Sunset at Mount Hood

Sunset at Mount Hood

I have decided that with this spring-like weather and a forecast of clear skies last weekend it's a good time to go for a sunset hike and capture Mount Hood in the soft evening light. I've picked up a Mirror Lake trail hike leading up to Tom, Dick and Harry Mountain which offers some stunning views. The hike itself is rather on the short side with just around 3 miles one way. The weather was great and very worm for January. Unfortunately by night fall the Milky Way was on the other side of the globe so there was no point staying up for too late, still the hike down was in complete darkness - quite an interesting experience :)
Due to harsh contrast between sunlit Mt. Hood and the forest covered in shadows I had to use HDR in all of the pictures, let me know in the comments if you think they're overdone, since I'm still learning the process.

View towards Portland (somewhere in the fog down the valley).

Pentax HD Ltd. 20-40mm/2.8-4.0 @38mm f/8 1s ISO 100

Mount Hood in the setting sun.

Pentax HD Ltd. 20-40mm/2.8-4.0 @38mm f/8 0.3s ISO 100


Pentax HD Ltd. 20-40mm/2.8-4.0 @21mm f/8 1.3s ISO 100

Mount Jefferson in the distance.

Pentax HD Ltd. 20-40mm/2.8-4.0 @23mm f/8 1.3s ISO 100

Mount Hood after sunset.

Pentax HD Ltd. 20-40mm/2.8-4.0 @40mm f/8 1.6s ISO 100