Kevin Palmer

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  • 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
  • Anyone who has tried chasing the aurora is familiar with disappointment. Especially in mid-latitudes, there can be months in a row with little to no activity. And when the sun does get more active, sometimes it feels like everything is working against you. Unpredictability is high. The timing is all wrong when the geomagnetic storm happens during the day, or on the cloudiest night of the week, or when the moon is so bright you can’t see it. But if you keep going out and watching, eventually you’ll catch a view like this. Last night I went up to an overlook in the Bighorn Mountains. For the first couple hours the aurora glowed but lacked any movement. Then at 10PM, a substorm broke out into these colorful pillars moving from right to left. Just half an hour later the moon was up and the show was over. Aurora activity will continue to increase as we head towards solar maximum.
    Highway 14 Aurora
  • The Beartooth Highway is a 68 mile long road that starts in Red Lodge, Montana, and ends at the northeast entrance to Yellowstone. The steep, winding highway reaches elevations above 10,000 feet and is known for getting snow anytime of the year. Snow drifts up to 40 feet high were encountered earlier in the day. This shot was taken at 11PM when the moon was illuminating Pilot and Index Peaks. Resembling the Matterhorn in the Alps, Pilot Peak can be seen near the end of the highway outside of Cooke City. The twin stars of Gemini as well as the Beehive star cluster were setting behind the two peaks.
    Twin Peaks
  • Highway 128 winds through a canyon formed by the Colorado River. This scenic road leads from Interstate 70 to the town of Moab, Utah.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/8/2013
    Desert Road
  • 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’ve always liked this particular road on the west side of the Bighorn Mountains. With plenty of steep twists and sharp turns, switchbacks and hairpins, it ascends to a waterfall and campground. The poor maintenance, few guardrails, and occasional rockfall add to the thrill. If the snow were any deeper I couldn't have made it to the top. Before it got dark I found the perfect viewpoint so I could return later. The bright moon illuminated the beautiful landscape and clouds, I just had to wait for it to move off to the side. At 10PM Orion rose directly above the peak in the middle. Then all I needed was a car to paint the road with its headlights. So I left my camera perched on the side of the mountain to shoot automatically while I slowly drove to the bottom and back up. After combining all the car trail images with a single image of the sky this was the result. Highway 14A is the road on the right and the lights in the distance are from Greybull I think.
    Switchbacks and Car Trails
  • Rock Creek Vista is the first scenic overlook on the Beartooth Highway, located at 9,200 feet. Looking southwest, the U-shape of the valley carved by glaciers was obvious
    U-Shaped Valley
  • Montezuma Valley Road is the steep, winding highway that leads to Borrego Springs. After shooting the sunset from this pullout I waited until it was dark enough to take a long exposure. With cars both coming up and going down the mountain this was my favorite frame.
    Montezuma Valley Road
  • Highway 14 winds through Shell Canyon on the west side of the Bighorn Mountains.
    Shell Canyon Entrance
  • Rainbow Ridge is one of the more dramatic mountains you pass by while driving the Richardson Highway through the Alaska Range. I was thankful I didn't get stuck anywhere because my rental car was not very well equipped for these conditions.
    Road to Rainbow Ridge
  • Even after driving up Highway 14 dozens of times, I almost always stop at this scenic overlook. It’s where the Bighorn Mountains meet the endless plains stretching across eastern Wyoming and Montana. The towns of Dayton, Ranchester, and Sheridan are seen thousands of feet below and it’s a popular spot for launching hang gliders. For years I’ve wanted to capture a good lightning storm from here. But it required just the right storm, one that comes in from the northwest in a path parallel to the mountains. It needed to be close enough to light up the valley, but far enough to stay out of danger and out of most of the rain. It also needed to be predictable, so I could get there in time. At 10PM sheets of rain began to envelop the ridges to the north one by one. Then this brilliant flash illuminated the foothills and switchbacks just before the lights of Dayton disappeared into the downpour. I’ve always loved the challenge of capturing something that lasts a fraction of a second and preserving it in a picture.
