Kevin Palmer

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  • After climbing a couple thousand feet I reached the summit of Darton Peak. A cold wind swept across the barren boulder field. It did not feel like August. The moon which had helped illuminate my route in the dark was overtaken by the light of the coming day. Lost Twin Lakes where I had started at 3:30AM now looked small far below. In the western sky, a vivid pink band of light known as the Belt of Venus could be seen. Below this is the curved (not flat) shadow of the Earth projected out onto the atmosphere. The shadow gets lower and lower until the sun finally crests the horizon. The rays are the shadow of clouds found on the opposite side of the sky. The Belt of Venus is visible on any clear morning or evening, but there’s perhaps no better place to see it than on a mountaintop. Despite the breathtaking view, it was a miserable morning. A bout of altitude sickness caused a pounding headache and made me lose my breakfast. And just when I started to feel better on the way out I stepped in a hidden hole and sprained my ankle. Next time I climb a 12,000' mountain I'll have to take it a lot slower.
    Rays of Pink
  • Clouds glow pink above Devils Tower at sunset just before a snowstorm moves in.
    Pink Clouds Above Devils Tower
  • 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
  • Golden larch trees dot the mountainside below Lolo Peak. As the sunset, a lenticular cloud turned bright pink on the right side of this panorama.
    Lolo Peak
  • It was cloudy most of the day as I drove to the remote Diamond Butte in southeast Montana. But just before sunset, the sun emerged. The entire sky turned some shade of gold, orange, or pink. It was the best sunset I've seen for quite awhile.
    Cotton Candy Sunset
  • Thanksgiving morning at Bighorn Canyon brought the best sunrise I've seen this year. Even an hour before the sun rose, the clouds in the east were already showing a deep pink color, and it only got better. The clouds were sculpted by strong winds and showed lots of texture. This view is from the Hillsboro Ranch trailhead at Barry's Landing.
    Hillsboro Sunrise
  • I've seen pictures of this arch at Bighorn Canyon before, and haven't been able to locate it. But after visiting a 3rd time, I finally found it. The arch frames an incredible view of what is sometimes called Montana's Grand Canyon. After waiting here until 9PM, I gave up on seeing any color in the sky. But before I could make it back to my car, an orange glow emerged in the west and pink clouds briefly overtook the sky. I hurried back to the arch to take this final picture. It always amazes me just how empty this place is. It's not unusual to see more wild horses than people. I had to drive very carefully back to the campground to avoid hitting the mustangs that were standing on the road in the dark.
    Through a Window
  • I've seen pictures taken from this arch above Bighorn Canyon, but I've never been able to locate it until now. And it's not too difficult to reach. Compositions are limited because of the way the arch is set against the cliff and you can't get very far back. Just as I started to leave, the sky unexpectedly took on a pink glow and I ran back to the arch to capture the color before it faded away.
    Bighorn Canyon Arch
  • 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
  • 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
  • A colorful pink sunset fills the sky on the evening of Summer Solstice. This scenic view is from the top of Blue Mound, the highest point in southern Wisconsin.
    Blue Mounds Sunset
  • Pink colors linger in the east after sunset at Spring Lake, IL on a frigid winter evening.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: January 9, 2015
    Wind Chill Warning
  • I've seen pictures of this arch at Bighorn Canyon before, and haven't been able to locate it. But after visiting a 3rd time, I finally found it. The arch frames an incredible view of what is sometimes called Montana's Grand Canyon. After waiting here until 9PM, I gave up on seeing any color in the sky. But before I could make it back to my car, an orange glow emerged in the west and pink clouds briefly overtook the sky. I hurried back to the arch to take this final picture. It always amazes me just how empty this place is. It's not unusual to see more wild horses than people. I had to drive very carefully back to the campground to avoid hitting the mustangs that were standing on the road in the dark.
    Overarching
  • Grand Teton awaits the first light of day under a soft pink sky while clouds swirl around Mount Owen.
