Autumn in Denali National Park

Mountains south of the Park Road in Denali National Park and Preserve. "Rivers" of yellow wind through the red foliage and "lakes" of green spruce dot the hillsides. I have yet to find a place that I would prefer to be in autumn, even though the season here is incredibly short. The splendid colors only hang around for about a week before the deciduous leaves fall, followed shortly by the snow.

Planetary Twilight

Jupiter and Venus shining bright after sunset as twilight takes over on a cold, cold night on Murphy Dome. The "blue hour" lasts a very long time in the interior of Alaska for most of the fall, winter, and spring.

Ice-covered

A lot of snow falls up here covering the mountains of the Trinity Basin of the Alaska Range in ice. This is part of the small remaining accumulation area of the Black Rapids Glacier. I'm amazed at how such a conglomeration of ice and snow can take the appearance of simply being draped over the mountains.

Denali

Gorgeous red landscapes over the Thorofare River and yellow vegetation-covered Muldrow Glacier. And of course Denali, the tallest Mountain in North America at 20,310' above sea level.

After Sunset

Silhouetted boreal forest and reflection at Ballaine Lake - Fairbanks, Alaska

Spruce Ballroom

Snow-clad spruce trees at sunrise. Sunrises have to be one of my favorite things about Fairbanks, next to the aurora, and the mountain range to our south. Our sparse boreal forests give nice open views of the sky too. I love seeing those subtle arctic blues behind the brilliant colors. Almost every morning in the winter is wonderful!

Thorofare River and Denali

Looking over the confluence of the Thorofare and McKinley River at Denali. Some interesting geological features in a valley on my hike down from the Thorofare Ridge back to the Park Road.

August - Mt. Shand

The south face of Mt. Shand (12,660 feet, 3859 meters) in the Alaska Range. That's about a mile of vertical, exposed rock.

Beaver Pond

Along the lower portion of the Granite Tors trail. Fall colors were just starting to set in.

Polychrome View

The shuttle buses in Denali National Park stop constantly for wildlife, this is one of the few stops that is made purely for the view. Braded rivers, kettle ponds, and glacial erratics dot the valley. This was one of the only days I've been there that the glaciers were visible.

Alpenglow

Alpenglow disappears slowly on a peak in the Alaska Range. Incredible pastels filled the sky and glance a few of the higher ridges and peaks during the "blue hour".

Vast

Panorama taken in the White Mountains of Alaska. Autumn has come and gone here already. I started to build a snowman, but my hands got cold.

Rainbow

A bright rainbow in the Donnelly Flats just north of the Alaska Range.

Color on the Alaska Range

Pastel Colors over the Alaska Range, near Donnelly Dome along the Richardson Highway.

Thorofare Views

The view while descending the Thorofare Ridge on the way back to the Park Road in Denali National Park.

Potholes and Tors

A few water-filled potholes dot the top of this ridge at Granite Tors.

Sunrise over the Tanana

Along the Richardson Highway north of Delta Junction. We were on our way from Fairbanks to the Delta Mountains - Eastern Alaska Range.

Mt. Hayes

Morning light on Mt. Hayes - looking over the mostly frozen Tanana River.

Black Cap and White Princess

Black Cap and White Princess from the Castner Creek.

Exit Glacier Landscape

Gorgeous Color

Fall colors on the tundra landscape north of the Polychrome Overlook in Denali National Park.

Northwestern Glacier Landing Beach

Glacier stream enters the Northwestern Fjord. Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska.

Savage Valley

The Savage River, glacial moraines, and Double Mountain

Through the channel

Remnants of an ice cave on the Castner Glacier. Now it's just a giant arch.

Evening Light and Fall Colors

Denali National Park

Silent Taiga

Snow-covered spruce on the UAF trails near Ballaine Lake.