Friday morning started with rain. It was predicted for the entire day. We took off on route 504 up the Toutle River valley heading for the Johnston Observation point. If the muse was speaking to me today, I wasn't listening. I saw nothing worth photographing. Brooks was looking at wet leaves and details and photographing ferns and the early seasonal color changes of oak leaves. He was manufacturing images based upon the weather and his love of tree photographs. The day dragged on and the only thing I saw was some low hanging clouds which occasionally spit some water down on me. I think I took my first picture after lunch. The clouds occasionally broke up a bit and let some light through. We took advantage of these opportunities when presented, but again we saw nothing that excited us.
Toutle River Valley
Identical Fir Trees
By the time we made it to Mount St. Helens, the clouds had been driven up the Toutle River Valley with clouds and the flanks of the volcano in sunlight. An entire day of patient scouting, evaluating, trying and waiting on the light finally paid off. The sides the volcano and the west edge of the rim were in sunlight.
Mt. St. Helen, clearing storm
We photographed and started the trek back down the valley. Our scouting from earlier in the day paid off as the weather finally cooperated in spectacular fashion with scattered clouds hanging on the tops of pine trees and back lit clouds. A day's worth of driving, scouting, waiting and visualizing finally paid off in the last our or two of daylight.
Toutle River Valley
This is our last day of photography for this trip. It ended well.
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