Kevin Palmer

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  • Golden sunlight illuminates a white seaside house in the Icelandic village of Arnarstapi.
    White Seaside House
  • The moon wasn't even full on this night. But the clear arctic air along with the powdery snow made the moonlight extra bright.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: February 11, 2014
    White Shadows
  • Eiger is one of the most recognized peaks in Switzerland. The 1,800 meter north face, called Eigerwand, is the biggest north face in the Alps and one of the most challenging climbs.
    Eiger Black and White
  • Sharp granite spires protrude out of the Black Hills as seen from the top of Harney Peak. The mountain was recently renamed to Black Elk Peak, and it is the highest in South Dakota. The jagged rock formations seen here are known as the Needles, and the Needles Highway winds around them with sharp switchbacks and narrow tunnels. This was the original location proposed for the Mount Rushmore carvings, but the sculptor rejected it because the granite was too soft. In the distance a forested hillside can be seen, scarred by the pine beetle infestation. In the last 20 years, 25% of the trees in the Black Hills have been killed by this destructive beetle.
    Needles Black and White
  • Normally I like to explore a location during the day before taking pictures there at night. But the Southern California traffic robbed me of the time to do that here. Arch Rock was a little bit hard to find in the dark, but it wasn't too bad. I just had to be careful to avoid rattlesnakes. The 30 foot long arch is located near the White Tank campground in Joshua Tree National Park. The eastern part of the park has very dark skies the farther you get from the desert cities. To illuminate the scene, I shined my headlamp on the rock wall opposite the arch. A soft, warm light was reflected backwards. I was grateful the skies cleared up long enough to see the milky way. A few minutes after this clouds started to cover the sky as monsoon thunderstorms moved past the area.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: August 19, 2014
    The Opening
  • A common sight in the Ozark Mountains in the spring is to see the white blooming flowers of dogwood trees. This tree was in the woods of Ha Ha Tonka State Park, Missouri.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: April 6, 2012
    Dogwood Blossoms
  • The sunset over South Gap Lake wasn't very colorful. But converting the picture to black and white gave it a more dramatic look.
    Ripple Effect
  • 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
  • I went for a hike at Bud Love Big Game Winter Range on the last warm day of fall. The light and contrasting colors seemed to work better in black and white. I spotted this pillar near the Sayles Creek trailhead and thought it looked like a half-buried raised hand.
    Buried Hand
  • It rained most of the morning at my campsite on Lost Twin Lake in the Cloud Peak Wilderness. The cold rain was at times accompanied by thunder and lightning, gusty winds, and graupel (snow pellets). Nearby waterfalls grew louder and the sound of a distant rock slide echoed across the lake. My plan of summiting Darton Peak would have to wait for another day. After the last rain shower, the clouds descended and obscured the highest peaks. I took this picture while enjoying a cup of hot coffee as the rain finally stopped. It's difficult to convey just how massive these cliffs are. The sheer granite walls rise 1-2 thousand feet above the lake. If you can see the white speck at the base of the cliff on the right, that is a tent. The top of this bowl-shaped valley, known as a cirque, was carved out by glaciers long ago.
    Clouds Descended
  • I found this white horse along the side of the road in Barnum, Wyoming, with a backdrop of red cliffs.
    Barnum Horse
  • Anytime I’m out storm chasing, I love finding some old structure such as a church, barn or abandoned house. Buildings that have weathered many storms, bare the scars, but still stand. This little white church I came across outside of Wolf Point, Montana. A shelf cloud was closing in from the west. It seemed to be approaching rapidly, but at the same time in slow motion. The storm stalled out over town. Excessive rainfall brought street flooding and left drifts of dirty hail on the highway. As it got closer the sky turned green, reflecting the suspended hailstones above. When the gust front finally arrived, it turned brown as winds picked up dust from the surrounding fields. A wind gust of 86mph was reported.
    Prevailing Church
  • Normally I like to explore a location during the day before taking pictures there at night. But the Southern California traffic robbed me of the time to do that here. Arch Rock was a little bit hard to find in the dark, but it wasn't too bad. I just had to be careful to avoid rattlesnakes. The 30 foot long arch is located near the White Tank campground in Joshua Tree National Park. The eastern part of the park has very dark skies the farther you get from the desert cities. To illuminate the scene, I shined my headlamp on the rock wall opposite the arch. A soft, warm light was reflected backwards. I was grateful the skies cleared up long enough to see the milky way. A few minutes after this clouds started to cover the sky as monsoon thunderstorms moved past the area.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: August 19, 2014
    Arch Rock Galaxy
  • Three horses trot across a field in front of the Grand Teton Mountains on a clear day.
