Rachel + Mario Mt Hood Proposal and Engagement Session
Milky Way + Stars
Rachel and Mario and I began the adventure the night before, meeting at the trailhead in the Mt Hood Wilderness area and sleeping in our cars until about 1 am when it was time to wake up and start hiking. I planned the summit to be exactly when the milky way would be in position and when we would be above the treeline to get a good, clear view. It was pretty windy so it was a bit difficult to hold still for these long exposures but we got some great photos in the end, and had a real adventure together! We hiked back down to our cars to sleep another few hours before doing it all again for sunrise!
Sunrise Proposal
It can be quit cold on Mt Hood even in the middle of summer – you can see the snow in these photos! Instead of totally freezing for this photoshoot, I planned our location around a great view of Mt Hood with a relatively easy hike. Oregon is so important to Rachel and Mario so we really wanted an iconic representation of the state for these proposal photos!
Forest Views
After sunrise, we hiked back down the trail to catch the beautiful golden hour through the trees and alpine meadow! There was a just a bit of wildfire smoke in the air which gave everything an extra glow. It still amazes me how private the Mt Hood Wilderness can be, especially compared to some of the busy forests and parks in the other western states. We had this magical wonderland all to ourselves.
