Friday, July 28, 2023

Cedar Breaks National Monument, UT, July 15-16, 2023

Hiked around the South Rim and Upper Alpine Pond Loop on consecutive evenings, starting just before sunset. Lots of Colorado Columbine. This was my favorite shot.

The geography works great for flower shots then, as the sunsets slowly and late, and you get soft, warm, low light from the west.

Soft light on the amphitheater, too.

Fleabane.

Lots of deer up here. Stick to the speed limit, and keep an eye on the sides of the road after dark, because they are definitely hanging around the area.

It was a snowy season at Cedar Breaks, so I think the flowers are blooming a week or two later than normal. Probably the field of sunflowers is prettier now than it was a few weeks ago.

The trail to the Bartizan (an arch) opened last year. I hiked there, 2.75 miles one way. But it was getting dark by the time I got there and have no good shots. Some nice after-dark shots of the sky, though, that'll I'll be posting, soon.

Probably less than two miles when I did the Upper Alpine Pond Loop. Lots of deer shots, but it was getting dark, so they aren't particularly sharp.