    Teton Horses
  • As the sun rose behind me, the nearly full moon set in front of me. This panorama was shot at the Snake River overlook in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. Ansel Adams took one of his most popular photos at this same spot.
    Teton Moon B&W
  • A group of trees grow against a wall in Kaskaskia Canyon.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: January 6, 2015
    Against the Wall
  • 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
  • A snowshoe hare forages outside of Kangerlussuaq.
    Snowshoe Hare
  • As I drove into the Absaroka Mountains towards Kirwin, a storm was clearing. I loved this view looking up a valley with fog between the trees.
    Fog After the Rain
  • The moose is the tallest mammal in North America. And the Alaska Range is the tallest on the continent. They both came together for this shot. According to the sign at the overlook a herd of bison also roam here in the summer.
    Moose and Mountain
  • The view was amazing from the High Park lookout tower shortly before sunset. This is the view looking north. Meadowlark Lake can be seen on the left. Bighorn Peak and Loaf Mountain are the prominent peaks on the right.
    North of High Park
  • I could tell there was a colorful sunset on the way so I drove outside of Sheridan to photograph it. There was nobody else around on this empty dirt road between ranches.
    Super Sunset
  • Under a Wolf Moon
  • 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
  • Snow covers the sand dunes at Illinois Beach State Park shortly after sunset. The soft colors of the sky in the east was reflecting on the calm Lake Michigan.
    Snow on the Dunes
  • I thought my chances of seeing muskox in Kangerlussuaq were low, especially after seeing none on the ice sheet tour the week before. But I found a small herd of 7 grazing just east of Black Ridge.
    Muskox In the Willows
  • My 9-hour flight home was one of the most scenic I’ve ever been on. Taking off from Helsinki at sunset, we chased the sun westward. Meanwhile the full moon emerged to the east and followed the plane. In a state of perpetual twilight, the light remained the same for hours. The moon neither rose nor set and it felt like time was standing still. At the top of the world, just 250 miles from the North Pole, the scene was most striking. 7 miles below was Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s largest national park. The ice sheet emptied out into the Arctic Ocean between pristine snowy mountains. Moonlight shimmered across fresh sea ice, fractured by undersea currents. The moon was directly in the middle of what’s called the anti-twilight arch. The pink band above is the layer of atmosphere where the sun was still shining, reddened by the backscattering of sunlight. The blue band is Earth’s shadow projected out into the atmosphere. In mid-October the sun sets for good in this part of the high Arctic, not to rise again for more than 4 months.
    When Time Stood Still
  • It only stuck around for a few hours, but this is how May started in Sheridan.
    Cold Winding Path
  • I continue to find that southeast Montana has more photogenic abandoned houses than anywhere else I've been. I could make a whole album of photos. I found this one near St Xavier.
    Of Times Gone By
  • I continue to find that southeast Montana has more photogenic abandoned houses than anywhere else I've been. I could make a whole album of photos. I found this one near St Xavier.
    St Xavier Homestead
  • Evening sunlight shines on Steamboat Point as seen from a couple miles away.
    Evening Light on Steamboat
  • I found these horses on the side of a random road in Iceland. The mother was very friendly, walking up to the fence so I could pet her. But the young foal was more shy.
    Friendly Icelandic Horse
  • Clouds drift past the medieval village of Conflans in Albertville, France, as a storm clears.
    Conflans Fog
  • Before heading back, I wanted to make it to the Upper Lost Twin Lake. This was more difficult than I expected, since there was no trail, and I had to hop across boulders still wet from the morning storms. This was the view from the hill above the lower Lost Twin Lake.
    Taken for Granite
  • This is the view looking west from High Park lookout shortly before sunset.
    Behind the Pines
  • Layout Canyon in the Pryor Mountains is filled with towering cliffs like this one. I balanced the crescent moon on one of the pillars.
    Fortress of the Moon
  • This rainbow appeared above Yellowstone Falls seen from the brink.
    Rainbow at the Brink
  • While on the summit of the 9,500 feet high Black Mountain, I watched this thunderstorm recede into the distance.
    Black Mountain View
  • This covered bridge is located just outside of Princeton, Illinois. The bridge was built in 1863 and has a weight limit of 5 tons.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: January 27, 2015
    Red Covered Bridge
  • Pink colors linger in the east after sunset at Spring Lake, IL on a frigid winter evening.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: January 9, 2015
    Wind Chill Warning
  • The waters were almost perfectly calm at Oxbow Bend on this fall morning. Then this lone duck came along, disturbing the reflection. The peak in the background is the 12,605 foot high Mount Moran
    Duck at Oxbow Bend
  • Even though visibility was poor and much of the ice was hidden under a fresh layer of snow, it was still pretty cool to visit the Greenland Ice Sheet. Covering 80% of the world's largest island, it is 2nd in size only to the Antarctic Ice Sheet. At a thickness of up to 1,600 meters, 8% of the world's freshwater is contained in the Greenland Ice Sheet.
