My Best of 2024

[Dave Renfroe]

I see the official thread is closed now for the Best of 2024, but I thought I would do mine now as an introduction.
I look forward to lots of participation here among such good photographers.

Here I have posted photos from around home on southern Vancouver Island Canada, my June trip to southeast Oregon and our winter trip heading down to California.

Link to all of the Oregon photos: https://wrenbin.ca/dave/Oregon-2024/

#1. Satin Flowers on the top of the Sooke Hills near Victoria, BC ..... looking over the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Olympic Mountains in Washington State.

#2. Mary Vine Falls. Sooke Potholes Park.

#3. Orca whales off the very southern tip of Vancouver Island. Pike Point, East Sooke Park. I don't use a telephoto, but they were very close to shore.

#4. Glass Butte BLM area between Bend and Burns, Oregon. Looking to Steens Mountain in the distance.

#5. Glass Butte. There is lots of obsidian laying all over the ground. I found this great specimen of mahogany obsidian while hiking cross-country. You are allowed to keep them.

#6. The east side of Steens Mountain. The mountain is a fault-block with a very steep slope on the east side and a gentle slope on the west side. A beautiful and uncrowded area to visit.

#7. Alvord Playa. This is huge dried lake on the east side of Steens Mt.
You can drive and even camp out there. (Though I wouldn't want to be there on that day.). I was camped in an amazing spot on the hill above Alvord Hot Springs.

#8. The west side of Steens Mt. I was at about 7,500ft here, hiking up the closed road. The top in the distance is almost 10,000ft.
Once the snow is gone, you can drive right up almost to the top. Note the huge U-shaped gorge; there several of them on this side.

#9. Harris Beach State Park, on the Oregon coast near the California border.

#10. Redwoods National & State Park, northern California.

.......... thanks for watching.

 

[AlanLichty]

Nice way to introduce yourself and your work Dave - Welcome to Focalworld!

I will admit to being partial to your shots from Oregon since I live about 3 miles from Oregon as a crow flies and do lots of traveling and photography in Oregon locales. You hit up one of my favorite places in the state visiting Harris Beach State Park. Is that your rig in the image in #7 at the Alvord Playa? Steens Mountain area is not a place I have visited there but would like to after seeing your images.

 

[Dave Renfroe]

Thanks, Alan.
Yes, I believe you would find Steens Mountain and that area would be well worth the trip. Yes, that is our Bigfoot 9.4 truck/camper at Alvord Hot Springs.
Another strange, but interesting place out there on the "Sagebrush Sea" is Leslie Gulch about 25mi on dirt road from Jordan Valley, OR.
I have a few "web-albums" from that area in Oregon that I would suggest having a look at. You can check out the albums on "Dave's Photos" page and then just click on the thumbnail for these trips: Oregon 2019 (May-June), Oregon 2022 (June), Oregon 2023 (September), and Oregon 2024 (June - my favourite time to go). There is also an Oregon Highlights album. The albums includes location maps, etc. Once you open the Album, I suggest clicking on the first thumbnail and then the Full-Screen button. You can use your left/right keys from there.

Link to "Dave's Photos": https://wrenbin.ca/dave/

I was hoping to meet my son down there again this June, but unfortunately we probably won't be crossing the US border this year.
But maybe one of these times I will see you there.

- Dave

 

[JimFox]

Hey Dave!

Welcome to FocalWorld, it's so great to have you join our family.

You had a really awesome 2024 it looks like. There are so many of these that I like, the Alvord Playa is an area I have wanted to get to for years. Your photo reminded me that I need to get there soon.

I enjoyed your Canadian images, especially #1, I like how you framed it with the flowers in the foreground.

I hadn't heard of Glass Butte Mountain before, I am thinking I need to swing by there this summer. My son is into rock collecting, it would be great to pick him up some obsidian.

And your Redwood image is timely indeed as I am thinking on going up there in early June to catch the Rhododendrons blooming.

I will look as to why you couldn't post this in the Best of 2024, you should have been able to. I will move this over there later this week.

 

[Rick Nantais]

I see the official thread is closed now for the Best of 2024, but I thought I would do mine now as an introduction.
I look forward to lots of participation here among such good photographers.

Here I have posted photos from around home on southern Vancouver Island Canada, my June trip to southeast Oregon and our winter trip heading down to California.

Link to all of the Oregon photos: https://wrenbin.ca/dave/Oregon-2024/

#1. Satin Flowers on the top of the Sooke Hills near Victoria, BC ..... looking over the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Olympic Mountains in Washington State.
View attachment 81185

#2. Mary Vine Falls. Sooke Potholes Park.
View attachment 81186

#3. Orca whales off the very southern tip of Vancouver Island. Pike Point, East Sooke Park. I don't use a telephoto, but they were very close to shore.
View attachment 81187


#4. Glass Butte BLM area between Bend and Burns, Oregon. Looking to Steens Mountain in the distance.
View attachment 81189

#5. Glass Butte. There is lots of obsidian laying all over the ground. I found this great specimen of mahogany obsidian while hiking cross-country. You are allowed to keep them.
View attachment 81190

#6. The east side of Steens Mountain. The mountain is a fault-block with a very steep slope on the east side and a gentle slope on the west side. A beautiful and uncrowded area to visit.
View attachment 81192

#7. Alvord Playa. This is huge dried lake on the east side of Steens Mt.
You can drive and even camp out there. (Though I wouldn't want to be there on that day.). I was camped in an amazing spot on the hill above Alvord Hot Springs.
View attachment 81193

#8. The west side of Steens Mt. I was at about 7,500ft here, hiking up the closed road. The top in the distance is almost 10,000ft.
Once the snow is gone, you can drive right up almost to the top. Note the huge U-shaped gorge; there several of them on this side.
View attachment 81191

#9. Harris Beach State Park, on the Oregon coast near the California border.
View attachment 81188

#10. Redwoods National & State Park, northern California.
View attachment 81194

.......... thanks for watching.

