Category Archives: Travel Blogs
Creating an Ice Wall
On a cold winter night earlier in the week I was tormenting myself trying to decide if I should go out with the camera and attempt to capture winter images provided by a full moon. I was tired from a full day of work and really just wanted to sit back and watch a movie but images of moon reflecting off of a waterfall almost frozen kept flashing through my mind. All day long I had tried to figure out a beautiful location perfect for photographing under a full moon as this bright light can often provide amazing images especially on a snow covered landscape. It makes everything so bright and casts beautiful shadows across the snow covered ground.
I was unable to come up with a good spot to go until I ran across a picture taken recently of a local popular waterfall. In that picture there was a lot of ice with water still flowing over the falls possibly giving me the opportunity to catch moonlight reflecting off of the ice and water with a great moonlight hue. While still at home I kind of decided to forgo the idea of going out with the camera as I was tired and it was only 8 degrees above 0 Fahrenheit reducing any motivation. It was decision time. Do I suck it up and drag out all of my winter gear, load it into the car and drive to this waterfall or call it a night and relax in the warm comfort of my home? Agonizing over this for about 45 minutes and discussing it with my family I kept imaging the beautiful images that could be possible or it may all be for nothing if lighting isn’t what I am looking for.
Finally I dug a little deeper and lugged possible necessary gear into my vehicle and headed for the falls. Would I even be lucky enough to capture a moon bow? This occurs when bright moonlight hits the waterfall and reflects a rainbow. Upon arriving I quickly went to the falls to see about the situation. I was a little disappointed as there is a lot of artificial light illuminating up the entire area. This was somewhat expected as it is a popular place and people could easily get hurt if it was too dark. So now what? I decided since I was already at the waterfall I would at least get out the camera and take a few pictures before returning home. As is fairly common all it took was setting up the camera and time began to fly while I set up different compositions under the full moon light enjoying each part of it with the exception of feeling the cold creep in from time to time.
As you can see from these photographs from that excursion, the ice and flowing water mixed with snow and light to create a beautiful landscape providing many options for great images. Unfortunately the moonlight was unable to penetrate through nearby artificial lighting but that didn’t change the fact there were many ice formations with great light to take advantage of. I may have to spend more time at this waterfall this winter looking for more intriguing pictures.
Minnesota’s Forest Coral
I wanted to photograph the frosty plants on a foggy November morning. By the time I got all of my gear and began hiking the temperature warmed enough to melt much of the frost and with it, my goals for this day. Kicking myself for not moving earlier I begrudgingly continued on my desired hiking route just to enjoy the day and see if there was anything interesting along the way.
My hope was to hike to a more secluded lake and photograph migrating ducks if nothing else caught my attention before hand. As I moved along the trail I happened to see this mushroom covered log. For some reason I’m drawn to mushrooms on a log. All of these rounded little plates sticking out from a disintegrating portion of wood. Yet through a number of attempts there haven’t been any interesting photos from any of my attempts. Although I’ve not had some of the equipment I brought this time either since my original plan was to photograph frosty crystals as intimately as I could. Maybe that same idea would bring out what attracts me to these mushrooms.
As I neared the log I was amazed at the incredible display being put on by these mushrooms which happed to also be surrounded by lichens putting on their own colorful display on this cool, wet late fall day. The seemingly random textures of the lichens made them very intriguing along with their beautiful variations of colors, from bright greens to light blues made them stand out among the multicolored mushrooms. When I returned home later and looked on the computer they looked just like a coral reef to me.
Throw in a little dark green moss and it became a world all it’s own. What else lives among all these vibrant formations? Eating mushrooms or lichens, seeking shelter in the many crevices? A dew covered web confirmed this little world most of us never even know of. I loved all of the fuzzy rings stacked on top of one another creating each mushroom for the spider to climb searching for its’ next meal before succumbing to winter.
As I continued to explore around the fallen branches I came across some vibrant orange mushrooms which contrasted beautifully with the dark lichen covered bark. Patterns within these mushrooms amazed me along with their shapes and waves. Add to that the green, yellow, and blue lichens and this scene is just exploding with color.
Eventually the daylight was getting dimmer making it more challenging to photograph these mushroom filled branches so I packed up and headed back for the car. On my return hike rain began to fall so it was a good time to leave and pack away the camera. A great substitute for missing most of the frost covered landscape. In the picture below you can see the fallen tree that first caught my attention. Very easy to continue on walking as this is a pretty common scene in a forest. Glad I stopped to examine it closer.
