2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Glacier presents some great photographic opportunities, talk about it here.

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Carol Lynn
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by Carol Lynn »

These are all really gorgeous photos Pete! I'm glad you were out in such a beautiful day.
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by calicotraveler »

Such nice photos! Just waiting for more....
Amazing how early you had to get up to insure a parking place at Logan Pass.
The mountains are calling and I must go.
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by PeteE »

Carol Lynn wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 7:39 am These are all really gorgeous photos Pete! I'm glad you were out in such a beautiful day.
Thanks Carol! :)
I haven't yet been able to go through all that I took. Work this morning and chores for a while yet.
It was a good day mostly because there were good clouds. A "blank" sky isn't the best for most photography.
pete :wink:
calicotraveler wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 12:31 pm Such nice photos! Just waiting for more....
Amazing how early you had to get up to insure a parking place at Logan Pass.
As it happened I could have got up an hour later and probably found a space.
The difficulty is that there was no way to know how much early traffic there was going to be.
That and I REALLY dislike being in traffic jams...anywhere, not just GNP 8)
I was also hoping for a good sunrise. The sunrise time + or - was iffy.
It was very cold with 15-25mph wind blowing fog like clouds across the lot.
The wind and clouds were freezing my hands and making my eyes water. Hard for me to do anything.

This morning at 0700, the Logan Pass was close to filling up.
I'm certain that it was full by 0800.

I have some stuff to do but I'll try to get a few more pics up later today/this evening.
One difficulty is trying to decide which of like 20 images of Reynolds Mt to display.
Same with the bunch I took of the Garden Wall. The clouds constantly changing often made for very different images.
That and I was experimenting with making HDR's and panos.
So there may not be all that many to post.
Thanks again
pete :wink:
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by PeteE »

I need to get moving again today.
Busy day at work yesterday.
I spent time last night going through my pics from Monday.
It wasn't a happy exercise.
Lots of snapshots, but finding a decent "image" was like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. :(
So don't expect much.

pete :wink:
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by PeteE »

These two might qualify as an "images"
They don't look good here because they are very large files I had to shrink to keep the sides from being chopped.

Bigger
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-6qN ... Pvn-X3.jpg
Image

bigger
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-FX5 ... kRC-X3.jpg
Image

pete :wink:

This is just a "snap" of Reynolds Mt. taken from the mountaineering trail visible in the foreground.
The horizontal line of snow across the north face near the top is part of the "Grand Tour" route to the summit.
I LOVED that part of the climb when the chat's EarMountain led me up to the summit in July 2017.
That will always rank as one of the best hikes I've ever done. :D
Image
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by calicotraveler »

Oh so beautiful! I really wish we didn’t have to cxl our trip to Montana this year. But when you post photos I enjoy Glacier long distance. Thanks!
The mountains are calling and I must go.
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by tibber »

Thx Pete, last two sets of photos are so nice. Like the others here that won't get there this year; once again, we have to vicariously enjoy the Park through your eyes and lens.
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by al_in_al »

The glacier lily shot is very nice - I've never visited at the right time to see them there. And I've definitely never seen such a clear view from the overlook!

Thanks for helping us all get our Glacier fix.
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by paul »

I really like the first two images from your last post, Pete. They are definitely print worthy and probably poster worthy. I rarely see the air in Glacier that clear when I visit nowadays. Actually, the last time I saw a day that clear in Glacier was probably before 2010.
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by PeteE »

calicotraveler wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2020 2:39 pm Oh so beautiful! I really wish we didn’t have to cxl our trip to Montana this year. But when you post photos I enjoy Glacier long distance. Thanks!
Thanks Michele. It's really a shame to have to cancel but perfectly understandable.
I'll do my best to get some good pics for everyone here! :)
tibber wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2020 4:54 pm Thx Pete, last two sets of photos are so nice. Like the others here that won't get there this year; once again, we have to vicariously enjoy the Park through your eyes and lens.
Thanks Angela. I sat for an hour in the same place as the clouds came and went. At times visibility went to <100yards! LOL
Crazy weather, but the composition was really nice so I stuck with it.
al_in_al wrote: Thu Jul 16, 2020 9:12 am The glacier lily shot is very nice - I've never visited at the right time to see them there. And I've definitely never seen such a clear view from the overlook.

