Kevin Palmer

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  • 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
  • In the desert within Mojave National Preserve you can find some of the darkest skies in Southern California. It was dark enough to see the zodiacal light, which was visible 2 hours after sunset in the west. The light is made up of dust particles within our solar system illuminated by the sun. Beneath the ghostly light you can see evidence of light pollution from cities to the west.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 1/30/14
    Mojave Zodiacal Light
  • This is the view looking west from High Park lookout shortly before sunset.
    Behind the Pines
  • On an overcast day, the sun came out for a minute over the Abyss Pool in Yellowstone National Park. Located in the West Thumb Geyser Basin, the turquoise pool is 53 feet deep.
    Sunshine in the Abyss
  • The milky way sets in the west shortly after sunset. This was taken from the top of a hill prairie in Jim Edgar State Park. It was a great place to watch a meteor shower.
    Hill Prairie Milky Way
  • A distinctive anvil from a thunderstorm is visible in the west as the skies get darker. Blue Mounds State Park is a short hill on the edge of the Great Plains. It is not unusual to see distant storms such as this, even though it was about 300 miles away near the Black Hills. Many green fireflies are also visible in the grass below.
    Blue Mounds Twilight
  • The snowcapped La Sal Mountains form an incredible backdrop for all the red rock formations in Arches National Park. This was taken after sunset while there was still a soft glow in the west to light up these formations known as fins.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/6/2013
    La Sal Mountains
  • 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
  • The first light of the day illuminates the Borrego Badlands while the moon sets in the west. This is looking towards Borrego Springs from Font's Point.
    Fonts Point Morning
  • 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
  • The courthouse towers are a large rock formation in the middle of Arches National Park. The three spires on the right are known as the "Three Gossips". The early morning light gave the scene more depth and even brighter colors.
    Courthouse Towers
  • A mother mule deer opens her mouth as if to speak. The shy fawn stays in the background. I didn't expect to see deer in the desert. But this family was right by the campground in Arches National Park.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/6/2013
    Mother Deer
  • I was surprised to find this large grove of aspen trees on the 70 Mile Butte trail. There are very few trees in Grasslands National Park. The late evening sunlight intensified the color of the leaves.
    Prairie Aspen
  • As I drove towards the Frenchman Valley campground, this herd of bison crossed the road in front of me.
    Saskatchewan Traffic Jam
  • On my 4th night in Iceland I stayed at a small campground in Setburg outside of Grundarfjörður. This was the view at sunset. The mountain on the left is Kirkjufell, but this is a much different perspective than most people see.
    Setburg Sunset
  • The 290 foot long landscape arch is the longest in the world. But it is also very fragile and could collapse at any time. In the 1990's the arch lost 3 large chunks one at a time. The trail you see in the picture has been off limits for over 20 years because of the danger from rock falls.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/7/2013
    Landscape Arch
  • The stars apparent motion is captured behind the Skyline Arch in Arches National Park. A flashlight was used to illuminate the arch from below.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/6/2013
    Skylines
  • This scenic waterfall is near the beginning of the Lost Twin Lakes Trail in the Cloud Peak Wilderness.
    Middle Tensleep Falls
  • Delicate Arch is the most famous landmark in Arches National Park. The 65 foot tall arch is depicted on Utah license plates and postage stamps. In the background you can see the snowcapped La Sal Mountains.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/7/2013
    Delicate Panorama
  • 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 />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/7/2013
    Fins at Dusk
  • The Double O Arch is one of the longer hikes in Arches National Park. After reaching the viewpoint on the other side, you have to climb through the "lower O" to reach this view. The light on the arch at sunset was amazing, as was the view of the distant desert.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/6/2013
    Double O Arch
  • I got to the Crystal Creek Overlook just in time to watch this storm roll in off of the Bighorn Basin. I've always wanted to watch a storm from here and this one was perfect because there was no lightning occurring.
    Storm in the Bighorn Basin
  • 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 5 inches of snow that fell this week was extremely dry and lightweight. This allowed the gusty winds that accompanied the arctic front to lift up the snow and carve it into drifts and strange patterns. In some places, the ice at Spring Lake was left bare. Despite the warm colors, the wind chill was -10°F as the sun slipped beneath the horizon.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: January 9, 2015
    Spring Lake Sunset
  • Early morning sunlight shines on the Courthouse Towers in Arches National Park.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/8/2013
    Courthouse Towers
  • 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
  • I was surprised to find this large grove of aspen trees on the 70 Mile Butte trail. There are very few trees in Grasslands National Park. The late evening sunlight intensified the color of the leaves.
