Fine Art Photography Blog

Just east of Snoqualmie Pass, the climate begins to change drastically. A desert opens up after the Cascade Mountains drop off; this isn’t the type of weather we typically associate with the Pacific Northwest. Across the “Mountains to Sound Greenway” from Keechelus Lake ( the source of the Yakima River ), is a small pond in the Aline Lakes Wilderness Area.

Ironically, Gold Creek is an artificial alpine lake. When the DOT was building I-90 in the late 1960s, the area was a gravel pit and storage yard for the construction vehicles. From humble beginnings comes a tranquil hike and a home for abundant wildlife.

A crop showing the distant snow-capped peak reflecting in the water, and the shore above … notice the deeply red tree, which is smaller and less distinct than the lone yellows:

Wildlife at Gold Creek

I’ve seen osprey, turkey vultures ( below ) and Canada geese, but the place is teeming with life. Beaver handiwork is abundant - gnawed through trees, mostly, with harder to find lodges. Deer and elk that feed near the pond, and there are brown bear in the area. The vultures were close enough that they could hear the mirror slapping in my camera with each photo, although they wouldn’t let this deter them from the hunt.

Autumn Leaves in the PNW

Colorful fall leaves are normally associated with New England, or even Colorado’s aspen covered mountainsides, but not usually the Evergreen State. The first image in this post hints at the splendor; brilliant yellow and red deciduous trees surrounded by the pines. In the mountains these are sparse, but at lower altitudes, the greenbelt looks like an Oriental carpet. Gold Creek is about 3,000 feet above sea level; Seattle has a lot of shoreline along Puget Sound, at sea level.

The autumn display is pretty regular and wide-spread. Below is a portrait at Gas Works Park, using out-of-focus leaves to simulate a tye-died background. There’s less of this coloration in the sub-alpine zone; just enough to draw the eye.