Kevin Palmer

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  • It was only October, but it looked like winter at Sibley Lake in the Bighorn Mountains.
    October Midwinter
  • I've been to Tongue River Canyon many times, but have never shot this particular view before. The cottonwood trees were very colorful on this warm but cloudy October day.
    October at Tongue River Canyon
  • On October 21st, Northern Wyoming received it's first snowfall of the season that made it down to the valleys. After the storm cleared out overnight, the temperature plummeted. It was about 10°F up here at 6500 feet in the Bighorn Mountains. I made it to one of my favorite views, the Sand Turn Overlook just as the sun was peeking over the horizon. I was glad to find this tree still showing it's fall foliage, illustrating the clash of two seasons.
    Winter in October
  • Fresh snow lingers on the eastern face of the 12,324 feet high Bighorn Peak on an October afternoon.
    The Eastern Face
  • At the end of October I had the the chance to spend a week in Alaska. I timed this trip with the arrival of a solar wind stream so the northern lights would be extra active. The sky only stayed clear for a couple hours on this night, but that was enough to see this bright ‘aurora rainbow.’ Only by shooting a panorama with my widest lens could I capture all of it. Most of the lakes and wetlands around Fairbanks had these bubbles in them. They are made of methane gas suspended in the ice. Just 30-40 cm underground is the permafrost, which normally stays frozen year round. But as the Arctic warms and the permafrost thaws, the decaying plant matter (also known as peat) releases methane into the atmosphere. During the summer this gas is invisible. But for a short time after the water freezes and before it gets covered with snow, these frozen bubbles are visible. Many area lakes have such a high concentration of methane that it’s actually possible to pop these bubbles and light them on fire.
    Rainbow of Aurora
  • Deep in the Bitterroot Mountains of Idaho, the larch trees were turning to gold in late October. The snow capped peak in the distance is Beaver Ridge.
    Beaver Ridge Larch
  • The milky way is reflected over Kreis Pond in Montana as a campfire burns on the left. In October, the brightest part of the galaxy is only visible in the early evening before it sets for the night.
    Kreis Pond Milky Way
  • Just because Greenland doesn’t have trees, doesn’t mean it lacks fall colors. Shrubs and bushes burst with shades of red, orange, and gold. Juicy berries grow among the abundant green moss covering the ground. The first week of October was a bit past the peak, but I found the best remaining colors in a place called Paradise Valley. With numerous waterfalls, snowy peaks, lakes, and views of iceberg-strewn beaches, it’s a spot that certainly lived up to its name. The dark, moody weather was perfect for trying out longer exposures on the falls to give it the milky look. The water in Greenland is some of the purest on the planet. Fed by glaciers and snowmelt, one can drink directly from most streams with no consequences.
    Red Foliage Falls
  • I always feel a a sense of urgency this time of year to capture the fall colors before they're gone. Tongue River Canyon is always a great place to hike, and one of the closest trails to where I live. It was extra beautiful on this warm October afternoon. A patch of sunlight came out for just a minute.
    Overcast Sun
  • In October I visited Devils Tower when the fall colors were at their peak. Although the tower is mostly surrounded by a pine forest, there are some deciduous trees to the south by the Belle Fourche River. While wandering around before sunset I found this view with the tower framed in between two trees. Established in 1906 by Theodore Roosevelt, this was the first national monument in the US. Devils Tower is actually a mistranslation of the Native American name "Mato Tipila," which means Bear Lodge.
    Autumn Evening Light
  • North-Northeast winds blowing across Lake Michigan were causing high waves on this day in October. I went down to a small beach in Pleasant Prairie to get some pictures. In addition to the dark clouds and high winds, it was also raining.
    Angry Waves
  • My 9-hour flight home was one of the most scenic I’ve ever been on. Taking off from Helsinki at sunset, we chased the sun westward. Meanwhile the full moon emerged to the east and followed the plane. In a state of perpetual twilight, the light remained the same for hours. The moon neither rose nor set and it felt like time was standing still. At the top of the world, just 250 miles from the North Pole, the scene was most striking. 7 miles below was Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s largest national park. The ice sheet emptied out into the Arctic Ocean between pristine snowy mountains. Moonlight shimmered across fresh sea ice, fractured by undersea currents. The moon was directly in the middle of what’s called the anti-twilight arch. The pink band above is the layer of atmosphere where the sun was still shining, reddened by the backscattering of sunlight. The blue band is Earth’s shadow projected out into the atmosphere. In mid-October the sun sets for good in this part of the high Arctic, not to rise again for more than 4 months.