    Between Buttes
  • After hearing coyotes howling around me the previous evening, I was glad to see this one in the daylight. He was hunting for mice in this field at the edge of Grasslands National Park. Canadian coyotes are apparently much bigger than those further south. Since there was no one around I was able to back up my car and track along with the coyote and he barely noticed me.
    On The Prowl
  • Before leaving Grasslands, I hiked the 7 mile (13km) Broken Hills trail at sunrise.
    Morning Sage
  • Highway 128 winds through a canyon formed by the Colorado River. This scenic road leads from Interstate 70 to the town of Moab, Utah.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/8/2013
    Desert Road
  • During the fall, the zodiacal light, or 'false dawn' shines brightly in the east before sunrise. It is caused by dust within our solar system reflecting sunlight. But it can only be seen in dark skies away from light pollution, which makes Arches National Park ideal.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/8/2013
    False Dawn
  • Mission Falls drops hundreds of feet to the valley below as the sun sets. Golden Larch and Aspen trees fill the valley as the seasons change. The 250 square mile Mission Mountain Wilderness contains many snowcapped peaks, alpine lakes, 1,000 foot waterfalls, and numerous wildlife. There are few hiking trails and most are steep and hard to follow. Because of this, it doesn't attract many visitors. Half of the range lies within the Flathead Indian Reservation and the mountains weren't explored by white men until 1922.
    Mission Falls Sunset
  • The first sunlight of the day shines on Double Arch. This is the view directly underneath the 104 foot arch, looking straight up.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/8/2013
    Light on the Double
  • 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
  • I loved the color of the water in Lake McDonald. Without a snowcapped peak in the picture, this scene almost looked tropical. Rocky Point is located on the southern end of the lake, near Fish Creek campground.
    Rocky Point
  • 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
  • A waterfall is illuminated under the moonlit sky. The peak in the background is the 8,760 foot Clements Mountain.
    Glacier Moonlight
  • 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
  • This is one of many amazing views you'll see when driving Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park.. If you look closely under the glacier you can see Bird Woman Falls which drops 560 feet. It has a much higher flow in the spring and is a lot harder to see in the fall.
    Crown of the Continent
  • Bowman Lake is located on the north side of Glacier National Park. It is long and skinny, and quite shallow along the edges, which allowed me to wade in and get this picture.
    Bowman Lake
  • 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
  • Clouds race past the summit of Mary's Rock in this view looking west.
    West of Mary's Rock
  • The Hermit Trail on the way to Dripping Springs provided great views into the Grand Canyon, especially when the sun came out.
    West of Hermit's Rest
  • With winds blowing over 40 mph, it was not the most pleasant evening for a hike. At first it was sunny, but the weather changed quickly as a cold front blew through. A fiery orange glow appeared at sunset while rain showers moved in over the mountains. I was standing on top of Lodge Trail Ridge, a mile high vantage point overlooking the small town of Story to the west. There's a lot of history here, as this ridge sits in between Fort Kearney and the Fetterman Battlefield. The fort was established to protect travelers of the Bozeman Trail, an offshoot of the Oregon Trail which passed through Indian land. Tensions culminated in 1866 in an ambush led by Crazy Horse that killed 81 soldiers. It was the US Army's worst defeat in the West until the Battle of Little Bighorn 10 years later.
    Cold Front Sunset
  • An early season snowstorm stranded me in the Bighorn Basin an extra day. I tried to make the most of it by visiting the mustangs west of Greybull. Last time I was here I saw the entire herd of nearly 100 wild horses. But this time, despite driving for miles and scanning with binoculars, these were the only 2 I could find. But they gave me plenty of photo opportunities as they galloped across the hills with snowflakes in the air. The McCullough Peaks mustangs are believed to be descendants of Buffalo Bill’s horses from his Wild West Show. They are 1 of 2 herds of wild horses found on BLM land in northern Wyoming.
