<p>Joel was right. The <a href="http://www.visitsun.com/rainshadow.html">Olympic rain shadow</a> is pretty amazing. It was to be sunny & dry.</p>

<p>A good friend of mine and I went backpacking in the North Cascades a couple of weeks ago (been busy, this post is a bit late), setting up camp on the slopes of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Baker">Mt Baker</a> – unfortunately the weather prevented us from seeing it clearly except from a distance on the hike up to camp.</p>

<p>I spent Saturday and Sunday with a couple of friends escaping the rain and cold in Puget Sound by traveling over the Cascades to the Eastern slopes for an overnight backpack to <a href="http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes-of-the-week/ingalls-creek">Ingalls Creek</a>. We had originally planned a trip to <a href="http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/spider-meadows">Spider Meadows</a> but some concern about snow caused a change in plans.</p>

<p>Last weekend I had the good fortune to backpack the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/high-divide-loop.htm">High Divide and Sol Duc River</a> trail, enjoy an overnight at Lunch Lake and summit <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogachiel_Peak">Bogachiel Peak</a> for unobstructed views of Mount Olympus.</p>

<p>With clear weather and field reports of wildflowers in bloom, a friend and I decided to backpack up to <a href="http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes-of-the-week/marmot-pass">Marmot Pass</a> in the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/olym/">Olympics</a> and spend some time shooting photos.</p>