    Greenland Ice Sheet
  • 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
  • I went to Lake DeSmet at 3AM on a 5°F night with the hope of seeing the aurora. I didn't see it, but I saw this amazing scene instead. Fog was moving off of the lake when I arrived. It left behind a thick frost known as rime ice. The coating was about an inch thick over every single plant and tree branch, but only in this small area. With bright moonlight illuminating everything, it felt like I had stepped into another world.
    Moonlit Rime
  • A creek bed buried under several feet of snow forms an S-curve.
    Snowy S-Curve
  • Clouds swirl around Bighorn Peak before sunset as seen from the High Park lookout
    Bighorn Peak Panorama
  • The High Park fire lookout tower at almost 9,500 feet was the perfect place to watch the April full moon rising. It was a location I scouted out in advance on Google Earth, when I was looking for an ideal foreground to the east. The two peaks are Hesse Mountain on the left and Hazelton Pyramid on the right. If you look closely to the upper right of the moon the planet Jupiter can be seen. Winter is far from over here in the high country. The 3 feet of snow made it a challenge to find a route to the summit since I had never climbed this peak before. But it was much easier on the way down since I could simply follow my snowshoe tracks and the bright moonlight meant I didn't even need a headlamp.
    April Moonrise
  • Even in April, the snow was still at least 3 feet deep at the High Park summit.
    High Park Drifts
  • It was a beautiful day to be in the Bighorn Mountains. Fresh snow had fallen the night before and the clouds cleared out before daybreak leaving sunny blue skies.
    Sun Melting Snow
  • It was a beautiful day to be in the Bighorn Mountains. Fresh snow had fallen the night before and the clouds cleared out before daybreak leaving sunny blue skies. This was the view from the Sand Turn Overlook.
    Bluebird Day
  • I found these 3 fir trees overlooking Taggart Lake while snowshoeing in Grand Teton National Park. I was trying to find a shorter trail down to the lake that was shown on the map. But nobody else had gone this way and I soon realized breaking trail in snow this deep was a lot of work, so I returned the way I came in.
    Three Sentinels
  • Steamboat Point is barely visible as clouds swirl around the summit.
    Hidden Summit
  • Bar-C Road in Barnum, Wyoming passes between massive ranches flanked by red cliffs.
    Bar-C Road
  • Franklin Creek flows quietly past sandstone bluffs. After a recent snowfall, this state park was looking especially beautiful. The creek is fed by several natural springs, which flow directly out of the rock. Pioneer families took advantage of this location in the 1830's by building a nearby grist mill powered by a spring.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: January 27, 2015
    Leaning Tree
  • 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
  • Deep in the Bitterroot Mountains of Idaho, the larch trees were turning to gold in late October. The snow capped peak in the distance is Beaver Ridge.
    Beaver Ridge Larch
  • Distant thunderstorms that resemble cauliflowers begin to build under a rising moon. This was taken from Gander Mountain, which is the highest point in Lake County, Illinois. At the time this was taken, the storms were 30+ miles to the east over Lake Michigan.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: May 3, 2012
    Cauliflower Moon
  • After dropping off my bag at the airport I walked back to the Watson River one more time. The sun had finally come out and the light was beautiful. The view made it hard to leave Greenland.
    Sun Over Watson River
  • Muskox are much easier to spot after a fresh snowfall. A week earlier they blended in with the landscape more.
    Morning Muskox
  • On my last morning in Greenland I woke up early and walked to Lake Ferguson at sunrise. There was no color in the sky at all but it was still a beautiful, calm morning.
    Lake Ferguson
  • In December the constellation Orion rises in the east immediately after sunset. While camping in Joshua Tree National Park, I picked a campsite that faced a boulder formation in that direction. When clouds moved in, I wasn’t sure I would get any pictures. But then a small gap appeared, leaving halos around the brighter stars. The red supergiant star Betelgeuse is visible in the center. It is one of the largest stars in the Milky Way, 1400 times the size of the sun. It's also a variable star, which means the brightness changes regularly. But in recent days it has been attracting attention because it’s currently dimmer than ever recorded before. Betelgeuse is at the end of its stellar life cycle and when it goes supernova its brightness in Earth's sky will rival that of the full moon. Since the star is 640 light years away, it may have already exploded centuries ago. But the likelihood of seeing a supernova anytime soon is still very small and they remain unpredictable.
