Oregon

Beautiful Time-lapse Imagery of Pacific Northwest Landscapes

September 27, 2012

John Ecklund took about 260,000 photos to create this mind-blowing time-lapse movie. Several iconic landscapes of the northwest are featured, including Mt. Shuksan and Mount St. Helens in Washington and Crater Lake, Mt. Bachelor, The Oregon Badlands, The Painted Hills, Cape Kiwanda, Mt. Hood, Lost lake, and Cannon Beach in Oregon. Enjoy!

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The Painted Hills

August 14, 2012
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The Painted Hills of north-central Oregon belong on anyone’s short list of must-see landscapes in the Pacific Northwest. Hidden in a remote of valley of the Ochoco Mountains, the Painted Hills are far from any major urban centers. For most of us, it’s a long drive to reach them. But the trip is worth it if you have any interest in geology, fossils, or…

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Tom McCall Preserve in Late April

May 6, 2012
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The Tom McCall Preserve on the Oregon side of the Columbia Gorge is a wildflower wonderland. Dozens of showy wildflower species dot the rolling plateau and hillsides of the preserve in spring and early summer. The Nature Conservancy owns the 231 acre preserve and the adjacent lands are owned and managed by the BLM and Oregon State Parks. This place is protected primarily because it is home to over 300…

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Columbia Desert Parsley

April 17, 2012
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Columbia Desert Parsley (Lomatium columbianum) is a spectacular plant that is endemic to Washingon and Oregon. It is perennial and grows on open slopes in the eastern Columbia Gorge area. Although the overall range of this plant is small, it is fairly common within its range. It grows…

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Larch Mountain Salamander

January 2, 2012
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The Larch Mountain Salamander (Plethodon larselli) is a small, rare amphibian that is endemic to Washington and Oregon. In appearance, it is superficially similar to several other salamander species in the region, such as the Western Red-backed Salamander. I got to see my first Larch Mountain Salamander back in October, when I…

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Hanging by a Thread

October 25, 2011
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Have you ever run into a small caterpillar dangling from a silk thread in the forest? I have, many times. I’ve wondered why they do this. Are these caterpillars preparing to pupate? Are they dispersing from their natal tree? I photographed this hanging caterpillar in the forest along the Salmon River, OR. It was dangling from a Bigleaf Maple tree. When I got home that day, I was motivated to do some research on this behavior. I think I understand it now…

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Fall, Leaves, Fall

October 18, 2011
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Last Saturday, I went for a stroll along the Salmon River, which is a tributary of the Sandy River near Mount Hood. The Old Salmon River Trail parallels the river and makes for an easy walk through a lush old-growth forest, on the edge of the Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness…

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