    When Time Stood Still
  • I was driving along the incredibly beautiful Elk Meadows Road. Just after crossing the Montana border the road went through a thick evergreen forest with no views. But then I drove around a corner and saw this view. My jaw just dropped. Being from Illinois I had never seen larch trees before. In the summer their needles are green and blend in with the rest of the trees. But in mid-October they completely stand out as they burst into color. The clouds above Lolo Peak were turning to pink as the sun set. I jumped out of my car and tried to capture the light on Lolo Peak before it faded.
    Lolo Larch
  • The sky turns a bright red as the sun rises at Glacial Park, Illinois. The colorful sky is reflected in Nippersink Creek.
    Nippersink Dawn
  • This is the northern overlook at Roundtop Mountain in Jasper, Arkansas.
    Roundtop North Bluff
  • After shooting the aurora over Nuuk Fjord for hours, it moved more to the southern sky. So I setup my camera over this small pond which was in the process of freezing over. During the brightest bursts of aurora the ground turned green. Jupiter is seen in the center of the photo and reflected on the ice.
    Jovian Ice
  • Last month I visited Devils Tower when the fall colors were at their peak. Although the tower is mostly surrounded by a pine forest, there are some deciduous trees to the south by the Belle Fourche River. While wandering around before sunset I found this view of the tower above the oak and cottonwood trees. Established in 1906 by Theodore Roosevelt, this was the first national monument in the US. Devils Tower is actually a mistranslation of the Native American name "Mato Tipila," which means Bear Lodge.
    Tower Woodland
  • I was driving through southeast Montana when I started seeing flashes to the west.I pulled in to Rosebud Battlefield State Park to try to get some lightning shots. Most of the lightning was intracloud but occasionally a bright bolt of lightning would jump out and strike the ground, making it a challenge to get the exposure right. This is a very remote part of the state, about 35 miles from the nearest town. It was at this location in 1876 that one of the largest battles of the Indian Wars took place. The Battle of Rosebud also played a role in the defeat of Colonel Custer one week later at Little Bighorn.
    100 Million Volts
  • Golden sunlight illuminates the Buffalo River valley. I really loved this view. I chose a nearby campsite so I would be able to watch the sunset, the night sky, and the sunrise from this ledge on the Goat Trail.
    Illuminated Valley
  • These snow covered trees are found near the 8,000 foot summit of Ch-Paa-Qn Peak, Montana. This peak offers an amazing panoramic view of at least 5 different mountain ranges. As temperatures warmed up above freezing, chunks of snow were constantly falling off the branches.
    Windswept Summit
  • The aurora borealis turns the sky purple and green over Frenchtown, Montana. Passing clouds were hiding part of the northern lights.
    Colorful Night
  • I thought my chances of seeing muskox in Kangerlussuaq were low, especially after seeing none on the ice sheet tour the week before. But I found a small herd of 7 grazing just east of Black Ridge.
    Muskox In the Willows
  • Shortly before sunset, crepuscular rays danced over the sea dotted with icebergs.
    Icebergs and Rays
  • Almost as soon as I started shooting a time lapse of this view, it disappeared into the fog. Kingittorsuaq is a 3,885' mountain above Kobbefjord.
    Before Losing the View
  • Kingittorsuaq is a 3,885' mountain southeast of Nuuk. This is the view from the summit of Store Malene.
    Kingittorsuaq
  • The aurora was so bright that it made the mountains, snow, ice, and everything else turn green.
    When the Ground Turned Green
  • A small iceberg floats in a small bay. Sermitsiaq Mountain was catching the first light of the day behind it.
    Sermitsiaq Iceberg
  • A snowshoe hare forages outside of Kangerlussuaq.
    Snowshoe Hare
  • The aurora dances above an iceberg stranded on the beach at low tide.
    Ice and Tidepool
  • There was so much ice on this beach I couldn't even walk across it. Days earlier it was hard to find even a single iceberg in the area. According to a local guide, heavy rain from a remnant hurricane caused increased calving of the Greenland Ice Sheet weeks earlier. A shift in the wind brought the ice towards Nuuk all at once.
    Crowded Beach
  • It's quite common to see clouds at night illuminated from below by light pollution. But it's strange seeing clouds turn green, illuminated from above. This was the solar wind stream I traveled to Alaska to see, and it arrived about 24 hours after I did at 2AM. The aurora was mesmerizing to watch as it became very bright, and  twisted and pulsed and flickered. It's not often that I point my camera straight up.
