Kevin Palmer

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  • Between the Black Hills and Devils Tower is found a mountain range that few visit. The Bear Lodge Mountains aren’t particularly tall or noteworthy. But with a large diversity of trees they are beautiful in the fall. In some ways the roads and trails here are frustrating because it always feels like an amazing view is right around the corner, but there are usually a few too many pine trees in the way. You just have to work a little harder to find the best vistas. After studying a satellite map, I zeroed in on this large stand of aspens. The largest aspen grove in the world is 108 acres, and this one is a respectable 72 acres. After a few wrong turns using inaccurate maps I finally reached the aspens. But up close I couldn’t get the pictures I wanted because only the trees at the edge were visible. I needed to be far away to see the entirety. On a neighboring 6,400’ peak I finally found the view I was looking for. Lined up perfectly in a valley 14 miles west and 2,500 feet lower stood Devils Tower, with the Missouri Buttes behind it.
    Devils Tower Aspen
  • 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
  • Even though it's a stereotypical aspen shot, I still end up shooting it every year.
    Stereotypical Aspen Shot
  • I made it to the top of this sub-peak just in time to watch the sun disappear. While the Missouri Buttes were easily visible, Devils Tower was mostly hidden in the glare of the sun.
    Hiding Tower
  • Every clear night between December and April, Orion has a close encounter with Devils Tower just before it sets. It was a shot I've had in mind for awhile, but I waited until March to pay a visit so I could capture it at a more reasonable time and temperature. Beneath the 3 belt stars is found Orion's Sword. It also goes by the name Messier 42, NGC1976, or simply the Orion Nebula. As the brightest nebula in northern hemisphere skies, it is easily seen with the naked eye away from light pollution. Larger in angular size than the moon, it looks spectacular in even a small telescope. If you zoom in to the belt star of Alnitak (pierced by a satellite trail), the Flame Nebula is on the left, with the Horsehead located below. Between finding the right overlook, aligning the star tracking mount, shooting dozens of long exposures, and hours of editing, “deepscape” photos like this are always more complex than any other type I create. But I love showing a commonly photographed landmark in an uncommon way. When thin clouds started to roll in I almost stopped shooting, but I ended up liking the halo effect.
    Orion Close Encounter
  • A few minutes earlier this supercell produced a tornado, but I couldn't see it from my vantage point. I thought it was going to do it again here, but there was only this funnel cloud.
    Hulett Funnel
  • Chasing storms in and around the Black Hills is a challenge. Finding a good viewing spot isn't always easy, but I was lucky to find this overlook outside of Sundance. When everything comes together just right, the colors and structure of the supercells here are stunning.
    Sundance Supercell
  • On my way back from South Dakota I had a chance to intercept this severe storm at Devils Tower. I got there in time to watch the shelf cloud roll by over the tower. This storm was a prolific hail producer. I misjudged the movement of the storm and ended up getting caught on the edge of the hail core as I fled east towards Sundance. Golf ball-sized chunks of ice left additional dents in my car. But I got off easy, there were a lot of cars with smashed windshields. Hailstones up to 4.5" in size damaged crops further east where the storm also produced a tornado.
    Dark Sky Over Tower
  • Every March at approximately 10PM, Andromeda has a close encounter with the iconic Devils Tower. When you look up at the stars, everything you can see with your eyes is contained within the Milky Way galaxy. But Andromeda is the exception. At 2.5 million light years away, it represents the farthest object visible to the naked eye. When you count the faint spiral arms, it is the same angular size in our sky as 6 full moons. Andromeda is thought to have about the same mass as our own galaxy. And just like the Milky Way, it is orbited by 2 satellite galaxies. Andromeda is actually best viewed in the fall, because that is when it’s  highest in the sky. To get this picture I used a star tracking mount to capture greater detail, combined with an untracked image of the tower.
    Andromeda Close Encounter
  • 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
  • After the two severe thunderstorms moved away from Hulett, one more little supercell popped up. It was very scenic with the sun out and it left behind this rainbow.
    Curving Road and Rainbow
  • On my way back from South Dakota I had a chance to intercept this severe storm at Devils Tower. I got there in time to watch the shelf cloud roll by over the tower. This storm was a prolific hail producer. I misjudged the movement of the storm and ended up getting caught on the edge of the hail core as I fled east towards Sundance. Golf ball-sized chunks of ice left additional dents in my car. But I got off easy, there were a lot of cars with smashed windshields. Hailstones up to 4.5" in size damaged crops further east where the storm also produced a tornado.
    Tower and Storm
  • While hiking off-trail around Devils Tower, I encountered several deer. They were barely afraid of me at all, and let me get pictures with the tower in the background.
    Devils Tower Deer
  • Last month I visited Devils Tower when the fall colors were at their peak. Although the tower is mostly surrounded by a pine forest, there are some deciduous trees to the south by the Belle Fourche River. While wandering around before sunset I found this view of the tower above the oak and cottonwood trees. Established in 1906 by Theodore Roosevelt, this was the first national monument in the US. Devils Tower is actually a mistranslation of the Native American name "Mato Tipila," which means Bear Lodge.
    Tower Woodland
  • Devils Tower (also known as Mato Tipila which means Bear Lodge in Lakota) is an awesome place anytime of year. But there's something extra special about being the only one in the park the morning after a fresh snowfall. I was walking around the tower loop trail after sunrise when a gust of wind blew a chunk of snow off of the tower and into the surrounding forest. The air glittered and sparkled, and rays of golden sunlight glowed between the trees. I only had a few seconds to get a shot, before the scene was gone. Despite the difficulties of winter camping and driving on icy roads, it's definitely worth visiting Devils Tower in the offseason.
    Sparkling Sunbeams
  • By 2AM most visitors had left the park. Coyotes quieted down as the temperature fell into the mid 20’s and frost appeared on the grass. Clouds were still keeping their distance. The moon had set hours ago. The northern lights had dimmed since their peak at 10pm. But the night was not over. In the southeast the core of the Milky Way galaxy was just peeking over the horizon. It formed a huge band that arced to the northeast, where it was drowned out by the gently pulsing green and red aurora. With fresh batteries in my headlamp, I climbed up to a cliff marked on my map. From this viewpoint I could capture the entire scene in a panorama, with Devils Tower in the middle. Below could be seen the meandering Belle Fourche River with the Bear Lodge Mountains beyond. The Milky Way first returned from its winter slumber a couple months ago. But I like to wait until this time of year to see it because it’s easier to stay up. These rare views are the reason I will always be a night owl.
    Aurora Tower and Galaxy
  • In October I visited Devils Tower when the fall colors were at their peak. Although the tower is mostly surrounded by a pine forest, there are some deciduous trees to the south by the Belle Fourche River. While wandering around before sunset I found this view with the tower framed in between two trees. Established in 1906 by Theodore Roosevelt, this was the first national monument in the US. Devils Tower is actually a mistranslation of the Native American name "Mato Tipila," which means Bear Lodge.
    Autumn Evening Light