    Cold and Free
  • After hitting the trail at sunrise I made it to the top of Laramie Peak shortly before 9AM and setup my gear. The true summit is littered with towers and communication equipment, so instead I pointed my camera at this subpeak to the south. The weather was perfect and the thick smoke from Montana wildfires that I was worried about stayed to the north. At 10:23 the partial eclipse began, visible only through a solar filter. Anticipation started to build as more of the sun became blocked out. After over 50% of the sun was covered the light became slightly dimmer but it was only noticeable if you've been watching the whole time. The temperature dropped by over 20°F and jackets came out. At 90% the sky became a dark blue and the landscape took on a smoky appearance. At this point the light began to change by the second. The moon moves from west to east, and the shadow approaches at 1700mph from that direction. At 11:45 the last piece of sun disappeared. Some of my favorite effects of totality were the parts I couldn't capture. Cirrus clouds in the west glowed orange like at sunset. It was similar to twilight but instead of the glow appearing in only one direction, it encircled the entire horizon. Venus came out first, then the other planets and brighter stars. It's a very strange feeling looking at the sun in what's normally the brightest part of the day and instead seeing a black hole. The ~100 people around me marveled at one of the most beautiful spectacles in nature. But just like that it was all over. The full disc of the sun returned at 1:11PM.
    Fleeting Moment
  • I spent the fourth of July chasing tornadoes in Chugwater, Wyoming. Chugwater has a certain legendary status among storm chasers. Storms form over the Laramie Mountains to the west, and the local terrain seems to enhance tornadic potential. On at least 3 other occasions I've seen funnel clouds here. And having one of the few paved, east-west highways also makes it a great place to target. Luckily there is not much around for a tornado to damage. I had to pick a spot either below the bluff or on top. I chose on top, which put me a little over a mile away from the developing tornado. Powerful cloud to ground lightning bolts were dropping during tornadogenesis. My camera was left outside to shoot automatically while I stayed in my car.
    Chugwater Tornado
  • Shell Falls plunges 120 feet through a gorge located on the west side of the Bighorn Mountains.
    Shell Falls In Summer
  • 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
  • Deep within a canyon in the southern foothills of the Bighorn Mountains is found the Outlaw Cave. This area is rich with Wild West history and legends. Only a few miles away is Hole In the Wall, where Butch Cassidy and his gang used to retreat after robbing trains and hustling cattle. There is evidence that at least some outlaws used this cave for shelter, as well as Native Americans before that. The cave is only the size of a large room, barely high enough to stand up in. But it is well hidden from the canyon rim, and the proximity to the river allows for great fishing - the leftover fish bones in the fire ring were proof of that. It took 2 visits before I was able to locate the cave, which is at the end of a steep trail that traverses cliffs above rushing rapids. The land here is just as wild today as it was in the 1800’s.
    Looking Out of Outlaw Cave
  • A supercell lurked in the darkness. Every few seconds a flash would illuminate the thundercloud and show a silhouette of the sharp spires of the Badlands. This was the 4th storm I watched this evening. Rumbles of thunder slowly grew louder as yet another storm approached from the west and threatened to block the view of this one. Badlands National Park is one of my favorite places to capture storms. Even when they’re 100 miles away, the views here are excellent. And distant storms are preferred when I’m camping. The Badlands are very exposed to the elements. There is no escaping the rain, wind, and mud. An earlier downpour soaked me to the skin but the wind that followed dried me in minutes. The mud is the type that cakes to the bottom of your shoes making every footstep heavier. But a few hours in the hot sun and the mud is baked dry. At the time of this picture tennis-ball sized hail was reported in the Pine Ridge Reservation to the south. The lights are from the metropolis of Interior, population 94. The lightning was mostly cloud-to-cloud; this was the only strike I captured out of 500 shots.
    Strike Beyond Interior
  • The Lost Twin Lakes are found at 10,300 feet  in the Cloud Peak Wilderness. A 6 mile hike from the West Tensleep Lake trailhead, it's the perfect spot for an overnight backpacking trip. The two lakes are in a glacial cirque surrounded by massive granite cliffs up to 2,000 feet high. This was a stitch of 6 pictures.
    Lost Twin Lake Panorama
  • 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 was driving through southeast Montana when I started seeing flashes to the west.I pulled in to Rosebud Battlefield State Park to try to get some lightning shots. Most of the lightning was intracloud but occasionally a bright bolt of lightning would jump out and strike the ground, making it a challenge to get the exposure right. This is a very remote part of the state, about 35 miles from the nearest town. It was at this location in 1876 that one of the largest battles of the Indian Wars took place. The Battle of Rosebud also played a role in the defeat of Colonel Custer one week later at Little Bighorn.
