Mount Denali (McKinley) Southface, Alaska

North America's highest peak, Mount Denali, formerly known as Mount McKinley, faces Kesugi Ridge which is located north of Anchorage, in Denali State Park. (Yes, Denali State Park is distinct from the well known big brother Denali National Park & Preserve)

To capture sunrise glow on Denali's south face, I backpacked Kesugi Ridge which parallels Denali and the Alaska Range across a valley on a beautiful weekend in July. The trail ascends through forest, then rocky terrain, and opens up to alpine tundra. Soon after climbing above the tree line, majestic Denali was supposed to show off... however, Denali was hiding behind clouds, as is not uncommon. With an elevation of 20,310 feet (6,190 m), the mountain creates its own climate and often generates clouds around the mountain although it was a perfectly clear day.

Once getting up on the ridge, the trail was almost flat and continued along the ridge. The clouds over Denali slowly departed, and showed off the entire mountain while I was setting up camp. It was a perfect evening as the sun lowered behind the Alaska Range. The light rays lit the silhouette of Denali...

The sky above Denali was still clear at sunrise. View of Denali at camp. It was windy and cold at dawn as I set up the camera outside the tent door and while sitting inside my warm sleeping bag, I was able to capture the sunrise on Denali. It was early July, under the midnight sun, there was only a few hours of twilight instead of darkness. When the sun appeared on the edge of the horizon, the very first light hit the highest peak! Slowly, the golden light shifted downward...

As the sun slowly rose, the glow on the mountain lowered... The thin clouds behind the mountain turned to peach colors... In the northern latitudes, sunrise and sunset take much longer. Photographers appreciate this long "magic light" for sure!

Stunning morning lights painted Denali and the whole Alaska Range in warm crimson. Several unnamed creeks from melting snow flowed down Kesugi Ridge. What a perfect morning in wilderness.

I had captured the south face of Denali, next will be the famous north face view. I'm heading to Denali National Park & Preserve this weekend. Camping for a week, I'm hoping to capture the sunset glow on Mount Denali with bright red fall colors of tundra. Wish me good weather!

"The Garden Island" - Kauai, Hawaii

My 2015 winter photo project took me to the northern most Hawaiian Island of Kauai. I have been spending some time in the Hawaiian Islands during the winter months for the past three years. I have traveled to the Big Island, Oahu, and Maui so this winter I flew to the northern most Hawaiian Island, Kauai. Kauai is the smallest island among those four islands, but as a nature photographer, Kauai offers a variety of outstanding landscapes in a small package. As the name of the "Garden Island", the island is covered with lush tropical greens with bright colored flowers! This sunset was shot overlooking Hanalei Bay. The storm clouds moved in before sunset and the low angle sun painted clouds in golden orange. The opening sky was red, and the color reflected on the ocean.

This is a Hanalei Bay under day light. The tropical ocean was turquoise green under blue sky. Hanalei Bay represents my dream landscape of Hawaii; tropical ocean surrounded by a rugged green mountain backdrops.

Another shot at Hanalei Bay. The bay was spiritually beautiful when a misty rain veiled over the mountains. The local surfer with his two dogs on a paddleboard. I was shooting Hanalei Bay from various vantage points, different times of the day and varying weather... I was drawn to this magnificent bay several times during my stay. It was one of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen...

Here is the sunrise at Kappa, the east coast of Kauai. Typical sunrise view with palm silhouettes.

"Garden Island" is the perfect name of Kauai. Fern Grotto, the ferns hanging on the natural lava cave along the Wailua River, accessed only by tour boat. I wish I could have spent more time to compose from different angles.

Waimea Canyon is another natural wonder on Kauai. Often described as "the Grand Canyon of the Pacific", its dramatic landscapes are greener than the Grand Canyon. This is another place that I'd like to explore in depth in future visits.

Kauai, as with other Hawaiian Islands, offers a unique wildlife presence on the island. The Hawaiian goose called the Nene is especially high within Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge.

