Hiking on the Edge - Glacier National Park

Highline Trail, Logan Pass, Glacier National Park, Montana

Those of you who know me well know of my love of hiking. I usually walk at least 5 miles every day, and rarely miss unless I am on a vacation or a photo tour/workshop. Sometimes it is not the distance of the hike, but rather the beauty of the hike. Fortunately, Glacier National Park is home to some outstanding hikes, both in length and beauty. On the first clear day, a few of us hiked the Hidden Lake Trail, while others tried the Highline Trail. On our last day, we spent a few hours back at Logan Pass and tried the Highline Trail.

I headed up the trail with my new best friend, Jaki Good Miller. We knew that there were sections of the hike which were high up and narrow (it is called the Highline Trail for a reason) from the others in our group, but it was even tighter that I expected. As you can see in this photo, it is not for those who have a fear of heights. Fortunately, neither Jaki or I have that fear. This particular section only has room for one person to pass, and has a cable for those who want to make sure not to fall. Since there was a lot of foot traffic in both directions, a lot of stopping to let others to pass was the norm.

In this image, I wanted to capture the sense of height and the narrowness of the trail against the great backdrop of Logan Pass. In the distance is Reynolds Mountain, and below is the famed Going-to-the-Sun Road. I highly recommend this hike for any who visit Glacier.

The Long and Winding Road - Going to the Sun Road, Glacier NP

Going to the Sun Road, Glacier National Park, Montana

If you are thinking about visiting Glacier National Park, make sure that you plan enough time to get from location to location. The size of Glacier, coupled with the road system, guarantees a lot of "windshield" time in the car. The main and only road that traverses east and west Glacier is the famed Going-to-the-Sun-Road. The road is 50 miles long, but, given the very tight and winding road, it can take up to 3 hours to drive, depending on traffic and construction. 

In my opinion, the area surrounding Logan Pass is the prettiest section of this dramatic road. On our last morning, we headed to Logan Pass one last time, and the light, clouds and fog were perfect. Since we only had one car, we were able to pull into one of the few pullouts on the road. After having been on four tours with Jeff Clow (the king of road shots), I thought a road shot would be the best way to convey how twisty and narrow the road is. Not only is the road itself challenging, but drivers are faced with a rock wall on one side and a drop of at least a couple thousand feet on the other. This composition also shows the beauty of the surrounding mountains and the McDonald Creek Valley. The low hanging fog was a bonus.

Glacier Park Lodge - Glacier National Park, Montana

Glacier National Park has four areas that are a must see to photograph. One of those areas is Two Medicine, located on the eastern side of the park a bit northwest of St Marys. Our group left our hotel in Kalispell, Montana, in a three-car caravan, leaving at 5:30am. A few hours later, our tour leader extraordinaire, Jeff Clow, knowing that our group required a pit stop, outdid himself by stopping at the Glacier Park Lodge (sometime all that is available  is a port-a-potty).

I had never been to the hotel before and I knew that it was going to be a great stop as soon as we started down the long driveway. The lodge was built in 1913 by the Great Northern Railway. Its purpose was to bring tourists via the railroad to explore the eastern part of the park. At that time, there was no road that connected the east and west side of the park. When I walked inside, I knew that I would be shooting the lobby with it's large size and the 60 40-foot tall Douglas fir columns that lined the supported the roof. I should have prefaced this post by admitting that I have an addiction to shooting rustic architecture. In any case, I decided to capture the architecture by shooting hand-held brackets, knowing that I would probably process the images as an HDR.

Hidden Lake and Bearhat Mountain - Glacier National Park

Hidden Lake Overlook, Logan Pass, Glacier National Park, Montana

The first day in Glacier National Park, we had planned to hike the Hidden Lake Trail at Logan Pass. The trail is a 6-mile round trip, where you climb an elevation gain of 500 feet over the first 1.5 miles to the Hidden Lake Overlook, and then descend another 500 feet over the remaining 1.5 miles to the lake. It was drizzling when we got to the parking lot and began raining hard as we got out. Time to adjust our plans. We went back later in our trip, and only three of us decided to go to the overlook and back due to time limitations. The weather was much improved, as you can see in the photo. 

