A love letter to the High Cascades

My photography journey really began in seriousness after moving to Central Oregon in 2016. The volcanoes there are the subjects in many of my photos. They are so obvious as a photographic subject that even every day phone photographers can’t help but snap their portraits. The landscapes here are abundant in dramatic vistas, where the Three Sisters and neighboring volcanoes are the main characters. The variety of unique vistas provided by the High Cascades seems unbounded.

The High Cascades are unique among mountains in the American West. The mountain chain is characterized by a belt of stratovolcanoes that extend from Northern California to British Columbia. It is impossible to think about the Pacific Northwest without mountains like Mt. Rainier or Mt. Hood coming to mind. These volcanoes rise with magnificent relief, to dominant and command their surrounding. In Oregon, the west slopes are characterized by rain and clouds, while the east slopes are sun-showered high deserts. Most of the volcanoes still hold glaciers and wear snow on their slopes year round due to the stunning amounts of snowfall they receive. The forests beneath them contain many magnificent specimens of coniferous trees. Douglas firs are found in abundance on the west slopes, while the ponderosa dominates on the east slopes. The snow fed rivers run furious and clear, and many lakes dot the landscapes as well. The landscapes that comprise the Cascades are vast and varied, changing character as the orography increases. Wildlife and wildflowers thrive, and add to the wild character of the land. And underneath all of it are innerworkings of an Earth that is still alive with volcanism. There is real power in the Cascades.

The Cascades are worthy of protection, and all of them lie within some form of federally protected land, whether they are a found in a National Park or lie within a Forest Service Wilderness designation. I hope that those protections not only remain indefinitely, but are expanded. I know I am not the only person who has fallen in love with the Cascades. I am hopeful that future generations will come to love and respect them as I have.

South Sister in Black & White