“Cyclops”

Location: Mt. St. Helens, Washington (2021)

The sun breaks over the north shoulder of Mt. Adams as seen from 5600 feet on the south slope of Mt. St. Helens in early spring.

While making a summit attempt with two friends, I kept looking east toward Mt. Adams – a stratovolcano that towers over 12,000 feet.

Daylight was fast approaching, light building with intensity up along the backside of the mountain before finally bursting free from behind. Rays of golden light stuck everything that wasn’t in shadow – I felt vulnerable, almost naked, under the eye of the sun.