Along the boardwalk trail, it was quite beautiful, with wildflowers in the meadow that made a nice foreground to the towering Reynolds Mountain. As we finally got to the overlook (with a little huffing and puffing - I walk 5 miles a day, but you can't train for elevation), we were blessed to see this beautiful vista. Hidden Lake lies directly below Bearhat Mountain and was a beautiful shade of blue. To the right of the mountains, low hanging clouds partially obscured the peaks in the distance, but added some nice interest to the scene. I shot a few images, but I realized quite quickly that only a panorama would be able to show all of the lake along with the mountains. An added bonus of our hike were the mountain goats hanging around the overlook. If you ever visit Glacier, this hike is a must do.

Glacier Weather - Bowman Lake, Glacier National Park

Bowman Lake, Glacier National Park, Montana

We landscape photographers are a strange group with expectations of how we want a scene to look. We want it all. Great golden light in early morning or late evening. Just enough clouds that will add interest to blue skies. Terrific foreground and background elements. You name it, we want it. I remember thinking to myself as I was composing this shot, this would be a great sunrise or sunset shot. Guess what? If I was standing at this same spot and had all of the things I wished for, I would be thinking that I needed great drama in the sky, moody light and a bit of foreboding in the scene (okay, the elements in this scene). We are never satisfied.

If you are reading this and say to yourself that this sounds like you, jump on a plane and head to Glacier National Park. The weather there is so changing that all you have to do is have a little patience and the right conditions will come. This location is Bowman Lake, about six miles from Polebridge (not many tourists ever see this location). The gravel road is as bumpy and narrow as you can imagine, especially when not driving in a high-clearance vehicle. We got there around noon and this was one of the first shots I took. Lots of drama in the sky and lots of a dark and foreboding mood. By the time we left about an hour later, the scene was much brighter with sun lighting the hillsides. This weather pattern was quite persistent our whole trip and is probably the norm for Glacier.

Afternoon on the Lake - Glacier National Park, Montana

Next Destination: Glacier National Park

Swiftcurrent Lake, Glacier National Park, Montana

As you read this, I will be on a plane heading to Montana to photograph Glacier National Park. I have only visited this park once, in 2006. Back then, we had terrible weather, with it raining most of the time we were there. To top that off, there had just been a huge fire there, and there were still remnants of smoke in the area. Suffice to say, I didn't get many photos on that visit. When Jeff Clow announced that Glacier would be a new destination for his photo tours, I quickly signed up. I am really looking forward to seeing my buddy Jeff, and hopefully the weather will cooperate this time. 

I will not be posting on the blog until I get back late next week. I will be posting a few iPhone photos on Facebook during my trip. I leave you with this photo of Swiftcurrent Lake from 2006, on one of the rare times that the weather was actually good (didn't last long). See you in a couple of weeks.

Looking for Food - Banff National Park, Alberta

Bow Valley Parkway, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

I am primarily a landscape photographer, and, when I travel out west, I don't go out of my way looking for wildlife. Wildlife photographers usually carry around these long lenses that look like bazookas, and I have no desire to try to lift them to get a shot (not to mention that they cost thousands of dollars). There are times, though, when the wildlife just appears close to you, and it is hard not to take a photo of them. On my Banff trip, we were often blessed with all kinds of wildlife, from bears to elk to porcupines to goats to coyotes (I may have missed naming a few). It is usually not hard to find them, especially where there is a car or line of cars pulled over. We found this bear looking for his favorite meal, dandelions. We were the second car that found him, and we were able to get some decent shots of him when his head wasn't buried in the grass. 

Along the Shoreline - Banff National Park, Alberta

Bow Lake, Icefields Parkway, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

Along the Icefields Parkway just north of Lake Louise is one of my favorite lakes, Bow Lake. There are numerous well-visited vantage points that many tourists and photographers take photos from and I am no exception. I do like to explore a bit to get something different. On my last visit to Banff in 2006, I remembered finding a spot that allowed me to use the shoreline as a leading line to the mountains. Back then the weather was not as nice, so I wanted to see if I could find that spot again. On my last day in Banff, I drove up the Icefields Parkway to Jasper, and I stopped at Bow Lake along the way. Near the southern end of the lake I found that little dirt road that I had discovered on my prior trip. It was exactly how I remembered it, only the weather was much nicer this time. If you look closely near the mountain, you can see the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge's red roof. I have always wanted to stay there, and, if I ever get back to Banff, I will.

