Luminous Landscape Forum
The Art of Photography => Landscape Showcase => Topic started by: Arlen on July 30, 2022, 10:20:23 pm
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The men stood almost frozen atop the ridge as they gazed down at the summer-like scene, about three thousand feet below them. “It’s a miracle,” someone in the small party said.
“Or maybe a mirage,” cautioned another.
(https://pbase.com/art1/image/172831130/original.jpg)
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The year was 1843, and the group of 25 explorers and mappers, led by Lieutenant John Fremont, had unadvisedly departed The Dalles, OR, on the Columbia River, in late November.
They were headed south for California, hundreds of miles away, on horseback. There were no roads or reliable maps; in fact it was their mission to find reasonable routes and map them.
For the last week they had been breaking trail through several feet of snow along the eastern side of the Cascade Mountains, at an elevation of 7000 feet. (Who in their right mind would
attempt this in winter?) Now, in mid December, they had come to the edge of a ridge that looked down on a lake and fields that appeared to be immersed in another season.
Hitting the story’s fast forward button, the party made it down into the valley, which they named Summer Lake, because it seemed like one, and where they rested for some time. They
named the frozen ridge, from which they had descended, Winter Ridge. Those names persist today. The 2.3 million acre forest up on that ridge is now called the Fremont-Winema
National Forest. The explorers proceeded south, and though they endured much further hardship, they were eventually successful in reaching their goals in California. You might have
guessed as much, since places aren’t usually named after those who fail.
Today the Summer Lake basin is still very sparsely populated, with little in the way of tourists or facilities for them. But with a 19,000 acre wetlands wildlife refuge in the high desert,
situated on a bird migration flyway, with fascinating geology, and nearby early Native American artifacts (including the oldest directly-dated human footwear, 10,000-year-old sandals),
it’s a great place to visit if you like that sort of thing.
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Below are some additional images that might give a better idea of the scenes to be found in this area.
(https://pbase.com/art1/image/172831123/original.jpg)
(https://pbase.com/art1/image/172831119/original.jpg)
(https://pbase.com/art1/image/172831128/original.jpg)
(https://pbase.com/art1/image/172838147/original.jpg)
(https://pbase.com/art1/image/172831125/original.jpg)
(https://pbase.com/art1/image/172831126/original.jpg)
(https://pbase.com/art1/image/172831127/original.jpg)
(https://pbase.com/art1/image/172831122/original.jpg)
(https://pbase.com/art1/image/172831121/original.jpg)
(https://pbase.com/art1/image/172838180/original.jpg)
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Fine fotos, everyone.
And appreciate the background info.
Thanks Arlen
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Great story, I like it a lot and with very nice shots as illustration (or vice versa)!
Thanks for sharing and bravo.
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Great story, I like it a lot and with very nice shots as illustration (or vice versa)!
Thanks for sharing and bravo.
Yes, indeed.
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Thanks, guys, I'm glad you found it interesting.
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Excellent, Arlen. Thanks.
I’ve driven past Summer Lake a few times and I appreciate the backstory. AND the lovely images!
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Excellent, Arlen. Thanks.
+1
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+2. Thanks for the backstory and photos.
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And +3 from me.
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Thank you for weighing in, Peter, Rajan, Bob and Eric.