Sunset Reflections

Here are a couple pictures of the fading light reflected off the mountains on the continent. These pictures were taken from the Mt. Dewey trail.

 

Evening Colors

It is amazing the color a person can find on the forest floor in January.

Sunset on the evening of January 31. Taken from the Mt. Dewey overlook on an abnormally warm and windy day.

I stayed in the office a little later than I normally do on January 30, until I noticed the mountains reflecting the colors of the sunset. I quit what I was doing and ran toward home to get over a hill that was blocking my view and met a sight similar to this. Christina was looking at the same thing and snapped this picture from our house.

 

Frozen Streams

I was looking through pictures today and noticed that I hadn't put these on the blog. These two photos are of a frozen stream on Zarembo Island in November.

 

Snowshoes and Skis, January 27

I woke up just after four and started up the trail a little before 5 am this morning. The sky is just beginning to show a little light at about 7am. I think this is just beyond 2000 feet, not too bad because I had to hike the road a while to get to the trail. These are my sweet new snowshoes. They are Atlas 1230, which is a mountaineering/backcountry shoe. Pretty nice. I am impressed.

Hope you don't need toilet paper. The only way you can get into this outhouse is by taking off the roof.

The outhouse from another view. This is seven feet of snow in a windblown area! Amazing. Too bad their wasn't about a foot of powder on it, could have had some fun in the powder with my skis instead of fun on ice with my skis. Good thing I have fresh, sharp edges.

I'm standing next to a drift. There were many of these. It was fun walking in, out and around the wind formed snow.

 

Sunrise and Mountains

I set the camera down on the top of the rail at the shelter and was running to get into position when the picture snapped.

The first rays of the morning sun shine on this little tree.

I put the camera next to the snow to get a profile of the snow bank (actually pretty smooth) and the mountains in the background. You have to look hard but those bumps on the horizon are distant mountains.

Drifted snow next to the shelter and mountains in the background.

 

Cornice or Two

Fun with scary snow. I used some effects to highlight this sinister looking cornice. (PS - Tash, those trees you see bent over are the ones we held onto as we sat down and slid down the hill the first time you were here.)

A glimpse of the fading colors of the sunrise through a tree covered with snow.

Now this is a big cornice. I don't know how tall it is but I do know that when I took this picture I was standing on a 20-30 foot deep drift in what used to be the bottom of a small draw.

Aquiring my target. Time to ski down.

 

Testing New Gear

Recently I purchased a new pair of skis and with Christina's help a new pair of snowshoes as well that were begging to be tested. As you can see, the snow is deep. I wouldn't have made it close to this point if it weren't for the snowshoes.

Can't quite see it in this photo but the snow I'm standing on is a snow bridge spanning the creek.

I changed from snowshoes to skis under this snag. At this point I was near the top of the ridge on which the N. Wrangell High Country Shelter sits.

Framed portrait.

 

Oh the Joy...

...of camping!

I know...I'm weird...taking pictures of outhouses! Sheesh! What was I thinking? I really do enjoy camping (without bears)!

 

ZOO!

These pictures bring a smile to my face and the first thing I think of is--monkeys! Quent climbed a tree and before we knew it, Amanda and Jacob were finding their way up a tree.

 

Shining Through

I REALLY like this picture! When we came to Michigan I was looking forward to taking some pictures of a winter wonderland, but due to the spring-time temperatures, that didn't happen. During our walk in the woods, I captured this leaf. I'm amazed at the beauty you can find in even a leaf laying on it's side such as this. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...you just have to keep your eyes open for this sort of beauty.

 

Treasure in the Woods

 

Whittling, playing and such...

Dad whittling and the kids watching.

Quent and Amanda playing checkers at the cabin.

Katie...I see you licking your fingers!

 

November Trip to Ketchikan

In November I took a trip to Ketchikan one fine sunny day and we took a small detour to look at some former areas of timber harvest. I felt fortunate to have my camera ready after we passed numerous snow covered mountains. This is Berg Mountain from the south.

So much snow, so little time.

I'm sure this is a named mountain but I don't know what it is called. It is located just south of the East Fork of the Bradfield River.

I've taken pictures from the ground that look like I'm farther away from the surface of the earth than what you see here.