Landscapes

The Gaping Hole

Several canyons of the American West are longer and some are deeper, but none combines the depth, sheerness, narrowness, darkness, and dread of the Black Canyon

- Duane Vandenbusche

Up until I visited the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, I thought that the canyons of the Canyonlands and of Zion were some of the most impressive examples of the impact of hydrological forces. That changed when I peered over the edge of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River: a vertical dropoff of 1800ft below me, and a sheer cliff face rising equally high on the opposite side of the gorge barely a quarter mile away, all created by a sliver of river threading through this narrow gorge.

Seeing that gaping hole cut through miles of rocky terrain really put into perspective the sheer power of nature. The river, tamer now, must have been one of the most powerful forces to cut through such a geology, revealing patterns in the rock the likes of which I had never seen before. states:

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison was out there, but I am glad I explored this gem of a National Park.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

CO USA

The Southwest Story

Nowhere else was the gnarled twisted earth presented as bare and as convoluted as possible. Red sandstone cliffs stretched towards the horizon, while hoodoos stood guard along the slopes next to me. A maze of slot canyons cut through the hard rock, evidence of the eroding power of water. And amidst it all lay the feat of geology, the grand waterpocket fold, exposing knots and folds of sandstone layers stretching back millenia.

This was Capitol Reef National Park, an explosion of colors (of the red hue) in the heart of Utah. Hiking through the various trails, and exploring the park's various hotspots gave me a true appreciation of the grand scale of this geological wonder. The park beckons visitors with its visual spectacle and lessons in geologic history, and with so many trails and hidden gems to explore, there is something for everybody.

Here is one such vista capturing a slice of the beauty of the park

Capitol Reef National Park
UT USA

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Rolling Hills and Red Barns

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I am back after a long hiatus. And while I haven't been posting, I most certainly have continued to shoot, traveling to some amazing National parks in the desert Southwest, as well as exploring the wonders of the Pacific Northwest, such as the Palouse.

The Palouse has always had a special place in my heart. Having first visited it over 5 years ago, the region of rolling green hills, picturesque barns, historic towns, and a charming rustic life, drew me in once again. And perhaps one of the best places to take in the essence of this unique place is witnessing the sunrise atop Steptoe Butte, a conical butte rising 1000ft above the rolling landscape.

From atop the butte, the lines of shadow and light provide an aerial perspective into the sinuous curves of the farmlands,  creek-beds that wind between the hills, red barns, farmsteads and silos that pepper the region, distant windmills capturing clean energy, and the vast agricultural heartland of Washington. The chaotic sleep schedules, the abundance of dust in the air, and the harsh sunny climate does not make it a destination for everybody, but the place certainly rewards the patient and the perseverent.

This was shot from atop the butte with a telephoto lens at F11, ISO 800 at 1/15s

Steptoe Butte State Park
WA USA

Into the Maw

From the distance, it was just like any other non-descript volcano in Nicaragua, a conical mound of dark ash with scarred slopes rising up from the undulating landscape. The smooth paved highway winding up to the top, however, was a dead giveaway that this was special.

Not often does one get to peer into the maw of the earth, through a gaping crater were the inner flames of the core find a  way up to the surface. Volcan Masaya is one such place. Looking down the rocky cliff a mere 100ft below was the active crater, belching sulphurous gases that glowed with the deep orange characteristic of the mantle.

Witnessing the lava flow inside the caldera was one thing, but enjoying the wild atmosphere outside was something else. The quick turnaround at the summit, the constant stream of tourists, the toxic gases, the blood-red sun in the evening sky all became part of the experience of witnessing this active crater.

And while the current conditions on the ground may be unstable, this volcano will continue to belch and smoke until its next cataclysmic eruption.

Volcan Masaya
Nicaragua

Remnants of a Fire

The rain beat a gentle tattoo on the roof of the house, reminding me that stranglehold of the winter storms hadn't truly melted away by the middle of spring. And with that, I was expecting a dreary hike in the mountains under gloomy grey skies, visibility marred by low-flying clouds and the characteristic misty drizzle of the Pacific North West. But that was not to be.

An atmospheric sky meandered high above, it's fast moving clouds dragging fleeting patches of shadow and light along the bright waters of the Columbia River. In the distance, crepuscular rays beamed down onto the rolling landscape, an endless series of mountain ranges stretching to the horizon. Tiny wildflowers were starting to embrace the warmth of the spring sun, braving freezing winds and occasional cloudy skies.

The bright and cheery scene was, however, marred by the blackened slopes on the southern side of the gorge, remnants of one of the most damaging wildfires in the Pacific Northwest - the Eagle creek Fire. It will take decades before the south side heals back its lush self.