    100 Million Volts
  • 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
  • I couldn’t let NEOWISE leave without trying to capture it over Devils Tower. But this wasn’t the shot I had in mind. The forecast called for mostly clear skies after earlier severe weather exited. But sometimes what actually happens is so much better than what I can imagine. This supercell popped up to the west around 10PM and the anvil quickly blocked out the comet. But then just as the storm was showing its best mothership structure during a close encounter with the tower, a hole in the clouds opened up. It was perfectly placed to reveal the comet once again for just a few minutes. It’s a good thing that most of the lightning was intracloud. If bolts of lightning were jumping out they would have been too bright to expose for the comet. Every single flash highlighted or backlit a different part of the storm. While the lightning continued for most of the night, I was glad the large hail stayed away. I didn’t want to test the hailproofness of my tent.
    A Hole in the Clouds
  • In the dry climate west of Kaycee, it does not stay this green for very long. But I love the contrast of the greenery with the red rock formations. I came across these 6 horses at the Hole in the Wall Ranch while driving by. They were on the other side of the field but trotted over to greet me as soon as I walked up to the fence. This area has a history of horse thievery. At the end of the 1800's this was the hideout of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang, which included Butch Cassidy and many other outlaws. They would lay up here after robbing trains or rustling cattle. This rugged country was easily defended with only one way in from the east. While there were shootouts, in 50 years no lawmen were ever able to capture any gang members here.
    The Gang's All Here
  • Earlier in the spring I came across this overlook on a hilltop with a view of the mountains to the west. I knew it would be be the perfect spot to watch a storm roll out of the Bighorns, I just needed to wait for the right storm. My first attempt didn’t yield the pictures I wanted as the cell went too far south. But the second time’s a charm. This storm intensified after I got here and started spitting out dozens of close lightning bolts. It was dark enough that I could use a longer shutter speed, and capture about 40% of the strikes that occurred. But there were many more out of frame to the right. This is a composite image showing 5 of the best strikes. By the time I left there was a small stream running under my car as well as some minor street flooding in Sheridan.
    5 Strikes
  • At the end of March Venus was at it’s greatest elongation. That is when the 2nd planet from the Sun is at it’s highest and brightest in Earth’s sky. Outshining every star and planet, it’s even bright enough to see during the day under the right conditions. Because Venus is an inferior planet orbiting inside Earth’s orbit, it never strays more than 47° from the Sun. When Venus is east of the Sun it is the Evening Star. But when it is west of the Sun it becomes the Morning Star. Counterintuitively Venus appears brightest during it’s crescent phase because that’s when it’s closer to Earth. The Moon was also a crescent on this evening. It’s always challenging to capture the Moon with the stars as they appear to the eye since it's so much brighter. But the passing clouds acted as a filter and helped to balance the exposure. Above the glowing cloud is the Pleiades, the most recognizable star cluster in the sky. A week later Venus would pass through the Pleiades, an occurrence that happens every 8 years.
    Filtered Moonlight
  • This snow covered wall is on the west side of Peak 10215 in the Bighorn Mountains. Loaf Mountain can be seen in the distance.
    Snow Wall
  • At first it had the appearance of puffy clouds on the southeast horizon. Then as it rose higher the Milky Way revealed more detail. The clouds were made not of water vapor, but of stars too numerous and densely packed to resolve individually. The bright core of the galaxy is split in two by a dark lane of cosmic dust known as the Great Rift. The Milky Way was soon followed by the rise of Jupiter, and then Saturn. Meanwhile shooting stars periodically flashed across the sky during the peak of the Lyrid meteor shower. The Lyrids are the oldest known meteor shower, first observed 2700 years ago. Of the 15 meteors I captured, this one was the brightest. Devil’s Kitchen is a small basin containing badlands-type terrain, but it may as well have been another planet. It’s a barren wasteland located on the west side of the Bighorn Mountains filled with fascinating geologic formations of all different colors. When I first found it last summer I knew I had to return to shoot it at night.
    Night at Devil's Kitchen
  • I stayed at Poker Jim Butte to watch the sunset. While trees block the views in most directions, there was a pretty good view towards the west.