    Electric Rain
  • Just past Togwotee Lodge is the first view of the Tetons, straight down the highway.
    That First Glimpse
  • A moose calf crosses Highway 14A while cars approach.
    Following Calf
  • 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
  • Steamboat Point is a favorite mountain of mine that I've climbed more than any other. But I've never been able to catch a great sunset from the top, until now. The 7,877' peak is close to Sheridan and easy to access year round. On the lower south-facing slope the snow is quick to melt. After the trail bends around into the forest, the snowpack is often a couple feet deep in the winter. But the summit itself is usually scoured clean by the frequent strong winds. I'd estimate winds were gusting to about 80mph up here, making it difficult to stand up straight. But it was these same winds that contributed to the fiery sunset. On warm winter or early spring days it's common to get lenticular or mountain wave clouds over the Rockies. They are caused by oscillations in the air flow after encountering a mountain range. When the sun catches them just right, the color and texture of these clouds can be truly stunning.
    First Sunset of February
  • On my last night in the Arctic I was treated to a colorful sunset with alpenglow on the mountain Vassitjåkka. I was glad I had to drive back to Riksgransen to return my skis, it was all cloudy in Abisko where I was staying. The roads here have an almost constant layer of ice on them in the winter. But driving isn't as hard as it looks since cars are required to have studded tires.
    Driving in the Arctic
  • I chased this severe thunderstorm on the Crow Indian Reservation. These tepees at the trading post in Crow Agency made for a nice foreground.
    Crow Agency Thunderstorm
  • Steamboat Point is a favorite mountain of mine that I've climbed more than any other. But I've never been able to catch a great sunset from the top, until now. The 7,877' peak is close to Sheridan and easy to access year round. On the lower south-facing slope the snow is quick to melt. After the trail bends around into the forest, the snowpack is often a couple feet deep in the winter. But the summit itself is usually scoured clean by the frequent strong winds. I'd estimate winds were gusting to about 80mph up here, making it difficult to stand up straight. But it was these same winds that contributed to the fiery sunset. On warm winter or early spring days it's common to get lenticular or mountain wave clouds over the Rockies. They are caused by oscillations in the air flow after encountering a mountain range. When the sun catches them just right, the color and texture of these clouds can be truly stunning.
    Vertigo Inducing Sunset
  • While driving through the mountains, I spotted a couple moose in the distance. They were grazing among the lupine wildflowers at the edge of the forest. Almost as soon as I pulled over, this cow jumped over the fence and crossed the road right behind me, followed by her calf. I was glad I had my camera ready with the telephoto lens attached. A moose on 4 legs is already the tallest mammal in North America. But judging by the fence posts, this moose was 8-9 feet tall standing on it's hind legs. The collar this cow is wearing is part of a 2-3 year moose ecology study by the University of Wyoming.
    Moose Crossing
  • A rain shower approaches the west side of the Bighorn Mountains while glowing gold before sunset.
    Evening Mountain Rain
  • After the two severe thunderstorms moved away from Hulett, one more little supercell popped up. It was very scenic with the sun out and it left behind this rainbow.
    Curving Road and Rainbow
  • Every winter I try to go on at least one backpacking trip that involves climbing a mountain. In early January I spent the night on this 9500’ peak in the southern Bighorns. Winter backpacking is not without its challenges. The rule of thumb is that everything takes twice as long and requires double the effort compared to summer. Progress is slow when breaking trail through soft and deep snow. From pitching a tent, to cooking, melting snow for water, and packing up while pausing to thaw my hands, it all takes extra time. I have to be very selective in choosing a day with the best weather when it’s not snowing, not too frigid and not too windy. Things can go wrong very quickly if you’re unprepared. There’s never enough daylight and the nights seem to go on forever. But for all that trouble, this is the reward: to wake up to an amazing sunrise and a view that few people ever get to experience.
    New Day in the Bighorns
  • Once the aurora got going, I returned to this pulloff. I couldn't see it, but my camera captured a moose grazing on the left, which was likely the same moose I photographed earlier in the day. Seeing aurora colors other than green is rare in the Arctic. This was one of my only photos with a tinge of red.
