Elk Cove from Vista Ridge (Aug 25)

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Splintercat
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Elk Cove from Vista Ridge (Aug 25)

Post by Splintercat » August 30th, 2019, 8:10 am

Late afternoon/evening hike on the mountain over the weekend -- haven't been on the trail nearly enough this year, but I don't miss my yearly trip to Elk Cove! Still my favorite spot on the mountain, and lovely as ever on Sunday! Here are some photos:

East meadow view, still with plenty of asters and western pasque flower seedbeds:

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Heading up through the Dollar Lake Burn on the Vista Ridge trail -- a wildflower garden seven years after the fire:

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Skeleton trees along the Vista Ridge Trail:

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Young Noble fir just starting to get a toe-hold here and there in the burn zone:

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LOTS of these... very distracting but tasty..! :-)

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Reaching the tree line on the Vista Ridge trail and the familiar view of Hood that emerges:

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Looking back on the Dollar Lake Burn with Pinnacle Ridge, Owl Point and the Washington Volcanoes beyond:

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West meadow at Elk Cove in late afternoon:

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East meadow at Elk Cove:

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Asters still going strong:

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Coe Glacier - lower crevasses below the main icefall:

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Some old fart out there on the trail... ;-)

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Hiking out the Vista Ridge trail as the sun faded away...

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Sunset from Vista Ridge... time to head back home... sigh...

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Hope everybody had a great summer on the trail!

Tom :-)

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Naturebat
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Re: Elk Cove from Vista Ridge (Aug 25)

Post by Naturebat » August 30th, 2019, 11:48 am

Beautiful photos! I've been meaning to get up there for two years already.

Do you think the pasqueflower seed heads will still have a good show in two weeks (by Aug 15th or so)? Specifically, in terms of photography viability.
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Webfoot
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Re: Elk Cove from Vista Ridge (Aug 25)

Post by Webfoot » August 30th, 2019, 3:56 pm

Lovely looking place. I wish it were in my reach.

ElementalFX, can I borrow your time machine? (August 15th?) ;)

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Splintercat
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Re: Elk Cove from Vista Ridge (Aug 25)

Post by Splintercat » August 30th, 2019, 4:35 pm

Do you think the pasqueflower seed heads will still have a good show in two weeks (by Aug 15th or so)? Specifically, in terms of photography viability.
I think so -- they're pretty durable until the fall rain/wind/snow starts in. Fall colors start to light up Elk Cove by late September, too..!

Tom :-)

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DannyH
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Re: Elk Cove from Vista Ridge (Aug 25)

Post by DannyH » August 31st, 2019, 9:06 am

Great photos Tom! I've started appreciating that side of the mountain more and more as of the last few years. Your pictures tell the story much better than the ones I snapped with my phone a few weeks ago.
"It isn't the mountain ahead that wears you out; it's the grain of sand in your shoe."

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Chip Down
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Re: Elk Cove from Vista Ridge (Aug 25)

Post by Chip Down » September 1st, 2019, 11:06 am

We must have been in very close proximity. I wonder if I would have recognized you if we had passed on the trail.

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markesc
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Re: Elk Cove from Vista Ridge (Aug 25)

Post by markesc » September 1st, 2019, 3:59 pm

Question:

So the noble firs; Were these planted or are they natural re-growth? I noticed a ton of them making good progress on the Elk Cove trail, but they are parked really close to eachother.

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markesc
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Re: Elk Cove from Vista Ridge (Aug 25)

Post by markesc » September 1st, 2019, 4:01 pm

That second to last shot of the flowers/dead tree's should be in a book!

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Splintercat
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Re: Elk Cove from Vista Ridge (Aug 25)

Post by Splintercat » September 2nd, 2019, 8:44 pm

Chris, those are naturally occurring seedlings. I learned a couple of years ago that the burn along Cloud Cap Road had been planted by construct with the USFS, BTW, which explains the large number of young conifers growing there!

Tom

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Re: Elk Cove from Vista Ridge (Aug 25)

Post by Splintercat » September 2nd, 2019, 8:46 pm

Chip, I’m pretty easy to spot on the trail... 😏 Enjoying your Hood explorations, BTW!

Tom

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