Celestial
Under the cloak of darkness, a celestial spectacle unfolds above. The Milky Way, a luminous river of stars, dances across the velvety expanse, igniting awe and wonder. Each star twinkles with a distinct brilliance, painting the night sky with ethereal hues. The silence is broken only by the whispers of the wind as if nature itself is spellbound by this cosmic masterpiece. At this moment, one can't help but feel infinitesimally small, humbled by the vastness of the universe, and captivated by the magic that twinkles overhead. This is the magic of the Milky Way.
If you have ever been to Klamath Falls you know it has several mountainous peaks that dominate the landscape. One of which is Stukel Mountain south of town. The Lost River runs around the base of Stukel Mountain as it carves its way through the basin floor. The most majestic place on the river is a near lake like area behind the Horseshoe Dam. On a late spring evening, I came down to those area knowing that the moonlight and Milky Way were going to line up for an iconic shot on the water. Location: Klamath Falls, Oregon
In the high desert of South Central Oregon, the Aurora Borealis danced across the night sky for several hours. Location: Gerber Reservoir, Oregon.
In eastern Klamath County, Gerber Reservoir rests quietly. On this warm April night, the Aurora Borealis made a dramatic appearance. As seen here through a fence. Location: Gerber Reservoir, Oregon.
A thin crescent moon lights the foreground as the Northern Lights dance in the Southern Oregon sky. Location: Eastern Klamath County, Oregon
The Northern Lights dance with meteors in the South Central Southern Oregon sky of the high desert. Location: Eastern Klamath County, Oregon
The Oregon Coast is full of beauty from California to Washington. But the best views can be found inside the Boardman Scenic Corridor between Brookings and Gold Beach. The corridor is littered with a high density of state parks including the viewpoint for Arch Rock. Arch Rock is on the north side of the view at Windy Point, but in the summer months, at night, the best view is looking south. Location: Arch Rock State Park, Oregon
Crater Lake formed an estimated 7700 years ago when the colossal mountain named Mazama erupted and collapsed. Fast forward seven millennia, the mountain has filled with water become the deepest lake in the United States. Local tribes tell stories of the eruption being a battle between the heavens above and the earth below. It is believed that modern man discovered the lake at or near this location now called Discovery Pont. On a warm August night with a nearly full moon, I found myself re-discovering this location all over again. I have always been a fan of this location, it has the best view of the island, framed by ponderosa and whitebark trees. Location: Crater Lake National Park, Oregton
On the north side of the Crater Lake Caldera is a green-colored rock face known as the Palisades. This is an often overlooked and fascinating location within the park. This view showcases a Mt. Scott and a full moon in the background. The epic waters of Crater Lake and the interior caldera lit by the moon. Location: Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
Most who visit Crater Lake do so during the day but it shines brightest under moonlight. This epic location is not too far from Rim Village and is often featured as an Instagram hotspot. Beware, venturing out onto the cliff edge is not without its risks. Several have never made it back from the point alive. Location: Crater Lake National Park, Oregon.
In the middle of the 2022 fire season portions of Northern California were burning to the ground. One of these locations was in the view of this fire lookout tower in southern Klamath County. (glow seen in the lower left) . Now occupied by cameras and computers, this tower once housed a couple of full-time scouts that scanned the Southern Oregon Cascades for new and fresh hotspots. Today, the tower automatically scans for new fires but still stands tall 6000 feet over the landscape. On this night, I was just outside of the river of smoke to see witness the lit tower, fire, and Milky Way. Location: Chase Mountain, Oregon
On a warm night in July 2022, I found myself on the rim of the Crater Lake caldera for a potential night of aurora activity. As I was waiting for the Northern Lights to kick off I set up at Discovery Point to calibrate the camera system. Then all of a sudden, a massive shooting star or possibly even a piece of space junk entered the atmosphere and illuminated the dark sky. I feel fortunate to have been able to witness such a mystical occurrence and just as fortunate to have my camera open and capturing an image as it streaked across the sky. Location: Crater Lake National Park, Oregon.
Just after sunset, the glow from the nearby cities of Reno & Tahoe can be seen over the eastern sierras and Mono Lake. This long exposure was captured along the shores of the South Tufa Area looking north toward Paoha Island. Location: Mono Lake, California
At first glance, the tufas of Mono Lake feel alien with their oddities. However, they are uniquely iconic in their earthly forms. In this spring photo, the formations are illuminated by the setting moon over the Sierras behind the camera. Just as the Milky Way rises behind the formations to the east. 🌌🌔 What is not seen in the image are all the half-dollar-sized spiders hiding in the nooks and crannies. 😬 Location: Mono Lake, California
On this cool and crisp spring night, the rising Milky Way' core pops behind the tufas of Mono Lake. Location: Mono Lake, California
The stars shine bright over the Southern Oregon Cascades and Upper Klamath Lake as the glow from the lights of Klamath Falls illuminates the clouds. Location: Rocky Point, Oregon
The galactic core of the Milky Way rises over behind Canby's Cross at the Lava Beds National Monument in Northern California. The cross is a memorial to the only US General killed in combat in US history. Location: Lava Beds National Monument, California
In July of 2020, the Caldwell Fire erupted south of the Lava Beds National Monument in far Northern California. The fire was fueled by hot dry winds and quickly grew to over 80,000 acres. Location: Tulelake, California
One of the most unique sculpture displays is located in Northern California just off US Highway 97 north of Weed. The Living Memorial Sculpture Garden is home to several metal displays depicting military life and heritage. This display is called "The Greatest Generation" and was constructed in honor of those who fought in WWII. The sculpture is inspired by the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima. Location: Living Memorial Sculpture Garden, California.