Welcome... Nice shots

 

[Dave Renfroe]

Thanks so much Jim and Rick.

Jim: I used the sidebar Best of 2024 image on the home page and it comes up with "Not open for further replies".
I guess that's reasonable since its May 3rd, eh?

Here is the Google Maps link to Glass Butte - lots to explore there.
https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Glass+Butte/@43.5579866,-120.0400843,14z/data=!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x54b9c92600c8e9d1:0xdfe67fc312c744d6!2sGlass+Buttes!8m2!3d43.5573646!4d-120.0744166!10e5!16s/g/11c5xdvgnq!3m5!1s0x54b9cfa3f1d8a43f:0x48adeb8d6b2a8254!8m2!3d43.5600768!4d-120.005585!16s/g/11pdw13zk1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDQzMC4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw==

Obsidian all over:

Best Regards ...... Dave

 

[Jameel Hyder]

Welcome to the forum Dave. A nice set of images to showcase your portfolio of work. Nice to see images from the Alvord Playa. Has been on my list for a while but haven't made it there yet.

 

[Dave Renfroe]

Thanks, Jameel.
I forgot to mention, where I camped on the hill is pretty well the trailhead for lots great hiking toward the steep side of Steens Mountain just behind where I took the photo of the Playa.
So either camping or staying in a "cabin" at the Alvord Hot Springs will also put you in good access to the trails as well as the Playa. There is also a private, but remote campsite 3mi north of the hot springs right at a trailhead. That one is also managed by the hot springs folks.

Alvord Hot Springs "Resort" is kind of a funky place with some campsites and x-military portable housing for "cabins".
Link: https://www.alvordhotsprings.com/

My son took this one as we headed up the ridge west from Alvord Hot Springs. You can see the road from the hot springs going out to the Playa.

 

[sweetgrass]

Welcome Dave, this is a wonderful supportive place to share your creativity. The photographers here are very inspiring to me and helpful.
However I am in envy of your travels right now.
Your image of the Orcas is a nice capture of a moment I have never experienced. I have been close to whales in the wild but never Orcas.
And to have captured them in the wild? Wow! Very cool.

 

[BlackRockArt]

I see the official thread is closed now for the Best of 2024, but I thought I would do mine now as an introduction.
I look forward to lots of participation here among such good photographers.

Here I have posted photos from around home on southern Vancouver Island Canada, my June trip to southeast Oregon and our winter trip heading down to California.

Link to all of the Oregon photos: https://wrenbin.ca/dave/Oregon-2024/

#1. Satin Flowers on the top of the Sooke Hills near Victoria, BC ..... looking over the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Olympic Mountains in Washington State.
View attachment 81185

#2. Mary Vine Falls. Sooke Potholes Park.
View attachment 81186

#3. Orca whales off the very southern tip of Vancouver Island. Pike Point, East Sooke Park. I don't use a telephoto, but they were very close to shore.
View attachment 81187


#4. Glass Butte BLM area between Bend and Burns, Oregon. Looking to Steens Mountain in the distance.
View attachment 81189

#5. Glass Butte. There is lots of obsidian laying all over the ground. I found this great specimen of mahogany obsidian while hiking cross-country. You are allowed to keep them.
View attachment 81190

#6. The east side of Steens Mountain. The mountain is a fault-block with a very steep slope on the east side and a gentle slope on the west side. A beautiful and uncrowded area to visit.
View attachment 81192

#7. Alvord Playa. This is huge dried lake on the east side of Steens Mt.
You can drive and even camp out there. (Though I wouldn't want to be there on that day.). I was camped in an amazing spot on the hill above Alvord Hot Springs.
View attachment 81193

#8. The west side of Steens Mt. I was at about 7,500ft here, hiking up the closed road. The top in the distance is almost 10,000ft.
Once the snow is gone, you can drive right up almost to the top. Note the huge U-shaped gorge; there several of them on this side.
View attachment 81191

#9. Harris Beach State Park, on the Oregon coast near the California border.
View attachment 81188

#10. Redwoods National & State Park, northern California.
View attachment 81194

.......... thanks for watching.

Dave, welcome to Focal world ! I love the Mary Vine Falls, the long exposure result is very pleasing to the eyes.

Oliver

 

[BlackRockArt]

PS: I have never seen an "mahogany obsidian" before, it looks very nice, thanks for sharing the picture.

Oliver

 

[Kyle Jones]

You've sold me on a visit to Steens Mountain! The orca photo is very cool.

For the "best of" forums Jim locks the initial post but we can all create threads with our own contributions. This makes it easy for people to comment on everyone's photo. If you like, I can move this thread to the Best of 2024 Forum. I can also leave it here as an intro