Epiblogue - Best pics of the year

Picture number zero - this one doesn't count in the count, but is still my favorite picture of Lake Chelan.  It's from www.39counties.blogspot.com, although a reverse image search shows that a couple of other sites liked it enough to use the image without citation.  Oh well!  Here are my favorite pictures of the year.

Winter on The Columbia:  This was a picture from Walla Walla Point Park - a great vantage point for waterfowl in the winter

Pulled over on the side of the road as the sky turned lavender - between Leavenworth and Stevens Pass

Leavenworth Fish Hatchery in February.  It's open for cross country skiing, although Kevin and I just walked the grounds.

Union Valley Road near the top, moon above.  February.

If you are driving towards Camas Meadows, and don't know where the turn is, you could end up here too.  April

Nahahum Canyon North of Cashmere in April

Oklahoma Gulch - a neat little road just before 97 climbs up away from the Columbia towards Chelan

Forest recently treated with a prescribed burn.  Chumstick HIghway in May.

Burch Mountain, above Wenatchee

Wenatchee at night - East Wenatchee across the river.  Taken from Burch Mountain

View down into the Icicle Creek Valley into Leavenworth from Mountain Home Road

Camas Meadows and a lovely pic of the family - Father's Day

Blackbird Island - Leavenworth - Father's Day

Red Currants - it was so upsetting to find out *after* returning that these were edibles - Mud Mountain Road (a kind of beautiful and occasionally treacherous road running from Entiat Valley Road to Navarre Coulee Road)

Chelan Gorge - June

One of the best places I didn't drive to - This lovely place was a boat ride (on the Lady of the Lake) and a bike ride from there.  It's also part of one of many good stories from the year.

Glacier Peak - one of the highest peaks in the state and not often seen because so many high peaks are around it.  I pushed my son and nephew through aggressive mosquitoes and fairly steep paths up Mount McCausland to get this view. Technically not Chelan County outside of the trees and rock in the foreground, but part of the year's travels.  Incidentally, over yonder in Snohomish County I'll be doing a good bit of birding next year.

Foothills above Wenatchee

The view from Sahale Glacier Camp - August.  This was a tough tough hike, but worth it for the views.  There were some good birds added on the trip as well - American Pipit, Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch and Sooty Grouse among them

Wenatchee Confluence Park

Chelan Ridge Hawkwatch Observatory.  You have to go here.  Have. To.   Go there.  Why are you reading this? Go there.

Spooky burned forest - Chelan Ridge, October

A special moment from Chelan Ridge - October

Horan Natural Area - November.  Fall comes later than I'd expected, color-wise.

Bad enough to include it once, but I included it here again.  On the way up to Tronsen Creek (Chelan County), I drove through a little swath of Kittitas County.  I hope that's forgiven, and that the inclusion of this picture is defensible.