What are the PNW icons?

Can we make a list? What are the nature photographic icons that make up the PNW? The Bandon sea stacks? Multnomah Falls, Sparks Lake, Painted Hills, Haystack Rock on Cannon Beach, Woodenshoe and Skagit tulip fields, Mt. Hood from..., how about Mt Shukson from Picture Lake and Rainier from Reflection Lake? Add the arch on Second Beach, Crater Lake from the lodge, what else?

Are the Alvord Desert and Palouse Falls becoming icons, or are they still too unknown?

Add your PNW photographic icons here:

Crown Point in the Gorge seems to be one..

Definately Ned.

Mt Hood from Trillium lake is an icon I believe. There are lots of places that are every bit as striking and awe inspiring as the icons but just don't have the same recognition like the Steens Mountains or Smith Rocks but maybe its good that they stay that way so they don't get over run with tourists. Or maybe its just that they are so far away from any major airport that places like Hells Canyon stay off the icon list, although I guess one could fly into Boise for that one.

All of those listed are great "icons" - I'd add Silver Creek Falls, waves crashing at Shore Acres State Park, Heceta Head Lighthouse (especially from the pullout just south of Sea Lion Caves), Sea Lion Caves, view from Cape Perpetua, Eagle Cap Wilderness, Oregon Caves, orchards in bloom with Mt. Hood in background (Hood River or Parkdale) - and these are just skimming the top of the barrel! Of course I'm a bit prejudice being born and raised in Oregon. LOL!

As for Washington State - can't leave off such fabulous places as Olympic National Park (Hurricane Ridge) and Mt St.Helens National Volcanic Monument.


Marcy

I think if I were to pick THE iconic shots of the PNW, it'd have to look something like this (not ordered):

Looking over the Gorge and Crown Point from Chanticleer Point
Mount Rainier from Reflection Lakes and / or Mount Rainier from the Edith Creek bridge
Punch Bowl Falls from the lower viewpoint
Seattle from Kerry Park (okay not so much nature, but it is one of the most recognizable skylines in the world)
Mt. Shuksan and Picture Lake
St. Helens from Johnson Ridge
Crater Lake (from anywhere)

Many other places could certainly be looked upon as noteworthy, but I'm hard pressed to think of any other locations which live up to the iconic standards these spots have developed. Proxy Falls is close, but not nearly as recognizable. Sol Duc Falls is likewise close but not as widely known. I'm not sure any of the beaches would immediately evoke a reaction of "PacNW" in a randomly chosen non-photographer

I'm curious how far we want to take the term "icon". A photographers icon list is going to be drastically different than the layman's list. From a photographer's POV, I think that just about all of the places listed so far are good choices, but from the average Joe's viewpoint, the list get narrow very quickly.

So, imagining myself as a typical person who is moderately aware of what the PNW has to offer, here is my list:

Crater Lake
Seattle from Kerry Park (Thanks, Frasier!)
Multnomah Falls
Canon Beach (possibly)
Mt. St. Helens
Mt. Hood from Trillium, or Lost Lake

And that's about it. Obviously, all of the other places are fantastic, i just don't think I'd call them icons. And honestly, I hope they stay that way. The day I drive up the west side of Steens Mtn, and I see a row of photogs bumping elbows will be the day I go off the deep end.

Mt. Rainier reflected in Upper Tipsoo Lake and the Hall Of Mosses for sure. Also the view from Ecola State Park.

Sol Duc Falls, without a doubt!

I like your "photogs bumping elbows" to describe an icon Aaron. Given that, Reflection Lake is a for sure icon. I forgot about Heceta Head Marcy, and definately Seattle from Kerry Park Bryan. Thanks for the Upper Tipsoo too Joe, definately an icon.

David

Haven't posted in some time, but can't resist this subject! I collect old postcards, so would make the case that the cards printed in the golden era of 1900-1950 established many of the "icons" as we know them -- for example, here's my long list:

Crater Lake - specifically the view from the SW rim with Wizard Island in the foreground
Mount Hood - the view from Lost Lake, framed in cedar and vine maple foliage
Mount Hood - from the Upper Hood River Valley orchards
Mount Hood - Timberline Lodge with the mountain as a backdrop
Columbia Gorge - from Chanticleer Point
Columbia Gorge - focus on Crown Point and Vista House from the SW approach
Columbia Gorge - Sheppards Dell bridge and Bishops Cap (usually with vintage auto), from west approach
Columbia Gorge - Mitchell Point Tunnel
Columbia Gorge - Rowena Loops and Rowena Crest, viewed from what is now Tom McCall Point trail
Multnomah Falls - including the lodge in the foreground
Punch Bowl Falls - from lower viewpoint
Celilo Falls - Indians in the foreground (or fishing) with Horseshoe Falls as backdrop
Mount St. Helens - from Spirit Lake
St. Johns Bridge - in Portland, from the west approaches
Portland Skyline - from Washington Park, with Mount Hood
Seattle Skyline - with Mount Rainier from Queen Anne Hill (even before the "new" iconic view with the Space Needle)
Tacoma Narrows Bridge - from east side
Washington State Capitol - often an aerial view of the Capitol grounds
Mount Rainier - from Sunrise, or from above Sunrise with the lodge in the lower foreground
Mount Rainier - from Paradise, sometimes with the lodge in foreground
Mount Rainier - from Reflection Lake
Olympics - from Hurricane Ridge
Haystack Rock - the one at Canon Beach
Yaquina Bay Bridge - in Newport, from the harbor side

