Cinematic aerial footage of Mount Hood rising high above the clouds during a beautiful summer sunrise in Oregon’s Cascade Mountain Range.
Mount Hood is a potentially active stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc. It was formed by a subduction zone on the Pacific coast and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located about 50 miles east-southeast of Portland, on the border between Clackamas and Hood River counties.
In this episode of the Peak Northwest video series, host Jim Ryan cycles the spectacular McKenzie Pass Scenic Bikeway in central Oregon. The ride is framed by the Cascades and beautiful forests, and it’s punctuated by a historic, if not eerie, observatory — constructed from the same lava rock that surrounds it for miles. To some, the area is an unsettling moonscape. To others, it’s begging to be explored on two wheels.
At 6254 feet, Blue Lake sits quietly a little over two trail miles from Highway 20. With towering granite peaks, forests, meadows, wildflowers, and of course the beautiful mountain lake surrounded by granite that reaches for the sky, this short hike is easily a classic and should be on your must-hike list. With only 1050 feet of elevation gain this hike is doable for almost everyone.
Leavenworth Area and Mount Rainier National Park, Washington State.
Leavenworth is a Bavarian-styled village in the Cascade Mountains, in central Washington State. Alpine-style buildings with restaurants serving German beer and food line Front Street. The Nutcracker Museum displays thousands of nutcrackers, some dating back centuries. On the Wenatchee River, Waterfront Park is a habitat for ospreys and eagles. The village is a gateway to nearby ski areas and wineries.
Mount Rainier National Park is an American national park located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County in Washington state. The park was established on March 2, 1899 as the fifth national park in the United States, preserving 236,381 acres (369.3 sq mi; 956.6 km2) including all of Mount Rainier, a 14,411-foot (4,392 m) stratovolcano.
The mountain rises abruptly from the surrounding land with elevations in the park ranging from 1,600 feet to over 14,000 feet (490–4,300 m). The highest point in the Cascade Range, Mount Rainier is surrounded by valleys, waterfalls, subalpinemeadows, and 91,000 acres (142.2 sq mi; 368.3 km2) of old-growth forest. More than 25 glaciers descend the flanks of the volcano, which is often shrouded in clouds that dump enormous amounts of rain and snow.
Filmed and Edited by: Cuda Films
Located on the eastern slopes of the Cascades in Central Oregon, the Deschutes National Forest offers year-round recreation opportunities. Home to more than 1.6 million acres, the Forest spans a variety of landscapes and ecosystems. The Forest gains more than 9,000 feet in eleveation from its lowest point at Lake Billy Chinook (1,950 ft) to its highest atop South Sister’s summit (10.358 ft).
With more than 80 campgrounds across the Deschutes National Forest, visitors enjoy campsites featuring a wide-variety of picturesque backdrops. Camping opportunities range from rustic, walk-in sites to sites accomodating full-size RV’s and trailers.
Five wilderness areas fall within the Deschutes National Forest boundary–Diamond Peak Wilderness, Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, Mt. Thielsen Wilderness, Mt. Washington Wilderness and Three Sisters Wilderness. Each wilderness offers visitors a unique experience; from sweeping summit views to alpine lakes, these areas provide the perfeect backdrop for a day hike or backpacking trip.
Washington is home to some of America’s wildest spaces and also its most modern cities. The Evergreen State is a story of mirror opposites: a wet, mountainous, tree-covered west and a dry, flat, open east. It is home to high-tech industries and America’s oldest Native American tribes. Experience all sides of Washington State, from thousands of feet in the air, and witness its conflicting worlds merging to form a land of remarkable beauty.
From the Series: Aerial America: Washington: http://bit.ly/2z2uGYE
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