Well, Mount Baker might be the view from Pismawallops on a clear day, if Pismawallops existed outside of my imagination and my books (see Death By Ice Cream). Of course, it being Puget Sound, there aren't so many clear days.
Mount Baker...second largest volcano in Washington State. "The Mountain" for residents of the Bellingham area, the way Mt. Rainier is "The Mountain" for the Seattle area.
Baker is 10,781' tall. Like Rainier, it rises almost from sea level, so it looks more impressive than some much higher peaks. And it is covered with snow and glaciers year around (so far), making it one of the classic peaks of the Cascades.
Last erupting about 6700 years ago, Baker is a stratovolcano, made up from many flows of mostly rather gummy lava, over many thousands of years (tens to hundreds of thousands). The USGS (US Geological Survey) considers its risk level to be high, as the volcano is scarcely even dormant (though no lava has escaped in 6700 years, it's hot in there, and fresh magma intruded into the volcano as recently as 1975), and the region in the danger zone fairly well populated.
If the mountain erupted, Pismawallops Island would be a better place to be than the mainland, but might still not be far enough away to be safe!
For a special treat, today we have some photos from visiting travel photographer Tom Dempsey. Note: the photos are copyrighted, and Tom is a professional photographer. If you wish to share or use these pictures, please contact him for appropriate permission.
All photos © Tom Dempsey / PhotoSeek.com
First, the view from the Island, or nearby:
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| Washington State Ferry near Bellingham (and thus near Pismawallops) with Mt. Baker in the distance. |
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| Rotting tug and Mt. Baker |
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| North Cascades seen from the Sound. Mt. Baker obscured by clouds. |
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| Iceberg Lake |
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| Fall colors (mountain huckleberry). |
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| Lenticular cloud on Baker. |
consider buying the book "Light Travel: Photography on the Go" by Tom Dempsey to learn more about the magic of portable digital cameras and techniques for photographing the world.
Those are some gorgeous photos, especially the ones of the boats... how lovely. :)
ReplyDeleteAlex Hurst, A Fantasy Author in Kyoto
Out of Print, Fiction authors and their shorts
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Takes me back...I grew up on Puget Sound (thus the selection of the setting for my book, though "my" island was further south).
DeleteSo beautiful--makes me want to go hiking.
ReplyDeleteStrap on your boots and head out! Or are you back East, in which case it would be more a case of strapping on your snowshoes.
DeleteInteresting post about a beautiful mountain. Lovely photos - they really inspire me to go hiking. Grand nature scenery!
ReplyDeleteCharlotte @My Green Nook
I like the looks of Iceberg Lake. I haven't hiked in that area in years...maybe about time. Tom does great work.
DeleteWhat stunning photos of a beautiful place. They remind me of the Lake District in Cumbria.
ReplyDeleteThough the mountains are a bit taller! But as I've learned, elevation isn't the only measure of how gnarly a mountain is.
DeleteI love the one of the flowers. This is a beautiful A to Z post.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I can't take credit for either the flowers or the wonderful photos (except insofar as I made use of who I know!). I encourage people to check out Tom's web site!
DeleteJust fabulous! You'll be pleased to know I'm not doing lenticular clouds!
ReplyDeleteWhy not? I like lenticular clouds!
DeleteAlways had a deep fascination for volcanoes. These pictures are breathtaking! :)
ReplyDeleteSo are the summits! ;)
DeleteThose Cascade volcanoes always had a special something for me, because of knowing that they are barely even dormant, let alone extinct. After 1980 when St. Helens blew, no one in the region could pretend that it wasn't a possibility!
Those are some beautiful shots. I've climbed Mr. Rainer, but now I'll have to check out Baker too.
ReplyDeleteB is for Bob the planet.
I always did rather want to climb Rainier, but my one chance ended before it began, with heavy June snows and avalanche danger off the charts. We took one good look at the conditions, hiked a couple of miles, narrowly missed an avalanche, and turned around and went for beers at the Naches Tavern :D
DeleteBeautiful photos! Many of them look like paintings.
ReplyDeleteHe's good....not that I'm biased (my spouse just pointed out that I never mention that Tom is his brother. I don't think it changes anything--the photos are still amazing, and he works very hard to make them that way!).
DeleteWow! Those are some beautiful photos. It looks almost unreal. :-)
ReplyDeleteCait @ Click's Clan
The beauty of the world when we get away from cities never ceases to amaze me (cities amaze me as well, and are sometimes even beautiful. But it's not the same :) ).
DeleteIt is really beautiful there. My niece just moved to Washington state and loves it, so far.
ReplyDeleteThe Seattle area was my home for many years. I still miss the summers, but can't say I miss the winters there :)
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