    Teton Pre-Dawn
  • After the sun went down, the entire sky lit up with colorful orange and pink clouds. This was at Mallard's Landing next to the Bighorn River in Montana.
    Last Sunset of January
  • The Needle's Eye or Keyhole Arch stands above the entrance to Tongue River Canyon. The thin lingering clouds behind it lit up with a soft pink glow after sunset.
    Needle's Eye Sunset
  • The Circle Park loop trail west of Buffalo, Wyoming, passes by over a dozen named and unnamed lakes. I chose to camp at Old Crow Lake because it had a great view of the 12,324 foot high Bighorn Peak 3 miles away. At sunrise the peak took on a soft pink glow which was reflected in the outlet of the lake.
    Bighorn Peak Dawn
  • After the sun went down, the sky turned pink in the east beyond the Moulton Barn. The barn is all that remains of a homestead first settled by the Moulton family over 100 years ago.
    Twilight at Moulton Barn
  • On winter solstice, the first snow of the season fell in northern Illinois. It was only a couple inches, but it was beautiful at Glacial Park on the edge of Nippersink Creek. After the sun went down on the shortest day of the year, the soft pink and blue colors of twilight set in as the temperature dropped.
    Solstice Snow
  • The full moon in April is called the Pink Moon. But the name has nothing to do with the color, it's just called that because it coincides with the blooming of a certain type of flower. The color of the moon can vary from red to orange to yellow, depending on the clarity of the atmosphere. While low on the horizon the shorter wavelengths of light get scattered. But as it rises higher the lunar surface shows it's true color. This was also the biggest full moon of the year because it was at it's closest point to Earth, known as perigee. But it only appeared 7% larger than average, hardly worth being called a supermoon. Conditions weren't looking very promising around here since the sky was about 90% cloudy. But I hiked up to this spot overlooking Moncreiffe Ridge anyway. The moon was only visible for a few minutes as it passed through a small gap in the clouds. The plane flying by didn't show up on any flight-tracking apps, so I'm guessing it was some type of military cargo plane.
    Moon Over Moncreiffe Ridge
  • Every tidal cycle brought something different. An endless stream of icebergs floated down the fjord, stranding themselves in this small bay when the tide turned.  Earlier that morning there were so many pieces of ice that I couldn’t even walk across this beach. But by nightfall most were carried away and only a few remained. It was my last night in Nuuk and the forecast called for 80% clouds. I just had to wait for that 20% gap. Geomagnetic activity wasn’t particularly high either, but this far north it doesn’t take much. Greenland is located under the auroral oval, where shows like this may happen any time the sky is clear and dark enough. When fringes of purple or pink line the swirls of aurora, it’s often associated with bright, rapid movement. A still image doesn't even begin to show all that's happening in the sky. Rays of light pulse inward from every direction, converging overhead at the zenith. It’s mesmerizing to watch and hard to look away from, though part of me wished I had a second camera with me to capture it all.
    Energetic Swirls
  • Soon after the aurora intensified, fog settled in to the frozen Fremont Lake. It felt like I was in a dream as halos surrounded Venus and the moon to the west while intense pinks and reds glowed to the north.
    In a Dream
  • My goal was to get an overview of the Teton Valley with the highest peaks lighting up at sunset. But despite the forecast for clear and sunny skies, I was dismayed when I got to the top and saw that the Tetons were hidden from view and the clouds were not going to lift. So I turned my attention to the west instead, looking towards Stouts Mountain and the Swan Valley. At first the light was flat there too, but then a gap in the clouds slowly began to open up. Sunbeams danced across the ridges and the light became better and better. Finally the sun came out for just a moment, and a pillar appeared above it caused by ice crystals suspended in the air. It wasn't the shot I had planned, but this short-lived sunset view was worth all the effort to snowshoe up this mountain.
    Big Hole Mountain Sunset
  • 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 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
  • The sun sets over the hills and prairie of Grasslands National Park. This was taken from the Rock Creek trail in the East Block.
