Mount Baker, alpine lakes create a beautiful scene at Mount Baker Wilderness

THE Traveler: Tom Singsank of Minnetonka.

The scene: Mirror-like lakes and tall peaks make a stunning vista along the Yellow Aster Butte Trail in the Mount Baker Wilderness. "This photo was taken from the trail junction where the trail switchbacks down to a large butte filled with camping spots and small lakes. This was a great view of the expansive and rugged nature of the North Cascades, with Mount Baker off on the center horizon," Singsank wrote in an e-mail. The area lies east of Bellingham, Wash., in the Cascade Range of northwestern Washington.

Destination: "North Cascades [National Park] is one of the least visited parks, but is rugged and beautiful. Just wanted to give any hikers out there a possible alternative to a less crowded national park," he wrote. North Cascades lies just east of the 120,000-acre Mount Baker Wilderness. Canada makes up the northern boundary of both the wilderness area and the adjacent national park. Singsank added that high-clearance vehicles are highly recommended and lodging options are limited. Rocky peaks punctuate the wilderness' high-elevation lakes and alpine meadows, and Mount Baker, more than 10,000 feet tall, towers over the area.

Equipment: Singsank snapped this shot with his iPhone. The timing was right, as the afternoon sun cast a golden glow on the landscape.

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