It's been a long time since I visited Dinosaur National Monument. The last time I went I was a kid and was more interested in the fossil wall with the cool dinosaur bones than the monument's mighty rivers and canyons. This time, part of my trip a couple of weeks ago, was very different. (Besides, the visitor center with the fossil wall is currently closed ) I'll start things off with the view from the end of the short trail at The Gates of Lodore in the remote northern section of the park. Sunrise was a bust due to overcast skies, but a few hours later the skies started to break and the light inside the canyon was still pretty nice.
The morning a couple of days later, after camping in Echo Park and taking the photo on ESS, I climbed to the ridge top over the park for the magnificent view of Steamboat Rock, the confluence of the Green and Yampa Rivers at right and the surrounding canyons. A storm was just starting to roll in and this was the last of the blue sky for several hours. This image is a stitch of six.
Later that afternoon I also visited the Harper's Corner overlook (after taking the short 1-mile hike at the end of the road). I highly recommend this trail, the view is spectacular. Luckily, just as I arrived at the overlook the clouds started breaking up and I got some interesting dappled light on the canyons below. Here's one exposure zoomed in a bit.
Finally, since I can't decide which cactus image I like better (maybe you can help me decide) here is another. Wheeew, I'm spent on posts for a little while.
Wow, what a haul, Josh! I like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 the most. Looks like the darkest blues in the sky of #2 might be a little too dark and a little too electric, and there's quite a halo around the necks of the adult duckies, but if that's all I can nitpick, who cares?! Fantastic collection. You've been on quite the roll lately.
Great series, Joshua. 2, 3, and 4 really float my boat. I love the sky in #2.
Posted by Jeff Hackett on June 3, 2010 at 10:31 PM
First four really rock! The first Harpers Corner image is my overall favorite here. I love trying to look in the canyons. Those geese got their wings full with that many goslings. They'd better keep an eye on the last one, he/she seems like the wild one!
Very well done. The stitched images are quite something. As others have indicated, there is a lot to choose from in this set and hard to pick a favorite.
Great set, Joshua. I especially like #2. That's fascinating backcountry to explore.
I highly recommend any of the multiday river trips on the Green or Yampa for your future consideration.
Joshua, you were in my neck of the woods, so to speak. Dinosaur is a special place, no doubt, and you certainly captured that! Love the clouds in the Steamboat Rock overlook!
Discussion
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Larger version HERE
Larger version HERE
Oh yea, here's the link to the image on ESS: http://www.naturephotographers.net/imagecritique/ic.cgi?a=vp&pr=148876&CGISESSID=c58c2044419f702ac98e67090f35dc23&u=7980
Very well done. The stitched images are quite something. As others have indicated, there is a lot to choose from in this set and hard to pick a favorite.
I highly recommend any of the multiday river trips on the Green or Yampa for your future consideration.