    Midnight Moose
  • From a distance this South Dakota supercell looked very impressive with a crisp updraft under a clear blue sky.
    Convection Ahead
  • Beartooth Lake was still frozen in early June.
    Frozen Beartooth Lake
  • Often while traveling I’m at a different place every day. But staying in the same spot for several days in a row near Yellowknife allowed me to get to know the local wildlife. There was the raven that flew overhead at the same time each morning, the squirrel loudly gathering nuts, and the grouse that always startled at a bend in the trail. But my favorite was the family of foxes. Beside a highway pullout on the edge of Canada's coldest city lived a mother and 3 kits. The mother eyed me closely with an intense stare while the young ones played carefree. Each kit had a different fur color: one red, one black and red, and the rarest of all, silver. The fur trade has a long history in the far north, and fox pelts were some of the most valuable.
    Intense Stare
  • Every summer I try to climb at least one big mountain, and this time it was Darton Peak. It's one of the highest peaks in the Bighorns, and is very prominent from Highway 16 far below. With a goal of standing on the summit at sunrise, that meant a 3:30AM wake up time. But the bright moonlight helped illuminate my route as the stars faded out. The wind chill up here was in the lower 20's and fresh snow lingered from a couple days earlier despite it being August. Darton is typical of other peaks in the Bighorns and is covered with car-sized boulders. With towering cliffs on 2 sides, the long and rounded peak requires a 16 mile roundtrip hike, but I was able to camp at Lost Twin Lakes the night before. At an elevation of 12,275 feet, the air is only 63% of what it is at sea level. There's always something beautiful about the way the the light appears at high altitudes at the edge of day. It's amazing how the colors can seem both soft and intense at the same time.This view is looking south towards Bighorn Peak.
    Bighorn From Darton
  • Steamboat Point is a well-known mountain on the east side of the Bighorns, next to Highway 14. I've watched the sunset from the top more times than I can count. But this time I wanted to capture the boulders which sit below the cliff face. These boulders are massive. They're bigger than houses, more like the size of office buildings. I can only imagine what it would have looked and sounded like when they fall. The rock is a razor-sharp dolomite and the area is popular with rock climbers.
    Big Boulders
  • Tornado sirens rang through the humid air buzzing with mosquitoes. Locals could not help but to stop and stare. For hours this powerful supercell had been tracking across southeast Wyoming and already dropped 7 tornadoes. But now for the first time the storm was entering a populated area. As it crossed into the Nebraska Panhandle it picked up speed. I got far enough ahead so I could find this viewpoint of the national monument and shoot a time lapse. Scotts Bluff was a significant milestone on the Oregon Trail, and countless covered wagons passed between these walls of sandstone in the mid-1800's. I can't imagine what it would have been like to face a threat like this without a sturdy shelter or means of escape. The 800 foot high bluffs began to look tiny as the swirling mass of angry clouds blackened the western horizon. This was as close as I dared to get, because the core of the storm packed massive hailstones as large as 4 inches. When the hills started to disappear, it was time to leave. An additional 2 tornadoes soon dropped on the highway a few minutes behind me. While there were a few structures damaged, the twisters largely spared the town of Gering. But many car windows were claimed by the hail.
    Blackened Horizon
  • There are some things that just don't happen every day. One of the brightest comets in decades is swinging past Earth this month. As I brainstormed to figure out where to capture it, Steamboat Point seemed like an obvious choice. Anyone who has driven Highway 14 would recognize this iconic peak of the Bighorn Mountains. It gets its name because of the massive rock face that sticks into the air like the prow of a steamboat. Even though storms were around in the evening, I was not expecting them to last. But lightning flashed to the north for the entire night. The red color is an effect caused by viewing from a long distance through the thicker atmosphere. At 2:30AM, the comet rose above the northeast horizon, tail-first. A comet's tail always points away from the Sun. The 67% moon off to the right lit up the mountain, while shadows added depth to the scene. Soon after this, noctilucent clouds joined the show, but that's for another post. By the time the sun rose my memory card had 1400 new images. It was a night very much worth losing sleep over.
