Kevin Palmer

  • Portfolio
  • Time Lapse
  • About
  • Archive
    • All Galleries
    • Search
    • Cart
    • Lightbox
    • Client Area
  • Links
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
x

Search Results

Refine Search
Match all words
Match any word
Prints
Personal Use
Royalty-Free
Rights-Managed
(leave unchecked to
search all images)
Next
389 images found
twitterlinkedinfacebook

Loading ()...

  • For most of the evening the sun hid behind clouds. But finally just before sunset, golden sunbeams emerged and flooded the canyon with light. I shot the sunset from Desert View, on the east side of the South Rim. I thought this viewpoint was off the beaten path, away from the watchtower. But just out of the frame at the bottom someone had spoiled the view with graffiti.
    North of Desert View
  • 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
  • Almost as soon as I started shooting a time lapse of this view, it disappeared into the fog. Kingittorsuaq is a 3,885' mountain above Kobbefjord.
    Before Losing the View
  • In the far northwest corner of Finland is the tiny village of Kilpisjärvi. This is the only part of the country that touches the Scandinavian Mountains, and it's near Finland's highest point. The elevation and close proximity to the Arctic Ocean makes this the snowiest place in the country, and the snow here had a different quality than any other I've seen. It was so light and fluffy it could be blown off the windshield with my breath, and footprints in the deep snow pack left behind aqua-blue holes. I climbed halfway up one of the mountains, Saana, to obtain this view as the sun struggled to emerge. On the other side of the frozen lake is Sweden, with Norway to the right. This far above the Arctic Circle, trees can not grow above 600m. After this I tried climbing higher, but the route became icy, and visibility was nearing whiteout  so I was forced to turn back.
    View From Saana
  • There were no trails to this spot, but I knew if I could reach the top of the cliffs there would be a scenic view of the Powder River below. But I nearly got bit by a 4.5 foot long rattlesnake since I didn't see it sunning itself.
    Moorhead View Panorama
  • The Chalk Buttes are located in the Custer Gallatin National Forest southwest of Ekalaka, Montana. It seems that they're rarely ever climbed so I had to find my own way to the top by studying a topo map. This view is looking east.
    Chalk Buttes View
  • Death Valley in California is a land of extremes. On my last morning there I shot the sunrise from Dante's View. From this incredible viewpoint Badwater Basin can be seen, which at 282 feet below sea level is the lowest place in North America. The basin is also consistently the hottest place on Earth. High's in the 120's and lows in the 90's are not uncommon here in the summer. Even in November it was 95°F while I was here. The average annual rainfall is less than 2 inches. In the distance beyond the extensive salt flats rises the Panamint Range up to the 11,049 feet high Telescope Peak. From valley to summit, only one other mountain in the continental US has a greater vertical rise (Mt. Rainier). The previous evening I shot the sunset from Badwater Basin, and the evening before that from the summit of Telescope Peak.
    Dante's View
  • Keys View in Joshua Tree National Park is a great place to watch a sunset. You can see 5,000 feet below to the Palm Springs area, the Salton Sea, and the San Andreas Fault.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: August 19, 2014
    Keys View
  • While on the summit of the 9,500 feet high Black Mountain, I watched this thunderstorm recede into the distance.
    Black Mountain View
  • 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
  • In the Cascade Range in northwest Washington is a peak called Mount Baker. This peak is the 3rd tallest in the state, and is among the snowiest mountains on Earth. One winter saw a staggering 95 feet of snow fall, which is the most recorded anywhere in a single season. I hiked halfway up and set up camp on a ridge overlooking this volcanic peak. Into the clouds I ascended and waited until they finally parted just before sunset. My jaw dropped as the glacier-capped summit appeared high above me. But the view was short-lived as the winds shifted and brought in heavy smoke from Canada. Even though the meteor shower would be a bust, I was thankful to get this view, however brief it was. This volcano is still active with fumaroles found in the summit crater, but it hasn't erupted since the end of the 19th century.
