We had originally planned to hike a ways into the enchantments for this lovely couple’s adventure engagement session, but hot weather forced us to change plans. Leavenworth was going to hit 98 or so that day and that just didn’t sound like very good conditions for 9 mile roundtrip hike with thousands of feet in elevation gain. So we decided to stay farther west, where it would be quite a bit cooler and do a shorter hike. I’m so glad we did! Mount Rainier was absolutely stunning with its halo of lenticular clouds. And we had an incredible sunset too, with thunderclouds building to the east from the heat wave, creating some beautiful purple colors. We hiked and scrambled our way up some areas where the snow had (finally) just melted and had breathtaking views of the mountain and valley floor in front of it, where the terrain arcs back up for an undulating and often jagged ascent to the top. The views were incredible! I’ve been to Mount Rainier numerous times and have seen it from various angles, distances, and elevations, but it still blows me away every time. There really is no substitute for being there and seeing it with your own eyes. And on the other side of the ridge, we had great views of Mount Adams as well!

We wandered around the area and saw some adorable little marmots. If you look in some of the valleys where the snow is gone, you’ll often see (and hear) several of them. The wildflowers were blooming and of course, the mosquitos and flies were relentless, but it was worth it! These two looked absolutely amazing, despite the sweaty climb! I loved her long flowy red dress, which looked stunning when the breeze would kick in and catch it just right.

Thank you both for the awesome adventure! I had an incredible time with you and can’t wait to photograph your wedding next summer!