    Straight Up Awesome
  • It’s one of the coolest places I’ve ever been. At the terminus of the Castner Glacier in the highest mountain range in North America is this frozen cave. I’m sure it’s easier to get to in the summer. But with 2 feet of snow covering the trail, and moose tracks outnumbering those of humans, I almost gave up on finding it. The cave is not visible until you’re standing right at the entrance. Inside is a world of ice reflecting every shade of blue. Rocks and gravel were locked in the ceiling just waiting to fall. It felt like I was in the belly of a giant beast, examining what it ate for breakfast hundreds of years ago. Down the middle flowed a silty stream. Further back very little light reaches and a water crossing prevented further exploration. Eery booming sounds came from deep within the darkness. But at least I felt safer visiting during the cold season when the glacier wasn’t actively melting. Many maps and descriptions of this place are no longer accurate. Glacier caves are temporary features which change from year to year, and as the Castner Glacier recedes there’s no telling how long this cave will last.
    A World of Ice
  • The moose is the tallest mammal in North America. And the Alaska Range is the tallest on the continent. They both came together for this shot. According to the sign at the overlook a herd of bison also roam here in the summer.
    Moose and Mountain
  • I stayed at Poker Jim Butte to watch the sunset. While trees block the views in most directions, there was a pretty good view towards the west.
    Before the Colors Fade
  • These bizarre sandstone rock formations rise up out of the eastern Montana prairie. They turned gold as the sun set.
    Medicine Rocks Sunset
  • Cloud Peak is the highest peak in the Bighorn Mountains at 13,167'. It also holds the last remaining glacier in the range, which can barely be seen below the granite wall. Because the peak is flat-topped, it's not too difficult to climb, although it still requires a 25 mile roundtrip hike.
    Cloud From the East
  • Early morning crepuscular rays illuminate the Black Hills and the Great Plains beyond. This was the view from the Rankin Ridge lookout tower.
    Wind Cave Sunrise
  • Golden cottonwood trees line the bottom of a canyon in the Bighorn Mountains seen after an early season snowfall.
    White Yellow and Green
  • The light of sunrise illuminates one of the first snowfalls of the season in the Bighorn Mountains near Dayton. The switchbacks of Highway 14 can be seen in the valley.
    Fog and Switchbacks
  • I was almost to Hawksbill Crag when the western sky turned pink. So I stopped at the closest cliff to shoot the clouds before they faded.
    Upper Buffalo Wilderness
  • From high up on Big Bluff, I could hear splashing in the water. There were 3 or 4 deer playing in the Buffalo River below me. I wish I had a telephoto lens with me. But there's only so much gear you can bring on a backpacking trip.
    Fog and Deer Crossing
  • The sky was fairly dark in rural Stark County and the milky way was shining brightly above this railroad crossing.
    Crossing in the Sky
  • Sermitsiaq is a prominent mountain visible from Nuuk. But the only way to see the glacier and waterfall is by taking a boat tour to the other side of the island.
    Glacier Island Falls
  • This was the biggest iceberg I saw while in Greenland, on the north side of Sermitsiaq Island.
    Big Blue Iceberg
  • Nuuk, Greenland's capital and largest city is seen from the side of a mountain. The newest neighborhood, Quinngorput is at the bottom. The airport is seen on the right, which is currently being expanded to allow for more direct flights.
    Nuuk and Qinngorput
  • Icebergs float out towards the open sea near Nuuk just before sunset.
    Dotted With Icebergs
  • It looked like there wouldn't be a colorful sunset since a snowstorm lingered into the evening. But then it started to break, revealing the peaks of the Alaska Range underneath fiery clouds. As far as I can tell this peak has no name but it is in front of Mount Moffet which remained mostly hidden.
    Sunset Over the Alaska Range
  • On my last night in Alaska I went to Chena Lake for a couple hours. I'm sure the aurora would have kept getting better, but I had to leave early since I'd be waking up at 4AM to catch my flight.
    Chena Birches Aurora
  • The stars twinkle behind a lone tree at Massacre Hill in the Fetterman Monument. A bloody battle was fought here between the plains Indians and the US Army in 1866.
