Elopement: Megan & Chris
A Huntoon Point Elopement in the Mount Baker Wilderness
Megan and Chris messaged me through The Knot looking for a Mount Baker elopement photographer, and we spent a few weeks emailing back and forth — logistics, permits, plans that shifted as their wedding date got closer — long before I ever met them in person. They were planning all of it from Oklahoma, more than 2,000 miles from the trailhead. But that’s exactly what happened, and more than a year after that first message I was standing on a ridge near Artist Point watching them say their vows with Mount Baker on one side and Mount Shuksan on the other.
The Plan
Planning a North Cascades elopement comes with a few variables: snow, weather, and during fire season, possible smoke from wildfires. Huntoon Point sits high in the Mount Baker Wilderness, just past Artist Point, and depending on the year that trail can hold snow well into summer. Megan and Chris wanted the real hike — the ridge, the alpine views, the sense of having earned the spot — so a week before their wedding day, I drove up with my photo assistant to check trail conditions. Returning home I texted them that our plan A was a go, and there was little to no snow.
Our backup plan was simple: if the trail was buried, we’d keep the ceremony close to the Artist Point parking lot and let the mountains do the work from a distance. Not a bad option, honestly. But when we got up there, the trail to Huntoon Point was completely clear — dry dirt, easy footing, no snow to speak of. An easy hike from the car, with the kind of payoff you don’t get from an easy hike — which is exactly what makes this such a good spot for a Washington adventure elopement.
There was one more piece of the plan: Megan and Chris wanted to center their ceremony around a small plant, something living to stand in for the two of them growing together. Between flying to Seattle and then driving to their AirBNB in Glacier, WA, and everything else on their list, they hadn’t had a chance to track one down. So on the morning of the wedding, I picked one up on my way to Artist Point and carried it up the trail with the rest of my gear.
Parking Lot to Huntoon Point
Megan and Chris as they maneuvered from their ceremonial ridge to the small lake for more photos.
The Day
Megan and Chris kept their circle small: just the two of them, Megan’s sister, and her brother-in-law, who also stepped in as officiant. That’s one of my favorite things about small mountain elopements — there’s so much room to be present. Every part of the day is chosen on purpose, and it shows in how the couple moves through it.
We hiked out to Huntoon Point in the late afternoon, under a sky that worked in our favor — overcast enough to give us soft, even light in every direction, but still carrying enough wispy clouds to keep things visually interesting. It’s a hike that offers amazing bang for the buck — at just 1.25 miles round trip, it’s short, fairly easy, and offers countless dramatic views in all directions. The ridge they chose for their ceremony was a small, rocky ridge with a view of Mount Baker on one, and a small alpine lake on the other. Megan and Chris stood right on that ridge, their little plant between them, with her sister beside her and her brother-in-law officiating.
After the ceremony, we dropped down to the lake side for photos — the water gave us reflections of the peaks, expansive skies and a smattering of color from small clusters of wildflowers. Chris just kept looking at Megan like he couldn’t quite believe they’d pulled this off.
They had.
On the way back to the car, I mentioned an idea to Megan. Just down the road from Artist Point sits the Bagley Creek Stone Bridge, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps back in the 1930s. It’s a spot I know well — it’s actually where I proposed to my now-wife, Kelly. I had a composition in mind that, if it came together, could be one of the most striking images of the whole day.
Megan and Chris were in without hesitation, trusting me to bring the idea to life. I’ll admit I was a little hesitant myself — it meant another short hike down and back for everyone at the end of an already long day. But my photo assistant and I hiked down, got into position, and had the couple work through a few poses on the bridge. The strongest frame, and maybe my favorite of the entire day, was a simple one: Chris taking Megan’s hand and leading her across the stone bridge. Behind them, a strip of twilight sky lit up over Table Mountain, and below them, the whole scene reflected back in the stream.
The Ceremony
Why It Worked
Oklahoma has flat horizons and big skies, but nothing like 5,000 foot jagged peaks on every side. That contrast is exactly why so many couples travel here for a Pacific Northwest elopement — they want a landscape that matches the size of the decision they’re making.
Huntoon Point delivers that in a way few trails do. It’s accessible enough for most people to hike, and remote enough that you feel like you’ve left the world behind. For a small ceremony with the right group of people, it’s about as good as it gets for a Mount Baker Wilderness elopement.
As Megan put it: “We are big outdoors people and wanted something that would be unforgettable. We first looked at North Cascades National Park but when we saw the 360 degree views at Artist Point it just made sense. A place that would be unforgettable for our vows.”
Megan and Chris, thank you for trusting me with this one. Trading a courthouse or a backyard for a ridge in the Mount Baker Wilderness takes a certain kind of couple — and you two were exactly that kind.
If you’re searching for a Huntoon Point elopement photographer or planning your own Artist Point elopement, I’d love to hear your story.
Planning a mountain elopement in the North Cascades or Mount Baker Wilderness? I’d love to help you scout the right spot and plan around conditions like snowpack and trail access. Reach out anytime.
Venue & Vendor Links
The Newlyweds
The Bagley Creek Stone Bridge
