Kevin Palmer

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  • It was a beautiful wintry night in the Bighorn Mountains. Most of the snow from the previous day had fallen off the trees after a sunny day. But since this part of the forest remained in the shade, it was still looking like a winter wonderland in the moonlight.
    Snowy Pine Moonlight
  • This is one of the most beautiful times of year in Wyoming. The valleys are green and the mountains are filled with colorful wildflowers. This was taken near Red Grade Road. The trees were burnt in a wildfire 10 years ago.
    Burnt Tree Bloom
  • Young saplings grow among the older pine trees near Red Grade Road in the Bighorn Mountains.
    Young Saplings
  • Fog moves between pine trees near East Pryor Mountain.
    Dispersion
  • The weather was beautiful while I snowshoed back from Granite Butte after spending the night there. Freezing fog had coated all the trees with thick frost and rime ice, which contrasted with the deep blue skies. This portion of the forest was burnt in a wildfire.
    Frosted Treetops
  • Devils Tower (also known as Mato Tipila which means Bear Lodge in Lakota) is an awesome place anytime of year. But there's something extra special about being the only one in the park the morning after a fresh snowfall. I was walking around the tower loop trail after sunrise when a gust of wind blew a chunk of snow off of the tower and into the surrounding forest. The air glittered and sparkled, and rays of golden sunlight glowed between the trees. I only had a few seconds to get a shot, before the scene was gone. Despite the difficulties of winter camping and driving on icy roads, it's definitely worth visiting Devils Tower in the offseason.
    Sparkling Sunbeams
  • Above the 10,000 feet level in the Panamint Range grows one of the oldest organisms on earth. Some of the bristlecone pines here in California's Death Valley National Park are estimated to be 3,000 years old. Even hundreds of years after dying, these tough trees remain standing, like ancient sentinels watching over the Mojave Desert miles below. The views from Telescope Peak seem to go on forever, which is how it got it's name. Nowhere else can you see both the lowest point in the western hemisphere (Badwater Basin) and the highest point in the continental US (Mount Whitney). The quarter moon helped to light up the trail as I hiked the 8 miles back after watching the sunset from the summit.
    Ancient Sentinel
  • The views are spectacular from Inspiration Point. You can see the cliffs of the LaRue Pine Hills and the marshy area beneath. The sunset colors were reflecting on the still waters of the ponds below.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: July 23, 2014
    LaRue Pine Hills
  • Complete silence surrounded the 11,049' summit of Telescope Peak as the colors of sunset faded away and twilight deepened. This peak at the top of Death Valley National Park is so named because "You could see no further with a telescope." Endless ridges, mountains, sand dunes, and salt flats stretched out in every direction. In the valley on the left is Badwater Basin. Nowhere in North America is lower or dryer, and it lays claim to the hottest air temperature ever measured (134°F). Despite being only 18 miles away, the weather and environment up here at this altitude is vastly different. Temperatures can be as much as 60°F cooler, and a lot more rain and snow falls here than in the surrounding desert. This sustains a forest of bristlecone pines, the oldest species of tree on Earth at up to 5,000 years old. Staying on the summit for the sunset meant descending 8 miles in the dark, but the incredible views were worth the longest dayhike I've ever done.
    Could See No Further
  • The views at sunrise were stunning from the Granite Butte fire lookout on Montana's continental divide. All the whitebark pine trees were coated with thick rime ice and fog drifted around the valleys.
    Rime Before Dawn
  • The views at sunrise were stunning from the Granite Butte fire lookout on Montana's continental divide. This is looking west where an atmospheric inversion trapped fog in the valleys.
    West of the Divide
  • Orion shines above snow and rime covered pine trees near the summit of Granite Butte.
    Granite Butte Snowdrift
  • The weather was a lot clearer this morning compared to the evening before. But freezing fog still occasionally drifted past Granite Butte, obscuring the valleys below.
    Morning Freezing Fog
  • The views at sunrise were stunning from the Granite Butte fire lookout on Montana's continental divide. Red Mountain is the tallest peak on the left.