    East Block Sunset
  • I could tell there was a colorful sunset on the way so I drove outside of Sheridan to photograph it. There was nobody else around on this empty dirt road between ranches.
    Super Sunset
  • The colors of sunset linger behind Bearhat Mountain in Glacier National Park. The beautiful Hidden Lake wraps around the base of the mountain, before the creek drops to the valley below. Normally there is more snow in this view, but most of it had melted after a hot summer. The distant Gunsight Mountain and Sperry Glacier can be seen on the left.
    Hidden Lake View
  • Bald Knob in Missouri is a great place to go backpacking and watch the sunset. Most of the area is a thick forest, with no view. But once you reach this glade, there is a beautiful view of the Belleview Valley below.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: May 5, 2014
    Belleview Valley Sunset
  • Darkness could not come soon enough. Reports of the northern lights were coming in from across the eastern US. Standing on a cliff nearly 1,000 feet above Meadowlark Lake, this was a spot I’d been wanting to spend the night for a long time. The highest peaks of the Bighorn Mountains stood to the north, including Cloud Peak dead center. Aurora chasing mostly involves a whole lot of waiting. Waiting for the right space weather forecast, clear skies, moon phase, and for the sun to go down. Even when conditions seem perfect the aurora can come and go at the drop of a hat. When darkness arrived, so did the clouds, along with a brief rain shower. When the clouds faded, so did the northern lights. But finally just before 1AM the glow returned. A substorm sent red and purple pillars halfway to the North Star, reflected in the water far below. It did not last long before the moon rose and drowned out the lights. Even though the display wasn’t as good as it could have been, moments like this are always worth staying up for.
    Midnight at Meadowlark
  • I stood on the slopes of Mount Hood with this view of 3 Cascade volcanoes to my north at sunrise. After days of smoke greatly limiting the views, it had finally settled into the valleys. Mt Adams is the closest peak on the right. Mt Rainier is the tallest in the middle, although it appears small because it's 100 miles away. Mt St Helens on the left stands out as the peak that's no longer symmetrical, since it literally blew it's top. When St Helens erupted in 1980, a 1300 foot high, 0.7 cubic mile chunk of mountain collapsed in the largest landslide in history.
    Three Volcano Sunrise
  • It was another beautiful Montana sunset near Square Butte. Roadside wildflowers provided extra color.
    Square Butte Sunset
  • I wasn't really expecting the northern lights to be this active. It was a beautiful night for stargazing, and I was only planning to shoot the milky way, but I never got to that. A slight breeze disturbed the surface of the lake most of the night. But at 3AM it became perfectly calm and the surface of Lake DeSmet looked like glass. A long exposure from a camera always picks up more colors in the aurora than the human eye can see. Oftentimes only the color green is visible. But the purple pillar on the right was very noticeable and it hardly moved at all.
    Purple Pillar
  • I combined some of the last aurora images I took before dawn into this startrail. I stacked the pictures in Starstax using comet mode and in reverse order so the stars seem to be rotating clockwise instead of counterclockwise. This allowed the bright purple pillar to show through more easily.
    Rotational Velocity
  • A fiery sunset fills the sky above Laguna Beach, California.
    Laguna Beach Sunset
  • The colors of sunset linger behind Bearhat Mountain in Glacier National Park. The beautiful Hidden Lake wraps around the base of the mountain, before the creek drops to the valley below. Normally there is more snow in this view, but most of it had melted after a hot summer. The distant Gunsight Mountain and Sperry Glacier can be seen on the left.
    Bearhat Mountain
  • Snow covers the sand dunes at Illinois Beach State Park shortly after sunset. The soft colors of the sky in the east was reflecting on the calm Lake Michigan.
    Snow on the Dunes
  • I wasn't sure if the storm clouds would move out in time, but they did and made for a spectacular sunset over Fort Peck Lake.
    Sunset at Hell Creek
  • Right after I arrived at the Diamond Butte Fire Lookout this stunning sunset filled the entire sky.