    Between Smoke and Cloud
  • 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
  • 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
  • I was hiking in the Bighorn Mountains when it started to rain and the sun threatened to peak out at the same time. It was late enough in the day to make it perfect rainbow weather, I just had to reach the top of the ridge before it happened. A 2nd shower rolled out of the mountains after I reached this view, and a partial rainbow appeared. The trail conditions were very changeable, ranging from soft thigh-deep snow, to packed ice, to mud, to dry ground. Even though the Red Grade Trail system isn't very long, I definitely had to earn the view on this day.
    First Rainbow of Spring
  • This is the view from the top of Loaf Mountain at 11,722'. There was no trail, so I had to pay close attention to the map while hiking 3.5 miles to the summit. The view from the top wasn't as clear as it could have been because of wildfire smoke from Montana.
    Smoky Summit
  • 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 />
<br />
Date Taken: May 5, 2014
    Bald Knob Dusk
  • 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
  • For most of the evening the sun hid behind clouds. But finally just before sunset, golden sunbeams emerged and flooded the canyon with light. I shot the sunset from Desert View, on the east side of the South Rim.
    Between Sunbeams
  • From this view, three states can be seen. Maryland is at the bottom, Virginia is on the other side of the Potomac River, and West Virginia is on the right. This view is from Weverton Cliff, a 500 foot high outcrop in the Appalachian Mountains. It is located only a few miles away from Harpers Ferry.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 12/2/13
    Three State Sunrise
  • 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
  • For most of the evening the sun hid behind clouds. But finally just before sunset, golden sunbeams emerged and flooded the canyon with light. I shot the sunset from Desert View, on the east side of the South Rim.
    Golden Ridges
  • 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
  • Kirkjufell is said to be the most photographed and one of the most beautiful mountains in Iceland. But not many people get to see the view from the top. The trail going up was the steepest and most exposed hike I've ever done. A system of knotted ropes must be used to make it up some of the cliffs. Once at the summit, the evening sun broke through, and low clouds floated past. The view was breathtaking.
    Kirkjufell Glow
  • Crow Peak is a mountain in the northern Black Hills just outside of Spearfish, South Dakota. On a clear day the views are expansive, stretching into 3 states. But yesterday was not a clear day. The weather was cold, cloudy, and damp, and more rain showers loomed. But this was a peak I've been wanting to climb for awhile now, and I was in the area already so I pressed on. After hiking for 3 miles this window to the west opened up just below the summit. It only lasted for a minute or 2 and then the view was gone. I still want to come back another day and see what the clouds were hiding. But sometimes hiking in bad weather has its own rewards.
    Window to the Valley
  • I was driving along the incredibly beautiful Elk Meadows Road. Just after crossing the Montana border the road went through a thick evergreen forest with no views. But then I drove around a corner and saw this view. My jaw just dropped. Being from Illinois I had never seen larch trees before. In the summer their needles are green and blend in with the rest of the trees. But in mid-October they completely stand out as they burst into color. The clouds above Lolo Peak were turning to pink as the sun set. I jumped out of my car and tried to capture the light on Lolo Peak before it faded.
    Lolo Larch
  • From this view you can see the scar left in the mountain from Going to the Sun Road. The views from this road were incredible, especially late in the day as the sun got lower.
    A Mountain Cut
  • Kingittorsuaq is a 3,885' mountain southeast of Nuuk. This is the view from the summit of Store Malene.
    Kingittorsuaq
  • I found it hard to stop hiking this day, putting in 17 miles by the time I got back to my car. It was my last evening in Washington, and the views were incredible from the Sunrise area of Mount Rainier National Park. This view is from First Burroughs Mountain, looking towards Second Burroughs Mountain and the glaciers beyond.
    The Trail Beckons
  • Early morning crepuscular rays illuminate the Black Hills and the Great Plains beyond. This was the view from the Rankin Ridge lookout tower.
