Getting to Mt St Helens by itself is fun. The Highway 504 enroute is just perfect – be it bicycle, motorcycle or a casual car drive. It has some sweeping turns and plenty of turn offs at viewpoints to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Pacific North West. The drive up takes you to the Johnston Ridge Observatory. A little rustic building filled with history and even more adored with a picture perfect view of the Mt. St. Helens. The volcanic eruption of the 1980 created a huge crater, losing almost 14% of its elevation and resulting in the flattened top. The debris spurred around for ~250 miles, impacting the entire ecosystem. Even today, after decades, one could still witness the ashes on some part of the wilderness trees. Each element around - the landscape, the deteriorating but majestic trees, the mountain, the fissures of lava – each remind us of the power of nature. The sun actually sets behind you as you enjoy the mountain view. But this particular evening the light was just magical and it was fire across the sky. Given the vicinity to the visitor center and the concrete paved walkway, it lends itself well for night photography, especially if ur worried to hike up in the dark. It is amazing to view the milky way above St. Helens. Additionally the expansive view also opens up possibilities for some creative panoramas too :)
Eagle Creek Trail is just gorgeous and magical. The round trip hike is 12 miles, but it is definitely worth even to hike up just to Punch Bowl (round trip ~ 3.4 miles). A stop off at 1.5 miles let you get a peek at the lovely Metlako Falls too. There are a few narrow sections with 500 foot pl us drop offs. If you are worried about the height, several have a cable to hold onto on the uphill side. Punchbowl can be enjoyed from above or down below. When you finally get down to Punch Bowl Falls, the only way to see it from the end of the trail is to walk across the vast rocky stream and bingo – she is straight ahead with amazing view. Definitely plan on wearing waterproof boots or waders ! I was there around June and decided to venture into the water with bare foot. The water was still cold and the rocks slippery. It is neither a pleasant feeling to hike back 2 miles in wet shoes :) If you are in sync with nature, there is beauty even when things come crashing down, like the waterfall :)
Cave Point is a little park - off the beaten track with beautiful views of the rock ledges along Lake Michigan. This probably is the most beautiful areas in Door County, WI. The hiking was fabulous and allows to enjoy the thrill of climbing down the rocks to get close to the waves crashing against them. Make sure you wear good shoes as the rocks can be a bit tricky especially if you want to climb down towards the water. The effects of water and wind erosion on these cliffs is very prominent, leading to the creation of carved pools and caves (hence the name). Witnessing a lovely sunrise from one of these caves, as the high waves and the cold water was splashing across, along with the early morning breeze caressing the face - It was just serene & breathtakingly beautiful. I strongly believe, what we feel while looking at a photograph is proportional to what the photographer felt when making it :) the idea is that connection transcends the photograph. Looking forward to witness, capture and share many beautiful sunrises and more in 2015 !!!