    Red Mountain Morning
  • Once I reached Granite Butte on top of the continental divide, the wind became stronger. The tough whitebark pine trees which grow up here are all pointed eastward, away from the prevailing westerly winds. Every single surface (including myself) was coated with rime ice.
    Frosted Forest
  • The views at sunrise were stunning from the Granite Butte fire lookout on Montana's continental divide. All the whitebark pine trees were coated with thick rime ice and fog drifted around the valleys. I had to use my widest lens to capture all the color.
    Morning on the Divide
  • A lone pine tree on the edge of Sibley Lake points to the Big Dipper (Ursa Major) constellation above. The 2 stars on the end point to Polaris, the North Star on the left. All night long the Big Dipper will rotate counterclockwise while the North Star remains stationary. I added diffraction spikes to these 8 stars to make them stand out more.
    The Pointer
  • For the Geminid meteor shower I snowshoed to the top of the continental divide in Western Montana. From the Granite Butte lookout tower, the views were stunning in every direction. The weather changed by the second alternating between snow showers, gale force winds, freezing fog with zero visibility, clear skies, and brief moments of calm. The tough whitebark pine trees which grow up here are all permanently bent. They point eastward from the prevailing westerly winds which almost never stop. The low temperatures, strong winds, and fog combined to create hard rime ice, which covered every surface (including me and my camera) with a coating up to 2 inches thick. To say that shooting conditions were challenging would be an understatement. My tripod had to be carefully propped up to avoid it blowing over. And with all my batteries dying too soon, I didn't get to take as many pictures as I wanted to. This was one of the brighter meteors which shone through the fog. The lights on the right are from the city of Helena.
    Through the Freezing Fog
  • This strange rock formation is found at Shoshoni Point overlooking the Grand Canyon. The milky way was shining brilliantly above at 4AM. Jupiter is the bright object on the right, while Mars and Saturn are near the top left.
    Shoshoni Point Galaxy
  • For the Geminid meteor shower I snowshoed to the top of the continental divide in Western Montana. From the Granite Butte lookout tower, the views were stunning in every direction. The weather changed by the second alternating between snow showers, gale force winds, freezing fog with zero visibility, clear skies, and brief moments of calm. The tough whitebark pine trees which grow up here are all permanently bent. They point eastward from the prevailing westerly winds which almost never stop. The low temperatures, strong winds, and fog combined to create hard rime ice, which covered every surface (including me and my camera) with a coating up to 2 inches thick. To say that shooting conditions were challenging would be an understatement. My tripod had to be carefully propped up to avoid it blowing over. And with all my batteries dying too soon, I didn't get to take as many pictures as I wanted to. But this was one of the brighter meteors captured, flying in between Orion and Sirius.
    Catching a Gem
  • Outside of Ekalaka, Montana, the structure on this mothership supercell was incredible. At times it looked like a giant tsunami in the sky. This storm would go on to produce at least 8 tornadoes.
    Montana Mothership
  • Evening sunlight shines on Steamboat Point as seen from a couple miles away.
    Evening Light on Steamboat
  • 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
  • After the sun set, the Belt of Venus rose in the southeast, casting a soft pink and blue glow over the Bighorn Mountains.
    Dusk Before Solstice
  • The Tongue River was flowing quite a bit in early June. This was the view in the morning from my campsite while backpacking in Tongue River Canyon.
    Rapid Morning
  • It was late May but there was still plenty of snow along Red Grade Road in the Bighorn Mountains.
    Spring at Red Grade
  • After I thought the sunlight was gone on Devil's Tower, it came out once more for just a couple minutes.
    Devil's Tower Last Light
  • The pyramid shaped shadow of Black Mountain grew larger as the sun set behind me. The views are amazing from this 9500' peak in the northern Bighorn Mountains. Climbing it in June is about 10X easier than the last time I climbed it in January.
    Black Shadow
  • The setting sun casts a golden glow on the boulders beneath the summit of Black Mountain.
    Golden Boulders
  • The mountainside next to Red Grade Road is currently filled with colorful wildflowers. I stopped on my way back from a hike to capture them in the evening light.
    Wildflowers and Blacktooth
  • Stull Lake sits on the edge of the Cloud Peak Wilderness and provides a great view of the snow-covered Dome Peak and others.