    Lookout Window Sunset
  • On the last day of November I snowshoed a few miles up Red Grade Road as a storm cleared out, leaving behind a foot of fresh snow. This steep road is only accessible by foot or by snowmobile this time of year. In 2007 nearly 5,000 acres of Little Goose Canyon burned in a wildfire. 12 years later it's still easy to see exactly where the fire stopped. One of the best things about being out right after a fresh snowfall is the silence. A layer of light, fluffy snow on the ground acts as a sound absorber and dampens sound waves. But after snow melts and refreezes the opposite is true. Sound waves travel farther and are clearer when they bounce off of old and hard snow.
    Last Sunset of November
  • In December I spent a few days exploring Joshua Tree National Park. Compared to the hustle and bustle of most of Southern California this desert park is roomy, quiet, and peaceful. Even though I grew up fairly close, this was only my second time visiting. A mile above sea level in the Little San Bernardino Mountains, Keys View is one of the best viewpoints in the park and a great place to watch the sunset. A hidden trail leads up to Inspiration Point where this was taken. Far below on the floor of the Coachella Valley the infamous San Andreas Fault is visible. Over 10,000 feet above that is the snowcapped San Jacinto Peak. Few mountains in the US have a steeper rise. Higher still is San Gorgonio Mountain on the far right, which is the very top of Southern California at 11,500 feet.
    Overlooking Coachella Valley
  • There’s perhaps no better way to practice social distancing and clear your head than to spend some time under the stars. The idea for this picture came months ago: to capture Orion setting over this jumble of giant boulders called the Fallen City. After doing the math and simulating the view, I determined exactly where to put my tripod and when to make it happen. But one problem is this is a very windy spot in the Bighorn Mountains. My attempt in February was foiled by the wind and I could not get any clear images. But March brought another chance with calmer weather. A fresh snowfall topped with rime ice made the forest glow in the starlight.<br />
<br />
The Orion Nebula is the brightest in Earth’s sky. It can be seen with the naked eye from dark skies and looks spectacular in a telescope. Also visible next to Orion’s Belt are the Flame Nebula and Horsehead Nebula. To get this picture first I took a series of images of the sky with my camera on a star-tracking mount. Once the nebula set, I turned the tracking off and took a longer exposure of the foreground.
    Orion and Fallen City
  • After the storms passed off to the east, the anvil filled the entire sky with mammatus. A small clearing to the west allowed sunlight to shine through and illuminate the clouds. All the ingredients were there for an incredible sunset, so I went to Glendo Reservoir and waited. The colors did not disappoint.
    Glendo Lake Sunset
  • It was nearly 11pm in southern Saskatchewan. I had just watched a bright auroral substorm send colorful arcs high into the northern sky, but it was starting to fade. Then I turned around, looking south, and this is what I saw. A bright pinkish strip of light stretched from east to west, while the crescent moon hung low on the horizon. It's one of the most unusual things I've ever seen in the night sky. This strange type of aurora is called Steve. The name started as a joke, but it stuck.  Steve was first captured last year by a group of aurora photographers in Alberta. After ESA flew a satellite through it earlier this year, it was discovered that it's comprised of very hot (10,800°F) ionized gases moving along at 4 miles per second. This ribbon of light is 16 miles wide and thousands of miles long. I watched as Steve started overhead nearly paralleling the US-Canada border, before slowly moving south. It turned into a green "picket fence" pattern before fading away. It was awesome to see such a mysterious phenomena which is still being studied by scientists.
    An Aurora Named Steve
  • After a very cloudy day, the clouds broke just enough to allow for a colorful sunset over Lake Geneva near Veytaux.
    Lake Geneva Sunset
  • I was just about to leave the Devil Canyon Overlook because I thought the sunset was over. But then the sky suddenly started glowing to the west, and I shot this panorama.
    Bighorn Canyon Glow
  • There was a very colorful sunset on this evening over the badlands east of Cody. McCullough Peak on the upper right is the highest point in these remote badlands on BLM land.
