Last Shoot of the Year

Northern California had our first snow of the year on December 30th, so a friend and I headed out to the mountains to take a few pictures and enjoy an afternoon away from the computer. Although I have stayed busy entering contests and developing images I hadn't been out to shoot anything new for weeks.

We headed up to Mt. Shasta, CA and tried to get to the upper falls on the McCloud River but the roads were impassable and there was no way we were going to get stuck in the forest in late December. Night time temperatures run in the single digits this time of year, so we ended up at Castle Crags State Park and the Railroad Park in Castella, CA.

The trains are there rain or shine and always look fantastic, if you are looking for somewhere to go when traveling down I-5 the Railroad Park is always waiting, it is a fun location for an hour or two shoot in any weather. Castle Crags are in the same area and well worth the trip for any photographer. There is a wonderful trail which connects to the Pacific Crest Trail about 2 miles past the park entrance. After a torturous initial climb you can stop at Popcorn Springs and soak your feet while marveling at the magnificent creation all around you.

So that's it for 2010, thanks for reading and for sharing the world through my Nikon. See you next year!