    Massacre Hill
  • Earlier this year the American Bison was declared the national mammal of the United States. The bulls can weigh up to 2000 pounds making them the largest mammal in North America. Once numbering in the tens of millions, bison nearly became extinct at the end of the 19th century. In 1913, bison were successfully reintroduced to Wind Cave National Park, shipped by rail from New York City. Today this is one of the only genetically pure bison herds, without any cattle genes. Even though I've seen plenty of bison before, Wind Cave in the Black Hills is the only place where I've actually hiked with them right next to the trail. At first they may appear calm and lazy. But you shouldn't get too close since they are very temperamental and can charge at speeds of up to 40 mph.
    Wind Cave Bison Bull
  • The sky turned to gold after sunset over the hills and grasslands of Wind Cave National Park.
    Black Hills Gold
  • This natural bridge is found in Makoshika State Park in northeast Montana which is filled with many interesting geological formations.
    Makoshika Bridge
  • A narrow area of sunlight lights up Roark Bluff above the Steel Creek Campground. I went for a hike before sunrise, but there wasn't much color as a rain shower was about to move in.
    Above Steel Creek
  • I loved the light in this small Starved Rock canyon covered with fallen leaves.
    Under the Bluff
  • Water gushes over the top of Manido Falls right before the larger drop. The wooden overlook can been on the other side of the river.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 10/3/14
    Manido Falls
  • The last light of the day illuminates McDonald Peak as seen from St. Ignatius, Montana. At 9,820 feet, it is the highest peak in the Mission Mountains. The summit contains a grizzly bear protection area that is closed to hikers every summer.
    McDonald Peak
  • Every year, the Western Larch trees turn a bright yellow before winter sets in. They are one of the only deciduous trees with needles. This view was seen near Lolo Creek in Montana. When the sun came out for a few minutes, I had to stop and get some shots of the Larch trees as they became backlit.
    Sunlit Larch
  • Greenland is the only place I've been able to drink straight from a stream without regretting it. The water is some of the purest on the planet.
    Purest Water On Earth
  • This was the lowest of the falls in Paradise Valley before the stream flowed into the fjord.
    Falls to the Fjord
  • I nearly gave up on seeing the aurora this night but I'm glad I didn't. The thick clouds parted for a brief time to the west as the northern lights brightened. One iceberg was stranded on the rocks while hundreds of others floated past in a blur.
    Primarily Purple
  • Icebergs drift past the many islands south of Nuuk.
    Among the Islands
  • The aurora dances over Nuuk Fjord as seen from Lille Malene (Quassussuaq).
    From Heaven Down
  • The aurora dances between the lingering twilight and the city lights of Nuuk. This view is from the top of Lille Malene (or Quassussuaq).
    The Lights of Nuuk
  • Though Greenland doesn't have trees, there was still some fall foliage in the bushes and shrubs. This was next to Cirkus Lake.
    Cirkus Lake Foliage
  • Myggedalen is probably the most iconic view in Nuuk. The colorful houses are part of the Old Town, and Sermitsiaq Mountain features prominently in the background.
    Colorful Nuuk
  • Muskox are much easier to spot after a fresh snowfall. A week earlier they blended in with the landscape more.
    Morning Muskox
  • The Bighorns contain quite a few deep canyons with towering cliffs like this one. I've driven past this canyon near Lovell before but had never stopped and explored it. I knew based on the name alone that there would be lots of color this time of year. Cottonwood trees grow next to creeks and rivers in otherwise dry areas, and turn a brilliant gold in the fall. They get their name from the cotton-like fibers that are shed in the spring. The fibers contain the seed which gets spread in the wind, and can look like snow at times. In the distance the Bighorn River can be seen, with another stripe of golden cottonwoods beyond.
    Cottonwood Canyon Colors
  • After heading down an unmarked road I unexpectedly came across this old cabin with 3 walls standing and a collapsed roof. I don't know the history behind it, but it sure is photogenic. After going on a hike I returned to capture it in the golden light of sunset.
    Dimming of the Light
  • An early season snowstorm stranded me in the Bighorn Basin an extra day. I tried to make the most of it by visiting the mustangs west of Greybull. Last time I was here I saw the entire herd of nearly 100 wild horses. But this time, despite driving for miles and scanning with binoculars, these were the only 2 I could find. But they gave me plenty of photo opportunities as they galloped across the hills with snowflakes in the air. The McCullough Peaks mustangs are believed to be descendants of Buffalo Bill’s horses from his Wild West Show. They are 1 of 2 herds of wild horses found on BLM land in northern Wyoming.
