of the peak and the map shows a trail to it, so I imagine that was the water source. I wanted to hike the trail that went the other way into the Cherry Peak area so I didn’t try to hike to that lake. Either way getting water would have provided a lot of exercise for the lookout!
Comment by montucky — October 13, 2010 @ 12:45 pm
I love looking down on the clouds – usually because it means I have hiked some good miles before sunrise.
Comment by Daveabirding — October 13, 2010 @ 10:59 am
Yep. That makes the views even sweeter, doesn’t it!
Comment by montucky — October 13, 2010 @ 12:45 pm
Up in the clouds in the mountains in Montana – Sounds perfect to me!!! LoL!
Comment by Tricia — October 13, 2010 @ 11:37 am
I agree, Tricia. Doesn’t get much better than that!
Comment by montucky — October 13, 2010 @ 12:46 pm
Lovely work as always..I would never tire of your views or images Terry !!
Comment by Bernie Kasper — October 13, 2010 @ 1:43 pm
I wish you could spend some time in this area Bernie… and take back a thousand or so photos!
Comment by montucky — October 13, 2010 @ 2:18 pm
This is my new favorite shot of yours! Being up there must have been a glorious experience.
Comment by sandy — October 13, 2010 @ 3:03 pm
It was. There will be more opportunities for situations like that before winter sets in, or at least I hope so.
Comment by montucky — October 13, 2010 @ 3:19 pm
These shots are incredible! A feast for the senses.
Comment by Cait — October 13, 2010 @ 8:51 pm
“A feast for the senses” is a very good way to describe what one sees up there on a day like that was, Cait. It’s very easy to decide to go again.
Comment by montucky — October 15, 2010 @ 10:28 pm
OMG. The first photo is one of the best photos (nature) I have ever seen. Congratulations!!!
Comment by sartenada — October 14, 2010 @ 11:11 pm
Thank you Sartenada!
Comment by montucky — October 15, 2010 @ 10:29 pm
Good heavens, I thought I’d commented on this one before, seems I hadn’t.
It’s wonderful – all that cloud (must make it very cold up there, though). While we don’t live in mountains here, we’re in a valley and the distant hills and further mountains are often wreathed in mist-like cloud. It’s like something out of Tolkien! – As is this. Mythical.
Comment by Val Erde — October 18, 2010 @ 11:59 am
It was cold up there on that morning, Val. The ground was frozen. The wind-driver clouds did stage a mythical looking light show as new scenes showed up and others disappeared.
Comment by montucky — October 21, 2010 @ 3:55 pm