Cover shot

I really like how On Mount Hood turned out in terms of its cover and design. (Hats off to Anna Goldstein for the latter aspect.) It’s clean and arresting, bold and inviting. The shot of Mount Hood is a classic one from Lost Lake on the mountain’s northern side that shows some of Hood’s most notable features: Illumination Rock, Yocum and Cathederal ridges, the Sandy Glacier.

Back when we were brainstorming titles and cover designs, however, I came across another photo that really caught my eye.

I’d been looking for a unique shot of the mountain. One that highlighted its classic symmetrical spire but maybe from a different vantage point than usual. Something that was dramatic but not too foreboding, unique but at the same time familiar.

After countless hours of searching, I found it.

 Photo courtesy of Robert Brownscombe

Entitled “Morning Mist,” this shot of Oregon’s most recognizable mountain is like no others I’ve ever seen. It frames Hood’s classic, pyramidal peak, but it does it in a different way. Yes, this is the mountain’s western profile, which hundreds of thousands of people see from Portland every clear day. But this is that signature view from an entirely different perspective. Closer. Bigger. Bolder.

I tracked down the photographer through Flickr and found that one Robert Brownscombe was behind this incredible image of Mount Hood. Turns out, he’s an amazing amateur photographer who lives up by the mountain — and who has lots of stunning photos on display in his Flickr account. Cordial and responsive to my inquiries, he was amenable to having his photo considered for the cover of my book.

In the end, Sasquatch went with another photo, and the book looks fantastic.

But there will always be something about “Morning Mist” that helps me see Mount Hood in an entirely different way.