Hawaiian Monk Seal laying on a northern beach of Kauai.

Kauai's most common wildlife is the ever-present domesticated chicken gone feral... Wild chickens are everywhere across the island... I mean literally everywhere like on the streets, airport, beaches, parking lots, and campgrounds! If one appears, groups of them suddenly shows up seemingly out of nowhere. Families with several chicks cross the highway regularly. This photo was taken at the campground at Waimea Canyon, the rooster calls woke me up at dawn, and they continuously sang...

There are countless photogenic locations on Kauai, nevertheless, backpacking along the Napali Coast Kalalau Trail was the highlight of this trip... The 11 mile trail along the Napali Coast was spectacular but treacherous and strenuous. Hiking on the muddy narrow trail along vertical cliffs with my heavy pack (photography gear and camp gear) was really challenging. The paradise waiting at the end was worth the effort.. I'll post some photos and my adventure story from Napali Coast on my next blog. Please check back in 2-3 weeks!

"House of the Sun" - Haleakala Summit, Maui, Hawaii

 

The summit of Haleakala Volcano rises 10,023 feet above sea level on the Hawaiian island of Maui. It is said, viewing the sunrise at Haleakala Summit is "most memorable" and a somewhat spiritual experience. As a nature photographer, I was thrilled to capture the spectacular sunrise at Haleakala Summit.

Arriving at Haleakala Summit more than a half hour before sunrise, the large parking lot was already almost full! Hundreds of people were already standing and waiting at the edge of the crater where the sun was supposed to come out... The cold gusty winds was blowing across the arid volcanic crater, and the tourists were shivering in hotel blankets... I was wearing Alaskan winter clothing which I wore from home to the airport. The sky was still dark with millions of stars.

When I set up the camera gear at the edge of crater, the sky was starting to get lighter. The ocean of clouds were spread beyond the crater... The reddish volcanic rocks were mysterious purple under the light of dawn. A  group of Hawaiian women chanted in their local language as the sun continued to rise. "House of the Sun" in Hawaiian language, Haleakala is an ancient sacred place for Volcano goddess, Pele.

 

The sky slowly lightened up above the cold, windy crater... The background chanting keep going... Finally, the bright sun came out above the clouds. The sky was reddish orange!

As sun goes up, the warm light painted the crater in golden orange. Now the volcano landscape comes alive. The crater and volcanic cones. The colors of the landscape and sky changed every moment!

The sunrise was dramatic but quick... and COLD. The endangered Hawaiian bird: Nene were hanging around in the lower elevation in the park.

Here are Haleakala Summit sunset from the night before... Sunset behind the Observatory.

Flaming clouds at Summit area at sunset. 

 

Another sunrise over Haleakala. Sunrise rays above the Haleakala Summit, viewed from the ocean.

Tour du Mont Blanc #3 Courmayeur – Elena, Italy (European Alps)

 

As my first European photo project, I hiked with my camera gear on the 110-mile Tour du Mont Blanc trail in July 2014. The first 3 days were done in drenching rain while I trekked the mountain pass. After crossing the French – Italian border, the weather slowly improved. After days of frustration, I finally was able to capture some of the spectacular landscapes in the Alps. Continuing from my last posting, I made it to the Italian side of Mont Blanc to the town of Courmayeur. 

 

After a few days break at Courmayeur, I headed back on the journey. It had been already a week since I began hiking on the Tour du Mont Blanc trail. Leaving the outskirts of town, the trail slowly climbed up through the woods. Then, the trail got steeper as I left civilization behind… The town of Courmayeur was already down below!

The dense forest opened up with a wildflower meadow.  I’m impressed with the abundance of colorful wildflowers in the Alps. 

As I climbed up higher, the south side of the Mont Blanc range showed up again with the majestic Grand Jorasses rock wall with glaciers. The long awaited sunshine brought bright blue sky above the mountains and the trail.

