After much research here is where I will be and photograph for close to 3 months in the US and Canada. I’m open to your thoughts on my itinerary and any specific locations you might have of interest, especially of less known gems.
I will start around the 15th of July in Portland. My idea is to spend two weeks around Oregon and if time permits a short visit to part of Washington State. In Oregon I will be looking at the coast, then move inland and visit the Cascades, Painted Desert and the Columbia River gorge. I have doubts about Washington state simply because there is so much in Oregon alone that if I rush north to Washington I will not do anything right, yet I would really like to see either the Olympic NP or Rainier area.
After Oregon will fly down to LA were I will stay for a week and then fly to Canada (10th through the 21st of august.) and visit Jasper, Banff and Yoho NP’s for 10 days. I will be traveling with my wife on this part and I'm looking to do less intensive photo days here. Photography will be balanced with romance and relaxing. I have also some thoughts about going to Glacier NP but again I feel it would be rushing things.
After I fly back to Los Angeles and this time I stay the minimum there. I will then fly north again into Wyoming (Yellowstone and Tetons). I should be there end of august until about the 7-9th of September for about 10 days again.
Then back in Los Angeles and drive out to the southwest starting with Northern Arizona and into Utah after I day or two. I will include here a visit to Canyonlands, Arches, Grant Staircase, and maybe Bryce. I will drive across Nevada and into northwestern part and move towards Mono Lake, Then Yosemite and finish with Death Valley.
Hopefully by this time the heat will be somewhat bearable in DV. To the southwest portion of my trip I will dedicate aprox. 20-24 days. I will skip few places that I have photographed in the past such as Horseshoe, Antelope, Monument Valley, and Canyon de Chelly. I would really like revisiting and photographing them again but I have to make some sacrifices.
I leave back in Europe around the 10th of October.
If you have a suggestions on a beach in Oregon, a great trail in Jasper or Yosemite or Glaciers NP or even a hidden canyon in Utah, or a must visit fall along the Columbia river gorge, pretty much any little secret you might know of a unique spot, I would be most thankful if you would pass it along my way.
My itinerary will have life when on the little details come to play and I’m constantly researching and updating information.
Thank you again for your help.
Posted by Richard Wong on June 15, 2007 at 10:11 PM
L.A. is one of the most awful places in this country, otherwise I like your itinerary.
I recommend the Saddlebag Lake area on the east end of Yosemite for hiking. I believe the road to the first lake will be open now, so you can drive in to the first lake. Take the small boat across the first lake, and in a five mile loop hike you pass by 20 lakes. A very beautiful area and full of photos opportunities. I agree with Richard about avoiding Los Angeles. Have you considered the San Francisco Bay area? Personally I like to avoid the cities, but if you must I would choose San Francisco instead. It might also be a lot less driving to fly to Las Vegas or Salt Lake City for your desert journeys . The drive from Los Angeles to Arizona is very long and not so interesting unless you like big trucks.
A great guide to well-known and not so well-known areas of the Canadian Rockies to photograph is Darwin Wiggett's book, "How to Photograph the Canadian Rockies" - it's packed with great ideas on where to photograph, hike and find those great scenic shots. I always take it now when I go up there.
I hope you have a great trip - that's an incredible itinerary.
Posted by Larry Cooper on June 17, 2007 at 11:40 AM
Yoho is a most impressive park and the commercial development is carefully controlled there, unlike Banff which we think has become a total disaster. I recommend it highly, although almost all the truly great areas require hiking to get there. If you can, be ready to walk and climb to see the very best the park has to offer. What you see from the main highway is not even a hint of what the park has to offer.
See if you can get into Lake O'Hara. Access is controlled, and it can be difficult to get a booking, but it is more beautiful than Lake Louise and has no crowds. Photographically stunning. Takakkaw Falls, and Emerald Lake are two driveable must sees as well.
Discussion
5 repliesAfter much research here is where I will be and photograph for close to 3 months in the US and Canada. I’m open to your thoughts on my itinerary and any specific locations you might have of interest, especially of less known gems.
I will start around the 15th of July in Portland. My idea is to spend two weeks around Oregon and if time permits a short visit to part of Washington State. In Oregon I will be looking at the coast, then move inland and visit the Cascades, Painted Desert and the Columbia River gorge. I have doubts about Washington state simply because there is so much in Oregon alone that if I rush north to Washington I will not do anything right, yet I would really like to see either the Olympic NP or Rainier area.
After Oregon will fly down to LA were I will stay for a week and then fly to Canada (10th through the 21st of august.) and visit Jasper, Banff and Yoho NP’s for 10 days. I will be traveling with my wife on this part and I'm looking to do less intensive photo days here. Photography will be balanced with romance and relaxing. I have also some thoughts about going to Glacier NP but again I feel it would be rushing things.
After I fly back to Los Angeles and this time I stay the minimum there. I will then fly north again into Wyoming (Yellowstone and Tetons). I should be there end of august until about the 7-9th of September for about 10 days again.
Then back in Los Angeles and drive out to the southwest starting with Northern Arizona and into Utah after I day or two. I will include here a visit to Canyonlands, Arches, Grant Staircase, and maybe Bryce. I will drive across Nevada and into northwestern part and move towards Mono Lake, Then Yosemite and finish with Death Valley.
Hopefully by this time the heat will be somewhat bearable in DV. To the southwest portion of my trip I will dedicate aprox. 20-24 days. I will skip few places that I have photographed in the past such as Horseshoe, Antelope, Monument Valley, and Canyon de Chelly. I would really like revisiting and photographing them again but I have to make some sacrifices.
I leave back in Europe around the 10th of October.
If you have a suggestions on a beach in Oregon, a great trail in Jasper or Yosemite or Glaciers NP or even a hidden canyon in Utah, or a must visit fall along the Columbia river gorge, pretty much any little secret you might know of a unique spot, I would be most thankful if you would pass it along my way.
My itinerary will have life when on the little details come to play and I’m constantly researching and updating information.
Thank you again for your help.
Thank you Charlie for the tip.
I hope you have a great trip - that's an incredible itinerary.
See if you can get into Lake O'Hara. Access is controlled, and it can be difficult to get a booking, but it is more beautiful than Lake Louise and has no crowds. Photographically stunning. Takakkaw Falls, and Emerald Lake are two driveable must sees as well.