    Worth Losing Sleep Over
  • The jumbled mess of giant boulders known as the Fallen City can be seen from Highway 14 below. I've always wanted to climb to the top of this peak and see them up close. Some of the boulders are the size of houses, others are the size of office buildings. Deeper snow past this point kept me from getting closer, I will have to come back another time.
    Fallen City Sunset
  • Crazy Woman Canyon is is located south of Buffalo in the Bighorn Mountains. A steep, narrow, and bumpy road ascends the canyon all the way up to Highway 16. It's a fun drive, with lots of scenic cliffs and rock formations, and plenty of dispersed campsites available.
    Narrow Passage
  • This severe, slow-moving thunderstorm in northeast Wyoming was fascinating to watch. It was showing broad rotation, and was a prolific hail producer. I had to wait for the hail to move away from Highway 112 before I drove any further. Once I went north I found hail stones 2 inches wide which would have damaged my vehicle.
    Hulett Hailer
  • 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
  • Having already captured the aurora from most of the highway overlooks in the Bighorn Mountains, Sibley Lake was my destination. I didn't know what I'd find when I got there. Snow still blocked part of the road, so I walked the rest of the way to the shoreline. Most of the ice was gone, leaving a near-perfect mirror in its place. In the hour that I sat there, newly formed ice slowly spread across this cove. While the creek gurgled and owls hooted, meteors periodically shot between the stars.
    Sibley Lake Aurora
  • It was a postcard kind of day. Abundant sunshine, light wind, and no jacket necessary in the middle of November. Somehow I always end up visiting the northwest part of the Bighorn Mountains at this time of year. Knowing Highway 14A will soon close for the winter, I always try to get in one last hike. My destination was Medicine Mountain via a different route from the west. The beginning was relentlessly steep. But each time I stopped to catch my breath the view just kept getting better and better behind me. On every horizon rugged snowcapped peaks pierced the deep blue sky. The Beartooth Mountains lined up with the cliffs of Five Springs Mountain to the northwest.
    Beartooths From the Bighorns
  • Anytime I’m out storm chasing, I love finding some old structure such as a church, barn or abandoned house. Buildings that have weathered many storms, bare the scars, but still stand. This little white church I came across outside of Wolf Point, Montana. A shelf cloud was closing in from the west. It seemed to be approaching rapidly, but at the same time in slow motion. The storm stalled out over town. Excessive rainfall brought street flooding and left drifts of dirty hail on the highway. As it got closer the sky turned green, reflecting the suspended hailstones above. When the gust front finally arrived, it turned brown as winds picked up dust from the surrounding fields. A wind gust of 86mph was reported.
    Prevailing Church
  • During a heat wave I always like heading up to the Bighorn Mountains to cool down. I kept driving until I could go no higher. This highway, (14A) was opened for the season at the end of May and many snow drifts still remained. Darkness arrives very slowly this time of year, so I made some coffee and waited. After 11PM the blues of twilight finally faded away. Nights like this are rare at this elevation. No cold, wind, clouds, haze or anything else spoiled the view. It was perfect for stargazing. No matter how many times I see it, I'm always blown away by the sight of the milky way rising in a dark sky. Glittering star clusters, clouds of dust both dark and bright, glowing nebulae of all colors filled the scene. The more you look the more you see. A star tracking mount was used to counteract earth's rotation, allowing me to capture this highly-detailed image.
    Hunt Mountain Milky Way
  • As this supercell continued south of Sundance, it took on a very blue coloring. At the time it was dropping baseball-sized hail, which accumulated on the highway.
    Blue Ice Machine
  • While driving back from a hike I came across a moose calf and mother. The area near Highway 14A in the Bighorn Mountains is one of the best places to see moose, I saw 7 that evening.