    Wind Cave Sunrise
  • This was my view while I ate lunch on Cloud Peak, the highest point of the Bighorn Mountains. I timed this 25 mile long, 3 day backpacking trip with the hottest day of the year. While the temperature topped 100°F down in the valley, up here at 13,167 feet it was much more pleasant in the 60's. At this high elevation the boiling point of water is 25° cooler than at sea level. In the cirque 1500 feet below lies the Cloud Peak Glacier. It is the only glacier in the Bighorns and is predicted to be gone 20 years from now. As the compressed snow and ice slowly slides down the mountain slope, it grinds up the bedrock beneath it and forms a very fine silt called "rock flour". This flour becomes suspended in the glacial meltwater and gives the lake it's greenish-turquoise color that changes with the lighting conditions. In the hour I spent on the summit I heard the sound of numerous rockfalls. Some of them would cause a chain-reaction lasting a minute or longer.
    Top of the Bighorns
  • A rain squall approaches Peoria, Illinois. The heavy rain was close, but it never actually fell where I was shooting from. The top of a bluff in East Peoria provided a perfect view to the west of this storm.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: June 18, 2014
    Distant Rain
  • This view of the Rocky Mountains is from the 12,000 feet high Loveland Pass. Hidden in the valley below is Interstate 70, where it crosses the Continental Divide at Eisenhower Tunnel.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/8/2013
    Loveland Pass
  • These snow covered trees are found near the 8,000 foot summit of Ch-Paa-Qn Peak, Montana. This peak offers an amazing panoramic view of at least 5 different mountain ranges. As temperatures warmed up above freezing, chunks of snow were constantly falling off the branches.
    Windswept Summit
  • It’s a view I came across in early spring: a lone tree on top of a hill overlooking ranches, ponds, a canal, and the Bighorn Mountains. The milky way was the perfect backdrop when I returned to shoot it on a warm night in July. The green stripes in the sky are from a phenomenon called airglow. During the day sunlight ionizes oxygen atoms in the upper atmosphere, and their recombination at night emits a small amount of light. This chemical reaction occurs about 100km up at the same height as the aurora, which is caused by a different process. Ripples in the airglow come from gravity waves, which may originate from the jet stream or a particularly powerful thunderstorm complex. I often find airglow in my pictures anytime I’m shooting under a dark sky. But this night was the strongest I've ever seen it. The wave pattern was very apparent, although the color was undetectable to my eyes.
    Beckton Milky Way
  • When I left Highland Park I went off trail and climbed higher to avoid a very snowy section of trail. I decided to climb an unnamed 11,370' peak since I was so close. This was the view from the top.
    Peak 11370
  • A rain squall approaches Peoria, Illinois. The heavy rain was close, but it never actually fell where I was shooting from. The top of a bluff in East Peoria provided a perfect view to the west of this storm.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: June 18, 2014
    Peoria Rain Squall
  • 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
  • It was just me and a marmot on the summit of Burroughs Mountain admiring this view of Mount Rainier at sunset. The enormity of this mountain is humbling. Rainier is the most prominent peak in the lower US and the most glaciated containing rivers of ice up to 750 feet thick. This volcano is dormant, but not extinct, and it holds the potential for major destruction if it erupts. The greatest hazard wouldn't necessarily be a lava flow, but what's known as a "lahar." A lahar is a mud and debris flow caused by magma destabilizing the rock and rapidly melting snow and ice. These mudflows can travel many miles (as far as the Puget Sound) and signs in the campground warn visitors to head uphill in the event of an earthquake or a rumbling sound. After spending a week in Washington, this was the first sunset I saw that wasn't extremely smoky. It was a long hike back by headlamp, but the pictures were worth it.
    Rainier Sunset Panorama
  • There are lots of different mesas and buttes to focus in on when the sun sets over the Grand Canyon. This view is from Hopi Point.
    Mesas and Buttes
  • A chukar bird is lit up by the early morning sunlight in Death Valley National Park near Dante's View.