    McCullough Peak Sunset
  • After hiking through the woods in Independence Park, I made sure I was in a clearing at the time of sunset. Even when all the trees are bare there is a certain beauty to them.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: December 23, 2014
    Bare Color
  • The sky turns a bright red as the sun rises at Glacial Park, Illinois. The colorful sky is reflected in Nippersink Creek.
    Nippersink Dawn
  • An extremely rare aurora corona is seen over a red rock formation at Devils Tower. This view was looking south.
    Red Rock Corona
  • In early January I spotted this pair of lenticular clouds in the Bighorn Mountains, and I reached a lookout just in time to watch them light up after sunset. These lens-shaped clouds appear to remain stationary, and are fascinating to watch. When strong winds flow over a mountain range, the air gets deflected and standing waves are formed on the lee (downwind) side. If there is enough moisture in the air, then the crest of the wave condenses into a cloud. Mountain waves can cause severe turbulence in passing aircraft. Even though these waves may be present in clear air, lenticular clouds serve as a visual warning to pilots to stay away. UFO sightings have been attributed to these clouds as well, since many of them do resemble flying saucers.
    Stacked Plates
  • 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
  • After snow showers hid the sun for most of the day, this brilliant sunset in Norway caught me off guard. I rushed to find a west-facing viewpoint, while slipping and sliding on an icy pathway. This view was captured from the brand new Hålogaland Bridge, which has the longest span in the entire Arctic. By the time I got my camera out, colors had already started to fade and the ice pillar which appeared above the sun was gone.<br />
<br />
While it may look peaceful now, it was not so 80 years ago. A significant naval battle was fought here during World War II. The depths of this fjord still holds the wreckage of sunken ships. Narvik has long been a strategic ice-free port where iron ore is transported by rail from Sweden. The Germans invaded this small seaside town in the spring of 1940, but they didn't occupy it for long. The Battles of Narvik and the recapture of the town cost thousands of lives, but it was one of the first Allied victories of the war.
    Arctic Ocean Sunset
  • It was a beautiful time of year in southern California. After an unusually wet winter, the hills are verdant, the mountains are snowcapped, and wildflowers are abundant. Chino Hills State Park is one of my favorite places to hike in the area. Even though it's surrounded by millions of people, its surprisingly quiet and uncrowded. Of course the main reason I only saw 2 other people here was probably because this particular trail (Scully Ridge) was severely overgrown. At times I was hiking through a tunnel of brush 10 feet high, which covered me in pollen. But I made it to this viewpoint just in time to catch the last wispy colors of sunset over Mount Baldy to the north. Even though I didn't capture the more popular poppy blooms this year, these golden wildflowers are almost as nice.
    Verdant Hills and Sunset
  • It was a very colorful sunset seen from my campsite east of Judith Peak. The colors lasted so long it felt like every time I put down my camera I had to pick it back up again.
    Enduring Colors
  • After watching the northern lights for hours, I finally went to sleep at 3AM. Just 3 hours later I awoke to this view. It doesn’t get much better. I knew this was a risky spot to camp near the top of the Judith Mountains in Central Montana. If a storm popped up it was very exposed to wind, rain, and lightning. There was only a 20% chance of storms, but this was the lucky day out of 5. Rainbows are always biggest (84° wide) when the sun is at the horizon. The rainbow and amazing sunrise only lasted about 10 minutes. After this I hastily packed up my tent and took shelter in my car as a 2nd thunderstorm threatened behind this one. There’s a reason the Air Force built an early warning radar station on this mountaintop during the Cold War. The views out over the plains seem to go on forever, no matter which direction you look. This small but scenic mountain range north of Lewistown also contains gold deposits and two ghost towns. Even though I was still tired, I couldn’t complain. Rarely are the most memorable days the ones in which I get plenty of sleep.
    Sunrise Rainbow
  • It was a very colorful sunset above the fall foliage on Cement Ridge in the Black Hills. The birch trees were knocked over by a tornado in June of 2018.