Thanks for helping us all get our Glacier fix.
Thank you too "J" :)
It was funny making that shot. I was down on my knees on the pavement near the trailhead getting my tripod as low as I could.
People were looking at me strangely until I showed them the result. I love those low angle shots.
paul wrote: Thu Jul 16, 2020 9:32 am I really like the first two images from your last post, Pete. They are definitely print worthy and probably poster worthy. I rarely see the air in Glacier that clear when I visit nowadays. Actually, the last time I saw a day that clear in Glacier was probably before 2010.
Thanks Paul. I nay get some prints made when I have a chance.
Wasn't that air clarity something? I just wanted to click that shutter all day long. Occasionally you get that really clear air in the winter, but it's really unusual in mid July. Seems smoke or dust is always around in July.
Same with the frosting of snow. All that came together for a great day for photography.
I seriously doubt the snow will be there this weekend. Most has already melted.


Thank you ALL for the compliments. :D
Just y'all know...
That first group of pics were just snapshots intended to show you generally what the day was like.
The one looking down the valley between Bearhat and Cannon was a pretty good snap.
I didn't do much to it in processing. I was trying to show just how clear the air was--like Paul mentioned.

While it was generally a pretty day, it was still a challenging one for photography.
It was quite windy most of the time and chilly when the foggy clouds would blow in---which was frequently.
The rapidly changing cloud cover made setting an exposure difficult, especially for panoramas which take some time set up and shoot.
You can see that in the two images of the Garden Wall. The cloud change over there was continually changing--rapidly so at times.

And then there were tripod setup issues with my new little tripod. It's a great tripod but hard to get perfectly level.
No level on it. So I had to rely on using the bubble level on the camera. And that was very cumbersome.
I won't have that particular issue again. I now have my tripod leveling device mounted on the tripod under the ball head.
Now I can level the tripod in 15-20 seconds after getting it stable. Then it will only take a minute or so to level the camera itself.


And then there is the parallax issue when shooting multi frame panos.
The short explanation is that experiment where you hold up your finger, look at a distant object closing one eye at a time.
You'll notice that your finger "jumps" when you close one of your eyes.
Similar issue with the camera doing panographic pics.

Panographic stitching software works MUCH better when the lens/camera combination rotate directly above the center of rotation
of the tripod. In fact, some sets of frames cannot be stitched at all if the parallax issue is too great.
So determining the exact point INSIDE the lens that needs to be above the tripod's axis of rotation has to be
located as close as possible to get the best result.
I bought a simple rail system, similar to rails used for macro photography.
The rail mounts on the ball head after leveling. Then the camera is moved along the rail until the point of no parallax is directly above the center of the tripods rotation. This is done in a trial and error manner.
Yeah sounds complicated and it is. But I've solved it for one lens and will solve the position for a second lens before the weekend.
Then we'll see how much improvement there will be in my panos.

I'm not sure where I'm going just yet. Right now I'm leaning toward going to Piegan Pass.
There's some good compositions up there. And then depending on how I feel, the weather, time left, etc.
I may head up towards the pass between Pollack and Piegan. Good compositions from there too.

And that will mean getting up at an absurd hour once more. 8)
Not so much for finding a parking space but to get the best morning light I can.

So that's the plan at the moment.

pete :wink:
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by MarxMN »

Pete, thanks for the pictures.

I tend to think the air at Logan Pass is usually clear but you pictures show really clear air. The Glacier lilies are great - especially that close to the Visitor Center.

And, yes, it looks like trips to Logan Pass will require really early start times.

Bill
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by PeteE »

MarxMN wrote: Fri Jul 17, 2020 9:24 am Pete, thanks for the pictures.

I tend to think the air at Logan Pass is usually clear but you pictures show really clear air. The Glacier lilies are great - especially that close to the Visitor Center.

It was just luck that the road opened just as a strong frontal system was blowing through.
It was pouring rain as I entered the park around 0330 Monday AM.
The rain,wind, and cold air blew out whatever dust and pollution that had been present before.
The glacier lilies were really nice but not quite at their peak on Monday. This weekend they should be spectacular. :D
Virtually the entire meadow area at Logan Pass should be blooming!
I just looked at the webcam. Lots of yellow color everywhere. :)

I'm hoping there will be some nice flowers in the meadows on the way up to Piegan Pass tomorrow
.