    Stull Lake in June
  • Pillars of Red
  • The last light on the cliffs of Piney Creek Canyon is reflected in the cold water.
    Gold Under Ice
  • While cross country skiing in the Bighorn Mountains, this vivid halo appeared around the sun. I was able to get a few pictures above this meadow before it faded away.
    Halo and Shadow
  • A creek bed buried under several feet of snow forms an S-curve.
    Snowy S-Curve
  • Last week this spectacular sunrise filled the eastern sky as seen from an overlook in the Bighorn Mountains. Even before the sun made it over the horizon, a pillar of light was shining above the sun, appearing like a flame. While sun pillars aren't that uncommon, it is rare for them to be as tall as this one. This optical phenomenon is caused by the collective glint of millions of flat hexagonal ice crystals slowly falling through the air. When they are aligned just right at sunrise or sunset, it forms a light pillar. Pillars can form above other bright light sources as well such as the moon and even streetlights when the air is cold enough.
    Sun Pillar Dawn
  • There were plenty of wildflowers blooming in the upper reaches of Tongue River Canyon.
    Lupine Cliffs
  • This meadow below "Grandma's Mountain" is one of many scenic views along the Penrose Trail near the town of Story.
    Grandma's Mountain
  • It was a beautiful day to be in the Bighorn Mountains. Fresh snow had fallen the night before and the clouds cleared out before daybreak leaving sunny blue skies.
    Sun Melting Snow
  • It was a beautiful day to be in the Bighorn Mountains. Fresh snow had fallen the night before and the clouds cleared out before daybreak leaving sunny blue skies. This was the view from the Sand Turn Overlook.
    Bluebird Day
  • The last light of the day illuminates the summit of the 11,049 feet high Telescope Peak in Death Valley National Park.
    Telescope Peak Aglow
  • On my way back from South Dakota I had a chance to intercept this severe storm at Devils Tower. I got there in time to watch the shelf cloud roll by over the tower. This storm was a prolific hail producer. I misjudged the movement of the storm and ended up getting caught on the edge of the hail core as I fled east towards Sundance. Golf ball-sized chunks of ice left additional dents in my car. But I got off easy, there were a lot of cars with smashed windshields. Hailstones up to 4.5" in size damaged crops further east where the storm also produced a tornado.
    Dark Sky Over Tower
  • On my way back from South Dakota I had a chance to intercept this severe storm at Devils Tower. I got there in time to watch the shelf cloud roll by over the tower. This storm was a prolific hail producer. I misjudged the movement of the storm and ended up getting caught on the edge of the hail core as I fled east towards Sundance. Golf ball-sized chunks of ice left additional dents in my car. But I got off easy, there were a lot of cars with smashed windshields. Hailstones up to 4.5" in size damaged crops further east where the storm also produced a tornado.
    Tower and Storm
  • All night long a strong westerly wind pushed all the ice across Elk Lake and piled it up on the eastern shore. But the wind calmed down at sunrise which allowed for a reflection of Cloud Peak and Bomber Mountain in the water.
    Elk Lake Sunrise
  • 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
  • The aurora borealis caused red and green pillars to fill the northern sky above the Bighorn Mountains.
    Christmas Colored Sky
  • It was super windy at the Beaver Creek Overlook at 9,430'. But I sat and waited for the sun to come out between clouds and light up the snowy mountains.
    Bighorn Basin Rays
  • The crescent moon glowed brighter after the sun set. By walking up the canyon a bit I was able to line it up behind this cliff.
    Crescent Cliff
  • When I woke up on East Pryor Mountain, it was mostly cloudy but there was no fog. As soon as I realized there was fog in the valley below, I walked here to look over the edge. But I was too late, the fog pushed up the mountain and visibility dropped to zero. The sun became visible for a short time, but then fog overtook it again.
    Fog Vs. Sun
  • As I was driving down Red Grade Road, I noticed this smoke plume in the distance. The fire seemed very active, forming pyrocumulus clouds above. But I never found out any info on the fire. It was somewhere in Montana on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation.
    Pyrocumulus
  • The views from Highland Park in the Cloud Peak Wilderness were even more beautiful at sunrise than they were at sunset. Dozens of elk were grazing in the meadow below while alpenglow touched the highest peaks. This might just be my favorite campsite I've ever found while backpacking.