A November Foggy Morning
Recently in late November I found myself with an unexpected day off from work. Enjoying a more relaxed pace I was taking care of some things on the computer as daylight began to fill a nearby window. Looking outside I noticed a foggy morning which I’ve been wanting to get out and photograph in but work had been busier and required more energy so on this morning the fog filled landscape wasn’t enough to get me out of the house with camera in hand. Returning to the computer I completed a few more tasks and glanced outside again. This time there was a heavy frost to compliment the fog. That was more than I could withstand so I shut down what I was doing, got dressed, and snatched the camera from its resting place on my way to a nearby park.
While quickly driving I was trying to decide which part of the park I wanted to begin in and what my objective was this mid-morning. My goal was frost covered plants with a foggy background. A quick stop at a nearby dock surrounded by cattails had potential and when I got there a beautiful frost covered plants everywhere. Perfect! So I began taking pictures of the fog filled lake before moving to focus on the frost.
After a few photos of the mysterious lake I turned the camera to capture frost covered plants. The nearby cattails where showing great ice crystals. Unfortunately I was in a hurry to get to another area of the park so I didn’t take the time I should have to get better photos of these ice formations. The few I did take are still fun to look at.
On my way to the lake some bright ice covered shrubs caught my attention and I knew I wanted to get some pictures of them before leaving the area. It was amazing how thick and beautiful this frost was covering each branch. Add to this the dense fog still hovering close to the ground and you might be able to understand the desire to be there taking it in.
In this closer view of the frost you can begin to see all of the individual crystals that form to create the frost covered sticks. Underneath the frost covered cluster red stems show through contrasting with the white frost for a beautiful photograph. Seeing this now really makes me want to go back and take better pictures of that situation while it was available. From there I moved on to another part of the park. At the entrance someone had placed a lost hat on top of a post. I thought it was interesting to see the frost covering portions of this hat and also how the hat sort of makes the post into something living. Unfortunately that was the last of the frost for this day as temperatures rose enough to melt it after this.
Taking in the Super Moon
During the recent full moon a couple of beautiful nights beckoned me to get out and photograph the moon rise. This happened to be a super moon which means it was closer to the Earth than usual during a full moon. It has not been this close on a full moon for the last 46 years so what does that mean for most people. Probably the most noticeable piece was the brightness. As long as the sky was mostly clear you could look out across the landscape and see it brightly lit up more than usual.
I went out on two different nights to enjoy this slightly larger and brighter moon. The first I was joined by one of my cousins also interested in capturing some photos of the moon. It was fun to try a few different ideas. In the picture above I knew of a leaning tree so I positioned myself to photograph it leaning towards the moon as if the gravitational force of the moon was pulling the tree. It turned out well I think.
With a brighter and slightly larger full moon the reflection off of the water made for a picturesque image. Calming to look at. It was relatively windy that night so the reflection takes on a different look. The light is more scattered making for a wider reflection.
One of the challenges I continue to work on is creating a moon burst with the camera. You’ve probably seen images that include a sun burst with rays spreading out across the horizon. I’m trying to create a similar picture using the moon. It’s a little more challenging because of the lower light available. The photo above gives you an idea and for the most part I like it. Getting the moon a bit sharper along with sharper rays would make this about perfect I think. Gives me something to work towards.
On my second night of photographing this full moon I was in place to see it rising above the trees. This is when I could really notice the larger size. At least I think it was noticeable but I haven’t watched the full moon rise in this particular spot before so there really isn’t anything to compare it to. Still it looks quite big across the horizon to me.
One of my attempts was to get geese or ducks flying in front of the moon. I was never prepared in time to get this as I was usually photographing the super moon and surrounding landscape when a flock came flying by and my camera settings weren’t quite right. By the time I changed them to capture these geese they had already made it by but after looking at the image in the computer it looked like these geese were pulling the moon. I thought that looked kind of fun so I decided to share it with you.
Watching the Sun Set
It was an unseasonably warm evening on Halloween weekend and I just had to get out and taken in the suns warmth while enjoying the setting sun. There were some wispy clouds floating across the sky setting up for one of those spectacular sunsets that challenges the beauty of the northern lights. But you just never know what kind of sunset you’ll get so your goal of photographing the beautiful, fleeting colors could end up failing as it often does.
Late in the afternoon I headed out to explore a place I haven’t spent much time at but appeared to hold great promise of beautiful photos. Meandering through a grassy field, swamps, and forest and many distractions to take pictures of (such as the snake in my previous post),I eventually arrived at my destination and settled in. There was still some time before the sun would set so I surveyed my surroundings looking for different possible perspectives to include in my pictures. Closer to sunset a warm golden glow began blanketing the landscape bringing a glorious end to my day.
