Fall Color Photo Tours

The search for autumn colors is not far off. Crisp cool air, low angles of sunlight and the smell of leaves…it’s a wonderful intoxicant!
Here in Washington State there are many fantastic places to visit for great fall colors. The low lands and valleys of the mountains are filled with maple and birch, cottonwood and blueberry, all making for a fiery palette of colors.

Perhaps you would like to go on a Fall Photo Tour of the North Cascades and not only have a trail guide but learn and practice nature photography at the same time?

Then maybe a Fall Photo Tour is for you!

Andy Porter Photography Guided Fall Color Photo Tours

Our customized Fall Photo Tours fall into 3 basic categories:

• Driving Photo Tours: We visit some of the most iconic fall color locations such as farms and barns, mountain vistas and scenic overlooks. We’ll do short walks to our locations and enjoy the Skagit Valley Scenic beauty.
• Day Hike Photo Tours: Here we’ll don our hiking shoes and visit some more remote spots for Fall Colors. Each hike is generally moderate (please see my descriptions of trail difficulty below!). We will try to time our hike to get the best possible light.
• Overnight Fall Color Photo Tour: These trips are destined for the back country! If you like backpacking and sleeping in a tent and escaping crowds, then these trips might be for you!

Driving Photo Tours: We visit some of the most iconic fall color locations such as farms and barns, mountain vistas and scenic overlooks. We’ll do short walks to our locations and enjoy the Skagit Valley Scenic beauty.

• North Cascades Scenic Drive: This 2-hour drive from Mount Vernon takes us up the Mount Baker Highway to more than 5,000ft elevation. Along the way we’ll’ stop at Picture Lake for photographs of Mount Shuksan and then continue to the roads end at Artist’s Point.
• Skagit Valley Farms and Barns: The Skagit Valley is filled with wonderfully scenic spots to capture Fall Colors. Here are a few images from past Fall Tours.
  

  Fall Road Tour – Horse Pasture

  

  Mt Baker from the Baker Lake Road

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day Hike Photo Tours: Here we’ll don our hiking shoes and visit some more remote spots for Fall Colors. Each hike is generally moderate (please see my descriptions of trail difficulty below!). We will try to time our hike to get the best possible light.

• Baker River: This easy trail lies at the end of the Baker Lake Road and follows the Baker River into the North Cascades National Park. The fall colors here are sublime and the river adds a wonderful element to the images.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Blue Lake Located at Washington Pass along the North Cascades Highway this 4 mile round trip day hike is filled with wonderful fall colors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Maple Pass: The Lake Ann – Maple Pass trail is a 7-mile loop (elevation gain: 2,500 ft) ascending a ridge carpeted with vibrant wildflowers in the summer and golden larch in the fall to a grandstand view of the North Cascades. The trail tops out at more than 7,000 feet before plunging down a series of switch backs to the shores of Rainy Lake and the parking area. Camping is allowed along the way, or this can be completed as a day hike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sahale Arm – North Cascades National Park: This trail starts at the end of the Cascade River Road. The first 3.5 miles take you up to Cascade Pass with stunning views but the best for fall colors is a little higher along the Sahale Arm Trail. Blue Berry Bushes burst in color and the back drops, well they are unsurpassed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overnight Fall Color Photo Tour: These trips are destined for the back country! If you like backpacking and sleeping in a tent and escaping crowds, then these trips might be for you!

• Pasayten Wilderness: The Pasayten is more than a half million acres of lush wilderness. Many areas are filled with larch and no people. Here are a few images:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Alpine Lakes Wilderness: The Alpine Lakes Wilderness is located near the town of Leavenworth and is home to the Enchantments, some of the most stunning mountain scenery in ….well, anywhere. This is a strenuous hike! But well worth it.
  

  Colchuck Lake Enchantments

  

 

Planning for Your Tour

When to schedule a tour? September and early October are the best times to come. The low land maples and deciduous trees start to turn in September and the Larch are usually at their height of color in the first week of October.

Weather – North Cascades Weather is…unpredictable. Fall weather is cooler 50’s to 60’s in the day and nights can see temps well below freezing.

What to bring for imaging?
• Camera, lenses, filters, a tripod (light weight, if possible), extra batteries and memory cards.
• Water, snacks and any other food/beverages.

Equipment
What you need to bring, equipment-wise, is dependent upon the adventure you choose. For backpacking and overnight stays you’ll need a good backpack, sleeping bag and pad, hiking shoes, and your clothes and sundry items, which we’ll cover later in the trip planning. A limited number of backpacks and sleeping pads are available for loan. We supply tents and cooking equipment or you can bring your own. Day hikes require a simple day backpack for your camera gear and food/water.

What is “strenuous”? All trail guide books rate the difficulty of each hike. But these terms are dependent upon your frame of reference. “Easy” means that the trail is short and almost completely flat. “Moderate” means that there may be some elevation gain, usually no more than 500 feet, and the trail is not taxing for someone in decent shape. “Strenuous” means that the trail is both longer (up to 10 miles in a day) and gains significant elevation, up to 2,500 feet. Remember that you’ll be carrying not only your camera gear on these trails, but if there is an overnight stay, your pack may be as heavy as 30-40 lbs! “Very Strenuous” is a hike that gains more than 3,500 feet elevation in one day. I see people aged 7 to 75 on the hard trails often, so your age is not the most important factor, it’s more of your experience with backpacking and general fitness level. Please speak to me directly and we can discuss which level is best for you and your companions.

Setting up a Customized Tour

One, two or multi-day tours are available from early September through mid-October. Fill in the form below giving me some idea of your interests and I will get back to you right away with specific suggestions. Please contact me with ANY questions!
360-809-0661
andyporterphotography@gmail.com

Driving Fall Photo Tour – $150.00 per person

Day Hike Fall Photo Tour – $200.00 per person per day

Overnight Fall Photo Tour – $250.00 per person per day

 

• This just ONE of our Washington State Photo Tours, be sure to learn about our Night Sky Photo Tours and Tulip Festival Tours!