Raccoon Creek State Park
Beaver County Pennsylvania

I make my annual pilgrimage to the falls by mid-February, after we have had an extended period of subfreezing temps, for the ice display. Each year the ice formations are different from the previous and this year I was not disappointed. I took this image just before sunrise and was very fortunate. By mid-afternoon the temperature had risen to the mid-50's and the ice curtain had crumbled.

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Raccoon Creek State Park
Beaver County Pennsylvania

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The Chupadera Mountains lie within the boundaries of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.

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White Sands National Park New Mexico
The morning was unusually cold for southern New Mexico (20-degree F) as we started our hike on the Alkali Flat Trail, which is anything but flat. The 5-mile loop trail is a roller coaster climbing one dune ridge down to an inter-dune flat then back up to the next ridge. Trail marker posts are used as a navigation guide. The clear blue sky we had anticipated was replaced by a thick layer of altostratus clouds stretching from one horizon to the other. A fuzzy sun appeared on occasion, but overall, the sky produced flat lighting giving very little shadow detail. Throughout the day, subtle changes in the light gave a surreal softness and color to the dunes. White Sands is truly a magical place.

Tags:   newmexico whitesands nationalparks alamogordo gypsum dunes alkaliflats

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Along the Alkali Flat Trail.

Tags:   newmexico dunes dunefield alamogordo geology gypsum nationalparks

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