It was a with a heavy heart I visited the Columbia River Gorge, and despite the giant scar, she was still beautiful.

Dog Mountain
WA USA

 

The Missing Landscape

To those devoid of imagination a blank place on the map is a useless waste; to others, the most valuable part.

Aldo Leopold

Badlands certainly seem like that: a forgotten piece of geological features in a remote corner of the windswept plains of South Dakota. So much so that until you are right up at it, you never get to realize what a treasure trove of history, geology, and nature this place really is.

National Parks, in that way, preserve such forgotten landscapes, the boundaries selected by not what people would want to visit, but by what the future generations don't even know they would need. Having visited 34 National Parks, I have been able to experience these some of what these diverse landscapes have to offer, and I look forward to getting surprised by more.

This is one such landscape in Badlands National Park, where the windswept rolling prairies give way to rugged hillscapes, and water-carved canyonlands painted with natural colors like no other. The 24 hrs I spent there left me wanting for more of this forgotten landscape

Badlands National Park
SD USA

The Case for National Parks

Why do National Parks matter?

In a digitally connected age, where we are creating a generation addicted the slab of plastic and glass, it is very easy to lose the perspective of reality, and experiencing the present for what it really is. The popularity contests inherent in the digital generation shifts focus away from what is tangible to what is virtual.

National Parks are perhaps some of the few destinations that offer a reality check. It can put you under constraints that requires one to be physically present and think with their feet and not with their phones, and can provide enough of a draw to actually distract a visitor from their phones long enough to pique their curiosity to make a lasting impact.

My personal draw to 34 (and counting) of these unique National parks is the eager inquisitiveness to see what's out there. Exploring the diverse biomes that have been preserved in the different parks has certainly enriched my perspective on the grand ecological balance of nature. And perhaps there is nothing more exhilerating that standing atop a summit, with the world stretching forever around.

This was from one such visit to a local favorite: Mt Rainier National Park in Washington, where high atop one of the lookout points, the glaciated volcanic summit towers above the wildflower-filled grassy meadows and high-alpine atmosphere.

Mt Rainier National Park
WA USA

An ode to the Parks

The parks do not belong to one state or to one section.... The Yosemite, the Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon are national properties in which every citizen has a vested interest; they belong as much to the man of Massachusetts, of Michigan, of Florida, as they do to the people of California, of Wyoming, and of Arizona.

Stephen T. Mather, NPS Director, 1917-1929

As National Park Week rolls around, I reminisced on the impact the US National Park System has had in my life so far. And I have come to realize that without such a system, my passion for photography, my love of the outdoors, and my curiosity to explore, would have all suffered a slow premature death. One of my very first hiking trips in the National Park system was in Yosemite, where I got to see the grandeur of Half dome nestled in its stellar surroundings. Even my first backpack into the heart of its mountainous wilderness, where, camping in the meadows next to a glistening alpine lake, I got to experience the freedom the wild outdoors provide, especially in a protected setting like Yosemite, was unforgettable.

It was these formative trips into the National parks a decade ago that have fostered not just my passion for the outdoors, but also an ethos of conservation of the natural wonders. I am forever grateful for the magnanimity of the National Park service that asks for so little.

Thank you.

Yosemite National Park
CA USA

 

A moment together

Most of the cameras, and almost all the eyes were pointed at the grandeur of nature ahead: the towering brick-red sandstone buttes rising from the rugged desert landscape with the vast sky above breaking out in deep red while the last vestiges of sunlight set the sandstone edifices ablaze. As a photographer, even my attention was directed in that direction, until it was not.

After multiple compositions of that photogenic spectacle, I turned my eyes west, looking back at the rim of the View Hotel at Monument Valley, where I caught a small group of friends standing on the edge and enjoying the evening, whilst the sky behind was taking on a breath-taking crimson coating. I stood in awe enjoying this superb silhouette of a rare perspective in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

Monument Valley
AZ USA

 

The Last Vestiges of Winter

The last vestiges of winter are still hanging on through mid-April, leading to plunging mercury lines and people searching for their winter-wear. It brought memories of the cold winter the city went through, as well as my own escapades into the snow-capped cascades.

One such trip was the climb up-to Huntoon point where I was witness to a spectacle of sun and snow like no other. Fresh snowfall from the prior night had coated the ragged peaks with a carpet of pure undisturbed white, while strong winds had created tree-shines on the south-facing slopes. It was surreal to experience the transition from verdant greenery to the refreshing white climbing up from the depths below.

Conditions like these come together perhaps a couple of times a year, and I was glad to experience one of them. Hopefully it will keep me engaged until the next winter.

North Cascades National Park
WA USA