Hey Folks,

Here’s an image that I am amazingly lucky to have made. Probably luckier than I deserve to be. Not because of the luck involved in catching this scene like this; this image has been a long, long time in coming. The scene is taken from the south end of Chitistone Pass, near Skolai Pass, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska. I’ve spent more time here than I probably should admit to, waiting, hoping and wondering if I’d ever actually happen to catch it in the light that I knew graces these peaks from time to time.

Finally, this September, I was up at Skolai Pass with our phototour and we were really blessed with some great weather. I was giddy with excitement and I’m sure the folks along on the trip were wondering just what they’d got themselves into.

Within 20 minutes of landing we’d already found and photographed a Least Weasel, which I’d never had the opportunity to photograph inside the park previously. Next up we ran into some Woodland caribou, apparently the only woodland caribou herd in Alaska, so that was pretty awesome.

Then we saw some Dall sheep rams, and managed to stalk up on them a little. Next up was sunset, and there was gorgeous light in front of us, over the University Mountains, and behind us to the north were some clouds glowing with color. It was way too cool.

Until the next morning, when we awoke before the dawn, got up, and started to figure out what we’d shoot when the light came over the distant mountains. I was setting up on a small pond, figuring on a nice reflection, when my camera ceased working. Completely. Nothing would work, so I was outta luck – first morning of a 5 day trip, with perfect light coming my way, in exactly the location I wanted to be, and I had no camera.

So Doug Roane saved my a** by loaning me his Canon 40D, and a lens. By evening he was pretty sick and tired of my melancholy self-pity, and decided he’d put a stop to it, by letting me use his wide angle. He’d shoot a few frames, quickly remove his lens and hand it to me, I’d put it on his 40D, shoot a picture, and hand it back to him – time’s precious when the light is fading.

So with all thanks to him, I managed to finally make my photo I’d been wanting for a long, long time. Mt Churchill, Mt. Bona, the Russell Glacier, alpenglow and some fall color to boot. Like I said, luckier than I deserve.

Earlier in the day a few of us hiked out on to that flat plateau you see in the middleground, behind the willow bush. So now I’ve got another image in mind that I want, so I guess that means I have to make yet another trip to Skolai Pass. I tell ya, there’s no rest for the wicked. I just hope next time my camera works OK – either that or Doug comes along.

A friend asked me once if I thought a backup camera was necessary, and I paraphrased another good friend of mine in reply: “No, you don’t need a backup camera. You just need to make sure you hike with someone else who carries a backup camera”. Sage advice.

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Pt 2: Mount Bona and alpenglow

Here’s another frame of this scene from a separate photography trip. Chitistone Pass in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is such a great spot to shoot. A recent version of a favorite scene of mine; Mt. Bona, Mt. Churchill, the University Peaks and the Russell Glacier, all at once. You can see the similarity to the composition above, from one of our Skolai Pass Photo Tours in the fall.

We very nearly didn’t get this scene last week. After a long backpack (made even longer by twice running a grizzly sow with her 3 cubs) we made camp and had a well – deserved supper.

Tired, I watched as the light started to get better in the late evening, and thought it might be worth a hike a little further over toward this scene. In part because I wanted to shoot the alpenglow, but also because I wasn’t sure if the weather would hold until the next day, and I so wanted the 2 people on the trip to get to see this view while it was clear; I convinced one of the folks to join me for a walk, and we headed off toward the glacier.

When we arrived, the sun was still well up, and the light not nearly so warm. We made some photos, scouted out possible compositions, and waited around for the evening light; instead, the light faded; distant clouds behind us blocked the fading sun from the mountains, and the light dimmed.

I thought it might be worth heading back toward camp in the hope of maybe catching some colorful clouds at sunset. We walked about 10 minutes in that direction and starting shooting some images in that area. I turned and saw the light in this direction start to glow again, and knew it would be a good idea to head back.

I had to hustle back got back just in time to catch the last of the alpenglow. Having already been here earlier, I knew exactly the foreground I wanted, which lens and composition I wanted, and this shot was merely a matter of pointing and shooting.

I guess in some ways this scene isn’t anything new, as I’ve shot almost from this very spot before; but it’s not a bad place to spend a nice afternoon, and even make some photos all the same.

Cheers

Carl