Enjoying the brilliant golden sky reflecting back at me, the moment I have been waiting for had arrived. The sun was near the horizon and I was in a great position to take it all in with clouds in perfect position to make it a spectacular show. Hold on to see if the anticipation was warranted. Even if it became a bust at this point it was still a gift to be able to take in this beautiful afternoon surrounded by nature.
And there we have it – Sunset! Right on time according to my watch. This is were people decide to leave and head home. Often this means they miss the most colorful part of a sunset. As the sun passes below the horizon is when I really begin to pay attention to the clouds and watch for sunlight bouncing off of them.
Soon after there are some reds in the bottom clouds. What a beautiful contrast to all the dark blues surrounding them. Ohh I think this is going to be just what I was hoping for. A quick check to make sure the camera battery has enough power and my memory card has plenty of space for whatever photos I want to take. All things are good as I wouldn’t want to miss a piece of this because of a dying battery or full memory card. On with the show!
Tonight there is no disappointment in the sky while incredible colors splash above as if being painted right in front of me. This is where the choice becomes extremely difficult. Photograph this or just sit back and enjoy the moment. If you decide to photograph it you’re guaranteed to miss parts of oranges, red, and yellows dancing on clouds floating by but there will be pictures to look back on for as long as you want. To put everything down and take in the sights you’ll be able to watch it all unfold but only with your memory. You can guess my decision.
Incredible! How else can you describe this sunset? Who else is out here to see this tonight? Are the animals around me pausing for a few minutes to marvel at this beauty? Is this a celestial gift just for me? What have I done to deserve such an amazing moment?
As the sun continues to move further below the horizon and clouds continue to glide across the darkening sky the colors continue to change and begin to recede to the eventual darkness soon to follow. I still continue to photograph even though it is difficult as I’m almost paralyzed from this beautiful night watching the sun set in full glory. Humbled by these huge forces working together in indescribable ways. If only it could last a little longer.
A few more photos and it’s time to leave in order to pick my way through this unfamiliar forest while there is still a glimpse of light. I always walk away from a sunset like this very humble and full of energy from what I just witnessed. It can be a big spiritual moment reminding me of how fortunate I am and what I’ve been given. Also a bit of sadness enters from the realization that many other people didn’t even realize how amazing this sunset was and so didn’t, or couldn’t, take a few minutes out of their day to see it. Yep, it was the right decision to come here for this moment.
From beginning to end I photographed this sunset over a two hour span which may have been the best two hours of that day. Just before arriving at my destination I was photographing the snake and had the opportunity to continue doing so but decided it was time to move on as the sun was getting lower in the sky. Those can be challenging decisions to make but I couldn’t create more images of the snake and catch the sunset. I’m satisfied with how it all turned out. Some fun photos of the snake and images of this wonderful sunset.
Winding Through the Leaves
Recently while exploring a local park there was a quick movement rustling fallen leaves right in front of me. It was a bit confusing at first as I couldn’t detect any wind so this leaf movement made not logical sense. After searching for a cause I spotted a snake just a few feet from me. Ahh, the reason for this leaf rustling.
Expecting it to quickly disappear I planned on continuing my hike however as I moved it stayed motionless so I grabbed the camera and began taking pictures of this snake. Moving around it I crept ever closer and it stayed there without so much as a flinch allowing me to practice with the camera in such a situation.
This continued for about 30 minutes as I adjusted to take pictures from different angles until I decided I should move on and let the snake move to where ever it needed to as the temperatures where getting colder making it more challenging for the snake to get to a safe place for the night. Near the end it would begin to turn its head towards me and flutter its tongue as if to let me know it was getting more comfortable with my presence and knew I was not a threat to it. An entertaining interaction with it on a pleasant late October afternoon.
Fall Flowers
As the summer gave way to fall late season flowers burst with some great color tempting me to point the camera towards them. There may not be as many plants blooming but those that are stand out reminding us that the cold is still a little ways away.
While exploring a nearby prairie area I came across a lone flowers spike arising from some grass which caught my attention because not only is it the only grass in bloom in that area but it had a beautiful purple color which I don’t usually see. It made me wonder if the color was more intense because it was blooming during cooler weather. Typically this would bloom during the summer when things are warmer.
Fall is a time full of Goldenrod on the prairie or in fields. I wanted to catch a bee climbing around the bright yellow blooms but was surprised at how difficult that turned out to be as there weren’t as many bees flying around as I’m used to seeing. I’ve heard bee populations have been decreasing causing a lot of concern but there was a drastic reduction with all of the Goldenrod flowers providing so much food in the area.
Most of the asters I came across this fall were varying shades of purple but occasionally a white one would stand out. Surrounded by the purples and golds of other fall flowers they made a beautiful contrast to the prairie.
