This June, Emily and I made a road trip up to Oregon to visit family and explore some of Oregon’s beautiful country. We made a great big loop through the state, stopping at Ashland, Corvallis, Hammond, Vancouver, Portland, Hood River, Baker City, Sunriver, and Crater Lake. Each place had its own charms, its own character, and its own joys for us, but for photographic interest, I most enjoyed the Oregon coast, Hood River, and Crater Lake.
From Corvallis, we drove west on Hwy 20 to Newport, where we turned north and continued up the coast to Hammond. Along the way, we stopped to hike at Cape Lookout state park. Just north of there, we stopped by the side of the road at Netarts Bay, where I took the photograph below.
To my great joy, we found ourselves at Cannon Beach right before sunset, so I insisted we stop to see it. The photo below includes some of the famous sea-stacks of that area, and in the background, between the two nearer features, you can make out the lighthouse on Tillamook Rock.
In Hood River, we stayed with Emily’s Uncle Gordon – a fellow photographer – who led us on a tour of the many many beautiful spots in that area. I particularly enjoyed the Columbia River Gorge and seeing Mt Adams and Mt Hood (below) in all their splendor.
I was surprised to find so much snow remaining on the rim of Crater Lake in June. Some of the roads, and unfortunately all of the trails were still closed, but the snow added depth and contrast to the iconic beauty of the lake. Emily and I spent an evening watching a spectacular sunset develop over the lake. I took the photo below from a viewpoint just north of the Watchman, where we met an intrepid couple of travelers from Miami. It seemed that everyone else had vanished – gone to bed or a late dinner – and that the whole incredible show was put on just for the four of us.