Under the sunlight, the vegetation was bright green and the colors of the flowers brightened up as the glacier and snow-capped peaks shined against the blue sky. Many times I stopped and set up my camera until I finally arrived at the mountain refuge for the night…

At the late afternoon, the clouds on the peaks slowly cleared out and the entire Mont Blanc appeared from its long absence! The Italian side, the south face of the Mont Blanc summit was different from the French side (North face).

Mont Blanc was still out the next morning.  Alpenglow painted the summit at dawn.

Grandes Jorasses (4,208 m; 13,806 ft) at sunrise.

 



Grandes Jorasses and Frebouze Glacier.

Another beautiful day in the Alps… More flowers along the way. Looking down Ferret Valley (Val Ferret) below…

This story will be continue on the next blog with new images, please check back.

 

Reflections of Kenai Lake, Alaska

The spring came early this year... In early May, fresh greens sprouted from the ground soon followed by trees turning lush green about one month earlier than in normal years! 

In June, Alaska is already in midsummer! Plants are growing fast during the long day light hours while wildflowers celebrate in beautiful weather. I've been busy photographing the most beautiful season in Alaska.

Kenai Lake is a large glacial lake located on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula at the headwaters of the world famous (for salmon fishing) Kenai River. When the lake is calm, this blue green water reflects the Kenai Mountains... 

I've always been fascinated with landscape reflections... 

It was early in the morning, the rain had stopped, and sky was a partly clear. No wind of any kind giving way to a water surface perfectly still... very quiet. The sunlight came through the clouds right after sunrise lighting the peaks across the lake. The lights on the mountains were slowly descending... I love the patterns of the lights and shade. I was at the lake for a few hours, watching the lights shifting on the mountains.

Another Kenai Mountains reflections near Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet.

Portage Glacier, Alaska

 



Portage Glacier, located within Chugach National Forest southeast of Anchorage, is one of the most popular tourist attractions. However, the glacier has rapidly receded during the past century; the glacier face can hardly be seen from the highway or visitor center.

On a gorgeous summer day in July, I hiked 4 miles each way through a mountain pass to reach the current glacier face to view and photograph up close.

I camped in front of the glacier where a natural Fireweed garden was blooming in vivid pink, decorating the valley. The glacier and glacial lake were right in front of us under a perfect clear sky.

 

The glacier was actively calving and creating new icebergs with roaring thunder.

 

During the long sunset, ice bergs glistened in golden orange. In the northern latitude, sunset takes a long time, nearly one hour of the magic light - a photographer's dream. 

 

Here is the campfire in twilight.
 

At sunrise, the rose colored light glows on the mountain peaks above the glacier. The light slowly shifted down to the glacier. Glacier shined in the warm morning sun. Sunrise in nature is always a spiritual moment for me.

 

 

Big Island of Hawaii #2 - Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles (Honu) at Punalu'u Black Sand Beach

 

The Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles ("Honu" in the Hawaiian language) are sacred creatures in ancient Hawaiian legend, and a significant symbol of the Hawaiian Islands. Native Hawaiians worship the Honu as their ancestral spirit guide whose wisdom protects and leads them throughout their lives. Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles are protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Punalu'u Black Sand Beach on the Big Island is one of the spots where you can find those Green Sea Turtles out basking on the beach. It was in the evening when I first saw two large turtles laid out on the shore, mostly with closed eyes, and stayed at the same spot overnight. They are huge; a typical adult green sea turtle has a outer shell length of 40 inches and can weigh from 200-500 lbs. Their life spans around 70-80 years!

This huge turtle was sleeping on this rock until sunrise.

Some turtles were stuck in the tide pool... They were waiting for the incoming tide to opens up the waterway to the sea.

Turtles kissing.

Besides the turtles presence, Punalu'u Black Sand Beach has a magical atmosphere; the jet black sands, formed from the volcanic lava, surrounded by picturesque coconut palm trees. Behind the beach lies a freshwater pond with water plants adding yet another interesting landscape.

This story will continue in the next blog: Big Island of Hawaii #3 - Tropical Rainforest and Waterfalls