    Highland Park Campsite
  • Nearly 2 miles high in the Cloud Peak Wilderness is a place called Highland Park. Ever since someone told me about it last fall I've been wanting to visit. But it is not easy to reach. The trailhead starts at the end of a long and rough dirt road. After hiking 7 miles, deep snow drifts covered the last mile of trail. With lots of post-holing, my shoes were soon soaked through. But it was worth the effort to get here. The highest peaks of the Bighorn Mountains towered to to the south providing an incredible panoramic view. From left to right is Penrose Peak, Sawtooth Ridge, Mount Woolsey, and Blacktooth Mountain. With over 50 elk grazing in the meadow below I opted to setup camp a little higher instead. Other than the sound of a distant waterfall and the occasional elk call, it was perfectly silent. This was the view of the alpenglow at sunrise the next morning.
    Highland Park Sunrise
  • The views from Highland Park in the Cloud Peak Wilderness were even more beautiful at sunrise than they were at sunset. Dozens of elk were grazing in the meadow below while alpenglow touched the highest peaks.
    Alpenglow Boulders
  • This is one of the most beautiful times of year in Wyoming. The valleys are green and the mountains are filled with colorful wildflowers. This was taken near Red Grade Road.
    Moving Shadows
  • This crumbling spire is on the west side of Heart Mountain, seen from the summit.
    Crumbling Spire
  • There are at least a dozen waterfalls flowing down Baronette Peak in Yellowstone National Park.
    Mountain of Waterfalls
  • This backcountry thermal area is a 3.5 mile hike from the Lamar Valley trailhead. The water running through was not hot, but highly sulfuric. The sulfur gases could be seen bubbling through the mud.
    Backcountry Thermal Area
  • Buck Lake is a small lake above the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone. There were at least 4 bison grazing around the edges of the lake.
    Buck Lake
  • 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
  • Evening shadows begin to creep up to Devil's Tower as seen from Joyner Ridge.
    Shadows Ascending
  • It was a beautiful day to be in the Bighorn Mountains. Fresh snow had fallen the night before and the clouds cleared out before daybreak leaving sunny blue skies.
    April Snow
  • It was a beautiful day to be in the Bighorn Mountains. Fresh snow had fallen the night before and the clouds cleared out before daybreak leaving sunny blue skies. I was the first one to snowshoe on this trail.
    Snowshoe Trail
  • As I was packing up my tent this halo appeared around the sun. This is near the top of Sheep Mountain, Wyoming.
    Sheep Mountain Halo
  • It didn't appear there would be any color at sunset, but then this lenticular cloud formed above Elk Lake in the Cloud Peak Wilderness. The cloud took on a fiery glow, giving the entire landscape a soft orange color as I hopped from rock to rock trying to find the perfect reflection. A lenticular cloud is nearly stationary and is formed by strong winds after encountering an obstacle like a mountain peak. It was calm at the moment, but the winds would soon descend and rage for most of the night. My tent was flattened and I was forced to relocate it to a more sheltered area. Ice was pushed across the lake and piled up. The shore would look very different in the morning.
    Sky Fire
  • The warm sunlit cliffs of Tongue River Canyon contrasted with the cold river ice. It was a beautiful afternoon for a hike.
    Reflected Gold
  • The views opened up as I reached the summit of Big Pryor Mountain. East Pryor Mountain can be seen in the distance.
    Big Pryor Summit
  • Wildflowers covered the side of Heart Mountain near the base of the large cliff.
    Heart Cliff
  • Beartooth Lake was still frozen in early June.
    Frozen Beartooth Lake
  • The North Tongue River flows between snow-covered boulders near Burgess Junction.
    Downstream
  • While hiking off-trail around Devils Tower, I encountered several deer. They were barely afraid of me at all, and let me get pictures with the tower in the background.
    Devils Tower Deer
  • Kirby is an abandoned ghost town in southeast Montana. I'm not exactly sure what this building used to be, possibly a post office. I want to come here some night to shoot the aurora since it faces north, but haven't had any opportunities recently. I happened to be driving by at midnight, so I stopped for a few pictures. The tall grass was still soaked from earlier storms.
