Mt Hood and Hood River Valley

Mt Hood in Spring from Pine Grove

Mt. Hood rises majestically above blossoming pear trees at Pine Grove, Oregon in April.

As the last light departs the day, tracks in Pine Grove point to Mt Adams

Minutes before sunset, the last light of the cloud-diffused sun illuminates Mt Adams in Washington while Pine Grove rests in the blue light of a night sky. Nestled in the fruit growing region of Hood River Valley, Pine Grove is surrounded by cherrry and pear trees, not pines. Pine Grove is a center for fruit packing and shipping. Surprisingly, the best view down the street is of Mt. Adams in Washington, not Oregon's Mt. Hood that dominates the view driving south on Oregon 35. I enjoy complex images where lots of story lines can be imagined. (I removed an annoying stop sign. Please don't tell ODOT)

Sunset Erupts on Mt. Hood

Foreshadowing a frightening future event when Hood - like its sister volcano Mt. St. Helens - reawakens, the setting sun reflects off wind-driven snow on Mt. Hood's north side, May 5, 2007. Mt. Hood is a dormant volcano 50 miles east of Portland, Oregon where it is located on the Pacific rim of file. This view is from the east side about 5 miles south of the I-84 and OR 35 exit for Hood River. The sun is not in the image. It is far to the right and north of the mountain. This unusual sunset event is a fortunate combination of a storm on Hood, cloud formation over Hood, clouds farther to the west and the sun setting at exactly the right angle north of Hood. It had been cloudy that evening, but I decided to see if I could get a shot of Hood before the end of the day anyway. I was amazed by the view, jumped from my car grabbing the tripod and starting to shoot with out checking exposure or focus. Fortunately, the event lasted long enough for me to slow down, get composed and take a couple of dozen images. I've never seen a more dramatic natural event.

Spring blossoms in the Hood River Valley

A pink ornamental towers over the white flowers of the working fruit groves below. Located near Pine Grove in the Hood River Valley, Oregon. Searching for a sunset location about 6 PM, I drove by the cemetary near Pine Grove and noticed the pink blossoms from the road. I walked back and spent 45 minutes photographing the tree, fruit groves and Mt. Hood. Finished, I packed up a 7PM and drove out. When I saw the view from the road again and realized that it was better than the ones I'd been shooting. So I pulled over right there, set up the tripod and photographed another 15 minutes until the light was gone. This was one of the first shots of the second set. [Explore May 3, 2012 #368]

Mt Hood in twilight's pink glow

Viewed from the observatory grounds in Goldendale, Washington, Mt Hood stands blue against a pink twilight sky.

Hood River Valley orchards in bloom

Looking north in the Hood River Valley, Mt Adams in Washington dominates the horizon at the end of the spring blooming season.

Wind sports mecca, Hood River

Kiteboarders and windsurfers flock to the summer wind capital at Hood River, Oregon. Here, ant-sized kiters fly off the sand spit at the mouth of the Hood River. Mt. Hood to the south provides the dramatic backdrop for a beautiful kiting or sailing location. This mid-afternoon shot captures the peak of the kiting action. Oh, yes, the wind-driven white caps on the Columbia River are usual, unlike almost every other river. View this image at full screen to see the individual kiters. It was uploaded at 4096x2726. The detail is phenomenal from just 12 mega pixels - but not quite good enough to see the kite lines :) Note that contacts can see the original uploaded file.

Hood River at dusk

The lights of Hood River and the bridge to Washington surround the mouth of Hood River. Mt Hood punctures the twilight skyline. Most likely, Jupiter is visible as a tiny stretched dot in the full resolution image about one-third of the way to the top of the screen from Mt. Hood's peak and to the right. No star outshines Jupiter, except our sun of course.

A midst pear blossoms in the Hood River Valley

On a cloudy mid-April day, Mt. Hood towers behind the red barn admist the pear blossoms in the Hood River Valley, Oregon. The towering appearance of Mt Hood benefits from the use of an 80mm short telephoto.

Autumn begins atop Cooper Spur

At the end of the Hood River Valley, Cooper Spur road climbs up Mt Hood in Oregon. 

At the end of September, Nature prepares it's autumn coat of colors at the last farm from Parkdale south to Mt Hood and Cooper Spur.

A beautiful resting place

The cemetary in Pine Grove, Oregon overlooks blossoming pear orchards, the fertile Hood River Valley and Mt. Hood. Restful most of the year, in the late summer and early fall, Pine Grove is a busy place packing and shipping the pear harvest. [Explored August 1, 2014 #10]