 

Calm and Tranquil - Jasper National Park, Alberta

Pyramid Lake and Mountain, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

On my last morning in Jasper National Park, I decided to revisit the Pyramid Mountain area to get some sunrise shots before I headed to Edmonton for my flight home. The mountain can be seen from almost everywhere in Jasper, but the best location, in my opinion, is from Pyramid Lake. While there are some obvious vantage points along the shoreline, I did my exploring thing, and tried to find paths through the woods to get something a bit different. As I walked along the road, I noticed that someone had parked their car near what looked like a path (turns out they were sleeping there overnight). Down the path I went, and I discovered an opening, where there was a very small dock with five boats lying on it. It took a bit of a balancing act to compose this shot so that I could get the boats and the full reflection of Pyramid Mountain in the composition.

Saturday in the Park - Central Park, New York

Central Park, Manhattan, New York

This is an old photo that I took several years ago when I was documenting New York's Central Park for my son's movie short as part of his time with the NY Film Academy. I had been to New York many times, but spent much of that time in the Wall Street area. This was the first time I really walked the park and captured some of its beauty. The park is quite large, taking up almost 850 acres of some of the most valuable real estate in the US. As I walked around, I was surprised at the many tranquil scenes that I came across. When I walked past this pond with the pedestrian bridge in the background, the song "Saturday in the Park" by Chicago (originally known as the Chicago Transit Authority) came to mind.

God's Garden - Colorado Springs, Colorado

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Almost every time I am in Denver, I make it a point to drive south and visit the Garden of the Gods. It is a park that is run by the town of Colorado Springs and it is free (that is right - free). The rock formations that are found in this almost 1,400 acre park are simply stunning. The sandstone colors are reminiscent of the southwestern desert although the area is clearly not close to the desert. 

This particular photo was taken just I was heading down the trail from the main parking lot. On the left, near the top of the formation is a tiny opening (at least from this vantage point - I am sure it is really large) that is known as the kissing camels. Even though the sun was not shining on the formation, the colors still pop with that orange sandstone look.

English Window - Betws-y-Coed, Wales

 On our cruise around the British Isles, one of our first stops was in Wales. After docking, we took a tour of a quaint little village in Wales, Betws-y-Coed. Located in the Snowdonia National Park, it was founded in the late sixth century. Today it is home to a population of less than 600 people. Regardless of it's size, the village was just what we imagined an English village would look like. Beautifully manicured surroundings wherever we walked. This photo is representative of the houses there, with stone walls and a beautiful flower box. Right out of a British novel.

Latourell Falls - Columbia Gorge, Oregon

Columbia Gorge, Oregon

Along the Columbia River that separates the states of Oregon and Washington, there are some of the most beautiful waterfalls that you will see anywhere. Many of these waterfalls can be found on the scenic Historic Columbia River Highway. The highway runs for 75 miles and starts just east of Portland. This waterfall, Latourell Falls, is the first waterfall along the road and is probably my favorite one along the route. There is a path that will take you to the bottom of the falls, where you can shoot the falls from below (see this post). To get a better view of the falls and to really capture the way that it drops straight down from the overhanging cliff, I took this photo from the beginning of the path.

Something Different Part 2 - Sagrada Família, Barcelona

Sagrada Família, Barcelona, Spain

On Tuesday, I posted this photo of the ceiling of the entranceway to the most famous architecture in Barcelona, namely Sagrada Família. I talked about how intricate and perhaps garish the features of this incomplete church was. So here we have a small section (this church is huge) of the ceiling on the inside. I have never seen anything like this in any church I have been to in my life. I am sure there is nothing like it anywhere. In fact, a famous quote by an architectural critic was "The most extraordinary personal interpretation of Gothic architecture since the Middle Ages." Looking around, it is hard to disagree with the quote.

No photos can truly capture the essence of this place. Only when viewed in person can one walk away with an appreciation of the amazingness of it. It will have been under construction for 146 years if the estimated completion date in 2028 is achieved. God willing, I'd like to see it when it is completed.

Stark and Rugged - Waterfowl Lake, Banff National Park

Mount Chephren and Waterfowl Lake, Icefields Parkway, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

Over the past month, I have been posting some photos of the amazing lakes that line the Icefields Parkway in Alberta. It is hard to pick a favorite lake, as they all are different in their own way. This lake is Waterfowl Lake, and it is literally mere steps from the highway. What makes this lake different from the rest is the stark and rugged Mount Chephren in the background that dominates the scene. The mountain's original name was Pyramid Lake, but was renamed (after an Egyptian Pharaoh) because of confusion with Pyramid Mountain in Jasper National Park, a few hours to the north. 