    Boulders of Orion
  • 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
  • High on the eastern slope of Quandary Peak in the Colorado Rockies, I came across these bizarre shapes in the snow. Drifts several feet high were curved back over themselves, like waves frozen in time. Only recently when reading a book about Antarctica did I learn these formations have a name: 'Sastrugi'. Sastrugi are sharp irregular grooves or ridges formed by wind erosion. They are common in polar regions or other barren, windswept areas. Here at 13,000 feet there were no trees or any other barriers. The winds were relentless, gusting to 60+ mph and producing a wind chill far below zero. Sastrugi are known to make skiing very challenging, and the few skiers I saw on this day looked like they were having a rough time. In Antarctica sastrugi have even been blamed for plane crashes, since they make landings and takeoffs quite difficult. The peak visible in the distance is Red Mountain and down below is Highway 9 just before it crosses the Continental Divide. 2 additional 14’ers, Grays Peak and Torreys Peak, can be seen on the far left.
    Quandary Sastrugi
  • Southeast Montana has more cool-looking abandoned buildings than anywhere else I've been. I found this creepy cabin outside of Ekalaka.
    Creepy Old Cabin
  • Southeast Montana has more cool-looking abandoned buildings than anywhere else I've been. This old house outside of Ekalaka was leaning so much it seemed to defy gravity.
    Defying Gravity
  • Crepuscular rays shine on the high plains of Wyoming shortly after sunrise as seen from the top of Sheep Mountain.
    Sheep Mountain Rays
  • It was a beautiful day to be in the Bighorn Mountains. Fresh snow had fallen the night before and the clouds cleared out before daybreak leaving sunny blue skies.
    April Snow
  • It was a beautiful day to be in the Bighorn Mountains. Fresh snow had fallen the night before and the clouds cleared out before daybreak leaving sunny blue skies. I was the first one to snowshoe on this trail.
    Snowshoe Trail
  • Abiathar Peak glows shortly before sunset during a brief break in the snow. Snowflakes were in the air almost the entire time I was in Yellowstone National Park. Some of the best views in Yellowstone are found here in the remote northeast corner of the park. On the other side of the mountain is the small town of Cooke City, the highest in the Northern Rockies. It's hard to find a more isolated town in the winter. The closest city with more than 1,000 people is 110 miles away with a 2.5 hour drive. That doesn't include the frequent delays caused by herds of bison, who often travel on the road to conserve energy and avoid the deep snow in the Lamar Valley
    Abiathar Aglow
  • It was a beautiful morning snowshoeing in Grand Teton National Park. This is the view from above Taggert Lake.
    Above Taggert Lake
  • 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
  • Two horses graze in a field in Grand Teton National Park. The dramatic and jagged Grand Tetons rise over 7,000 feet above the Snake River Valley.
    Morning Graze
  • I'm not sure what animal made these tracks in the snow, but I think it was a coyote. The bright moonlight was illuminating the snow covered landscape on this clear night. Despite the subzero temperatures, this creek was not frozen.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: February 11, 2014
    Coyote Steps
  • On winter solstice, the first snow of the season fell in northern Illinois. It was only a couple inches, but it was beautiful at Glacial Park on the edge of Nippersink Creek. After the sun went down on the shortest day of the year, the soft pink and blue colors of twilight set in as the temperature dropped.
    Solstice Snow
  • Mammatus clouds move overhead as a wildflower shakes in the breeze. This type of cloud usually forms after a strong thunderstorm moves through. But these clouds were unusual because they only brought light rain with no thunderstorms around.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: June 3, 2012
    Wildflower and Mammatus
  • This was taken in Rock Cut State Park near Rockford. It was a couple days after an ice storm and a 6" snowfall. Since the temperature was in the single digits, ice remained on all the trees. To the left of the sun is a faint sundog. It was constantly changing as ice crystals moved through the air.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 12/23/13
    Rock Cut Winter
  • Steam rises from the Illinois River as a new day dawns at Starved Rock State Park. The steam is formed due to the near 40 degree difference between the air temperature and the water. The subzero air caused the steam to turn to frost on the small grassy island.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 12/24/13
    Icy Steam
  • I felt lucky to have seen this large bull elk on the edge of Yellowstone Lake. The first snowfall of the season had just ended. The elk was walking parallel to the road behind a buck fence which allowed me to get over a hundred shots. The elk were very active this week as they were rutting. Every night they could be heard bugling near the campground.
