Pacific North West Roadtrip - Spring/Summer 2016
This Roadtrip was basically a birthday present to myself. I looked at a few different roadtrip opportunites like Canadian Rockies or Montana but I decided to chase the warmth and the sun so I headed south.
First stop was Bend, OR. On the way there I was able to capture some dramatic cloudscapes from the summer storms. It was a chill 5 hour drive. I ended up arriving the rain which was fine since we just headed to bed.
The next morning I headed out early to our actually planed first location Sparks Lake. Planning for sunrise I ended up with clouds and snow (yes I am still talking about mid of june!!!) which still turned out nice for the shots. I went back to the motel took a nap and got back to sparks lake around 11am where some of the snow melted and I had some more of a clear sky.
I went south on Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway parallel to Hwy 97 wich took me to my next overnight stop in Klamath Falls. The motel was kinda shady but the lady was nice. I decided even tho the weather didn't look to great to head up Crater Lake. It's the deepest lake in the US and the sixth deepest on the whole planet! On the way up I already was losing my hopes due to lots of rain. At the entrance gate to the NP the Ranger showed me a live webcam screenshot of only clouds and rain so I decided to turn around. After I got some more storm shots I went to bed looking forward to Crater Lake in the morning.
In the morning I started straight up to Crater Lake excited but somewhat worried since the weather didn't look to promising, again!
I still went up into the National Park, because honestly how do you know you'll ever get the chance again. It was the best decision I could have made. It was foggy and cloudy but it gave the Lake a great mood and light. Definitely one of the more cooler places I've ever visited!
After getting a couple shots I headed straight back to the car with a destination further south. With all the breathtaking views in Crater Lake I'almost forgot I still had a 10h drive ahead of me. I followed the 97 all the way, passed by Mt. Shasta. In the little village called Weed, CA at Ellie's Espresso & Bakery I had the best coffee and sandwiches on the whole trip. After I merged into the I-5 we had about 6h of driving still all the way down to Merced, CA.
Staying in Merced, CA I was planning on going to Yosemite NP the next couple days. I was really looking forward to this as the highlight of the trip. The mountains are my love so I was surely disappointed when it turned out I'm not going to be able to go to Yosemite due to overcrowded campsites. (Note: I didn't realize it was Fathers Day Weekend and apparently Yosemite is every Fathers favorite destination!!) But hey! I was in California and there are for sure worse places to spend your summer. So after a while thinking where to go next I decided to just head to my next destination which that was San Francisco, CA! Beaches and epic sunsets were ahead of me so I wasn't disappointed for long.
Since this wasn't my first time in the Bay Area I was aware of some spots to take nice photos at and enjoy myself. On my way in I made sure to check out In-N-Out Burger, the worlds best Burger Shack! I had the first Sunset at Marshalls Beach which is just under the Golden Gate Bridge. The sunset wasn't to good to take pictures but it for sure was an amazing view!
Next morning I had the sunrise spent on Slacker Hill. It is right above the most known viewpoint. It needs a little hike to get there but it is for sure worth it! The views were breathtaking with the fog floating over the hills.
The day I spent doing a roadtrip in the roadtrip by visiting Santa Cruz. It basically is an entertainment park right at the beach. It was fun to watch but really crowded so I decided to get some pizza and head back to SF. I had the sunset spent at Rodeo Beach most know for the Three Amigos peaking out of the water. It is one of the less visited beaches around SF if you want to spend the sunset by yourself.
My last day in SF I spent exploring the city and the piers doing touristy things. For the Sunset I decided I'd go back to Marshalls Beach due to awesome views and the nicer beach. I don't think I ever seen a Sunset like this:
After this it was coast time heading up the Hwy 101 the next day. My next stop I headed was Brookings, OR. Most famous for the Samuel H. Boardman State Park. It's coast and cliffs are pretty unique. I saw three bridges were I almost thought my parked car got hit by a pothead, but fortunately it was just a pole he hit.
This was also my last planned photography spot and I didn't end up with any more picutres after that. I am really happy with the turnout that roadtrip had the places I go to visit and the photos that were taken!