We visited this location quite a number of times during our time in Banff. The scene can be dramatically different depending on the light, weather and sky. This image was taken when the skies were overcast, but the clouds were pretty decent and did not obscure the mountains peak. I scrambled down to the shoreline of the lake, where there were some great reeds that I felt would be a great foreground. Because of the light, I processed this in black and white, as it brings out the starkness of the scene. Click on the image itself to get a better look at the details in it.

 

And Now for Something Completely Different - Sagrada Família, Barcelona

Sagrada Família, Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is renowned for its unique architecture, and, when we visited there for the first time, we couldn't help being amazed. The diversity of the architecture is everywhere. The centerpiece of Barcelona's architecture is Sagrada Família (a Roman Catholic Church) that is not even finished,  despite the fact that the construction began in 1882. About a year after construction started, the famed architect Antoni Gaudi took over the project and design, combining Gothic and Art Nouveau design. Gaudi  worked on the church until his death in 1926. Final completion of the church is estimated to be in 2028.

Seeing it for the first time from a few blocks away, my first thought was that this is the biggest church I have ever seen, by far. The outside spires had so many cranes around it that they outnumbered the eighteen spires (you read that right) by a large margin. As we got closer to it, there are so many statues, intricate designs and nuances that it is hard to take it in. The designs are quite unique and, pardon the pun, a bit gaudy. In fact, most of the structure looks that way. That is why I shot this particular photo of the ceiling right as we walked through the front doors. It was one of the few parts of the church that did not have that intricate and garish look to it. I will post another image later this week of Sagrada Família's ceiling that will better display the uniqueness of the building.

Golden Glow - Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Door Trail, Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Just past the eastern entrance to Badlands National Park are a couple of trails that take you to some great sunrise locations. We were staying in one of the two motels near there (the eastern end is remote), so, on my first morning at the park, I headed out for a short drive to the trails. There is a very large parking lot there, and I headed out on the Deer Trail. The trail is actually only about a half-mile of boardwalk, and, at the end, there are stairs where you can walk in the surreal landscape. That is a must if you are going to photograph there.

There was only one other photographer there (it was mid-September), and I had my pick of locations. For this shot, I climbed up on one of the mounds, and just took in the formations, as the rising sun created this amazing orange glow to them. The blue sky and clouds gave a great color contrast to the scene.

Sailing into the Sunset - Key West, Florida

Mallory Square, Key West, Florida

Quick post and run today. This is a view from Mallory Square in Key West, Florida. For those of you who haven't been there, it is quite the party city. There is one street, Duvall Street, where most of the action occurs. Late in the day, as sunset approaches, people (and photographers like me), gather in Mallory Square to enjoy the sunset. 

The Astronomical Clock - Strasbourg, France

Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France

European architecture always fascinates me, especially the awesome cathedrals that almost every city seems to have. There are always surprises that await me when we tour them. On this particular trip, we took a river cruise on the Rhine River that originated in Amsterdam. One of the stops was in the town of Strasbourg, France, located in the Alsace region. It is quite a wonderful city, and I wish we had more than one day to spend there. 

As in most European cities, the dominating building is the Cathédrale Notre-Dame. You can see it's spires from just about anywhere. Of course, I had to go in and take a few shots. Unfortunately, it seemed like every tourist within a mile was in the cathedral when I was. I noticed this huge crowd in the corner waiting for the Astronomical Clock to begin it's procession of the figures of Christ and the Apostles. I was able to inch in and capture this procession, which starts daily at half past midday. 

Dying Leaves - Lake Waramaug State Park, Connecticut

Lake Waramaug State Park, Kent, Connecticut

Almost can't believe that we are halfway through the summer already. When I was browsing through my Lightroom catalog looking for images to edit, I came across this shot that reminded me of how fast this summer has sped by. Before you know it, the Connecticut countryside will be lit with the bright colors of dying leaves. This photo is from one of my favorite locations during foliage season, Lake Waramaug State Park. Located about an hour from my house, I can always take a run out there to see if the foliage is peaking. It is a very pleasant drive, and I have often driven there a few weeks in a row to get the best of the fall colors. This particular area is actually just around the corner from the park and is privately owned. The property is large and I wish that I had the run of the place to photograph it. Perhaps one day, I will get the courage to drive the very long driveway, knock on the door, and ask permission.