October Sky

EVERYTHING draws me to this image!!!!!

one of your best and one of my favorites I've ever seen from here.

Beautifully done Zack! You are correct, it may be one of the most photographed spots in the country but there's a reason for that and you captured it perfectly.

Wonderful image with beautiful pastels Zack. Everything about this looks just great. A beauty.

Glad you did Zack. I realize there are lots of shots from here, but still love to see this view. The pastels are beautiful; a nice contrast to the fall colors.

Hi Zack! Looks like you are enjoying the West!
Yes, we've seen this place before, but I for one have never seen it like this. You have added you're own personal touch, with the long exposure and airy pastels. KUDOS!

P.S. Also glad you found an uncrowded morning. After an article in PopPhoto about the Adirondacks, I saw lots of "dressed to kill" weekend photogs (all wearing the same new-looking photo vest) at the Rt. 73 roadside views this year. Maybe they ended up there because of the NP closures. During the week, I even saw another guy with a tripod on one of the smaller peaks! That was a first for me. Then to top it off, Ray Palmer (Google his Web site if you don't know the name) and I crossed on the trail to Mt. Van Hoevenberg. Yep, getting crowded back here, too.

This is beautiful.....

very pretty image. no nits from me, only pleased viewing.

Beautiful job on this one! Love the pastel colors.

Lovely pastels.

Ooooh, pretty in pink! This is a lovely pastel.

Nice peaceful image, really like the soft colors and mood created.

Zack although photographed countless thousands of times, this is one on my favorite locations there, and you have a good one here. Believe it or not, I was there one day when nobody else was. Nice work getting the fall colors in this classic location.

Just Beautiful!!, Zack. The colors and mood are wonderful.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Very dreamy feel with the clouds and no FG features. Gorgeous light you found. Looks like you made the best of the shutdown. I'm curious if the closures were really enforced - could you just drive on in, or could bike or hike inif you wanted?

Love those beautiful soft pastel pinks Zack, and they contrast with those aspens very nicely!

Thanks everyone!

Harry: The enforcement of the closures was real. As of the 1st of they were not letting anyone pass through the gates, didn't matter if you were driving or hiking/biking. I had a friend who booked a site at the Signal Mountain Campground the day before the closure for three nights so I told them I was staying there. The NPS was supposed to allow anyone camping or lodging within the park to remain for up to 48 hours after the closure took effect, but you were told you could not leave your campsite or lodge to recreate in any way, and that included taking pictures. They even had the bike path along Hwy 191 closed, quite hilarious. There was a fresh elk carcass near Oxbow that was right beside the road and I stopped to photograph a couple of coyotes on the kill, a ranger pulled up behind me and got out and halfheartedly told me I could not take any pictures, I think he too was trying to hold back the laughter.

Yellowstone was a different story, they really went overboard with the closure. I left later on the 2nd to head back home, and they had put hard barriers up at the south gate of Yellowstone and would not let me pass back through the park to get home, so my 3 1/2 hour drive turned into a 9 1/2 hour drive.. in a snowstorm, but that's another story..

Beautiful image Zack. I really like the color palette here with the subtle pastels. I'm glad you were able to enjoy a peaceful morning out there without the hordes of people.