Posted on December 3, 2020, 6:47 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Day 2 In Mojave Trails National Monument, Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness, 18 miles west of Needles, protects California’s densest population of the fluffy cactus. The Wilderness area is bounded by I-40 on the north and power utility roads on the southwest and southeast. On my first visit, I tried to drive the later roads in […]
Posted on November 19, 2020, 11:49 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Day 1 At Bonanza Springs, the only water source of its size in more than 1,000 square miles of most arid desert, willows and cottonwoods line up a small canyon for half a mile. The watering hole sustains rare Mojave Desert wildlife including tortoises and bighorn sheep. It is a great place to camp and […]
Posted on November 12, 2020, 11:59 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve is an immense, well-preserved and diverse volcanic landscape with remarkable features spanning 1177 square miles in South Central Idaho. Most visitors spend all their time in the National Park Service (NPS) Developed Area. Although only a small 16 square miles, that part of the monument lives up […]
Posted on October 22, 2020, 11:30 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Floating the Upper Missouri River in Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument is a great trip, offering the opportunity to connect with a time when the landscape of the West was wild, surrounded by unique and spectacular scenery. It is an easy multi-day adventure that doesn’t require much experience nor effort to arrange. This article […]
Posted on October 9, 2020, 10:23 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
The longest river in North America, the Missouri River flows for 2,341 miles from Western Montana to St Louis, where it joins the Mississippi River. In 1976, a 149-mile section of the Missouri River in Montana was one of the first river segments to be protected with the Wild and Scenic River designation. Lewis and […]
Posted on October 1, 2020, 2:04 pm, by QT Luong, under
Techniques.
Large and distant subjects generally need strong shadows to define their shape. For photographing grand landscapes, there may be nothing more discouraging than an overcast day, confirming the adage “dull light, dull photos”. But is it true? This article compares two photographs of an understated subject in two extreme light situations: overcast and sunrise. The […]
Posted on September 17, 2020, 2:02 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Continuing the Alaska dreaming and remembering started with the springtime backpacking trip in Lake Clark National Park, I am re-publishing here a longer account of a more arduous autumn backpacking trip in Gates of the Arctic National Park, illustrated with photographs all captured on 5×7 large format film. It was one of my wildest and […]
Posted on September 3, 2020, 6:22 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
With long-distance travel somehow curtailed, it is time to reminisce about past experiences and long for the day when they will be possible again. Today marks the 56th anniversary of the Wilderness Act that provides the highest level of protection for America’s lands. One of my favorite wilderness journeys of the last two decades was […]
Posted on August 13, 2020, 4:16 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Mount Baldy, officially named Mount San Antonio, is the most well-known mountain in Southern California. The 10,068-foot peak, named for its treeless top, is the highest point in the Los Angeles area. It can be seen from anywhere in the city, forming a spectacular backdrop in winter when it is snow-covered and requires mountaineering skills. […]
Posted on July 16, 2020, 2:48 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Because it is wedged between areas of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, the northern unit of Giant Sequoia National Monument, is more traveled than the southern unit. When driving highway 180 (Kings Canyon Scenic Byway) between Grant Grove and Cedar Grove, or the Generals Highway between Grant Grove and Sequoia National Park, many visitors […]