    Before the Colors Fade
  • I can't say I miss the very humid days and nights of Illinois. But I do miss the fireflies. Their flashing lights are nowhere to be found in drier areas out west. Fireflies (also called lightning bugs) thrive in hot and humid weather. They are typically most active in the late spring and early summer. They flash their lights in the evening before quieting down when the temperature drops. I recently spent a few hours at Spring Lake, which is a place I've gone stargazing many times. This firefly entered the frame near Mars which stood out prominently as the red planet. Mars gets slightly brighter every night until it reaches opposition at the end of July, at which point it will be the brightest it's been in 15 years. Saturn is also visible, just right of center in a star cloud of the milky way. I was a little disappointed when a breeze came up and ruined the reflection, but it did provide relief from the biting mosquitoes.
    Galactic Firefly
  • After driving for over 5 hours I finally reached the edge of this powerful supercell just west of Faith, South Dakota. From a distance I could see wall clouds and funnels, but up close they disappeared. I was having trouble recognizing the storm structure until I noticed this horseshoe-shaped RFD cut. The back of the horseshoe shows where a potential tornado would form. There was a short-lived funnel, visible at the bottom center. At the time there was a mobile dopplar radar parked down the road scanning the skies.
    RFD and Funnel
  • The Lost Twin Lakes are found at 10,300 feet  in the Cloud Peak Wilderness. A 6 mile hike from the West Tensleep Lake trailhead, it's the perfect spot for an overnight backpacking trip. The two lakes are in a glacial cirque surrounded by massive granite cliffs up to 2,000 feet high. Treeline in the Bighorns is at about 10,500' feet so most of the trees were very short around the lake.
    Edge of Treeline
  • A wave crashes against a rock as the clouds in the west start to light up at Crystal Cove State Park.
    Crashing Sunset
  • 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
  • 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
  • For the 2nd night in a row, there was an active display of the northern lights in Abisko, Sweden. Starting off as a dull glow in the north after sunset, it quickly exploded with bright green spiral swirls filling the entire sky. Here above the Arctic Circle the aurora is ever present, encircling the Earth's poles in a zone called the auroral oval. Even during solar minimum when solar activity is quiet, the northern lights are visible on almost any clear night. And Abisko sees more clear nights than surrounding areas because the mountains to the west create a rain shadow effect. Visible beyond the forest of short birch trees, is Torneträsk, Sweden's 6th largest, and 2nd deepest lake.
    Green Cyclone
  • After checking the sunset forecast, this seemed as good an evening as any to climb a peak that I've had my eye on for awhile. I knew there would be a great view of the Cloud Peak massif if I could make it to the top. There was no trail and the route up this forested mountainside was steep. But it was the first 60°F day of the year and enough snow had melted on the south-facing slope to make the going easier. The sun quickly disappeared once I reached the top and the light turned flat. When the sun is hidden on the opposite side of the mountains it can be hard to tell what kind of sunset it will be. Will there be any color or are the clouds too thick? But then a subtle glow slowly began to emerge to the west. It spread across the sky as the wind picked up and the temperature dropped. Minutes later the glow was gone, like it never happened.
    Short But Sweet Sunset
  • 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
  • The Lost Twin Lakes are found at 10,300 feet  in the Cloud Peak Wilderness. A 6 mile hike from the West Tensleep Lake trailhead, it's the perfect spot for an overnight backpacking trip. The two lakes are in a glacial cirque surrounded by massive granite cliffs up to 2,000 feet high. The light from the crescent moon was sparkling in the lake before it set. The planet Jupiter can also be seen just below the moon.
    Sparkling Lakeshore
  • 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
  • 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
  • While the sun set behind clouds to the west, these anticrepuscular rays were shining to the east over Sheridan. They appear to converge at the anti-solar point directly opposite the sun and the rays are actually parallel even though they don't look like it.
    Anticrepuscular Rays
  • This was the first major snowfall of the season in northern Wyoming. Up to 12" fell in the valleys, with more in the higher elevations. I went to take pictures at one of my favorite places to hike, Tongue River Canyon. This deep canyon ascends into the northern Big Horn Mountains west of Dayton. The canyon looked stunning with snow clinging to the sheer cliffs and trees, and the river gurgling below. Above the walls are found interesting geological features likes arches, spires, and caves, one of which has over a mile of passages. I wasn't sure if I would be able to make it up the narrow gravel road which was unplowed, but it wasn't a problem with 4WD. Last time I was here I spotted a black bear running up the road, but I'm sure most of them are in hibernation by now.