    Kirby Midnight
  • Pairs of eyes stared back at me as I made my way through the forest at 3AM. Three elk dashed away along the unmarked path to Shoshoni Point. This was the one Grand Canyon overlook I could find with a view to the southeast. The south rim is not the ideal place to photograph the milky way because it's located in the southern sky while most of the viewpoints look north. Once I got to the edge the galaxy was shining brilliantly above, but below it was a black abyss. Neither my eyes or my camera could see any detail in the canyon, it was just too dark. But after shooting the milky way I left my camera in position and waited for morning twilight to brighten the sky. This helped to fill in the shadows and I combined the images later. The majority of the canyon is out of the frame to the left. Someday I'll have to return to the north rim for a better view when it's not closed. Three planets are visible in this image if you know where to look.
    Grand Canyon Milky Way
  • The warm sunlit cliffs of Tongue River Canyon contrasted with the cold river ice. It was a beautiful afternoon for a hike.
    Path to Sunlight
  • Clouds glow pink above Devils Tower at sunset just before a snowstorm moves in.
    Pink Clouds Above Devils Tower
  • Highland Park Evening
  • 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
  • On my way down Red Grade Road in the Bighorn Mountains, I encountered 2 bull moose about 100 feet off the road, above Little Goose Canyon. I was told that there was a young calf nearby as well, but I never saw it.
    Big Moose Little Goose
  • The hills were blooming with sawtooth sunflowers and lupine in late May along the Penrose Trail above Story.
    Hillside Bloom
  • It was a beautiful day to be in the Bighorn Mountains. Fresh snow had fallen the night before and the clouds cleared out before daybreak leaving sunny blue skies.
    Snowy Meadow Stream
  • It didn't appear there would be any color at sunset, but then this lenticular cloud formed above Elk Lake in the Cloud Peak Wilderness. The cloud took on a fiery glow, giving the entire landscape a soft orange color as I hopped from rock to rock trying to find the perfect reflection. A lenticular cloud is nearly stationary and is formed by strong winds after encountering an obstacle like a mountain peak. It was calm at the moment, but the winds would soon descend and rage for most of the night. My tent was flattened and I was forced to relocate it to a more sheltered area. Ice was pushed across the lake and piled up. The shore would look very different in the morning. This is a 6 shot panorama.
    Elk Lake Sunset
  • In the early spring I hiked to Little Goose Canyon, a place I've never been before. The road was very muddy.
    Little Goose Canyon Road
  • This ranch is seen from one of the overlooks on Red Grade Road.
    Red Ranch
  • Clouds covered the sky when the sun first rose. But after a little while the sun began to break through and light up the forest around the Clark's Fork River outside of Yellowstone.
    Clark's Fork Rapids
  • Laramie Peak is the first mountain I saw when I moved to Wyoming and ever since then I've wanted to climb it. The views were amazing from the 10,276' summit, with 4 different states visible. It was mostly cloudy while I was up there, but the clouds began to break before I left at noon.
    Laramie Peak West
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • On the northwest side of the Bighorn Mountains are at least 6 named waterfalls. Some of these waterfalls are an easy hike. Crystal Creek Falls however was not. Located near the top of a valley at 8,000 feet, it's not the distance that made it hard to reach. There is no trail here, and the waterfall is surrounded by cliffs and steep terrain, dense forest, thorns, and large amounts of deadfall. While not as bad as many other areas, pine beetle damage was evident around here as well. Despite the scenic views, by the time I got back I vowed to never go this way again. The terrain and climate in this area varies significantly in a very short distance. About 35 inches of rain falls annually at this elevation, but the dry basin just 10 miles to the west sees only 1/5 of that amount.