    Black Hills Foliage Sunset
  • 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
  • I came to central Montana because it had the best chance of clear skies this night. But the clouds didn't clear out until after dark, which was fine with me since it led to an amazing sunset. The Crazy Mountains can be seen in the distance.
    Road to the Crazies
  • I've been to Bighorn Canyon many times, but never the northern part near Fort Smith. So I took advantage of the warm weather and paid it a visit. This area is well known for it's exceptional fishing, but there are no hiking trails. That meant I had to find my own overlook. Starting near the Okabeh Marina, I headed up a ridge, squeezed in between scratchy sagebrush, and descended to the edge of a cliff. Wind whipped across the water far below while the scattered clouds began to glow after sunset. Bighorn Lake stretches 71 miles from Montana into Wyoming and was created in 1968 after the completion of the Yellowtail Dam. As beautiful as it is now, I can't help wondering what the canyon looked like before it was flooded.
    Cliff's Edge View
  • After riding out this severe thunderstorm outside of Faith, South Dakota, the conditions came together for a spectacular sunset. I stopped on this two-track road in the middle of a prairie, trying not to get stuck in the mud. Gorgeous colors filled the sky in every direction, with occasional flashes of lightning.
    Unreal Sunset Colors
  • I came across several blooming pricky pear cacti while descending the South Kaibab Trail. This was the only one I could find with the Colorado River visible behind it.
    Prickly Pear and River
  • Grasslands National Park is located in Southern Saskatchewan right next to the Montana border. They are known as Land of the Living Skies, and Big Sky Country respectively, and it's easy to see why. This was the view from the top of 70 Mile Butte outside of Val Marie.
    Big Living Sky Country
  • The sun sets over the hills and prairie of Grasslands National Park. This was taken from the Rock Creek trail in the East Block.
    Butte Afterglow
  • Kirkjufellsfoss is one of the most iconic scenes in Iceland. Just Google "Iceland" and see how many times it shows up. The name translates to "church mountain waterfall" because of the peak's nearly perfect symmetrical shape. There is a trail (if it can be called that) leading to the top of Kirkjufell which is one of the steepest I've ever hiked. In the evening, tour buses stop here and this small spot is filled with hordes of tourists and photographers lined up tripod to tripod to capture the sunset. But I wanted to avoid that so I came back in the morning when it was much quieter. There was a storm moving in and the sunrise didn't look very promising. But the eastern sky took on an orange glow for a short time.
    Kirkjufellsfoss 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
  • The first light of morning illuminates the McCullough Peak Badlands with the Beartooth Mountains in the distance. It was a very cold and windy morning.
    Badlands and Beartooths
  • 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
  • A colorful sunrise glows above Lake DeSmet where a small amount of winter ice remained.
    Last of the Ice
  • After coming around a bend in the trail in Tongue River Canyon, the Keyhole Arch came into view with some colorful clouds behind it.
    Keyhole Arch Sunset
  • A colorful sunset fills the sky as seen from an unnamed peak in the Bighorn Mountains. To get here required snowshoeing up Red Grade Road.
    Top of the Burn
  • The light of sunrise illuminates one of the first snowfalls of the season in the Bighorn Mountains near Dayton.
    Frosted Slopes
  • A colorful sunset fills the sky as seen from Welch Ranch Recreation Area. The Tongue River flows is in the lower right and the snow capped Bighorn Mountains are in the background.
    A Change of Seasons
  • Colorful clouds light up the sky over the Loess Hills at dawn. On this morning, the best colors happened before the sunrise, the sun came out for a few minutes, and then the light went flat as it went behind the clouds. This view is from the top of Murray Hill.
    Loess Hills Sunrise
  • 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 />
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Date Taken: July 23, 2014
    LaRue Pine Hills
  • On this morning there was a spectacular sunrise at Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge. I can't remember the last time I saw a sky this colorful. Both ends of the sky were lighting up, in the east and in the west. It's funny that a couple hours earlier I considered these same clouds an annoyance while I was trying to photograph the milky way. <br />
Emiquon is located in the Illinois River floodplain north of Havana. It was formerly used as farmland, and pumps were used to keep it dry. But recently the pumps were turned off and the land was restored to its natural state. Thompson Lake is now 2,000 acres and supports a large population of fish and waterfowl.<br />
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Date Taken: June 6, 2014
    Emiquon Dawn
  • The sky lights up with the colors of sunset over Hidden Lake Pass. This is a short hike from Logan Pass and the peak underneath the moon is Heavy Runner Mountain.
