Yakima Peak at Tipsoo Lake

yakima peak tipsoo lake frost

   This shot of Yakima Peak behind a frosty Tipsoo Lake in Mount Rainier National Park was yet another learning experience. I learned that if you set your alarm on a hotel clock radio, check that the time is set properly. As a consequence to my lack of due diligence, I missed sunrise, but I did see Tipsoo Lake for the first time so it wasn’t all bad.

   On this particular morning I estimate that it was about -10°C (14°F) which was a bit chillier than I had anticipated. All the frost had heaved up the soil on the trail a few inches which made walking on it a bit tricky in spots but I think the crunching sound helped wake me up a bit. Sometimes I wish I could stand the taste of coffee. This turned out to be a bit late in the season for good fall colour at Rainier but I still like this shot of Yakima Peak rising above Tipsoo Lake with the foreground of frosty wildflower stems and leaves. A week later and this area had about 2 feet of snow. I can only imagine how much must be up there right now.

Panorama of Tipsoo Lake and Mt. Rainier

Panorama of Mount Rainier and Tipsoo Lake in late October. Yakima Peak is on the right.

8 exposures stitched, Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM @ 17mm

mt rainier tipsoo lake yakima peak

   What a difference a week makes! I shot this panorama of Tipsoo Lake 8 days ago in Mt. Rainier National Park about 90 minutes after sunrise. A bit late in the season for the good fall color (a Ranger told me I missed that by a week only) but still a pretty spot to be. It was cold that morning, probably about 20°F (about -6°C or so) and sunny with a few clouds all weekend. Less than one week later it began to snow. Right now SR 410 (which was right behind me at this spot) at Chinook Pass is closed here due to avalanche danger. It would appear that Paradise has a few feet of snow and more coming fast. Many of the roads are closed, some for the season. I was quite fortunate to be there on the last weekend of fall before all the snow.

Sunrise Point Panorama

Panorama from Sunrise Point in Mt. Rainier National Park. From left to right: Crystal Mountain, Yakima Peak, Natches Peak, Governors Ridge, Tamanos Mountain, Goat Island Mountain, Cowlitz Chimneys, Little Tahoma, and Mt. Rainier. The White River is in the foreground.

11 exposures stitched, Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM @ 17mm

Click for larger version…
sunrise point and mt rainier