    Wading Moose
  • A moose mother and calf graze on a snowy morning while the sun struggles to emerge ahead of an approaching storm. I saw this same pair the day before but wasn't able to get any good shots, so I came back the next morning. This time they were a lot closer, and crossed the highway right in front of me. The deep snow hides their true height. When the mother stood up on the road I found myself staring at a creature taller than myself. The calf is a male, which is apparent from the antler stumps above his eyes. Moose will eat up to 60 pounds of food a day, although it's a lot harder for them in the winter. Just before the snow started coming down heavier, I was able to position myself to capture the sunrise glow above their heads. Wildlife is said to be more active during bad weather, and that was certainly true on this morning. Before leaving Grand Teton National Park I had spotted 8 moose, countless elk and bison, and even a lone wolf.
    Moose at Sunrise
  • 200km north of the Arctic Circle at the top of Sweden, is the small village of Riksgränsen. The name translates to national border, since it is right next to Norway. It holds the claim of being the northernmost ski resort in the world. This was taken in March, but even at the end of June it remains open, and is one of few places where it’s possible to ski under the midnight sun. For most of the last century this area was accessible only by rail until Highway E10 was completed in the 1980’s. It was my last night in the Arctic and I had to come back here to return some skis. But I was glad I did since it was completely cloudy further east where I was staying. It seemed like this mountain (named Vassitjåkka) was keeping the clouds dammed up behind it. But the front of the peak glowed vividly for quite awhile as the sun went down and a bitter wind blew.
    Alpenglow Above Katterjåkk
  • High on the eastern slope of Quandary Peak in the Colorado Rockies, I came across these bizarre shapes in the snow. Drifts several feet high were curved back over themselves, like waves frozen in time. Only recently when reading a book about Antarctica did I learn these formations have a name: 'Sastrugi'. Sastrugi are sharp irregular grooves or ridges formed by wind erosion. They are common in polar regions or other barren, windswept areas. Here at 13,000 feet there were no trees or any other barriers. The winds were relentless, gusting to 60+ mph and producing a wind chill far below zero. Sastrugi are known to make skiing very challenging, and the few skiers I saw on this day looked like they were having a rough time. In Antarctica sastrugi have even been blamed for plane crashes, since they make landings and takeoffs quite difficult. The peak visible in the distance is Red Mountain and down below is Highway 9 just before it crosses the Continental Divide. 2 additional 14’ers, Grays Peak and Torreys Peak, can be seen on the far left.
    Quandary Sastrugi
  • I wouldn't normally set my tripod up in the middle of a steep and slick mountain highway. But at this time of night there was no traffic at all.
    December Night Drive
  • At nearly 11,000 feet in elevation, the Beartooth Highway is the highest road in the Northern Rockies. The scenic 68 mile byway starts near Red Lodge, Montana, and leads to the northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Summers are very short in this harsh alpine zone. It was stormy when I drove up a couple weeks ago. Once I reached Beartooth Pass, a mix of rain, snow, and graupel was falling from the sky. But I knew a rainbow was likely as soon as the sun came back out. So I put on a rain jacket and climbed up this pile of rocks to get a better view. When the rainbow first appeared, it was so close and vivid it felt like I could reach out and touch it. But it only lasted a few minutes as the storm moved away and the sun quickly melted the snow and graupel that coated the ground.
    Rainbow at Beartooth Pass
  • Wind River Canyon is a scenic canyon just south of Thermopolis, Wyoming. The canyon cliffs are up to 2500 feet high. A railroad and Highway 20 pass through the canyon on either side of the river. This view is near the northern entrance of the canyon.
    Wind River Canyon Entrance
  • Shell Falls is a beautiful waterfall right by Highway 14 above Shell Canyon.
    Shell Falls In Autumn
  • I spent the fourth of July chasing tornadoes in Chugwater, Wyoming. Chugwater has a certain legendary status among storm chasers. Storms form over the Laramie Mountains to the west, and the local terrain seems to enhance tornadic potential. On at least 3 other occasions I've seen funnel clouds here. And having one of the few paved, east-west highways also makes it a great place to target. Luckily there is not much around for a tornado to damage. I had to pick a spot either below the bluff or on top. I chose on top, which put me a little over a mile away from the developing tornado. Powerful cloud to ground lightning bolts were dropping during tornadogenesis. My camera was left outside to shoot automatically while I stayed in my car.
    Chugwater Tornado