And, yes, it looks like trips to Logan Pass will require really early start times.

Yup. I would recommend people be at the 4way stop in Apgar no later than 0630 if they want to be assured of parking at Logan Pass.
And my guess is that parking at the popular East side trailheads will fill up by 0800-0830 this weekend.


Bill
Current extrapolated forecast at 7000ft for the area around Piegan Mt. from NOAA:
"A slight chance of showers between 7am and 9am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 59. North northwest wind 7 to 13 mph becoming west in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%"

I can live with that. 8)
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"When you're born in this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show.
And when you're born in America, you're given a front row seat."

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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by Jay w »

That first one is fantastic. You should work it up and print. I wish I had my big printer running. I'd print one for you.

Curing concrete today, so I better get back to it (93F here now).

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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by PeteE »

Jay w wrote: Fri Jul 17, 2020 1:17 pm That first one is fantastic. You should work it up and print. I wish I had my big printer running. I'd print one for you.

Thanks Jay!! :D
I may get that one printed along with some I made today.
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOng Day.
Up at 0300. Leave for GNP at 0404. Arrive at Logan about 0540.
Restroom, get boots on and pack in order. Video Big Horns. Chat with a few people.
I got started about 0630 at the trailhead at Siyeh Bend.
Got back to Jaybird at 1930...so 13 hours hiking.

Beautiful day once more. So I decided to try to summit Piegan(for the 7th time).
And I made it!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow:
Geezer Power!!!!!!!! :D
14.02 miles with +-3500ft of elevation gain/loss. :shock:

The weather was good for hiking and great for photography---when the wind calmed down.
I have a tough time trying to make pictures when the wind blows hard on those exposed slopes, ridges, and the summit.
Glare on the viewfinder from the bright sun when the clouds move, and worst of all, my eyes water.
However, in spite of all that, I believe I got some good images--especially if some of the panos work.
Right now I'm just exhausted and skanky 8)
Shower time! :)
I will do my best to get a few images up tomorrow.

later

pete



Curing concrete today, so I better get back to it (93F here now).

Jay
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by PeteE »

Here are a few snaps/images from my hike up to the summit of Piegan Mt.
The weather was near ideal for hiking with temps around 55-60F.
It was windy most of the trip which made photography difficult for me...but you can't have everything 8)
My new small tripod equipped with a leveling head worked well.
Getting down low kneeling on the rock(s) wasn't too comfortable, but I liked the low angle.

All of these posted on here are jpegs that have been reduced to 1/4 original size(6000x4000pixels to 1500x1000)
None have been cropped, but maybe be cropped if printed.
All were shot with my Sony a6000 and my new Sigma 16mm f1.4 lens.

This is the first unobstructed view you get of Piegan after emerging from the forest about 1/4mile past the Piegan/Siyeh pass trail junction.
The summit and cirque with Piegan Glacier were shrouded in clouds. I was hoping they would go away before I got up there 8)
Image

Another hiker crossing one ofthe three remaining snow fields. I had microspikes but didn't need them.
Cataract Mt is center frame. Pollack Mt is in the background with clouds on its summit and along the top of the East side of the Garden Wall.
Image

Looking back down towards Siyeh Bend and the car park. Jackson-Blackfoot Glacier complex in the distance.
Image

Multiframe vertical pano from a spot farther down the trail. GTTS Mt on the left. Clouds beginning to reveal Piegan.
Densely forested valley of the left. No forest under Piegan because constant avalanches wipe out trees before they can grow.
Image

Two frame pano of Piegan with Pollack on the right. Piegan Pass on the extreme right.
Image

Multiframe pano taken from the "goat trail" that traverses the slope under the north face of Piegan to the saddle between Piegan and Pollack.
Hiking up to that goat trail is one of the more tedious parts of the hike. No trail. You hike straight up the slope .4 miles gaining 500ft in elevation :shock: NOT fun for me 8) I've done it 9 times. 7 times on the way to the summit. Twice when turned back from summit attempt by WIND!
Pollack and the Garden Wall on the left. The mountains of the many Glacier area in the distance. The Piegan Pass trail continues from the pass down through the valley in center frame. It's a great hike on to Many Glacier.
Image

Shot from same place.
Image

I'll post more pics in a little while.

pete :wink:
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