    Death Valley Chukar
  • While climbing Ryan Mountain, I got a great view of a distant thunderstorm, along with shadows and sunlight. The road at the bottom is Park Boulevard.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: August 20, 2014
    Ryan Mountain Panorama
  • I got to Hulett just in time to watch two supercells pass to the north and to the south. Both of them had tornado warnings, and both produced very large hail. From the top of this bluff I had an excellent view of Devils Tower and the Missouri Buttes. It was almost a once in a lifetime chance to capture a tornado over the tower, but it didn't happen. It was still an awesome sight though.
    Making the Tower Look Small
  • 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
  • There was a lot to see in this view from Castle Gardens outside of Ten Sleep. Hoodoos and toadstools, red rock canyons, and the snow-capped Bighorn Mountains all lit up in the golden evening sunlight.
    Cloud Peak From Castle Gardens
  • The sky was the bluest blue and the brightness of the snow was blinding. In every direction there were more stunning Rocky Mountain peaks than I could possibly identify. But it wasn't a view I could sit down and enjoy. Quandary Peak is a 14,265' mountain just south of Breckenridge, Colorado. Climbing it was one of the most challenging hikes I've ever done. The entire climb was straight on into the wind. On the summit I measured gusts of 60 mph with a wind chill of -25°F, but it was likely worse at times. Covering every inch of skin was the only way to avoid frostbite. It was all I could do just to remain upright and not have any of my gear blow away. Changing lenses or using a tripod was not an option. Quandary Peak is considered one of Colorado's easier 14'ers and the safest in the winter since the route avoids avalanche terrain. But on days like this, it should not be underestimated.
    South Slope of Quandary
  • It was cloudy all day and I wasn't expecting a great sunset. But when the clouds started clearing I drove up into the hills near Wyarno to catch this view.
    Isolation
  • It was 17 miles completed, with 6 more to go on the longest hike I've ever done. It's hard to appreciate the size and depth of the Grand Canyon without seeing it from within. From many of the viewpoints along the rim, you can't even see the bottom because the canyon is so deep with many layers. The park service advises against hiking to the bottom and back in the same day, but it's not impossible with the right planning and preparation. And a dayhike was my only option since I lacked a backcountry permit. On my way back up the Bright Angel trail, I made a detour to Plateau Point, where I found this sweeping view of the Colorado River. The river flows 1400 feet below this point, while the rim rises 3-4 thousand feet above. The upper portion of the trail was the most brutal part with 35 switchbacks in the last 3 miles. The weather was as nice as it could have been, with the temperature swinging from the 20's to 80°F during the course of the day.
    Plateau Point Panorama
  • After reaching the top of Kirkjufell, the trail keeps going until that cliff at the end. This view is looking north out over the Atlantic Ocean.
    Where the Land Ends
  • Shadows recede across Badwater Basin  as seen from Dante's View.
    Above the Salt Flats
  • On a September morning the Bighorn Mountains were shrouded in clouds. But this was the view from the top of Black Mountain.
    Waves of Clouds
  • 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
  • From left to right is Cloud Peak, Bomber Mountain, Mistymoon Lake, Florence Pass, and Lake Marion. This was a much different view with all the snow and ice compared to the last time I saw it in July.
    Overlooking Mistymoon
  • The sky was the bluest blue and the brightness of the snow was blinding. In every direction there were more stunning Rocky Mountain peaks than I could possibly identify. But it wasn't a view I could sit down and enjoy. Quandary Peak is a 14,265' mountain just south of Breckenridge, Colorado. Climbing it was one of the most challenging hikes I've ever done. The entire climb was straight on into the wind. On the summit I measured gusts of 60 mph with a wind chill of -25°F, but it was likely worse at times. Covering every inch of skin was the only way to avoid frostbite. It was all I could do just to remain upright and not have any of my gear blow away. Changing lenses or using a tripod was not an option. Quandary Peak is considered one of Colorado's easier 14'ers and the safest in the winter since the route avoids avalanche terrain. But on days like this, it should not be underestimated.