    Snowy November Sunset
  • I got an early start climbing Coyote Mountain in Anza Borrego Desert State Park. It was going to be a very hot day, but the temperature was much more pleasant in the morning. The just past full moon set in the west while I climbed a ridge in between 2 canyons.
    Coyote Mountain Bloom
  • 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 was the view above Mistymoon Lake in the Cloud Peak Wilderness on Friday night. After hiking past this spot on the first day of my backpacking trip, I knew I would have to pitch my tent here the second night. When storms rolled through around 6:30, I was beginning to doubt if there would be a good sunset. But then the sun broke through in the west. First the sunlight painted the lower slopes of Bomber Mountain a salmon hue, but then the colors intensified further. There's something magical about a sunset at 10,000 feet. The mountain got it's name after a B-17 bomber crashed there during World War II. The crash site wasn't found until after the war and the wreckage still remains today.
    Mistymoon Panorama
  • This was the view above Mistymoon Lake in the Cloud Peak Wilderness on Friday night. After hiking past this spot on the first day of my backpacking trip, I knew I would have to pitch my tent here the second night. When storms rolled through around 6:30, I was beginning to doubt if there would be a good sunset. But then the sun broke through in the west. First the sunlight painted the lower slopes of Bomber Mountain a salmon hue, but then the colors intensified further. There's something magical about a sunset at 10,000 feet. The mountain got it's name after a B-17 bomber crashed there during World War II. The crash site wasn't found until after the war and the wreckage still remains today.
    Mistymoon Sunset
  • Steamboat Point is located in the Bighorn Mountains west of Dayton and there is a trail that leads to the top.
    Up to Steamboat
  • 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
  • Shell Falls plunges 120 feet through a gorge located on the west side of the Bighorn Mountains. In January it was almost completely frozen over.
    Shell Falls In Winter
  • I nearly gave up on seeing the aurora this night but I'm glad I didn't. The thick clouds parted for a brief time to the west as the northern lights brightened. One iceberg was stranded on the rocks while hundreds of others floated past in a blur.
    Primarily Purple
  • A weakening storm approached the west side of the Bighorn Mountains. The sun came out and this double rainbow appeared. It was so vivid it felt like I could reach out and touch it. At first it was almost a complete circle. I rushed to capture a time lapse and had to keep wiping the raindrops off my lens. I got quite wet as a result, but it was worth it.<br />
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A double rainbow is caused by light reflecting a second time within raindrops. The secondary rainbow is located 8° apart from the primary bow, and is almost double the width. The colors are fainter, and in reverse order (VIBGYOR instead of ROYGBIV.) In between the two rainbows is a darkened part of the sky called Alexander’s Band. The sunlight is always brightest in the center of a rainbow at the anti-solar point. But since this bright light is also reflected opposite the secondary rainbow, that leaves a dark band in between.
    Seeing Double
  • After making it through the core mammatus clouds once again filled the sky on the west side of the storm. Lightning lit up the horizon as the sky got darker.
    The Hills of Sonnette
  • After snowing on and off all day, the clouds parted just before sunset and revealed a fiery sky to the west. First one peak would become visible, and then glimpses of even higher summits beyond. The Alaska Range is the tallest mountain range in North America. Not only do these mountains reach high, but they also start low at about 1,000 feet above sea level. This makes even the shorter peaks look impressive. None of the other high mountains of the world are located this far north. The Alaska Range is notorious for some of the harshest weather on the planet. 100 mph winds and temperatures below -50°F are not uncommon in the winter. Except for the occasional wolf howl it was a quiet evening. But the next morning very strong winds would start to blow. It was a warm southerly wind, melting the snow in a matter of hours. The higher gusts kept blowing open the door and bent the chimney of the cabin where I was staying. I never did get to see Denali during my trip, but that just gives me a reason to go back some day.
    Donnelly Sunset Reflection
  • I’ve always liked this particular road on the west side of the Bighorn Mountains. With plenty of steep twists and sharp turns, switchbacks and hairpins, it ascends to a waterfall and campground. The poor maintenance, few guardrails, and occasional rockfall add to the thrill. If the snow were any deeper I couldn't have made it to the top. Before it got dark I found the perfect viewpoint so I could return later. The bright moon illuminated the beautiful landscape and clouds, I just had to wait for it to move off to the side. At 10PM Orion rose directly above the peak in the middle. Then all I needed was a car to paint the road with its headlights. So I left my camera perched on the side of the mountain to shoot automatically while I slowly drove to the bottom and back up. After combining all the car trail images with a single image of the sky this was the result. Highway 14A is the road on the right and the lights in the distance are from Greybull I think.