    Crystal Creek Falls
  • A soft pink glow hangs in the east as seen from Telescope Peak, the top of Death Valley National Park. The views from this 11,049 feet high mountain are outstanding. Nowhere else can you see both the highest and the lowest point in the continental US. On the upper slopes of the Panamint Range grow bristlecone pines, a tree with a lifespan measured in millennia. The pink glow in the sky is known as the Belt of Venus, and it's caused by the backscattering of reddened light from the setting sun. The blue band beneath it is the shadow of the earth projected out onto the earth's atmosphere. If I had taken a panorama you could see that this shadow is curved, matching the curvature of the earth. This phenomena can be seen on any clear evening in the east after the sun sets (or in the west before the sun rises). But the colors were especially vivid here, above all the dust and aerosols in the lower atmosphere. I wanted to stay on the summit to watch the stars come out, but I still had to hike 8 miles and descend 3600 feet to get back to the Thorndike Campground where I started.
    Highest to Lowest
  • This is the view looking west from High Park lookout shortly before sunset.
    Behind the Pines
  • Inspiration Point is located in the Larue-Pine Hills in the far southern part of the state. Below the cliffs lies a marshy area that is part of the Mississippi River floodplain. In the distance the river itself can be seen, along with the hills of Missouri. The view can look different depending on the time of year and the water level. Even though the weather had been quite dry, a thunderstorm had just passed through a few hours earlier. The storm cleared the hazy air and seemed to make the colors even more vivid. Evening is the best time to visit this viewpoint as you can watch the sun set to the west and light up the cliffs and the wetlands below with a golden glow. At the bottom center of the photo you can see Snake Road. Twice a year this road is closed to vehicle traffic to allow the large population of snakes to migrate back and forth from the cliffs to the swamp.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: July 23, 2014
    Inspiration Point
  • Inspiration Point is located in the Larue-Pine Hills in the far southern part of the state. Below the cliffs lies a marshy area that is part of the Mississippi River floodplain. In the distance the river itself can be seen, along with the hills of Missouri. The view can look different depending on the time of year and the water level. Even though the weather had been quite dry, a thunderstorm had just passed through a few hours earlier. The storm cleared the hazy air and seemed to make the colors even more vivid. Evening is the best time to visit this viewpoint as you can watch the sun set to the west and light up the cliffs and the wetlands below with a golden glow.<br />
Date Taken: July 23, 2014
    Inspiration Point Panorama
  • It was a very dark night at Devil's Tower, in between lightning bolts. The lightning was difficult to expose for, since it was infrequent, and usually very bright. This was one of the dimmer bolts. I was standing underneath the back door of my car to stay out of the rain when I took this.
    Power at the Tower
  • These colorful wildflowers were blooming near the top of Big Pryor Mountain.
    Pryor Wildflowers
  • The view was amazing from the High Park lookout tower shortly before sunset. This is the view looking north. Meadowlark Lake can be seen on the left. Bighorn Peak and Loaf Mountain are the prominent peaks on the right.
    North of High Park
  • I wasn't expecting to be back at Devil's Tower so soon but this was an opportunity I just couldn't pass up. I spent the evening chasing a supercell past the tower to the Montana border where it dropped hail larger than golf balls. Then I headed back to the tower just in case any new storms popped up. When I got there, lightning was beginning to flash from a new thunderstorm to the west, just like I had hoped. When rain began to fall I went and stood under the back door of my car to shoot pictures. The lightning wasn't all that frequent and it was challenging to get the exposure right. In between flashes, the light level would go from pitch black to practically burning my retina. When the rain let up a little, I went and stood in the middle of the dirt road. That's when this bolt filled the sky, perfectly placed above the tower. It's certainly the best foreground I've ever had for a lightning picture and I may have cheered after it happened.
    Awestruck
  • Clouds swirl around Bighorn Peak before sunset as seen from the High Park lookout
    Bighorn Peak Panorama
  • The High Park fire lookout tower at almost 9,500 feet was the perfect place to watch the April full moon rising. It was a location I scouted out in advance on Google Earth, when I was looking for an ideal foreground to the east. The two peaks are Hesse Mountain on the left and Hazelton Pyramid on the right. If you look closely to the upper right of the moon the planet Jupiter can be seen. Winter is far from over here in the high country. The 3 feet of snow made it a challenge to find a route to the summit since I had never climbed this peak before. But it was much easier on the way down since I could simply follow my snowshoe tracks and the bright moonlight meant I didn't even need a headlamp.
    April Moonrise
  • 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.
    Leaping Moose
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