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Remembering Glacier National Park: 2015As fall quickly passes by and snow begins to fly around the Gallatin Valley, I wonder how the summer and fall managed to sneak by so quickly. It seems like we all have our list of projects to get done before winter, but if your list is like mine, you rarely see it completed before the first snow falls. Don’t get me wrong, I could most likely finish all of these chores, but I am easily sidetracked by photo projects. I was however, able to take some time from the daily hustle and bustle and make a trip to Glacier National Park this summer. It had been far too long since my wife, Christie and I had visited the park, so when the opportunity came up to spend some time visiting my mother, brother and sister in-law in Apgar Village, we jumped at the chance.
Although there were major wildfires in Washington, and some fires in the park that made for smoke filled days with views that weren’t quite as majestic as they can be… we made the best of our time and enjoyed as much of the park as we could. It was nearly impossible to see the three different waterfalls that feed Avalanche Lake due to the smoke, but the way it smoke was settling in the valleys made for some spectacular sunsets from our spot on Lake McDonald.
The fires caused issues for many travelers as US Highway 2 had to be closed multiple times near Essex, Montana because it was burning so close to the roadway. I used my Canon 60D and EF 24-105mm f/4L IS lens to quickly capture this image of the smoke plumes and setting sun as we were escorted through the fire zone by pilot cars.
Later that same night, I made a midnight run on the Going to the Sun Road and was able to get above the smoke to create some images. These shots of the night sky were only enhanced by the presence of the smoke. Both of these images were captured near top of Logan’s Pass using my Canon 7D with my Sigma 10mm-20mm wide-angle lens. Keep an eye out for more images from this excursion in an upcoming post about night skies. We also made a day trip up to Logan’s Pass, which was the best day for wildlife during our trip. My Canon 7D and EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II came in handy when we came across a nanny mountain goat with two kids near the trail. I watched this little guy munch on grass and wildflowers for a few minutes before moving up the path. We didn’t get to see much wildlife while we were at the park, but when we did, there were always babies around. It seemed strange that there were so many young animals so late in the summer, but it worked out well for me because I was able to get some really fun shots of a whitetail doe and fawn too. I again used my Canon 7D and EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II to capture these early evening shots. All and all, I can’t complain about my visit to Glacier National Park this summer. We were able to see some familiar landscape in a way hat we’ve never experienced, we enjoyed good times with family and friends, and I was able to re-kindle my love for Glacier. I encourage all of you to get out and enjoy your national parks with your own family and friends and create some lasting memories. To keep up on the latest information from Standiford Photography, you can Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or subscribe to this blog. Take a look at some of the wonderful fine art prints available at www.standifordphoto.com, and when your ready to preserve those memories, contact us to schedule a photo shoot for your portrait, adventure, or commercial needs.
© Jason Standiford
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