    Summit of Quandary
  • After climbing one of the highest hills near Moorhead, this is the view I found looking north. Although Western Montana gets most of the attention when it comes to natural beauty, the eastern part of the state has some very scenic areas as well.
    Wilds of Southeast Montana
  • Ever since I saw the strange name (Leaky Mountain) on a map, I was intrigued by it. Located in the northern Bighorn Mountains, I could find little information about this waterfall online and no pictures. But I soon realized the reason: there's no easy way here. On the last weekend of April I took advantage of the warm weather and set out to find it. From the trailhead on the MT/WY border it's a 19 mile roundtrip hike, and I camped downstream. The next morning I climbed to the base, but there was no trail to follow, with steep terrain and thick vegetation lying between me and the falls. Numerous thorns, snowbanks, loose talus, water crossings and mud all had to be navigated around as I followed my ears to the source of the stream. Snowmelt and groundwater seeps into the limestone cliffs from above. Cold, pure spring water gushes out of the side of the mountain in multiple cascades. Behind me stretched out a panoramic view of Little Horn Canyon and the higher snowcapped peaks. With all the difficulty in reaching this place, once I finally got here I didn't want to leave.
    Leaky Mountain Falls
  • On my way back from Yellowstone, I stopped at Four Dances Recreation Area, to shoot the sunset. Here cliffs rise up to 500 feet above the Yellowstone River. The best view is looking south, away from Billings.
    Four Dances Cliff
  • Telescope Peak and the Panamint Range glows in the early morning sunlight as seen from Dante's View. A fighter jet and a B-2 stealth bomber can be seen flying in front of the mountains.
    Telescope Morning
  • 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
  • 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
  • As the storm clouds approached, the outflow winds provided a cool breeze that felt nice on a hot day. This view is from the top of a bluff in East Peoria.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: June 18, 2014
    Cool Breeze
  • The temperature hovered at 4 below zero as the sun rose over the Illinois River. Amazing things can happen in such frigid conditions. Because of the nearly 40 degree temperature difference between the air and the water, steam formed and swirled around the river. The steam turned into ice crystals and drifted up into the air. The ice crystals then acted as prisms, refracting the light rays from the sun on the right. That is how this bright and colorful sundog was formed. This view is from Eagle Cliff at Starved Rock State Park.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 12/24/13
    Subzero Sundog
  • 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 and Hidden Lake
  • The top of Lille Malene (Quassussuaq), had an amazing view of Nuuk Fjord. The sunlight came out in the evening and touched Sermitsiaq Mountain.
    Sun Over Nuuk Fjord
  • From my campsite next to Upper Crater Lake in the Cloud Peak Wilderness I had an amazing view in both directions. This is looking down at Lower Crater Lake shorty after sunrise.
    Overlooking Crater Lake
  • On this quick overnight backpacking trip to High Park I had the best of both worlds. Scattered clouds made for a very colorful sunset and sunrise, while the night was clear enough to see the stars. This view is looking south off of the cliff.
    High Park Sunset
  • This 7600' summit has no name and there is no trail leading here. It wasn't a long climb. But it did involve descending into a valley and fording a cold river, before scrambling straight up a steep slope. Enough snow has melted that I was able to avoid most of it. At the summit this was the view that awaited me looking east. Holes in the cloud cover let through small patches of sunlight. The light beams are an optical phenomena known as anticrepuscular rays. The shafts of light are actually parallel, but appear to converge at the antisolar point, which is 180° opposite the sun. The rays only seem to converge because of a perspective effect, similar to railroad tracks in the distance.
    Anticrepuscular Rays
  • The winter milky way and the zodiacal light were shining brightly in the west after sunset. This view is from Granite Butte on Montana's continental divide.
    Night on the Divide
  • It would have been too dangerous to stay on the summit of Kirkjufell for the sunset, and descend in the dark. So instead I shot the sunset from half way down, past the steepest part with the ropes. The view was almost as good anyway.
    Sunset From Kirkjufell
  • This is the view looking east from the Tête aux Chamois cable car station. Schluchhorn is the mountain on the right.