    Hidden Lake Pass
  • Bald Knob is the only part of Buford Mountain Conservation Area that has a view through the thick trees. The spectacular view is to the west, perfect for watching the sunset over the Belleview Valley.<br />
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Date Taken: May 5, 2014
    Bald Knob Dusk
  • After the sun went down over the sand dunes, the sky lit up with color in every direction. Located in Mojave National Preserve, the Kelso Dunes are among the tallest in the United States. 700 feet above the desert floor, the strong winds were blowing sand everywhere.<br />
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Date Taken: 1/30/14
    Crimson Wind
  • These layers of rock are made out of sandstone and are known as fins. They slowly erode away and form the arches that this national park is known for. This scene was behind the Delicate Arch, looking north at sunset.<br />
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Date Taken: 11/7/2013
    Fins at Dusk
  • The soft purple colors of sunset are reflected in Pack Creek, Idaho. The red bush was one of many vibrant fall colors visible across this meadow. Normally home to moose, bears, and wolves, it was unusually quiet on this evening. In September of 1805 Lewis and Clark set up camp here before nearly starving to death in the mountains further west. Over 200 years later, it's still a great place to camp.
    Pack Creek
  • A vibrant sunset is reflected on Flathead Lake, Montana.
    Flathead Lake Sunset
  • Not being a morning person, I don't shoot that many sunrises. But it's a lot easier while backpacking with an incredible view as my backyard. I set my alarm for 5AM, took a few shots and then went back to sleep. Rain showers and virga were passing overhead, which was highlighted by the rising sun. Few raindrops reached my tent. But sudden violent gusts of wind sometimes filtered down into this valley next to Lake Solitude. These were unpredictable, coming from any direction. It was a very warm morning for this elevation with the temperature over 50°F. But it was a lot more pleasant up here than in Sheridan where it got up to 98°F later in the afternoon. The willows had yet to leaf out and the aspen trees still had that bright green look to them. Some of the hazards of early season backpacking include tricky stream crossings, water and mud everywhere, and trails still hidden under deep snow drifts. It was going to be a long 12 mile hike out with wet shoes. But it's worth the scrapes and blisters to explore amazing places like the Cloud Peak Wilderness.
    Dawn at Paint Rock Creek
  • A vivid alpenglow shines on the mountains on the other side of the frozen lake Torneträsk in Swedish Lapland. Lingering snow showers were swirling around the highest peaks. The native Sami people recognize 8 seasons here instead of 4, and "spring-winter" occurs in March and April. The snow hasn't started melting yet, but temperatures do moderate a bit when the sun returns after being absent for over a month. The hours of daylight increase significantly from day to day as the nights grow ever shorter. In early April the sky no longer gets completely dark (marking the end of aurora season) and by the latter part of May the sun will stay up 24/7. Spring-winter is the favorite season of many residents since it's the best time of year for skiing, snowmobiling, and dog sledding.
    Altastjarro Sunset
  • It snowed almost the whole time while I was in Finland, and there was only a hint of color as the sun set. I captured it from a small island on Lake Kilpisjärvi, where there were a few trees growing. The mountain in the background is in Sweden.
    Hint of Color
  • 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
  • I went for a short walk along Massacre Hill to capture the sunset. This was the location of the Fetterman Fight in 1866 where 81 US soldiers were killed.
    Sunset at Massacre Hill
  • A vibrant sunrise glows in the east over Angels Gate as seen from Shoshoni Point.
    Angels Gate Sunrise
  • It's hard to choose where to watch the sunset at the Grand Canyon. I started hiking the Rim Trail and ended up at Hopi Point.
