Tag Archives: treeline

Highland Trees and Fog

Highland Trees and Fog
“Highland Trees and Fog” — Small trees and mountain fog in the highlands along the Great Glen Way near the “View Catcher.”

We began our spring walk along Scotland’s Great Glen Way in distinctly lowland country. We started a sea level in Fort William, then headed north along the Caledonian Canal, passing by agricultural country and eventually a large loch. But eventually the route took is into higher terrain, most dramatically on this day when we climbed steeply out of the town of Invermoriston, eventually crossing a high ridge before a long descent to the final miles of the day along the canal once again.

Much of this part of Scotland is thickly forested, but there’s often a distinct and sudden division between trees and barren highlands. We had passed through some highland country on the train to Fort William, but this was the first time we walked into it. It was a dramatic change! The day was cloudy and damp, and even though it momentarily cleared at this point, fog clouds drifted in and out of the scene, alternately revealing and blocking views of higher ridges.


G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Hikers, Great Glen Way

Hikers, Great Glen Way
“Hikers, Great Glen Way” — Two hikers at treeline on. a foggy morning along the Great Glen Way, Scotland.

This photograph comes from a section of Scotland’s Great Glen Way between Fort Augustus and Invermoriston This segment includes one of the two highest points on the walk, and is also known for including the “View Catcher” structure. I made the photograph close to that actual high point, on a morning when it was trying to rain and fog was drifting around the peaks and the valley, occasionally blocking the view entirely. As we paused to make photographs — and catch our breath! — another pair of hikers walked by.

The Scottish weather on our trip was actually quite varied. At the start it was, or so we were told, unusually warm and sunny with highs around the 70 degree mark at times. The Scots seemed pleased, if a bit surprised. But things changed a few days into our trek, and there was a fair amount of walking in full rain gear. We hear that this is more typical weather in this part of Scotland.


G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Timberline Lake And Reflections

Timberline Lake And Reflections
A timberline lake in 20 Lakes Basin reflects the face of a tall granite ridge

Timberline Lake And Reflections. © Copyright 2018 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A timberline lake in 20 Lakes Basin reflects the face of a tall granite ridge

This scene gets up close and personal with the crest of the Sierra Nevada, along the boundary country just northeast of Yosemite National Park. The lake is just below the tree line, so the forest here is very sparse and the trees small. Just beyond the lake the terrain becomes so rocky that the trees basically end.

I hiked here early on mid-July morning, starting at dawn and having the trail and this lake almost entirely to myself — at the height of Sierra summer tourist season! (One group did pass by on a nearby trail, but otherwise no one else was there.) The reflections in this lake of the steep and rocky terrain beyond are marvelous, and I considered a square format crop that eliminates the “distracting” sky and peak — and I still may do that!


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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
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Tree Line

Tree Line
Near tree line in the North Cascades, Washington

Treeline. Cascades, Washington. September 10, 2017. © Copyright 2017 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Near tree line in the North Cascades, Washington

I have been in the Seattle area for a few days — heading home later today — and getting out to do a bit of photography, with subjects ranging from downtown Seattle street photography to landscapes in the Cascades range. Yesterday the weather was looking good (sun!) and I had the full day free, so I headed up to the Artist Point area in the North Cascades near Mount Baker.

Familiarity with a particular mountain range, in my case the Sierra Nevada, makes the different characteristics of other ranges stand out. The Cascades and the Sierra are both spectacular mountain ranges, but the similarities largely end there. Several things always impress me about this Pacific Northwest mountain range: the suddenness of their rise above forested valleys, the quality of the atmosphere and light (from clouds and lower angle sunlight), the much wetter climate, the lack of granite, and the proximity of big glaciers — they often appear barely above the level of the highest trees and they cover the upper slopes of the highest peaks. (California glaciers are most vestigial, just large enough that we can happily claim to have a few.) This visit was brief — a matter of a few hours — but I managed to get out and wander a bit and make a few photographs. This small clump of trees was catching late-afternoon sunlight filtered through high clouds, with a backdrop of a large valley between my position and the slopes rising to Mount Baker.


G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.