Tag Archives: larch

The rain falls for two days and nights, drifting through the trees, chilled by the breath of oncoming winter. Here at the Klipchuck Campground in the Methow Valley at the tail end of September, Jesse, Al, and I are waiting for the weather to turn so we can head up into the mountains. The rain falling here is likely falling …

When autumn weaves it’s magical tapestry of yellow, crimson and orange, certain places become holy sites. Shrines to the whimsical palette of Mother Nature. The hardwood forests of New England are, of course, famous. The aspen-covered mountains of Colorado. The brilliant magenta tundra slopes of the arctic. Closer to home, larch forests adorn the eastern slopes of the Cascades, offering …

Every season in the Northwest has a special magic, but autumn always offers something unique and invigorating before winter’s long dark rainy days. For outdoor enthusiasts, the air is crisp and bright; the mountains are free of bothersome insects, and—from the sub-arctic to the Selkirks, Purcells, Rockies, and Cascades—a myriad of ecosystems unveil their autumn finery before the snows settle …

When a freak autumn storm blew in to the Cascades, dumping snow and packing winds in excess of 50 MPH, our long-anticipated eight day backpacking trip to the Enchantment Lakes was suddenly not looking like such a great idea. After a series of long-distance phone calls and a flurry of e-mails, we shifted direction and headed to the Canadian Rockies, …

Sure, the East Coast is famous for it’s fall colors, and yes, those hardwood forests are breathtaking. The Rocky Mountains are  also renowned for stunning display of aspens at this time of the year. But neither color show exceeds the splendor of the high altitude larch forests of the eastern slopes of the North Cascades. Larch forests are scattered among the …