    Grand Canyon Last Light
  • Sheep Mountain has been on my list of peaks to climb for awhile. In the summer it's possible to drive to the top of this 9,610' mountain. But that's too easy, so I went in the winter. Snow depths varied from bare ground to drifts 15 feet high. After snowshoeing an exhausting 6 miles while carrying a heavy pack, I made it to the top with barely enough time to pitch a tent before dark. The summit itself is too rocky and exposed to the wind, but I found a nearby campsite that was flat enough and more sheltered. At sunrise the next morning the views were incredible. Looking east, I could see parts of the Black Hills well over 100 miles away. When the sun made it over the horizon, it was only visible for a couple minutes. But this ephemeral light show was worth all the effort to get here.
    Sheep Mountain Sunrise
  • 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
  • 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
  • It was nearly 11pm in southern Saskatchewan. I had just watched a bright auroral substorm send colorful arcs high into the northern sky, but it was starting to fade. Then I turned around, looking south, and this is what I saw. A bright pinkish strip of light stretched from east to west, while the crescent moon hung low on the horizon. It's one of the most unusual things I've ever seen in the night sky. This strange type of aurora is called Steve. The name started as a joke, but it stuck.  Steve was first captured last year by a group of aurora photographers in Alberta. After ESA flew a satellite through it earlier this year, it was discovered that it's comprised of very hot (10,800°F) ionized gases moving along at 4 miles per second. This ribbon of light is 16 miles wide and thousands of miles long. I watched as Steve started overhead nearly paralleling the US-Canada border, before slowly moving south. It turned into a green "picket fence" pattern before fading away. It was awesome to see such a mysterious phenomena which is still being studied by scientists.
    Steve and the Moon
  • I've photographed the sunrise here from the Snake River Overlook once before in September. But I think the Tetons are even more beautiful in the winter covered with snow. This was the view just before the sun crested the horizon.
    Awaiting the Sun
  • The sunrise filled the sky with color as seen from Font's Point in Anza Borrego Desert State Park.
    Across the Sky
  • On my last morning in Anza Borrego Desert State Park, I drove to Fonts Point to shoot the sunrise. To get here you have to drive up a dry wash while avoiding the sandy areas. The colors were amazing, even 45 minutes before the sun rose, the clouds in the east were lit up with an intense red glow. The Borrego Badlands look similar to those found in South Dakota.
    Fonts Point Sunrise
  • On my last morning in Anza Borrego Desert State Park, I drove to Fonts Point to shoot the sunrise. To get here you have to drive up a dry wash while avoiding the sandy areas. The colors were amazing, even 45 minutes before the sun rose, the clouds in the east were lit up with an intense red glow. The clouds are reflected in the Salton Sea, California's largest lake. The lake was created in 1905 when engineers accidentally diverted the flow of the entire Colorado River for 2 years.
    Salton Sunrise
  • I headed up into the San Ysidro Mountains above Borrego Springs to shoot the sunset. It appeared the sunset would be a bust but then these clouds lit up briefly to the north.
    San Ysidro Afterglow
  • A colorful lenticular cloud hovers above the grasslands of Wind Cave National Park at sunset.
    Layered Lenticular
  • I've seen spectacular sunsets and I've seen breathtaking views. But to see them both at the same time was an incredible experience. This thunderstorm moved off of the Beartooth Mountains and settled over Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area in southern Montana. Here eagles, raptors, and hawks swoop through one of the deepest canyons in the US. Bighorn sheep scale the cliff walls, and wild horses roam free in the neighboring Pryor Mountains. 'Wow' was a word I said and heard often this evening. I also heard someone exclaim "These colors look fake." I was surprised there weren't more people here on a summer weekend. But without a boat, much of the canyon is difficult to access. The northern end of the park is less than 20 miles from the southern end where this was taken. Yet it takes over 3 hours to drive that distance, going over and around mountain ranges, rivers, and the Crow Indian Reservation.
    Devil Canyon Sunset
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