There are dozens (or even hundreds) of slight variations on these views in the old postcards, making them "iconic". The king of the icons in this batch is probably Mount Hood from Lost Lake. I have at least 100 different images of pretty much the same scene issued on cards as early as the 1890s to "The Photo" that Ray Atkeson captured in the 1968, and permanently set the bar for the rest of us to struggle toward:

The Photo

In most cases, the "iconic" photos were defined by access -- early highways in the Gorge, around Hood, Rainier and Crater Lake had a lot to do with bringing people to the "iconic" viewpoints, and to the credit of early highway designers, the roads were build with idyllic roadside views in mind.

Some oddball icons, also based on golden-age postcards:

The Oregon Caves
Pike Place Market
The Grotto (in Portland)
Tumwater Falls and the old Olympia Brewery
Bonneville Dam
Grand Coulee Dam

There are many of these cards floating around, too. Scenic in their own way.

Tom

Thanks Tom, what a great list from a historical postcard perspective. Love the link to Ray's image of Lost Lake too, definately an icon. I'd love to see that collection some day!

David

Not sure that Palouse Falls and the Alvord could be considered icons, but I'd add the Palouse wheat fields to the list.

Some more that are maybe not top tier, but high on most photographers' lists:
In Oregon:
- Wallowa Valley barn with mountains backdrop
- Willamette Valley vineyard scene in autumn
- Mt. Jefferson reflected in a tarn at Jefferson Park

In Washington:
- Mt. Rainier wildflower fields at Paradise
- Liberty Bell and the Early Winters Spires at Washington Pass in the North Cascades
- Prusik Peak with larch trees in autumn, in The Enchantments

Seems like both Mount Baker and Mount Adams ought to be on a Washington list, but I don't think there are definitive views of either such as there are for Rainier, Hood, etc.

Also find it interesting that we have many beautiful rivers in the Pacific Northwest, but I can't think of any iconographic images of any of them, other than CRG from Women's Forum Park.

A list of icons would be great! Great as in places never to go to.

Definately great additions to the list Greg - thanks. We all go to those icons some time in our life Mark, but I know what you mean.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned that japanese maple from the Portland Japanese Garden. There are currently 2 ads in OP with that maple and there's a whole web site devoted to "That Tree" on Flickr. Rumor has it that the maple is sick and may be removed next year. Bye-bye icon.

David

would be cool to do a ICON LIST of everyone's!

You're right Jack, I was thinking that if every region made their own list there would be a massive icon list on NPN. Kinda cool.

David

Interesting thread David! I just glanced at this tonight and could not resist a quick type out here. I personally think when you start getting down to many areas outside the super popular that it's quite subjective. As Aaron pointed out just the realm of photographer vs non can be a difference. For example people that are non-photogs that see an image of mine from Alvord area normally have no idea that is in OR, not an icon in my eyes if that is the case. Again, it's some what subjective but for it to be an icon we need to take the serious photographers and travelers out of the equation and ask ourselves can most average folks see a photo of the place and know what it is and where it was taken from? Like Crater Lake and Crown Point I would say are icons, I would not put places like Alvord and Painted Hills....just as some examples.

I agree Adrian, it's totally subjective. Then what is a PNW photographic icon? Is it a place recognizable by photographers? By the average Joe in the PNW? By the average Joe in the U.S. or the world? I guess this thread asks both questions: Define a PNW photographic icon and then name them. I think we've done a good job naming them, and I could come up with a subjective list from portions of what's been named, but we haven't quite defined it yet.

David

I'll offer a few more, though they might not have "icon" status yet...

Rainier from Paradise meadows during the wildflower bloom
Tom McCall/Rowena during the spring wildflower bloom
Fairy Falls (it's not as popular as Multnomah, but it's gaining more and more traffic every year)
The long rock "fins" at Shi Shi (another that is quickly increasing in popularity due to Marc's killer shot and Kevin McNeal's OP cover earlier this year)

Thanks Ryan for the additions. I'd almost agree with the "fins" image at Shi Shi, but they're currently covered by the beach (according to a recent post by Kevin).

David