While looking over some purple asters there would be these flower flies climbing up and over the flowers in search of newly released pollen. They provided some entertainment and challenge to get them in focus as they move quickly away from the lens. While taking pictures of milkweed seeds I found a milkweed bug lacking the vibrant black bands just hanging from seeds. It blended in very well with the white fluff allowing these seeds to fly in the wind.
It kind of feels like going full circle capturing images of the early spring blooms and ending with the last flowers of the 2016. I’ve definitely had some fun photographing them this year.
Fall Colors
This fall hasn’t been the most spectacular display of color leaves blanketing the entire landscape in Minnesota this year. There are still some pockets of amazingly vibrant leaves to take in on a sunny, autumn afternoon. At least until the rain and wind separate them from their branches and they become a part of the forest floor.
Everything in the forest is preparing for the winter, including this squirrel taking time to eat before continuing to find food to store. In many areas the leaves didn’t really turn colors much. They just browned up or fell from the trees as there has been a lot of rain during the summer and fall so far with relatively warm temperatures. It’s almost as if the trees decided they’ve grown enough this year and determined it time for winter and shed their leaves.
Fortunately there were still a few areas where the trees headed into all of their autumn glory provided beautiful red, orange, and yellow colors to enjoy. It may take a little exploring to find these areas but the sights are worth the effort but they only last a few days before wind and rain erase the colors from the trees.
These pockets of fall colors on a nice, sunny day help distract from the realization of soon approaching snowflakes. At least for a short time. It won’t be long now so enjoying the suns warmth is a nice treat while viewing sights like this bright gold Tamarack tree.
Even the lakes, ponds, and rivers bask in autumn colors as the leaves continue on their fall journey. While out photographing vibrant fall colors I attempted to leave the forest many times but kept getting delayed by another beautiful fall scene requiring a reach for my camera in an attempt to capture these amazing colors.
Climbing Longs–A Reflection
A good gage for me of if I liked an experience is would I do it again. Would I hike/climb Longs Peak again? It depends on when you asked me. For a couple of weeks following I would’ve told you I was glad I did it but probably would not do it again. Asking a couple of months later I would definitely consider doing it again if the opportunity arose in the next couple of years. Maybe that’s me just being stupid and forgetting how strenuous the hike is even before getting to the keyhole and how difficult the thinner air above 10,000 feet makes this hike. Being stupid or not I know now what to be prepared for.
For 2 days following the hike to Longs Peak I had difficulty walking because of pain in my legs. Getting up from sitting and sitting back down were functions I lacked without assistance. I credit this to going 6 miles downhill at a fast pace without taking breaks allowing my legs to gain adequate oxygen while trying to avoid the surrounding storms. The other piece that took away from the enjoyment of this hike was difficulty in breathing for much of it. It felt like I was always gasping for air whenever I wanted to climb after passing the Boulder Field Campground. It would not have been as demoralizing if there wasn’t a timeline due to storms and my ride at the trailhead pre-scheduled without a means of contacting my ride to re-schedule allowing for more enjoyment of a slower pace. I was unsure of my abilities in these conditions so I had to estimate a pick up time which turned out to be too early in the afternoon.
While on the mountain trying to decide if we should continue on from the Trough or not I kept trying to determine if I would regret not summiting if that was the decision we made. Well, it’s been a couple of months now and I do not regret our decision. For the conditions it was the right call for us. It likely would have taken us an additional 2 hours to summit and make it back to our position above the Trough. We would have gotten caught in increasingly difficult conditions due to storms in our descent increasing the risk of injury or worse. I wish the conditions would have allowed us to continue to summit but that just was not our situation. There is such a great respect for those that take on this climb after having done almost all of it.
Upon completing this adventure I could not figure out how I felt about it. Was it worth all of the effort required to do it? I now feel a huge sense of accomplishment and satisfaction tackling Longs Peak. It was completely worth the work, pain, and dedication to climb this mountain. What an unbelievable experience and to have been able to share it with my oldest daughter is priceless. It would have been great to also share it with my youngest daughter but that would have been more than I could handle on my own given the risks involved above the Keyhole. The scenery was so beautiful and peaceful both on the way up in the serenity of a moon lit landscape and the way back down as the mountain tops turned white from the snow while we got rained on. It must have been a great accomplishment as I’m considering a hike to the top of Mauna Loa on our final Monopoly adventure to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park which surprisingly tops out at over 13,600 feet. Additionally I monitor the Longs Peak trail conditions and webcam having a more intimate relationship with this mountain now. I love adventures and this was an amazing one!
