Posted on March 16, 2017, 1:18 am, by QT Luong, under
Esthetics.
I wrote previously about finding a new view of Horsetail Fall, Yosemite “natural firefall”. The high vantage point let me frame the waterfall in a rich wide-angle composition that brought me much satisfaction. But would most people consider it to be “better” than the classic photograph? What would their relative preferences say? On the day […]
Posted on March 7, 2017, 11:40 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
For most of the year, Pinnacles National Park is quite a dry place. I revisited right after the high rains of this winter – which put to shame last year’s El Nino conditions, to observe the place transformed by the flow of the creeks and to photograph another elusive waterfall. Pinnacles lies less than 50 […]
Posted on February 26, 2017, 9:40 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
In mid to late Feburary, Horsetail Fall on El Capitan is backlit by the setting sun, creating the unique natural phenomenon known as the “natural firefall”. Nowadays, the Yosemite firefall is widely known to the public, and even makes media headlines each year. The National Park Service has to close the inner lanes of the […]
Posted on February 12, 2017, 9:20 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
The combination of easy access, interpretive signage, and dramatic change makes Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park possibly the best place in the world to witness glacial retreat with your own eyes. This is an account of the changes I saw in my four visits to Exit Glacier from 2001 to 2016. Exit Glacier […]
Posted on February 4, 2017, 1:46 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Although Wrangell-St Elias is a national park of immense size – the largest of all with immense potential for exploration, perhaps none of the experiences it offers is as accessible and remarkable as exploring its Root Glacier. Find out what I discovered by spending a day wandering above and also under the ice. Of all […]
Posted on January 28, 2017, 12:00 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Besides the incredibly raw ghost mining town, the Nabesna road in Wrangell-St Elias also provides access to the more expected experience of a national park: a beautiful scenic drive that leads to several trailheads for great hikes, with a campground and lodges available. But unlike on other park roads, you won’t have to share with […]
Posted on January 21, 2017, 4:04 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
For something a bit different within our national parks, I visited the incredibly raw and well-preserved mining ghost town of Nabesna, a rare and off-limits find in the quiet northern corner of Wrangell-St Elias Of the two roads that lead into Wrangell-St Elias National Park, Nabesna Road, which opens up the northern reaches of the […]
Posted on October 6, 2016, 3:43 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
This year, to celebrate the National Park Service Centennial, a few individuals have embarked on well-publicized trips to visit all 59 U.S. national parks in a year. Besides releasing Treasured Lands, whose early reviews seem to acknowledge as “the” book of the Centennial, I am celebrating by quietly completing a second round of national parks […]
Posted on July 15, 2016, 7:10 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Zion National Park doesn’t have the equivalent of Yosemite’s Glacier Point. Because of the sheer walls surrounding Zion Canyon, there are only two trails leading from the valley floor to the rim. Although lesser known than Angels Landing, the Observation Point Trail is the higher of the two. Angels Landing Trail is is famous for […]
Posted on June 29, 2016, 6:47 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Most hikers into the famous Virgin River Narrows of Zion National Park turn around at the junction with Orderville Canyon, sometimes after taking a quick peak inside. Zion National Park’s most accessible canyon after the Narrows, Orderville is spectacular and distinctive, making it a worthwhile destination in itself for the adventurous hiker. Exploring the entirety […]