    Switchbacks and Car Trails
  • Over the last month I've been staying closer to home for obvious reasons. But I'm grateful to have places like this nearby. Lately I've been visiting blocks of public land out on the plains where the snow has already melted. From here I set off cross-country, not following a specific trail. There's a certain freedom that's felt when exploring without a destination in mind. With expectations low, I simply head wherever looks most interesting. From the top of a high hill this is the stunning view I found looking west. The town of Buffalo is tucked away behind the hills but this perspective makes it look like there's nothing around. Cloud Peak at 13,167' is the tallest in the Bighorn Mountains, and it holds the last remaining glacier in the range. The summit is also the 3rd most topographically prominent in the entire Rockies. The flat-topped mountain is flanked by the more jagged Bomber Mountain on the left and Mount Woolsey on the right. I rarely create black and white images, but some scenes are just meant for it.
    From the Hills to the Mountains
  • Wandering around these sand dunes under the Milky Way, it looked like I had stepped into the Sahara Desert. But the freezing temperatures reminded me that I was still in Wyoming. The Killpecker Sand Dunes are actually the largest active dune system in the world outside of the Sahara. But the sand is spread out in many piles across 100 miles. They cross the Continental Divide at elevations over 7,000 feet. This pile was in Seminoe State Park. After shifting sand began covering this road, it had to be rerouted to the west. It was a strange feeling walking deeper into the dunes in the dark, as sand in every direction messed with my depth perception and I couldn't tell if I was going uphill or downhill. Strong winds during the day had cleared the dunes of all tracks left by humans or ATV's. It was a good thing the winds were calm now at 3AM because blowing sand and camera lenses do not go well together.
    Shifting Sands
  • After driving for over 5 hours I finally reached the edge of this powerful supercell just west of Faith, South Dakota. The shelf cloud looked amazing, backlit by the sunset and spitting out lots of lightning bolts. Once the storm hit it brought 1.5" hail which left some dents in my car.
    Faith Supercell
  • Storms can either bring epic sunsets or none at all. It's all about the timing, and where you are in relation to the storm when the sun goes down. This severe MCS rolled through Miles City, Montana around 7pm. The rain slowly came to an end and a glow began to emerge in the west. I wasn't expecting much, but I found a place to wait (Spotted Eagle Lake) just in case something special happened. The sun only popped out for a couple minutes. But that was enough to light up the entire sky with intense orange and pink. A double rainbow appeared for 15 minutes, which was long enough to allow me to shoot a time lapse of it fading away. The wind died down for just a moment and the reflection in the lake made an almost perfect circle. Even though the long drive wouldn't get me home until after midnight, I'm glad I didn't leave early and miss out on this.
    Reflected Rainbow
  • 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 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
  • This crumbling spire is on the west side of Heart Mountain, seen from the summit.
    Crumbling Spire
  • The Tetons glow in the light of sunrise on a frosty morning while the Snake River flows quietly below. It is this exact view that I used to create my logo/watermark that I put in the corner of every picture I upload. One of the reasons the Tetons are so majestic is because this range has no foothills. The mountains rise abruptly 7,000 feet above the valley floor in only about 3 miles. On long winter nights cold air tends to slide down the steep slopes and becomes trapped under an inversion layer in the Jackson Hole Valley. With the Tetons to the west, Absarokas to the north, and the Gros Ventre mountains to the east, the air has nowhere to go. This leads to some seriously cold temperatures. In the last month alone it has reached -20°F or colder on 7 mornings. In 1933 the temperature here dropped to a bone-chilling -66°F, making it among the coldest temperatures ever measured in the US outside of Alaska.
    South, Middle, and Grand Teton B&W
  • Piney Creek flows through the Bighorn Mountains west of Story.
    A Peaceful Place
  • Highway 14 winds through Shell Canyon on the west side of the Bighorn Mountains.
    Shell Canyon Entrance
  • I waited a total of 9 hours at this location. Early Wednesday morning thick clouds blocked my view of the aurora. The geomagnetic storm got even stronger during the day, and then died down as soon as it got dark. I returned here Wednesday night and was determined to see the aurora. Finally at 12:45 the northern lights brightened and I could see pillars rising up and moving from east to west. It didn't last very long, but I could finally go home happy.
    Northbound
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