valis2 | Hartwick Pines: magical place

Earlier this year, I went to Hartwick Pines. I've had these pics for ages and wanted to share them with y'all. I know, I know, I procrastinate mightily.

One of the most memorable things about my childhood was a trip I took to Hartwick Pines with my father.

Hartwick Pines is a state park that protects the last stand of white pines in Michigan. These incredible trees are the closest thing we have to redwoods in the Midwest. They grow to great heights (300-350'), and they live a very long time. I remember the trip as pretty amazing. The largest tree was...extraordinary! I mean, we have huge oaks that are extremely big around, but they're not that tall. These were really breathtaking trees, and I was enchanted by them. My father really loved the place, and we had a great time. I remember laughing a lot and having a wonderful experience. There's a really beautiful light in the forest, just this gorgeous pretty light, and it seemed enchanted. I've remembered it for years and I've always wanted to go back and see it again.

So I revisited the park with my friends' two boys in August. I took my camera, and tried to capture the spirit of these beautiful trees. Sadly, I think you have to be there. But I did my best! Join me as I walk the trail...

I wish that the camera could convey just how tall these trees are. They're really amazingly tall and most of them are quite straight.

There's a very short trail that leads through the forest. It starts in what is called a "Northern Hardwood" forest, with stumps of giant white pines scattered here and there. Logging was halted here in 1893.

Not a white pine, but still gorgeous.

I took some chances on weird shots of different things in the forest, and none of them really turned out. This is the best, which tells you something.

More pines and hemlock trees begin to show up as you go further into the forest.

I picked one of the best possible days to go, seriously. There were some large fluffy clouds that popped in from time to time, giving the forest a muted, dark look, and then at other times the sun poured through the trees in the most beautiful way.

Here there are white pines. This is the heart of the old-growth forest. These pines are 300-400 years old and they rock.

Horizontal pic or vertical...this is always the question. Sometimes I take both, and they appeal to me for different reasons. For example:

I like the length of the photo above because it shows how incredible tall these trees are, but the repetition of the vertical lines in the picture below is also intriguing.

Now you can see the pines more clearly. I like the angle of this pic very much. The sunlight was absolutely awesome.

I thought the log in this pic might be a nice counterpoint, but the effect is kind of meh. The tree trunk on the right is too washed out as well.

This is from the young forest on one side of the trail. This part of the forest began to regrow around 1950, apparently.

And see the difference in light? I stood and just waited for the sun to come out of the clouds. Same picture, two totally different moods.

More of the yound forest. Can you believe those five trees growing together? Amazing.

Another horizontal vs. vertical pic.

I think the horizontal might win in this case. I took about eight pics of these scene in total, and they're all pretty nice, but I think this one is the best.