Skeleton of Forest

This was taken on the trail up to the top of Mt. Washburn in Yellowstone National Park. I was following the rules and staying on the trail, despite a great urge to walk closer. I had to use my longest lens, a 300/4.5 with a 1.4 teleconverter, to frame what I wanted.

The red areas are leaves of fireweed in their Fall glory. Years before I was there fire swept up this mountainside so fast that the needles and small branches flashed off the trees leaving only the dead, but standing skeletons. It was a spooky place, but I'm sure it's different now.

I spent a long time trying to find order in this chaos. I think I did, but I'm biased because I was there.

Pete D.