The Start of Something Beautiful
On a scorching hot, early July afternoon two friends and I packed up our bags and drove out to Mount Rainier National Park for one of our first overnight trips for the year. We were excited to finally be able to stretch our legs prepare ourselves for the upcoming hiking season. Wildflowers, deer, and fantastic views of one of the tallest mountains in the lower 48 were all frequent things we enjoyed on the trip. As a matter of fact, once you're in the National Park there's hardly a spot in there that doesn't have an eye popping view of the mountain. It's truly gorgeous from all sides and even though I haven't spent nearly as much as I'd like there, it's one of my favorite places to go explore.
Wildflower season is short and sweet here in Washington so if you can get into the mountains when they're at their peak, it's an amazing experience. The red flowers you see are called Indian Paintbrush and are my absolute favorite flower around here. The striking red color contrast so beautifully against the landscapes here.
Side Note and Pro Tip
I often don't carry a tripod with me for weight reasons when I'm backpacking but if I really need to setup a shot with a long exposure like this one, I pile up rocks for my camera to sit on. It's not the best solution but it works surprisingly well AND it allows you to get super low to the ground so the foreground really fills up your frame, much lower than my tripod, believe it or not.