    Cold and Free
  • The aurora display only lasted a couple hours on this night before a snow storm moved in. But it was very bright and active. I shot most of it from a frozen pond a few minutes outside of Fairbanks. Methane bubbles were suspended in the ice.
    Bright Green Stripes
  • At first the aurora was confined low on the northern horizon. But then it brightened and filled the sky. It's not often I can shoot a time lapse on a highway. But traffic was very light.
    Night On Richardson Highway
  • Southeast Montana has more cool-looking abandoned buildings than anywhere else I've been. I found this creepy cabin outside of Ekalaka.
    Creepy Old Cabin
  • The sun rises beyond Castle Rock on the eastern Montana prairie. The sun was only visible for a couple minutes on this mostly cloudy morning. As far as I know Castle Rock is the only rock formation in this state park that has a name.
    Sunrise at Castle Rock
  • The blues of twilight begin to overtake the stars at 6AM. This view was from my campsite at Elk Lake in the Cloud Peak Wilderness.
    The Coming Dawn
  • I went for a hike at Bud Love Big Game Winter Range on the last warm day of fall. The light and contrasting colors seemed to work better in black and white. I spotted this pillar near the Sayles Creek trailhead and thought it looked like a half-buried raised hand.
    Buried Hand
  • Sharp granite spires protrude out of the Black Hills as seen from the top of Harney Peak. The mountain was recently renamed to Black Elk Peak, and it is the highest in South Dakota. The jagged rock formations seen here are known as the Needles, and the Needles Highway winds around them with sharp switchbacks and narrow tunnels. This was the original location proposed for the Mount Rushmore carvings, but the sculptor rejected it because the granite was too soft. In the distance a forested hillside can be seen, scarred by the pine beetle infestation. In the last 20 years, 25% of the trees in the Black Hills have been killed by this destructive beetle.
    Needles Black and White
  • The light of sunrise illuminates one of the first snowfalls of the season in the Bighorn Mountains near Dayton.
    Frosted Slopes
  • The light was very flat after sunrise with no colorful clouds. But finally after waiting an hour and a half the sun came out. Now I could pack up my campsite and hike back to my car.
    Buffalo Morning
  • After taking the wrong trail I accidentally came across this old cabin in the Buffalo River Valley. "Granny Henderson" lived here until 1979 when this became a national park. There was no electricity or running water.
    Granny Henderson's Cabin
  • I waited a total of 9 hours at this location. Early Wednesday morning thick clouds blocked my view of the aurora. The geomagnetic storm got even stronger during the day, and then died down as soon as it got dark. I returned here Wednesday night and was determined to see the aurora. Finally at 12:45 the northern lights brightened and I could see pillars rising up and moving from east to west. It didn't last very long, but I could finally go home happy.
    Northbound
  • Because of the lack of rain lately, the fall colors have not been as widespread this year in Illinois. Many of the leaves are just drying up and falling. But there is still some colorful foliage to be found, you just have to look for it. I found this bright red tree in a local park just before the setting sun painted the sky a soft pink and purple.
    Fall Meadow
  • Below the stairs leading up to the Summit Peak lookout tower was this forest. Fog would quickly move in and then recede again.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 10/3/14
    Foggy Forest
  • Greenstone Falls is one of the bigger waterfalls on the Little Carp River. It is located in the backcountry of the Porcupine Mountains in Michigan.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 10/1/14
    Greenstone Falls
  • Fallen leaves accumulate around a small waterfall in Pewit's Nest State Natural Area, Wisconsin. This is the first of 3 waterfalls on Skillet Creek as it flows through this deep and narrow gorge.
    Creekside Leaves
  • This is the biggest and last waterfall on Skillet Creek as it flows through Pewit's Nest State Natural Area. The fall colors were at their peak and the orange leaves were contrasting with the green moss on the sandstone walls. This deep and narrow gorge is located just outside of Baraboo, Wisconsin.
    Colorful Gorge
  • The Andromeda Galaxy, despite being  2.5 million light years away, is the biggest and brightest in our sky. It covers an area several times bigger than the diameter of a full moon. If you go to even a moderately dark location it is easy to spot with the naked eye. Several satellite galaxies can also be seen in this picture. This was taken in the Bitterroot Mountains in Idaho which has some of the darkest skies I've ever photographed.
