Locations in Washington and Oregon States... in December

[jneale]

I'm travelling to the north-west in late November - early December and looking for advice on interesting places to shoot at that time of year. Also, would appreciate any guidance on inexpensive accommodation in proximity to those sites. Many thanks! Jim

[masl]

It's a very large area (WA, OR & ID???) you're covering. Might help folks if you mention where you're 'base' will be.
I know a little about WA & OR: if you're a hiker, Cascades including Mt Baker, Mt Rainier, Mt Hood are all great and roadways should still be open (except maybe Rainier). It's the 'rainy season' by November but you can use that to an advantage visiting Olympic NP (rainforest, beaches & mountains let you pick a climate). Oregon coast is likely to be very wet but is beautiful for most of the run and a shortish run into N. Cal to redwood forests could be worthwhile. Eastern WA will be brown or white (or even black after all the fires). Palouse area is popular though I think it's best in Springtime or early autumn.
-Mark

[Vladimir Steblina]

The best advice....check the weather forecast and be prepared to be flexible.  Get a list of web cams to check for weather.

IF we have a high pressure area set up over the Pacific Northwest there is a good chance that eastern Washington will have high fog.  I hate this weather pattern.

IF this pattern sets up there is a good chance that the higher mountains will be clear.  This generally happens between 3,000 elevation plus.  So it is helpful to find web cams and their elevations so you can get up above the fog for bright sunny weather.  Great time to take photographs up in the mountains.

Western Washington and Oregon can be miserable this time of year with rain.  Be prepared for rain and photographing in it.  If there is a high pressure cell set up over the northwest there is a chance that there will be clear weather over western Washington and Oregon.

Eastern Washington can be beautiful this time of year IF you hit the right conditions, but the odds are against you.  Best time for great light is October.

[jneale]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've just purchased a small dome tent, cut a hole in the floor for my legs and attached it to a sturdy hat so I can just wear that around for the couple of weeks. Sheesh... picked the wrong time of year to visit.

[Arlen]

It's a challenging time of year to visit, but it can still be interesting. In Oregon, the east side of the Cascades is much drier and often is clear when the Willamette Valley is socked in. But it's colder, and most campgrounds are closed. To cross the mountain passes you may well need snow tires or chains, if a storm comes through. But if you are up for it, the snow-covered mountains are spectacular. The west side of the Cascades are much less likely to have snow, but it may well be rainy with foggy mornings. The coast can be very interesting under these conditions, if the wind is not up--actually warmer than farther inland. And if you like rain forests--well, you will be seeing them in under their most typical, namesake conditions.