I'm a heat wimp. Even in the cool Pacific Northwest, as I get older I can't handle mountain hikes on most summer days, esp. with an overnight pack loaded with camera gear. A rare "atmospheric river" last week thankfully cooled things down so I hatched plans to head up the Yellow Aster Butte trail near the Canadian border and Mt. Baker ski area. My pack was loaded down with my Sony A7cr, 20-70mm f4, 70-200mm f4 II, 1.4X, and 14mm f1.8, a small tripod, and extra batteries. Getting a relatively early start, and a slow steady pace, got me up in about 3 hours without too much sweat.
The first open view into the basin between Tomyhoi and Yellow Aster reveals the NW faces of Canadian and American Border Peaks. I took a two shot, hand held, focus stack that I manually masked in post.
4 vertical pano looking down to tarns and Tomyhoi peak behind. My camp was .25 mile to the left. I should have continued up onto Tomyhoi for better all-round views, but got mixed up on camp site directions from a trip report by a friend who was up here a couple years ago to shoot. I was a bit disappointed when I stopped without views to Mt. Baker, but decided to stay and follow Teddy Rosevelt's advice, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are" - my life and photography motto. In the end I think my best shots were looking north at sunset and wouldn't have been possible up higher. My site also had the advantage being far from the 3 other parties camped in the area (mid-week quiet).
The clouds had helped keep me cool on the hike and I hoped would make for a nice sunset. They also added interest to the mountains as they swirled in and out. Canadian on the left, American Border peak on the right.
I shot this view of Shuksan's north face at 280mm (with 1.4X) using the 16 shot pixel shift mode that let me crop in for even more zoom to show the sunlit pillar of Nooksack Tower, a climb I always wanted to do, but never got around to (and won't now).
Sunset looking north.
Mount Robie Reid in center
Mt. Shuksan & stars
Morning.
Last shot just before the trailhead. 2 shot focus stack.
Some beautiful shots here of some beautiful country, so neat to see and what a feeling to be up there like that hiking around, taking pictures and feeling like you're on top of the world.
Thanks for the comments guys, it was worth bringing all the camera gear. Now I have to return in the fall when the mountain huckleberry bushes turn red.
These are all really beautiful images. Together they do a great job of showcasing the different faces and moods of the place. "Mount Robie Reid in center" stands out to me in particular, I love the complex layers, color and light. But the one titled "Morning" is such a cool idea that I don't see very much at all. You really demonstrate the special quality of that morning light, including the inverse in the background shadows.