    Andromeda Galaxy
  • With just a few hours left in Greenland, I had time for one more hike before my flight. So I went to Lake Ferguson at sunrise. Though devoid of color, it was a beautiful snowy morning. At the lake it was dead quiet, but I could feel someone watching me. That was when I turned around to see this lone muskox. While muskoxen have always inhabited the northern shores of the world's largest island, this population was reintroduced. The vegetation in Southwest Greenland is lush in comparison to the northern tundra, and muskoxen don't have to worry about polar bears which are rare here. That's enabled them to thrive from 27 individuals in the 1960's to more than 10,000 today. When Kangerlussuaq was still a US Air Force Base, it wasn't unusual to have to prod a muskox off the runway. Though similar in appearance to the bison, muskoxen are a bit smaller with much thicker coats that keep them warm during the long, harsh Arctic winters. They don't typically lose their horns so I'm not sure how this bull managed to break his.
    Arctic Beast
  • This was the tallest waterfall in Paradise Valley  east of Nuuk.
    Falls of Paradise Valley
  • After a wet morning, the clouds parted to reveal the snow higher up. It was perfectly calm at this pond and the water was like a mirror.
    Revealing the Snow
  • With a name like Paradise Valley, my expectations were high for this hike. The scenery did not disappoint with views of the fjord, waterfalls, and amazing fall colors. No trees needed.
    Mixed With Moss
  • I nearly gave up on seeing the aurora this night but I'm glad I didn't. The thick clouds parted for a brief time to the west as the northern lights brightened. One iceberg was stranded on the rocks while hundreds of others floated past in a blur.
    Lights of a Rising Tide
  • Icebergs fill up the fjord below Qingaq Mountain, as seen from the summit of Ukkusissat Mountain.
    Icebergs of Qingaq
  • Kobbefjord is a small fjord just east of Nuuk. The best way to see it is by climbing the 2,533' mountain called Store Malene (or Ukkusissat). It was perfectly sunny when I reached the summit. But it didn't take long before visibility was zero because the weather changes very fast in Greenland.
    Overlooking Kobbefjord
  • The sun had not even been down an hour yet when the first green curtains overspread the blue twilight sky. Why am I not on the summit already? As I hoofed it up a mountain in Greenland, I barely needed my headlamp as the lights above illuminated my way. Route finding can be tricky at night, but I had scouted out this peak the previous day so I knew where to go. Finally I reached the top, and all body heat generated from the strenuous climb was quickly stolen by the icy wind. Below stretched out the Nuuk Fjord, 2nd longest fjord system in the world. Rising nearly 4,000 feet above the sea is Sermitsiaq, the iconic island peak which dominates the skyline of Greenland's capital city. While Mars cast its reflection across the water, ribbons of green, purple, and red shimmered overhead. Oddly the northern lights seemed to prefer every part of the sky except north. For hours the show continued, in waves of varying intensity. It was a night I'll never forget.
    Nuuk Fjord Aurora
  • The Nuuk Fjord contains many dramatic pointy mountains that rise up to 5,000 feet out of the sea. They were especially beautiful at sunrise.
    Sunrise Over Qingaq
  • Crepuscular rays shine on the islands of the Labrador Sea off the coast of Nuuk.
    Islands of the Labrador Sea
  • After dropping off my bag at the airport I walked back to the Watson River one more time. The sun had finally come out and the light was beautiful. The view made it hard to leave Greenland.
    Sun Over Watson River
  • On my last morning in Greenland I woke up early and walked to Lake Ferguson at sunrise. There was no color in the sky at all but it was still a beautiful, calm morning.
    Lake Ferguson
  • It was amazing watching the aurora reflected in both the icebergs and the calm tidepool.
    Tip of the Iceberg
  • After snowing on and off all day, the clouds parted just before sunset and revealed a fiery sky to the west. First one peak would become visible, and then glimpses of even higher summits beyond. The Alaska Range is the tallest mountain range in North America. Not only do these mountains reach high, but they also start low at about 1,000 feet above sea level. This makes even the shorter peaks look impressive. None of the other high mountains of the world are located this far north. The Alaska Range is notorious for some of the harshest weather on the planet. 100 mph winds and temperatures below -50°F are not uncommon in the winter. Except for the occasional wolf howl it was a quiet evening. But the next morning very strong winds would start to blow. It was a warm southerly wind, melting the snow in a matter of hours. The higher gusts kept blowing open the door and bent the chimney of the cabin where I was staying. I never did get to see Denali during my trip, but that just gives me a reason to go back some day.
    Donnelly Sunset Reflection
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