    Schluchhorn
  • Just before entering the forest on Heart Mountain, I looked back and captured this view.
    Halfway up Heart
  • The zodiacal light glowed in the west after sunset before the moon rose. The view was from my campsite in the McCullough Peaks Badlands and the lights are from the edge of Cody.
    Between the Lights
  • A lenticular cloud hangs above Cloud Peak and Blacktooth Mountain, both exceeding 13,000 feet. These smooth, lens-shaped clouds are sometimes mistaken for UFO's. Lenticular clouds are formed when strong winds carrying moist, stable air is forced upward upon encountering an obstacle like a mountain. A series of standing waves results on the downwind side of the mountain, and a lenticular cloud will form at the crest of the waves if the temperature is below the dew point. These clouds are stationary, but they can quickly grow and shrink. This view from the 9500 foot summit of Black Mountain was not easy to reach. It involved snowshoeing 12 miles roundtrip, camping at the base, and climbing the mountain in the dark to make it in time for sunrise. I sheltered on the east side of the fire lookout to stay out of the face-stinging winds. Thankfully only the very top of the peak was exposed to the wind, and it was much calmer below at my campsite.
    Crown of Gold
  • These little lenticular clouds repeatedly formed over the same area as seen from Keys View. Lenticular clouds form when strong winds encounter a mountain range. The air is forced upward where it condenses into a cloud. These strange disc-shaped clouds form often in the California desert.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: August 19, 2014
    Little Lenticulars
  • In the middle of September, Yellowstone received its first snowfall of the season. The next morning, this herd of buffalo was found grazing in the Hayden Valley. This valley, which is located in between Yellowstone Lake and the falls, is a popular place to view wildlife.
    Hayden Valley
  • This scenic view is often mistaken for the Grand Canyon. It is actually Dead Horse Point State Park in Utah. It is the same Colorado River that carved this 2000 feet deep canyon that flows into Canyonlands National Park. As I stood on the edge of this cliff, I wondered how much of a push it would take to dislodge this boulder. It was perched right on the edge of a sheer 500+ foot drop.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/6/2013
    The Edge of Day
  • In early March, Comet Panstarrs rounded the sun and became visible in the northern hemisphere. Even though it was quite bright at magnitude 0, it was a challenge to see. It was only visible for a short time after sunset, and then it slipped beneath the horizon. This shot was taken on March 13th from Gibraltar Rock, Wisconsin, which is a 400 foot high bluff with a great view to the west. This comet will not return to the solar system for 106,000 years.
    Comet Panstarrs
  • I went on a longer hike than expected in the Bear Lodge Mountains, about 10 miles. But I didn't want to stop until I found this view, looking down into Sundance. Sundance Mountain is the closer peak with Inyan Kara Mountain on the far right.
    Overlooking Sundance
  • A colorful sunset fills the sky above the McCullough Peak Badlands. This view is looking west towards Cody.
    McCullough Badlands Sunset
  • Blacktooth Mountain and Cloud Peak glow in the light of sunset on a windy evening. This view is from Soldier Ridge west of Sheridan and in the valley below is the small ranching community of Beckton.
    Bighorn Mountain Majesty
  • Great River Bluffs State Park provides a scenic view of the Mississippi River nearly 500 feet below. A much smaller river called the Black River flows in from Wisconsin and meets in a delta. Light rain was falling on this overcast day.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 8/5/2013
    Great River Bluff
  • 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
  • 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
  • Rain was falling from the clouds, but it evaporated into the dry air before reaching the ground. This is known as virga. The views were dramatic from the McCullough Peaks Badlands, especially when the sun came out and contrasted with the dark clouds.In the distance the snow capped Bighorn Mountains can be seen.