    Elk Call
  • A bolt of lightning strikes a couple miles away. Normally this farm field is dry, but after a very rainy week it was covered by floodwater. This storm rolled through near Spring Lake, IL.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: May 30, 2013
    Flood and Strike
  • With just a few hours left in Greenland, I had time for one more hike before my flight. So I went to Lake Ferguson at sunrise. Though devoid of color, it was a beautiful snowy morning. At the lake it was dead quiet, but I could feel someone watching me. That was when I turned around to see this lone muskox. While muskoxen have always inhabited the northern shores of the world's largest island, this population was reintroduced. The vegetation in Southwest Greenland is lush in comparison to the northern tundra, and muskoxen don't have to worry about polar bears which are rare here. That's enabled them to thrive from 27 individuals in the 1960's to more than 10,000 today. When Kangerlussuaq was still a US Air Force Base, it wasn't unusual to have to prod a muskox off the runway. Though similar in appearance to the bison, muskoxen are a bit smaller with much thicker coats that keep them warm during the long, harsh Arctic winters. They don't typically lose their horns so I'm not sure how this bull managed to break his.
    Arctic Beast
  • Skibotn, Norway, is the furthest north I've ever traveled. But despite the high latitude, the moderating influence of the Arctic Ocean on the weather was obvious. After descending from the cold Finnish highlands, the temperature soared to just above freezing. The snow wasn't nearly as deep, and the water here was actually in a liquid state. My route to Narvik took me past several long fjords like this one. Even though more sunshine would have been nice, the views were majestic nonetheless. At almost every road pulloff I found myself stopping to take pictures. But this view was my favorite: a fishing trawler anchored off the coast with the dramatic peaks of the Lyngen Alps as a backdrop.
    Norwegian Fishing Trawler
  • Sunlight illuminates the distant canyon as seen from Moran Point.
    Sunlight From Moran Point
  • As I was packing up my tent this halo appeared around the sun. This is near the top of Sheep Mountain, Wyoming.
    Sheep Mountain Halo
  • 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
  • Above the village of Chamonix in the French Alps lies the 9km long Argentière Glacier. From up close, the movement of this glacier can be seen in real time as chunks of ice shift and break apart. The river of ice flows all the way down to an elevation of 2,133m (7,000 ft) where it stops at a cliff. Dozens of glaciers encircle the Mont Blanc massif, the highest mountain in Western Europe. Their ice covers a total area of 170 km² (42 mi²). At the head of the valley on the upper right is Mont Dolent, which forms the triple border of France, Switzerland, and Italy.
    Glaciated Alps
  • Snow covers the boulder field below Devil's Tower on an overcast April morning.
    Snowy Boulder Tower
  • Clouds swirl around Loaf Mountain before sunset as seen from the High Park lookout.
    Loaf Mountain Panorama
  • The High Park Lookout is 1 of 3 fire lookout towers in the Bighorn Mountains. I snowshoed up here to watch the sunset and the rise of the full moon.
    Boarded Up
  • The North Tongue River flows between snow-covered boulders near Burgess Junction.
    Downstream
  • I liked the way the USS Midway was lit up at night. The battleship has a long history and was at one time the largest ship in the world. Even my widest lens wasn't enough to capture it since I couldn't back up any further.
    USS Midway
  • This magpie was very bold as I was packing up my tent at the Mammoth Hot Springs Campground. It was looking for any food I may have dropped under the picnic table.
    Magpie in Tree
  • This bridge crosses the creek at the southern end of Taggart Lake in the Tetons
    Taggart Creek Bridge
  • While snowshoeing in the Tetons I ended up following a trail that wasn't on the map, but it seemed more obvious than the main trail. As I approached the Taggart Lake Trailhead I was glad I was going down this steep hill and not up.
    Uphill Trudge
  • Under a Wolf Moon
  • Cold Lick Creek
  • A steep sandstone bluff slopes down to the water at Franklin Creek State Park.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: January 27, 2015
    Sloping Cliff
  • 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
  • The winds were howling on this November day at Loveland Pass, Colorado. It is located at 12,000 feet on the Continental Divide. When I climbed a nearby mountain right after this I experienced the strongest winds I've ever felt. If I leaned forward at a 45 degree angle, the wind would keep me from falling over.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/8/2013
    Mountain Gusts B&W
  • North-Northeast winds blowing across Lake Michigan were causing high waves on this day in October. I went down to a small beach in Pleasant Prairie to get some pictures. In addition to the dark clouds and high winds, it was also raining.
    Angry Waves
  • It was a beautiful foggy morning along the North Fork of the Flathead River. After swirling around for a couple hours the fog cleared out again like it was never there.
    North Fork Fog
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