hey Folks,

So, here’s an image of Denali I don’t think I’ve posted here before.

Mount McKinley is simply one big grand mountain that is ALWAYS a treat to see. I saw it a few days ago.

This photo though, was taken last August when I spent a week camped out on the tundra, not far from this pond. Actually, this little pond was my water source. Every morning, after I’d do some shooting, I’d saunter down, ever so casually, fill up my one quart pot, stroll back over to the ‘kitchen’ and make breakfast – oatmeal, a cereal bar and some coffee. I’d inevitably end up drinking too much coffee, because it was so awesome to sit back and stare at the mountain, as folks refer to Denali.

I’ve wanted to get some nice reflection photos of Mount McKinley for a while now, and this past fall I finally managed a few. I still never got the image I sought, though, a nice shot of this scene right at dawn, with a rich magenta alpenglow on the mountain.

Each morning I got up, and did get some great light Denali, but the pond was never still – every single morning I had nice clear skies, and the slightest of breezes, just enough to ripple the surface of the pond and mess with the reflections. Inevitably, by the time sun came up and the dawn color was gone, the breeze died down and the lake surface calmed. That can only mean one thing; I need to go back again. 🙂

You can see the coffee hit the spot in this post.

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Denali photo, Mt McKinley, Denali National Park

While the reflection adds a sense of symmetry and calm, there is something entirely different about the moments before the sun actually breaks the horizon. I managed to catch a second frame just as the pre-dawn light began to wash over the massif. Without the distraction of the water, the focus shifts entirely to that soft, ethereal alpenglow that turns the high granite peaks into something resembling glowing embers. It is a fleeting window of time where the light is so delicate that the camera almost struggles to hold onto the shadows.

In the autumn, this pre-dawn air is crisp and carries a stillness that you just don’t get later in the day once the wind picks up across the tundra. The blueberry bushes and willow scrub, which look like a riot of red and gold in the midday sun, take on a deeper, more somber tone in this light. It’s a quiet reminder that as impressive as the mountain is, the real magic of Denali in the fall is found in these subtle transitions. The minutes where the landscape feels like it’s holding its breath before the day begins.

What an awesome day. A walk down along the coastal trail, Denali, or Mt. McKinley in full view is a treat. Absolutely gorgeous. There’s probably not too many towns in the world you can walk along the beach and be looking at a 20 000? tall mountain. Here’s a picture in honor of ‘the mountain’ – ain’t it something!