    Vanishing Rain
  • The time was after 11PM, yet still the light of sunset lingered in the northwestern sky. It gets dark quite late here in Montana in the middle of summer. This peak has been on my radar to climb for quite awhile. Like a spine, the long and narrow Bridger Range is situated in the middle of the state. The 9,665’ Sacagawea Peak, named after the famed guide of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, is the apex of the mountain range. Views stretched far and wide in every direction and were some of the best of any peak I’ve stood on. After sundown the lights of Bozeman and smaller towns came on. Then Comet NEOWISE slowly appeared through the deep blue twilight sky. Just a few minutes makes a big difference in visibility because while the coma is bright, the tail of the comet is faint even though it’s huge. After this more clouds moved in along with a couple flashes of lightning. It was time to leave, but I was thankful for the short window of opportunity I had. Descending the steep trail by headlamp was no small task. I made note of the tricky parts on my way up and was extra careful in the dark, trying not to butt heads with any mountain goats.
    Sacagawea Comet
  • 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
  • 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
  • Over Labor Day weekend the Earth's magnetic field was battered by a solar wind stream from a coronal hole on the sun, which reached speeds of up to 800km a second. This led to the aurora dipping down to lower latitudes and I was able to catch it 4 nights in a row. I'm always in search of new north-facing viewpoints for picture opportunities. This night I spent at the top of the Judith Mountains in central Montana. Montana always has a better shot at seeing the aurora and being at a high elevation helped even more. The views reached far and wide out over the plains with more mountain ranges than I could count. As it got dark flashes of lightning were visible 250 miles away in Saskatchewan which I didn't even know was possible. The aurora danced all night long, preceded by a fiery sunset and followed by a stormy sunrise. It couldn't have been a more colorful stay on this mountaintop.
    Pillars Rising Above
  • A vibrant sunset is reflected in the muddy waters of the Little Missouri River. This river flows over 500 miles on it's way to the Big Missouri. Echoing across the wilderness was the sound of bugling elk, and stampeding bison. The Wind Canyon overlook is one of the most scenic views in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The 26th president started a cattle ranch here in 1885. Even though the harsh North Dakota winter drove him out a few years later, it was his time here that inspired him to establish many national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges.
    Glowing River
  • In early January is the annual Quadrantid meteor shower. Meteor rates weren't nearly as prolific as the Geminids of December. But I still wanted to photograph it since the moon phase was favorable and few pictures of this astronomical event exist. With decent weather in the forecast, I climbed to the top of a 9,477' mountain and spent the night there. The expansive views to the north included Meadowlark Lake, the tallest peaks of the Bighorns, and the High Park meadow. After chasing a mouse out of my backpack I set my camera to take pictures for most of the night. The shower seemed to be most active between about 10PM and midnight. That's when my camera captured these 8 meteors, although 3 of them were halfway out of the frame. I stitched together a few images for the bottom half of the picture, this allowed me to correct the distortion in the trees.
    8 Quadrantid Meteors
  • 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
  • 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 Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River thunders over a cliff as seen from almost a mile away. At 309 feet high, this waterfall is nearly twice the height of Niagara Falls. It is the largest waterfall in the Rocky Mountains by volume, although the flow rate was a lot less in September when this was taken. The 24-mile long Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone starts here and in some places is over 1,000 feet deep. The canyon walls consist of a volcanic rock called rhyolite, and display a wide variety of colors. Hot springs and other geothermal features are scattered throughout the canyon along the river. If you look closely you can see a viewing platform just above the falls to the right.
    Falls of the Yellowstone
  • 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
  • With a name like Paradise Valley, my expectations were high for this hike. The scenery did not disappoint with views of the fjord, waterfalls, and amazing fall colors. No trees needed.
    Mixed With Moss
  • The views from the top of Medicine Bow Peak were stunning. This was a fairly easy hike considering the mountain is over 12,000 feet high. The 7 mile loop trail traverses the top of the ridge and descends next to the lakes.
    12,014 Feet
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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 opened up as I reached the summit of Big Pryor Mountain. East Pryor Mountain can be seen in the distance.
    Big Pryor Summit
  • After clouds moved in and hid the views from the summit of Store Malene (Ukkusissat), I started heading down. Halfway down I came across this ice pattern when the sun came back out.
    Mountainside Ice
Next