On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Mike in Oly
In 2018 my husband and I took a trip over to the east side of the Cascades, across White Pass and down to the Tieton Riverto do some day hiking. We’d heard the fall colors were lovely there and wanted to check it out. We were not disappointed. I did an On The Road for the hike in the past, so this submission will be just about the foliage. And it was glorious.
The area along the Tieton River is on the dry side of the mountains and is mostly oak forest, with alder and willow, and a few other things thrown in. But the oak predominates here. It is enclosed by tall cliffs of volcanic rock, layer over layer. The geology is a real treat for us, as on the rainy side where we live it is all hidden under forest. The sun was bright and all the trees were just glowing. A perfect day for photography.
We were quite impressed with the wide variety of color the oaks showed off. Everything from brown to red to orange, yellow and green – and blends of them all. A bit of a surprise. And it was fun to see the Lewis’ woodpeckers frolicking in the trees. Lots of good birds and wildlife here.
The architecture of the oaks was also just wonderful to see.
So much color!
Not sure what this tree was but it was blazing in the sunlight.
All in a perfect autumn color palette.
Even some of the smaller plants were showing off interesting color combinations. I especially enjoyed this combo of pale lime with a blush of deep red-violet.
A smorgasbord of color in every direction. We tried again last year to replicate this hike, but the colors were not as good and the show disappointed, so I suspect you really just have to catch a good year for it. We’ll keep trying tho. How could I resist? This was one of the best hikes I’ve ever done on the other side of the mountains.
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JanieM
Gorgeous. The colors are just otherworldly, and so varied!
The street trees were maples where I grew up, and for the thirty years more recently, my yard was predominantly maples. So maples are the archetypal tree in my psyche.
But my daughter just moved into a place where oaks predominate, and I’m just realizing how colorful they can be.
Eadwacer
My in-laws used to own a cabin near the Tieton Reservoir. Beautiful at any time of year.
Kent
Lovely!
I’ve lived much of my life in the Pacific Northwest and I don’t think I have ever taken White Pass. Moved it right up on the to-do list based on your photos. It’s an easy day trip for us here in the Vancouver area so no reason not to. Somehow when you live in the Portland or Seattle metro areas, White Pass is just never on the way to anyplace
What trail did you take? Is it a marked trail?
MomSense
Those colors. Amazing.
Dan B
Your 5th photo may be Amelachier alnifolia – Shadblow, Serviceberry, or other common names. It’s a multi-stem small tree common on the east slopes of the Cascades. If it’s Amelanchier it is usually Vine Maple size or shorter. The small fruits are often delicious. It’s hardy into Alberta but needs a dormant period in winter so wouldn’t work in locates with warm winters. I’ve planted many for landscape projects. Strangely one came up in our yard ten years ago after we removed all the grass the house was surrounded by. We have never watered it, doesn’t need any summer moisture.
featheredsprite
I live on the rainy side of the mountains, so we have more fir. Maples are increasing, though. In mixed areas the colors are very nice. Maybe next year we can travel a bit. Thanks for sharing.
Mike in Oly
@Kent: Yes, it is marked trail. We parked at the Tieton River Nature Trail Access Point East and walked upriver a couple of miles and then back again. It starts wide from that point and meanders along the river and bluffs above. Easy walking. Gets a bit more grade and narrower as you get upriver. If you go in summer watch for rattlesnakes sunning themselves on the trail. They vamoose pretty quickly tho but can be unnerving. It is a beautiful drive over White Pass!
Mike in Oly
@Dan B: Thank you for the ID! Not at all surprised to hear that is what it is. Have seen them several times on both sides of the mountains, but rarely recognize them again. I need to plant one and live with it for some years and learn.
Dan B
Your 5th photo may be Amelachier alnifolia – Shadblow, Serviceberry, or other common names. It’s a multi-stem small tree common on the east slopes of the Cascades. If it’s Amelanchier it is usually Vine Maple size or shorter. The small fruits are often delicious. It’s hardy into Alberta but needs a dormant period in winter so wouldn’t work in locates with warm winters. I’ve planted many for landscape projects. Strangely one came up in our yard ten years ago after we removed all the grass the house was surrounded by. We have never watered it, doesn’t need any summer moisture.
@Mike in Oly: There are several types of Amelanchier, mostly from the eastern US and Canadia. They vary in their drought hardiness. Our native is very tolerant esp. if it’s in part shade. The varieties fall color and fruit vary but on the west side you can get stunning crimson and orange, but not much from our native A. alnifolia, although if you could root a cutting of the lovely one you found it might be gorgeous even in Olympia since you have more summer heat than us Seattleites. I planted quite a few in Gravelly Lake area for four people who were wealthy from cutting down big trees.
Nice photos BTW! Were you near Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas territory?
cain
@Kent:
Same here – looks like a beautiful place to go hiking. I will have to consider it next year in late October.
Dan B
@Mike in Oly: Rattlesnake can be very bad in May when they first emerge from their dens. We had “fun” hiking another low ekevation trail, Lake Chelan Lakeshore trail, from May 18, 1980 to May 20. Lots of hissing and rattling from the 2 foot tall brush and several sunning themselves in dappled shade. We stopped for a break and “discovered” a rattler 3 feet away from where we were sitting. Yikes!
Mary G
Brilliant colors. So peaceful but ferocious as they get ready for their winter rest.
Achrachno
The last one, lime and red-violet, is dogwood, probably of the red osier sort.
Mike in Oly
@Dan B: “Were you near Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas territory?” Not a reference I recognize for the area. But I am still a novice at Washington history, not having grown up here.
I am phobic with poisonous snakes so really tried my nerves during that summer hike. I stick to spring and fall hikes there now.
Platonicspoof
Hi Dan and Mike,
Other possible IDs. I copied the fifth image and zoomed in with an app, with limited results. Leaves appear more rounded than the oval leaves of Amelanchier. Bark of branches also appears very white. Possibly an aspen? Was the air still at the time? Leaves of a quaking aspen in a breeze would have been twisting back and forth, of course. Mike’s original image would be necessary to zoom in on to a greater degree than I can with the (quite sharp) image from the post.
Albatrossity
@Platonicspoof: Aspen was my first thought when I saw that image as well.
These are all lovely pictures. Thanks!
stinger
How beautiful. I love nature’s last act of defiance before winter sets in. Yes we CAN!
Iktay
I have great memories of the early fall releases out of the Tieton Reservoir bringing the Tieton River and it’s fun and continuous whitewater back to life. Was a regular fall trip out of Portland for me and my friends back in the day.
way2blue
Glorious. My favorite is the close-up of the pale lime & red-violet leaves. Wish I could grow that one in northern California. (N.B., the colors really glow on my ‘retina’ iPad, a little subdued on my MBAir.)
WaterGirl
If I had to choose a favorite, I think it wold be the lime colored leaves with the red-violet stems and veins. Or the close-up of the orange oak leaves. Wonderful display of color!