Tag: San Francisco Peaks

Winter Sunrise

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The sunrise after a winter storm often results in beautiful scenery and colors. Low-lying areas may have shallow fog. Mountains may have multiple layers of clouds. All of this is enhanced by the low sun angle as it first rises above the horizon.

Low clouds and fog partially obscure the San Francisco Peaks as the sun rises (24 Jan 2024).
Low clouds and fog partially obscure the San Francisco Peaks as the sun rises (24 Jan 2024).

On the other hand, getting up before sunrise, driving on snow-packed roads, and standing around shooting photos with cold temperatures is a challenge. But the results are often worth the effort. Here are a few sunrise photographs.

Wispy clouds cap the San Francisco Peaks (08 Jan 2024).
Wispy clouds cap the San Francisco Peaks (08 Jan 2024).
First light on some old ranching structures near Mormon Lake (08 Jan 2024).
First light on some old ranching structures near Mormon Lake (08 Jan 2024).
Earth's shadow can be seen behind the San Francisco Peaks in this pre-sunrise image (26 Jan 2024).
Earth’s shadow can be seen behind the San Francisco Peaks in this pre-sunrise image (26 Jan 2024).
Telephoto image of snow and clouds on the San Francisco Peaks (26 Jan 2024).
Telephoto image of snow and clouds on the San Francisco Peaks (26 Jan 2024).
Layers of clouds are draped across Mingus Mountain (03 Feb 2024).
Layers of clouds are draped across Mingus Mountain (03 Feb 2024).

This week should bring lots of snow to northern Arizona. I hope to get some interesting photographs.

 

Wupatki National Monument with Snow

There was plenty of snow in January and some events produced snow at lower elevations — including Wupatki National Monument. So I found myself at the monument in time for sunrise one morning. There was less snow that I hoped to see but still enough to add some drama to the ancient pueblos in the park.

Sunrise at Wukoki Pueblo in Wupatki National Monument.
Sunrise at Wukoki Pueblo in Wupatki National Monument.
Wukoki Pueblo with the San Francisco Peaks in the distance.
Wukoki Pueblo with the San Francisco Peaks in the distance.

After leaving Wukoki Pueblo I went to Lomaki Pueblo.

Lomaki Pueblo in Wupatki National Monument.
Lomaki Pueblo in Wupatki National Monument.
Lomaki Pueblo in Wupatki National Monument with the San Francisco Peaks in the distance.
Lomaki Pueblo in Wupatki National Monument with the San Francisco Peaks in the distance.

And, finally, this tuft of grass with snow.

Tuft of grass with snow.
Tuft of grass with snow.

Aspen in the Fall

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The aspen leaves have now mostly fallen to the ground with only a few patches of color left. It has been a good year for leaf peeping and I was able to capture several images that I like. But I have also captured some good photos over the years and this post highlights some of those.

Inner Basin Trail, October 2014.
Inner Basin Trail, October 2014.

My favorite is this photo taken while mountain biking in the Inner Basin of the San Francisco Peaks. Shot with fill flash and an ultra-wide angle lens.

Inner Basin, 2005.
Inner Basin, 2005.

One of my earliest photos, also in the Inner Basin, was shot on Fuji Provia film in 2005. The remaining photos are from 2008 through 2022 and are, of course, digital shots.

Waterline Road, 2008.
Waterline Road, 2008.
Arizona Trail at Bismarck Lake, 2010.
Arizona Trail at Bismarck Lake, 2010.
Aspen Corner, Snowbowl Road, 2011.
Aspen Corner, Snowbowl Road, 2011.
Weatherford Canyon, 2012.
Weatherford Canyon, 2012.
NWS, Bellemont, 2012.
NWS, Bellemont, 2012.
Inner Basin, 2013.
Inner Basin, 2013.
Mountain biking, Inner Basin Trail, 2013.
Mountain biking, Inner Basin Trail, 2013.
Arizona Trail, 2013.
Arizona Trail, 2013.
Forest Road 418, 2013.
Forest Road 418, 2013.
Waterline Road, 2014.
Waterline Road, 2014.
Inner Basin Trail, 2015.
Inner Basin Trail, 2015.
Lockett Meadows and Inner Basin, 2015.
Lockett Meadows and Inner Basin, 2015.
Waterline Road, 2018.
Waterline Road, 2018.
Weatherford Canyon, 2018.
Weatherford Canyon, 2018.
Mormon Mountain, 2018.
Mormon Mountain, 2018.
San Francisco Peaks, 2019.
San Francisco Peaks, 2019.
Hochderffer Hills, 2021.
Hochderffer Hills, 2021.
Dry Lake Hills, 2022.
Dry Lake Hills, 2022.
Arizona Trail, 2022.
Arizona Trail, 2022.
Alfa Fia Tank, 2022.
Alfa Fia Tank, 2022.
Arizona Trail, 2022.
Arizona Trail, 2022.

Wave Cloud over the San Francisco Peaks

We had an interesting wave cloud over and downwind of the San Francisco Peaks on Saturday. I first noticed it as I left the house driving to a trail run on Waterline Road in the San Francisco Peaks north of Flagstaff.

Wave cloud over the San Francisco Peaks, Arizona.
Wave cloud over the San Francisco Peaks, Arizona.

The view from the parking lot and trailhead was partially obscured by trees but I knew that sections of the Waterline Road had a wide-open view. And, so, I found a view that I really liked with the wave cloud, road, and distant cinder cones.

I shot this as a set of five vertical panoramas on my iPhone. I then imported these into Affinity Photo to create a horizontal panorama (a panorama of panoramas!).  Finally, I used some warp transformation in AP to fix the horizon (i.e.; make it straight instead of curved) and the corners.

Five vertical panorama images used to create the final image.
Five vertical panorama images used to create the final image.

Oh, and the run was fun, too!