Winter Blues

Snow covered rocks on the Kennecott River, winter, Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

Here’s an image I shot earlier this winter. The snow covered rocks, backlit, caught my attention, and I made a few images before hiking back to the shack. This one I’m unsure about, and would be glad to hear any opinions on how you feel about it. If you click on the image, a larger version should open up in a new window for you.

Thanks.

Cheers

Carl

Yin Yang

Black and white abstract winter photo, Wrangel - St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

Here’s another photo of some snow patterns on the mountain side. I liked the yin yang thing going on here. Converting to black and white gave me a little more flexibility with playing with the tone, etc, and accentuated the pattern.

Who said there are no polar bears in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park? 🙂

Cheers

Carl

Before Sunup

A snow covered hillside in Wrangell-St. Elias national Park, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

One of the beauties about the Alaskan winter is it’s easy to catch that sweet dawn light – and earlier. This one was taken before the sun came around the mountain side. I had a great shoot in this spot, for several hours, and got a number of cool abstract images – once the sun slipped out from hiding beyond the distant mountain top everything changed, and a myriad new scenes appeared. A magical morning, for sure.

I really like the sweeping ridge lines here, and the cool blue light of the predawn sky – I shouldn’t really say predawn, because it was, like, about noon.

Cheers

Carl

Shadows and Light

Snow covered spruce tree, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

Here’s another photo I took on my most recent sojoun to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska. I’d been hoping to find some scenes like this, but they’re hard to come by. Fresh snow still sitting on a spruce tree, in nice warm sunshine.  Usually, after a nice dump of snow, wind blows it off the trees before the weather clears up enough for this kind of photo. One calm evening I went up on this ridge, not a breath of air was stirring down in the forest at the cabin. But up high, the wind was blowing like crazy .. Continue reading

Pine Grosbeak photo, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska

Pine Grosbeak, male, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Pine Grosbeak Photo.

Hey Folks,

Sorry for the delay in posts, again. I came in to Anchorage for a few days, and have been sitting, faithfully, at my computer trying to make it start. It locked up during an update, apparently, and then I couldn’t get it to start. I managed to back up most of the data on it, though it took forever. I thought the HD was fried, but it appears no problems there. I’m still working on getting all the programs back up, etc, and it’s taking way too long. I’m about sick of this computer business – I’m ready to head back to the safety of the woods. I’ll take 40-50 below zero temperatures over technology problems anyday. This stuff is too much hassle.

I did manage to take a few bird photos in the park before I came back out. They’re tricky little critters to shoot, but lots of fun. This male Pine Grosbeak was pretty cool, and I managed to get a few images. They’re named a ‘pine’ Grosbeak because they do so love the pine or coniferous forests (I spose Coniferous Grosbeak doesn’t sound so cool a name). Technically, they’re not a true Grosbeak, but a large Finch. The scientific name for the bird is Pinicola enucleator, which is pretty fancy. ‘Pinicola’ translates as ‘pine dweller’. They’re one of the few birds who winter this far north .. all the smarter ones fly south to warmer climes.

For folks such as my father, you have to click the “play” button located directly under the photo to hear the track that goes with this photo. For folks a little more hip than my dad, you get a prize if you know who the author of the track is; composer, track title, and album, please. No googling allowed.

Cheers

Carl

Kennicott Glacier

kennicott glacier in winterq

Hey Folks

Sorry it’s been a while. Not much to tell, I suppose. I have been shooting a bit, but the weather’s been lousy, so don’t have much. I’ll try to get some images downloaded to the computer so I can post something soon.

This one is from late last year. Looking across the Kennicott Glacier towards some unnamed mountains.

Still haven’t found me a wolverine, but I sure been looking.

Cheers

Carl

Snowboarding days

Snowboarder in Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska

hey Folks,

Well, “about time”, I’m sure you’re saying. I know I am. Sorry for the long-ish delay in posts here. I’ve been pressed for time the last few times I got to check my email, and then, out of nowhere, my internet people (the neighbors) have taken off for warmer climes. I usually ski over to their place once or twice a week and check email, etc, for the princely sum of about 7 bucks an hour,, and then ski home. Well, they’re gone for 6 weeks, so it’s a hassle. instead of a 3/4 mile trip, one-way, it’s about 5 miles. And then it’s a guess as to whether or not the internet service is actually working over there. Such is life in a cabin in the Alaska woods, I suppose. Continue reading

Mount Blackburn photo

Black and white photo of Mount Blackburn, Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

I hope you’re not tiring of Mount Blackburn. It’s an awesome mountain. One of the primary reasons I wanted to spend some time here in the winter is to catch this mountain in good light. In the summer time, when travel here is a bit easier and the weather much warmer, the good light is on the north side of the mountain. So here I am, running around at 50 deg below F trying to make a decent image of the mountain. I went up new year’s eve to shoot, and the light was amazing.

Of course, both my camera batteries died, due to the cold, and I made 3 photos, then spent my time sitting in the cold watching the alpenglow light up the mountain as if it had a fire inside. It was something special to witness, but I’ve not a single image of the event. Since then it’s been cloudy.

The weather did warm up to a comfortable 20 below though, so there’s always something positive. That and the little rubber foot off my tripod that fell off, and I thought was long gone, lost; I was wandering back to the shack just at dusk, when  I saw this little black thing half buried in the snow .. I kicked it (as I’m prone to do such things), and it was my rubber foot off my tripod. Woo hoo!

You all stay warm. I’ll try to get some images of something other than Mount Blackburn here sometime soon.

Cheers

Carl

Mt. Blackburn, Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska

Mt. Blackburn and the Donoho Basin, the Root Glacier, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Hey folks,

Here’s a quick one, from a few mornings back. Mount Blackburn, from across the Root Glacier and the Donoho Basin.  Really cold.

The mountain’s been out pretty often, which means clear sunny skies, which means – wear your long underwear. I’m still getting used to allowing myself an extra 30 minutes to get dressed to go outside to take photos.

Cheers
Carl